December 27, 2011

Huntington Beach, CA – For Immediate Release:

Coleman Motorsports looks forward to racing in Laughlin, NV each year and loved every minute of their weekend at this year’s SNORE’s Rage at the River! Thursday night, the Golden Nugget hosted a “Meet and Greet” where driver Jason Coleman set the #1600 race car on display and handed out stickers to fans. The pre-run was on Friday and the course looked fast causing the excitement to grow for the two day short course race. Knowing how many cars were entered for the main event, Coleman Motorsports got in line for tech inspection and contingency early in order to avoid the inevitable long line. Tech inspection always goes smoothly with SNORE when you follow procedures! The last mandatory item to attend before the big race was the driver’s meeting. There was a huge turnout which was to be expected by the entry list. All of the rules were presented clearly and the drivers all looked forward to an awesome race day in the morning.

Driver Jason Coleman and his co-dawg Jeremy Munyon started 12^th off the line for Class 1/2 1600 on Saturday morning. The cars started two at time every 20 seconds, which made for an exciting race! The 1^st lap was the slowest lap for Coleman Motorsports as there was a lot of traffic and dust to fight through. But after that first lap, Jason charged through the field and set the fast lap for the weekend for class 1/2 1600! Coleman Motorsports finished Saturday in 2^nd physically and on time was only 14 seconds behind the winner of day one Luke McMillin.

To mix it up, on Sunday, SNORE inverted the top 10 finishers which put Coleman Motorsports on the line with Luke McMillin in the 5^th row. After losing the holeshot, Jason and Luke diced back and forth for the first two laps. By lap 3 Jason had begun working his way through traffic once again and he didn’t stop until he got to post-tech. As all of the racers finished one by one for class 1/2 1600, everyone waited to hear who had come out on top. SNORE’s race director Bill Shapley silenced the crowd when he walked out holding the results. “For the weekend…… 1^st place……. #1600 Jason Coleman”. The Coleman Motorsports team jumped and yelled and celebrated as everyone knew how close the race was. Coleman Motorsports had won the weekend by 5 seconds!

Coleman Motorsports finished the 2011 SNORE season with a respectable 3^rd place in class 1/2 1600 points and 4^th overall. The top 3 in class were within 52 points! “We had set out for a repeat championship this year and we came very close but at the end of the day it wasn’t enough. We proved a lot with our success this season and we look forward to another great season next year,” said Jason Coleman.                                                  

The team would like to thank the dedicated members that make up Coleman Motorsports. Without you, we would have nothing.

The number 1600 race car is sponsored by:

Golden Construction Development Company ~ Christianbelle Electric ~ McKenzie’s ~ BTR Wheels ~ LAT Racing Oils ~ Hella Lights ~ E 3 Spark Plugs ~ Jake’s Fabworks ~ Scott Shop Towels ~ Wypall ~ HB Ultimate Training Center ~ Razor Clothing ~ Simpson ~ F & L Fuel ~ Laughlin, NV ~ Prep by Coleman Motorsports

Next Race: SNORE – Battle at Primm – Primm, NV February 24 -26, 2012

For more about Coleman Motorsports please visit and like our facebook page at www.ColemanMotorsports.com.

Info@ColemanMotorsports.com

Photos credit: Prontopics.com

Youtube: ColemanMotorsports1 & Klesis Films

Twitter: @ColemanMtrSprts

There was a rush on the city of Laughlin Dec. 9-11 when a throng of off-road racers, their fans and sponsors converged on the area for the annual Rush at the River, a Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts (SNORE) event that attracted some 250 competitors, their race machinery and fans from several states.

According to off-road experts, each off-road racer brings ten people ranging from mechanics to sponsors and fans. With Chamber of Commerce weather for the two days, Laughlin was a true playground; at least for racers who converged on the city about 90 miles south of Las Vegas.

“I couldn’t believe the amount of people at the driver’s meeting Friday night,” said Bill Shapley, SNORE’s race steward. “The tent had people wall-to-wall. There had to be at least 2,500 people there.”

Shapley’s statement fits perfectly with estimates for the Rage at the River, SNORE’s final race of the 2011 season. With two days of heat races over a 12.8-mile course just north of town, this race spectacular had everything from great action to a huge economic boost during what has been termed the worst recession since the Great Depression.

In a nutshell, off-road racers are a hearty group and the Rage at the River was proof of that. Not even economic meltdowns can keep off-roaders from traveling long distances to spend several days in the desert for good fun and good competition.

Racers loved the Rage at the River and so did the fans.

“It was really rough,” said Jason Coleman, a Southern California contractor who captured the 1600 class in a jam-packed field of 34 entries. “This was a lot of fun. I love being here.”

Coleman wasn’t alone in his assessment of the Rage at the River. Even those who weren’t quite as lucky agreed that off-road racing in Laughlin during December was the best possible therapy especially under glorious skies that produced shirt sleeve weather for the majority of each day.

“It was a great race,” said Las Vegas contractor Mark Hutchins, sitting in the back of his pickup while watching the action. “Everything was run on time both days.”

There was no question that the course included a combination of short-course and open desert. In what was a typical tough SNORE course, there are some who won’t forget the layout.

Among those who found the course especially challenging was Southern Nevada real estate executive Day Gang, who competed in the 1600 class.

“I ran hard all day and was running in fourth or fifth position on Saturday,” she said on Facebook after Saturday’s race. “On my last lap, I went for a pass on third place, caught a run and rolled. I’m super bummed that I did not finish my last lap, but stoked that I ran as fast as I did today. My co-dog Charlene did awesome and stayed calm during a pretty scary roll.

“Thank you to the course workers that eventually got us back over and thanks, too, to Josh for getting the car ready for Sunday.”

Class winners included automobile executive Steve Olliges, Unlimited Truck; Terry Householder, Class 1 Unlimited and unlimited; Michael

Lapaglia, Class 10; Beau Rush, Class 12; Jordan Poole, Class 13; Ryan Desautels, Class 1450; Richard Blunk, Class 15; Chas Dana, Class 3000; Steve Alexander, Class 5; Raul Solano, Class 5-1600; Jason Rodriguez, Class 7; Joe Patelli, Class 8; Michael Ward, Class 9; Dan Unsicker,  Heavy Metal; Scott Wisdom, Stock Bug; Robert Roglin, Stock Full; and Jim Rossi, UTV Pro.

“Having a truck like this is really good in the rough stuff,” said Adam Householder, who drove the first day before turning over the driving duties to his father, Terry, on the second day. “The course is fun. It’s very fast and rough.”

The elder Householder said the family has been coming to Laughlin for many years.

“The race for us was trouble free,” said the 53 year-old Householder, a fire protection contractor in Orange, Calif. “We started on the fourth row Sunday and the dust was pretty bad for the first three laps. This is our third year with SNORE and overall we have been to Laughlin about six times.

“We will absolutely be back. My parents have been going to Laughlin since the 1970s.”

Kyle Conlon, who finished second in Class 1, knew Laughlin would be a good race. His second place finish in overall and Class 1 unlimited earned him the 2012 SNORE championship.

“For the most part, this track is pretty flat with some rough sections,” said Conlon. “It’s definitely a buggy track rather than a truck track. This is really one of those races where you push as hard as you can and you hope to win.  You don’t want to push too hard on the first day and just get to the next day.”

All parties agreed that the Rage at the River near the Colorado River was definitely a highly-successful event.

“The Laughlin Tourism Commission was thrilled to host SNORE’s season ending event,” said MJ Smith of the Laughlin Tourism Commission. “It falls on our second slowest tourism weekend of the year and we love the excitement 4,000 off-road enthusiasts bring to town.”

SNORE President Brittany Burgos concurred with the final result.

“Rage at the River is a race everyone puts on their schedules no matter what organization they race in, and I couldn’t be happier with the turnout for the 2011 RATR,” she said.

Hot off  a challenging but rewarding 2011 season, SNORE heads into the 2012 campaign complete with a long list of sponsors jumping on-board for what promises to be another stellar campaign.

The season kicks off with the Dusty Times Battle at Primm Feb. 24-26 followed by the PCI Race Radios 30 at Ridgecrest, Calif., April 13-15; the Dusty Times 250

in Caliente June 8-10; the KC HiLites Midnight Special Sept. 7-9; the SNORE 250 Oct. 26-28 in Jean; before returning to Laughlin for the Rage at the River Dec. 7-9.

Further information can be found by visiting www.snoreracing.net.

CAPTIONS:

The team of Terry and Adam Householder teamed up to win overall and Class 1 titles during SNORE’s Rage at the River Dec. 10-11 in Laughlin, Nev.

SNORE’s Rage at the River drew about 250 entries while also providing the perfect backdrop of Laughlin, Nev. south of Las Vegas.

Kyle Conlon finished second in the overall and Class 1 Unlimited class at Laughlin to earn the 2012 SNORE points title.

The staging area was jam-packed with vehicles all day long during SNORE’s Rage the River in Laughlin.

First off I would like to thank SNORE for always putting on one of the best season closer to the 2012 desert racing season’s and getting the permit once again from BLM to cross the road and race the back section of Laughlin! Day one weather was super windy and cold but it made it nice for the racers on the track with the wind blowing the dust away. Now day two weather was great and warmed up to T-Shirt weather but the wind was at a stand still the last half of the day making it hard to see for the drivers. Especially the last race of the day, which also makes it super fun for photos when you can’t see the cars in the hanging dust.

Tony Murray #109, 1st place in class 1

As the 2012 SNORE season came to an end at RAGE @ THE RIVER, Laughlin NV. It was the Class 1 Unlimited’s who took the top 3 spots for Saturdays race. 1st place went to #109 Tony Murray running a smooth race just beating Adam Bosh #121 by 11seconds. Not a bad finish for Adam Bosh since his race car has not seen a race in 6 months. Taking 3rd was Terry Householder running his Trophy Truck with out the glass in  Class 1 Unlimited.

After the intense battle day 1 between Michael Lapaglia and Cody Freedman running his beam front in EcoTec in class 10, it was Lapaglia for the win day 1 and day 2 in class 10. But it was Cody Reed to watch out for in class 12. Reed took 1st place with a time 1:08:50.390 beating all the other class12′s, all the class 10′s, several Class 1 unlimited cars and all the Trophy Trucks except for Steve Olliges #28.

With 33 entries the 1450 class it’s always a fun race to watch because the 1450 racers seem to have the Robby Gordon mentality, “Win or Brake” no in between. Plus the 1450 racers love the camera/video guys and will show off just to get awsome Photos/Footage even if it means breaking!?!? That said only 18 of 33 finished Race Day One and 17 of the 33 racers finished Race Day Two. Congrats to Randy Shields taking 5th day 1 and 1st Place day 2.

Fernie Padilla, winner of day 2 in the 1600 class

Now one of the most competative classs, 1600′s. After the day one action it was hard to tell who was going to take day 2. Luke McMillin was in 1st followed by Class Champ Jason Colman in 2nd and Cody Robinson in 3rd race day 1. Race day 2 began and the tides did change. The top 3 finishers day one dropped back and it was #1632 Fernie Padilla in 1st, Cory Boyer 2nd and Blaine Conrad in 3rd place followed closely by Jason Colman in 4th, Luke McMillin in 6th and Cody Robinson dropping to 13th for race day 2.

Unofficial Race Day 2 Results, Click Link:  live.snoreracing.net
Check back soon at http://snoreracing.net/  for Combined Official Race Day 1 & 2 Results.

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Heat #2 started of with a bang. At the end of lap one 7213 Keith Basso was in 1st place but then rolled his truck 2 times and luckely landing on his wheels. As 2nd place at the time 7247 Gary Messer cought up to Basso his truck stated up and he Basso was back in the race!

Cody Freedman racing his beam front end car in Class 1000 with an EcoTec motor was dominating running about 13 min laps, just a few mins shy of the Trophy Trucks. Freedman had to pull in to the hot pits to re-attach his roof to finish the race and Michael LaPaglia snuck by and took 1st for saturdays race in class 10000.

Heat 5 was a close race between Kyle Conlon, TJ FLores Harley Lenter and Terry Householder. By lap 3 is was still a tight race then Harley dropped off with a flat and Kyle Conlon got around TJ and and to it to the finish line for 1st OA day one of a 2 day race.

See you all on the track tomorrow for day 2 race action.

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The last race in the 2011 SNORE season kicked off today with time trials and tech.  Check back for coverage of each race day throughout the weekend.

Time Trials results:

Unlimited Truck 1 6 Steve Olliges 28 00:04:10.109
Unlimited Truck 2 12 Travis Bozzano 67 00:04:26.546
Unlimited Truck 3 14 Robert Strunk 21 00:04:34.796
Unlimited Truck 4 16 Jeff Franklin 99  00:04:40.296

1 Unlimited 1 1 T J Flores 100 00:03:57.437
1 Unlimited 2 2 Kyle Conlon 108 00:04:02.578
1 Unlimited 3 3 Harley Letner 139 00:04:06.781
1 Unlimited 4 4 Terry Householder 124 00:04:06.875
1 Unlimited 5 5 Richard Boyle 157 00:04:08.046
1 Unlimited 6 7 Levi Rockhill 156 00:04:15.500
1 Unlimited 7 8 Dennis Boyle 113 00:04:16.656
1 Unlimited 8 9 Victor Gruber 148 00:04:22.859
1 Unlimited 9 10 Adam Bosch 121 00:04:23.437
1 Unlimited 10 11 Joseph David 167 00:04:24.671
1 Unlimited 11 13 Jim Tucker 154 00:04:26.953
1 Unlimited 12 15 Tony Murray 109 00:04:36.843
1 Unlimited 13 17 Jason Whipple 188 00:04:54.656
1 Unlimited 14 18 Jennifer Clemison 132 00:04:56.093
1 Unlimited 15 19 Allan Lee 117 00:05:02.546

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In its 42 years, the Southern Nevada Off Road Enthusiasts – SNORE – has experienced its share of challenges and victories.

However,  SNORE’s latest accomplishment in a very short period of time ranks at the peak of victories as the club heads into its Rage at the River Dec. 9-11 in Laughlin, Nev. near the Colorado River.

Considering the sudden rally, most would agree SNORE is closing out one eventful season in glorious fashion while looking forward to what promises to be a record year in 2012.

With a field of entries expected to reach about 250 at Laughlin, SNORE has done more than avoid a mild bump in the road to reach the final race of the year.

As an example, SNORE was hit with a suspension by the Bureau of Land Management in June following the running of the  2011 Mint 400 staged north of Las Vegas.

However, that challenge was handled through a revegetation project conducted by several members of SNORE during three consecutive weekends in October and November, and the club is now free of is suspension heading into the last race of the year.

With the suspension lifted and SNORE looking at a green light for the end of this year, sponsors have jumped on board for Laughlin and are lining up for the 2012.

Among the sponsors on board for the Rage at the River event are the Laughlin Tourism Commission; NAPA Chassis; John Calvin’s Dusty Times, Patrick’s Sign; and PCI Race Radios.

The 2012 season has already received strong praise considering repeat sponsorship from various businesses; with most sponsors from 2011 agreeing to participate next year. The club current provides nearly $30,000 in prize money; among the highest payouts in desert racing leading to the line “It Pays to Race SNORE.”

A key addition for six races in 2012 is the participation of Michael Gaughan’s South Point Casino, which will sponsor the SNORE 250 Oct. 26-28 at a yet to be named location.

Others returning with SNORE next year include Dusty Times, PCI Race Radio, KC HiLites and the Laughlin Tourism Commission.

“The club came together during some very challenging times,” said Kenny Freeman, a member of the SNORE board of directors. “At the revegetation, we had youngsters as young as seven and members in their 70s help us correct a bad situation.”

The Laughlin Tourism Commission is a proud sponsor of off-road racing and has partnered with SNORE to provide race teams new and interesting races to race.

“We look forward to another good year of off-road racing action in Laughlin,” Executive Director MJ Smith said. “Rage at the River continues to surprise us and we can’t wait to see the turnout this year.”
LTC is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing tourism in Laughlin. Comprised of the Edgewater Casino Resort, Colorado Bell Hotel Casino, Tropicana Laughlin, River Palms Hotel and Casino, Golden Nugget Laughlin and Harrah’s Laughlin, LTC contributes more than $30 million in economic impact through events.

“LTC cares about the community and will continue to dedicate our efforts to bring new and exciting events to Laughlin,” Smith added.

Laughlin sits on the banks of the Colorado Riverand attracts thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each year who flock to its shores to enjoy the water and relax with all the amenities of a resort destination.  From riding the waves on jet skis, to relaxing on a scenic cruise, there is something for everyone on the waters of the Colorado. For more information, go to http://www.visitlaughlin.com/www.VisitLaughlin.com.

Freeman reiterated that SNORE appreciates the support that it receives from all of its sponsors and members.

“SNORE’s membership is comprised of good, dedicated people and this is proof of that. We are a true family.”

Full information regarding SNORE can be found at www.snoreracing.net.

CAPTION:

Members of the Southern Nevada Off Road Enthusiasts participate in a revegetation program north of Las Vegas which enabled the club to be removed from suspension dealt by the Bureau of Land Management.

Huntington Beach, CA – For Immediate Release:

This past weekend, Coleman Motorsports headed to Ridgecrest, CA for the 42^nd running of the SNORE 250. So far 2011 has been an up and down season for the team and the point’s race seemed to be out of reach. With that in mind, driver Jason Coleman and co-dawg Jeremy Munyon left the starting line with a “Pin it to win it” mentality.

2^nd off the line for Class 1/2 1600 put the team in a good position. But it didn’t take long to realize that the dust and blinding sun combined to be a more fierce opponent than the battling cars on the track. Visibility was terrible which made clean passes extremely difficult for the first 2 laps. Coleman Motorsports did their homework with this course and made sure to pre-run and because of this they felt confident so that they were able to compete even in very limited visibility. “I love this course and always have. It’s fast, fun, and extremely rough,” said driver Jason Coleman.

The team came prepared for everything and anything therefore we were 100% satisfied with the flawless day of racing. A nearly perfect pit stop for fuel after lap 2 combined with zero flats and zero problems made for Coleman Motorsports’ first official 1^st place finish for Class 1/2 1600!

The team would like to thank the dedicated members that make up Coleman Motorsports. Without you, we would have nothing.

The number 1600 race car is sponsored by:

Golden Construction Development Company ~ Christianbelle Electric ~ McKenzie’s ~ BTR Wheels ~ LAT Racing Oils ~ Hella Lights ~ Piloti ~ Baja Junkies ~ E 3 Spark Plugs ~ Jake’s Fabworks ~ Scott Shop Towels ~ Wypall ~ HB Ultimate Training Center ~ Razor Clothing ~ Simpson ~ F & L Fuel ~ Laughlin, NV ~ Prep by Coleman Motorsports

Next Race: SNORE – Rage at the River – Laughlin, NV December 8-11, 2011

For more about Coleman Motorsports please visit and like our facebook page at www.ColemanMotorsports.com.

The first winner of the SNORE 250 may not be driving an off-road racing car anymore, but he is as entrenched in the sport as ever. With the 42^nd annual event scheduled Oct. 21-22 in Ridgecrest, Calif., the memories of the old days still linger.

Fritz Kroyer won the 1970 SNORE 250 in southwest Las Vegas to kick off a storied career that also included winning back-to-back Mint 400 in the next two years at the Mint Gun Club in the northwest portion of Las Vegas Valley.

Now 68, the Danish-born Kroyer is a prototype fabricator for Kroyer Racing Engines on the grounds of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He stepped away from the sport of off-road racing in 1985 after competing in an event in Mohave, Calif.

“His talent is absolutely unbelievable,” said son Kevin, a partner with hotel-casino owner and former off-road competitor Michael Gaughan in Kroyer Racing Engines. “His original nickname from our Walker Evans days was ‘the original Bad Ass” because there is nothing he cannot do.

“He is at the gym every morning while I’m still sleeping.”

The elder Kroyer is at the gym every day by 4 in the morning. He can’t imagine starting his day any other way.

“I didn’t work out like this when I was racing,” he said. “I just feel better going to the gym and I can tell the difference when I don’t start my day out by going to the gym.”

The win in the first SNORE 250 was a story in itself for Kroyer, who rolled his unlimited single-seat custom made Funco on the first lap.

“We were running somewhere near what is now Spanish Trail,” Kroyer recalled with a  huge smile. “It was a drag race start with two cars starting side-by-side. I had to make a hard right hand turn coming out of the gravel pit and landed on my wheels.
“I was so embarrassed because I rolled right in front of a bunch of fans. When I got to the pit, we replaced a couple of wheels. The only way I could redeem myself was by winning the race.”

Times have certainly changed as it relates to off-road racing.

“You could run anywhere in the desert in those days,” Kroyer recalled. “It’s not even wide-open racing in Mexico anymore.”

However, even during a struggling economy not to mention other issues that the sport now endures, competitors are keeping Kroyer Racing busy.

“Many people in off-road racing have successful businesses,” Fritz said. “In some cases, when business slows down, they simply look at the slowdown as a time to do more racing.”

The off-road business remains good to the Kroyer family especially considering its recent success with drivers like Trophy Truck drivers Rob MacCachren, BJ Baldwin and Bryce Menzies; all of whom have taken major victories.

Among Kroyer’s customers is SNORE Class 1 charger and Southern California resident Kyle Conlon, who is currently the Class 1 leader and second overall in the points behind Class 1-2 1600 veteran Kenny Freeman.

“The sport is very time-consuming and very expensive,” Kroyer said. “You don’t race out of your back yard anymore. There is a lot of dedication that goes into the sport now. Just going to the race is tough considering how much equipment you need to take with you. Then, you have a truck and tools and people to help. There are huge expenses anymore.

“When I worked for Roger Mears, we figured out one time that it cost $50,000 to go to Mexico—and that was 10 years ago. I think we’re going see more and more closed-course racing in the sport. It’s getting so tough now especially when you consider the insurance and the fees involved with the sport.”

Kroyer has great memories of SNORE even after all the years.

“SNORE has done a very good job,” he said. “They have been around for decades and that shows a definite will of the people who are involved. Just look at the Freeman family which sill has several family members who are active in the sport.”

“SNORE has provided a great outlet for so many people.”

KJ Howe, the former race director of the Mint 400, has vivid memories about Kroyer.

“I raced in the Mint in 1971 and 1972 and Fritz went by me so fast that I suddenly realized that I had better learn a little more about off-road racing because it sure was different from the sports car racing that I was used to,” said Howe, now 72. “Fritz had an unbelievable ability to read the terrain and find the proper line through the rough areas so that he could go faster than anyone else.

“Plus, he was able to keep a car together until the end. He knew how to finish and that is the name of the game in off-road racing. He once told me that you have to first finish before you can finish first” which was a term later uttered to me by Parnelli Jones.”

Howe said he became close friends with Kroyer, who prepared the Mint-sponsored unlimited two-seater from about 1975-1982.

“Fritz had a company named Race Prep in the San Fernando Valley,” said Howe. “He knew suspensions, transmissions, shock setup and he had an outstanding reputation for preparing an off-road racing car. He prepared cars for a lot of off-road racers and was really respected for his ability to build and maintain race cars.”

Howe said Kroyer once did the stunt driving for a movie and jumped over the Berlin Wall.

“He had to go to Germany and they made him jump over a wall that was supposed to be the Berlin Wall,” said Howe. “He did stunt driving as well as racing while also prepping cars. He raced stadium races and the long-distance races like Baja so that just goes to show how versatile he was.”

SNORE’s top entrants headed into the SNORE 250 include Kenny Freeman, 2,921; Kyle Conlon, 2,906;  Blaine Conrad, 2,897; Kevin Ellis, 2,713; Cody Freeman, 2,651; Terry Householder, 2,622; Mike Boone, 2,616; Daniel Maurer, 2,612; and Cody Reid, 2,593. The club’s final race will be the Rage at the River in Laughlin, Dec. 10-11.

Further information regarding this year’s event can be found by visiting www.snoreracing.net.

Fritz Kroyer, right, won the first SNORE 250 in 1970. He is shown with his son, Kevin, at the Kroyer Racing Engines at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

1. How is it WINNING the San Felipe Challenge of Champions, your first SCORE class 1 win?

Winning was awesome, I now know what Charlie Sheen has been talking about all this time!  I want to dedicate the win to two very special people who are no longer with us.  My Aunt Cristian Dickson and Marty Hendrickson.  Two extraordinary people that will be truly missed! It was really special, because for one it was my first big class 1 win and also Chuck Hovey, who started and did the first 100 miles, has never won there before either so it made it even sweeter.   Actually we were not planning on racing it at all.  We had put in a new fresh engine from Danzio, and before racing the 1000 we wanted to test it, so we decided to race it last minute.  Looks like it was a good test after all! McMillin Racing couldn’t of done it without the help and support of all of our crew members, chase support, and all of our friends and family who dedicate time and effort to come to the races and help us out, it really means a lot to not just me, but to our entire family. And also to our sponsors who play a huge role in our success.  McMillin Homes, BFGoodrich Tires, Fox Racing Shox, Baja Designs, and Crane Motorsports!

2. When did you start racing? What was your very first race co-driving and driving?

I’ve been into racing ever since I can remember.  Going down to Baja and watching the San Felipe 250, the 500 and the 1000 have always been a part of my life.  Started racing in 2003 in a Jimco 2/1600 car in at the time the FUD series in Plaster City and it’s grown to what it is today, racing class 1 cars and now Trophy Trucks both in Baja and in the States.

3. Place these in order starting with fastest: you, your brother Luke, cousin Andy, cousin Jessica.

Well me first duh, haha.  On a serious note, we all race different classes so it’s difficult to compare.  I know when I race my 1600 car against Luke, he is a serious competitor and Andy is super fast and smooth in the Trophy Truck so pick your poison!

4. You drove your Dad’s trophy truck for a section at Vegas to Reno, how was that compared to the class 1? Which do you like better?

Driving in the big holes and overall comfortability, the Trophy Truck is hands down the better choice.  The class 1 is a great Baja 500 and 1000 car because it’s nimble, light, fast and dependable.   The biggest thing I had to get used to was being aware of the rear end in the center of the truck.  If I had to pick right now, I’d pick the class 1 car only because I am the most used to it, but I’ll probably be jumping ship soon!  Racing 1600 cars for close to 8 years now has taught me the most though about line choice, reading terrain and traction.

5. When are you going to drive the TT full time so you can kick Andy’s ass?

Next year the plan is to race the Geiser Trophy Truck with my dad Mark in no particular series, just the races we enjoy the most.  So next year is when I plan on trying to kick Andy’s ass! Key word, trying.

6. If you could only do 1 race a year what race would it be? Why?

The Baja 1000 because it’s the Baja 1000.   Every aspect of that race gives me goosebumps.  The racing, the pre running, the people, the food, the logistics, the terrain, the competition, and the list goes on.  If not the Baja 1000, I really like the SNORE RATR races or the BAP races.  Those are a blast!

7. Eva Longoria or Heidi Klum?

Hmmm, this one is tough.  I have to go with Eva, only because I’m not a fan of Project Runway which is also Andy’s favorite show.  Did I say that?

8. How much prerunning do you normally do before a race and what do you prerun in?

Depends on the race but we try to do as much as possible.  Usually I will do my section two to three times, maybe four if we have time.  I pre run in an Alumicraft 4 seater built by John Cooley.

9. How do you get your hair to stay awesome even after having a helmet on all day?

It’s all about the prep.  Shampoo and condition thoroughly and then add a little bit of product to give it that “WOW” factor.  To be honest, I actually have no idea what I’m talking about.

10. Have you ever been scared or worried in a race before? What happened?

2010 Baja 1000, I decided to take my car for swim in a place called Frog Canyon about 30 miles South of Cocos Corner.  Having water come up to the seats is not a good feeling, especially at night in the Baja desert.  Luckily, Troy Harper from the Desert Assassins was there with a 4×4 and was able to pull me out in about 10 minutes.  Car fired right up and we kept going.  And that was the only downtime we had in 1000 miles of racing, go figure!

11. If you could ride along as a fly with 1 person in a race car in ANY motor sport in the world who would it be? In what?

Oh man, I’d say ride with Robby Gordon in the the old Valvoline truck at some race in the 90′s.

Questions by Austin Farner

PRIMM, Nev. — The 2011 SNORE KC HiLiTES Midnight Special presented here July 29-30 is now history, but it goes without saying that the end result is undoubtedly what could be termed one of the true miracles in the history of motorsports.

Thanks to last-minute team work on behalf of the 42 year-old Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts and a hearty group of hotel-casino executives, the event brought attention to this city 30 miles south of Las Vegas while also attracting a field of about 100 race vehicles and their crews.

A very unique event that usually begins at dusk before running well past midnight to escape the heat of the desert, the race included two nights of competition over an 8.6 mile layout that started and finished behind Buffalo Bill’s hotel casino just east of I-15.

With SCORE headed south and SNORE discovering only a few weeks ago that their original venue of the Indian Reservation north of Las Vegas wasn’t possible, a call to Primm saved the event while also bringing business to the city formerly known as Stateline.

While there were certainly both winners and losers in the race, the key component was the fact that the race was even made possible following the late exit by noted SCORE promoter Sal Fish who pulled the plug on the Terrible’s Primm 300 only weeks earlier before moving his race to Baja, Mexico.

Kyle Conlan, a 22 year-old electrician from San Diego, captured the overall win in a Jimco 1 with two-day, eight-lap total time of 2 hours. 21.05 minutes. His consistent times were highlighted by a best of 11.367.422 minutes on the fifth lap Saturday night.

“In my first heat, I broke the sway bar and ran the entire race without it,” said Conlan, who is running in his second year of competition. “Then, in the second heat, the alternator went out, but we had enough juice to make it to the finish.

“I would have to say that the high point of the race for me was just getting to the finish line. I hadn’t been able to get a first out of the car prior to this race. I’m really happy to both finish and get a win at the same time.”

Todd Wyllie, a 45 year-old real estate executive from New River, Ariz., north of Phoenix, took the Unlimited Truck win over prominent Las Vegas automobile dealer Steve Olliges of Team Ford.

“We wanted to run the overall strong” said Wyllie, who has been racing since 2003. “We had electrical issues on the final lap the first night. The course was toughest in the silt bed after you left the infield.”

In a statement echoed by just about everyone, Wyllie added “Considering the time that SNORE had to work with this, it was a mad scramble. All things considered, they did a great job. Them putting on this race any place was a Mission Accomplished, for sure.”

Olliges, a 48 year-old veteran who has been off-road racing since he was 18, said the race was a good shakedown event for the Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno event scheduled Aug. 18-21.

“It was great seeing everyone out there,” said Olliges, whose family has been in the car business for decades. “Then, too, it’s good getting the extra seat time.”

Justin Davis of Chino Hills, Calif., captured Class 10 although he, too, had his own challenges.

“We had a good weekend although our wiring railed on us Saturday,” said Davis, who is in the landscaping business. “Overall, I think the race went very well. I like the Grand Prix style where you just get out there and run as fast as you can. I think SNORE did an awesome job.”

Kenny Freeman, a member of SNORE’s board of directors and also the winner of Class 1600, predicted that the KC HiLiTES Midnight Special was the first of many off-road races in Primm.

“There were things that we could have done differently, but overall it was a good event,” said Freeman. “We received incredible help from the good people of Primm Valley Resorts and had it not been for them, there probably would not have been a Midnight Special this year.

“I think there will be even bigger off-road racing events in Primm in the future.”

Danny Fraire, a spokesman for the Location’s Racing Class 8 truck No. 8006, said “We didn’t have our lights aimed for the really tight sections on Friday. We adjusted for Saturday night and our driver Rick Harrah went for it and captured our first win.”

John Whitlow, the car chief for the NAPA Chassis No. 7155 truck driven by Peter Garfinkle, said “It must have taken a ton of coordination with the Primm property people to make the race happen.”

SNORE Race Director Robert Gross said racer support was strong for the race.

“We appreciate all the racers that supported our Midnight Special, especially after the venue chaos leading up to this event,” Gross said. “The majority of comments has been very positive and indicates the racers awareness of the many challenges we faced in putting this event together in less than three weeks.

“I hope to see all of you at our SNORE 250 in Ridgecrest CA in October.”

Race Registration Director Brittany Burgos added “The staff at Primm Valley Resorts was certainly gracious and extremely helpful in meeting our needs in the short timeframe we were forced to adhere to.

“Primm is always a great destination for a SNORE event and the racers love it.”
SNORE Director of Marketing Lawton Shank said the new format utilized added to the event.

“This year’s KC HiLiTES Midnight Special was interesting in that it consisted of two nights of heat racing rather than one long night event,” Shank explained. “This gave the drivers and spectators an opportunity for two nights of action for racers running with lights.

“The famous ‘Dike Jump’ became even more of a challenge for competitors at night, and was a great viewing area for spectators both nights.”

The praise of the race was also echoed by the staff of Primm Valley Resorts.

“We were thrilled with the Midnight Special results at Primm Valley this year,” said Stuart Richey, assistant general manager of Primm Valley Resorts and Casinos. “Congratulations to SNORE for an excellent event and to the hard-working teams that surpassed the rain and early hours for a tremendous victory. We look forward to another competitive run in the near future.”

Other winners include Justin Davis, Class 10; Cody Freeman in Class 12; Chris Wright in Class 13; Ryan Desautels, Class 1450; Tony Scott, Class 15; Daniel Maurer, 18; Kyle Ahrensberg, 3000; Steve Alexander, 5; Cody Agee, 5/1600; Dana Dague, 7; Rick Harrah, 8; Giti Gowland, 9; Robbie Cockreel, 7S Challenge; Joshua Starr, NAPA Chassis 7S Challenge; Dave Cote, Stock Bug; Adrian Diaz, StockFull; Steve Hengeveld, Trophy Lite; and Arturo Benavides, VORE-VC.

SNORE’s next race is 42^nd annual SNORE 250 Oct. 21-23 in Ridgecrest, Calif. Further information can be found by visiting www.snoreracing.net.

Editor’s Note: Mike Henle is a Las Vegas based freelance writer who has covered auto racing for more than 40 years. His web site www.mikehenle.com focuses on various topics.

         CONTACTS: Mike Henle, The Idea Company Public Relations, 702-279-3483; Val Moon, Primm Valley Resorts, 702-679-5467; Lawton Shank, SNORE, 702-351-6666.

         ABOUT PRIMM VALLEY RESORTS: Situated about 30 miles south of Las Vegas, Primm, Nev. is the home of Primm Valley Resorts and Casinos and is situated on the Nevada-California state line. It consists of three hotel casinos, a large outlet mall; and a multitude of recreational activities including two championship Tom Fazio designed golf courses. Hotels include Whiskey Pete’s Hotel and Casino; Buffalo Bill’s Resort which features a 6,000 arena for concerts and events; and Primm Valley Resort and Casino; with 21,000 square feet of outstanding convention space; http:www.primmvalleyresorts.com/index.php.

          Primm Valley Resorts is operated by Affinity Gaming LLC.

CAPTION:

The annual KC HiLites Midnight Special run July 29-30 in Primm has been deemed a big success. The event run 30 miles south of Las Vegas consisted of two nights of competition over an 8.6 mile course. (Photos courtesy of Troy Van Mourwerik/Dusty Lenz Photography).

By Mike Henle

For the third time this year rookie class 1 driver Kyle Conlon took the top honors over some of desert racings best in the unlimited category.

“We finally got these cars figured out.” said Conlon., “When we first started in class 1 last year we had a few gremlins get us, but the guys over at Racer Services and our team have got these girls straightened out.” “Now I can just concentrate on driving.”

Kyle Conlon won both nights at the SNORE Midnight Special

“I want that #100 plate and we’re on track to get it in both SNORE and BITD.” “We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing.” “The course here was tight, dusty and rough; Cameron (co-dog) was on point calling out everything and I say the rougher the course the better.” “Cameron and I have been running together for a few years now, we took the 08 class 10 Championship in BITD with a near perfect season and I think we can do it again.”

SNORE 2011 – KC HiLiTES Midnight Special Results

Class: _Unlimited Truck
1 Wyllie, Todd #1
Sponsors: Fuel for the Cure
33.1
2 DNF Olliges, Steve #28
Sponsors: BF Goodrich, Fox Shox, Trail Ready, Team Ford

Class: 1 Unlimited
1 1st Overall Conlon, Kyle #108
Sponsors: Kacon, Method Wheels, BFG, Kroyer
44.2
00:11:33.485
2 2nd Overall Householder (100), Terry #124
Sponsors: Householder Motorsports, Inc. & Playtech
Racing
40.7
00:12:38.922
3 Boyle, Richard #102
Sponsors: Motion Tire, Fiber Care Baths
39.7
00:12:56.500
4 Flores, T J #100
Day 2 – Drove off course. 00:15:00
00:12:30.141 00:12:35.718
Sponsors: LVDC, Valley Performance
39.2
00:12:04.672
5 Whipple, Jason #188
Sponsors: Downsouth Motorsports
33.3
00:15:12.968
6 Anderson, Danny #155
Sponsors: LVDC, Valley Performance
41.3
7 DNF Worthing, Bily 166
Sponsors: Worthing’s General Services, PBS, L/K
8 DNF Daniel (100), Josh #190
Sponsors: Danzio Performance

Class: 10 Class
1 Davis (1000), Justin #1085
Sponsors: Green Army Motorsports
39.7
00:13:28.562
2 Greenhill, David #1056
Sponsors: Greenhill Air
35.2
00:14:34.797
3 Ellis (1000), Kevin #1001
Sponsors: Pacific States Racing
33.1
4 DNF Hall, Christian #1057
5 DNF Kordonawy, Dennis #1018
Sponsors: Fasttrack Ent.
36.4
00:13:52.266
6 DNF Leung, Mike #1099
Sponsors: Goldiesmotors.com
28.0
7 DNF Kirkmeyer, Kathy #1021
Sponsors: Fiber Care Baths
36.4
00:14:00.016
8 DNF Garcia, Jr, Hector #1006
Sponsors: Elite Truck and RV
34.0
00:15:02.468
Class: 12 Class
1 Freeman, Cody #1280
Sponsors: Freeman’s Carpet Service
38.7
00:14:16.344
2 Poole, Rick #1260
Sponsors: Poole Farms, D & L Auto, Hooked Up
Motorsports
35.6
00:14:17.734
3 Laughlin, Matt #1233
Sponsors: L & M Foodservice, Riverside Resort
33.7
00:14:07.453
4 Stemmerman, Todd #1201
Sponsors: Music Rental & Pawnshop
36.4
00:14:19.594
5 DNF Baxter, Stuart #1238
Sponsors: Shorts Shingle & Shake, Baxter Motorsports LLC.
6 DNF Bruckmann, Vic #1299
Sponsors: Bruckmann-Malloy Motorsports, BFG, VP Fuels
7 DQ Reid, Cody #1268
DQ – Day 2 – Passing outside of cones in Main Pit. 00:00:00
00:14:02.250 00:13:42.031
Sponsors: RPI, DFT, K & N Filters, LAT Oil
37.3
00:13:53.563

Class: 13 Class (Ltd Sp)
1 Wright, Chris #1307
2 Shapley I I I, Billy #1300
Sponsors: Bill Shapley
32.3
3 Bruner, Jeff #1319
4 Bradley-Shapley, Danielle #1381
5 Poole, Jordon #1368
Sponsors: Riot Racing
26.9
6 DNF Mattox (1300), Ross #1317
Sponsors: Quechan Resort & Casino
33.3
7 DNF Freeman (1300), Ken #1301
Sponsors: Freeman’s Carpet Service Day 2 – Drove off course, had 7 minute lap. 00:15:00
38.7
8 DNF Coleman (1300), Jason #1323
Sponsors: Golden Construction, Laughlin, LAT Racing Oil
35.6
9 DNF Conrad (1300), Blaine #1312
Sponsors: Pervines Racing
35.6
10 DNF Wilson, Ronny #1353
Sponsors: KLOR Racing
32.3
11 DNF Rodriguez, Ruben #1349
Sponsors: Freedom Medical, Dan Bradley Glass
12 DNF Monosmith, Mike #1388
Sponsors: RD Racing
21.7
13 DNF Carbone, Steve #1329
Sponsors: Acme Industrial Supply

Class: 1450 Class
1 Desautels, Ryan #1423
2 Deakins, Jeremy #1481
Sponsors: Lucas Oil, K&N, ICON, Superior Axles
33.9
3 Slater, Scott #1460
Sponsors: Dad, Down South Motorsports
31.1
4 Mc Keown, Kevin #1428
Sponsors: Woolworth Motorsports
29.7
5 Lugo, Wayne #1436
Sponsors: Mastercraft, BFG, RCR
35.8
6 Ludian, Eric #1477
Sponsors: Cult Race
26.8
7 Taylor, Josh #1444
Sponsors: Overton Barber Shop
25.5
8 DNF Michael, Chris #1457
Sponsors: Say What Sports, AAMCO, Michael Motorsports
33.7
9 DNF Dunn, Ryan #1437
Sponsors: Anazasi Heating and Air
38.2
10 DNF Radwan, Joshua #1430
11 DNF Galvan, Jesus #1488
Sponsors: El Mofles Inc
12 DNF Oliver, Gary #1421
Sponsors: Wicked Creations
13 DNF Freas, Chris #1479
Sponsors: Killer Off Road Fabrication
14 DNF Woolworth, Robby #1478
Sponsors: Woolworth Motorsports
15 DNF Jones, Cary #1496
Sponsors: Bomber, Sick Cams, TKO Wear
22.4

Class: 15 Class (Unltd Sp)
1 Scott, Tony #1533
Sponsors: R & R Hitches, Method Race Wheels, All Coat
36.9
2 Gonzalez, Daniel #1505
Sponsors: Palacios
31.1
3 Armstrong, Anthony #1563
Sponsors: Rat Pack Racing
29.7
4 DNF Householder (1500), Terry #1524
Sponsors: Householder Motorsports
31.6
5 DNF Ellis (1500), Kevin #1501
Sponsors: Pacific States Racing
39.7
6 DNF Daniel (1500), Josh #1598
Sponsors: Danzio Performance, F & L Race Fuels, Riot
Racing
7 DNF Morales (1500), Tomas #1506
Sponsors: Smog Busters
8 DNF Malloy, Mike #1594
Sponsors: MMA Newsleak, Free Play Vegas

Class: 1600 Class
1 Freeman (1600), Ken #1601
Sponsors: Freeman’s Carpet Service
39.2
00:13:05.656
2 Smith, Justin “Bean” #1619
Sponsors: BF Goodrich, Fox Shox, BTR, JG Trans
38.2
00:13:25.781
3 Conrad (1600), Blaine #1612
Sponsors: Purvines Racing
38.2
00:13:22.782
4 Gumz, Matt #1606
Sponsors: Gumz Concrete
37.3
00:13:32.469
5 Braun, Clint #1655
Sponsors: D & G Scale
37.3
00:13:56.968
6 Goin, Corey #1622
Sponsors: HELENA, River Ranch
36.9
00:13:55.000
7 Coleman (1600), Jason #1600
Sponsors: Golden Construction, LAT Racing Oil, McKenzies
36.0
00:15:02.047
8 Shain, Jay #1677
Sponsors: Man Power, Mahoney Racing, Cannon Ball
Express
35.2
00:14:07.579
9 Mattox (1600), Ross #1617
Sponsors: Quechan Resort and Casino
36.0
00:14:13.922
10 Mc Millan, Luke #1653
Sponsors: RLOR Racing
36.0
00:14:17.656
11 Meehan, Mike #1699
Sponsors: Mikes Automotive, Meehan Motorsports
35.2
00:14:47.828
12 Wall, Don #1607
Sponsors: Off the Wall Racing
34.4
00:14:57.250
13 Malburg, Clint #1676
Sponsors: C & C Racing
34.9
14 Evans, Richard #1683
Sponsors: Blue Diamond Fabrication
30.0
15 DNF Schweigart, David #1674
Sponsors: NDL Group, Inc.
34.4
16 DNF Busby (1600), Brian #1661
Sponsors: F&L Racing Fuels, Desert Assassins

Class: 18 Class
1 Maurer, Daniel #1899
Sponsors: Freedom Medical Supply
33.1
2 Perrucci, Anthony “Pooch” #1801
Sponsors: ATAC Security, Freemans Carpet
29.3

Class: 3000 Class
1 Ahrensberg, Kyle #3020
Sponsors: Baja Designs, Abstract Energy
33.7
00:15:04.922

Class: 5 Class
1 Alexander, Steve #500
Sponsors: Alexander Motorsports
33.3
2 DNF Hall, Steven #534
Sponsors: Tia Juana Taqueria, Hall Racing
28.7
3 DNF Swift, Ben #525
Sponsors: Swift Slip Dock Builders
22.9
4 DNF Benedict, Michael #515
Sponsors: North Las Vegas Desert Runners

Class: 5/1600 Class
1 Agee, Cody #590
Sponsors: Mark Agee Construction
34.4
2 Sletten, Dennis #563
Sponsors: 11 Brothers Motorsports, Indio Dune Buggy
29.0
3 DNF Boone, Mike #550
Sponsors: Wicked Creatures
30.4
4 DNF Pruett, Serena #567
Sponsors: SDHQ Off Road
29.5
5 DNF Berry, John #565
Sponsors: Big Fish Electric, Inc.

Class: 7 Class
1 Dague, Dana #7201
Sponsors: Palapaboy, Safetco, BFG
36.4
00:14:48.297
2 Farner, Austin #7202
Sponsors: Baja Racing Adventures
33.7
00:20:49.594
3 Hollander (7200), Brandon #7220
Sponsors: Baja Designs, Fox, Hostyle
33.7
00:15:48.984

Class: 7 Class
4 DNF Luttrell, Dallas #7226
Sponsors: HPI Racing, Lightforce, Evens Cooling
29.5
5 DNF Davis (7200), Justin #7285
Sponsors: Green Army Motorsports
39.7
6 DNF Messer (7200), Gary #7247
Sponsors: AZ Auto Lenders
36.4
00:14:26.765
7 DNF Ramsey, Russ #7217
Sponsors: American Chiropractor

Class: 8 Class
1 Harrah, Rick #8006
Sponsors: Locations, Toyo Tires, CBR, GG Lighting
40.2
00:12:56.281
2 Evans, Garrett #8000
Sponsors: Dashes Direct, UM Racing, BFG
39.7

Class: 9 Class
3 Gowland, Giti #992
Sponsors: Tri-County Traveling Notary
31.1
4 Vega, Steven #969
5 Lutz, Dan #997
Sponsors: Blue Diamond Fab
30.4

Class: NAPA Chassis 7S Challenge
1 Cockrell, Robbie #7129
Sponsors: Blistien, Trailglow, Rose Racing
29.9
2 DNF Garfinkle, Peter #7155
Sponsors: NAPA Chasis, Truth, Tustana Pools, BFG
24.3
3 DNF Starr, Joshua 37185
Sponsors: Better Days Racing, Mom and Dad
14.5

Class: StockBug Class
1 Cote, Dave #1163
Sponsors: 11 Bros
29.3
2 Brenner, Michael #1179
Sponsors: Bilstein, Built by Brenner, KC Lites, VP Fuels
29.1
3 Zirkus, Kyle #1153
Sponsors: Berg Electric
26.1
4 Johnson, Robert #1100
Sponsors: BFG, Light Force, Pertronix, Metalcraft
23.5
5 DNF Leavitt, Garey #1121
Sponsors: Doghouse Repair
24.6
6 DNF Davis, Jason #1184

Sponsors: Worthings General Services
26.5

Class: StockFull Class
1 Diaz, Adrian #8181
2 DNF Roglin, Robert #8115

Class: TrophyLite Class
1 Hengeveld, Steve #6015
Sponsors: Henge Racing
35.2
00:14:15.032
2 Messer, Troy #6027
Sponsors: Currie Ent., AZ Auto Lending
36.0
00:14:34.859
3 Denton, Tyler #6065
Sponsors: Mom, SDHQ, All AZ, Global
26.3
4 Elwardani, Ramsey #6057
Sponsors: Smarter than Dirt
26.1
5 Fiorino, Eric #6088
Sponsors: Fiorino Motorsports
32.6
00:15:31.484
6 Weller, Corry #6029
Sponsors: BBQ Island
23.7
7 DNF Abatti, I I I, Ben #6060
Sponsors: Abatti Racing, Baja Farms
34.4
8 DNF Cummins, Ray #6042
Sponsors: Invesetcom, Azunia Tequila
31.3

Class: VORE – VC
1 Benavides, Arturo #VC42
Sponsors: VORE
32.3

Words and photography by Art Eugenio

[Show as slideshow]

Round 1 of the SNORE Midnight Special at Primm Nv. is in the books with Kyle Conlon continuing his winning streak taking the overall win for the night.

Tonight’s starting positions will be inverted from last nights finishing order.

Unofficial results  from round 1 of the Midnight Special:

[Show as slideshow]

By Mike Henle

The annual KC HiLITES Midnight Special created about 40 years ago to fill a void in the Southern Nevada Off Road Enthusiasts (SNORE) schedule is filling another void July 29-31 in Primm about 30 miles south of Las Vegas.

Following the recent exit of the SCORE Primm 300 — which was the second-longest running off-road event in Southern Nevada – SNORE moved its annual evening race to Primm where the event will be run over an 8.6-mile course.

Knowing that the SCORE event was heading to Baja, California, Mexico, SNORE went to work considering that its own date at the Indian Reservation north of Las Vegas had run into a snag considering the need of an environmental impact study.

The history of the KC HiLITES event is not only extensive but fascinating at the same time. The old-timers of SNORE – a 42 year-old sanctioning body – have countless colorful stories about running off-road cars through the desert at night.

“SNORE added the night race back in the early-1970s because there was a big hole in the schedule from the spring until the fall,” explained long-time member Kenny Freeman, Jr., who remains on the group’s board of directors. “The only way to fill the void was to run at night, so the Midnight Special was born.”

The Midnight Special has been run in several areas over the years including Searchlight, Nellis Dunes, Jean, Eldorado Valley and Ridgecrest, Calif., before this year landing in Primm where two nights of racing that will run into the wee hours each night.

In any case, the challenges of the race have been interesting whether talking with the old-timers or current drivers. From the days of former SNORE presidents Jon Block, Denny Selleck, Don Dayton, Bob MacCachren and Bert Vaughan – to name a few – the race has been a favorite.

Ruth Jensen wasn’t a driver, but she and husband, Bob, worked the SNORE event clear back in the 1970s.

“I will always remember the Midnight Special because I was not only a scorekeeper in our old bus, but I was also the treasurer,” said Mrs. Jensen adding that she and her husband spent many anniversaries at the Midnight Special since they were married July 31, 1948. “I didn’t get much sleep because not only did I have to score, but since I was the treasurer, I had to get the checks ready after the race so that they were ready for the awards the following morning.”

Freeman also recalls that getting stuck in the desert was common considering that the lights used on off-road cars then actually covered only the track immediately in front of the vehicle.

“You actually got tunnel vision,” Freeman said. “You’re only looking at one thing and I have rolled more than once, that’s for sure.

“One thing I’ll never forget about the Midnight Special was that running at night with the lights, I learned that there were some very weird things crawling around the desert.”

Bob MaCachren, whose son, Rob, is now one of the nation’s top off-road racers, has vivid memories of the old Midnight Special.

“I ran the one in Searchlight,” said the elder MacCachren, who is now 73. “During that particular race, we all had to run 1200 motors. There were times when I wondered if we’d get up some of those hills.

“I will also remember that the prize for participating in the race was a SNORE belt buckle with turquoise pieces from a mine in Searchlight.”

Freeman’s father, Ken Sr. – who now lives just east of Cedar City, Utah – stressed that good eyesight was vital in running the Midnight Special.

“It really does create an all-new challenge,” Mr. Freeman said. “I always had good luck in the race running in the 1600 class or Class 9 with the 40 horsepower motors. You have to remember the track after seeing it during the day time.

“Otherwise, it can sneak up on you and put you out of the race.”

Former Mint 400 race director KJ Howe called the Midnight Special “the most fun race I have ever competed in.”

Howe said several factors played into why he remembers the race decades later.

“It was what you might call both eerie-cool,” said Howe. “I had my two-seater unlimited in the 1970s and 1980s. My co-riders included former Mint 400 Girl Merle Jensen; along with my son, Scott Howe; and my brother, Sandy.

“One year I raced Glenn Emery’s Jeep and we won our class. I was driving a big V-8 powered Jeep that was specially prepared. I will never forget the Midnight Special because it produced so many special challenges. We won the class driving a non-buggy type of vehicle.”

Howe added that the race moving to Primm will be easier for pit crew support because the track is shorter.

“It will be great for spectators because of the built-in elements that you find in a short-course race,” Howe said. “Then, you also have the nearby attractions of the hotels and the associated infrastructure that Primm has to offer including a roller coaster if the race doesn’t provide enough thrills.”

Josh Daniel, of Canyon Lake, Calif., won the 2009 Midnight Special and the 2010 Battle at Primm driving a Class 1 car.

“The Midnight Special is interesting because it’s run at night and your field of vision is pretty narrow,” said Daniel, 36, who owns an engine shop called Danzio Performance Engineering in Southern California. “You need to get a feel for where you’re going and look beyond your headlights as much as you can.

“In the 2009 race, we were using a 45-mile desert loop and this one is going to be much different because it’s only 8.6 miles long and it’s more of a short course race. It’s being called a desert cross race this time. We’re only going to do six loops each night and it pretty much means going as fast as you can without crashing. The hardest part is that it’s confined to such a small area and we’re really going to have to deal with the dust because it’s going to be even harder to see.”

While the Midnight Special is certainly beneficial to Primm, it is also a great way for KC HiLITES to showcase it products at the same time.

Ron Pryczynski, who is the national sales manager for KC HiLITES in Williams, Ariz., said the relationship with SNORE dates back more than 30 years.

“SNORE started in 1969 and we have been around since 1970,” explained Pryczynski, who has been with the company for 12 years. “Being a lighting company, we started the whole off-road lighting industry. It’s been a good a testing ground for not only us but our customers, too. We expect this relationship to remain far into the future.”

And speaking of beneficial aspects related to the event, executives in Primm south of Las Vegas were eager to land the race after SCORE went south of the Border.

“We are always pleased to have the racers come to Primm because they bring a lot of enthusiasm with them,” said Val Moon, director of sales for Primm Valley Resort. “Racing events bring something special to our properties that other guests enjoy. A racing event is a big deal and we love to watch the excitement build on the properties that all guests enjoy.”

Races start at 9 p.m. Friday and at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Editor’s Note: Mike Henle is a Las Vegas based freelance writer who has covered auto racing for more than 40 years. His web site www.mikehenle.com focuses on various topics.

CAPTION: The Southern Nevada Off Road Enthusiast KC HiLITES Midnight Special has been scheduled July 29-31 on an 8.6 mile course in Primm about 30 miles south of Las Vegas.

DNF Racing earns a podium spot at the 2011 SNORE Dethrone So Cal 250 held in Plaster City, Ca. The #1429 TOTAL CHAOS equipped Toyota 2wd truck driven by Dan Vance & co pilot Austin “Fish” Farner battled 4 laps to a 3rd place finish in the 1450 truck class. 24 drivers took the green flag making it the 2nd largest vehicle class entered in the event. Gusting wind and temperatures in the 90’s forced drivers to navigate through thick blinding dust. 187 starters on the 50 mile loop battled the technical race course and deteriorating terrain that transformed every lap into deep whoop sections, soft hill climbs & scattered thick silt beds.

Dan Vance drew 16th in the starting order, forcing him to leave the 2 truck starting line back on row 8. He quickly charged his way up from the rear of the pack through the lingering dust to run a pace with the lead trucks that both drew much better starts. By the end of lap 1 less than 3 minutes separated the top 4 drivers in class 1450.

Navigating in the thick dust and chasing down slower cars in the silt beds began to cause Vance’s Toyota truck to run at above normal engine temperatures at the start of lap 2. Focusing on the finish, Vance and Farner backed off the leaders pace to drop the engines operating temperatures while they ran in clean air. “Heating issues caused from us passing cars and having silt packed in the radiator hurt us,” Dan Vance stated after the race. “The course was technical and fun. We had hard pack then soft terrain like Glamis.”

DNF Racing pits only saw action during the drivers change and scheduled fuel stop at the start of lap 3. Austin Farner jumped in the driver seat with TC’s marketing director Nicole Vaughan navigating on lap 3 and maintained the teams 3rd place position in Vance’s Toyota the last 2 laps. With a large gap between the 3rd and 4th place trucks, Austin “Fish” Farner was able race at a pace to keep the operating temp cool enough to go the scheduled 200 mile distance. Austin stated after the race, “”It was awesome to have a flawless day. We never had to get out of the truck. Besides it running warm on the final 2 laps it was a perfect race. The truck was dialed and the TOTAL CHAOS suspension with Fox Shox made the rough course seem a lot smoother than it looked!”

Flats, roll over’s, getting stuck in the silt beds or damage to equipment left drivers scattered all over the course. Lap after lap the race claimed more and more competitors and the attrition claimed 68 drivers.

Sponsors: TOTAL CHAOS Fabrication, GoodYear, Fox Shox, Currie Enterprises, Off Road Warehouse, T-Ten, BMS, LIFT Safety, K&N, & McKenzies.

Photo Credits: Shawn Heck

Please Join Us in Our BLM Battle…

SNORE needs everyone’s help. We are in a critical battle with the BLM at this time; our Midnight race permit request has been denied. We are fighting this denial and are asking everyone to please send e-mail letters to: secretary@snoreracing.net

Please state how this will affect your business if this race permit, and permits for future races are denied. Also, how it will affect your family, the families of people that work for you and the community that you live in. Also, what negative economic impact will loss of racing cause. We need 7000 letters in about 80 hours so they can be included with our appeal.

Please act on this critical, time-sensitive request IMMEDIATELY… Thank you!

May 7th – Mark your calendars and plan to attend! Start position drawing for the SNORE SoCal 250 will be hosted by ORW (Off Road Warehouse) in Escondido, CA. This ORW store is planning a great afternoon for this pre-race event.

In addition to the drawing, this event will feature special one-day only ORW/Escondido pricing on select items for both racers and chasers. Plans also include a raffle, an outdoor barbeque and a race vehicle display.

Drawing will start at 12:00 noon at ORW. Representatives from SNORE will be on hand to meet and greet everyone that attends. For racers wishing to enter this start position drawing, go to snoreracing.net for information.

ORW is located at 2645 Auto Park Way in Escondido. For further information contact Wally Palmer at 760.746.3193 or email wally@orwmail.com

Mike Childress and navigator Jimmy Hook stunned the competition when they bested a talent-rich field of 16 Class 1 Unlimited drivers at this year’s General Tire SNORE Mint 400. “People were surprised that we beat Harvey Letner and TJ Flores in only our second race in the new THR Motorsports car,” Childress commented after the race, “but we have always known we have what it takes to win.” Held within view of the bright lights of Las Vegas, Nevada, “The Great American Desert Race” is regarded as one of the most difficult and prestigious off-road races in the world. The course features silt beds, miles of rocky moon-hills, sandy washes, high speed graded roads, and the infamous “Rock Garden”.

Childress ran a conservative pace through the treacherous terrain, passing many vehicles running lesser tires that had to stop on the course for tire changes. “We did have tire issues on the third lap,” Childress confessed. “We got clipped by a lapped buggy and lost a tire. We had to go through the Rock Garden with no spare… I wouldn’t want to do that with anything other than my General Grabbers and Method Wheels!” The only other mechanical challenge during the race was broken limit strap hardware. “The King bypass shocks had to endure a lot of abuse,” Childress explained, “but they took the punishment and never let me down.” With only four weeks between the Mint 400 and Best In The Desert’s Bilek Silver State 300, THR Motorsports is spending every free moment to prepare the Porter/ES Motorsports buggy for another strong finish.

While Childress is still earning recognition in the ultra-competitive Class 1 (and the BITD equivalent Class 1500), he is no desert racing neophyte. Childress has been around the Checkers Pit Club since childhood, absorbing desert racing knowledge like a sponge. He also has many motorcycle victories to his credit, including winning the 2005 Baja 500 and Baja 1000. In addition to the Class 1500 buggy of Mike Childress, THR Motorsports will be campaigning four bike teams at the upcoming Silver State 300 in their attempt to sweep the Open Pro, Expert, and Amateur class wins. For the latest team information please visit http://www.thrmotorsports.com/.

1565 Mike Childress & Jimmy Hook Class 1500
7266 Rob Sims Class 7200
N5 Shane Esposito & Bobby Garrison Open Pro
306 Garrett Osteen & Ty Renshaw Open Expert
351 Jason Jacobson & Scott Jacobson Open Amateur
352 Russ Scarce & Joe Jacobson Open Amateur
506 Don Cambell & Eric Caudillo & Zack Dodson Over 30 Expert

Mike Childress and THR Motorsports are sponsored by:

General Tire • Hoosier Precision Machining • Chiron King • Shocks
Monster Energy • MasterCraft Safety • PCI Race Radios • F&L Race Fuel
Team 71 • Hostyle • Method Race Wheels • ZLT • Es Motorsports • Checkers Pit Club

THR Motorcycle Team is sponsored by:

THR Motorsports • Hoosier Precision Machining • Chiron • Precision Concepts
Dunlop Tires • Corona Motorsports • ZLT • KLEN • Oneal • GPR

Riot Racing comes within seconds of a first-place win at the Battle at Primm. After two days of intense competition on an exciting course, Marc Ewing and the #68 finish in 2nd at the opening SNORE event of the season in February.

Watch as Riot continues in the Best in the Desert series at the Silverstate 300 on April 30, 2011.

RiotRacing.com
SnoreRacing.net
VitaBrevisFilms.com

Monster Energy Presents: Exclusive coverage of The General Tire Mint 400! The Mint 400 is America’s oldest and most brutal off-road race. This year, Monster Energy’s BJ Baldwin piloted his #97 Trophy Truck to an overall first place victory over a stacked field of hundreds of competitors and nearly forty open-class vehicles. BJ dominated the race, and finished an astounding nineteen minutes ahead of the next competitor, his father Bobby Baldwin’s #96 trophy truck, driven by Chad Ragland. Check out these exclusive highlights captured by Mad Media, and stay tuned for a special television presentation of the 2011 General Tire Mint 400 Race, later this year. For more information on the Monster Energy Off-Road Team visit www.monsterenergy.com

Photos by Vincent Knakal of Mad Media

Directed by The Martelli Brothers – Produced by Mad Media

Ballistic BJ Baldwin Uses Home Field Advantage
To Win 2011 General Tire SNORE Mint 400

BJ Baldwin came into the 2011 General Tire SNORE Mint 400 with only one goal for the weekend: victory. After overcoming a host of setbacks to earn a second place finish last year, the only room for improvement for Ballistic BJ was an overall win. While some series have a drawing for starting position, SNORE holds qualifying to determine starting order. This allowed Baldwin to rely on his skills instead of the luck of the draw. The result: a first place qualifying position in his No. 97 General Tire / Monster Energy Unlimited Truck. The top qualifying position earned Baldwin a strategic advantage on the first lap of the four lap race with clean air when the green flag dropped for the 2011 General Tires SNORE Mint 400.

Held just north of his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, “The Great American Desert Race” is regarded as one of the most difficult and prestigious off-road races in the world. The course features silt beds, miles of rocky moon-hills, sandy washes, high speed graded roads, and the infamous “Rock Garden”. “This is the roughest course I have ever been on,” Baldwin commented after the race. “It is worse than anything that Baja has to offer.” After experiencing myriad problems in last year’s race, Ballistic BJ eased back to ensure the new No. 97 General Tire / Monster Energy Unlimited Truck could finish all four laps. He battled with last year’s winner Roger Norman for much of the race, but BJ’s patience prevailed in the end. The only issues this year for the No. 97 truck were a minor brake line problem, and the talented pit crew of Baldwin Motorsports got that resolved quickly.

“We definitely had a strategic advantage with our General tires and Method Race Wheels,” BJ admitted. “There were a couple of instances when I had impacts that would have destroyed any other wheel or tire, but we didn’t have a single flat.” BJ’s father Bobby Baldwin had an excellent weekend as well, sharing driving duties with Chad Ragland in “Rampage”, the SPD-built Unlimited Truck that BJ campaigned last year. The duo of Ragland and Bobby Baldwin qualified third and finished in second place overall at the 2011 General Tires SNORE Mint 400, proving that speed is indeed hereditary.

The next stop for Ballistic BJ Baldwin will be Best in the Desert’s Biltek Silver State 300 on April 29 – May 1 as he attempts to repeat his 2010 BITD season championship in the No. 97 General Tires / Monster Energy truck. On June 3 – 5 Ballistic BJ will head to the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, a race that he won in 2008 on his way to a SCORE International season championship. For the latest information and updates on BJ Baldwin please visit his website at www.ballisticbjbaldwin.com or his Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ballistic-BJ-Baldwin/153674591314785

Baldwin Motorsports is sponsored by:

General Tire • Monster Energy • Method Race Wheels
Vision-X Lights • King Shocks • Volant

About Mad Media:

Mad Media ( www.madmedia.com) is San Diego based marketing and creative agency offering professional print, web, and film production. They specialize in producing culturally relevant brand messaging using professional athletes, musicians, and artists. Mad Media focuses on sports and cultures that they are passionate about, including skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, motocross, FMX, BMX, off-road racing, rally racing, Hip-Hop, Punk Rock and Mixed Martial Arts. Mad Media has produced over twenty major commercial and viral film projects this year for clients such as Subaru of America, DC Shoes, Monster Energy Drink, and Harley-Davidson. Mad Media has been executing immersive marketing campaigns since 1996.

The Snore, Mint 400 takes place in some of the most evil desert terrain imaginable. The Mint course is comprised of rocks, big rocks, little rocks, sharp rocks and deeply embedded rocks that seem to be cast in concrete. The only relief from the constant pounding is a few sandy stretches and the deep pockets of blinding silt… with rocks. Everyone knows going in, it’s going to hurt. Car control is a major factor in surviving to the end. The terrain demands effective shock damping, precise steering and controlled braking in order to hold your lines through the rocks at speed. Overall winner BJ Baldwin credits the time spent tuning his shocks for his hard fought victory. “The course was really rough as usual,” said BJ “I couldn’t have done it without Iribe’s help tuning the shocks, the truck worked better than it ever has. We knew we had to run a smart pace and save the driveline but be fast enough to win. I battled with Roger Norman for the first three laps but we eventually pulled ahead for good to take the victory.”

BJ was followed by the second Baldwin racing unlimited truck driven by his Father Bobby and Chad Ragland. They overcame some issues off the start to finish second overall to BJ for a one-two finish for Baldwin Motorsports.

Third overall and first in class 1 was King Shocks racer Mikey Childress and co-driver Jimmy Hook. The duo posted their first class 1 victory for THR Motorsports in only their second race. “We had a great race,” said Mikey Childress, “We started off going too fast, Jimmy was yelling at me to take it easy. From mile 30 to 50, the course is filled with deep whoops. We just got on top and passed a lot of cars. My 3.5′s in front and 4.0′s in the rear were amazing, we could just charge into the biggest holes with no problem. We lost about fifteen minutes when we got tangled up with another driver and blew a rear tire but other than a broken limit strap we ran flawlessly all day”. Fourth place overall and second in class 1 went to another King Shocks racer Terry Householder. The Householder Motorsports car ran up front all day until they developed steering problems in the last 30 miles. Their five-minute lead turned into a four-minute deficit relegating them to a second place finish. Rounding out the podium in class 1, (6th overall), was King Shocks racer Richard Boyle in his Motion Tire Motorsports car. King Shocks racers put in a dominating performance in some of the roughest conditions on the planet. King’s highly refined damping technology gave them the control they needed when the going got tough. King puts that same durability and performance into every product they make. When you ride on Kings you’ll know, there really is a difference. Nothing rides like a King.

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

General Tire dominates the legendary Mint 400 with a
complete podium sweep

‘Ballistic’ BJ Baldwin takes 1st place overall and 1st in Unlimited Truck
His father, Bobby Baldwin, takes 2nd place overall and 2nd place in Unlimited Truck
Mikey Childress/Rob Sims take home 3rd place overall and 1st place in Class 1
First Podium Sweep by GT since the 80′s

LAS VEGAS – (March 28, 2010) – Team General Tire crushed the competition, sweeping the podium at the 2011 Mint 400 in Las Vegas March 26. ‘Ballistic’ BJ Baldwin continues to unleash his fury this season. Leading the pack for the majority of the race, BJ crossed the line victorious, followed by his father Bobby Baldwin in second and Mikey Childress in third. New GT drivers Randy Merrit tookfirst in Stock Full followed by Macrae Glass with a first place finish in Class 8. GT spec class drivers Perry Coan received first place in Jeepspeed Challenge and Troy Messer took first in Trophylite

Stealing the off-road racing spotlight in 2010, BJ, a Las Vegas native, was determined to prove again his title as the king of the desert in 2011. After qualifying first at the Mint, the unstoppable BJ was off to a great start, ready to once again battle the unforgivable Las Vegas terrain.

“I was on a mission last year, and this year’s mission is an even bigger one. On Team GT, it’s go big or go home,” said BJ after taking the podium in Las Vegas Saturday. “This race couldn’t have been more perfect. These drivers out here really know how to tear it up and there’s some serious competition, but with the Grabbers and with the force of Team GT and Monster Energy, Baldwin Motorsports was determined to be the unstoppable force, and we proved it.”

BJ is no stranger to victory. Last year, he brought home Team GT’s first-ever off-road championship title since their re-entry into motorsports four years ago, winning the Best in the Desert Championship in Trick Truck. His other 2010 season podium finishes were: first place at the BITD Parker 425; second place in teammate Bobby Baldwin’s truck at the 2010 SNORE Mint 400; and second place overall at the BITD Blue Water Challenge Race in Parker, Ariz. This is the first time that a father-son team placed first and second in the Unlimited/TT Class at the Legendary Mint 400 race.

“I knew we were going to sweep the podium this year; I even tweeted a podium sweep prediction before the race,” said Dana Zamalloa, manager of PR and communications, General Tire. “These guys won’t let anything get in their way. We are so proud of them. We have been asking for a podium sweep of our guys all last year and now our team has done it. It looks like 2011 will be a great year for General Tire.”

Stay tuned for more Team GT wins throughout the season. If you can’t be there to see all the action first-hand, you can get up-to-the-minute information on all the races at www.twitter.com/teamgt.
For media information, visit www.ctamedia.com or www.ctamedia.mobi.

For more than 90 years General Tire has offered a complete quality line of ultra-high performance, passenger, light truck, off-road and commercial tires to meet all your needs. General Tire is a proud supporter of Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing, Chili Bowl, Pro-Pulling, Late- Model Dirt Series, Drag Boat Series, Boost Mobile FreestyleMx.com Tour, Spec Tire of Trophylite and Pro Truck. Team GT supports off-road and short course teams including BJ Baldwin, Carl Renezeder, Rick D. Johnson, Jerry Zaiden/Jason Campbell, Jason/Rich Voss, Scott Steinberger, Ed “Clyde” Stout, Marc Burnett, Kent Kroeker, Mikey Childress, Carey Hart, Josh Merrell, Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg, Robby Woods and Jeff “Ox” Kargola.

General Tire is part of Continental Tire the Americas, LLC. (www.generaltire.com). CTA, based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, is a company of Germany-based Continental AG. With sales of approximately €20 billion in 2009 Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, Continental contributes enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs approximately 134,500 in 46 countries.

March 28, 2011

Carlsbad, CA

Bad luck strikes again at the 2011 SNORE General Tire Mint 400. The crew was excited for the weekend but once again, bad luck and a few random parts failure causes the Camburg/Blanco Basura/Hostyle Racing Trophylite to DNF.

The truck started first off the line and set a good pace. The Dailey Motorsports Trophylite led the first lap and then as the truck started off on it’s 2nd lap, power steering gave out. The Dailey Motorsports crew quickly jumped into action and got the truck running again but after a lengthy repair, the team set off in survival mode and aimed at just finishing this grueling 400 mile race. Unfortunately, this would not be the case. The truck then experienced more issues and after all was said and done, the team was not able to complete it’s final lap in the allotted amount of time.

“We are extremely disappointed.” said team owner Patrick Dailey. “We felt very prepared for this race but unfortunately, we can’t prepare for the unforeseen. The truck worked flawlessly. The tune on the Fox Racing Shox was simply amazing. This is the best the truck has ever worked.” continued Dailey. “ I would like to thank the whole Dailey Motorsports crew and all our supporters. They stayed out there till the very end and we did everything in our power to finish this race for those guys, but unfortunately we fell short.”

Next up for Dailey Motorsports is the SNORE KC HiLites Midnight Special. This race will be held in the Primm, NV area in July. The team will use this break to to do a full ground up prep and make sure the truck is 100% ready to compete for a win at the next race.

Dailey Motorsports would like to thank all of its sponsors and supporters for the 2011 season which include, Camburg, Blanco Basura, Hostyle Racing, KC HiLites, DanZio Performance, Fox Racing Shox, Ringers Gloves, Currie Enterprises, Dailey Engineering, FAST-Aid, Johnny G Motorsports, Scosche, Desert Assassins, and Richer Racing,

• USC student and Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing reporter Keli Snyder is named Miss Mint 400 for 2011
• Snyder will receive $1,500 and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be titled Miss Mint 400.  Previous Miss Mint 400 winners include Vanna White and Lynda Carter.

Fort Mill, SC – (March 28, 2011) – The 2011 General Tire Miss Mint 400 competition comes to an exciting finish.  After a fierce online voting competition and rounds of interviews, General Tire crowned Keli Snyder, a University of Southern California journalism student and a television host for Lucas Oil, as this year’s Miss Mint.

“Kelli is the perfect candidate for this title,” said Dana Zamalloa, manager of PR and communications, General Tire.  “She’s ambitious, driven, has a strong passion for motorsports, and understands that character is an important part of this legendary title.  We’re proud to have her represent General Tire as our Miss Mint 400 for 2011.”

Girls from across the country competed for this year’s Miss Mint crown, which saw a record number of voters and entrants on www.generaltire.com.  The title brings with it the prestigious Miss Mint title, a prize package, national exposure and a General Tire photo shoot, but only one girl can earn the title.

Kelli Snyder, 21, was a clear winner.  During the interview portion of the competition, Snyder’s background in motorsports, understand of the legendary Mint 400 competition and race, witty answers and her passion for off-road racing set her apart from the other candidates.  Currently, Snyder is the field reporter for the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, which air weekly on the SPEED channel and on VERSUS.  She was also formerly the host of the Lucas Oil Women’s Motocross Championship and has worked as a pit reporter for the Monster Jam World finals and at other Lucas Oil motorsports events.

Snyder accompanied Team GT as they unleash their fury at this year’s legendary Mint 400 March 25 through 27 in Las Vegas.  Synder official started each race vehicle at the start line with the dropping of the green flag.  In the race’s heyday, the Mint was famous for its celebrity drivers and the Mint 400 Girls.  Throughout the competition’s history, the title has been given to a number of famous women, including Linda Carter (Wonder Woman) and Wheel of Fortune letter-turner Vanna White.

For more information on the Mint 400, “The Great American Desert Race,” check out www.snoreracing.net.  If you can’t be there to see all the action first-hand, you can get up-to-the-minute information on all Team GT races at www.twitter.com/teamgt.

For more than 90 years General Tire has offered a complete quality line of ultra-high performance, passenger, light truck, off-road and commercial tires to meet all your needs.  General Tire is a proud supporter of Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing, Chili Bowl, Pro-Pulling, Late- Model Dirt Series, Drag Boat Series, Boost Mobile FreestyleMx.com Tour, Spec Tire of Trophylite and Pro Truck.  Team GT supports off-road and short course teams including BJ Baldwin, Carl Renezeder, Rick D. Johnson, Jerry Zaiden/Jason Campbell, Jason/Rich Voss, Scott Steinberger, Ed “Clyde” Stout, Ted Hunnicutt, Marc Burnett, Kent Kroeker, Mikey Childress, Carey Hart, Josh Merrell, Casey Currie, Robby Woods and Jeff “Ox” Kargola.

General Tire is part of Continental Tire the Americas, LLC. (www.generaltire.com). CTA, based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, is a company of Germany-based Continental AG. With sales of approximately €20 billion in 2009 Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, Continental contributes enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs approximately 134,500 in 46 countries.

After a brief voting period, interview, and 400 miles of flawless racing BJ Baldwin was crowned Mr. Mint for 2011. Starting off with the pole, Baldwin never gave up the top spot running 4 clean laps around a brutal, rocky, silty course. Following BJ was his father Bobby’s truck who was piloted by Chad Ragland for the first three laps, with Bobby getting in on lap 4 to bring her to a second place finish in Trophy Truck and also overall.

Getting his first Class 1 win was Mikey Childress, who along with the Baldwins gave General Tire and Monster Energy the top three spots overall.

After the first lap of the day the Nevada desert already started taking its toll as gaps widened, and cars began to drop off. The Mint course is known for being a tough one, and the 2011 race was no exception. Every lap that went by the ruts would get deeper, and more rocks would crawl from underneath the dirt waiting for the unsuspecting bellypan.

- Roger Norman was just outside of BJ’s dust most of the day until an alternator problem put them behind a bit.
- Camburg Racing brought in hired gun Jerry Welchel to drive the #75 Trophy Truck.
- Canidae Racing did their best impersonation of Cameron Steele over the qualifying jump.
- Class 11 #1189 was no where to be found on the race course for photos. Must of been in someones dust.
- Scheelers trophy truck seems to have some sort of device in the front bumper that attracts it to the ground. The media thanks you.
- SNORE put on another great event and keeps flourishing while “others” “struggle” “for” “entries”.
- BJ Baldwin is the first official Mr. Mint
- Its 1:50am so I’m going to bed.

Photos by HighRev Photography

[Show as slideshow]

Full Race Results

Race-dezert.com highlights from the General Tire Mint 400.