 | DIRT AND ROCKS – THE ROC ENDURANCE RACE
TEAM LOVELL TRYS A NEW TYPE OF RACE
The Lovell Racing team just finished their third race in as many weeks, two of which were a two truck effort. With some luck and plenty of hours in the shop, both Rangers were in top order for the ROC Race at the RAM Off-Road Park in Colorado Springs, but unfortunately a faulty seal would take out one of the trucks.
This was the first race of its kind – an approximate 2 mile course of sandstone climbs, rocks, gap jumps, and short course style dirt track. Each driver ran three timed laps starting in one minute intervals. The fastest combined time won.
Brad’s day would start well. After having opportunity to pre-run the course twice with his co-driver (wife Natalie), most turns and challenges were committed to memory. The FABTECH Ranger was lighting fast off the start line and up the jumps to the climbs and into the dirt. The rehearsed run through the dirt went error free and the pair zoomed back into the rocks. Up the boulders, down the drops, over the jumps and back to the XRRA course from only 2 weeks ago; the Dirtlogic Shocks easily ate up all the destructive boulders and #232 flew across the finish line. The couple posted a 7:29 run which was one second faster than rival Shannon Campbell and would stand as the fastest official lap time of the day. On the second run, however, luck ran out. While on pace to best their previous fast time, a transmission gasket blew and Brad was forced to throw in the towel. “Its disappointing for sure,” commented Brad, “Natalie and I could still smile though because we had a great time practicing for the race and competing together. She did a great job and is already on board as co-driver if this race is held again in Sept.”
While Brad had a win or break type day, Roger did his best to test the limits of the #32 DIRTLOGIC Ranger while remaining in control. Fellow wheeler and friend Chris Richardson served as Roger’s co-driver and helped keep an eye on the vehicle while Roger focused on the course. The team suffered from rutted out dirt climb near the start of the first run but was clean otherwise and posted a 10:11 lap time. On the second run, they ran into (quite literally) lap traffic. #81 Brian Shirley was experiencing engine trouble and stalled at the bottom of a 15’ ditch. While a flagman was able to prevent catastrophic damage, Roger came over the top of the hill and tattooed Shirley’s radiator. Lovell was forced to maneuver a more difficult line around the stricken vehicle but even with the foul luck, he bested his previous time by 30 seconds.
Roger was now poised for a podium finish with a few more runs. His third lap was clear of broken vehicles and clean. He had been fighting overheating issues all day but the crew had tweaked the trucked and he was able to push it faster. This effort was good enough for a fast time of 9:06, more than a minute faster than his first time. Bearing confidence and a speedy car, the team worked fast to cool everything down for the final round. Unfortunately, and for unknown reasons, the promoter decided not to have a final round and Roger ended the race in 6th place. “I just wish I had another run to make up time,” commented Roger, “Everything felt better and faster as the day progressed. Getting bugs worked out of the truck and more seat time is really paying off.”
The next stop for Lovell Racing is Donner, CA July 18th – 20th for the final round of 2008 WE-Rock season were the team has a lead in Series points and hopes to once again claim the title of series champions.
Special thanks to Russ Kauk for the photos from this race.
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King of the Hammers Race Report
The inaugural King of the Hammers 50 Mile Rock Race can be chalked up as both a success and a learning experience for Lovell Racing. Due to several factors, the brothers decided to split forces which proved to be a wise move as only one Fabtech sponsored Ford Ranger would finish the destructive race.
The story is told in Brad’s own words below:
I arrived a few days early with plans to pre-run the course and get a good feel for Johnson Valley so we would not get lost. I also needed to put some miles on our new Fabtech Ranger. Everything from the lug nuts to the steering wheel was new and the truck had zero miles on it when I arrived. I was able to put in some high speed desert runs and get it back in the trailer before bad weather blew in. The next day, I took our tried and true #232 Ranger (#32 for the race) through some of the rock sections and then put another 20 desert miles on the new truck. My pre-running effort only covered half the course but it was better than nothing. That night the rest of our team showed up and it was time to get serious.
Our team was the best we could ask for – Kris Hernandez and Miles Hadden (Fabtech Motorsports), Jeff and Dan Huseman (Rick Huseman Racing), Eric Filar (Alloy USA), Cameron Steele (Desert Assasins), Woodrow Carroll and Brian Bingamon (K&N Filters), and Rob Kirby. As final prep was made to the trucks and our pit strategy worked out, it was decided that Cameron Steele would co-drive for me in the new #232 Ranger and Eric Filar would co-drive for Roger in the tried and true version #32. #232 would go all out for the win and #32 would shoot for a top 5 and support #232 if necessary. The rest of the team would test, chase, and pit.
The first thing I learned about this type of racing is that there is never enough time to get everything done. We were fighting bugs in both vehicles and the rest of the team had done no pre-running. While Kris Hernandez and the crew from Rick Huseman Racing tuned the suspension, the rest of us did some last minute pre-running in the Fabtech, Alloy USA, and K&N Jeeps. Once we returned and as the light faded, Jeff Huseman and I did the final test runs in the new Fabtech Ranger. Having never run whoops before, I am absolutely astounded by the performance of the new #232. Simply put, I floored it and ignored the bumps in the road. They kept telling me, “Trust your suspension,” and once I did, I knew this car was going to make up a lot of time in the desert.
Race day arrives. Roger and Eric start 6th out of 43 while Cameron and I start 15th. As the adrenaline rises, I control my excitement and focus on the green flag. The 2008 season starts and the 400 hp Ford roars to life. Unfortunately, the motor was far too noisy for any type of intercom and Cameron is forced to use hand signals. We fly off the lakebed and into the sand. I know we are moving plenty fast but don’t see any dust trails yet. 2 miles out, we make our first pass. The truck is running flawlessly but around mile 3 I see Roger off the course and out of #32. What happened? I fight the urge to stop and concentrate on the terrain. More traffic, this time on a hill. We have to slow down on the rocky hill and loose time. Over the top and into the sand, two more passes and back into the lake bed. As I am wide open in high gear (90+ mph) and hope no problems arise. We then passed 3 cars at once and I was reassured of our chances to win. As we entered a light whoop section the media chopper swooped in and paced us for a few minutes and I was convinced I was a trophy truck driver. Calm down, focus, the race has only started. By checkpoint 2, we had gained 10 positions out of 15.
As we entered the first rocky section we had the lead in sight but the new truck blues came around. As I shifted into low range, the front linkage broke meaning that we had to pull the floor panel every time I needed to shift from high to low. In the next couple miles an electrical connection came loose and we were forced to stop again. In the excitement of the repair, a short circuit occurred and melted a power wire. By the time we had these problems fixed at checkpoint 4, we knew the win was gone but could still finish well. It was unbelievably frustrating as we would pass 4+ racers before having to stop, pull the floor, and wrestle with the shift linkage. The slower cars would get by and we would once again be stuck in traffic.
We then opened up into a long desert section and Cameron coached me as we struck barely controllable speeds on the whoops. Misfortune came at race mile 25, however, when we both felt a lurch that was not in the desert. We pulled to the side and saw a smoking 1” separation in the sealing surface of the rear axle. Mechanical damage had occurred somewhere in the differential. Given the lack of parts, time-frame, and terrain, we were forced to throw in the towel.
As we started the long limp back to the pits our chase crew found us and we stopped to exchange information which was limited during the race due to engine noise. Confusion abounds during a race like this and as we tried to figure out what happened to Roger in #32 Fabtech Ranger he came screaming around the corner. The team immediately flew into action to help Roger through the rocks and get him fueled.
It turns out that a last minute fan repair before the race punctured the radiator at race mile #3. Along with volunteers, our amazing support team fixed it with pliers and pepper. Unbeknownst to me, Roger was still in the race and had an excellent chance of finishing. Our team worked as if we had been racing together for years and helped Roger and Eric pilot the Ranger through the rocks. The chase crew hit the desert to get in front of the race truck. Only yards before Roger came into pit #3, a radiator hose let go. Once again, the team came together and made the repair with parts scavenged from ever helpful volunteers and spectators. 15 minutes later, #32 headed out for the final leg of the race. Roger and Eric would finish 14th in a race that consumed nearly half the field. Neither truck experienced a flat which is more than can be said for a lot of tires being used out there.
We have dozens of people to thank for helping us get the new truck ready and supporting us while at the race. I probably could not name them all if I tried. What I can say, however, is that the off-road community is a great place full of people who would give you the shirt off their back to get you another 50 yards down the course. Lovell Racing would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who has helped us.
More news soon as the brothers will display both vehicles at the Off-Road Impact Trade Show in Anaheim, CA March 6-8.
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