 | Racing From the Right Seat
Wednesday June 24th 2009 - Natalie Lovell
 Side Line Views
This weekend was no different. While nearly all our events fit in a busy schedule, Father’s Day weekend made for a conflict and caused the Colorado based team members to split forces. Roger raced back-toback XRRA under #232 on Saturday and #32 on Sunday in Colorado Springs. This allowed both trucks to stay in the hunt for the season championship and freed Brad up to head to Reno, NV to defend the We-Rock championship and join team members Bill Kunz and Jesse Haines spotted by Mike Shaffer and Brian Howard, respectively in the We-Rock Round #3. With the splitting of forces, the Colorado Springs based team needed a dynamic and hard working spotter to fill the shoes of Roger. There was no better fit than Nick Socha who works for Mike Shaffer at Shaffer’s Off-road and is already an extension of the Torchmate team. While never having worked with Brad, Nick proved very valuable on the super-tight cone infested courses built in the middle of downtown Reno; sandwiched between hotels in a parking lot the size of a football field. It is without a doubt I believe that these courses were a true test of spotters to guide and communicate with their drivers. All the while we side liners: wives, mothers, fathers, children, fans, etc. watch and wait patiently with our stomachs in our throats, teeth clinched, waiting for the cars to inch ever so far forward from one progression gate to the next.
I always thought it would get easier with time, but in nearly seven years of competition is hasn’t gotten easier, in fact, if anything it has gotten harder to watch. The courses have become taller (with higher exposure) and tighter (Reno being the best example of this). But it’s not the fear of injury that brings out the anxiety. “After several competitions you realize that rollovers are common and injuries are not, so you stop worrying about that and cringe every time he hits a cone,” says Maureen, Bill’s wife. As the mother of Brad and Roger, Rennie is always asked if she gets scared watching, “I am concerned about safety for sure, but I’ve been around long enough now to trust the safety measures and equipment, now it’s just the time limits and cones. You want them to succeed.”
This weekend I stood on the side lines in Reno and watched as Bill and Brad drove through nearly impossible courses, but what I was most amazed at was the wives and mothers that stood on the sidelines and cringed at every cone mowed and hung their heads low when transmissions blow-up just 20 feet from the finish (as is the case for Bill and Mike) and when trucks roll 20 feet inside the start gates (like Brad and Nick). It has been said that a bad day of racing is better than a good day in the office, but I wonder how many of those people have stood on the sidelines and watched their loved one chase the sky or drop off a rock. At the end of the day Bill and Mike ended up in fifth after driving through the final shoot-out course (which was a culmination of all four obstacles they had driven earlier in the day) and found themselves high centered on a rock just 20 feet from the final climb when the transmission made a sound that made us side liners cringe. I remember looking over my shoulder at Maureen and on my other side was Joan (Bill’s mom, visiting in from out of town) and seeing them look as defeated as if they were Bill or Mike. I would know that same feeling just 30 minutes later when Brad and Nick rolled just inside the same course to end in 3rd place.
This was Joan’s first live rock crawl and I think it impressed her to watch her son drive through courses like he’d done it for years. Standing next to her just before the final course the announcer mentioned Bill’s impressive climb from rookie to top contender and how he’d come from nowhere, when Joan says to me, “He didn’t come from nowhere”, and then told me how just a few short years ago he was taking flying lessons and that “he would excel at anything daring”. Maureen points out that she can’t necessarily differentiate between a wrench and screwdriver, but that she can be Bill’s biggest supporter and cheerleader, “Bill just loves the sport, has found it challenging (and frustrating at the same time), but I don’t see him giving it up for a long time”. When she watched their final course and saw them slip from fourth to fifth she felt all the emotions of a driver or spotter. That’s a supporter to the end, someone who’s always pulling for the team and wanting them to do well.
But when racing is good, it is great! Jesse drove his rear-steer car around those tight cones and at the end of the first day had a smoking lead with -14 points (the only negative points posted all weekend). For those of you who regularly follow the sport of rock crawling its typical to see a few points on the board at the end of the weekend, but these courses were so tight that the pro-modified and unlimited groups ended the weekend with 100 plus points (that’s ten cones for each team). I can’t remember the last time anyone in our team took ten cones in one weekend! Jesse was able to finish in 1st place. Roger who was holding down the fort with team member Mark Hayward filling in as spotter/crew chief in the two Colorado Springs races drove his car with authority. Placing 8th both days Roger has grown into and now appears to have grown out of his race car. Standing on the sideline in Colorado Springs was Hallie (Roger’s wife) and Rennie.  I wasn’t standing next to Rennie this weekend, but I know from experience that she likely turned away only to turn back immediately to face the action. She recalls, “The
anxiety, generated by an intense desire for them to perform as they require of themselves, became almost unbearable”. Rennie is also the resident cook for the team as she provides food for the racers and child care for the children so that the parents can race and perform their necessary duties. This is truly a family effort.
Jud, the team statistician, just might top the list as the most enthusiastic fan of the team. Besides running around the rocks like a mountain goat with one and sometimes two cameras he is known for his up-to-the minute scores which proves invaluable when trying to figure out which bonus lines to take and when to take them. Without a doubt his vestment in our team has put Torchmate on top and well on our way to a championship-winning year. Our efforts now turn to our next rockcrawl in Oroville, California. Shortly after that, the group will undertake “Vegas to Reno, The Long Way” a 1000 mile race of epic proportions. Bill’s efforts are cataloged Here.
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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. | | |
BITD Henderson Desert Classic
Friday June 19th 2009 - Brad Lovell
TORCHMATE COMPLETES ROOKIE 7200 DESERT SEASON IN 2ND PLACE
After a long and successful 2009 campaign, the racing season for the Torchmate team has concluded with the BITD Henderson Desert Classic. The race was seemingly simple compared to the challenges of the Baja 1000 yet still an extremely rough and dusty course. The team of Greg Jones and Nick Socha would start the 240 mile, 4 lap race. Lap races cause the course to become extremely chewed up and increase danger as overall leaders will lap the slower classes.
Due to a random draw, #7231 started nearly last in a field of over 150 and class of 11 trucks. Greg nailed the throttle but nearly found himself stuck in the first turn! The silty sand had already been churned up enough to hamper the best 7200 class trucks. Working the steering wheel, Greg freed the truck and sped off into the desert. The Henderson NV track, (actually held near Jean) is known for being rough and rocky. As a result, the portion of the field with more suspension pulled out in front.
Jones worked his way around the first lap with little difficulty and gained several positions. Our race strategy only included one stop for fuel and a driver change after lap two. The truck held up to the punishment remarkably well and Greg & Nick kept it moving at a blistering pace. Others were blowing tires, crashing, and having mechanical issues but our team had found the right pace. The team was still climbing in the field when Bill Kunz and I climbed in.
We were fresh and alert as the sun dipped behind the mountains and lights came on. Racing at night is easier in a few regards but mostly creates a bigger challenge. While the field had thinned, plumes of dust still hung in the air causing light to reflect in our eyes. #7231 can soak up some huge bumps but the larger ones still bounced us uncontrollably in the air. Kunz did a great job coaxing the truck in the right direction when the tires were making contact with the ground thus avoiding the vicious boulders lining the road. Only a half mile from our pit, we blew through a turn and slowed in the silt. Something in the steering had loosened and Bill lacked control.
We were able to move again as the BFGoodrich tires ripped through the silt and we made it to our pit for a quick scan from the crew. There was no visible damage but a lot of slop still in the wheel. As the seconds ticked away, we decided to take our chances and took off into the night. It was now a game of just getting the truck to the finish for series points. We were careful in the rough sections and still fast in the smooth stuff. Other class 7200 trucks could be seen moving slow, fast, and not at all in the cold desert night. The steering seemed to stabilize and our confidence grew, the truck was going to make it!
When we pulled up to the finish, we were 4th in class (1:40 behind 3rd) and 39th overall. Best of all, the strong finish secured our 2nd place position in the 2009 BITD series. Not bad for our rookie season in class 7200!
The whole team is proud of our 2009 campaign. We had some wins, some championships, a couple rollovers, and some bad wrecks. There is a growing pile of twisted metal in the shop and one chase truck plus a variety of pieces from other trucks and trailers have been retired to the junkyard. There were two trips to the hospital but no fortunately no lasting damage. Best of all, there is a pile of trophies to memorialize our hard work and fun. We sincerely thank our sponsors, volunteers, and family for the support that made the season possible.
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Photos with watermark are free for use with this story and credit should be given to Chad Jock.
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Torchmate Trefecta in Colorado Springs
Tuesday May 26th 2009 - Brad Lovell
Torchmate in the Thick of It
The 2nd Annual ROC Race has come and gone. The endurance rock race was held on a course with massive jumps, banked turns, punishing boulders, and near vertical climbs. If King of the Hammers is a combination of desert racing and rockcrawling, this is an equivalent juncture of short course and rockcrawling. The carefully sculpted jumps sent the trucks leaping into the air before being ripped and dented by the rock sections. As usual, the Torchmate Racing Team was right in the thick of it.
 
Jesse Haines & co-driver Mark Levrett made the trip from Reno, NV to join the Lovells at their hometown track. After a crash in practice, the pair became fluent in the tempo of the jumps and was ripping up the 2.6 mile course. Haines was able to whip the 4-wheel steer buggy through the ultra tight turns and rocks with ease. His smooth driving was only seconds off the fastest times and the newly built machine held up to the rigors of the rocks and high speed jumps. Jesse and Mark’s best time of 8:29:34 combined with their other fast runs was good enough to put them in 2nd place. “The course was a lot of fun,” commented Jesse, “I’m really glad that I decided to make the trip.”
While most racers chose to have a second person in the truck, Roger Lovell made the call to tackle the race solo. “I wanted to see what I could do and push the limit while only risking my own neck,” recalled Roger. The decision was an important one to make as the unforgiving gap jumps stretch out to 35 ft. Roger became increasingly confident from practice and was soon airing out the #32 Ranger. Roger again proved that consistency and precision are his strengths in a race truck and completed all seven laps of racing and multiple laps of practice with no mechanical damage to the vehicle. He marked a fast time of 9:06:22 which easily put him in 3rd place, securing two podium spots for the team.
Since Brad typically navigates for Bill Kunz in the desert, Bill figured he would reverse the roll and put his faith in Brad’s ability behind the wheel. The pair ran hard in practice to find trouble spots which helped them set the fast time on their first official run. As the groove wore into the track the #232 Torchmate / AMSOIL Ford only got faster and they became the only team to beat eight minutes. At the start of the second day of racing Lovell / Kunz lined up against park owner Ray Mandel. “Ray is extremely fast and last year’s winner,” commented Brad, “We knew he was the man to beat.” Mandel got the lead off the line but #232 was right on his tail. As the trucks took separate lines through a wash, Lovell was able to push into the lead. With equal speed the trucks spun around corners and slammed into rock ledges. Still in the lead, Brad lined up for the longest gap jump as Mandel went for the pass. The #4 truck hit Lovell in the air and landed on him. The ensuing crash ripped the off the body and sent #232 into a roll. With a badly damaged truck, the Torchmate team was unable to complete the run. The skilled pit crew jumped into action and repaired the truck enough to complete the final two races. After setting fast times over the weekend, Lovell & Kunz had a strong lead and were able ease their pace and still bring home a win.
Unbelievably, Torchmate racing was again able to take all the top spots in a competition and put all three trucks on the podium. While the die-hards were busy racing, long time team friend Dave Ward (with spotter Natalie Lovell) entered his Torchmate clad Suzuki Samurai in the adjoining amateur rockcrawl. The team became a crowd favorite as Dave squirted the Samurai between rocks that other larger vehicles were forced to drive over. They ran clean, kept the truck in one piece, and won the competition handily – the first win for each!
While the focus was in Colorado, the #1705 Jeepspeed of Mike Shaffer made a trip to the desert for the Yerington 300. Shaffer was grouped with faster classes but was able to force his way to the lead before being forced to stop for a broken track bar. He again caught the leader as he worked his way forward but some stripped bolts in the transmission ultimately forced him to throw in the towel. The championship Jeep will get some much needed TLC before its next race.
So what’s next in the 2009 Torchmate campaign? Racing in the ultimate terrain – Baja, Mexico. In a matter of days, the team will depart for the famed Baja 500. A few days of pre-running the course will lead up to the start of the epic race. Updates from our adventure will be posted on the front page of Pirate4x4.com during the first week of June
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Photos without watermark are free for use. If you use these for use other than with this story, please contact Brad Lovell.
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TORCHMATE RACING OBLITERATES COMPETITION IN CEDAR CITY
Wednesday May 6th 2009 - Brad Lovell
Torchmate Sweeps Event
You better take a picture because this does not happen every day – Brad Lovell
Some weekends everything comes together just the way it was planned. When the team hit the road for We-Rock Round #2 in Cedar City, UT of course they all wanted to individually finish on top, but could it come together for the whole team at a single event? Torchmate Racing fought hard, took many risks, and the results were what the team hoped for: Jesse Haines 1st Place Unlimited, Brad Lovell 1st Place Pro-Modified, and Bill Kunz 2nd Place Pro-Modified. A new benchmark has been set for the team which will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to surpass.
Jesse Haines went to work over two days against the top drivers in the unlimited class. We-Rock penalizes rear steering vehicles but the feature allows #199, and others like it, to pull off some amazing maneuvers. One small slip on the first day put Haines and Howard in 3rd but the competition was less than half over. While the pair remained in 3rd, they managed to close the gap on the leader to a mere 6 points. A lot can happen in the shootout and the pressure is always intense. Haines kept a cool head and put together an amazing run scoring a -15. It was all anyone could do to try and beat him and the closest was a -9 which put Haines in a tie for the win. This is as close as it gets and the rules state that the tie-breaker is the shootout course. Haines brought home his first win this year and set the stage for an epic Torchmate finish.
The points spread was not nearly as close in the Pro-Modified class. Roger and Brad Lovell were the only Pro-Mod team to finish all the courses on Saturday giving them a 24 point lead. Kunz and Shaffer, on the other hand, were running strong but grenaded a differential and were unable to finish a course. A lightening fast repair aided by the whole team got #28 back together and Kunz was able to stay in the lead group as the sun set on day #1.
Sunday was intense as a radio problem caused the #232 AMSOIL / Torchmate Ranger to hit a couple cones on the first run. This immediately cost the Lovells their huge lead and the hunt was again on. As 22 Pro-Mod teams rotated around the courses, the Torchmate sponsored rigs remained upright and between the cones. A strong effort by Kunz and Shaffer assured #28 its first trip to the finals. “I knew it was going to be tight,” recalled Brad Lovell, “I was really worked up about a bonus climb that nobody had made. I was asking anyone and everyone if we should try it. We did and that is the only reason we had a lead at all. It was a good gamble.” Kunz and Shaffer got low score on an astonishing three courses but the consistency of the Lovells gave them a slight edge going into the shootout.
The Torchmate lead was so great that Lovell and Kunz had the top two spots wrapped up before they even started the shootout. With nothing to lose, the only thing to be settled was a rivalry inside the team. Kunz entered the rocks and tried hard to slip through a daunting bonus. With no luck, he hit the cone but continued to work the machine skillfully through the course, once again setting the low score.
The Lovells only needed to repeat the run to end with a victory. While #28 beat them by two points in the shootout, the #232 AMSOIL / Torchmate Ford took home its second We-Rock win this year and a strong lead in the 2009 series. “We did well because everyone on the team worked hard and found a way to contribute,” said Bill Kunz, “It is a great bunch of people and a great sport. I am really thankful to everyone out there who pitched in and helped us fix our car.”
Torchmate Racing remains in high gear as the Brad and Roger Lovell prepare to race their first CHCA Hillclimb this weekend while the #7231 desert truck is prepped for the legendary Baja 500 in early June. Stay tuned for more exciting news from the massive 2009 Torchmate Racing campaign.
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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.
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TORCHMATE ROLLS THE DICE AT TERRIBLES TOWN 250
Tuesday April 21st 2009 - Brad Lovell
SAND, SUN & FUN
Anyone other than a fighter pilot would be shocked at the sight of an unlimited desert truck screaming through the terrain. Having participated in my third desert race, I am still awestruck by the power, violence, and danger of these machines. Soon after the start of the Terrible’s Town 250, I stood in Pit #2 and watched a distinct trail of dust rise 10 miles away. The dot at the head of the plume quickly made its way around the mountain range until I could see a dust cloud rise above the near horizon. Tension could be felt in the pits as everyone rose from their chairs and inched toward the course. Hands went up and everyone cheered. I caught sight of the leader. The truck floated over the bumps like a hovercraft and suddenly lurched sideways. The driver was undeterred and never let off the throttle. He got it straight again and shot by us at well over 100 mph. The roar of the engine was deafening and the top layer of dirt and rock literally rose behind the tires. Rocks pelted our pit trucks over 20’ away and I felt the excitement of a little boy at Christmas. Sensibility left and I fidgeted for the next three hours waiting for my leg of the race.
Before I tell my story, we better rewind to the mornings race of the slower (everything is relative) classes. Leaving the start line shortly after 6 am, Lance Clifford took the wheel of the #1705 Torchmate Jeep with navigator Mike Shaffer. The 2008 Best in the Desert champion team was well prepared and in the hunt for a top finish. After starting near the back of the pack, Clifford came through the first pit in third place. While necessary for a win, the daunting pace was taking its toll on the Jeep. The gears in the front axle were the first to go after a hard landing. Next, the rear driveshaft separated due to some unnatural flex in the suspension. These were small problems compared to the unseen damage in the transmission that eventually took 2nd gear. Clifford commented, “You run everything in 2nd and we were forced to max it out in 1st gear at about 30 mph.” The pair ran as fast as the engine allowed but slower teams were able to gain. #1705 eventually crossed the finish line in a respectable 5th place.
Now back to pit #2. Bill Kunz and I watched the computer intently and finally saw our tracker show movement on the course. Teammates Jones and Bolton had started the race and the 19 starters in our class spread out over the first few miles. We soon got a report from pit #1 that a caliper had been damaged and the brakes were failing. Regardless of the damage (or danger) #7231 kept pace and was quickly through pit #2. We anxiously awaited any radio traffic of progress and soon heard both good news and bad. The Torchmate Ranger was well into its second lap but entirely without brakes. As the intensity grew, we again caught sight of the truck as it rolled to a stop for the crew change. The wide eyes of Jones and Bolton instantly told the harrowing story of racing a truck with no brakes and gave me insight into the adventure that lay ahead.
Fortunately for me, some wrenching, clamping, and hammering by the pit crew got us rear brakes and we blasted out of the pits into the unseen desert expanse. Only a mile later we sailed by a lonely $400,000 pile of burnt rumble that only hours before was a high end race truck. There were no camera crews as in NSACAR, no mob of fire personnel, and no tow truck. Just a defeated former truck smoking in the sun and a reflection of the seriousness of desert racing. We continued on, bouncing over the whoops and weaving through the sand washes. Bill’s excitement periodically rose as the brakes faded and we pummeled corner embankments. Mine did as well when the GPS read 101 mph on a dry lakebed. We finished our first lap and found a great pace in the miles of rocky washes near the start of the course. Suddenly, the truck as upset by an unseen boulder buried in silt. The sharp jarring monetarily slowed out pace and we felt a strong vibration and the unfortunate sound of metal on metal. I jumped out only to discover a broken front suspension link. It appeared that the damage had been done so we pushed the Ranger another 55 miles with a loose and clanking wheel. While our pace was badly hampered we still managed an 8th place finish.
A sincere thanks goes to the whole Torchmate crew that made this race possible. While The #7231 Torchmate Ranger undergoes repairs for the upcoming SCORE Baja 500, the Torchmate team heads back to the rocks for round #2 of WE-Rock in Cedar City, UT May 2nd.
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Photos with watermark are free for use with this story. Credit should be given to Chad Jock Photography.
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LOVELL'S AMSOIL & TORCHMATE FORDS PUSH HARD IN MOAB
Friday April 17th 2009 - Brad Lovell
MAYHEM IN MOAB
What a week. What a life. Racing can be the best job in the world and the worst. Our team came off a great high winning We-Rock in Tucson but literally as soon as we did, #232 developed an electrical phantom. It chugged and puffed into the trailer where I started surgery. After replacing some high dollar parts, and with the help of the fine folks at Campbell Enterprises in Phoenix, I was convinced I solved the problem. Off we went to the land of red rocks and the Mecca of our sport – Moab, UT.
Upon arrival we headed out to Area BFE to tear it up a bit and refine the truck. I was having a great time on the rocks and in the dirt until flames started shooting out of the tailpipes. Soon the engine petered out and my smile faded - the phantom was back. With only a day until the XRRA Moab race, I started to stress. With the support and encouragement of my wife, I tore into the truck and did my best to reason through the problem. As the deadline for tech came closer I began to accept my fate and mentally prepared to co-drive #32 with Roger. The solution is always found in the last place you look and for me, it was a shot in the dark. A couple taps on the computer as a last minute effort did the trick. The light went on and the 347 roared to life. The problem? A corroded connection in the computer. Roger pulled in from Colorado and we made tracks to tech. Never give up.
My initial reaction to the courses was that they were long and easy. Should I run high range or low range? Neither seemed to be a good fit. I ran against Rick Deremo all day and he is always fast. My runs were consistent and went well. It was the typical bone jarring, metal shearing punishment that XRRA is known for. My goal was to go fast enough to destroy the truck in 12 minutes but in the meantime, keep it on the wheels. Rocks were shattered, tires let off smoke, the rev limiter did its job, and I entered the finals in 2nd place. Deremo had a 30 second lead on me so I kept a cool head and hoped he would push hard enough to have problems. I made up 17 seconds in the first run but later got hung on some rocks and handed the Deremo the win. What can I say; the guy did a great job.
To our delight, XRRA has allowed Roger and I to spot for each other during the same race. I know Roger’s expertise made me faster and I would like to think my coaching helped him a bit. Roger was plenty fast pinning #32 in the corners and smashing it through the rocks.
The truck is much more stable with new Fabtech suspension and Roger got a lot of good experience completing King of the Hammers only a few weeks ago. The AMSOIL / Torchmate Ford (if you can’t tell them apart his is the one without headlights) launched over the jumps and made tracks. Luck of the draw caused him to get hung up on some dug out rocks and cost about 30 seconds. Those 30 seconds put rival Joachim Schwiesow in the finals and gave me a full-time spotter for the last two runs. While final scoring is not yet available, Roger probably ended the day in 8th. A great run considering the company.
The marathon continues as we spend a couple extra days trail riding in Moab before heading to Primm, NV for the Terrible’s Town 250. I’ll take the right seat in the #7231 Torchmate Ranger under driver of record Bill Kunz. I guess I’m back on that high wave. What an awesome job.
PLEASE NOTE
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.
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LOVELLS CAPTURE TOP HONORS AT 2009 WE-ROCK DEBUT
Sunday April 12th 2009 - Brad Lovell
TORCHMATE TEAM MAKES STRONG SHOWING
For the second time in as many years, the Lovell Brothers have taken the #232 AMSOIL / Torchmate Ford to the top at the We-Rock season opener. This year however, was a nail biter. As the level of competition continues to rise in the pro-modified class, so the risk taking needed to pull off a victory.
We-Rock is making a big move to man-made courses for 2009 and if you have been thinking about taxes lately, consider that We-Rock drivers laid first tracks on a brand new government funded rock course at Pima Motorsports Park in Tucson, AZ. This fantastic facility was built using federal highway funds channeled through Pima County and will be made open for the public to hone their skill.
Speaking of honing skills, Brad and Roger have spent the last six months figuring out how to go fast and both arrived in Tucson questioning their ability on tight courses. After a few missteps on their first run, the pair settled down and regained their consistency. A heartbreaking rollover only yards from the exit gate on course A4 caused frustration but the Lovells were undeterred. The effort during regular competition was good enough to put the team in the finals in a tie for 4th.
The team’s incredible showing in the finals is clearly what set the team apart from others. In Brad’s words, here’s how it went down. “The course was the longest I have ever seen and we had been doing a good job getting through courses fast all weekend. Roger and I were in the zone and felt no pressure or stress. I was merciless on the truck and whipped it around the whole park lining up for the gates. My comfort with speed and Roger’s expert coaching in the rocks gave us a near perfect run. We had only one reverse and matched the low score in the unlimited class with a -46. That course could have been the most fun I have ever had rockcrawling.” After their epic run, the brothers watched as team after team hit cones or had mechanical problems. When it was all over, the #232 AMSOIL / Torchmate Ranger had the lead by four points. Brad continued, “Roger and I are really proud of the versatility of this truck. Coming off a 5th place finish in King of the Hammers to a win in We-Rock feels pretty good. I am proud of our friends, family, and sponsors for their support.”
While the Lovells were tearing up the pro-modified class, their Torchmate teammates in the #199 unlimited car (Haines and Howard) were back to defend their 2008 championship. The team twisted and turned through the technical courses. Haines managed an astounding recovery righting the vehicle after a hard barrel roll and was in the fight for the lead until a hard landing sheared a suspension link. A strong run in the finals with only seconds to spare secured a 3rd place finish for Haines and Howard putting them well on their way to another championship.
The #28 Torchmate crawler of Bill Kunz and Mike Shaffer was pushing hard for the entire event. The pair was clearing gates taken by nearly all other competitors and snuck by the tightest areas with incredible precision. A damaged air line cost the team points on day #1 but a quick pit stop got the pair back in action. Unfortunately, bad luck cost the team another course on the second day and they finished just outside of the finals. With the right weekend, expect to see Kunz and Shaffer on top.
The next stop for Torchmate Racing is the XRRA season opener only days away in Moab, UT on April 11th. Brad Lovell (#232) and Roger Lovell (#32) are in pursuit of not only a race win, but the 2009 XRRA championship.
PLEASE NOTE
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.
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Offroad Expo & XRRA Finals
Monday March 30th 2009 - Brad Lovell
Offroad Expo / UROC Rockcross – Pomona, CA
This event was a new format in which vehicles race side by side around a small track for 4 laps. Due to the small area available and the untested format, it was decided that the event would be held as a demonstration and not an actual competition. It was very exciting and the crowd really got into it. At least 1000 spectators watched each of 6 races held throughout the weekend.
 Roger was not able to attend the event so Brad ran solo for most of it. Fabtech CORR driver Rick Husseman joined Brad for one race that ended in a rollover on the final lap. Brad won a couple races and lost a couple, the point of the event was to keep the racing close and exciting. Overall it was a successful event and helped to build a foundation for the 3 event UROC Rockcross Series to be held next fall.
Media coverage was good for the event. We got some coverage on Pirate4x4.com here: http://www.pirate4x4.com/trailreports/offroad_expo06/index.php CRAWL Magazine, Dirtsports Magazine, and a host of other cameras focused on the event. Brad was interviewed and filmed for the “Offroad Nation” TV show to air on either the Mens Channel or iDRIVE. He was also interviewed and filmed for the Dirt Alliance show. Some Fritz clothing models posed on the Ranger for photos for their use.
Colorado Springs XRRA Finals
This was the last event in the 2006 XRRA Series and second race this season for the team. Brad and Roger got off to a strong start with the fastest time set for their first course. On the second run however, the team clipped a banner and obtained a 2-minute penalty. This effectively took them out of the running by doubling their posted time. The team drove aggressively on the last two courses but avoided two “gap” jumps due to safety concerns. Here is a 10 second video of the jumps While complete scoring is not available at this time, the brothers probably finished in 7th or 8th in a field of about 34. While out of the top 5, the pair is anxious to develop a vehicle that is capable and safe enough for this type of action.
While questions of the specific direction remain, both brothers agree that XRRA Series has a future. The team is committed to working with the promoter in a positive manner to find the best balance between safety and entertainment value. This format of timed racing is less technical than rockcrawling but plenty exciting due to speed, horsepower, and noise.
The event was filmed for the Speed Channel but, ironically, Toyo Tires, Lucas Oils, and RCD Suspension sponsored the coverage. Due to conflicting sponsors, the team might not get much airtime. CRAWL Magazine, Dirtsports Magazine, and Petersons 4Wheel and Off-road covered the event as well.
We look forward to participating in the UROC All-star demonstration during the SEMA show. We have the ability to give rides during the show and look forward to talking to everyone during SEMA. | | |
King of the Hammers Race Report 2009
Wednesday March 4th 2009 - Brad Lovell
5TH PLACE AMSOIL/TORCHMATE RANGER
DRIVER: BRAD LOVELL NAVIGATOR: GREG FOUTZ
Greg Foutz is a 15 year desert race veteran and championship off-road racer for Fabtech and Ford. Through some exaggerations and elaborate promises, I was able to convince Greg to ride with me in this grueling race. I thought it would be a good choice but was blown away by his wisdom and level head under pressure. As a “rock guy” I don’t have much feel for the pace of an endurance race, the science of running whoops, or pit logistics. Greg coached me and kept me calm. The initial results were encouraging and we pass 49 trucks in the first 23 miles. We push forward in the pack unafraid to make aggressive moves but smart enough to not exceed the edge of control.
Near mile 31 of the race I experiment with running a tire on the edge of the road to avoid the whoops and find a nasty surprise. Hidden by a bush was a sand mound that nearly removes us from the race. The jarring impact puts the truck on two wheels while going nearly 50mph and damages a shock. My heart sinks as I know I hurt the truck. As I regain my head we realize that the damage is tolerable and we might still be in the race. Greg radios ahead for a new shock and we continued on. We enter the rocks and I am surprised as we keep pace with the other trucks. We have little trouble before stopping at the BFGoodrich Pit. It sounds odd, but in the chaos of a race like this, I can’t even count the number of people who helped pit for us. Friends do this while strangers do that. Other teams jump in and lend parts. I have never experienced this type of camaraderie in any other sport. During our race, we received help from fellow Torchmate racers, BFGoodrich pit support, Branik Motorsports, a crew from Cooper Tires, and several others whose names were lost in the excitement. Back to the race.
After receiving our shock, we again enter the isolation, dust, and rocks. Only minutes later we smelled fuel and decide to not take any chances. Concern and desperation overcome me when we discover a cracked weld on the fuel cell with gas pouring out. We are not prepared for a failure like this. Greg comes up with an idea to pull the tank together with a ratchet strap and it makes the leak decrease dramatically. We clean up and tightened our belts. I ask Greg, “Do you think this is safe?” and he bluntly replies, “Not really.” My mind wanders to a fire we witnessed near race mile 35 that burned a truck to the ground and I am forced to accept that my vehicle might meet the same fate. I slow down a bit.
We reinforce the fuel cell in the main pit at race mile 62 after making up ground. Time and again rocks threaten to shake our heads loose but the truck holds together. The last rough section of the race is called Sledgehammer and it is truly one of the toughest trails. I aggressively launch #232 over boulders and see a spray of fluid before losing my steering. My hopes of finishing again fade as I stop and loosen my safety gear. The inspection reveals a broken hydraulic hose and torn steering mount. We calmly think through the challenges and realize that once again there might be hope. We wrench, hammer, and cut. I cautiously test our patchwork fix while Greg keeps an eye on things from outside. Luck is on our side and we make forward progress until reaching a fellow racer struggling to climb a ledge. After an eternal wait, I force my way to his left to try my hand. Forced to stop in order to avoid his spotter, I have no refuge and he slides my way impacting my vehicle and driving over my hood. At least he finally makes it up and over. I re-line and give it my all. Up the ledge and onto my passenger side door. I yell for direction and Greg guides me back down the ledge and onto my wheels. Now knowing my line, I overcome the ledge and reach easier terrain.
As Greg buckles in I take an accounting of the damage. We only have about 10 miles to go but a cracked fuel cell, cracked oil pan, damaged steering, and inoperable cooling fan stand in our way. While we are ultimately forced to slow in order to keep the engine cool, any additional speed would likely cause our demise. Remarkably, we are able to make one more pass before reaching the finish line in 5th place.
I still smile every time I glance at my bruised and battered truck. The sheen in the paint has been replaced by scrapes and tire marks. Zip ties hold the hood on and the nylon strap and some lumber still keep 20 gallons of fuel secure. My pleasure in the work ahead will come from the knowledge that we pushed the AMSOIL / Torchmate Ranger to the edge. We gave #232 a season’s worth of wear and tear in a brutal fashion that only 36 other teams can appreciate. We went to battle and came out on the better end. My many thanks to the small army that helped make it happen.
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Torchmate Takes King of the Hammers!
Tuesday March 3rd 2009 - Jason Scherer
1st PLACE RAGE 4TH / TORCHMATE JEEP
If you’ve never seen a desert race start, two cars leave the line side by side in 30 second intervals. We left in the 25th starting position, row 13 (my lucky number). Watching the first cars take off while getting strapped into my car, I was amazed at how far away the leaders had pulled away… 6 minutes and 30 seconds is a long way apart and the thought of capturing the physical lead in the next 82 miles seemed a monumental task. Of course all we needed to do was be able to stay with the overall leaders on corrected time and make sure to keep the car in one piece. We knew that to win this race, you must first finish it!
DRIVER: JASON SCHERER NAVIGATOR: JASON BERGER
The first ½ mile passed quickly and we noticed one car already had an issue. The next section had two cars going slower and we picked them off before the cresting a hill that entered into a giant dry lake bed. Melville Dry Lake was a spot that I hoped would be a good passing spot since our car was very fast in the wide open areas. We managed to pick off 3 more cars before the lakebed, and then we got into a crazy race with Clint Elett at 90+ MPH! He wouldn’t let us by but I finally overtook him at 100 MPH on a rougher line, and then I was able to pass a few others on a left turn on the inside. Next was one of the only cars we had to bump to pass, but they eventually moved over. We came into some really rough terrain but kept pushing hard and took 3 more cars within the next mile. We picked some good lines and took a few more cars one by one. Once I spotted one of my picks for the fastest car in the race, the Kirby Off-Road team, I was warmed up and in full focus. I could feel the metal bending as we smashed through the whoops that were taller than the car when we dropped into each wash. The Kirby guys let us by and now only 4 cars were left in front of us... At race mile 8.
We kept pushing and came up on Jeff Mello who let us by clean. Next was Tom Wayes who made us work for the pass, then Randy Slawson and then Matt from Team Trail Gear who was fast even while running on a flat tire!
As we exited the really tight stuff, the helicopter was hovering right over us. I pointed out to my co-driver Jason Berger that the cameraman's shoes were un-tied. He said, "Keep your eyes on the road and don’t do anything stupid just because the helicopter is making you look really cool right now". I agreed, and glanced at the gauges. We were running hot, really hot… We had fixed all of these issues 100% in our prep. What was wrong? Was I pushing harder than ever? At this point we were near race mile 20 in fresh air… Mission accomplished…Now we just had 62 miles to go!
At approximately RM35, the transmission lost all forward drive. I pulled off course, called our pits and told them we were stopped with an angry transmission. We checked the fluid, the Redline Full Synthetic had gone from red to clear and I found out why people say "I smoked the transmission", as soon as we pulled the dipstick, smoke poured out of the tube! Then I noticed the fans were not running. After playing with the switches and looking for a fuse, Berger grabbed the wires going to the fans and they came to life for a second. The ground lug had broken inside the connector just enough to make an intermittent open connection. Months of prep and a 2 cent connector had us on the side of the road getting passed.
We rewired the connectors and jumped back in the car and hauled ass back to fourth place. Now we had nothing to lose so we really pushed hard. It was amazing, we ran Aftershock clean except for a minor hang-up on a really easy part. We passed Mello, Kirby and Wayes but Randy was long gone. We tore through the next trail, Sunbonnet, and then into our pit where our crew was totally prepared and flawlessly executed our repairs. They made the trail fix wiring job more permanent, filled the gas tank and sent us into the next long trail, Outer Limits. We still never saw Randy when after finishing Outer Limits, and we were on the gas 100%... maybe even 110% at times. We pounded through the desert and headed to Resolution where we came across Clint again but this time he was out of his car, stuck, and clogging the trail… This time I paid him back for the high speed race and drove over his car, literally... Sorry Clint!
The course made a pass through the pit area and not needing fuel we motored on to the next trail, Big Johnson. Our experienced crew chief, Mike Shaffer, told us that Rick Moneyham was hot on our heels, and he was right because before we finished the trail I could see him in my mirrors. We picked up our pace in the rocks to a speed that was bound for failure. Sure enough, half way through the next trail, Wrecking Ball, we lost the steering. Fearing the worst and thinking to myself, "it’s just overheated from steering so fast", I let Easy Rick pass. I didn’t want to hold him up and since he started 86th, he was already ahead of us on adjusted time so there was no reason to slow him down. About a 1/4 mile down the trail, Rick blew a tire. He graciously pulled up a few more feet to let us pass, which we did slowly and made it just around the next corner before our steering was gone, just like our transmission 30 miles before. We hopped out and Jason Berger noticed the cap on the steering ram had worked itself loose. Improvising with a rock and the pin that holds our spare oil, he managed to do a pretty good job fixing the ram and a few quarts of fluid later, we were back on course. Our team was just down the road at the bottom of Wrecking Ball and they again, made our trail fix more permanent.
The irony of this whole race through the rocks with Easy Rick was that both of us had come 65 miles through the course faster than anyone, and both of us as it turns out had our steering rams fail within a 100 feet of each-other. The helicopter was swarming over us, what a story this will be on the movie!
We headed up Jack Hammer and through the next checkpoint to Sledgehammer. Sledge bit us bad. I couldn’t seem to get lined up and make the waterfall climb that I had walked in the Torchmate pre-runner the day before. I tried to grab a bit more of the right side of the climb and just then, I thought our race was over for the third time when it landed on the driver’s side door, we had rolled. Berger jumped out and grabbed the winch cable in an attempt to winch us over when "Pistol" Pete Sohren ran over to ask us if we wanted to be rolled over by the fans. I screamed "NO" we don’t want any outside assistance per the rules. He said that they could roll over cars, just not work on them. I called the race ops frequency and asked for myself and was told that they could in fact roll us back over. I didn’t realize the radio broadcast the signal out so loud since I had my helmet on, but just then a swarm of people rushed over and pushed us over! Since Berger was already out, he tied the winch cable around a rock and we winched up the waterfall. After all that downtime, we knew the guys we passed had to be right behind us!
I tried to keep a clear head but the race was on again, and we were flying at the limit. We ran through the rocks in high range entering The Fissure Mountain trail. I only blew one corner but most of them were perfect, and they had to be since the helicopter was right there. I might also mention that the cameraman’s shoelaces where still un-tied! We charged the rest of the trail and the few miles of desert knowing that unless Easy Rick had more problems, we probably didn't have enough to take the win and if it came down to just seconds, we'd look back at how we could have gone a bit faster in the last leg. So we left nothing on the table and just pushed harder than ever. About 1/8 mile before what we thought was the finish line, we noticed race director Dave Cole waving a checkered flag. They stopped the race just shy of the finish line so people didn’t race right into the fans that had gathered… Another smart move from these organized race promoters.
The next 13 minutes were miserable. They asked us to celebrate like we had won the race for the video cameras, but since the adjusted time wasn’t figured out, we couldn’t really go crazy… I felt like I was like jinxing the race! We waited and waited until they called out the times after what seemed like an an eternity. It was official, "Jason Scherer and Jason Berger are your 2009 King of the Hammer’s winners!" I saw Victor from BF Goodrich run up with the “winner” hats and Jason Berger said “you have no idea how long I’ve wanted one of these”. We did it, thanks to all my friends and family for letting me have this opportunity to make this happen. I truly appreciate your support! Also, a special thanks to Lance at Pirate4x4.com for allowing all of my friends and family to watch this race. I came home to a hero’s welcome!
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