Chevrolet Silverado Prerunner - Features

After high school, I worked at a construction job for three days," Evan Evans recently told OR. "Three days of digging ditches and loading scraps into a dumpster, and I decided that working as a racer might be a better way to go. I had to start from the bottom, though. I couldn't work for my dad. It's not that we're so different, it's that we're too much alike."

Rather than butt heads with racer and father Walker Evans, Evan learned the ropes at other teams' shops. The trail began with a two-year stay working for Kim Klepper, who built the Charlotte Corral Class 8 Ford that Ivan Stewart drove before Toyota hired the Ironman. Larry Minor was Evan's next boss, and Evan was mentored by Jon Nelson (later of Nelson & Nelson racing fame) while working for Minor. "As a kid, you're impatient. You want everything now," says Evan. "I wanted to drive and build trucks, and my dad wanted me to sweep the shop floor. I wasn't getting where I wanted to be as fast as I wanted to get there. I thought I knew everything. Later, I found out that Dad knew everything all along. My biggest thrill today is that my dad is my biggest moral supporter."

Chevrolet Silverado Rear Passenger Side View

Although the story of the father-and-son drama is not a rarity, life changed dramatically for both Walker and Evan on a fateful day in 1989. Evan mounted his dirt bike and took off through a familiar area. Unbeknownst to Evan, a construction company had dug a trench and left no markers or barriers around the hazard. Evan hit the unexpected ditch hard and woke up in the hospital. "I woke up and saw my dad looking down at me. He had a tear in his eye when he said, 'Son, it doesn't look good. It looks like you might be paralyzed.'" Sometimes, adversity builds character. This time, adversity revealed what was already inside. Evan promptly replied, "We can put hand controls on the truck, can't we?" That November, Evan successfully raced the Baja 1000 in his Class 6 truck, now fit with hand controls. "I never went through the self-pity stage after my accident -- I just didn't have time to sit around and say, 'poor Evan.'"

Today, Evan Evans is in the thick of the CORR Pro-2 Championship wars and is an inspiration to others who have been set back by injuries or disabilities. Still, he cautions, "I'm good at this because I'm passionate about it, not because I'm in a wheelchair. When people with disabilities ask me what they should do, I don't advise them getting into racing. Instead, I tell them to find something they're passionate about, and go after that."

Chevrolet Silverado Front Passenger Side View Long Shot

Evan still loves desert racing, but finds the short courses of CORR are better for him and for the fans. "I don't want to seem negative about desert racing, but there's no money in it. Just the same, there's something about running wide open across the desert that's hard to explain. CORR is off-road racing's best-kept secret. The fans can see 98 percent of the race and go get a hot dog and a beer and sit with their families. The fans don't have to drive to remote places, then wait for hours to see their favorite racers go by. For me, it means that the fans can see my truck race almost the whole time, which makes it much easier for me to attract sponsors. Another advantage is that if I need it, help is there immediately at the CORR races. That makes my family feel more at ease when I'm out there racing."

Chevrolet Silverado Driver Side Door And Forward

Spend some time with Evan Evans and you'll discover a racer who's come to terms with his life and is comfortable talking about it. "You can ask me anything," he invites. As the afternoon waned during our photo shoot, several locals motored over to the dirt area where we were busy taking action and portrait photos. The aroma of two-stroke dirt bike exhaust wafted on the breeze, accompanied by the ring-ding-ding of aftermarket expansion chambers. "That's music to my ears," Evan exclaimed without a hint of bitterness.

There's still a place where the friendliness fades, though. Line up against Evan on a CORR Pro-2 starting grid, and the kid gloves are off. "Go ahead and try to mess with me on the race track. I'll line up against anyone, anywhere." We've been warned.

Like its pilot, Evan's CORR Pro-2 Chevy Silverado spends most of the season perched in the transporter or flying around the fender-to-fender tracks of the CORR circuit. We caught both driver and driven at home in Riverside, California, after a hard-fought racing season. Evans built the space-frame truck in-house, with help from a variety of sponsors. "Companies were reluctant to sponsor me at first," Evan recalls. "When Chevrolet signed on, that broke the ice, and other companies were eager to sponsor me after that." Veteran fabricator Nye Frank laid the foundation by helping to craft the basic chassis. The 1-3/4-inch 4130 chrome-moly tubing was fused together one painstaking TIG-weld at a time. After the metallic skeleton's outline was completed, Evan changed a few things to his liking and finished the truck. Tubing, tabs, and brackets found their places and were soon filled with race-worthy componentry. Build time was about five months from start to start-up.
Like its pilot, Evan's CORR Pro-2 Chevy Silverado spends most of the season perched in the
A vertical bandsaw and hydraulic tubing bender are among the tools that await the call of fabrication duty. Evan also keeps sheetmetal equipment such as a shear, bending brake, and bead roller on hand for panel work.
A vertical bandsaw and hydraulic tubing bender are among the tools that await the call of

A torch-mounted amperage control lets Evan TIG-weld without needing a foot pedal. "I have a full-service shop, with the capability to build a complete truck." He plans on adding square footage so that one area can be dedicated to fabrication, with a separate space focused solely on prep. Separating the fabrication and prep areas will do more than merely add breathing room. Fabrication is often a dirty job that creates dust and scraps -- things that should stay far away from drivetrain and suspension internals.
A torch-mounted amperage control lets Evan TIG-weld without needing a foot pedal. "I have
A heavily braced Chrisman housing is filled with monster-size gun-drilled axleshafts that turn the drive plates of the full-floating rear axle assembly. The overkill axle strength is called on regularly when the truck lands with all its weight on one of the rear corners. A 10-1/2-inch Precision ring gear is bolted to a full spool that permanently locks both wheels together for maximum traction on the slippery Midwestern courses. The Precision Gear ratio is 6.20:1. Rear suspension travel is held at the CORR-mandated limit of 20 inches.
A heavily braced Chrisman housing is filled with monster-size gun-drilled axleshafts that
To create big suspension travel while maintaining a sensible track width, the control-arm mounts are placed far inboard. "This chassis is the sister truck to the Pro-4 F-150 that Nye Frank built for Rob MacCachren," Evan reveals. As originally configured, the forward control-arm mounts were so far to the front that they actually limited the turning radius. Evan pulled the mounts back a bit so that his truck could negotiate sharper curves. Since Evan plans to jump into the Pro-4 wars in future seasons, this truck will serve as a jumping-off point when fabrication begins. The current field of Pro-4 competitors is fairly narrow, although deeply laden with talented drivers such as Curt LeDuc and Carl Renezeder. There's clearly room for fast guys like Evan Evans to jump into the Pro-4 fray. Why bother with Pro-4? Simple. It's the premier CORR class.
To create big suspension travel while maintaining a sensible track width, the control-arm

During a desert race, a spare tire or two can spell the difference between motoring victoriously across the finish line and waiting out the hours until a chase crew can arrive with airtight rubber. CORR contests are so short that there's no time to change a flat, hence the lack of a spare tire at the stern of Evan's Pro-2 Chevy. Dents in the stout rear bumper attest to the full-contact body slamming that takes place on the CORR courses. The bumper bolts on to allow easy replacement and to give easier access to other components at the rear of the race truck.
During a desert race, a spare tire or two can spell the difference between motoring victor
Dry-sump oiling systems are expensive and complicated, but losing a race because your engine seized from a lack of lubrication is even more expensive and complicated. This spun-aluminum oil tank is just one of several components of a dry-sump system. The term refers to the way that the oil is stored in a remote tank instead of in the oil pan. A dry-sump oiling system uses a system-specific external oil pump that scavenges oil as it exits the engine and sends it through a filter, a cooler, and to the external tank. The engine draws the cool filtered oil from the bottom of the tank. In addition to storing the engine oil, a dry-sump tank flows the oil over a series of baffles that separate air bubbles out of the oil. Cool, clean air-free oil provides reliable lubrication for high-horsepower, highly stressed racing engines.
Dry-sump oiling systems are expensive and complicated, but losing a race because your engi
Driver safety is factor number one when designing a vehicle. Another cluster of tubes join at the roof for ultimate protection during a rollover. 'Cage tubing near the driver is padded to prevent bumps and bruises. Aluminum panels between the overhead tubes offer more protection than the thin skin of the fiberglass roof panel. Driver comfort is measured in terms of seat angle and whether or not the controls fit the driver's proportions. Cupholder? Not on this truck.
Driver safety is factor number one when designing a vehicle. Another cluster of tubes join

A pair of Evan-built coilover shocks suspends the front of the truck. Pneumatic bumpstops control upward motion when the truck slamsdown after a short-course jump. Custom Evan-built spindles and CNC brake calipers are needed just as much on a Wisconsin infield as they are 300 miles south of San Felipe. CORR's short courses emphasize cornering ability as much as bump absorption. Eighteen inches of front suspension travel is the limit for Pro-2. If this seems like short travel, keep in mind that the Protruck chassis uses an equal amount of front travel to duel in the desert. Goodyear rubber claws for traction at all four corners of the truck.
A pair of Evan-built coilover shocks suspends the front of the truck. Pneumatic bumpstops
Short-course racers don't need codrivers, either. Peel away the panels that cover the passenger side, and you'll find Evan's self-built headers, the dry-sump pump, and the hand-actuated-brake master cylinder.
Short-course racers don't need codrivers, either. Peel away the panels that cover the pass

Holy tube cluster, Batman! The Pro-2 jungle gym gains strength by using strategic tube placement instead of sheer mass and bulk. Behind the cluster, a pair of PWR radiators chills the high-horse Leon Patton 400 small-block. Evan's truck doesn't have a windshield or back window, and air can readily blow right through. This yields the dual benefits of lower wind resistance and better cooling. Evan notes that, "Most of the time, we're not going fast enough on the tight tracks for wind resistance to be a big part of it. At Bark River, though, we can reach 100 mph, and I have a big advantage there over the guys who have a back window. The window acts like a big parachute and slows them down. I hold the fast lap record at Bark River, and I'm the winningest driver at that track."
Holy tube cluster, Batman! The Pro-2 jungle gym gains strength by using strategic tube pla
Although Riverside, California, is becoming increasingly urban, there are still a few patches of open land. One such parcel of open land just happens to be a stone's throw from Evan's shop. The 2004 CORR Pro-2 runner-up missed the gold by the narrowest of margins and proceeded to show us the speed and skill that will capture a championship with just a little luck.
Although Riverside, California, is becoming increasingly urban, there are still a few patc
Team Off-Road would like to take credit for setting up this shot, but we can't. Always willing to try something new, Evan suggested a rooftop photo in his wheelchair. We weren't about to miss such an opportunity. The colors chosen for Evan's race truck and transporter were deliberate. Taking a cue from Indy Car and off-road racer Roger Mears, Evan decided to go with the bright scheme of yellow and white hues. "If I can't stand up, I want to stand out."
Team Off-Road would like to take credit for setting up this shot, but we can't. Always wil

Spares to Spare

Fiberglass is the first thing to get crunched when CORR trucks begin to fly. Evan keeps a number of replacement panels at the ready. Sure, the truck can still be driven without body panels, but, "My dad taught me that to succeed in this business, you've always got to look polished and professional." There's no arguing with the racing and career success that Walker Evans has had, so Evan took the sage advice to heart and keeps his rig spotless at the races.
Fiberglass is the first thing to get crunched when CORR trucks begin to fly. Evan keeps a
Many CORR weekends have not one, but two days of racing. Since it's possible to blow a motor --or anything else -- in the heat of battle, Evan has spare engines, just in case a powerplant quits before the weekend is over.
Many CORR weekends have not one, but two days of racing. Since it's possible to blow a mot

Chevrolet Silverado Interior Hand Steering Set Up

Custom Cockpit
While every race truck follows "function over form," Evan's truck has additional equipment to allow his driving talents to manifest themselves, using his hands to control the throttle and brakes in addition to the normal steering and shifting duties.

MasterCraft seats enjoy a solid reputation for providing equal parts of comfort and driver protection. Evan chose a low-back model as his pilot's chair. Evan uses a standard-issue five-point harness to hold him in.
MasterCraft seats enjoy a solid reputation for providing equal parts of comfort and driver
Dusty air is not a Southwest exclusive. We're guessing there's a little cow patty mixed in with the Wisconsin dust, which makes an air-filtration system that much more important.
Dusty air is not a Southwest exclusive. We're guessing there's a little cow patty mixed in
Lightweight aluminum washers provide secure mounting for the fiberglass body panels. Evan's hood and fenders are specially designed with a lip, which guards his talented hands against roost flying off of other competitors' tires.
Lightweight aluminum washers provide secure mounting for the fiberglass body panels. Evan'

What appear to be horn rings are actually two vital triggers in the arsenal of custom hand-control weaponry. The paddle nearest the driver controls shifting solenoids. The second paddle releases the rear brakes only, which lets Evan slide the tail of his truck with ease, no matter how tight the corner.
What appear to be horn rings are actually two vital triggers in the arsenal of custom hand
A twist throttle pulls the cable of the Dominator carburetor. Pushing the handle forward clinches the wheel rotors via CNC master cylinders and CNC calipers. Not mounted is a button that advances fresh film across Evan's goggles. In the heat of battle, there's no time to reach up and pull a tear-off film from the goggles.
A twist throttle pulls the cable of the Dominator carburetor. Pushing the handle forward c
An air tank strapped into place just behind the seat provides the actuation power for the shifting system. The air tank motivates a 3/4-inch short-stroke piston, which connects to the shifting arm on the transmission. The small piston diameter and short throw mean that Evan can go six or seven races between air tank fill-ups.
An air tank strapped into place just behind the seat provides the actuation power for the

Evan is paralyzed from the chest down, so keeping his lower body in place during the jostling laps is a paramount priority. A custom foot basket cradles and secures his feet. At the knees, a padded strap secures Evan's legs both in front and on top of the knees.
Evan is paralyzed from the chest down, so keeping his lower body in place during the jostl
Evan goes fast with a little help from his friends. Crew members such as Riverside, California's Johnny Walker take care of the usual crew member duties and help Evan climb through the race truck's window and into the seat. Johnny is in the final stages of building a Class 7s Ford Ranger that will battle the current field of MDR 7s racers during the upcoming racing season.
Evan goes fast with a little help from his friends. Crew members such as Riverside, Califo

Want to jump in with Evan's team?
Evan is looking for a full-time crew member with fabricating and racing experience. Travel will be required. For more information, contact: (951) 780-4490