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Ready for redemption and striving to achieve a victory in the upcoming SCORE Baja 500, Team FiberwerX set out to pull double duty in Baja Offroad Racing. What better way to confirm our capabilities of the vehicle and crew then to enter two races with in 3 weeks.
The CODE Laguna Salada 210 Night Race seemed like a perfect scenario to condition the team for Baja Racing after dark. As a seasoned professional offroad racing team, this is not a new experience for FiberwerX Racing, but to push at a 100% competitive level this requires running multiple tests in near similar race circumstances in the new FiberwerX Flagship Ranger. Persistence, dedication, and a thoroughly prepped race truck were the keys to our victory during this event.
Our luck seemed to have run out right from the start. During the initial prerun Driver Jason McNeil and onboard Mechanic Juan Apalategui noticed the transmission began to neutralize and slip out of gear. After a quick diagnosis Juan was able to determine the Transmission pump had failed. Always expecting the unexpected the FiberwerX Team had pre-planned to meet up with our other chase crew before the race. A spare JuanCO C4 Transmission was among the gear and equipment they were hauling.
After recovering the race vehicle from the middle of the Laguna Salada Desert and with a spare transmission in route, the FiberwerX team began to tear down the truck for pre race inspection and to swap out transmissions. With the clock ticking and the late afternoon heat bearing down it was non stop hard work and commitment from every team member to get the FiberwerX Race Ranger back up and running a 100% before the start of the race.
The sun setting and the surrounding dessert quickly becoming a much more unforgiving situation, the green flag was waved at 7:05 p.m. Starting 12th off the line and 2nd in a class of 8, it was a full throttle battle. We knew that we had to make it to the front to get the clean air and set the fast pace to achieve a podium finish. By race mile 5 Jason
McNeil had chased down and passed two 12 cars and 701 by splitting the distance and cutting right through the middle all in one pass. We then overtook a class 10 at around mile 20. From there, it was clean sailing around the rest of the 70 mile course. Co-Driver Nik Krauss announced over the radio that they were going to continue around without stopping till lap 3 which was consistent with our pre-planned race strategy.
Negotiating the tight rocky course during our second time around we had estimated our ranking as 2nd overall physically and by time. Traveling around 85 mph through a rock bed one of out extremely durable Toyo Tires suffered a sidewall puncture.
While changing tires, several 1600 cars in a close 3 way race passed by.
Back up to speed, we now how to navigate our way through the thick dust. Fortunately out LightForce Strikers and XGTs were equipped with several yellow tinted spot/beam combo filters which made the drivers task of safely piloting the vehicle through the dusty fog much easier. Although once back in the race while passing through the dust trail of a 1600 car we plowed through an pucker bush which resulted in a hole in the radiator. JuanCO swiftly plugged the leak and were once again quickly on the their way to make the scheduled pit stop at the beginning of lap three. The FiberwerX team was in radio communication throughout all our mobile pits, the FiberwerX main pit, and the FiberwerX Race truck. The crew tracked them coming in and were ready for a 20 gallon splash of fuel, quick visual inspection of the race car, provide the driver, and co-drivers some refreshing Rockstars and water then sent them back on their way to a well deserved 5th overall victory and dominating class win.
FiberwerX is extremely grateful to all our FiberwerX Team Partners, families, friends, and fans.
The 37" Toyo Open Country M/T Tires are extremely durable. Everyone on the crew is impressed at how the same tires we run on all FiberwerX Team Vehicles are of the same tires models we run on our race vehicle through the rugged dessert for hundreds of miles at a time. Comparing our one flat to a competing team running BFG Projects who suffered from 4 flats in a 210 mile race seems like a pretty significant advantage if you ask either team.
The KMC Enduro Beadlock Wheels once again took a severe beating and kept us rolling straight with no issues what so ever.
The Fox Shoxs kept the FiberwerX Race Vehicle running smooth and comfortable all night long. Jason McNeil made several comments about not even hesitating to hit the sections that were marked by the double down caution arrows at full speed knowing that his truck would fly right through the rough.
Fully confident that our crew is outfitted with the best safety equipment available allows us to run at 100% . DJ Safety is a class act and provides the essential gear and equipment so that FiberwerX Racing can safely compete in offroad motorsports.
Making a last minute order across the Pacific Ocean to Light Force is not even an issue. We had our package of very necessary Light Force Lightning equipment on Friday with ample time to install the new gear. The new handheld Enforcer Spotlight is extremely versatile and simply amazing in form and function.
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