Ford Ranger Forum - Forums for Ford Ranger enthusiasts! - View Single Post - FAST Fabrication 94 b4000 turn into SNORE class 7 race truck

FAST Fabrication · 07-18-2012, 01:19 AM

An unofficial race report: This was a gnarly track, lots of rocks with steep hills and 90 degree turns going up these hills with mostly single lanes. I started last off the line in my class which was 7th. The last two races we had over 15 in our class, I think it was cause how far away it was which made the race cost a lot more which is hard for us sportsman racers. Some of the hills I barely made it up I’m talking like 6 mph right before I finally got over, you could not get momentum and you had to break for the turns on the hill cause of the cliff. I did not get passed and was stopped for 20 min before I got to pit road as we waited for vehicles to climb a hill. Then after pit road the hill where they added a switch back on it, 1454 was stuck when I got there. I tried to get up and around him a couple times but could not do it. He backed down to get out of the way, we let a UTV and a couple other vehicles give it a try. After 1454 made it over and the rest I let go in front of me I made it on my first try. Just could not make it the 10 feet higher or so on the steep part to get around 1454, but when I did not have to get around a truck it was no problem to make it up the switch back. That had me stopped for another good 20-30 minutes. From there on me and the two bro-dozers, El Mofles, and the two Class 2000 kind of stuck together. I got video of Chris flipping over a 3000 car right in front of me. Then there was another hill that 1454 and El Mofles were trying to get up, at this time Cameron came flying by on his second lap. El Mofles got stuck in middle of track so I made my own little track up and over the hill as did the bro-dozers. Next spot was mile 33.7 right before the “steep hill” which was backed up and vehicles were turned around. We got directed the wrong way and told to try and find a route up these ridges and around the “steep hill”. A few racers made it up by making their own path, the Lucas guys were one of them. I followed the black CMI class 8 truck and could not climb the hill he did, so I back track to were the bro-dozers and Ramey were at. They were all on a hill watching people attempt to find a route and figure out which way they were going. At this time the 2039 Tacoma was backing down from an attempt and got stuck real bad. The 8 of us grab waters and shovels and went down to try and get him unstuck. A recovery guys shows up a little later tells us to go backwards on course to a re-route around “steep hill”. Although he said he could not help the guy get unstuck. So instead of getting back in the race and leaving the team out there alone we decided to keep trying to get him out. It ran my go pros and SD cards out. We were out there for an hour and a half before another person showed up.

This person was from Baja pits which was now being moved due to the re route. Anyways the four of us make our way to the road that leads you to the original Baja pits. Nick has issues going up a hill on the way there, Ramey turns around, and Chris and I make it to Baja pits. Chris decides to go back for his brother, I talk to an official there that told me he was taking me on a re route back to pit. So did not bother strapping back up and getting all my gear back on and tightened. Took it easy as we followed him back, few miles later we learn were back on the original course and just cross over the re-route connection an and a class 1 was behind us. Took a hit off course, at that time we got our gear all back on and got back on course about 16 miles from pit B. Took it pretty easy to pit B getting off the course to wait for vehicles to pass by. At pit B pulled off and went to our main pit. After taking a break from standing out in the sun for two hours and assessing the damage on the truck decided was not worth welding and patching up damage to continue the race. We thought we were already out of it; there was no benefit for continuing. Our belly skid was taco from boulders, couple blown shocks, and serious damage on a poorly design rear cage (previous builder).

At that point my team and I gave our support and spare parts to the Lucas Oil team. We gave them gas, filled up their truck because there guys were not back from the other pit and went and filled their tanks. Also monitored the weather strip channel for them and prevented a problem that may have cost them a first place. At this time only the Lucas oil truck and Brandon were still running in our class. I had gone the farthest by 20+ miles for the other 5 of us on lap 1. If I knew they were going to place us by how we started I would have at least jump back in and completed lap 1. About an hour after I stopped Brandon was out of the race with a broken snout. A little later his team came up to me asking if they could take the snout off of my truck to originally get vehicle off course. But I told him I be here helping the Lucas team, so he could continue racing. I was hesitant because that meant the Lucas team was in first and could possibly loose first place by me getting Brandon back in the race. I said yes but relayed the info to the Lucas team and told them how long of head start they had. We were in the late afternoon at this time. At 1 am I am ready to go and Brandon’s team comes up to me (thinking they have my snout) they relay to us they broke another one and asked to take my second snout. At this time I was real reluctant because I had been ready to leave for an hour. At this time the Lucas team had already won and was there when Brandon’s team came up to me. Turns out he had spares in his trailer and gave Brandon’s team one so they could get off course/finish and me one so I could head back to the RV park instead of waiting another two hours. Brandon’s team returned my snout onto the Lucas Oil trailer and I will be picking it up this week.

Later that day on Sunday I went to the awards ceremony and was accepting the award for first place for the Lucas/Deakenbuilt team that had to head out. I thank who they told me to, and in his message he said congrats on plaque. Did not understand it at first but then realize he thought I was getting third place because they had said they were giving three trophies out. So I felt a little better after the bad day prior until my name was not called. Did not find out till a few days later that they put me in last place even though I was third by mileage on lap 1. I know on previous races it did not matter how far you got on your second or third lap it was by how fast you got to that lap. However I did not know that when you do not complete one lap it is figure out by your starting position not distance traveled. So my decision not to qualify cost me up to 5 points and a possible trophy.

All in all we had fun up leading up to the race. Race day turned out to be a bummer but I had fun helping out my competitors. As for our next race, I do not think we will be doing Primm. We might do the SNORE/MORE night race and will definitely be doing Laughlin. Wow its after 1am been doing this since 10 pm and heading back to CA tomorrow (I mean today).