BITD Silver State Series Parker 425
“The Legend Lives On!”
Parker, Arizona (January 30, 2006)
The quiet shores of the Colorado River will soon turn to mayhem as one of the most legendary off road races in history begins this week in the riverside town of Parker, Arizona. In 1972, Parker, Arizona hosted the “Big River 400,” then later changing the name to the “Dam 400,” and then onto the “Parker 400,” before corporate sponsorship became involved and now it’s the “Blue Water Resort & Casino Parker 425 – The Legend.”
Although, the names may have changed over the years, the basis of the event is the same, and that’s tough off road desert racing that only the best can survive. The Arizona terrain offers incredibly difficult challenges including massive boulders, deep sand washes and silt for days all which will tame the nation’s top off road racers headed to Parker, Arizona in search of victory.
BITD officials have recently announced that pre-registered entries have exceeded 170 official racers making this year’s BITD Parker 425 the largest-ever off road race for Casey Folks and his dedicated staff. With the expected last minute entries you may see the number of racers push towards the 200 mark in the days before the race.
Defending their 2005 BITD Championship Titles will be Trick Truck Champion – Jesse Jones driving his #1 Toyo Tires/Fabtech Geiser-built Trick Truck and Chuck Hovey charging in his ORW/Fox Racing Shox Class 1.
Jones set the mark in 2005 as he catapulted Toyo Tires to their first ever Trick Truck championship season against the veteran of many wins, BFGoodrich Tires. Jones was consistent all season long and his second place victory at the Henderson 300 put the Arizona racing on the top of the Trick Truck podium.
Hovey’s hard charging driving style worked well for him as he demonstrated all season long what it took to be the big winner captivating the off road nation from the beginning of the year. He won three of the five Silver State Series races and finished third to Andy McMillin and his late-grandfather, Corky McMillin, who finished in 1-2 position at the grueling Nevada 1000.
The new season already is set for wild action as several race teams are campaigning different trucks and buggies here in 2006.
One of those teams is SMD Motorsports led by team owner – Steve Scaroni. Drivers Matt & David Scaroni have plans to campaign a championship season in their #27 Ford Trick Truck. SMD Motorsports has brought in Tom Geviss to perform co-driving duties. Geviss has long been regarded as one of the best co-drivers in current off road racing history. Geviss has seen action with Jimmy Johnson back while on the Nelson & Nelson team, Larry Ragland and many others in his storybook 25 year off road racing career.
Mexicana Logistics – Gustavo Vildosola and Rob MacCachren are teamed up once again driving the familiar red and white #4 BFGoodrich sponsored Trick Truck and they’ll go side-by-side with a whose who list of top teams including Pistol Pete Sohren racing out of the Desert Assassins stable of desert champions, Garron Cadiente and Ron Whitton both racing Geiser-built G&R Trophy Trucks, SkyJacker’s Curt LeDuc, Andy & Scott McMillin racing the Toyo Tires/Red Bull sponsored truck and many more.
Rumors have been abound that NASCAR team owner - Robby Gordon will race his Dakar Rally Hummer H3 sponsored by Jim Beam/Toyo Tires at the Parker 425, but we’ve been unable to confirm this information. Gordon has been busy recently testing and preparing for the upcoming 2006 NASCAR season, as well as recently testing his #83 Red Bull Trophy Truck in San Felipe, Baja California. Gordon and his team race truck driver, Andy McMillin, went to San Felipe, Baja California late last week in preparation of the upcoming SCORE San Felipe 250 where they tested the #83 TT on the same terrain they’ll race at in mid-March.
The Trick Truck class currently has 17 trucks entered which includes two trucks entered by Jones Motorsports. The #76 Jones Motorsports truck will be driven by SCORE Baja 1000 Winners – Honda’s Steve Hengeveld & Mike Childress, who are teamed up to race against the nation’s top racers.
The Parker 425 is the second race of the season for Ivan Stewart’s – PRO Truck Series, a series that features 12 races in various organizations of the course of the season. A record 19 PRO trucks are currently entered with BITD for the “Parker 425” and you can be sure the action is set to be wild as nearly 20 PRO Trucks battle in the Parker, Arizona desert.
The wide-open action begins with the Parker 425 Time Trials on Thursday afternoon followed by an entire day of tech and contingency in the parking lot of the Blue Water Resort & Casino. Saturday’s race action begins early in the morning and an entire staff of DirtNewz.com reporters will be on hand to provide you the action from Parker, Arizona.
