2013 BITD Parker 250 desert race
Holy freezing icebergs Batman! Wow was it cold! The Best in the Desert Parker 250 is the first race of the 2013 season, this year there are 6 races. Desert Toyz race team has not finished this race the last 2 years. This would be the last time we would be racing in the Commander. As a member of Can-Am X team, Desert Toyz racing will be racing the new Can-Am Maverick in the remaining 5 races. Our strategy was to not push hard and drive the Commander at 90% of its potential, racing for the finish and hopeing for a win. Corey Sappington would start the race driving, with Eric Fitch navigating, then at the start of lap 2 they would switch positions. Corey left the start line 10th of 14 pro UTVs. The rising sun and hanging dust were blinding. There were several times in the first 27 miles that the driving was more by feel than site. Mile 27 was the 2nd of 2 pit areas. Corey and Eric had move through the pack and were the 5th UTV on course, with the other 4 UTVs not far ahead. There was still no wind and the dust from the other racers was hanging. At around mile 40 Eric spoted the 1943 Kingpin UTV in the rear view mirror, about 40 yards back. Eric let Corey know there was a UTV behind him. Corey made the decision to push the Commander to its full potential. The next 8 mile Corey would pull away from the 1943 Kingpin UTV. Then came the heart break moment, racing into the sun and dust Corey misjudged a gulley and carried too much speed into it. The gulley walls were squared off and sharp. “ I braked hard and lifted just before entering, but we were still moving too fast. As soon as we hit the other side I knew we had damaged the front end.” The Desert Toyz Commander was wounded. The left side of the steer rack sheared off and the left front tire was flopping. They stopped and “MacGyvered” the tie rod with bailing wire and duct tape, attempting to secure the front tire so it would stay straight. They drove 2 more miles, then the tire started flopping again. Eric had called out the problem on the radio to the Desert Toyz team. Vetraen team member Baja Billy hered the radio call and new what to do. He contacted a Best in the Desert official and delivered a spare steering rack to him. The BITD then dilvered it to the Desert Toyz Commander that was at mile 50. Corey and Eric replaced the broken rack and got back in the race. The Desert Toyz Commander had been stopped for almost 2.5 hours. Now back in the race Corey and Eric pressed on knowing they could not afford another mistake. At the main pit they stopped for fuel and to switch seats. Lap 2 went fast and clean with Eric driving like a seasoned veteran. This was only Eric’s 2nd time desert racing. At the end of the race, the Desert Toyz team finished 9th . The team was happy to finish. “Desert racing is always fun” Sappington said, “not the result I had hope for but finishing the first race of the season is important, there are 5 more races this year I can win. Racing the new Can-Am Maverick will give me the best chance. The Maverick is super fast and has been designed to be a winner!” Desert Toyz race team uses the best products available for UTVs they are; Can-Am, Maxxis tires, Elka shocks, Triple X seats, Shorai batteries, OMF wheels, Gear One axels, Web Cams, Yoshimura exhaust, Desert Toyz fabrication, UTV Off Road magazine, Foddrill Motorsports Off Road supply and Jones Ford, Chrysler auto dealership. Support our race team by using our sponsors. Desert Toyz race teams next race is March 8-10 in San Felipe MX, the SCORE Baja 250. You can follow us on race day at www.racetheworld.net
