BEST IN THE DESERT Series Epic Racing Products Parker 250 January 5-6, 2007

By: Levi Merriman

BEST IN THE DESERT Links Pro, Expert, Aamateur Results Ironman Results UTV Results Photo Gallery Video

Team Q12 (Collins Webster & Tyson Leaver) were the first ATV team to start the 236 mile long race at 7:58AM

Upon starting the race 13 pro, 18 expert, 13 amateurs and 8 Ironmen quads would take to the course along with 18 UTV’s bringing up the rear. Q12 Yamaha YFZ ridden by Collins Webster and Tyson Leaver, both of Las Vegas, NV, would be lucky number one as they started at 7:58:20am With a minute interval between the pro competitors, it allowed them to get into the race before they caught any slower vehicles. Second off the line was the Q6 Honda 450R piloted by Greg Stuart of Yucaipa, CA, and Nic Granlund of Las Vegas, NV at 7:59:17. Third to go was the Q1 Factory Honda 450R ridden by Wayne Matlock of El Cajon, Ca, and Chad Prull of Laveen, AZ with a start time of 7:00:18. Fourth was a team of teenagers, Travis Dillon and Josh Row on the Q17 Honda 450R started at 8:01:17. Fifth off the line in the pro class at 8:02:20 was the Q10 Honda 450R with a set of custom Bilstien shocks being driven by Shane Strunk, Tucson, AZ and Brandon Brown, Umatilla, OR.

Q1 Team - Wayne Matlock & Chad Prull	Q3 Team - Jose Ramirez & Don Green

After all the pro entries were on the course, the next in line for the start were the Experts and Amateur quad racers. They however would be started every 15 seconds making the first few miles of the race very intense as the faster racers were able to make up positions early on. The 402 Honda 450R ridden by Steve and Steven Youngblood of Nampa, ID, and Richard Youngblood of Las Vegas, NV, started first for the Experts at 8:19:34. Second was the 411 KTM Hybrid quad built and ridden by Ed Teixeira of Tracy, CA and Todd Hunter of Las Vegas, NV at 8:19:52. Third would be the 414 Honda 450R ridden by Brian Mello and Barry Bennett of Blythe, Ca at 8:20:05.

Two Epic Racing Teams were running prototype Bilstein shocks, which are new to the ATV market, but have been a leader in the off-road shock industry for decades	The Ridge Runner(above) and the TomCar both had race vehicles at the Parker 250 to compete in the Yamaha Rhino dominant UTV Classes

After all the ATV’s and motorcycles started, the newest class to BITD got their shot. Class 1900, the UTV’s took to the starting line in hopes of being number one by the end of the day. 1941, Pro UTV class, Yamaha Rhino, driven by Tim Burke of Las Vegas, NV started first for the UTV’s at 8:38:21 with 152 miles of rough desert terrain ahead at the end of the 100 feet of asphalt. Then 1930, another Yamaha Rhino, Driven by David Estrada from Pioneer, CA, took to the course at 8:38:37. Third Rhino to start the race would be the experienced 1901 Yamaha Rhino, driven by Cory Sappington of Peoria, AZ, leaving the line at 8:39:05. In the Sportsman Class there were 4 entries, with 1954, a 600cc Honda motorcycle powered Rhino of Corry Weller starting first 8:41:55, followed by the only two UTV’s that were not Rhinos; 1953 was a Tomcar driven by Matthew Kimmerle taking to the course at 8:42:10, and 1970, a Ridge Runner, driven by Dan Denney from Nampa ,ID starting at 8:42:23.

As the race progressed many competitors would succumb to the rough terrain with flats, bent tie-rods, and all other mechanical problems you could think of, and used any and all resources they could to get across the finish line. At the main pit area, many riders would fix those problems, while the other more unfortunate would either try to repair them on the course, or wait for a tow from another competitor, or a BITD official since there is no chasing of race vehicles allowed at BITD.

Q6 Team - Greg Stuart & Nic Ganlund were on a mission as they claimed the Pro win and finished 6th Overall and over 15 minutes ahed of second place

While many Pros were still making their way to the main pit to complete their first lap, some of the top expert riders were flying through the course as they finished up their first lap, and began their second. Quad 403 made up a lot of time on the field with a 12th place start, Rick Cecco, and Cory Hove were securely sitting a top of their class as they headed into the main pits at 10:16:57. Four minutes behind them, in real time, but nearly Seven minutes adjusted, a group of Experts came in including Ed Teixeira, 411, on his KTM powered 250R, #413, Honda 450R, Ridden by Jason Stratton, and Brett Callen, right on his back bumper, as they headed into pit. 412, and 401 were mixing it up with 413, and 411 along pit row and back out for another 76 mile loop.

Around 11:00 is when the first site of a UTV appeared, and at 11:02:10 the Mason Motorsports, 1906, Yamaha Rhino, being driven by Jeff Banks, and co-piloted by Neal Mason entered the pits with a healthy lead over second place 1915 Rhino driven by Travis Peterson and Joe Clark came into the pits at 11:10:41 for an extended stay with some front end issues. Third and fourth into the main pits were the 1908 Rhino driven by Ryan Coombs and Brandon Doyle and 1909 rhino driven by Steve Coombs and Ryan Wieferich trying to catch the leaders that were several minutes ahead. The next Rhino though would be the 1914 rhino driven by Brent Cook at 11:29:40 nealry 10 minutes behind 4th place.

Other UTV’s, ATV’s and Motorcycles would trickle through, completing their second and first laps on their way to the finish. Corry Weller in the 1954 Sportsman Rhino came through 12:35:50 ahead of the rest of the Sportsman UTV’s and would go on to win her class with a time of 7:18:27hrs as the only competitor in her class to complete the course. Unfortunately the only two UTV’s that were not Rhinos, the Tomcar, and the Ridge Runner both DNF’d. Making our way back to the finish line, the first ATV to complete the course was the Q6 Honda with a time of 5:21:38 for the three laps. Second place would have gone to the Q17 Honda, but unfortunately the quad lost all power about ten miles from the finish line and had to be towed in by an Iron man competitor, 615, Dean Williams who still finished second in his class with a time of 5:32:06 for two laps. Q17 finished with a DNF for the day.

Q2 Team - David Scott & Jeremy Sanchez claimed 2nd place after Q17(Josh Row & Travis Dillon) broke down within 10 miles of the finish	Q4 Team - Jeff Hancock & Jeff Row squeezed out a top three finish ahead of the Q3 Team (Jose Ramirez & Don Green)

Q2 ridden by David Scott, and Jeremy Sanchez capitalized on the misfortune of Q17, and ended their day with a second place finish with a time of 5:37:36. Q4 finished with third overall at a time of 5:39:23. In fourth place for the day was Q3 ridden by Jose Ramirez, and Don Green with a finishing time of 5:41:22. With a time of 6:00:52, Jason Weller and Kyle Pethers pushed their Q15 YFZ to a fifth place finish in the pro class. The team Guilty Honda 450R, Q19, ridden by Todd Johnson, and Eric Pealstrom finished in sixth place over all with no major problems to report with a time of 6:15:00. Q1 kept having problems with their Honda, including an oil leak that would shoot oil out of the spark plug hole drain, and they kept having a coolant leak with the radiator. Apparently the leak was became so bad, that some JB weld was put to use to patch the whole while the coolant was topped off with a personally brewed concoction, also known as pee. Yes, Wayne Matlock confirmed with me, that Chad Prull took a “number one” in the radiator to keep it going. Now that is dedication! It also seemed to work well since they were able to avoid the DNF with a seventh place finish completing the course in 6:16:02hrs. What ever gets the job done right?

Multi-time BITD Pro Champions Q1 Team (Wayne Matlock & Chad Prull) overcame several hurdles to salvage a 7th place after an oil and coolant leak almost left them with a DNF without some creative fixes	Alba Action's Rick Cecco & Cory Hove conquered the Parker 250 in the Expert Class, but this may be Cecco's last BITD since signing with CanAm to compete in the GNCC Series beginning in March

In the Expert class, a few of the teams were as fast as the Pros, including the first place ALBA team, 403, Cory Hove and Rick Cecco. They were able to complete the race in 5:49:31hrs. 412 ridden by Nic Charlon, Colby Begin and Craig Baker were right behind in second place with a consistently strong push towards the front finishing with a time of 5:52:27. The 401 YFZ of Shaun Moore and Cody Mitchell would end up with a third place in the expert class with their time of 5:56:21. The KTM powered ATV number 411 would over come his tire issues, and hold on to a fourth place overall with a time of 5:58:19, less than 2 minutes behind 401. Quad 405 ridden by Scott Taylor, Jake Holdridge, and Keith Klausman would arrive at 6:13:51hrs after they began for a fifth place finish.

The 1906 Rhino driven by Jeff Banks & Neal Mason claimed the Pro UTV win with nearly a 30 minute lead over 2nd place	Weller Racing's custom Rhino powered by a Honda CBR 600 engine outlasted the field in the Sportsman Class to claim the win for Corry & Jeff Weller

After a rough two laps, the UTV’s would make their way to the finish line. Coming to the finish in first place would be the 1906 Rhino driven by Jeff Banks and Neal Mason with an astonishing time of 4:34:56 for the two laps they needed to complete. In a distant second place was the 1909 Rhino driven by Steve Coombs and Ryan Wieferich nearly 30 minutes behind 1906. Still a testament to a great race as they finished with a time of 5:03:56 and over 20 minutes ahead of third place. The 1914 Rhino driven by Brent Cook, Paul Worthen and Kennth Poole arrived with a time of 5:25:12hrs on the course. 1930 would come across the finish line 5:36:59hrs after they began their journey in one of the more stock appearing Rhinos entered in the race. That alone shows that it takes more than a premium race car to go fast in the desert. A lot of preparation and driver skill is needed to make it to the finish in desert racing. David Estrada, Ron Sewell and Ron Palhegyi definitely have what it takes piloting the 1930 rhino to a great finish. In fifth place would be the 1911 Rhino consisting of a mainly all women team. Brigita Leakey, Jennifer Potter, Adam Templeton and Nicole Fryer finished the course in 6:36:41, an hour after fourth place, but 16 minutes ahead of sixth place.

Out of 69 total ATVs & UTV teams that started the Parker 250 only 43 finished the race with over half the UTVs being claimed by the brutal desert terrain before the finish line

Derek Garza rode his DS650 to the Ironman Quad Amateur win over Joshua Gory's YFZ450 in 2nd place

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