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Dirt Riot SW Series Rd 2 Race Recap

Pre-Running/Qualifying

The McGhie Offroad team arrived in Arizona two days before the race. During our 12+ hour drive, we received news that some very experienced racers would be competing in our class; We knew that how we chose to prepare would make or break our race. Our first stop was to see Jason Cobb [KC HiLites] to install the newly released Pro6! Once it got dark, he expertly adjusted all the lights on the car to ensure maximum visibility for us during our race.

Our second stop was to see Brian Turner [ADS Racing Shocks]. We met Brian in the desert to fine tune the suspension. Brian immediately knew the front coil overs needed re-valving, which he made quick work of. In no time, Brian had the car practically floating.

Race Day

Our race began just before dark. Within the first lap, we passed one of the race leaders who was pulled over, attempting a fix on their car. Shortly after the pass, we received news from our pit that the only remaining car in front of us was rolled over in a rock section.

We spent laps 2-4 putting roughly a 2 minute lead on the field. As we pulled into our pit for fuel at the end of lap 5, our team realized we had a leaking oil cooler line. The leaking line was fixed as quickly as possible and we pulled out of the pit in 2nd place. We pushed our pace to catch the leader – almost rolling out in the desert in the process! Luckily, we were able to save it and found out that the car in front of us had pulled off the track. We held our lead all the way to the finish line and pulled off a first place finish in the 4400 class!

Dirt Riot SW Series Rd 2 Race Recap

Pre-Running/Qualifying

The McGhie Offroad team arrived in Arizona two days before the race. During our 12+ hour drive, we received news that some very experienced racers would be competing in our class; We knew that how we chose to prepare would make or break our race. Our first stop was to see Jason Cobb [KC HiLites] to install the newly released Pro6! Once it got dark, he expertly adjusted all the lights on the car to ensure maximum visibility for us during our race.

Our second stop was to see Brian Turner [ADS Racing Shocks]. We met Brian in the desert to fine tune the suspension. Brian immediately knew the front coil overs needed re-valving, which he made quick work of. In no time, Brian had the car practically floating.

Race Day

Our race began just before dark. Within the first lap, we passed one of the race leaders who was pulled over, attempting a fix on their car. Shortly after the pass, we received news from our pit that the only remaining car in front of us was rolled over in a rock section.

We spent laps 2-4 putting roughly a 2 minute lead on the field. As we pulled into our pit for fuel at the end of lap 5, our team realized we had a leaking oil cooler line. The leaking line was fixed as quickly as possible and we pulled out of the pit in 2nd place. We pushed our pace to catch the leader – almost rolling out in the desert in the process! Luckily, we were able to save it and found out that the car in front of us had pulled off the track. We held our lead all the way to the finish line and pulled off a first place finish in the 4400 class!

Going into the Pure 125 after getting 4th place in the pure 150 I defiantly had more confidence. In my last desert race, I was racing a RZRXP 900 in a 1000 sportsman class. Now for the Pure 125 I was in a 900 sportsman class. The day before the race we pre-ran and studied the course multiple times. On race day, I had my family and friends there to support me at the start line.

On the first lap, I popped a tire on mile .5 and drove on it for 6 miles until my Dad/co-driver changed it. For the rest of that lap we had no issues. When I got to the pits, our pit crew had a difficult time with our spare tire mount. Because every minute is precious in off-road racing instead of wasting time, the pit crew decided to tie it down with a tie strap instead of using our mount. On my second lap and popped the same front passenger tire on mile 1.5. Frustrated and disappointed that I popped another tire, I tried to drive on it for as long as I possibly could. I made it to mile 10 before my co-driver had to change another tire. As I’m sitting in the race car seeing multiple racers pass us, I thought that I was in dead last and there was no chance of us getting a good position. However, as I was entering the pits to get another spare tire incase I pop a tire again, the pit crew informs me that I am 15 minutes behind the first place car.

The first 4 miles of the lap is very rocky, so I decide to cruise and not go too fast through the tuff stuff. Not popping a tire, we made up 7 minutes meaning that I am now only 3 minutes behind first place. Not needed to going into the pits, I’m determined to catch up to the 1st place driver who started 3 minutes ahead of me. Towards mile 18 on lap 4 I eventually caught up with him.

On the 5th lap I was on his tail, and most of the time I was eating his dust for miles. On one of the straight a ways, my Dad was pressing the siren and honking the horn and he wouldn’t move. So, I went with Plan B… I’m going to give him a little bump and maybe he will get the hint. As I’m about 4 feet away from hitting his bumper he finally decides to move over and I leave him in our dust. Now, I’m focused on keeping the race car in one piece. The RZR that I just passed decided to kick it up a couple gears, probably because he got passed by a teenage girl.

Knowing I am only 9 miles from the finish line, I tried to go fast but at the same time be conservative. On mile 17, we started to run out of gas, the gage only read one dot. Since I had a pretty good lead I tried to take it easy and tried not to run out of gas that close to the finish. As I passed the finish line my family and friends were there to congratulate me. It was such a great feeling to win on only my second race!! Thank you to my parents, grandparents, cousins and friends from coming out to support me. I also want to thank SXS Performance for putting this car together for me.

Going into the Pure 125 after getting 4th place in the pure 150 I defiantly had more confidence. In my last desert race, I was racing a RZRXP 900 in a 1000 sportsman class. Now for the Pure 125 I was in a 900 sportsman class. The day before the race we pre-ran and studied the course multiple times. On race day, I had my family and friends there to support me at the start line.

On the first lap, I popped a tire on mile .5 and drove on it for 6 miles until my Dad/co-driver changed it. For the rest of that lap we had no issues. When I got to the pits, our pit crew had a difficult time with our spare tire mount. Because every minute is precious in off-road racing instead of wasting time, the pit crew decided to tie it down with a tie strap instead of using our mount. On my second lap and popped the same front passenger tire on mile 1.5. Frustrated and disappointed that I popped another tire, I tried to drive on it for as long as I possibly could. I made it to mile 10 before my co-driver had to change another tire. As I’m sitting in the race car seeing multiple racers pass us, I thought that I was in dead last and there was no chance of us getting a good position. However, as I was entering the pits to get another spare tire incase I pop a tire again, the pit crew informs me that I am 15 minutes behind the first place car.

The first 4 miles of the lap is very rocky, so I decide to cruise and not go too fast through the tuff stuff. Not popping a tire, we made up 7 minutes meaning that I am now only 3 minutes behind first place. Not needed to going into the pits, I’m determined to catch up to the 1st place driver who started 3 minutes ahead of me. Towards mile 18 on lap 4 I eventually caught up with him.

On the 5th lap I was on his tail, and most of the time I was eating his dust for miles. On one of the straight a ways, my Dad was pressing the siren and honking the horn and he wouldn’t move. So, I went with Plan B… I’m going to give him a little bump and maybe he will get the hint. As I’m about 4 feet away from hitting his bumper he finally decides to move over and I leave him in our dust. Now, I’m focused on keeping the race car in one piece. The RZR that I just passed decided to kick it up a couple gears, probably because he got passed by a teenage girl.

Knowing I am only 9 miles from the finish line, I tried to go fast but at the same time be conservative. On mile 17, we started to run out of gas, the gage only read one dot. Since I had a pretty good lead I tried to take it easy and tried not to run out of gas that close to the finish. As I passed the finish line my family and friends were there to congratulate me. It was such a great feeling to win on only my second race!! Thank you to my parents, grandparents, cousins and friends from coming out to support me. I also want to thank SXS Performance for putting this car together for me.

Going into the Pure 125 after getting 4th place in the pure 150 I defiantly had more confidence. In my last desert race, I was racing a RZRXP 900 in a 1000 sportsman class. Now for the Pure 125 I was in a 900 sportsman class. The day before the race we pre-ran and studied the course multiple times. On race day, I had my family and friends there to support me at the start line.

On the first lap, I popped a tire on mile .5 and drove on it for 6 miles until my Dad/co-driver changed it. For the rest of that lap we had no issues. When I got to the pits, our pit crew had a difficult time with our spare tire mount. Because every minute is precious in off-road racing instead of wasting time, the pit crew decided to tie it down with a tie strap instead of using our mount. On my second lap and popped the same front passenger tire on mile 1.5. Frustrated and disappointed that I popped another tire, I tried to drive on it for as long as I possibly could. I made it to mile 10 before my co-driver had to change another tire. As I’m sitting in the race car seeing multiple racers pass us, I thought that I was in dead last and there was no chance of us getting a good position. However, as I was entering the pits to get another spare tire incase I pop a tire again, the pit crew informs me that I am 15 minutes behind the first place car.

The first 4 miles of the lap is very rocky, so I decide to cruise and not go too fast through the tuff stuff. Not popping a tire, we made up 7 minutes meaning that I am now only 3 minutes behind first place. Not needed to going into the pits, I’m determined to catch up to the 1st place driver who started 3 minutes ahead of me. Towards mile 18 on lap 4 I eventually caught up with him.

On the 5th lap I was on his tail, and most of the time I was eating his dust for miles. On one of the straight a ways, my Dad was pressing the siren and honking the horn and he wouldn’t move. So, I went with Plan B… I’m going to give him a little bump and maybe he will get the hint. As I’m about 4 feet away from hitting his bumper he finally decides to move over and I leave him in our dust. Now, I’m focused on keeping the race car in one piece. The RZR that I just passed decided to kick it up a couple gears, probably because he got passed by a teenage girl.

Knowing I am only 9 miles from the finish line, I tried to go fast but at the same time be conservative. On mile 17, we started to run out of gas, the gage only read one dot. Since I had a pretty good lead I tried to take it easy and tried not to run out of gas that close to the finish. As I passed the finish line my family and friends were there to congratulate me. It was such a great feeling to win on only my second race!! Thank you to my parents, grandparents, cousins and friends from coming out to support me. I also want to thank SXS Performance for putting this car together for me.