Maverick R 930 Race Recap at BITD Silver State 300
Photo Credit: Harlen Foley / @harlenfoley @dirtnationmag
The race started off with no drama and without any immediate challenges. Within approximately 10 miles, we encountered vehicles from a class that had started ahead of us. Through strategic maneuvering, we successfully overtook several of these cars. During these crucial passes, I began to observe an unusual rise in our engine temperatures, which continued to escalate. This anomaly was unprecedented in my experience with the Maverick R vehicle, prompting me to reduce speed until the temperatures stabilized.
Photo Credit: Harlen Foley / @harlenfoley @dirtnationmag
I grappled intermittently with the fluctuating engine heat, resulting in a class car, which had been trailing us, overtaking our position. Upon reaching pit stop 1, my team verified the operational status of the cooling fan and decided to remove the front bumper lights in an effort to enhance airflow to the radiator. Following a long 7-minute pit stop, we resumed racing.
Photo Credit: Harlen Foley / @harlenfoley @dirtnationmag
Although the engine temperature showed some improvement, it remained above the usual levels. Considering the significantly warmer conditions of this race compared to previous ones, I attributed the persistent heat to the environmental factors. Determined to recover the lost time, my co-driver John Bray and I intensified our efforts, pushing the car to its limits. My co-driver displayed exceptional skill in navigating and making crucial calls, allowing us to increase our speed and continue overtaking other cars, with the hope that the vehicle which had started behind us was among them.
Photo Credit: Harlen Foley / @harlenfoley @dirtnationmag
At the final pit stop, pit 6, we arrived simultaneously with the lead car, which was undergoing a tire change. We quickly refueled and managed to exit the pit ahead of the leading vehicle, with only 20 miles remaining to the finish line.
Photo Credit: Harlen Foley / @harlenfoley @dirtnationmag
We knew we had to make up at least 1 minute to take the win so we pushed hard. The last section was super technical and very dusty. We came up on another vehicle and attempted to make a pass, hoping the car behind us would get stuck and we could lengthen our lead. The track was so dusty and there were so many huge boulders on each side, we couldn’t find a good spot to make the pass without putting both us and the other car in jeopardy. As we crossed the finish line, we were unsure of the time difference but after the dust settled, we were 40 seconds out of first place. It was a close race to have only a 40 second difference between 1st and 2nd place after 6 hours of racing. Next race we will have our car more dialed in, so we do not lose precious time in the pits.
Photo Credit: Harlen Foley / @harlenfoley @dirtnationmag
Thank you for our amazing friends and family that helped us in the pits along with our sponsors that helped us clench 2nd in Pro Stock UTV and 6th in overall UTV!
SPONSORS:
Evolution Powersports, EVP.MOde, Shock Therapy, CA Tech, Maxxis Tires, KMC Wheels, ZUKE Designs, Alsup Racing, S3 Powersports, HPR - Rugged, Triple R Lights, 106 MS, Twin Pine MS, DRT, No Limit, CT Race, LG Creative, ZUCZ, EVOMSit, EGDE, EVOSpec, Star Stream, Soul Seekers
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Photo Credit: Harlen Foley / @harlenfoley @dirtnationmag
