LONESTAR RACING TACKLES KOH
King Of The Hammers
KOH is a test of man and machine like no other. Your machine must be flawless, your senses keen and your co-driver on point. Your co-driver can gas out 20 miles in if they are weak. Mentally KOH can destroy you. KOH almost a life like presence, respect her and you can pass... play games and you're done.
It's safe to say this was not Lonestars first rodeo. Brian Bush in the 1911 XP900 has raced the Hammers for the past 4 years. Team mate Branden Sims in the 1913 XP1000 3 times. Brian started working on his 2014 plan while driving down Boone road after the 2013 race. Brian lives to race KOH and they have a special love/hate relationship. UTVUnderground.com and film crew seen here interviewing Sims after crushing qualifying.
The Pro UTV class got to qualify this year. The new structure was a welcome addition. The UTVs would start one at time to conquer the 2.5 mile course. The night before qualifying Bush and I discussed the format and the fact that 2 cars will be on the track at the same time. The second car would not be released unit the first car hit the half-way point. Bush would face his biggest concern during his run. Flying through the desert section up the wash and around the water fall. Approaching the rock section Brian noticed a trail plug (broken rig) in the rocks. He quickly shot around the obstacle and back onto the course. Dave Cole would stop him at the top of KING mountain and hold him for 30 seconds. Even with the mishap Bush qualified 5th. Sims in his brand new XP1000 qualified 1st. He set a blistering pace. His all or nothing driving style worked in his favor today. Sims would be the only competitor all day to make a pass on the qualifying course. The LSR team was very happy with their results. Going into race day with 2 cars in the top five is a great way to start.
All the knuckle busting and long nights preparing come down to this.. Race Day. Sims would start on the pole alongside Dean in his Artic Cat and Bush in the third row. Sims and Dean would battle in the desert but Sims would push his XP1000 hard in the whoops. His FOX 3.0 internal bypass shock handled the terrain with ease. Bush a 4 year veteran knows you can't win the race in the first 50 miles. Bush settled into a comfortable pace and wait for the rocks to make his move.
Sims chased Guthrie across the desert into the main pit. Sims crew dumped fuel. They found the loose spare had damaged the air box. They quickly sealed it up with some duct tape and he was off. Guthrie was still in the pits fighting a problem. Approaching the first real rock section Sims was feeling great. His XP1000 was working perfect. He quickly worked his way up to the bypass. Imagine an off camber goat trail cut into the side of a mountain with a boulder garden at the base. Sims laid his car on its side here. Using the winch and some creativity they up righted the car. During this deal Sims was passed by Team Nasty and Guthrie was now at the bottom of Aftershock. The race was back on. The three lead cars were all climbing Aftershock together. Bush made many upgrades over the off season. Turner Cycle axles throughout his car was ready to battle the rocks. As Bush pulled into Aftershock he was greeted by a few broken cars. Working his way through the cars he hooked a rock and exploded the front diff. Bush with only 2wd would still push his way up Aftershock only to break another axle. Bush decided to call it a day and hike 3 miles to remote pit B and grab a spare axle from his chase crew. He would repair the car and limp it backwards on the course and back to Hammertown.
Sims passed the lead car just before 19/20. Just before Chocolate Thunder Sims would put a risky pass on a Sportsman car to gain the physical lead. This whole time Guthrie was right behind him. He shot up Chocolate Thunder. At this point Sims has never seen this part of the race course. In previous years he never made it this far. Sims picked the wrong line and wedged himself into the rocks. He was forced to winch to get out. Guthrie passed Sims before they could get free. Sims could never make up the time lost and real Guthrie in. Sims crossed the finish line in 2nd pace. In true Sims fashion he was on two wheels and wide open.
Next stop for Team LSR is the famed MINT 400 race in Las Vegas.
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