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Rock Runner Racing DOMINATES W.E. Rock Grand National Championship Capturing Class WINS Across The Board

Rock Runner Racing's Paule Captures Super Mod Championship While Teammate Errea Is Victorious in Modified Stock

Written by: Kimber Wheeler
Edited by: Randy Wheeler

Dallas, Texas (September 26, 2006) Going into the final day of competition both the Modified Stock and Pro Modified Stock classes had a surprising absence of close races. The closest point spread amongst any two rankings was 4 points and went up significantly from there. Brian Errea seemed to have Pro Mods locked up with his score of two over second place Becca Webster at 43. The Red Bull team had pulled an all-nighter swapping a junkyard S-10 motor into their new rig and only a cool head and no mistakes would make up that kind of ground against the almost perfect Rock Runner Racing team. Meanwhile, Modified Stock driver Dan Patterson was solidly representing the west coast division with a -21 over East Coast division’s Derek West who brought a score of 9 to the table to start the day.

In the Unlimited class it was a similar story between first place Jesse Haines at a -13 and second place Bruce Zellar, but from “BZ” down the point difference tightened up to one to five point separations from the followers down to 6th place. Ironically, the two coastal territories were equally represented 5 to 5 in the top ten teams poised to take home a trophy in this category. From 1st to 10th the point spread was a healthy 64 points. But with the courses that lay ahead, one timed out course or going out of bounds on these volatile courses could put another team back in the race.

Course B4 was to be the demise of many Unlimited class drivers. This nearly vertical climb with a slight undercut in the middle and rounded hump at the top would loom just over 20’ tall and take full throttle and precise timing to conquer . . . . or would it.

Rock Crawling has its heroes and its zeros. But sometimes, yes, sometimes, even the zero can be a hero. The day’s typical heroes were Cody Waggoner, Bruce Zeller and Brad Styles as they rocketed there rigs up and over this towering wall with relative, crowd pleasing ease and garnered the lowest course scores of the day at -3 each. To do this they literally cleared all four wheels off the ground just prior to the top and bounced over with one mighty hop.

The true heroes were not measured by scores, but rather guts, heart, and never give up attitude. Shane Yost had recovered from earlier carnage of five broken lug bolts on his right front wheel and went at the climb with some trepidation. After a few light hearted low throttle attempts, he gave in to his inner skinny pedal urges and ramped up almost to the top. As he dropped onto the ledge and tottered slightly, his rear driveline tumbled to the bottom of the climb. Shane did not give up though. He merely backed up and tried again . . . and again . . . and again. Each time the crowd got louder until finally he popped over the top with only front wheel drive and sheer will power of all present pushing him. George Negron tried his own half-throttled attempts before his spotter told him, “I think you need more throttle.” So throttle is what George gave. Three heart stopping cart-wheeling rolls and a left rear blown tire later, George spun his three inflated tires furiously up and over the ledge.

Scott Ellinger gets the Bell Ringer award for the weekend. In true Rockstomper rig fashion he gave that wall a brutal pounding over and over. Just a few attempts in, he didn’t get off the throttle soon enough as his rig launched to the top and he found himself plummeting back to the bottom. When he came to rest, the rig had no fuel pressure. Spotter Shawn Pagan plunged down to the bottom and together they found what had came loose and righted the problem. Taking time to insure Scott was securely harnessed in, they attacked again. In an almost mirror image of his first roll, Scott toppled back down only this time he had back his plunge to earth with a little MORE throttle and a completely vertical stand before his plummet. Landing on all fours, yet again, he shook out the ringing in his ears, backed WAY UP, and shoved his right foot to the floor. Since the first two rolls went to the left side, he went to the right this time and unfortunately his rig landed on its side a pummeled heap that Scott was able to do a heroes dance on! A hero because though he failed to complete the course, he never failed to be a competitor.

Sadly, heroes don’t always place first . . . or second . . . or at all. On this day, one man would crawl his way to the top and that man was Jason Paule. But first he had to prevent Mr. Come from Behind, Ken Blume from taking the top prize along with Marty Hart, Former Baja 1000 winner, and Bruce Zellar. Jason was successful in claiming the Blue-Torch crafted 1st place trophy while Marty got his hands on 2nd place and Bruce pulled down the 3rd. Cody Waggoner, Jesse Haines, and Ken Blume laid claim to 4th through 6th respectively.

Meanwhile, the Pro Modified husband and wife team of Becca Webster and spotter Dustin Webster were on the fast track to pulling Brian Errea within sight until their super flex rig took an unfortunate and unexpected topple off of a mound of culverts. Once in the Shoot Out, drivers like Chris May didn’t get far in the twisted, mangled course Lil’ Rich had set up. Without power steering, Chris was doomed and didn’t get past the second series of gates. Listening to a fellow competitor’s “out of the box” thinking, team Slow Speed’s Brian Ellinger & Dave Cole took a radical line around and through the gates that had them avoiding the twisted pretzel path and skirting the edges to get through, over and out of the course within the 10 minute time allowed. Being the first to succeed with this game plan set the Red Bull RockHer in line to duplicate their strategy, followed cunningly by Brian Errea who switched places with his spotter, Joachim Schwiesow, to take a turn on his feet instead of in the seat. When the battle of wits and rubber was over, Joachim had driven his spotter Brian into 1st place with Becca following and Brian Ellinger holding down 3rd.

As for the Modified Stock competitors, Lil Rich set them upon a Shoot out that had them going up and down in switch back after switch back before one last climb to completion. Turning in the best Shoot Out score of -36 wasn’t enough for Derek West to pull ahead of Dan Patterson and he had to settle for 2nd. Buzz Bronsema made too many mistakes to hold on to the second place he had going into the Shoot Out and he ended up in 3rd at the days end.

They say 2nd place is only the first loser but at W.E.Rock’s Grand Nationals, 2nd and 3rd place are actually qualifiers. Qualified for the World Championship in Las Vegas, NV on October 3,4 and 5. Qualified for one last chance to come out on top. Qualified to earn the right to be World Champion. Everyone else just gets a few more weeks to rebuild, re-design or recuperate for next years W.E. Rock series.

Be sure to check out our photo gallery for all the heart stomping, rig tumbling action for yourself. For more information on this fast growing series that is leading the sport of Rock Crawling into the future, visit www.we-rock.cc .