After reeling from the intense heat of SCORE's Henderson 250, desert racers returned to the Nevada/California border to do battle once again. Although the Henderson 250 and Primm 300 are held in the same general area, the two share only a dozen of their miles. Primm, Nevada, was first named in 1996 and is perhaps best known for the collection of thrilling, high-speed, looping roller coasters that punctuate the casinos of Primm.
Desert racers, however, prefer to bring their own thrill rides in the form of Trophy Trucks, Protrucks, Class 8 "heavy metal" trucks, and the smaller Class 7 midsize and mini-trucks. They prefer their own style of gambling, betting that their vehicles and teams can outlast the Nevada desert and other competitors alike.
Five 63-mile laps awaited off-road gamblers on the crisp September morning. Rain visited the area a few weeks earlier, offering some relief from intense dust clouds on race day. Yes, the dust would still rise to clog air filters and block visibility, but at minimized levels. The Primm 300 weekend was perfect for desert racing.
The Primm 300 is scheduled late in the season, giving race teams a chance to test their mettle one last time before shoving off for the Baja 1000. A good showing at Primm builds confidence for the 1000.
When the minimized dust finally settled, off-road gamblers Tim and Ed Herbst emerged victorious. They took both the overall win and the Trophy Truck class win. Tim explained their winning combination: "For the second straight race, the combination of our new experimental 39-inch BFGoodrich tires and less weight on the truck has done the job for us. Ed and I are becoming more and more confident in this truck, and Mike Smith preps so incredibly well. This race was the first time in four or five years that we've had a vehicle perform this perfectly."
Confidence indeed.
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Motocross fans may remember John DeSoto, aka "The Flyin' Hawaiian." That title could be transferred to Honolulu's Alan "Pfearless" Pflueger. Alan, a Honda and Yamaha motorcycle dealer, racks up the airline miles as he travels from his Honolulu, Hawaii, home to desert racing venues across the Southwest and in Baja. At Primm, Protruck number 255 sported new graphics, but kept an old Pflueger tradition alive -- winning. Alan took home the Protruck victory, beating all but four Trophy Trucks in the process. Look for Pflueger Racing to beat the rest of the Trophy Trucks soon; Porter Racecars completed construction of Alan's new Trophy Truck and testing has begun. Alan calls on the talents of crew chief John Hoffman and navigator Mike Emerson to ensure off-road victory. | 
This was the view that Las Vegas brothers Tim and Ed Herbst served their competitors at Primm. Ed, 42, drove the first three laps and handed the helm to Tim, 40, who took the big red TT through the last two. Brian Collins, another Las Vegas local, led the opening laps, but suffered a hub failure that cost him the lead. Terrible's Trophy Truck took the lead on Lap 4 and never looked back. The Trophy Truck was built by Mike Smith Fabrication of Huntington Beach, California. The front control arms cycle through 22 inches of travel, damped by Smith-built coilover and bypass shocks. In the rear, Smith-built shocks control 30 inches of suspension movement. While those travel numbers aren't revolutionary, the TT's four-wheel-drive system is a big departure from the norm. Conventional desert racing wisdom says that four-wheel drive adds weight and complexity to a vehicle -- more things to break. Team Herbst commented, "Currently, it seems to be equal to or better (than two-wheel drive), depending on the terrain. In sandy washes and silt beds, four-wheel drive offers a definite advantage." Team Herbst also uses experimental 39-inch BFG project tires, which are returned to BFG after each race. | 
While Trophy Trucks and Protrucks are purpose-built racing machines, Class 8 trucks share something in common with that fullsize pickup that's in your driveway: the framerails. Built using a stock fullsize pickup truck as a starting point, Class 8 trucks have been around for decades. The latest suspension technology is not lost on SCORE's "heavy metal" class contenders. Dave Sykes' Chevy Silverado takes advantage of center-mounted front control arms, a four-link rear suspension, and coilover and bypass shock combinations. Sykes, who teams up with Dave Westhem and Tony MacCormack, took number 805 through the Southern Nevada desert at an average speed of 54 mph. If you doubt that's fast, consider this: The course included deep, rolling whoops; washouts; rocks; and dust. Carrying speed through such terrain requires long-travel suspension, a healthy engine, and an even healthier dose of bravado. If you're still not impressed, Sykes's average speed was only slightly off the Herbst brothers' winning average of 63 mph. Truck number 805 won Class 8 and came in 15th overall. |