While shooting the Battle at Primm race on Saturday I saw this truck limping back after what looked like a nasty roll-over. Here to tell the story is the owner of the 7105 truck.
It is Friday morning and the race truck is loaded on the trailer. Once all the crew arrive we head north to the California/Nevada state line for SNOREs Battle at Primm, a two day race in which we were to complete 4 laps of a 13 mile course each day. We arrive in time to prerun the course, in this case that meant following a train of others at a controlled speed not exceed 25 mph. Objects were noted, passing areas remembered and the general layout memorized. Off to contingency, tech and then the drivers meeting. Everything was in place and running smooth. We even escaped the lure of the Tree Bar and the tables, calling it an early night.
Feeling rested, we woke to the sounds of the Sportsman cars getting ready for the first race of the day. We set up pits, gave the truck a once over and made sure everyone was on the same page. We were using this race as a shake down of the truck and to get a new co-driver used to getting in the truck and performing the needed duties in a race situation. All things are looking good.
We arrive at the starting line, get staged and wait for the green flag. The flag drops and off we go flat out. The truck feels good and we settle into our pace. Out of the desert section and into the groomed infield of the course. We come through a few corners and hit a few jumps, the last of which was right before a 180 degree right turn. We land off the jump, the truck settles, on the brakes, off the brakes, into corner, and back on the gas. Well at least that is what was supposed to happen. It went more like, on the brakes, off the brakes, turn the wheel and start rolling onto the drivers side, a quick correction to steering and throttle but it is too late, over we go. We almost landed back upright but we settled on the co-drivers side. We hit a rut with the front left tire just right, or perhaps just wrong, and over we went.
The safety crew got us rubber side down and off we went. The truck felt okay but was hurt and ugly. We pulled into the aux. pits for a through once over and some Zip Ty body work before heading back on course. As we were making our way around the course it became evident that the steering was damaged and getting worse. We made it a total of 1 ¾ laps before the leaders caught up. The steering was so bad at this point that we had no choice to pull off course and call it a day.
Back at the pits, we realize the damage is too great to repair for tomorrows race so we load the truck on the trailer, pack up the pits, grab a couple cold drinks and resign to being a spectator for the rest of the day.
It’s too bad we weren’t there to get the actual roll-over shot, but this does make for a great story.
