OFF-ROAD LIVE ! From Parker Arizona Contingency Replay
Robby Gordon will be LIVE! at the Parker Texaco at 12 Noon to 1 PM RIGHT NOW! GO GO GO!
The Desert Racing Sights & Smells fills Western Park with vendors and visitors, it’s a town-wide yard sale in Bouse, and the BlueWater Resort & Casino Parker 425 is expected to be one of the biggest yet, bringing tens of thousands of racers and the desert racing fans with it.
Fans who want to visit should expect a lengthy walk from the nearest available parking spot (though it may be worth driving to the valet to find out if they have room first).
Inside BlueWater Cinemas in front of the North Parking Lot, Tuba Art Films’ ‘Battle of the Best’ is playing for free, along with food including burritos available from concessions out front.
Below, Danny Beaver rides a Parker Motor Company race truck through inspection. Both Jim & Trent Beaver are expected to be racing.
Good Afternoon Race Fans! It's warming nicely now, here in Parker!
OFF-ROAD LIVE ! will supply the fans of off-road recreation today and RaceDay on Saturday LIVE-ONLINE streaming coverage of ALL the action.Saturday, Raceday Starts 6 AM MT
First finisher Expected at 2:30 PM MT
FINAL PARKER 425 2011 Press Release
2. Andy McMillin 5:30.707
4. Ray Griffith 5:31.365
5. Josh Daniels 5:32.311
CLICK HERE FOR LIVE! PARKER 425 2010
CLICK HERE FOR LIVE ! PARKER 425 2009
CLICK HERE FOR LIVE ! "Uncle Max" Replays
LIVE! NOW! FROM PARKER ARIZONA
Parker 425
More than 200 of the worlds best off-road racers have signed up for the 2011 running of the Blue Water Resort & Casino Parker 425. This marks the 40th year that the city of Parker has hosted an off-road race along the great Colorado River.
A record breaking field of 34 Trick Trucks are entered that reads like a who's-who of the most renowned truck racers in the country. Some of the competitors who will blast off the starting line in the middle of downtown Parker, Arizona for the first real long distance desert race of the 2011 season include defending champion B.J. Baldwin, Robby Gordon, Andy McMillin, Rob MacCachren, Jesse Jones, Steve Sourapas, Steve Olliges, John Swift, Rick D. Johnson, Mark Weyhrich, Jason Voss, Jesse James, Tim and Troy Herbst, Jerry Zaiden, Steve Strobel, Greg Nunley, Marc Ewing, Jimmy Nuckles, Ed Stout, Shawn and Steve Croll, Rick Thomas, Scott Whipple and Cameron Steele.
Many of these same truck racers are some of the 23 that have already signed up to compete in Best In The Deserts $131,000 Trick Truck Challenge Cup which gets under way with this event.
The weekend gets started off on Thursday with the high speed action of the traditional Best in the Desert Time Trials, where the starting order is determined for the two fastest classes, Trick Trucks and Class 1500. The drivers of 34 Trick Trucks and 39 Class 1500 cars will try to put the best lap time down and claim the Team Ford Pole Award. The winner will also take home $1,000 in cash from Steve Olliges, owner of Team Ford Lincoln in Las Vegas.
Following Time Trials, the race trucks and cars will be escorted to the center of town for the 2nd annual Parker Downtown Experience. Last year thousands of Parker area residents, racers and fans gathered for the afternoon with live bands and a collection of the worlds fastest and most technologically advanced off-road race vehicles on display.
Contingency gets underway Friday morning in the north parking lot of the Blue Water Resort & Casino. Thousands of spectators and race fans are expected and will have the chance all day long to get up close to the race vehicles and drivers as they weave their way through the hundreds of manufacturers and vendors set up on display.
At 7:15 AM Saturday, the real business of the weekend gets underway when the first race vehicle blasts off the starting line on California Ave. in the middle of downtown Parker. Every racer will be on equal ground, including returning champions, as their quest for the season class championships begins. Back this year is the fan favorite and hugely popular Parker Python, a special 9-mile infield section of exciting jumps and switch-backs that weave through the middle of the main pits.
Also this year, the overall race winner will again be presented with the Manny Esquerra Valor Award. This is a very special honor and a tribute to Mannys legendary contribution to the sport of off-road desert racing.
The 2011 Blue Water Resort & Casino PARKER 425…If youre a racer, you dont want to miss being part of the battle of the best. If youre a race fan, you dont want to miss the exciting adventure. The Parker 425 is very spectator friendly with 3 designated viewing areas.
But if you cant make it to the race, use your phone or personal computer experience desert off-road racing LIVE! on
OFF-ROAD LIVE! http://www.off-road1.com/
and catch the live desert off-road racing action on the BIG WWW via the internet.
Or tune into the Lucas Oil broadcast of the race a week later, February 12th on the Versus network.
Casey Folks, Director of Best in the Desert stated, 2011 will be a great year for Best in the Desert competitors with our recently announced $131,000 Trick Truck Challenge Cup, multiple contingency dollars up for grabs and our new national TV broadcast package produced and sponsored by Lucas Oil. Folks continued, No other off-road race organization has a program like Best in the Desert. Ive always said, either lead or get out of our way, and we intend to keep Best in the Desert in the lead!
Best In The Desert official sponsors: Ford Motor Company official truck, General Tire official tire, Lucas Oil official oil, VP Racing Fuels official fuel, KC HiLiTES official light, John Deere official UTV, KTM official motorcycle, FabTech – Official Suspension, Fall Advertising, Prerunner Maniac, McKenzies, PCI Race Radios, Azunia Tequila, and Sportsman Cycle Sales"
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Justin Lofton to make his Parker 425 debut Saturday, February 5
Testing, Desert Race Fill Lofton's Time Before Daytona
Justin Lofton has spent the last two days testing in Florida with his Germain Racing team, readying for the start of the upcoming NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season on February 18th. Following his final run on Friday afternoon, Lofton will head to Arizona and transition from his No. 77 Toyota Tundra to his No. 1577 Class 1500 Buggy for this weekend's Parker 425.
"I am so excited to run this race this weekend. It is always a blast to race in the desert. It is something I will never stop doing. I have too much fun with it," Lofton said.
Lofton last raced off-road in the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge a few weeks ago, having led day one in Class 1, and was well on his way to the win during the second day's run before a broken spindle on the last lap dashed his hopes.
This weekend the 24-year-old will split seat-time with his father Bob, who has over 20 years of off-road racing experience and numerous class wins of his own, including the Baja 1000. The duo will take turns behind the wheel of the Buggy, with Bob wheeling the first two laps and Justin completing the final 150 miles.
The Best in the Desert Racing Association's Bluewater Resort and Casino Parker 425 runs on Saturday.
In 2004, Lofton earned the Best in the Desert Class 1000 championship and Rookie of the Year honors.
Following his desert run, Lofton will head back to Florida for Speed Weeks, followed by his debut behind the wheel of the No. 77 Lofton Cattle Toyota in the NextEra Energy Resources 250 on Friday, February 18th.
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Robby Gordon To Make Appearance At Parker Texaco On Friday
"Making his first appearance in the Parker 425 since 2008, Robby Gordon will be racing among some of the top off-road racers in the country. Along with Gordon, the impressive field of 34 Trick Trucks includes BJ Baldwin, Andy McMillin, and celebrity custom motorcycle builder, Jesse James, just to name a few. Marking the 40th year the city of Parker has hosted the off-road race, The Blue Water Resort and Casino Parker 425 is the second stop on the Best in the Desert Racing Association’s 2011 schedule.
Robby Gordon knows how to win at Parker. Finishing first in the 2006 Trick Truck division in the HUMMER H3 that had just returned from the Dakar Rally in Africa, Gordon ran on 300 horsepower less than his competitors. “Winning the 2006 Parker 425 was fun! I had just returned from the Dakar and ran the same race vehicle we did in the Rally. To outrace the competition with less power was pretty awesome,” says Gordon.
The No. 77 SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires Chevy 1500 will be touting new sponsor, Bud Light, on the quarter panels this weekend. “We’re happy to have Bud Light with us for the Parker 425. It’s a partnership that we struck with our new distributor for SPEED Energy in the Arizona markets. We just signed a deal with Romer Beverage and are excited about the new channels of distribution this will have for SPEED Energy.”
The weekend began on Thursday with the BITD “Time Trials”, determining the starting lineup for the Trick Trucks and Class 1500. The driver to put down the best lap will claim the “Team Ford Pole Award,” which Gordon has unofficially claimed. The race vehicles will leave the starting line on California Avenue in downtown Parker on Saturday morning to begin the 425 miles of desert racing at its best.
Robby will be making autograph appearances throughout the weekend at the SPEED Energy souvenir trailer."
It will be a flurry of activity when the Best in the Desert/BlueWater Resort & Casino Parker 425 racers, support teams and fans converge in this off-road race capital of Arizona.
More than 200 entries have signed up with the familiar names of off-road racers Tim and Troy Herbst, John Swift, Rob MacCachren, Andrew and Scott McMillin, Larry Roeseler, Steve Sourapas and Robby Gordon in the Trophy Truck class. Also in the class are Parker’s Jim and Trent Beaver.
Last year’s race was cold, windy and some rain fell. The course was tough, only 82 out of 239 entries finished. The overall winner was BJ Baldwin, who will defend his win Saturday. Baldwin also received the first Manny Esquerra Valor Award.
Manny Esquerra was a Parker resident and a legendary off-road racer. He died during the 2008 Parker 425. Esquerra was inducted in the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in August 2008.
Parker 425 activities will begin Thursday and conclude Sunday.
The second annual Parker 425 “Downtown Experience” is set for 1 to 8 p.m. Drivers in the time trials will have a Show and Shine from 1 to 3 p.m. on Arizona Avenue. Fans get meet the racers and their crews.
A street party will begin at 1 p.m. in front of the Joshua Street Mall. The street party will include live music by the band Highway 95, the Soroptimists will set up its River Diva Bar, and Gene Price Motorsports will have its NASCAR Racing Team on site.
There also will be food vendors, a children’s balloon bounce and a 4x4 jeep stack.
Results and time trials party will be at BlueWater Resort & Casino’s Dig Lounge.
On Friday, driver registration will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Car and truck contingency and technical inspection will be at the north BWRC parking lot.
At 6:30 p.m., there is a mandatory drivers and pit crews meeting. Casey Folks, BITD race director, urges drivers to be on time.
Early Saturday morning, car and truck staging will begin at 6:15 a.m. At 7 a.m., police escorts will leave and head for the start line in front of the Parker Area Chamber of Commerce building at 1217 California Ave.
The race starts at 7:15 a.m., and the after-race party will be at 8 p.m. at the Dig Lounge at BWRC.
The weekend will end after the Sunday awards presentation. It is from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the BWRC bingo room.
A temporary Bureau of Land Management public land closure in La Paz County is scheduled for Feb. 4 and 5, 38th annual running of the Parker 425 off-road race.
The closure is in effect from 2 p.m. Friday, through 11:59 p.m. Saturday. Areas subject to this closure include all public land; including county maintained roads and highways located on public lands that are located within two miles of the designated course.
The closure is to help ensure public safety and prevent unnecessary environmental degradation during the permitted running of the Parker 425.
In a BLM press statement, “There will be designated spectator areas just as in past years so people can enjoy the races,” said BLM Lake Havasu Assistant Field Manager
for Recreation and Visitor Services Mike Henderson. “Spectator safety is a heightened concern. The Bouse #2 area is closed this year, but the Bouse Y area will remain open with the spectator area moved 100 feet back from the racecourse. People will still be able to see and enjoy the racers. The five-mile long spectator area along Shea Road outside of Parker is above the race course and protected with a post and cable along the bluff will be open as well.”
Henderson added, “The Parker Races are an important tradition to the community and public. We’ve had a perfect spectator safety record for 37 years and we intend to keep it that way.”
The racecourse and closure areas descriptions, restrictions, and maps of the designated racecourse are available in the Pioneer special insert in today’s edition.
Best In The Desert Racing Association has three other off-road races in Parker. The THR Motorsports Parker 250 was Jan. 7 and 8.
The Epic Racing BlueWater Gran Prix is held May 13 and 14; and the BlueWater Desert Challenge is held Oct. 14 and 15.
The financial impact of the Parker 425 in the Parker area is in the millions of dollars. All motel/hotels have been booked for months.
According to surveys conducted by Parker Tourism Director, Mary Hamilton “I surveyed on both sides of the River, there are 482 motel/hotel rooms, 3,317 RV sites and 172 other types of rentals that include mobile homes, travel trailers, park models and kitchen cabins. I know the numbers are actually higher. I started surveying in December for the Parker 250 and 425. We are now at the point where we are referring to local business RVs 4 Less for rentals.
Hamiliton added, “Of the realtors in the area, only three handle short term rentals for events such as the Parker 425. Robert Gory Realty has 20, David Plunkett Realty has about 14 and Betty Hunter Realty has about 40 rentals during the winter and those rent to winter visitors. She has about four that are available for the Parker 425. All three offices have waiting lists for cancellations.”
Parker Motor Company /PMC Racing News Release
"In the Arizona desert, the search of victory during round one of Best in the Desert Racing Association’s five round series continues for PMC Racing.
PMC Racing will be looking to carrying momentum over from their 2010 victory at the inaugural BITD BlueWater Desert Challenge late in the year to help weather a storm that has kept them from finishing the Parker 425 the last two years.
PMC Racing took advantage of Best in the Desert’s pre-run two weekends ago and returned home with high hopes of success. “The pre-run was very successful and we came away from it with more knowledge to help our team strategize for the race. The course is still fast in some portions as it has been in the past, however some sections are definitely rougher then they have been in the past and these sections are the ones that will change the outcome of the race,” commented Trent Beaver driver of record for PMC Racing’s #8105 stock full.
The PMC Racing team has been hard at work since the BlueWater Desert Challenge performing ground up race preparation on each truck to start the 2011 season off with great success for both trucks. As preparation for both trucks finish up this week, PMC Racing will then put the trucks through a hard testing session trying to simulate race conditions before starting their final preparation before the race.
Race weekend for PMC Racing will start on Thursday, February 3rd when Jim Beaver driver of record for the PMC Racing Ford Trophy Truck #15 will take on a field of over 50 of desert racing’s best in hopes of putting the PMC Racing Trophy Truck in the pole position for that weekend’s race. Friday, February 4th is a resting day for the team and also gives fans a chance to mingle with the drivers during technical inspection and contingency. The 2011 Parker 425 will start at day break on Saturday, February 5th and will run into the early morning hours of February 6th before concluding with awards presentations on February 6th as well.
PMC Racing would like to thank all of their current sponsors for their continued support: Parker Motor Company, Ford Trucks, KC HiLites, Ringer’s Gloves, Goodyear Tires, King Shocks, Reily’s Race Wire, MSD Ignition, Mogi Trans., Penn Neon Sign, NAPA Auto Parts, and Carrillo Farms.
About PMC Racing
PMC Racing was founded by the late Marion Beaver and has compiled race wins in both unlimited hydroplane boat racing and off-road racing. Currently, Marion Beaver’s son Dan Beaver heads the operations of PMC Racing and fields a two-truck team in off-road desert racing. PMC Racing spans three-generations of race drivers and Dan’s two sons, Jim and Trent Beaver are currently filling the driving duties for PMC Racing. With multiple race wins to PMC Racing’s credit, their passion for off-road racing has never been stronger.
PMC Racing
With the 2011 BlueWater Resort Parker "425" just days away, Casey Folks, always the leader in programs, awards and challenges for desert racing, has just pulled another coup for the Best in the Desert off-road racing community.
Folks announced today, "To date, more than 23 of the best Trick Truck teams in the world have signed up for an exciting new racing challenge we just created - The Best in the Desert $134,000 Trick Truck Challenge Cup. That's right - one hundred and thirty thousand dollars paid back 100% to the racers. Most of the leading Trick Truck teams from all over the world have already signed up to participate in this exciting inaugural program for 2011. The coveted Trick Truck Challenge Cup Trophy will be awarded at the end of the year to only One Team."
Here are the details..
1) Each Trick Truck team must pay $5,000 before the BlueWater Resort Parker "425"
2) The $5,000 is 100% paid back to the Trick Truck class
3) 10% of the $5,000 will go towards the year-end Trick Truck Challenge Cup Bonus Money.
4) The Challenge Cup money will be paid out 1st Place, 2nd Place and 3rd Place, per race for five (5) races. $12,000 to first $6,000 to second $3,600 to third ($21,600 Per Race!)
5) The Year-End bonus money will be paid out 1st Place, 2nd Place and 3rd Place.
6) Only the trucks that sign up for the Trick Truck Challenge Cup by the BlueWater Resort Parker "425" are eligible for the challenge cup money.
7) Additional Sponsor Funds dedicated to an additional Bonus Money payout at year end includes:
1) Jesse Jones - $5,000
2) TSCO - $5,000
3) Jimco - $2,000 - plus an additional $2,000 bonus if a Jimco truck wins 1st Overall year-end
4) Geiser Bros. - $2,000 - plus an additional $2,000 bonus if a Geiser bros. truck wins 1st Overall year-end
5) MasterCraft - $2,000 - if the Trick Truck Overall year-end Winner is running MasterCraft seats
Racers Signed up as of 1-18-2011
1) Steve Sourapas #6
2) Jesse Jones #76
3) Kevin McGillivray #56
4) Steve Olliges & John Swift #28
5) Jerry Zaiden #75
6) Rick D. Johnson #71
7) Mark Weyhrich #9
8) Rich Voss #35
9) Steve Strobel #94
10) Greg Nunley #10
11) Marc Ewing #68
12) Jimmy Nuckles #48
13) Craig Potts #59
14) Ed Stout #13
15) BJ Baldwin #1
16) Shawn Croll #32
17) Steve Croll #33
18) Tim Herbst #19
19) Troy Herbst #49
20) Lloyd Sproule #65
21) Charley McDowell #72
22) Rob MacCachren #30
23) Rick Thomas #53
24) Scott Whipple #95
Folks continued, "No other off-road race organization has a program like the Best in the Desert Trick Truck Challenge Cup. As The American Adventure Continues, watch for more exciting announcements for 2011. I've always said, either lead or get out of our way and Best in the Desert is in the lead!"
Recognized by racers and fans alike as the best-run off-road racing series in America, stay tuned to Best In The Desert at OFF-ROAD LIVE ! off-road1.com for more details. Best In The Desert official sponsors: Ford Motor Company - official truck, General Tire - official tire, Lucas - official oil, VP Racing Fuels - official fuel, KC HiLiTES - official light, John Deere - official UTV, KTM - official motorcycle, FabTech - Official Suspension, Fall Advertising, Prerunner Maniac, McKenzies, PCI Race Radios, and Sportsman Cycle Sales