Team OTSFF/MOTUL takes on the Vegas to Reno Best in the Desert Race

 

 (Brampton, ON – August 23, 2018)     On Friday, August 17th Team OTSFF/MOTUL ripped up the desert in the Best In The Desert Racing Association’s 22nd running of the “Vegas to Reno” off road race. At approximately 550 miles, the storied event qualifies as the longest off-road race in the United States, traversing some of the most unforgiving desert in the world, including dry lakebeds, tight, twisty sand washes, and the high elevations of the mountains. The vistas are staggeringly beautiful, but only for Sunday drivers. When you race a purpose-built 6100 Spec Trophy class truck in a competition that includes other trucks, dune-buggies, UTVs, ATVs, and motorcycles, there is no time for sightseeing.

The team, consisting of owner/driver Andre Laurin, Adam Fitza Team Manager Builder, co-driver Pierre Paquette; and navigators Rob Natceli, Joel Basarab and David Zukowski, successfully accomplished what they set out to do: finish the gruelling race. Not only did the team finish, they recorded a noteworthy 14th place in the Spec Trophy class and 83rd overall. When looking at the big picture of 315 entries, of which 114 didn’t finish, Team OTSFF/MOTUL can look back on a spectacular day of racing in a sporting event that requires an overabundance of a driver’s and navigator’s physical, intellectual, and emotional reserve.

Laurin was the man behind the wheel at the start of the race, which saw the Team OTSFF/MOTUL truck set off in 20th position in the Spec Trophy class. By Race Mile 100, pouring on the gas, Laurin was in seventh place. Unfortunately, around Mile 140, the truck flew off a washout, dropping substantially into the sand below. Although the truck didn’t flip over or cartwheel, it did receive substantial damage to the frontend.

This included a ripped off front bumper – housing the RIGID lights bar – and the hood. The rear bumper was considerably bent as well as far as visible damage went. After assessing the situation and relieved that the truck was still race-worthy, Laurin took off again for a stop at Pit 4, which was located at Mile 158 in Goldfield, NV. Team crew chief and truck builder Adam Fitza was there waiting for Laurin to arrive.

Fitza manned one of the team’s three support chase trucks that drove on the highway to Pit Stop destinations, which were confirmed ahead of time through constant radio contact between the race truck and crew. After refueling the thirsty gas tank, and carefully inspecting the truck for damage, Fitza discovered two hairline cracks in the upper control arms, which were welded up. The crew of Hyper Off Road – whose truck was not ready in time to enter the race – assisted the team to get the OTSFF/Motul truck back into the fray.

At this point co-driver Pierre Paquette took over the wheel, driving the truck problem free to Pit 9, where Laurin was waiting to take over driving duties again. Before resuming the race, however, the crew installed a RIGID lightbar on top of the cab’s roof. With the sun going down, some critical night driving was on the agenda. At Pit 14, which was reached at top speed, Paquette got behind the wheel again. He would diligently take the truck to the finish line through some of roughest, sloped rocky terrain the course had to offer. Another race was over and done with for OTSFF/MOTUL. Not surprisingly, everybody concerned is already looking forward to the next challenge, which will be the Method Race Wheels Laughlin Desert Classic Present by Polaris in Laughlin, Nevada, October 11 thru 14, 2018

This included a ripped off front bumper – housing the RIGID lights bar – and the hood. The rear bumper was considerably bent as well as far as visible damage went. After assessing the situation and relieved that the truck was still race-worthy, Laurin took off again for a stop at Pit 4, which was located at Mile 158 in Goldfield, NV. Team crew chief and truck builder Adam Fitza was there waiting for Laurin to arrive.

Fitza manned one of the team’s three support chase trucks that drove on the highway to Pit Stop destinations, which were confirmed ahead of time through constant radio contact between the race truck and crew. After refueling the thirsty gas tank, and carefully inspecting the truck for damage, Fitza discovered two hairline cracks in the upper control arms, which were welded up. The crew of Hyper Off Road – whose truck was not ready in time to enter the race – assisted the team to get the OTSFF/Motul truck back into the fray.

At this point co-driver Pierre Paquette took over the wheel, driving the truck problem free to Pit 9, where Laurin was waiting to take over driving duties again. Before resuming the race, however, the crew installed a RIGID lightbar on top of the cab’s roof. With the sun going down, some critical night driving was on the agenda. At Pit 14, which was reached at top speed, Paquette got behind the wheel again. He would diligently take the truck to the finish line through some of roughest, sloped rocky terrain the course had to offer. Another race was over and done with for OTSFF/MOTUL. Not surprisingly, everybody concerned is already looking forward to the next challenge, which will be the Method Race Wheels Laughlin Desert Classic Present by Polaris in Laughlin, Nevada, October 11 thru 14, 2018

Andre Laurin (principal driver): Going into Vegas to Reno was a bit intimidating for me, as I had never taken part in an epic race like that, populated with a lot of the top drivers in off-road desert competition who have a lot of experience. You tend to overthink things when you’re in that kind of company. So rule number on is that you just be yourself and give it your best shot. I just shut the uncertainties and intimidation factors down once I got to Vegas. I know how to drive race cars. But being from Canada I don’t get to do this desert kind of racing a lot. It’s only my third year and a handful of races, so you could say compared to the regulars of the series I’m still a greenhorn. Some of the mistakes I make sure make me feel like that sometimes. Every race is a learning experience. I did quite a bit of practice driving back in Ontario, with my Yamaha YXZ1000, which has helped build my off-road confidence. But there is no substitute for the real thing of desert racing. You can’t replicate that in Ontario. Once I got the green light in Vegas I felt more comfortable than ever. The truck was awesome! But I expect no less from Adam, who is the consummate builder. Everything functioned superbly, considering the mechanical abuse of off-road racing.

Pierre Paquette (co-driver): This was my third race with Team OTSFF/MOTUL and it just seems to get better each time out. The Vegas to Reno was an awesome experience. Really top notch. It was a fast race, hitting speeds of up to ninety-three miles per hour. Compared to pavement racing that may seem slow, but through unforgiving desert terrain that’s flying. Of course, there were also slower sections like the rocky final stretch, where we crawled ahead at speeds of no more than fifteen miles an hour. And this mainly to avoid getting a flat tire or breaking a part on the truck that has already suffered from the beating it got but stayed intact somehow. Adam really does a great job building these race trucks and our sponsors provide us with parts and equipment that is second to none. The Toyo tires worked wonderful too. I’m quite impressed by those. You can have the best racing machine on the course, but it’s only as good as its tires. And, of course, you have to be able to rely on competent pit crews. We are fortunate to have some of the best in the business.

David Zukowski (navigator): This was my first experience as a navigator in a Spec Trophy class truck and it was something I had always wanted to do. I’ve done quite a bit of cross-country snowmobiling but desert racing is like the polar opposite of that. It’s hot, it’s dusty and you hang on for all you’re worth while making sure your driver stay on course.

Adam Fitza (builder): I was very happy with the performance of the truck and the drivers who got it to the finish line. As a builder you know that anything can happen to your vehicle at any time, unforeseen things that will take you out of the race. To get through over five hundred miles of really rough Nevada desert, getting the living daylights beat out of the truck, you feel a sense of accomplishment just finishing the race.”

Bryan Gysby (Power Sports National Sales Manager for Flowmaster): We at Flowmaster are very pleased and excited to be involved with Team OTSFF/MOTUL as their exhaust system supplier. The team is bringing a fresh approach to the desert racing series by proactively branding and marketing the team and its sponsors. They are as excited and confident about the future possibilities of the sport as we are at Flowmaster.

Team OTSFF/MOTUL would like to thank all the individuals and companies for the invaluable support that helped make our participation in the “Vegas to Reno” possible. You guys are awesome! See you all in Laughlin in October.