SALT WELLS, NV (Sept. 2) – The Fallon 250 is becoming a Labor Day weekend tradition in Northwest Nevada. This year there was a new title sponsor, PCI Radios and this regional event is the last in the Ultra 4 season until the Nationals in mid-October.
It’s divided into two stages; the production and restricted classes launch around sun rise and race into the day while the fastest racers, the 4400 Class start in the afternoon and race into the night.
The site is, Salt Wells located about 35 miles east of Fallon, Nevada and is really an all out desert race. So high speeds, traveling through at least one canyon and at least one part where there is a speed limit are all part of the day, not to mention the dust.
A racer’s goal is to complete six laps as soon as possible and there is an outer time limit to do this in. Of course the fastest drivers will finish much earlier than the slowest.
This year the winning 4400 racer, after starting at 3:05 p.m. completed his six laps with an elapsed time of 4 hours, 23 minutes and 14 seconds as he reached the finish line about sunset.
Loren Healy takes the checkered flag as he wins the 4400 Class race.
Climbing out of his racer winner Loren Healy said, “It was a good race, tried to keep a good pace, my game plan going into the race was, ‘don’t get out of the car.’ Because if you have to get out and change a tire you get stuck behind everybody and you’re really in trouble. I came into pit and got fuel then two cars got in front of me for about 10-miles and that was the only time I really had bad dust other than lap traffic.”
Then he thanked his family and all his sponsors like Nitto Tires and of course his crew. Then he climbed on top of his car and sprayed the winner’s champagne.
Loren Healy celebrates his 4400 victory by spraying everyone with champagne.
When the 4400 field of 29 cars was launched Healy was first off the line so he had an initial advantage of clear air. Those behind him would have to deal with the dust.
Starting the second lap he had about an one-minute and a half advantage over then second place Randy Slawson followed by Wayland Campbell, Levi Shirley and Nick Nelson.
By the time the third lap began both Wayland and Bailey Campbell has fallen out of the top five. Later Wayland would retire after losing a wheel and limping into the pits on three wheels.
Now Levi, Nelson and Slawson were second through fourth place while Lealy’s advantage was still holding about just over a minute.
Healy would pit for fuel when he finished the third lap and this put Nelson on point followed by Shirley and Slawson. Once he got his fuel Healy tore out of the pits, quickly ran down the other three and took over first again.
On the final lap, Slawson surrendered second place when mechanical problems stopped him on the lakebed before the finish. That’s when morning winner Jordan Pellegrino, who ended up 12th, stopped and towed Slawson to the finish.
This gave Shirley the runner-up spot while Slawson was being towed. Since a car has to finish under its own power the tow line was removed just before the finish and Slawson was able to take third place, fortunately he had an over 10-minute lead over fourth place Nelson.
Further back Bailey Campbell finished fifth ahead of Brian Caprara and Andrew McLaughlin.
Arriving at the finish line, about seven minutes behind Healy, was runner-up Levi Shirley, who hails from Dodge City, Kansas.
“It was definitely a battle from the start,” he said. “Immediately about lap three I shredded a belt on the motor, had to pull over, change it myself and it took me way longer than I wanted it to. I got passed by Loren at that point and by Slawson as well, gathered my marbles and just kind of like, ‘okay, well I think we’re in fourth place right now and don’t know if we can even come back from this.’
“But I just kept chipping away, half way through the race, once I tossed the belt and Loren got by me at that point I was like no longer in gear to win the race. I was just like to wrap up these national points in this west coast series but I don’t know where that puts me in the west but I want to stay in the first position.”
Then he thanked Maxxis Tires, JW Speaker, Spyder Trax Offroad, Zero Gravity Transmission and the others that have helped him.
Third place was held by a local driver, Randy Slawson from Gardnerville, Nevada.
Gardnerville resident Randy Slawson was the highest place Nevada driver, finishing third in the 4400 race despite mechanical problems.
“This is my hometown race and my co-driver is Dustin Emick, my cousin,” Slawson said after crossing the finish. “We were running second, off and on throughout the day and had it pretty well locked down here, we came onto the last lakebed and the crank pulley just decided to part company with its hub. We lost all the accessories, car overheated, I drove it as far as I could before it just shut own on me.
He stopped on the lake bed but decided not to radio in because the car was losing voltage. Then luck smiled on him.
“The very next car along was Jordan Pellegrino, we waved him down and he was kind enough to tow us across the finish line,” he said.
Then he thanked King Shocks, BFG Tires, Maximum Transmission, CBM Motors, Josh and Tilly Motorsports, Spyder Trax and his business Bomber Fabrication.
The racers all carry what are called “Yellow Bricks,” this allows series boss Dave Cole to track everyone through a satellite system so he knows when a car has stopped on course and where they are. Then someone in the track crew can be sent out to check on the problem and if necessary bring the crew to a safe place.
Due to the heat sometime water was transported out to stranded drivers and if possible they were brought to one of the check stations. And at times when a part was needed, such as bolts or tools one car going through the start/finish area was given those to ferry to the stranded car.
The day actually begins before sunrise when the production based classes are sent off starting at 6 a.m. then an hour later the cars remaining as well as the UTV class are launched starting at 7 a.m.
Brian Behrend is about to get the morning started. He took the green flag at 6 a.m.
The early group only had 14 entries but the second group was much larger. Once again, not matter where a driver starts, the goal is to complete the six laps as soon as possible.
Unlike the 4400 class where the finishing order is based primarily on a driver’s speed, the morning group’s finish is based on a driver’s elapsed time. So someone starting in the second group, like the overall winner, and completed the six laps faster than anyone in the first group earned first overall as well as their class victory.
Right at 6 a.m. the first group, the 4600 class, was launched and leading the charge was Brian Behrend. Since the sun hadn’t come up yet these drivers headed into the night.
Next racer sent on his way was Michael Lee, who won the 4600 class.
After the first 14 cars were sent off there was a lull then the remaining classes would be given the green flag at 30-second intervals. Back on the course the dust was just lieing down and not moving anywhere.
In desert racing the lack of wind provides a challenge for all the drivers so if possible one wants to be in the lead as they’ll have clear air ahead of you.
Finally after a total of five hours, 12 minutes and 14 seconds Jordan Pellegrino took the checkered flag and was first overall in the morning session even though he started in the 7 a.m. group.
Jordan Pellegrino, even though he started at 7 a.m. threw down the quickest elapsed time and won first overall in the morning session as well as the 4500 class.
“My co-driver is Nicolis Fiori. It was good, it was super dusty, super dusty,” Pellegrino said. “There was no breeze the entire day, it was terrible but we just passed where we could. It’s the desert so there are things that sneak up on you but the dust really made it a challenge.”
Then he thanked Genra Off Road, Falcon Tire, KMC Wheels, Magnaflow and all my sponsors.
After getting some rest Pellegrino then climbed back into his racer and drove in the afternoon session. So he competed for 500 miles on this day.
Next to take the checkered flag was Eric Brinker, who also won the 4800 Class victory.
“We won 4800, we’re physically across the line but I’m not sure about corrected time yet,” Brinker said. “The race was good, it was rough and it was dusty, dustier than anything we’ve raced in before. We got lucky often enough to keep going, we hit a couple of big rocks that should have taken out tires but somehow they didn’t. So we’re definitely fortunate for that.”
He and his co-driver Dana Murch are from Alberta, Canada. Bictop, his shop, PSC Steering, PRPC, Fox Shocks, RCB Axel Shafts, Maxxis Tires and Trail Ready Bead Lock Tires.
Next to finish six laps was the racer driven by James Hubbard, who ended up second in the 4800 class.
“The race was good, we started 10th so decent qualifying starting position. First few laps were very dusty, hard to see, really slow speeds. First lap was grueling to say the least, the dust just did not go anywhere, it just stayed in the track. I’m happy we finished it but taking a third overall sounds good.”
His co-driver is Scott Rogers, who also hails from Orangeville, California. Then Hubbard thanked Pro Comp Tires as they’ve supported him for the past four years, Race Line Wheels, Yukon Gear and Axel, Tonnas Sports Bar and Grill and the Tired Lumber Jack Racing Team.
Next to receive the checkered flag was Jade Wickham and he wound up third in the 4800 division.
“I started behind 312 (Eric Brinker) and Hubbard was behind me so it’s going to be close,” he said. “I started out with my brother Kyle then he got sick so we switched and his wife Caylid jumped in the car. The race was awesome, a high speed race, dust was horrible, that was the worst part of it and we had two laps, maybe where we had fresh air.”
Then he thanked his family, his sister-in-law for helping him out, Twisted Monkey’s crew for jumping in and helping in the pits, as well as sponsors such as Factor 55, TMR Custom, Vision X, Team 28 Motorsports for tuning the car and a lot of other people.
Greg Uffens and his co-driver Casey Peoples , drove the winning Class 2900/UTV and took the class title even though problem’s in the car’s rear end slowed them down at the end. They also had a front left flat tire for much of the final lap.
Gret Uffens heads out onto the course. Despite mechanical problems and a left front flat tire he got on the final lap, he drove to victory in the 4900/UTV Class.
“The race was pretty good, lots and lots of dust but we tried to maintain speed and keep pushing,” Uffens said. “We had an issue in the rear and we got a flat and that started probably about mile 15 on the last lap. That put us about 30 miles an hour off the pace, but we just kept moving.”
He wanted to give special thanks to No Limits and Incognito for their help, Concrete North, Arial Lift and his crew and team.
Now everyone heads home to either repair the damage and/or prepare their machines for the final race of the season; the Nitto Tire Nationals at Wild West Motorsports Park located off I-80 east of Sparks, Nevada. For further information on the series please check their website at, www.ultra4racing.com.
REPORTER’S NOTE: There is a photo gallery after the results.
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RESULTS:
Ultra 4 PCI Radios Fallon 250
Salt Wells Nevada – Sept 2
+ 4400 Class: 1. Loren Healy, 4:23:14, 2. Levi Shirley, 4:30:11, 3. Randy Slawson, 4:38:17, 4. Nick Nelson, 4:52:35, 5. Bailey Campbell, 4:58:02, 6. Brian Caprara, 7. Andrew McLaughlin, 8. Shannon Campbell, 9. Mike Bou, 10. Eric Miramon, 11. Matthew McCowan, 12. Jordan Pellegrino, 13. Alex Wacker, 14. George Pronesti, 15. Shane Chiddix, 16. Bill Bowen, 17. Hunter Sparrow, 18. Jeremy Brown, 19. Cody Addington, 20. Jeremy Ealand, 21. Don Fisher, 22. Kevin Yoder, 23. Jake Yeoman, 24. Rawlin McGhie.
+ Not Classified: Rod Kaven, Brendon Thompson, Sam Collins, Jimmy Haughy, Edwin Adb, Justin Foxworthy, Michael Trebino, John Picken, Manno Fabrio, Wayland Campbell, Shane Christofferson, Ryan Stambaugh, Joe     Hutchins, Craig Allen, Jared Palant, Brian Tilton.
+ DNS: Mark Nicholson, Troy Stone, Dustin Sexton, Matt Thorson, Kenneth Goodall, Matt Trebino, Darren Henke, Matt Neiman, Tom Wayes, Jason Blanton, Keenan Leatherwood.
+ 4500 Class: 1. Jordan Pellegrino, 5:12:14, 2. Dustyn Friesen, 5:38:45, 3. Shawn Rants, 5:41:28, 4. Darin Doucette, 5:49:04, 5. Mike Bedwell, 6:01:37, 6. Jimmy Jack, 7. John Grounds, 8. John Mathews, 9. Bryan Crofts, 10. Beverly Croy, 11. Sean McBride, 12. Sean McBride, 13. Morgan Derodeff.
+ Not Classified: Justin Hall, Victor Fontana, Marty Mann.
+ 4600 Class: 1. Michael Lee, 5:59:03, 2. Ben Varozza, 6:58:22, 3. Nathan Creer, 7:23:47, 4. David Ball, 7:53:24, 5. Albert Contreras, 7:58:34, 6. Sean McNamara, 7. Joshua Bacsi, 8. Bill Schultz, 9. Brian Behrend, 10. Brian Hays.
DNS: Cody Daley.
+ 4800 Class: 1. Eric Brinker, 5:23:44, 2. James Hubbard, 5:27:51, 3. Kyle/Jade Wickham, 5:31:38, 4. Jason Bunch, 5:37:32, 5. Jeren Gunter, 5:45:14, 6. Andy Brown, 7. Sean Leonardini, 8. Shane Smith, 9. Steve Graff, 10. Chace     Rodd, 11. John Jordan, 12. Cade Rodd, 13. Matt Murphy, 14. Cole Bailey, 15. Justin Day, 15. Anthony Arreola.
DNF: Ross Clavew, Jesse Lee, Shawn Smith.
DNS: Atanas Mihaylov, Chris Ashton, Richard Fenton.
+ 4900/UTV: 1. Greg Uffens, 5:30:10, 2. Casey Scherer, 5:38:37, 3. George Lisenbery, 5:43:42, 4. Shannon Campbell, 5:54:06, 5. Phil Cagliero, 5:56:23, 6. Paul Broughton, 7. Bryan Price, 8. Bill Hermant, 9. Jason Pruyn, 10. Randy Ryckebosch, 11. George Heffington, 12. Randy Adams, 13. Rick Markley, 14. Craig Honnoll, 15. Jed Willis, 16. Logan Goodall.
DNF: Matt Lippman.
DNS: Sean Stroud, Pauly Hart, Brian Powell
+ Class 10: 1. Ryan Sargent, 5:47:48.
DNF: Bill Minteer.
+ Group T: 1. David Ackles, 5:36:03, 2. Scott Wooden, 5:46:25, 3. Matt Taylor, 6:54:30, 4. Justin Radford, 3:37:00, 5. Travis McCalla, 5:55:18, 6. Dylan Heiser, 17. Russ Hall.
PHOTO GALLERY:
