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Ultra4 race where Matt has driven in the UTV class but after attending the Mint as spectators in 2016, it quickly moved to the top of our list and this was the year to do it. Our chariot would be a rear-wheel drive street-bike powered buggy that I had picked up previously as a Craigslist special. It needed work when I brought it home but the price was right and now, two years later, I had a team of my closest friends committing to help prepare it for what is infamously known as one of the most challenging off-road race courses in the United States. Multiple laps around a 116-mile loop of jagged rocks, deep silt, and cactus will take its toll on any vehicle regardless of whether it’s a stock VW Bug or a million-dollar trick truck. This race is a battle of attrition and for us, our �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� in a respectable time. Following a non-stop three day haul across the country, we pulled into Las Vegas on Tuesday before the Saturday race and as expected, the week disappeared in an instant. Between the parade up the Vegas Strip, shock tuning, and the technical inspection process, there was just enough time to wash down a few tacos with a couple beers and get a brief taste of the Vegas nightlife. Friday brought with it some unexpected delays at tech so it ended up being midnight by the time we arrived at main pit. With lineup just 4 hours away, I tried to catch what little sleep I could through a strong case of pre-race jitters while the crew rallied to wrap up any last minute items on the buggy. Just before 7 o’clock the next morning, Matt and I found ourselves on the start line of the Mint 400. My heart was pounding. Starting just a few rows behind us were trick truck drivers including Voss, Steele, and Sourapas. For them, this was a pre-run for the afternoon’s unlimited race but for us, this was everything. This was months of staying up late in the garage every night after work. This was using up my two �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� a dream. We were coming into an unlimited desert racing class on a grassroots budget with a vehicle valued less than what many of these teams spent on prep for this race alone. Life was happening and it was right here, right now. FEATURE 51


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