Jones Motorsports takes 2nd Overall and 2nd Trick Truck at BITD Henderson Desert Classic
After a victorious 1st place at the Silver State 300 in September, Jones Motorsports set out to the Nevada desert for the BITD Henderson Desert Classic in search of another win.
Jesse Jones qualified 2nd in class and 6th overall in Time Trials Thursday in the #76 Geiser built Trick Truck. Happy with his qualifying position Jones noted, "The qualifying course is a buggy course, but the race course Saturday will be one for the trucks."
Jones decided to use the 630 Horsepower spare motor with Vegas to Reno and Silver State under its belt in the truck for the final race of the year. While not expecting too much out of the backup motor, the team was optimistic with the trucks capabilities in the rough Nevada desert. "It's a rough course out in Jean and where my motor may lack in the flat areas, that truck can make up for in the rough." To Jones surprise, the course had been bladed and was flat and silty in areas where 4 foot tall whoop sections once stood.
Jones ran a fast and consistent pace and by the end of the 1st lap had worked his way from 6th to 4th physically on the race course. By lap 3, Jones was in 3rd place. The truck began having electrical issues and would lose Communications and GPS power intermittently for the remainder of the race. "The course was extremely dusty and without GPS or my co-drivers help, it was difficult to run as fast as we had been the first half of the race," commented Jones. On 4th and final lap, Jones got a flat tire before his for his scheduled pit stop for fuel. Andy McMillin left pit 1 as Jones was pulling in for his tire change and fuel. When Jones left pit 1, the two Trick Trucks were almost dead even on corrected time. Jones pushed hard to catch up to Andy and stay within the 1 minute 30 seconds he needed to win the race overall. Racing hard through the blinding dust and passing slower cars on this 60 mile, 4 lap loop race, Jones got another flat tire before Pit 2. A quick change by the pit crew kept them in the race, but it was now getting dark and the electrical issues took out the top light bar. Earlier in the race, the dust had caused a minor crash into the back of Householder's Class 1500 Buggy and now Jones had to race his way to the finish with only ONE light left.
Jones and co-driver Tyler Lauchner cautiously but quickly made it into the finish line, but came in 3 minutes and seven seconds behind the overall winner, Andy McMillin for a 2nd place overall and 2nd in Trick Truck class finish.
"This was a very, very dusty race," stated Jones. "With the exception of some electrical problems, we had a great day with no major mechanical issues. Driving through the dust and getting caught behind slower cars was a real problem for the leaders out there today. The team did a great job and I'm super happy with our 2nd place finish. Andy is a fantastic driver and has proven himself as the guy to beat right now!"
Even though it was less than a 4 hour race, Jones had been racing all day. The race was separated into two groups, a 7:00am race and a 1:00pm race for the faster vehicles. Trick Truck driver Jesse Jones spent Saturday morning as pit support for friend and fellow desert racer Tony Modica who also had a light support crew for this race. Modica and co-driver Terence Rulon rolled the car 7 times. Second co-driver Jimmy Spyrs got in the roof-less ∏ 1600 car and raced to a 5th place finish for 3rd in the championship. After their morning race, they came to support the Jones Motorsports team at Pit 1.
Jones Motorsports will be racing the entire BITD series next year in the Trick Truck class. Keep an eye out for Jones in his Unlimited 2 at the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and don't be surprised to see Trophy Truck #76 at SCORE races next year!
Jones Motorsports would like to thank Geiser Brothers, Fox Racing Shox and BFGoodrich Tires. For more information about Jones Motorsports, visit our website at www.jones-motorsports.com.
