There's an age-old saying about how sizzling the summers are in Parker,
Ariz.
It goes like this: "It gets so hot, the people who live there have to turn
on their heaters to cool off."
So, you'll have to excuse Randy Merritt if he snickers a bit while reading
the pre-race notes for the 2007 TSCO Vegas to Reno off-road race.
That's because, note No. 44 states, "Be prepared for hot weather in Las
Vegas ... "
The way Merritt and his Mongo Racing Team see it, this will be more like a
vacation for them, after spending the summer at home in Parker, where the
mercury has hovered in the 114-degree range on a daily basis, with humidity
in the neighborhood of 60 percent.
"We'll be glad to get out of here and go anywhere where it's cooler,"
said Merritt with a laugh as he prepared for the race, the third on the
Best in the Desert Racing Association championship schedule. He enters the
race, which is billed as the longest race in the United States, as the
defending champion in Class 8100 (stock full trucks).
Merritt is also the defending overall Class 8100 champion.
The 2007 race is scheduled to begin Friday (Aug. 24) outside Pahrump, Nev.,
located approximately 60 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The finish line is
559.3 miles away, outside Reno.
A year ago, Merritt drove the Goodyear-shod, Mongo Racing KC HiLites Ford
F-150 to the win in 13 hours, two minutes, 13 seconds. He beat his nearest
competitor in class by a scant 40 seconds, and finished 28th overall.
The race proved the be the turning point in Merritt's drive to the 2006
class driving championship, vaulting him to the top of the point standings,
where he remained for the remainder of the season.
He's hoping to have the same good fortune in 2007. Entering the race he is
tied for the lead in points with Hummer driver Chad Hall.
"This is the race where we made a statement last year," said Merritt. "I
hope we can do it again this year."
It's been a busy summer for Merritt and his team. They are coming off a win
in the Terrible's Town 250 in April, in which "the truck was beat up real
bad," said Merritt.
"So it was a good thing we had a long break between races."
Merritt also spent some time behind the wheel of the Kreg Donahoe monster
Ford Super Duty at the SNORE KC HiLites Midnight Special in El Dorado
Valley, Nev., outside Las Vegas at the end of June.
The purpose was to get Merritt familiar with Donahoe's truck, in preparation
for the 2007 SCORE Baja 1000, in which Donahoe is expected to share the
driving duty with Merritt.
"I guess you could say we've been busy," said Merritt.
"But we'll be ready. The whole Mongo Racing Team has put in a lot of time
and sweat, and I do mean sweat, to get the truck prepped and ready to go.
All I say can now is, we've done as much as we can do.
"With a race this long and this challenging ahead of us, all we can hope for
now is a little luck to be on our side when we leave the starting line."
We would like to thank our Sponsors:
Ford trucks, KCHiliTES, Goodyear, Swayaway, F&M Baldenegro farms,
JDsquare, Borla, Race Craft, Donahoe, True Flow, Bodyline, Chase Cam
Raceline Tires and Autofab.
--Ariz.
It goes like this: "It gets so hot, the people who live there have to turn
on their heaters to cool off."
So, you'll have to excuse Randy Merritt if he snickers a bit while reading
the pre-race notes for the 2007 TSCO Vegas to Reno off-road race.
That's because, note No. 44 states, "Be prepared for hot weather in Las
Vegas ... "
The way Merritt and his Mongo Racing Team see it, this will be more like a
vacation for them, after spending the summer at home in Parker, where the
mercury has hovered in the 114-degree range on a daily basis, with humidity
in the neighborhood of 60 percent.
"We'll be glad to get out of here and go anywhere where it's cooler,"
said Merritt with a laugh as he prepared for the race, the third on the
Best in the Desert Racing Association championship schedule. He enters the
race, which is billed as the longest race in the United States, as the
defending champion in Class 8100 (stock full trucks).
Merritt is also the defending overall Class 8100 champion.
The 2007 race is scheduled to begin Friday (Aug. 24) outside Pahrump, Nev.,
located approximately 60 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The finish line is
559.3 miles away, outside Reno.
A year ago, Merritt drove the Goodyear-shod, Mongo Racing KC HiLites Ford
F-150 to the win in 13 hours, two minutes, 13 seconds. He beat his nearest
competitor in class by a scant 40 seconds, and finished 28th overall.
The race proved the be the turning point in Merritt's drive to the 2006
class driving championship, vaulting him to the top of the point standings,
where he remained for the remainder of the season.
He's hoping to have the same good fortune in 2007. Entering the race he is
tied for the lead in points with Hummer driver Chad Hall.
"This is the race where we made a statement last year," said Merritt. "I
hope we can do it again this year."
It's been a busy summer for Merritt and his team. They are coming off a win
in the Terrible's Town 250 in April, in which "the truck was beat up real
bad," said Merritt.
"So it was a good thing we had a long break between races."
Merritt also spent some time behind the wheel of the Kreg Donahoe monster
Ford Super Duty at the SNORE KC HiLites Midnight Special in El Dorado
Valley, Nev., outside Las Vegas at the end of June.
The purpose was to get Merritt familiar with Donahoe's truck, in preparation
for the 2007 SCORE Baja 1000, in which Donahoe is expected to share the
driving duty with Merritt.
"I guess you could say we've been busy," said Merritt.
"But we'll be ready. The whole Mongo Racing Team has put in a lot of time
and sweat, and I do mean sweat, to get the truck prepped and ready to go.
All I say can now is, we've done as much as we can do.
"With a race this long and this challenging ahead of us, all we can hope for
now is a little luck to be on our side when we leave the starting line."
We would like to thank our Sponsors:
Ford trucks, KCHiliTES, Goodyear, Swayaway, F&M Baldenegro farms,
JDsquare, Borla, Race Craft, Donahoe, True Flow, Bodyline, Chase Cam
Raceline Tires and Autofab.
Randy Merritt
Mongo Racing
www.mongoracing.com
928 210-9972 Cell
928 669-2796 Home
KC HiLiTES are the best forget the rest!!
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