 | Lovell Brothers Overcome the Odds
Wednesday March 31st 2010 - Brad Lovell
 The Silver State 300 - Finished
This year, the race was escorted for the first 6 miles to protect the endangered desert tortoise. Even with our relentless prep work, somewhere in those 6 miles, a steering line developed a leak. We had ample time, parts, and help to replace it before the actual race start but the theme would stick with us for the day. We were fast at the start and it took a couple of miles for Roger to settle into a strong controlled pace. The truck felt extremely loose at high speeds but the Proformance Unlimited 347 made us strong out of every turn. Several times we found the limit as Roger rolled it up on two tires against the burms. At least 4 of the 16 teams in the 4400 class suffered a worse fate and ended up cart wheeling into the desert.
Near RM 60 Roger felt the steering weaken. A quick inspection revealed a faulty end on our replacement hose. In 20 minutes we had the hose repaired but many of the racers were already by us. Ignoring the pressure, we got back into a strong pace passing slower vehicles and had a clean run all the way to Pit #4 at RM 165. The morning of the race, Roger and I made a last minute decision to switch positions at this pit. I climbed into the driver seat and soon learned the battle Roger was fighting. I struggled for control of AMSOIL clad Ford and gained short lived confidence over the next 10 miles. Only 20 miles into my stretch, disaster struck as flames suddenly billowed out from under the hood. We escaped the truck and I reached an extinguisher first jamming it under the hood. A 5lb extinguisher did the job and I darted up course to keep other trucks from crashing into us.
Roger was able to start the truck and move it into a safe place for inspection. This time, a different power steering line developed a huge hole and doused the hot engine in hydraulic fluid. Luckily, the fire damage was repairable and we found a way to combine parts and replace the ruptured line. We could still race! With Roger back in the driver’s seat we blew through mountains, silt beds, fields of rock, and graded roads. Soon we were at RM 239 just short of the last pit. Well, guess what happened? Yet another power steering hose failed and caused complete steering loss! I jumped out to inspect and then found that the front of the chassis was nearly cracked off. Things were not looking good for a finish.
After a hasty repair, we were able to limp into Pit #6 and our crew jumped into action. Not only did we have to replace the power steering pump and weld the frame, but we needed to find a replacement hose. Creighton King with Maxxis was kind enough to provide welding services and the Checkers pit crew found some hose that we could jerry rig into place. After nearly an hour of frantic repair we set out on our final leg. Luckily, our work held and we eased through the finish line to win our battle against the brutality of the desert. After some TLC, the #4432 AMSOIL Ranger will live to see another day. Have no doubt that the conglomeration of steering lines will be upgraded to Aeroquip and steering issues resolved with the expertise of Howe Performance. With the engine oil and power steering getting hot enough to completely melt plastic, the only burned lubricants were on the engine, not in the engine. Thanks AMSOIL! The adrenaline from the adventure is still in my veins.
Many thanks to our family, friends, and sponsors for the support it took to do this race. Our team was top notch. We were proud to be 2 of 3 finishers from Torchmate Racing. More news from the team in only a week as we take the #232 AMSOIL Ford south for WE-Rock Round #2 in Tucson, AZ May 1 & 2.
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TORCHMATE RACING NABS FIRST 7200 DESERT WIN
Sunday September 27th 2009 - Brad Lovell
First Desert High
Casey Folks of Best in the Desert says, “Life is an adventure. Come live your adventure with Best in the Desert.” It’s not just a slogan. Adventure is the one word I come back to time and again to describe off-road racing. Things can be going smoothly before a dramatic change occurs and all is thought lost. This is due to harsh environment in which we race. The desert has a variety of terrain that no other form of racing can boast - smooth roads, rocky silt, water, and dust. In the desert, things can change in an instant but the net result is always the same – grand adventure.
For those unfamiliar with the desert, I need to clarify just what a “7200 truck” is. This class is for unlimited mid-size trucks. The only restrictions are a 6 cylinder motor and maximum overall width. The #7231 Torchmate Ranger was built around a stock frame which limits it more but also allows it to compete in the further restricted SCORE Class 7. It has a fire breathing 4.5L Ford motor originally designed for NASCAR and countless hours of custom fabrication. This race, the Silver State 300, is a single loop around the most desolate areas of eastern Nevada. Bill Kunz would drive and I (Brad Lovell) would navigate for the entire 322 miles. The rest of the desert team was there for logistic and pit support.
A couple weeks ago, we took time to pre-run the race. The task resulted in a notepad with nearly 500 illegible notes that I had to manually enter into the computer. As I loaded the file on the morning of the race, I pondered the circumstances mislabeling hazardous sections. With no way to test my work, we darted from the start line second in our class. After about 35 miles we crept up on the leader but soon lost him again in the blinding silt. Luckily he pulled off at the first pit and we got some clean air. We set a good pace but soon saw #7226 Al Hogan on our tail. We pitted at race mile 90 and watched Hogan press on to gain the lead. It is difficult to be patient and not push it too hard in a situation like this but Bill kept his cool.
Near race mile 120, along a narrow stretch of mountainous road, something went haywire and all electrical power in the truck cut out. As we loosened our belts, #7286 Dave Caspino plowed into the back of us which was quite welcome as we wanted to get off the side to avoid a worse crash. The race turned to one of wrenching and #7286 changed a tire and dug out while we traced our electrical problem to a loose battery terminal. We belted in but Caspino got on the road first and a handful of other trucks got by. It was time to forget about the lead and focus on finishing.
Over the next 30 miles, we passed Caspino and another 7200 truck when they pulled off the course to make repairs. We then raced out of the mountains and towards the BFGoodrich pit but before we got there spotted a column of black smoke. A race official soon flagged us down and informed us that Al Hogan’s truck had caught on fire and the race was on hold until it was out. Hogan, leading the 7200 class, hit a power pole with enough force to completely knock it over. The power lines fell onto the wrecked truck and started a fire. Somehow, everyone got out safe but the truck burned to the ground. After clearing the wreck, the race was resumed and trucks were started 30 seconds apart. The restart worked in our favor as we were able to take fuel and still maintain our position near the front of the pack. Clean air!
We ran clean for the 70 miles until I saw that we were quickly gaining on another vehicle. They must have been broken because are absolutely flew by them. It was so fast that neither of us could tell if it was a 7200 truck. It didn’t really matter at this point anyway. We were racing our own race and other than experiencing a bit of power loss, things were going pretty well. We started to get into dust again which was blinding with the setting sun. I don’t know how Bill maintained his focus, my eyes felt like they were bleeding and I couldn’t see a thing. We ran smart in the dust and didn’t take many chances. It was not discussed, but we both understood that we were doing well and didn’t want to screw it up now.
Finally, the finish line came into view and we took the checkered flag. As we pulled through, we were handed BFGoodrich “Winner” hats and started to get excited. The only thing that could change the result was Caspino arriving in the next six minutes. The scene at the finish line was chaotic and but I did see that he came in rather quickly. We would have to wait a couple days for the official word and it was worth it. In 322 miles we won by only 5 minutes and 17 seconds! This is our first win in the #7231 Torchmate Ranger and we could not be happier. AMSOIL and BFGoodrich have really gotten behind our program and we owe them our thanks.
On the same day as this race, the #32 and #232 rock racers returned to RAM Off-Road Park In Colorado Springs, CO. Roger Lovell and Mark Hayward gave hair raising rides all day for the charitable cause Christmas for Kids. They helped raise nearly $1000 to make Christmas brighter for children in need. With no time to spare, the entire Torchmate team will convene in Farmington, NM on Oct 3rd to battle for top honors at the WE-Rock Grand Nationals.
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Photos with this story are free for use and credit should be given to Mike Aiello
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1000 Miles of High Adventure
Thursday September 17th 2009 - Brad Lovell
Lovell's Go Get High
Vegas to Reno is the longest and toughest point to point race in the United States. It is 1000 miles of rocks, silt, whoops, and danger. It is hard to draw comparison of this race to anything else in the present day. It is a relic. Entering it is a way to turn back time and experience the peril, pride, and freedom that the west held before being tamed by modern America. It is a strenuous race, death defying at times, and extremely costly. Why even bother with it?
The answer comes from the soul. It allows our team along with hundreds of others to face challenge and test our abilities. It is a reprieve into a world that boys read about in adventure books and a way to trade all the safety of society for the freedom of the untamed wild.
We prepared for this race for months. After near destruction in the Baja 500, the #7231 Torchmate Ford Ranger had been completely rebuilt. Chase trucks were loaded and our convoy left Reno traveling through the most desolate areas in the US towards Las Vegas. Torchmate Racing’s effort not only included all of the necessities that our race team required, but also provided a complete CNC plasma cutting table and staff to cut parts that any of the race teams required as their vehicles became debilitated by the torturous desert. The last minute details were attended to during tech inspection before the energetic crew headed to the start line. Greg Jones and Nick Socha would start the three day staged race. Each day was roughly 330 miles before the race vehicles were repaired and impounded at night in a moving camp of 765 RV’s. I stood at the start line and snapped a picture as the truck departed. Even with my newfound desert experience, I look at that picture now and realize I had no appreciation for the scale of the endeavor we were embarking upon.
Over the first 200 miles, the truck made great progress and quickly moved to the front of the 7200 class (19 entries). Driver of record Bill Kunz and I prepared to get in as #7231 slid into the pits with two other 7200 trucks. A frantic effort ensued and before long, we were on our way. Within 50 miles we hit a boulder that bent the driveshaft and forced us to limp 10 miles to the next pit. After a quick repair and no further issues, we reached the finish in 4th place. It was a good day and we then had a chance to review plans for day #2 before some much needed sleep.
Bill and I charged into the dust on the second day. 200 race trucks kick a blinding amount of silt in the air and the dust can hang for hours. The billowing plumes can be seen across the desert floor 100 miles away. Driving into this dust at 60 mph is intense. Nothing can be seen past the hood of the truck and at times I could not see the GPS mounted in the dash. The danger of speed is real, but the danger of stopping even greater. If one truck slows, the next will ram into it. The lethality only increases if you are forced to exit the vehicle. Things can turn bad fast and I wanted none of it. I gave Bill the best course readings I could and we waited for a chance to pass. It came as a dry lakebed opened around us. We veered upwind and laid into the throttle but weremet with large bushes. Despite concern for what might lay in our path Bill eased back into the blinding dust. Just then, a bush materialized dead ahead and I thought we were done. #7231 smashed into it and was launched into the air at 80+ mph. Luckily Bill maintained control and we quickly regained our focus. After 230 miles of similar struggles, we reached the driver change and exited. Greg and Nick headed off into the dust as Bill and I rehydrated at the BFGoodrich pit.
Unseen to us a terrible accident had already occurred. #7231 lay on its side with an injured driver and frantic navigator running over two miles across the desert back to the pit. As we celebrated in the pit, the truck struck a series of jumps that cascaded it into a barrel roll and nearly ripped it apart. The cage had heavy damage above the driver door, parts were scattered across the desert, and Greg was in pain. Nick found the medics and sent them to Greg. Greg in turn convinced them to help him dig and jack the truck back over before yielding to their gurney back in the pit. Bill coaxed Greg into the ambulance and accompanied him to the hospital in Reno. When we could do no more to help Greg, a plan was formed to push on. I would drive and Nick, being uninjured, would climb back in the right seat. With the help of the BFGoodrich pit crew, our team repaired the truck and we were off.
As long as I can remember, I have wanted to race a desert truck. I found myself fulfilling a lifelong goal but my mind continued to wander to Greg’s condition. Darkness fell and I began to notice power loss. Before long, we found ourselves struggling in the silt beds. If you stop in the silt, you will never get going again. The race miles continued to tick away and we held hope of finishing. Only 8 miles from the camp (mile 690) we faced an enormous silt hill with rough boulders guarding any fast assault. Our best effort was rejected and the injured truck floundered. Without reaching the base we became hopelessly stuck. Despite our best efforts to free ourselves eventually our chase crew had to
When we finally returned to the pit at 3am I was completely spent and surprised to see our full pit crew ready and waiting. I could do no more; I was physically exhausted and emotionally deflated. I was advised to sleep and knew I needed focus for the next day. The Torchmate crew took charge and with the help of VORRA Racing and unknown others, stayed up all night and made repairs. Without a doubt, we owe them the race. I woke at 6am to find a functional truck and a chance to finish. Bill reported from the Reno hospital that Greg’s condition, while serious, had stabilized. A new logistic plan was hastily made as everyone fought fatigue. Nick and I soon dropped the hammer as the final leg of the race began. Only a couple miles from the start we battled hundreds of trucks in the biggest silt bed I have ever seen. The temperature of the engine started to rise and seemed to find no limit. We had no choice but to stop and let it cool once it reached 255 degrees. Despite having the finest synthetic AMSOIL lubricant, we needed the engine to last through the race. After a time we tried to push on but were hopelessly locked in the powdery silt. The feeling of helplessness descended on me and we began to dig out. Luck was with us though and an official with a 4wd offered to help. He first pulled us out and then gave us a bump from the back to get moving. We were off again!
Over the next 150 miles, I found great joy in the chance to drive in such an epic race. The desire to push the truck to the limit was in me but as quickly as I sped up, Nick slowed me down. It is critical to remember the length of the race and save the truck. We did our job and I yielded my seat to Bill, who made the early morning trek to Pit 5 from Reno. With only 150 miles to go he ran fast and clean. So fast, in fact, that he beat the chase trucks to the finish line. 996 brutal miles! The truck and the team were physically and emotionally exhausted but overjoyed to complete the race. I was really pleased to see Greg Jones rejoin the team at the finish. Diagnosed with a cracked vertebrae and cracked sternum he was discharged from the hospital and in good spirits. To finish this race is a victory and given our struggles, it was an emotional one. We later would find that we finished 4th in the 7200 class, and 63rd overall. All things considered, no one could complain!
As the Torchmate team recovers and repairs, we now look forward to the Primm 300 (provided #7231 can be repaired in time) and the XRRA National Finals in Colorado Springs, CO Sept. 19th where Roger and I will each race for the title that we jointly held only one year ago. Stay tuned as the 2009 Torchmate Racing campaign rolls on!
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Photos without watermark are free for use and credit should be given to Brad Lovell. If you use these for use other than with this story, please contact Brad Lovell. Photos with watermark are free for use with this story. Credit should be given to Chad Jock Photography.
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TorchMate Racing Strives Forth in Rocks & the Dirt!
Friday August 21st 2009 - Brad Lovell
Rocks & Filldirt
The last two action packed weeks have been an exciting challenge for the Torchmate Racing team with events across the country. Kunz and Haines ignited the We-Rock eastern finals in Tennessee while the Lovell brothers put the hammer down at the XRRA finals in Colorado. The following weekend, Roger Lovell and Bill Kunz tried their luck at the Lands End hill climb for a chance to race King of the Hammers in 2010.
Dayton, Tennessee – With the western We-Rock series completed, both Jesse Haines and Bill Kunz decided they needed a bit more of the rocks so they headed east to a phenomenal natural rock crawl under stadium lights. While both started strong, Kunz slipped off a cliff and suffered a devastating roll. The #28 Torchmate Jeep was battered but functioning, much the same as Kunz. Both were able to continue competition before Kunz visited a local hospital and was released with a mild concussion. Day #2 went much better and Kunz was able to make it into the shootout for a 6th place finish. Haines finished the weekend in 4th after what has been described elsewhere as “The most exciting run ever in rockcrawling”. The epic run can be seen above or at You Tube.
Cortez, Colorado – Brad and Roger Lovell visited the silty rock track of Cortez for the final two rounds of the XRRA western series. The brutal course devastated machinery all weekend long and Brad was only able to finish 8th after a crash broke his steering and nearly ripped a front wheel off. Roger fared much better and pulled off and amazing save after nearly rolling in a turn. Six solid runs elevated Roger to a 2nd place finish, his best for the season.
After making repairs and fine tuning the trucks for Sunday’s race, the brothers hit the course again. Determined not to make the same mistakes, Brad took off in a battle for the lead with Shannon Campbell.  Roger continued his strong performance and by noon, two of the top three spots were held by Lovells. After facing muddy rocks from a watered course followed by a dug out climb, Roger’s time deteriorated and he fell to 7th. Brad raced forward and sparred with Campbell into the shootout. The two brutal runs were an even heat between the rivals but Campbell’s faster times during regular competition gave him the edge. Brad was able to hand the team another 2nd. While each brother missed a race, Brad placed 4th in the 2009 series and Roger was right on his heels in 5th.
Grand Junction, Colorado – King of the Hammers is not an easy race to complete, let alone enter. One of few ways to qualify is finishing in the top five at the Lands End Hill Climb. This brought 20 rock racers together from as far away as Canada for a 75 turn, 5.5 mile race that gains over 1400 feet in elevation. After tuning in a nearby OHV area, Roger Lovell piloted the #232 AMSOIL / Torchmate Ranger in practice rounds while Bill Kunz took the seat of his bruised and ill running #28 Torchmate Diablo. The competition was intense and the road required rally precision with dire consequences for any errors. At the end of practice neither driver was in a position to qualify, something which greatly concerned the team. With only two attempts during the official race, the team strategized, pre-ran the hill again, and fine tuned the trucks.
On race day, both vehicles continued to shave time from practice rounds. Regrettably, so did the competition. After the first run, both Roger and Bill were close, but still outside the top five. Pressure took hold and the long wait for the final run began. The Torchmate team changed strategy to an all or nothing assault. Roger was first to leave the line and did so with intensity and focus. The Ranger roared, slid, and fought to stay cool. The BFG short course tires provided unbelievable grip to time and again save the truck from plunging into oblivion. The combination of man and machine was faster than previous efforts and cut the time to within 11 seconds of the leader and an average speed of 58.2 mph. While Roger awaited word of scoring at the finish line, Kunz finished his blistering run. Unable to complete his first practice run due to problems in the engine control system, Kunz worked with a disadvantage to memorize each turn. Pacing Lovell, Kunz reached the top having clearly used up every bit of the steaming vehicle. Each of 20 drivers huddled around a crackling radio as times were relayed. Amazingly, Roger cut enough time to climb to 5th and earn a spot in the epic King of Hammers race. Kunz suffered a worse fate and while he made huge gains over his previous times, was a mere 2.58 seconds short and in 8th place. The race was a mixed result but a fantastic challenge and hair-raising adventure. Video of Roger’s run:
 The pace of the 2009 campaign has yet to slow as the team will leave in a matter of days for the upcoming 1000-mile Vegas to Reno desert race on Aug 20th. The #7231 desert truck will square off against 18 other unlimited mini trucks for victory in the longest point to point race in the United States. News from the race, including live tracking and updates to follow.
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Photos without watermark are free for use and credit should be given to Jud Leslie. If you use these for use other than with this story, please contact Brad Lovell. Photos with watermark are free for use with this story. Credit should be given to Chad Jock Photography. | | |
Time to Get Dirty!
Thursday August 20th 2009 - Brad Lovell
Mud Works as Toothpaste
We are getting ready to head to Las Vegas, NV for the start of the epic Vegas to Reno 1000-mile desert race. The truck has been tested (see picture) and is running strong on a new motor. The race starts Thursday morning and is run over the next three days. We should be leaving the start line shortly after 10:00 am PST each day. There are several ways to follow the action live:
1) Race World Choose either the “IRC Original Low Bandwidth Flash Tracker” on the left of the page or “Tracking International IRC Multimedia Site” just below it. The first is simple and predictable, the second is elaborate and unpredictable. Either way, they both offer live tracking of the Torchmate Ranger and all other vehicles. We are #7231 – Bill Kunz and can be found in the 7200 section.
2) FaceBook I will put updates of our adventure and pictures under “Lovell Racing”. Delayed, but more in depth updates will be available under “Torchmate Racing”.
3) Pirate 4x4 This link should have some comments and updates from others watching the team.
4) Race Dezert This forum should no doubt have in depth discussion of the entire race.
As always, we will have a full story and pictures from the race when we return but this should be an awesome race to follow at your computer. Time to go get dirty! | | |
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