With Jeff on board, Mark Landersman and Fourth Street Racing began to create what was destined to become the first new-school Class 7200 Mini Trick-Truck. Off-Road's lenses were on hand during the buildup and also during two-day-long test sessions at Plaster City, California. The new truck is built right up against the new-school 7200 rules. It boasts a complete tube chassis constructed using 2-inch-diameter, 0.120-wall, 4130 chrome-moly tubing for the main structural core. The 4.5L Ford Grand National V6 sits at the rear, feeding over 500 ponies forward into a five-speed Albins transaxle. The 84-inch track width further enhances cornering stability, and allows for extralong upper and lower control arms. Driver and codriver enjoy roomy surroundings thanks to the wide chassis. The Mini TT is cloaked by one-off fiberglass panels created specifically for it by Enrique Leon and the crew at Baja Fabrications.
The truck's Vegas to Reno debut race has yet to be run. At press time, V to R was still a few days away, and the Fourth Street Racing Team was busy making sure that every T had been crossed and every I dotted during the final hours of race prep. Mark sees Class 7200 success on the horizon. "We're going to run up front with this truck," he commented. "Desert racing is full of unknowns, of course, but this truck has the speed and handling to dominate the class."
The stage is now set. Best In The Desert has cleared the way for a completely new type of race truck. Class 7200 is sure to come back to life with a vengeance, starting with the fiery red rear-engine Ford Ranger on these very pages.