MUSTANG (OCT. 14) This weekend the Wild West Motorsports Park, located east of Sparks, north of the Mustang Exit on I-80, hosts another first time event. It’s the final round of the Nitto Tire National Championship Ultra 4 Series.
A new addition for this week’s Ultra 4 event is a long uphill section drivers will race on.
After going over the top of the course drives will race down this wash to where they reenter the course.
After the wash they then go downhill on this rock section.
After getting back to the infield racers will turn right and race up these rocks.
And the rock uphill section is quite high as you can see from this angle.
In keeping with the family entertainment theme there is a course for Radio Controlled cars and trucks behind the bleachers. It’s free to everyone and spectators are encouraged to bring their RC racers with them and try this track. Here Chad Antos is about to run his RC car around on the course.
Competing will be everything from UTVs to open Ultra 4 machines as drivers race to secure class titles or improve their points positions.
Tuesday was for the media to get rides and check out the new course that alternates between the Lucas Oil track and new sections, two of which are over rocks.
After flying over the ski jump drivers make a very sharp right turn at the bottom of the hill and climb up a new section that winds up the side of the hill. It looks more like a small mountain actually.
Over the top, turn left then left again then down a wash they come, turn right above Lucas Oil Turn 3 then a sharp left and down a rock face. After that another right as they head toward Lucas Oil Turn 2 then right again for a long climb up a rocky face, and some of the rocks are quite large.
Then it’s a left and down the front straight and back up to the ski jump. The course has been designed so the fans can see all but one small section at the top of the big hill.
After being driven around most of the course, except for the long uphill rock section Catie Zecher, from the Yelp group, said, “It was awesome. I love going to Disneyland but this is better and there are no lines!”
Alex Hardway, who drove her around competes in the 4400 class and described the course in glowing terms.
“The track is good, it’s going to be fun but brutal and hard on equipment. I think there will be temperature issues with transmissions and motors. The top is natural terrain but the draw will be challenging as its pretty wide open so the best choice is to stay in the middle.”
Friday begins at 8: 45 a.m. with a drivers meeting then practice sessions for all classes. Qualifying begins at 2 p.m. on the short course.
On Saturday gates open at 8 a.m. followed by preliminary races and at 10:30 the 4400, or big class, begins to run qualifying prelims where only 10-cars from each race will start the main.
Opening ceremonies start at 2 p.m. followed by a 4400 B main then the racing begins in earnest.
Right now Loren Healy seems to have a lock on the 4400 title followed by Rob Matzell in the 4500 Rubicon Express Modified division. There is a three-way fight in Pro Comp Stock and two drivers are after the title in the 4800 Legends class.
Jessi Combs seems to have a lock on the 4700 Spec Class. That group has a few drivers coming all the way from Europe to compete. And finally, in the UTV division Melvin Wade III leads Brian Hogue by less than 100 points.
In keeping with the family entertainment that this event is there is also a free, public Radio Control course in back of the south bleachers. Spectators are encouraged to bring their RC racers and try it out as it has turns, high and low-speed sections as well as some rocky and sandy areas to negotiate.
So this Friday and Saturday will be an action packed two days that winds up the racing at Wild West for this year. And the weather should cooperate to set the stage for some great and very different kind of off road type competition.
Following is the schedule for both days.
•Friday, October 17th
8:45
Drivers Meeting for Practice
9:00 – 11:00
4400 Practice/pre-running
11:00 – 12:00
Stock/Mod/Spec/Legends practice – pre-running
12:00 – 12:30
UTV Practice/pre-running
12:30 – 1:30
Track Maintenance
1:45
Drivers Meeting for Qualifying
2:00 – 6:00
Qualifying for all Classes – Short Course Only
• Saturday, October 18th
7:30
Limited Class Drivers Meeting – UTV, 4500-4800
8:00 – 8:30
UTV Prelim
8:45 – 9:15
Stock Prelim
9:30 – 10:00
Legends/Spec/Mod Prelim
10:00 – 10:30
Track Maintenance
10:15
Unlimited Drivers Meeting – 4400
10:30 – 11:00
Prelim 1 – 4400 – 10 cars advance to final
11:15 – 11:45
Prelim 2 – 4400 – 10 cars advance to final
12:00 – 12:30
UTV Main
12:30 – 1:00
Track Maintenance/lunch
1:15 – 2:00
4400 B Main – 4 cars advance to final
2:15 – 2:45
Stock Main
3:00 – 3:15
4400 LCQ – 1 car advances to the final
3:30 – 4:15
Legends/Spec/Mod Main
4:15 – 4:45
Introduction of Drivers/Track Maintenance
5:00 – 5:45
4400 Main Event – 25 Cars
