We have been competing at visions off road since the first one back in 2021. Running multiple events with the same cars, and this year was no exception. We raced Two classes of Ultra4 and two classes of Knockout racing. On Wednesday we qualified for our Ultra4 starting positions in the main race. The UTV classes would qualify first followed by all the remaining classes. We managed to put our Can-am Offroad car in the P2 position out of 74 other competitors. Next we would qualify the 4400 unlimited car. I laid down the fastest run of the day and took P1 pole position for race day out of a field of 26 cars.
The following day we would race the 4900 UTV classes throughout the day. As excited as I was to pull to the line on the front row it quickly faded once my car would not start just moments before the green flag would drop. I was pushed off of the starting line and the race began without me in it.
After some diagnosing we came to realize the fuel pump had gone out in the car and the towel was officially thrown in. A devastating start to our racing for the weekend.
Later that evening we took the 4400 unlimited car and put the UFO fabrication name to the test in knockout racing. The UFO would compete in the unlimited buggy class, and “Ol Trusty” the Can-am offroad car that’s been winning races, championships and taking an absolute thrashing for nearly 5 years would compete in the UTV class. The UFO would race first and I would go on to win every round of racing putting myself in the winners bracket and furthermore winning the championship round and taking home 1st place in the unlimited class. Following the unlimited race “Ol Trusty” lived up to its name and won round after round putting me in the winners bracket and once again winning the championship round in the UTV class. Two podiums in one night!
The following day (Friday) it was time for the big dance 4400 unlimited class race day. I was the first to leave the line and right from the start the hunt was on for the rest of the field. My strategy from the start was drive conservative and then at the end let it all hang out for the win. For the first two laps I drove with a conservative but quick pace. By the end of the second lap I no longer had radio communication with my pit crew due to low hanging branches taking my antenna off the roof and also started to notice my brakes were going away. I would push on for a few more laps before I pulled into my pit to let them know the brakes were going out and to grab a pair of vise grips and brake fluid and have it ready when I come back around on the next lap. I headed back onto course with literally no brakes but no time to spare. I pushed as hard as I physically could that lap knowing I had Vaughn Gitten right behind me physically and ahead of me on corrected time. As I came back around to the pit my crew had me in and out in less than 2 minutes. We topped the brake fluid off and vise groped the rear brake line that had come loose, and for what felt like the first time of the race I had brakes again.
The final two laps I pushed hard. Vaughn had gotten around me physically when I had pitted but no sooner than I exited the pit I passed him on the side of the course having issues of his own. So as i got around him i started to back off just a little but still pushing thinking he was out of the race. But as I came back around on my Final lap I realized his car wasn’t where I last saw it and he was back in pursuit. Then I physically saw him behind me on a section of course that did a hairpin turn back and realized he was charging hard. I pushed the hardest I could all race. Ultimately coming around for the checkered flag in 1st position physically and on corrected time to take home the win, as well as the fastest lap time of the weekend by over a minute. We capped off the week as a family watching Nitro circus live for the first time ever with my Wife and daughter by my side.