PRESS RELEASE!

August 30, 2007
Vegas 2 Reno: We’ve done it!!!

Vegas 2 Reno – The longest offroad race in the United States, 565 long miles to be exact, with only 79 of the 149 trucks/buggies finishing the challenge, the XterraRacer completed its task in just over 21 hours! The conditions would change from hot desert sun to high altitude passes in the dark. Thanks to the sponsors and their great equipment the X would have a nearly flawless run. The driver and co-drivers would swap out three times in order to keep their sanity and take the vehicle to the checkered flag.

The day started off with challenges that would have made most other teams call it quits. Heading out to the start in Johnnie, Nevada (located 75 miles west of Las Vegas), the tow vehicle and trailer would suffer two blow outs requiring super fast tire changes. Arriving at the starting line after all of the class 3100 (stock mini SUV) vehicles had since departed, the Team unloaded as fast as possible and placed their faith in the Yellow truck that had been specifically prepared for this type of endurance race. Seconds later, the X was on its way and racing its Chase Team to Pit 1. And so the day started with no further incidents and other than hydrating the driver and co-driver, a single flat tire would be the only down time experienced in the day light. By Pit 6 the original duo, Dean and Daryl Blakely, had traveled a total of 184 miles and would switch out with Dave Blakely (owner) and Dan Spalinger. This stretch of the race would bring them into the dark – only the best racing lights could illuminate the desert enough--thank you PIAA! Dave would take a perfectly babied machine and begin to press the issue, covering the next 100 miles in little over 3 hours. A quick co-driver change and Robert Pinon would be swapped in as the roller coaster ride had taken the best out of Dan. Midnight would roll around and the X continued to pass fallen vehicles as the harsh conditions of desert racing took their toll on the other machines.

Read the rest here: V2R wrapup....

Awesome.

Is the Baja 1000 in your future?

It has been discussed as a possibility for '08...