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LOVELL RACES TO TOP 5 FINISH

BROTHERS RACE IN FRONT OF HUGE HOMETOWN CROWD

Colorado Springs, CO, (June 18, 2007) –

The Colorado Spring’s XRRA event is now in the history books and it was quite an event for the Lovell Team. From disaster to lightening fast racing, the story is told by Brad Lovell:

This was the first time that both Roger and I have raced each other in the same event. It was really no big deal because we could go over the logistics and tactics together. I raced first and with help from our huge hometown crew, found myself at the start line for our first race. The clock started and I left the gates solo. I weaved through the course in eerie silence until I crashed down a rock face, slamming the front into the dirt. All was well but the impact caused an electrical malfunction that was affecting the engine. Every time I bumped into something, it sputtered. I lost a couple seconds and was unable to clear the big jump, but at the finish line.

Roger was next on the opposing course and launched the ALLOY USA Ranger into the course. He was pulling a great time and reached a technical sandstone climb. Unable to make it the first time, he backed and hit it again full force. The rear bounced up violently and snapped as soon as he landed. With a broken locker and Stange axle, his day was over as fast as it started.

We immediately began stripping electrical parts off the broken car for the FABTECH Ranger. Hoping we had it fixed, I lined up for our second race with Roger now available for co-driver duties. With Roger running the cutting brake we were fast until we reached the same sandstone climb that took Roger out. I took a stab at it and the engine decided to act up again, this time stalling. I was going nuts trying to start it while Roger was fighting a loose window net. It seemed like an eternity, but it fired. Foot to the floor, we shot up the climb and raced towards the double jump. Engine sputtering, we hit it with all we had, gracefully clearing the gap and in sight of the finish. Wasting no time I didn’t lift my foot until we had reached the exit. The effort shaved fractions of a second off our time but we landed sideways and cart-wheeled the truck through the finish line. There was only cosmetic damage so we again headed to the pits to find the electrical demon.

The whole crew again robbed parts and worked feverishly to find the problem. Not knowing if it was fixed we decided to be conservative in our 3rd race and not aggravate the problem. Conservative ended up being fast and posted one of the best times with a now healthy engine. One course left…..

Now we could focus on racing but with all the work in the pit, we were unable to track scores. I knew the engine issues had taken us out of contention for the win. We had no knowledge to determine what time we needed to beat so late in the day, we started our last race. With the engine roaring, we throttled through the jump section we almost endoed into some boulders. I gassed it and saved it. We snaked through them and I was perfectly in tune with Roger as he steered the rear axle with the cutting brake. Through the rest of the run, Roger literally controlled the back of the Ranger, and I the front. We were lightening fast through the turns and as we jumped across the finish line, I knew we were quick.

We were thrilled to end the day with a 5th place finish in a field of 42, only 11 seconds away from 3rd and a minute up on 6th. It was good racing and a huge hometown event. We now have two weeks to prep the FABTECH Ranger for the WE-Rock Finals in Donner, CA June 29th. The team has a 3 point lead on the series and hope to return with a championship.

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