RPM OFFROAD takes 2nd place in the 40th annual Baja 500. This years race was a long hard fought battle with race speeds from 10 mph to speeds of over 90mph. The 2008 Baja 500 featured 289 starters, including 150 cars and trucks and 139 motorcycles and ATVs. There were a total of 195 finishers, the third most in the event’s 40-year history, for an impressive finishing percentage.
The number of entrants was down significantly from last year's all-time high 492 starters. Some blamed fuel prices but most spoke about the dramatic increase in crime and violence in Northern Mexico since last year's Baja 1000, when many vehicles were broken into or stolen.
Starting the race behind the steering wheel was Clyde Stacey with Michael Powell co-driving. Starting the race in last position makes it very difficult to move up because of the pile-ups, wrecks, traps, and dust yet Stacey and Powell powered the Dodge Ram Cummins powered 2500 into 3rd position by race mile 37. Soon thereafter RPM encountered their first problems of the race with a flat tire and broken wheel to do a high speed collision with a boulder in a rock bed. The tire and wheel were replaced in less than 15 minutes yet the RPM crew was pushed back to 4th position during the repairs but was able to recapture 3rd place by race mile 78. While trying to make up much needed time Stacy and Powell pushed the truck until hitting a trap that was a large deep ravine which ended with destroying another wheel, tire, and two lower control arms. The team made the necessary repairs but had to wait for the chase truck to arrive with spare tires and control arms before they could get back into the race. With the long downtime RPM was pushed back to 5th place and running far behind schedule. Facing the the most difficult part of the race the summit which is a barren solid rock cliff rising to 5500 feet elevation they knew it was going to be a close race with time running out. With precision driving by Stacy and perfect navigating by Powell they were able to move back up to 3rd place before the driver change at race mile 206 in Cerro Borrgeo. After a long hard day, Stacy and Powell reached their pit stop/driver change in less that 10 minutes which was taken up by fuel fill, and truck inspection.
The new crew of Justin Matney driving, Joe Aylor co-driving and , Jereme Miltier navigating took control of the truck and headed into the desert night. Still far behind schedule Matney and his crew pushed the truck to the limit through the desert night making up some lost time until at race mile 246. Soon after the coolant fan module shorted out and caused the water temperature to rise over 250 degrees. The race team was forced to stop and rewire the cooling fans before heading west to the coast. With the 4th place team closing in fast, the RPM crew quickly pulled away from them and was after the 2nd place position which was more than 30 miles ahead of us.
As RPM continued flawless driving and exact direction from Aylor and Miltier they were able to pass Griffin at race mile 350 which was last years Stock Full class champion. After running the bottom section with zero problems and heading back north up the coast they were running fast and smooth yet had one more fuel stop planned at mile marker 370. With a splash and go fuel stop RPM was back on the course and on schedule to finish 2nd if they continued their fast pace and had no problems. Six miles from the pit stop they broke a left rear leaf spring, the spring could not be repaired and time was short so Matney and crew continued the race maintaining race speeds. Matney says " Once the spring broke we new we could continue and kept pushing the truck even though it broke through the bed of the truck". With RPM refusing to to slow down and even picking up speed as dawn was approaching they new time would be close. As the sun came up an exhausted Matney, Aylor, and Miltier crossed the finish line with a solid 2nd place finish in the 40th annual Baja 500.
After the race Justin Matney owner of RPM OFFROAD said "we have never had so many problems in a race but I am pleased that we were able to make repairs and pull out a 2nd place finish. I want to thank our chase crew members for such a great job, Blaine Kilby, Charlie Holbrook, Ron Moore, Patrick Nowisky and Mike Dowell. This 2nd place finish was a total team effort. The whole RPM OFFROAD team proudly took the podium for their 2nd place trophy. This year RPM OFFROAD has finished 3rd, 4th, and 2nd in the SCORE racing series. Right now RPM OFFROAD is 2nd in the points and is pushing for a points championship for the 2008 season. The broken parts list for this race includes 2 tires, 2 wheels, 2 lower control arms, and a broken leaf spring.
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