race-dezert.com brings you highlights of the first HDRA race of 2012. Check out the race action and also see what the Ironman Ivan Stewart and Roger Norman have to say about the resurrected HDRA series.

For Racers by Racers.. In six quick months Roger Norman, Robert Gross & Ken Flippin listened up to racers and reformed the premiere racing organization High Desert Racing Association (HDRA). The inaugural HDRA Redline @ Stateline in Primm, NV. went off without a hitch with racers, fans, media & the BLM.

HDRA Banner

With over 100+ starters in the 2-day event HDRA put up an extra incentive with an unheard of $10,000 bonus payout to the overall winner which made racers push their vehicles to the limits on a rough 12 mile course. In the end Galindo Motorsports drivers Steven Eugenio & Kyle Conlon took the overall victory in the #103 single seat Jimco Class 1 with a time of 2:35:17. Galindo Motorsports brought home more than $12,000 in winnings!

Steven Eugenio / Kyle Conlon HDRA Redline @ Stateline Overall

Fresh out of the DMV, talented 16-year-old Brandon Arthur of HRT Motorsports blew away the competition winning both days in his bright yellow Class 1400 Open Truck.

Brandon Arthur Class 1400 Winner

Ivan “Ironman” Stewart dropped the green flag as the honorary Grand Marshal of the inaugural HDRA race and the off-road legend followed up with some words of wisdom to finishers on the podium.

Ivan Stewart with Steven Eugenio & Kyle Conlon

The official HDRA helicopter equipped with well known off road videographer Jimmy Lee Cook of Air Land and Sea Films caught all the aerial action and kept racers on the peddle for the 2-day event that will be televised in the near future.

HDRA Official Helicopter

“All of our departments did wonderful job this weekend timing, registration, retrievals and the rest of the HDRA staff. I give our team a 99% and feel with were over staffed. We feel our car counts are only going to grow from here,” commented Robert Gross, President of HDRA.

Next race on HDRA’s schedule is the Imperial 250 taking place April 5th-8th in Plaster City, CA., which is the only scheduled race taking place in Plaster for 2012. Jump aboard and take advantage of all the great things HDRA is offering their racers. See www.hdrarace.com for more information.

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Many were stunned to learn about the rebirth of the legendary High Desert Racing Association (HDRA) when it was announced at the Dezert People 9 premiere at Norman Motorsports in El Cajon.  Roger Norman has been busy linking off-road related ventures together to form a stable platform for the growth of off-road racing. Over a year ago he started with the development of 120 square miles of private property in Reno with the goal to become the off-road version of Wrigley field.   RDC recently sat down with Roger Norman in an exclusive interview to gain insight into how he hopes to shape the future of desert racing through the Tahoe Reno Motorplex, Wide Open, and HDRA.

Race-Dezert.com (RDC)- When did you first start kicking around the idea of sanctioning and promoting desert races?

Roger Norman (RN)- This is something that I have wanted to do for years, the people were available and the industry was in need of something new.  It all came together in a very short period of time.  To be successful requires the right people all working towards a common vision.

RDC- What do you think could be done better by existing sanctioning bodies?  What motivated you to create this organization?

RN- I certainly think that there is room for improvement, but that’s the way I feel about everything.  We actually want to use short course racing and other forms of professional four wheel racing as a model, where they provide huge exposure for sponsors through spectator attendance and TV.  This keeps the costs down for racers and the sponsorship opportunities up.  Without spectators and good TV packages that are put on channels that actually have viewers in the chosen time slot you have few sponsors.  Without sponsors you have to reach into the racer’s pocketbook to pay for the race.  There is a better way and we are excited to get working on it.

RDC- Desert racing seems like a difficult event to bring to television, how do you intend to do that?

RN- We have been working with several producers who currently produce a series of shows on Spike, Fox Sports, Discovery, Velocity and Speed Channel.  We will not be tying up the film rights as other promoters have done. We want the independent film makers as well. We will have our own helicopter and Cineflex Camera with an operator at each race and will be producing our own live broadcast and viral videos. After the races we will post videos as I have done in the past for Norman Motorsports. The video we collect will be made available to our media partners for exposure to all classes.

RDC- Tell us a little about the land you own.  How many acres is it and what is the terrain like?

RN- It is the largest deeded private property in the state of Nevada. The Tahoe Reno Motorplex offers 120 plus square miles of terrain to race on and the adjacent industrial park is the largest in the world.  We’ve got everything from pine forest to high mountain meadows here.  Wide open valleys with silt beds to shelf roads and hill climbs.  When people see it they are blown away.  The potential is off the charts.

RDC- What is your vision for the Fireworks 500?

RN- It is going to be Racerpalooza at the Tahoe Reno Motorplex.  Desert racing, rally cross, rock crawling, motorcycle, UTV and Trophy Cart racing.  There will be multiple reasons for people to come out enjoy racing after the 4^th of July holidays. One of which is that anyone including race fans with pre-runners or UTV’s will be able to pre-run.    The race site is only 15 minutes from the big casinos in Reno.  The race will be held the Saturday after 4^th of July and include a full week of open pre-running on new terrain. This venue allows us to give the racers, families and friends the opportunity to recreate in the sport they love without the heavy restrictions imposed on government land. The start finish line is only five miles from the Truckee River and 15 miles from Pyramid Lake, which offers other opportunities for recreation during your race week at Tahoe Reno Motorplex. The world class destination of Lake Tahoe is a 30 mile drive from Reno. Tech and contingency will be held on Virginia Street in downtown Reno under the Biggest Little City arch. The race cars and trucks will be parked and contingency and tech will move through the field of vehicles.

RDC- You recently partnered up with Wide Open Baja.  How does Wide Open play into your plans?

RN- Wide Open is another piece of the puzzle.  Wide Open is the title sponsor of our inaugural race and will be sponsoring every vehicle in the race with a $250 reduction on entry fee for running the Wide Open logo on their race vehicle.  Up to ten Baja Challenge cars will be available for all five HDRA races for those who want to arrive and drive.  They will also be used to provide series sponsors and associate sponsors with a firsthand view of just how exciting this sport is.  HDRA doesn’t just ask them to write a check, we give them the opportunity to be part of the action.  What other motorsports or sanctioning bodies allow sponsors the ability to actually participate in the event. Our vision is that Wide Open allows sponsors to be apart of the event and participate on a professional level.

RDC- How did you link up with Robert Gross and Ken Flippin?  They have a reputation for being “doers” when they were part of SNORE.

RN- I first met Robert and Ken in 2010 at the Mint 400.   The following year I did a little business with them when I loaned SNORE some money because of a new BLM permit procedure where all proffer money was due 90 days prior to the event. The money was needed immediately for the Mint 400 to happen at all. They both struck me as being very proactive and great communicators.  They helped turn a small organization into a big one with almost a thousand cars in that series last season.  The infighting at SNORE was getting so bad that Ken and Robert were considering getting out of sport altogether.  They are a huge asset to the racing community and since I had already witnessed their hard work and dedication firsthand, the decision to make them managing members of the team was easy

RDC- Why bring back the HDRA name?  Are there any ties to that organization’s legacy?

RN- Ken, Robert, and everyone on the HDRA team are more than just racers or promoters, they are fans too.  They appreciate desert racing’s rich history and want to bring this sport back to its glory days with big car counts and real prize money.  With those goals reviving High Desert Racing Association made perfect sense.  Walt Lott’s grandson “Lucas Hand” has been instrumental in bringing HDRA back as well.

RDC- Many organizations have tried to put on races in Laughlin, Primm, and Plaster City, but seem to be retreating now.  What will you be doing differently to make races successful in those venues?

RN-It is not getting any easier to put on events in the USA, that is for sure. We plan to make each race fun and exciting for the race fans and the racers. We will put the spectators in the areas they like to view from. It is much easier to get people to follow the rules when you give them the locations they like.  We will be charging a small fee of $5 at the first event for the best viewing areas. To make it safer we are providing 3,000 feet or more of six foot high fencing to keep spectators off the racecourse. Robert Gross wrote the original safety management plan for minimum standards for which HDRA and possibly others would comply to ensure the safety and longevity of our sport. The Weatherman Bob Stienburger will be the HDRA radio race ops coordinator for all HDRA races. Desert racings hero Ivan “the Ironman” Stewart will be the Grand Marshall of our inaugural race, the Wide Open Redline at Stateline in Primm, Nevada on January 28 & 29, 2012.

RDC- Can you share your strategy for dealing with the BLM and insurance carriers?  These issues seem to be front and center in the desert racing community after last year’s tragedy at the California 200.

RN- We have not seen any difficulty in working with the BLM because they are as concerned about safety as we are.  We have worked out ways to keep racers from damaging sensitive areas and will have those areas watched by HDRA team members during racing. If racers choose to enter those areas they can be disqualified.  We are implementing a plan to minimize the damage to critical areas so that we can gain the trust of the BLM in the future. The BLM gave us the blessing to use some new roads and change things up a little at Primm so we are very excited.    Due to the P-51 crash at the Reno Air Races and the California 200 the insurance costs have gone up about 30% to 40% for desert racing, this has a major impact on the cost to produce an event in the USA.

RDC- So what’s next?

RN- We are currently pursuing some of the nostalgia, folklore and grandeur of years past all the while using today’s technology and safety standards not only for the racer but for the environment. We are currently and constantly searching for new and exciting venues that not only excite the racer about race day but also his family and friends who are there to participate in the event. Our belief is that every one of our HDRA events should not be just a race but also an event that every racer was proud to participate in. We want our racers, friends and family to be consumed by the environment of our event and there is no other place they would rather be than at the racetrack with HDRA.

RENO, NV     NOVEMBER 30, 2011  -  Roger Norman #8 Wide Open Excursions, Crystal Bay Casino Trophy Truck has always finished the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, and the 2011 race was no different.  After fighting multiple setbacks, where many would have called the race, Norman persevered to get to the finish line.  “I have never not finished a Baja 1000,” said Roger Norman.  “This one had a lot of challenges though, if we wouldn’t have had all of these issues, I know we would have been on the podium!”

Roger Norman worked down the list of obstacles that the Norman Motorsports team overcame, “Five miles out of our main pit at RM210 we hit a rock that broke the bead lock off the wheel which lost air pressure so we had to change a tire, but that was the only BFGoodrich tire that we changed all race, they really held up to this rough course.  Then the right front shock shaft broke at the base, which in turn broke the brake line so we had no brakes, but luckily it didn’t damage anything else. Chase came out to put a fresh shock on and saw we had two studs broke on the rear wheel hub, they fixed both and we took off.  Next, the front shocks lost all nitrogen, I have no idea how, but we were running on springs.  We were down to 20mph at some of the rougher spots.  We made it to the next pit where they discovered that the heat exchanger had a giant crack in it and the radiator was almost completely empty, with a simple fix they replaced it with a hose.  We have a tranny cooler up in back by the radiator that doesn’t get airflow unless we have enough wind, and with the new Vision X roof lights it was getting blocked. So since we didn’t want to take the lights off in the middle of the desert, and we weren’t in the contention for the win, we babied it and had to stop a whole bunch of times when it reached 290 degrees to let it cool.  At the last pit they took off the lights and once we left that pit we were able to run full race speed to the finish.” Roger Norman with co-drivers Dick Grey and JT Taylor finished 17^th with a time of 20 hours 8 minutes.

The Baja 1000 experience started with Roger Norman, Dick Grey and JT Taylor pre-running for 12 days.  “We were running around staying in different towns, really enjoying Baja.  That’s 90% of the fun for me, the pre-running part allows me to meet different people, try different restaurants and get to know all the locals,” said Norman.  Pre-running is still work, “we were making really intricate notes and JT was learning a new computer system.  It was a lot to bite off, and I don’t know how to say it…it was a lot of work….” All in all, “we had a great time pre-running with no issues at all.  Besides a couple minor fixes, the Wide Open Pre-runner ran 3,000 miles of flawless prerunning,” said Roger Norman.

Roger Norman is pleased to continue his newest venture with Wide Open Excursions, LLC as an owner and business partner.  Norman played a key role in opening Wide Open Reno at the Tahoe Reno Motorplex on August 1, 2011 and has assumed an investment role with the organization. “Wide Open Reno was such an exciting project that I decided to invest in the entire organization to help propel the brand to new heights, we truly have one of the most unique and exciting products in the adventure travel market and we need the world to know it,” said Norman.

Norman Motorsports will be in attendance at all the HDRA Off-Road Racing events in 2012, the SCORE Baja 500 and SCORE Baja 1000.

2011 Baja 1000 Action Video: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2693876187223&set=vb.60623030516&type=2&theater

Roger Norman Website: www.RogerNormanRacing.com

Roger Norman Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/NormanMotorsports

October 2^nd, 2011

Blackwell, TX

Jesse James in his #54 Geiser built Trophy Truck brought home the overall win in the first annual BRT Chupacabra 300 with a time of 8 hours and 5 minutes. Jesse spent the day competing against the likes of Roger Norman running “Wild Bill” Stuever’s #88 Trophy Truck, Zorba Racing & 9 other unlimited vehicles that started. Jesse, known for his shows such as Monster Garage and up coming Biker Build-Off duel against OCC and Paul Jr. Designs.

Friday dawned cool and clear which set the stage for unlimited vehicle qualifying where rock donkey Jason Sherer took the pole followed by Mike Walser in his class 1 unlimited and Rick Geiser in the #27 Trophy Truck of Carl Beal’s.

Saturday’s 12PM start time afforded racers some much-needed rest for the long day ahead. The course, consisting of many twists and turns meandered through hillsides and meadows of Texana Ranch. Combined with a high speed and silt sections the Chupacabra 300 made for a challenging day.

Top Qualifier Jason Sherer went down quickly on the first lap with a blown motor giving Mike Walser the lead for 3 laps until Roger Norman battled his way to the front. Norman lead for 1 lap until a fuel cell issue ended his day. Jesse James was able to gain the lead in front of Jason Shipman after a tire change. Jesse was consistent all day with zero problems and was able to work his way up front from 8^th to 1^st in 6 laps and held his lead to the finish.

Sunday’s award ceremony concluded with Michael Fletcher of Pat Sims #777 WFO Racing Team dropped­ to one knee and proposed to his fiancé Jamie Flowers. Proving once again the BRT is a family affair.

“The race was epic, the course got better after it got beat in and was a lot of fun. Some buffalo charged us by the jumps and we had to swerve to miss them, that was awesome!” stated Jesse James.

Words & Photos by Brian Binkert

TOP 5 Unlimited Car & Truck

54 Jesse James (Overall, Time 8:05:29)

1514 Jason Shipman (8:09:24)

1533 Mike Walser (9:30:40)

60 Mike Voudouris (9:34:42)

1858 Dean Van Dam (10:59:08)

Other Class Winners

4400 Unlimited – #4470 Clint Ellett (8:48:16)

7 Unlimited – #7221 Jason Helm (9:24:11)

3000 Desert Lites – #3667 Joe Dixon (11:18:12)

1600 – #1644 Peter Hardsteen (10:00:43)

5 Unlimited – #5016 Steve Tyo (10:02:36)

UTV Unlimited – #1923 Lana Richards (10:15:07)

UTV Sportsman – #1902 Tom Marek (2:10:06, Short Course)

Official Starters 39 / Finishers 19

Chris Leitner of Baja Racing of Texas commented, “Our success of the 2011 season far exceeded our expectations. The support we received from our volunteers, racers, landowners and sponsors validated our vision for off-road racing in Texas. 2012 promises to be bigger and better and we can’t wait to get started.” Make plans to join the BRT for the expanded and exciting 2012 season.

2012 BRT Schedule

Blackwell 250 (March 8^th-11^th)

Texas 500 (July 5^th-8^th)

Chupacabra 300 (October 4^th-7^th)

Meet BRT Staff Member Casper “Welcome to Texas, you ‘all come back now!”

For more information on Baja Racing of Texas visit http://www.bajaracingtexas.com

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J.T. Taylor takes the Win in the 2^nd annual Running of the ULTRA 4 Stampede held outside Reno NV on Saturday.

The first and fastest qualifier was Shannon Cambell off the line at 9:00am . He would soon have some mechanical issues before reaching Giants Throne which allowed J.T. Taylor to overtake him for the lead. From that point JT never looked back and ultimately had a 31 minute lead over the 2^nd place finisher of Erik Miller and a 46 minute lead over 3^rd place finisher Randy Slawson.

In only it’s  2^nd  year the driver sign up count grew after hearing of the challenge of Men and Machine against the Elements. 47 of the best rock racers qualified for the Stampede, 17 finished within the allotted time limit of 9 hours and 2 finished outside the time limit. The Elements Won all but 19 drivers. With an attrition rate this high it is becoming well known that this is One Tough Race, second only to the King of the Hammers but word has it between the drivers and people in the know that the Stampede is tougher. Just to finish this race is considered to be quite an accomplishment.

Congratulations go out to 7 drivers that qualified through this race for the 2012 King of the Hammers. They are Rick Mooneyham 4^th, John Webb 10^th, John Cagliero 12^th, Mike Turner 13^th and  Larry Anderson 14^th.  Aaron Robinson 15^th  and Jason Blanton 17^th were Merit Qualifiers. We look forward to seeing all of  them compete in the 2012 King of the Hammers.

Words and photos by Dave Clark, cmiphoto.net

Results of the 2011 Torchmate Reno Stampede

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For Immediate Release

Dates, Program Details Set for Wide Open Utah

New Off-Road Adventure Program Ready to Launch

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (August 24, 2011) — Miller Motorsports Park’s newest offering, Wide Open Utah, is now taking orders to give off-road enthusiasts the experience of a lifetime.

Wide Open Utah is the result of a long-term agreement with Wide Open Excursions, which offers off-road driving experiences in Baja California, Mexico, and the USA. The new joint venture will offer unique riding and driving experiences using custom-built Baja Challenge off-road race cars on Miller Motorsports Park’s one-mile Off Road Short Course and multi-configurational Off-Road Desert Course, with tracks ranging in length from 4.5 to seven miles.

“We are very excited to launch Wide Open Utah,” said John Larson, General Manager of Miller Motorsports Park. “We have been working closely with our partners from Wide Open Excursions to create a program that will offer off-road enthusiasts throughout the Intermountain West an experience that simply is unavailable anywhere else. Wide Open Utah is going to be a great complement to our other programs and gives us yet another way to help enthusiasts satisfy their need for speed in a safe and controlled environment.”

“The Great Basin encompasses the western half of Utah and is a Mecca for off-road driving adventure,” said Robert Smith, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Wide Open Excursions. “The goal is to provide the same type of legendary off-road driving adventures that our clients have experienced for over 14 years in Baja California. Our Wide Open Utah partnership with Miller Motorsports Park is an ideal situation to bring these adventure tours and experiences to off-road enthusiasts across the USA.”

Four distinct programs are being offered by Wide Open Utah, ranging from a ride-along with a professional driver to half- and full-day driving experiences and a one-day offsite excursion on the historic Pony Express trail.

The Off-Road Ride-Along Experience puts you in the right-hand seat of a Baja Challenge car with a professional driver to get the full “co-driver” experience for four exhilarating hot laps around the MMP Off-Road Short Course. Remaining 2011 dates for the Ride-Along Experience are September 3, September 10, October 8 and October 15.

The Intro to Baja Off-Road Experience puts you behind the wheel of a Baja Challenge car after a brief classroom session and vehicle orientation. Participants can choose between six laps on the MMP Off-Road Short Course or three laps on the MMP Off-Road Desert Course. Available dates for 2011 are September 3 and October 8.

The Full Day Off-Road Experience includes the classroom and vehicle orientation sessions, followed by eight laps around the MMP Off-Road Short Course. Following a catered lunch, the program moves to the MMP Off-Road Desert Course for three more hours of full-throttle excitement. Available dates are September 10 and October 15.

The Pony Express Lunch Run is the ultimate adventure for off-road enthusiasts. Following the classroom and vehicle orientation sessions, you’re off on the historic Pony Express trail across the Great Salt Lake Desert for the drive of your life. The day will include seven hours of challenging trail drives and a safari-style lunch. Call for available dates for this unique program.

Dates for 2012 Wide Open Utah programs will be announced in the near future. For pricing, additional information or reservations, please call 435-27SPEED (77333) or visit www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com. For more information about Wide Open Excursions, call 949-635-2292 or visit www.WideOpenExcursions.com.

PHOTO CAPTION: Wide Open Utah’s Baja Challenge cars are purpose-built off-road racing machines that weigh 2,600 lb., powered by a 190-hp Subaru engine with 17 inches of suspension travel. They are capable of speeds approaching 100 mph and can comfortably handle any type of off-road terrain. (Photo courtesy Miller Motorsports Park/Jeremy Henrie)

Dates, Program Details Set for Wide Open Utah 

New Off-Road Adventure Program Ready to Launch

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (August 23, 2011) — Miller Motorsports Park’s newest offering, Wide Open Utah, is now taking orders to give off-road enthusiasts the experience of a lifetime.

Wide Open Utah is the result of a long-term agreement with Wide Open Excursions, which offers off-road driving experiences in Baja California, Mexico and the USA. The new joint venture will offer unique riding and driving experiences using custom-built Baja Challenge off-road  race cars on Miller Motorsports Park’s one-mile Off Road Short Course and multi-configurational Off-Road Desert Course, with tracks ranging in length from 4.5 to seven miles.

“We are very excited to launch Wide Open Utah,” said John Larson, General Manager of Miller Motorsports Park. “We have been working closely with our partners from Wide Open Excursions to create a program that will offer off-road enthusiasts throughout the Intermountain West an experience that simply is unavailable anywhere else. Wide Open Utah is going to be a great complement to our other programs and gives us yet another way to help enthusiasts satisfy their need for speed in a safe and controlled environment.”

“The Great Basin encompasses the western half of Utah and is a Mecca for off-road driving adventure”, said Robert Smith, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Wide Open Excursions. “The goal is to provide the same type of legendary off-road driving adventures that our clients have experienced for over 14 years in Baja California. Our Wide Open Utah partnership with Miller Motorsports Park in is an ideal situation to bring these adventure tours and experiences to off-road enthusiasts across the USA.”

Four distinct programs are being offered by Wide Open Utah, ranging from a ride-along with a professional driver to half- and full-day driving experiences and a one-day offsite excursion on the historic Pony Express trail.

The Off-Road Ride-Along Experience puts you in the right-hand seat of a Baja Challenge car with a professional driver to get the full “co-driver” experience for four exhilarating hot laps around the MMP Off-Road Short Course. Remaining 2011 dates for the Ride-Along Experience are September 3, September 10, October 8 and October 15.

The Intro to Baja Off-Road Experience puts you behind the wheel of a Baja Challenge car after a brief classroom session and vehicle orientation. Participants can choose between six laps on the MMP Off-Road Short Course or three laps on the MMP Off-Road Desert Course. Available dates for 2011 are September 3 and October 8.

The Full Day Off-Road Experience includes the classroom and vehicle orientation sessions, followed by eight laps around the MMP Off-Road Short Course. Following a catered lunch, the program moves to the MMP Off-Road Desert Course for three more hours of full-throttle excitement. Available dates are September 10 and October 15.

The Pony Express Lunch Run is the ultimate adventure for off-road enthusiasts. Following the classroom and vehicle orientation sessions, you’re off on the historic Pony Express trail across the Great Salt Lake Desert for the drive of your life. The day will include seven hours of challenging trail drives and a safari-style lunch. Call for available dates for this unique program.

Dates for 2012 Wide Open Utah programs will be announced in the near future. For pricing, additional information or reservations, please call 435-27SPEED (77333) or visit www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com. For more information about Wide Open Excursions, call 949-635-2292 or visitwww.WideOpenExcursions.com.

Irvine, Calif (August 12, 2011) —Wide Open Excursions, LLC is pleased to announce they have joined forces with Roger Norman as an owner and business partner.  Norman played a key role in opening Wide Open Reno at the Tahoe Reno Motorplex on August 1, 2011 and has assumed an investment role with the organization. “Wide Open Reno was such an exciting project that I decided to invest in the entire organization to help propel the brand to new heights, we truly have one of the most unique and exciting products in the adventure travel market and we need the world to know it,” said Norman.

“This is a huge leap forward for our company,” said Brent Fenimore, Managing Director and Vice President of Operations.  “With Roger’s off-road background and his entrepreneurial spirit, we are looking to develop Wide Open into the premier off-road international brand.”  Norman and Wide Open go back a number of years to the 2004 Baja 1000 when Norman claimed a 4th place finish in the Wide Open Baja Challenge class co-driving with Bob Sutton, Rod Millen, and actor Paul Newman. In the 2005 Baja 1000 Roger teamed up again with Sutton, Millen, and Mike “Mouse” McCoy for a first place finish in the same Baja Challenge class.

Norman developed his current Norman Motorsports team to compete in the Unlimited Trophy Truck class at desert races in Baja and the US. Norman’s racing continues with much success including a 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall finish in the Baja 1000 in the last three years and a Mint 400 win among many other reputable accomplishments.  With this partnership, Norman’s Trophy Truck will be proudly branded with the Wide Open logo starting at the upcoming Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno race.

Wide Open Excursions maintains its operations in Ensenada, Mexico and expanded its operations in Cabo San Lucas earlier this year. Wide Open Utah was launched earlier this summer under an agreement with Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah and most recently opened Wide Open Reno at the Off-Road Mecca known as the Tahoe Reno Motorplex on August 1st.  R. Brent Fenimore, Managing Director / Vice President of Operations; Robert J. Smith, Vice President of Sales and Marketing; and Fred M. Blum, Vice President of Business Development will continue as owner/members in their current roles with Roger Norman stepping in to work with the entire team.

About Wide Open Excursions

Since 1997, WIDE OPEN Excursions has provided more than 17,000 guests and corporate clients with the world’s most unique and adrenaline-filled adventure opportunity. Their vision: To share the joy of high-performance off-road driving and the unspoiled beauty of the Baja peninsula, Utah’s Great Salt Lake basin, and now the Sierra-Nevada mountain range, which were previously accessible only to an adventurous and lucky few.  In 2011, Wide Open has expanded the brand into two other new territories throughout the United States including Florida and Pennsylvania.

Much more than a racing school or follow the leader tour, a WIDE OPEN experience pushes the envelope of an adventure-based vacation. The specially designed Baja Challenge cars provides guests with the performance and safety of a modern desert racer, yet are comfortable enough for anyone to drive.

Wide Open Racing, the competition subsidiary of Wide Open Excursions, provides ride and drive race seats in custom off-road race cars for amateurs and professionals looking to compete in off-road races.  Wide Open’s historic reputation of 100% finish rate since 2007 is quickly becoming its own legend.

Race-Dezert.com headed to Vista, CA for a quick stop at ID Designs for the latest shop tour. ID Designs is owned by Ivan Davis and David Perrault, both are 33 years old. They were initially friends in high school and then went different ways until 2002 when they built a company called SPD building high end racing parts and trophy trucks. While owning SPD the pair built several successful vehicles including Bobby and BJ Baldwins Trophy Trucks, along with many other TT’s and other projects. In 2008 they dissolved their partnership with the 3rd party in SPD and decided to start their own business since they retained all of the tooling and drawings from the projects they had built at SPD.

Overview of the shop

Their shop is very well organized and the tools and machining is set up in a way that makes it easy to transition from one machine to the next as assembly takes place. Currently one of the projects in the shop is their 7200/6 build. This truck was designed for both use in the USA and Australia, they have sold 5 of these to Australia already.

7200 Chassis Build

7200 Truck

This truck features a 118″ wheel base and 85″ track width which will cycle 22″ of travel in the front and 26″ in the rear. Is also uses ID Designs Hubs and rear end housing.

ID Designs Hubs

This is what the truck looks like before assembly and this is how most of the orders are shipped to Australia.

7200 Truck Parts

All of the tools used to build these parts are stored in various Snap On tool boxes around the shop, this might be one of the biggest ones we have ever seen!

Snap-On Tool Box

Since ID Designs builds almost all of their parts in-house it is essential to have the correct tooling. There are many cool machines all throughout the shop that will let you build just about anything you can draw up.

Tooling

Tooling

One of their recent projects was an upgrade to BJ Baldwins current trophy truck, was a completely new front suspension design. This included new a-arms, spindles, and hubs. With all the changes they were able to reduce the unsprung weight by 22lb per corner!

Upright

Lower A-Arm

This is one of their new fuel cell designs. Think this thing will fit in your daily driver??

Fuel Cell

ID Designs is one of only 6 distributors of Brembo Racing Brakes in the USA. So if your shopping for Brembo, ID Designs is the place to go!

Brembo Brakes

All of the designs start out in the office using CAD or alike programs. On the wall off the office is some of the projects of the past. Many of the past designs have had great success winning several SCORE and BITD races including the Baja 500!

Office

Thanks again to ID Designs for letting RDC stop by and take a shop tour. Be sure to check out the rest of the pictures in the gallery below of the many other products they build and the rest of the shop. If you have any questions about ID Designs you can visit their Facebook page: ID Designs or visit their website at http://www.iddesigns.net/

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RENO, NV     MAY 25, 2011  -  Roger Norman and the 2011 Baja team is gathering at Norman Motorsports in El Cajon, CA for final preparations and training maneuvers before heading across the border to pre-run for the 2011 SCORE Baja 500.  This years team will consist of Roger Norman driving the entire 500 miles with Lance Clifford as the co-driver for the first 300 miles and then Tim Nugent will co-driver to the finish line in celebration of his full recovery.  “Tim Nugent is the only thing tougher than my BFGoodrich Tires in Baja!  He is the motorcycle rider hit at last years Baja 500, who over the last 11 months has successfully recovered from 23 broken bones,” said Roger Norman.  “When Tim told me he still wanted to conquer the Baja 500 I asked him to be a part of our team. Not only will he conquer it, but he will be in the truck with me at the finish line to celebrate a win and his full recovery!”

A year after one of the most horrific moments in Roger Norman’s racing career, the anniversary couldn’t be brighter.  “Roger is a great person.  Throughout the whole ordeal at the hospital he would come to visit,” said Tim Nugent.  “We are taking something tragic and making something better out of it.  We’re both healing.  It’s a celebration, it’s not a closure, it’s another door opening.”

During the 2010 Baja 500 race, first time Baja competitor, Sportsman motorcycle rider Tim Nugent from Georgia, continued to race on course instead of pulling off and waiting for dust to clear after being passed by #35 Robbie Pierce’s trophy truck and didn’t realize that the #8 Roger Norman trophy truck was in the hunt to pass Pierce.  The motorcycle was grazed by the right front tire of Normans truck in the blinding dust.  As soon as the incident occurred, Norman stopped the truck, called for immediate assistance and got out to assist the down rider.  “The accident with the Sportsman motorcycle rider in the dust has shook me to the core. I have been devastated and demoralized about off-road racing since Saturday’s race,” commented Roger Norman in an email to his fellow Trophy Truck competitors immediately after the incident. “We have all had our close calls and I can tell you that until you run someone over in the dust of another trophy truck at over 100 mph you will not understand the devastating feeling that is created even if they come out with non life threatening injuries.”

In the past year, Roger Norman has made a significant impact on the Off Road Racing Community educating and demanding better safety measures to be instilled into racing environments. Best in the Desert Series has mandated red flashing lights on the helmet of motorcycle and ATV Riders, SCORE has widened the start times between the two classes, and all series are more aware of their responsibility to help keep racers safe and is encouraging training programs for sportsman race classes.

Meanwhile, Tim Nugent was successfully completing his physical therapy and pushing himself with every personal trainer appointment.  “It has showed me what I can do.  The Doctors had to stop telling me ‘what I wasn’t going to be able to do’ and instead change to telling me ‘what I couldn’t do’ because they knew that I was going to try everything!” said Tim Nugent.  “I think something that Roger and I have in common is if we are told we can’t do it, we try even harder to be successful at it!”

“I think the hardest part is going to be getting in and out of the truck having to wear my brace,” said Nugent. Turning to this weeks preparation for the upcoming 2011 Baja 500, the Norman Motorsports team will be timing tire changes, belt changes and getting in and out of the truck. “It is almost impossible to do as great of a job as what Lance does as a co-driver,” said Roger Norman.  “I think with some practice and training we can get Tim up to speed to help for the 140 or so miles that he will be in the truck.”

The 3 person team will head to Baja to pre-run later this week through next week.  They will be available at Contingency in Ensenada, Baja on Friday June 3^rd and will start 17^th on Saturday June 4^th in the #8 Crystal Bay Casino Trophy Truck.

No matter what the finishing time or place, it is a guarantee that you will see this team up on top of the Crystal Bay Casino #8 Trophy Truck celebrating Tim Nugent’s full recovery!

Roger Norman Website: www.RogerNormanRacing.com

Roger Norman Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/NormanMotorsports

RENO, NV     MAY 11, 2011  – Roger Norman took the Pro Modified Win in the Torchmate Racing Pro Mod #8 rock crawler at only his second appearance in the W.E. Rock Western Pro Nationals.  “I felt better having the one competition under my belt,” said successful Trophy-Truck racer Roger Norman.  “I came knowing this was one of the hardest sets of courses, and we just went methodically through the process of accomplishing each for the overall win.”

The obstacles on Saturday were intense including a 30ft vertical climb called the Terminator.  With a couple of tries, Norman pushed the Torchmate Rig up over the top and on Sunday he mastered it in one shot!  Norman also did about a 25ft vertical drop where he did the longest standing nose wheelie of the weekend, right into a water filled tunnel.  “The adrenaline for the entire 10 minutes is pumping!” exclaimed Norman.  “It is amazing what we are doing, and then you watch all the rest of your competitors try and do the same thing.  It makes for a great day!”  He left the competition on Saturday in the lead by well over 40 points.

When the team returned on Sunday, it was to finish with the win!  They had the lowest overall scores of the day which maintained their significant lead.  It was announced before the Pro Modified shootout that Roger Norman was the official winner of the round, but they decided to participate in the shootout anyways.  With a quick start they rolled in one of the first obstacles and they called it a day.

“It was much easier this time because I knew what I was doing.  When Lance told me to do a front dig, I knew how to do it; When he told me to put it into and out of four wheel drive, I knew easily how to, instead of having to think about what levers to pull or how to turn,” commented Norman.  Lance Clifford, his recent co-driver in the Trophy-Truck, was outside the car as his spotter giving directions via Bluetooth headsets.  There are many controls not found in a Trophy-Truck including a transfer case for controlling front wheel and rear wheel drive, front and rear air lockers and cutting brakes.  The front and rear winches are not for pulling you out of a bad situation, but rather connected to axle housings used for sucking in the suspension to account for different angles.  The BFGoodrich Krawlers had amazing traction, strength and stability on the man made course.

Roger Norman will be competing in the complete 2011 W.E. Rock West Series with the Torchmate Racing Team.  The next event will be at Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City, UT the weekend of June 10-12, and the final competition round will be August 5-7 at Donner Ski Resort in the Sierra Nevadas.

Video of Roger Norman at W.E.Rock Event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UAF9ZyIxA8

Torchmate: www.Torchmate.com

Roger Norman Website: www.RogerNormanRacing.com

W.E. Rock West Schedule:

April 1-3                         Tucson, AZ                               Finished 3^rd Pro Mod

May 6-8                         Oroville, CA                        Finished 1^st Pro Mod

June 10-12                         Salt Lake City, UT

August 5-7                         Donner Ski Resort, CA

September 23-25                        Salt Lake City, UT            Grand Nationals

Next Race:

June 2-5                                    SCORE                                     Baja 500                                                    San Felipe, Baja

June 10-12                         W.E. Rock                        Rock Crawling                                    Salt Lake City, UT

Sincerely,
Roger and Elise Norman

RENO, NV     APRIL 7, 2011  – Roger Norman decided to compete in another discipline of racing this year: Rock Crawling.  In his rookie appearance at the W.E. Rock West Tucson, AZ event he challenged himself and finished on the podium in his Torchmate Racing Pro Mod #8 rock crawler.  “Rock crawling is tougher than it looks,” exclaimed successful Trophy Truck racer Roger Norman. “There is actually a ton of strategy and teamwork involved.”

The whole experience was different than anything Norman had participated in before.  The spotter was outside the car giving directions via Bluetooth headsets.  There are many controls not found in a trophy truck including a transfer case for controlling front wheel and rear wheel drive, front and rear air lockers and  cutting brakes.  The front and rear winches are not for pulling you out of a bad situation, but rather connected to axle housings used for sucking in the suspension to account for different angles.  The BFGoodrich Krawlers had amazing traction, strength and stability on the man made course.

Competitors complete four courses on Saturday and four on Sunday, and then enter a shootout on Sunday afternoon that can change the entire outcome of the event.  With each course timed, Norman only completed one of the four courses on Saturday.  Come Sunday, he successfully turned that ratio around to completing three out of the four courses, with one tied for the best score of the day.

“As a rookie to this sport, I have been asking everybody questions.  Many thanks to all those at Torchmate Racing who gave me advice and helped me this weekend including Bill Kunz, Jesse Haines, JT Taylor and Jake Povey,” smiled Roger Norman.  “I had Mike Shaffer, the ‘God’ of rock crawling, in my ear all weekend and some of my competitors Troy Bailey and Nick Campbell were like big brothers and gave me great advice at each stage.”

Roger Norman will be competing in the complete 2011 W.E. Rock West Series with the Torchmate Racing Team.  The next event will be in Oroville, California at Surplus City May 6-8.  The third round will be at the Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City, UT the weekend of June 10-12, and the final competition round will be August 5-7 at Donner Ski Resort in the Sierra Nevadas.

Video of Roger Norman at W.E.Rock Event: http://youtu.be/PiFf1XnIk40

Torchmate: www.Torchmate.com

Roger Norman Website: www.RogerNormanRacing.com

W.E. Rock West Schedule:

April 1-3                         Tucson, AZ                               Finished 3^rd Pro Mod

May 6-8                         Oroville, CA

June 10-12                         Salt Lake City, UT

August 5-7                         Donner Ski Resort, CA

September 23-25                        Salt Lake City, UT            Grand Nationals

Next Race:

May 6-8                         W.E. Rock                         West Round 2                                    Oroville, CA

June 2-5                                    SCORE                                     Baja 500                                                    San Felipe, Baja

###

RENO, NV     MARCH 30, 2011   Torchmate Racing will be in full force at the opening round of the W.E. Rock Nationals this weekend in Tucson, AZ with Jesse Haines competing in the Unlimited Class and Roger Norman competing in the ProMod Class.  Also on the track this weekend will be Torchmate Racing Rusty Bray at the TREC series and five-year-old Gwen Garwood in a Sprint Kid Kart.

Jesse Haines bought his winning Unlimited Class buggy back and is excited to be competing in the Unlimited Class this year.  “Not many people know, but I sold my Pro Mod and will be running the Unlimited Class again,” said Haines.  JT Taylor will be spotting for Haines.  He has won an astounding twelve rock crawling competitions from Pennsylvania to California, a series championship, and had dozens of podium finishes. Between competitions, Haines has built numerous championship-winning vehicles for both himself and other competitors.

Roger Norman will be competing in his first ever rock crawling event this weekend in the Torchmate Racing Pro Mod car.  Normally the pilot of the #8 Crystal Bay Casino winning Trophy Truck, Roger Norman will experience the slow and technical side of rock crawling.  “Communication is the key.  It’s all about listening and doing exactly what the spotter says.  It’s like having a puppet master,” said Norman after practicing in Reno, Nevada earlier in the week.  “I have been on Fordyce and the Rubicon Trail before, but never as a driver, just as a passenger,” comments Norman about his previous experience.  “I am ready and excited to compete this weekend!”  Mike Shaffer will be spotting for Normans premier appearance.

Also on the track this weekend will be Torchmate Racing’s Rusty Bray racing his Ultra4 car in the TREC Series at the Badlands Off Road Park in Attica, IN.  Bray recently finished the King of the Hammers 45^th after qualifying through the Last Chance Qualifier.  The TREC series offers a 12+ mile course that has been designed around speed and endurance, not necessarily the difficulty of an obstacle including rocks, hills, mud and sand.

Gwen Garwood will be piloting the Torchmate Racing’s Sprint Kid Kart at the Crossover Series in Dixon, CA this weekend.  At 5 years of age, Gwen Garwood is the youngest member of the Torchmate Racing team and is going to go for the All-Star Karting Championship at the Prairie City Kart Track in Sacramento in her Sprint Kid Kart this year.

Track the success of each of the racers over the weekend on Torchmate Racings Facebook page, and then check www.TorchmateRacing.com next week for their full event recaps.

Torchmate Racing Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/TorchmateRacing

Norman Motorsports Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/NormanMotorsports

Torchmate CNC Cutting Machines can be purchased and more information can be found at www.Torchmate.com.

Video of Roger Norman First Time Rock Crawling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POl28fJPdbM

Video of Jesse Haines in his Unlimited Car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDmDxQxuY1o

About Torchmate : Torchmate CNC Cutting Systems has been bringing affordable CNC plasma cutting tables and other automation solutions to manufacturers worldwide for over 30 years, and have now extended their product line to include a 2×2 table suitable for any fabricators’ garage.  Torchmate Racing has supported the offroad racing community through marketing partnerships and putting their key employees behind the wheel of the best equipment.  The Torchmate Racing Team is currently involved in racing a Class 6 in the SCORE Baja series and BITD, a Rock Crawler in CalRocs and W.E. Rock, an Ultra4 racer and also support multiple racers in other series including CHCA, TORC, LOORRS and Dirt Track.  Please join the thousands that are already part of the Torchmate family.  Call toll free today at (866)571-1066 or internationally at (775) 673-2200 and let one of the trained CNC professionals guide you through every step of the CNC cutting process.  www.torchmate.com

RENO, NV     MARCH 29, 2011  – Roger Norman was in the front pack for the entire 2011 SNORE Mint 400 finishing 3^rd in the Trophy Truck class, 5^th overall. After a qualifying run that had everyone talking, the #8 Crystal Bay Casino trophy truck took the second starting position.  Norman maintained the second place position for the first lap, gained the lead in the second lap but then fell back to finishing third after an hour long on course repair.  “It was rocky and dusty and tires played a huge role in the race, our BFGoodrich tires really withstood the beating,” said Roger Norman.

Qualifying on Thursday was fast and a wild ride. Norman glided the #8 Crystal Bay Casino Trophy Truck at the notorious jump with a little bit of a rough landing.  “We landed in a hole and G’d out.  It took out the front bumper so we slowed down a little bit to not cause any additional problems.”  He qualified second fastest at 4:06.5, between fastest qualifier BJ Baldwin and father Bobby Baldwin.

The Mint 400 was a four lap race, which meant that not only was a good start important, but that lap traffic would play a role in the final outcome regardless of position.  Roger Norman and co-driver Eric Branstrom started the race with the same strategy as last year when they started and finished First: to have no mistakes or issues and keeping a close eye on where everyone is in the race. The first lap and a half were solid and uneventful.  During the second lap, Roger caught up to BJ in the rock garden, slowed to give a bump to pass, but BJ took off.  “Not long after, BJ blew a corner and pelted me with rocks, we had to try and get the rocks out of the foot well that kept going under the brake and throttle pedal for over 90 miles, but more devastating was all the rocks that went into the engine compartment.  After another lap of jostling around, they started to destroy the belts,” said Norman.  “Belts are not easily replaced on these trucks, so it took about an hour for us to replace them.”  Once back on course he kept pace and tried to make up the downed time.  By the final lap, he was about an hour behind the winner, but still placed 3^rd in the Trophy Truck class and 5^th overall.

Roger Norman will compete in his first ever Rock Crawling competition this weekend with the Torchmate Racing Team at the W.E. Rock Western National in Tucson, AZ.

Roger Norman Website: www.RogerNormanRacing.com

Roger Norman Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/NormanMotorsports

RaceDezert Interviews Roger Norman at Qualifying: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69JvIj_cjwQ

Race-dezert.com interviews Roger Norman about this years Mint 400 along with highlights from the qualifying event.

RENO, NV     MARCH 22, 2011  – Roger Norman is gunning to repeat the success from last years Mint 400.  The Norman Motorsports #8 Crystal Bay Casino truck qualified and finished first last year putting Roger Norman on the podium with an amazing finish. “Winning overall coupled with taking the pole position in qualifying makes this an epic event for us,” said Norman after last years finish.

Roger Norman spent Saturday assisting other racers and the SNORE team mark course for the race.  “We placed down arrows, turn arrows, all of them, ensuring that it is ready for this weekends race,” said Norman.  “The track seems a little rougher but we are still going to use the same strategy that we did last year: No mistakes or issues, and we will be keeping a close eye on where we are in the race.”  Eric Branstrom, who co-drove with Norman for last years win, will co-drive again this year.

The #8 Trophy Truck has been at Norman Motorsports shop in El Cajon, CA getting a new mounting system for the shock reservoirs.  “We have also been working on upgrading the drivetrain.  We just continue to add quality reinforcements after reinforcement to all the components in the truck as the courses get rougher and rougher,” said Norman.

Qualifying for starting position will be on Thursday March 24^th at 1:30.  Norman will be available at Tech and Contingency on Friday.  The Mint 400 Race will start at 7am Saturday March 26^th.  Norman Motorsports Communication Team will have live commentary on the Norman Motorsports Channel: www.justin.tv/rogernorman8 (Register now to know every time the channel goes Live)

Roger Norman Website: www.RogerNormanRacing.com

Roger Norman Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/NormanMotorsports

Video from 2010 Qualifying Run: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_0wzhEyuJ8

Next Race:

March 25-27                        SNORE                                    Mint 400                                    Las Vegas, NV

April 1-3                        W.E. Rock                        West Rock Crawling                        Tucson, AZ

Norman Motorsports Partners: Crystal Bay Casino, BFGoodrich, KMC, Vision X, K&N Filters, Mastercraft, Fire ETC, NEO, CMI, Big Ass Fans, Safety Kleen, Eibach Springs, Cruz Roja, Baja Fools, Rod End Supply, High Angle Drivelines, Trail Glow, Galley at the Marina

RENO, NV     MARCH 7, 2011  – Roger Norman, in the Norman Motorsports Crystal Bay Casino Trophy Truck, will start 3^rd on Saturday March 12^th at the 25^th Annual MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 Desert Race.  “Starting 3^rdis great.  With SCORE it’s the luck of the draw when it comes to starting positions.  It is the second best starting position I have ever had, usually we are starting 5^th or farther back,” commented Roger Norman.  The race will start on Saturday morning at 10am.  Norman Motorsports Communication Team will have live commentary on the Norman Motorsports Channel: www.justin.tv/rogernorman8 (Register now to know every time the channel goes Live)

“This is going to be a very difficult race to get the truck to the finish line, it is by far the roughest 250 miles of Baja I have experienced to date,” said Norman after pre-running for 4 days.  The course is a 252 mile loop west of San Felipe running through three major washes including Matomi, Huatomote and Chanate with silt, jagged rocks, narrow passes between walls of rock and deep whoops.  “The whoops seem to be bigger and steeper than normal, it is a constant pounding, it seems like you never get a break.”

The Crystal Bay Casino #8 Trophy Truck is ready to take the green flag.  The biggest improvement to the truck is adding a new communications intercom system that they will test for the first time in hopes of finding the best solution for clear communication in the truck and to the remote pits.  The truck did get a completely new cooling system and new modified hood to allow for additional cooling opportunities.

Roger Norman and co-driver Lance Clifford have been in San Felipe pre-running for the last week and have had nothing but problems with their pre-runner.  “This is the most challenges that I have had during a pre-run or a race!  We have had shock problems, steering problems, chased electrical issues and that is the short list!” commented Norman as he was headed back to the border to continue testing after being in the US for 6 hours.

The SCORE San Felipe 250 Tech and Contingency will be on Friday March 11^th.  The 252 mile race will start on Saturday March 12^th at 10am.  Norman will take the green flag at 10:01, being the third off the line at 30second intervals. Register for Norman Motorsports Justin TV Channel to know every time Roger Norman goes Live: www.justin.tv/rogernorman8

Roger Norman Website: www.RogerNormanRacing.com

Roger Norman Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/NormanMotorsports

Next Race:

March 11-13                          SCORE                                    San Felipe 250                                        San Felipe, Baja

March 25-27                        SNORE                                    Mint 400                                    Las Vegas, NV

Race-dezert.com coverage of the CODE class 11 challenge. CODE Off Road invited some of the best Trophy Truck drivers out for their class 11 challenge. Watch as they battle it out with other TT drivers and class 11 regulars.

The 2011 RECORD championship series put on by Ramon Castro will be comprised of 5 dates with both summer and winter editions of the Ensenada-San Felipe 250.

The season, which is just around the corner, will be similar to the 2010 series with the same 5 races to be run on Baja soil, including desirable sights such as Ensenada, San Felipe and San Vicente.

Roger Norman & Larry Roeseler hold the record for time in the Ensenada-San Felipe 250

The El Alamo 200 race, the first race of the year, is run on four 50-mile loops.  The event is held at the Ejido Heroes of Independencia, March 25th – 27th.
All of Record’s events allow both motorcycles and car entries.  The cost for motorcycle entries are $240 for the Pro Class and $180 for the Sportsman Class, and the car entries are $420 for Pro Class and $300 for Sportsman Class, plus $80 insurance for each race.

The tradition lives on with the Ensenada-San Felipe 250

For the Record events, prerunning is allowed, there are starting position drawings and the fans are very well behaved, and have not been known to set traps that may pose a risk to the racers.

Riders like Francisco Septién have been part of the events organized by Record

Photos courtesy of Iván Gallegos and René Hernández

2011 Calendar:
El Alamo 200
March 25 to 27

Ensenada-San Felipe 250
June 24 to 26

Ojos Negros 200
August 19 to 21

San Vicente 200
October 14 to 15

Race Ready 250
December 9 to 11

To learn more about record
www.recordoffroad.com

CODE kicked off the year with their annual Tecate Casas Geo GP and added the 1st annual Class 11 Invitational, toting some of the brightest stars of our sport and the best drivers in class 11; but the hype around this was more than some could handle. When asked, one Trophy Truck driver plainly and simply said “No friggin way. I’ll get my ass handed to me out there.  I don’t want to be embarrassed.”  There was much at stake for the race, far more than bragging rights.  The goal aimed to settle who were the better drivers:Trophy Truck or Class 11?

The start/finish was held on the flats of the Laguna Salada.  However, the rest of the course was anything but flat as the area is pure Baja and presents some of the gnarliest terrain on the planet. There were other races throughout the day, all of which provided great competition.  But it wasn’t until the third race of the day that everyone gathered to watch. Over 30 class 11 cars lined up for the land rush start. Not one of these drivers were going to give an inch, and the door to door battle for the first turn set the tone for the race.

Gustavo Vildosola took the lead into the desert but a flat tire took him down a few notches. “I must have hit a rock or something around rm 4; the left rear was totally flat and the dust was really bad. But I have another chance with Martin in the second race; he’s a excellent driver. If they do this again, I’m definitely in. This is a great event.”

MARTIN GARIBAY and GUSTAVO VILDOSOLA

Larry Ragland was moving steadily through the pack from 18th to 3rd but a broken shock tower put him out. “You gotta be making decisions all the time,” said Larry. “But completely different than a Trophy Truck; at the same time, it’s lots of fun. t’s totally two different things, like baseball and football. There’s no comparing them. The decisions you have to make are happening quick. Your mind is working very hard. A good Trophy Truck driver would probably be a good Class 11 driver; but I promise you a Class 11 driver could drive a Trophy Truck. I’m so sad that we broke though.”

Larry Ragland

Bob Shepard returned to the desert for this event. “That was a lot of fun! These things are tough cars, very competitive. Everyone just goes at it 100%. I’ve always had respect for class 11, and I have even more now. These guys have my heart; they are the true off-road racers.”

Chad Ragland crossed the finish line third in class but was the first Trophy Truck driver to bring it home. “Third is third. It’s nice, but we came here to win! That first guy out there was really good. He was gone. But we had a good pace going and we diced it out with a couple of guys. It was fun. It was really nice of CODE to have us out here. Mexicali is a great place and awesome place to race. Everyone should drive one of these cars.  You’ll learn a lot no matter what class you race. These guys are tough; the cars are tough. We abused this car just as much or more than a Trophy Truck. Momentum is the key in these cars. We’ve made Trophy Trucks so good now that it’s kinda made us a little lazy. You don’t get that in class 11. You can’t blow turns; you don’t have that luxury. You have to be on the edge with these cars. I’d love to come back and do this again!”

Chad Ragland

Roger Norman never returned after the first lap and was rumored to have suffered engine trouble. “I had an absolutely great time. The team I raced with were top notch great people,” said Roger. “We did plenty of testing and ran about three laps to get in some practice. We ended up having trouble right off the start with the coil and it took us a bit to figure out the problem. We got her back on track and went about seven miles until she started to blow oil all over the place and smoke really bad. We changed the motor for the second heat and all was going well until we crashed into another car in the dust; then another car hit us and that cracked the distributer cap which pretty much put us out of contention.”

But when the checker flag flew, it was a Class 11 regular who took the top spot. Gilberto “Boomper” Arreola took the honors. As Roger Norman called out in the RDC forum thread, “Who is the Greatest Desert Racer in the World.” It would have to be Boomper Arreola who had a perfect day, taking first place in both heats with a dominating performance over our brightest stars in desert racing. Boomper earned bragging rights he’ll undoubtedly carry for the rest of his career. Not many can say they took on the likes of Larry Ragland, Roger Norman, Gustavo Vildosola, Ryan Thomas, Bob Shepard, Chad Ragland, Tavo Vildosola, Jaun Carlos Lopez, Scott Steinberger, Perry McNeil in equally prepared cars and beat them all, not only once but twice in one day!

Gilberto "Boomper" Arreola

This is just another great event put on by CODE. Roger Norman stated, “Poncho and Joaquin asked me about doing this about a year ago and I thought it was a great idea from the start. CODE is the best kept secret in Baja; they put on great events and really put their hearts into it. People love it and it shows at contingency, the race and the awards. It’s the heart and soul of off-road racing.”

The next CODE is the OXXO San Felipe 200 on April 15th-17th.

Class 11 shootout results:

[Show as slideshow]

Set your DVR’s! The 2010 General Tire Mint 400 on FUEL TV begins Airing on Wednesday February 16, at8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT.

Produced by Mad Media

Directed by the Martelli Brothers

Additional Air Dates:

Mad Media is pleased to present exclusive coverage of the “2010 General Tire Mint 400.”

Held just north of Las Vegas, Nevada, the Mint is an annual off-road race that began in 1967. Called the “The Great American Desert Race” in the mid-70s, it features a legendary 400-mile course considered by many to be the toughest in North American off-road racing. The Mint draws hundreds of participants, thousands of fans, and many celebrities. It was depicted in Hunter S. Thompson’s epic novel “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” in 1971, which was later made into a feature film starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro.

The hour-long show on FUEL TV features Mad Media’s patented style of dynamic cinematography, cut to a modern soundtrack with narration by Dick Ervasti, and will begin airing on Wednesday February 16, at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT.

RENO, NV     JANUARY 10, 2011 – Roger Norman is dedicating the 2011 season to winning the SCORE Championship in the Norman Motorsports Crystal Bay Casino Trophy Truck.  “We had two choices, either we compete in all the ‘biggest races’, or we run for the SCORE championship,” said Roger Norman.  “We decided as a team that we did all the ‘big races’ last year, and that we would like to win a championship this year.”

The very first SCORE race of the season is the Laughlin Desert Challenge this weekend in Laughlin, Nevada.  “I see this race as harder to finish than the Baja 1000 because it is a rough 6.25 mile course that tears up the equipment very easily and we barley have time to change a flat, much less fix anything,” commented Norman. Norman will be 15th to qualify on Friday for starting position, 29 Trophy Trucks are currently entered.  Jake Velasco, recently named Norman Motorsports Team Manager, will be co-driving with Norman to assist with quick and immediate fixes on the truck.

After the success at the Baja 1000, and the Rage at the River race, the Crystal Bay Casino Trophy Truck has been completely torn down and is prepped for the upcoming season.  “The team pulled the motor, transmission, shocks, pretty much everything,” said Norman.  “It is like a brand new truck for this coming Laughlin race.”

Also in 2011, Roger Norman will add to his repertoire of off-road racing competing in the W.E. Rock West Series with the Torchmate Racing Team.  He will participate in the Griffin King of the Hammers and the Stampede Ultra4 races.  Norman will make multiple appearances at additional races and trade shows, and host multiple fundraising and safety related events at the Norman Motorsports shop in El Cajon, CA.

Roger Norman Website: www.RogerNormanRacing.com

SCORE Series:

January 14-16                                    Laughlin Desert Challenge                Laughlin, NV

March 11-13                                      San Felipe 250                                        San Felipe, Baja

June 2 – 5                                     Baja 500                                     Baja, Mexico

August 26-28                                      Primm 300                                    Primm, NV

November 17-20                                    Baja 1000                                     Baja, Mexico

December 10                                    Awards Ceremony                        TBA

Next Race:

January 14-16                        SCORE                                     Laughlin Desert Challenge                Laughlin, NV

February 7-11                        ULTRA 4                        King of the Hammers                         Johnson Valley, CA

March 11-13                          SCORE                                    San Felipe 250                                        San Felipe, Baja

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RENO, NV     DECEMBER 14, 2010 – Roger Norman attended last weekends SNORE Rage at the River as a test of his equipment, and had a great weekend with Fastest Qualifying on Friday, Second overall by 16 seconds on Saturday, and then did not finish on Sunday.  “After we finished the Baja 1000 there were some major and minor improvements that we needed to adjust for and test,” explained Roger Norman. “The goal for the weekend was not to win, but to learn and test until the car broke and what a better way to test than to race in a true environment.”

Roger Norman’s Crystal Bay Casino #8 Trophy Truck, that had just finished1061 miles of the Baja 1000, received a quick prep job before deciding to take on another 140 miles. The race weekend had a perfect start when Norman qualified first for the starting position.  On Saturday, the heat lap based event, had the Unlimited Trucks and Cars running at 12noon.   Norman started first off the line and carried the lead all the way through the race, but after adjusted time, Norman placed second overall by 16 seconds.

On Sunday, they found the wear point on the truck.  Just 100 feet off the start line of day two, the yoke on the driveshaft broke.  Within minutes, the Norman Motorsports team was under the truck replacing the parts and within 15 minutes the #8 Trophy Truck was back on course.  “We changed it, but the vibration in the transmission after the change was too much, and instead of risking imploding a very expensive transmission we pulled back into the pit on lap two and loaded up.  In all, we had a great weekend, and succeeded at our original goal of testing the truck to its limits,” said Norman. Normally the team utilizes a remote desert location to test the truck to failure, which has historically been the best method to identifying weaknesses and fix them before it happens in an important race.

The truck will now go through a complete tear down and get ready for the 2011 season.  “The 2010 Desert Season has been amazing.  We participated in 15 races and enjoyed not only the racing and wins, but also all the friends and fans that we have met along the way,” concludes Roger Norman.

Jimmy Nuckles takes 1st overall at Rage at the River

After a full day of racing on Saturday the RATR track had developed some serious holes and was in one word – brutal. With that said, SNORE has another great race in the books with what has become one of the best races of the year and with nearly 300 entries, it has clearly become a destination for racers from everywhere.

If you haven’t raced SNORE then you should do yourself a favor- make it happen.

Today’s results:

Class: _Unlimited Truck
1. Nuckles (UT Class), Jimmy 48
2. Ewing, Marc 68
Sponsors: Riot Racing,Geiser Bros
3. Norman, Roger 8
Sponsors: Crystal Bay Casino, BF Goodrich, Mastercraft
4. Ashley, Byron 87
Sponsors: A.E.I. Motorsports
5. Wyllie (UT Class), Todd 1
Sponsors: King Shox, Trail Ready Wheels, BF Goodrich Tires
6. Tonelli, Nick 11
Sponsors: The Bee Hive Sports Bar
7. Thing, Frank 58
Sponsors: True Line
8. Bozzano (UT Class), Travis 67
Sponsors: BMS Offroad

Class: 1 Unlimited
1. Mc Callum, Shawn 149

2. Mecham, Sean 152
Sponsors: Icon Payment Solutions
3. Serna, Louie 147
Sponsors: Canyon Plaza Resort, CRC
4. Householder, Terry 142
Sponsors: Householder Motorsports, Inc. & Playtech Racing
5. Hines, Frank 113
Sponsors: Motion Tire, Telcom Inc.
6. Flores, T J 100
Sponsors: LVDC, Valley Performance, Goodyear
7. Daniel, Josh 106
Sponsors: Danzio Performance
8. Parkhouse, Brian 111
9. Greenhill (1 Class), David 165
Sponsors: Greenhill Motorsports
10. Cleminson, Jennifer 132
Sponsors: PlayTech Damzl, Royal Purple

Class: 10 Class
1. SAT La Paglia, Mike 1038
Sponsors: Racer Engineering
2. SAT Wik (10 Class), Bekki 1007
Sponsors: FCS Flooring
3. SAT Mc Gee, Mike 1011
Sponsors: Tommy T’s Sports Bar

Class: 12 Class
1. Freeman (12 Class), Bryan 1280
Sponsors: King Shocks, BFGoodrich

2. Starkey (12 Class), Roger 1220
Sponsors: Star Builders

3. Stemmerman, Todd 1201
Sponsors: Music Rental & Pawnshop
4. Ward, Rory 1247
Sponsors: Laughlin Chamber
5. Cook (12 Class), Rick 1251
Sponsors: Meema & Peepa
6. Camacho, Matt 1212
Sponsors: Good Vista Tire & Wheel
7. Langley, Zak 1211
Sponsors: Cops Racing Team
8. Lisa, Steven 1256
Sponsors: PatentIt.com
9. Laughlin, Matt 1233
Sponsors: L & M Foodservice, Riverside Resort
10. Semmens, Jason 1237

Class: 13 Class (Ltd Sp)
1. Bradley, Briana 1302
Sponsors: Mobbin DIrty Clothing Co., Bradley Racing
2. Shapley, Billy 1300
Sponsors: Bill Shapley

3. Malburg, Clint 1376
Sponsors: Calavera Racing
4. Mc Millin (13 Class), Daniel 1378
Sponsors: Mark Racing
5. Carbone, Steve 1329
Sponsors: Cactus Electrical Supply

Class: 1450 Class
1. Libby (1450), Jonathon 1406
2. Ahrens, Clyde 1456
Sponsors: Miller’s Garage Racing
3. Freas, Chris 1479
Sponsors: Fast Lane Motor Fuel, Killer Off Road Fabrication
4. Russell, Frank 1444
Sponsors: Malibu Iron
5. Anderson (1450), Robert 1478
Sponsors: Dezert Nation

Class: 15 Class (Unltd Sp)
1. Hawley (15 Class), Aaron 1524
Sponsors: Rakeman Plumbing
2. Scott, Tony 1533 00:18:51.890
Sponsors: R & R Hitches and Performance
3. Blume, Randy 1577
Sponsors: R. Blume Underground
4. Nelson, Josh 1515
Sponsors: Flippin Racing
5. Wik (15 Class), Bekki 1507
Sponsors: FCS Flooring

Class: 1600 Class
1. Boyer, Chris 1616
Sponsors: Boyer Racing
2. Neal (1600), Andrew 1614
Sponsors: Cactus Communications
3. Eugenio (1600), Steven 1603
4.  Hawley (1600), Aaron 1624
Sponsors: Rakeman Plumbing
5. Boyer, Rick 1649
Sponsors: Boyer Racing

Class: 18 Class
1. Bass, Mark 1844
2. Harvey, Chuck 1853
Sponsors: Boulder Dam Brew Pub
3. Dziurawiec, Bob 1811
Sponsors: Surf Auto
4. League, Alan 1848
Sponsors: Liberty Pipeline Services, RLR Motorsports

Class: 3 Class
1. Morris, Brian 305
Sponsors: Empire AG Transport

Class: 3000 Class
1. Wilson, Dave 3014
Sponsors: Get Bent Motorsports, Wilson Off-Road
2. Lee (3000), Allan 3017
3. Meachum, Mike 3007
Sponsors: Eastbound Bar and Grill

Class: 5 Class
1. Bruckman, Michelle 506
Sponsors: Bruckman Motorsports
2. Benedict, Michael 515
Sponsors: North Las Vegas Desert Runners
3. Rohrer, Carl 501
Sponsors: Susan Herlong, Remax Excalibur
4. Alexander, Steve 505
Sponsors: Alexander Motorsports, LVOR

Class: 5/1600 Class
1. Solano (5/1600), Raul 550
Sponsors: Lone Kid, ORAF, California Custom Lifts
2. Berry, John 565
Sponsors: Big Fish Electric, Inc.
3. Mauer, Daniel 555
Sponsors: Freedom Medical Supply
4. Kaylor, Brandyn 599
Sponsors: Kaylor’s
5. Boone, Mike 589
Sponsors: Wicked Creatures

Class: 7 Class
1. Messer, Gary 7217
Sponsors: AZ Auto Lenders, Allcoat, Currie Enterprise
2. Hempel, Gregg 7269
Sponsors: GetPipe.com
3. Bozzano (7 Class), Travis 7267
Sponsors: BMS Off Road
4. Messer, Troy 7227
Sponsors: AZ Autrolenders, All-coat, Currie Enterprise
5. Basso, Keith 7213
Sponsors: Weatherall

Class: 8 Class
1. Wyllie (8 Class), Todd 8011
Sponsors: BF Goodrich Tires, King Shox, Trail Ready Wheels, F & L
Fuel
2. Mc Farland, Scott 8041
Sponsors: Pitbull Tires
3. Patelli, Joe 8002
Sponsors: Patelli Motorsports
4. Evans, Terry Scott 8021
Sponsors: Dashes Direct, UM Racing, BFG
5. Harrah, Rick 8006
Sponsors: Locations, F & L Fuel, Faded Energy, 702 Graphics

Class: 9 Class
1. Sheble, Joe 902
2. Davis, Dalton 928
Sponsors: Lochsa Surveying and Engineering
3. Poole, Tori 930
Sponsors: Poole Farms, Hooked Up Motorsports
4. Englestead, Joshua 913
Sponsors: Hasea Transaxle, Duncan Peters Motorsports
5. Kline, Dustin 970
Sponsors: Skinfly Energy

Class: HeavyMetal Class
1. Staats, Ryan 820
Sponsors: Staats Racing
2. Morales, John 863
Sponsors: Factory Transmission
3. Libby (HM Class), Jonatho 822
Sponsors: Pschotic Racing
4. Woolworth (HM Class), Ro 828
Sponsors: Woolworth Motorsports

Class: NAPA Chassis 7S Challenge
1. Cockrell, Robbie 7129
Sponsors: Shift Pros Transmission, Trailglow, Bilstein Shocks
2.  Milligan, Kyle 7175
Sponsors: SMT Racing, NEO Oil
3. Becerra, Andrew 7148
Sponsors: Elite Truck and RV
4. Day, Brian 7109
Sponsors: Road Runner Dock Bar
5. Garfinkle, Peter 7150
Sponsors: NAPA Chasis, Wide Open Desert.com, Tustana Pools

Class: StockBug Class
1. Vandermark, Cory 1168
Sponsors: Metalcraft, Los Gatos Tomato, Sebring West

2. Johnson, Robert 1101
Sponsors: Johnson Racing
3. Cote, Dave 1191
4. Brenner, Michael 1179
Sponsors: Yo’Leven Racing Team
5. Murrell, Mark 1188
Sponsors: Murrell Motorsports

Class: UTV – Pro
1. Schueler, Brandon 1919
Sponsors: Jaggedy, Polaris Racing
2. Alexus, Preston 1922
3. Ward, Thomas 1925

Class: VORE – VC
1. Cusack, Karman VC40
Sponsors: Cusack Motorsports
2. Benavides, Arturo VC42
3. Buettner, Hunter VC43
Sponsors: VORE, Aero Electric

[Show as slideshow]

RENO, NV NOVEMBER 23, 2010 – Roger Norman’s Crystal Bay Casino #8 Trophy Truck finished the 2010 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 third overall and in class on Friday November 19, 2010. “Completing the Baja 1000 is always an amazing experience,” said Roger Norman. “We had a good race, our biggest issue was being able to see as we literally lost lights off the truck and battled very heavy fog.” The team of Roger Norman and Lance Clifford completed the 1061 miles in 19:56:27, a very impressive time averaging 53.24 mph.

The Crystal Bay Casino #8 truck sat up on the dirt mound at the Start of the Baja 1000. Proud to be the first truck off the line, Norman Motorsports had fresh air for the first third of the race until they clipped a rock and took a quick three minutes to change the BFGoodrich tire which allowed Gus Vildosola to pass for the lead. As night fell, they realized that the bright Vision X lights had begun to loosen off the lightbars and they had already lost some. While taking a longer pit to locktite and resecure them, Robbie Gordon passed for second. Lacking their bright lights, they had to slow down off competitive race pace to eliminate the risk of not finishing. When they caught Robbie Gordon a while later, they bumped him enough to lose the only two lights that they had working when the front bumper was pushed up into the hood. It woke Gordon up, and it slowed Norman down. They continued on with safety as the main priority and after clipping another rock and a quick tire change, they maintained their position with BJ Baldwin hunting them the rest of the race to the finish line.

Roger Norman did drive solo for the entire race with Lance Clifford as his co-driver. In an interview after the race, Roger confirmed that it was a good decision. “Yes, with all of the pre-running that we did, we were prepared and then come race day we stayed hydrated to keep our concentration. I am glad that I did it, it completes another item on my list of things to do.” Competing in the Baja 1000 has always been rewarding, being able to finish is excellent, but being on the podium as an overall finisher while iron manning is amazing.

The efforts of running a race as prestigious as the Baja 1000 requires dedication from the whole team. Norman Motorsports was successful with an all volunteer team that has an amazing responsibility and successfully executed pit stops to keep the team on pace. Norman Motorsports marketing partners have been a great support including Crystal Bay Casino, BFGoodrich, KMC, Vision X, K&N Filters, Mastercraft, Fire ETC, NEO, CMI, Big Ass Fans, Safety Klean, Cruz Roja, Baja Fools, AutoVac, Fluidyne, Rod End Supply, High Angle Drivelines, Trail Glow, and Galley at the Marina.

The Norman Motorsports team would like to invite everyone to the race shop for a Year End Celebration and Fundraiser for supporting South Bay Community Services Foster Youth of San Diego & the Red Cross of Baja, Cruz Roja Saturday night December 4th in El Cajon, CA. Please see www.rogernormanracing.com for more information and instructions to RSVP.