The SEMA 2018 Show

When it comes to the aftermarket, there is only one trade show that has it all. The SEMA Show is the largest gathering of automotive aftermarket companies dedicated to making your vehicle faster, look better, sound better, ride lower or taller, or just plain do more. This year, there were many exciting new parts that you’re going to have to figure out how to install.

The two biggest announcements from the show were done by Chevrolet and Mopar. Chevrolet introduced the eCOPO Camaro concept, an electric version of the COPO Camaro drag car. GM has been in a big push for electrifying their fleet and now it looks like they want to extend that to their performance line, too. The eCOPO is powered by an 800-volt battery pack that sends that power to a dual Borg-Warner HVH 250-150 motor assembly.

The other part of the eCOPO concept is the idea is that this motor will become another avenue for crate motor options from GM. They are doing this by making it able to be fitted to any transmission made for the LS bellhousing and crank flange. While testing is still ongoing, it is producing over 700-horsepower and 600-lb/ft of torque putting well within the nine-second bracket in the quarter mile.

Mopar, on the other hand, decided it wanted to stay gas powered and introduced the “Hellephant.” This is a 426 Supercharged Hemi crate engine that’s able to produce 1000-horsepower and 950-lb/ft of torque. To make this even crazier, it’s coming as a plug-and-play package for anyone who wants to stuff this much power under their hood. Legally, it’s meant for 1975 and older street cars and off-road vehicles, but we’re sure someone will put this into their JL or JK Wrangler at some point. Mopar is making it easy, too, as it will come fully dressed along with the wiring and ECU. It’s slated to go on sale in early 2019.

There were debuts of many new tires and lights to give you the grip on the dirt and light it up, too. Milestar Tires officially debuted their new Patagonia SXT, an off-road dedicated tire to the growing side-by-side and UTV markets. They also announced that Dan Fresh and his racing team will be running the tires in the 2018 Baja 1000. Baja Designs introduced their new OnX6 Hybrid Laser light. It uses two laser light chips along with a pair of LED light chips to create a unique beam of light for their High-Speed Spot optic light on the 10-inch light bar. They claim this combination gives a smooth light blend transition and increases their light beam distance by 350-percent at 95-watts. Their first batch is out now but in limited supplies.

If you’re into racing or into show cars, the 2018 SEMA Show was where you needed to be this year if you wanted to see what was coming out for your next build. Now, you’ll only see them after your competition has passed you by and taken that trophy.

Vegas to Reno Is the Big One!

Those who think all the wide open spaces are gone have never been to Nevada. Every year the Best in the Desert series holds their Vegas to Reno race (V2R), in some of the most desolate terrains in the West. Only a few small towns can be found on the highway that parallels the course to some extent. At times, the course runs miles from the nearest paved road, totally inaccessible to support from their chase crews. Far from the crowds in Las Vegas, competitors battle for 530 miles over fast graded roads, dry lake beds, mountain trails, and deep silt beds. The only spectators are a bunch of donkeys.

This year, the lake beds were not so dry as monsoon conditions caused flooding and deep mud in some areas. V2R is the longest offroad race in the United States. Usually, an offroad race of this distance would demand some strategy, but due to so many long open stretches, the race has evolved into a flat-out sprint to the finish. Racers have the throttle pinned for miles at a time. If the frantic pace and extensive mileage were not enough, the high temperatures in August added to the toll on anyone who ventured into the desert.

One particularly nasty surprise for racers lies in the final 20 miles of the course. Just as thoughts of getting to the finish start to invade the psyche, the terrain turns savage. The course changes to sharp rocks protruding from the ground. It’s like a huge cheese grater ready to shred the cars into pieces. Many racers have made it to this point thinking they had a V2R win in the bag; only to be crushed after the rocks caused damage to their vehicle. There is nothing more devastating than to complete 520 miles of a 530-mile race. 

Most of the teams come into the race well rested and well prepared. The series takes a brief break prior to V2R due to the repressive heat during the summer months. The race starts on Friday, so qualifying was on Wednesday, and Thursday was spent in the parking lot of the Texas Station hotel and casino for technical inspection.

All types of vendors set up booths to support the racers and market their wares to the fans that come out to see the vehicles up close. It’s the best time to meet the teams and get your favorite driver’s autograph. These are the final hours before the race starts in the morning. The fun, carnival type atmosphere masks the underlying tension. Most of the drivers are calm and collected, but it’s the crew members who have their minds racing; constantly making sure that the vehicle is prepared and the logistics are finalized for Vegas to Reno.

Despite the good intentions, August is still no picnic in the desert Southwest as temperatures during the V2R race hovered around the century mark. The violent rain squalls were a brief reprise, but then the humidity turned conditions into a steam bath. The incessant dust that blankets everything was briefly turned to mud. It covered the cars and the competitors’ visors like a coat of paint. When racers compete off-road in muddy conditions, they have clear plastic sheets mounted over their face shields. As the mud blocks their vision, they reach up and tear one away revealing a clean one underneath. The “tearaways” as they are called, are not usually employed during a desert race, so many were hampered with impaired vision.

What they do have are systems designed to pump filtered air into their helmets. They accomplish two things: First, they supply filtered air so they don’t have pounds of dust in their lungs and eyes. The second is the relief given by the air blowing on their heads. It helps to cool their body temperature just a bit. There are no windshields in the cars so the occupants are battered by rocks, dust, and dirt. Their helmets and fire suits are the only things protecting them from the onslaught of earth, wind, and fire.

The race takes a toll on every participant, even the winners. Those who won are elated. Those who came up short, but still finished, have just as much pride in accomplishment. Those who failed to get to the line in time are more resolved than ever to get redemption next year. Some are sitting in the darkness with a broken car, wondering what just made that noise.

LS Fest West 2018

Fans of GM’s All-Conquering V8 Gather in Las Vegas

It’s hard to believe, but 2018 marks the 21st anniversary of the introduction of the original LS1 engine for the 1997 model year. In those two decades, the LS family of V8 engines has become all things to all people and has been swapped into practically everything that moves – not just cars ranging from Mustangs to hot rods, but boats, aircraft, and even helicopters. 

It’s easy to make power with these inexpensive and anvil-tough engines, and if you can’t find the parts you want in a junkyard waiting to be reborn, the aftermarket has you covered with everything you need; blocks, internal components, engine management, and even swap kits to make installation paint-by-numbers simple. 

Recognizing how important the LS engine had become, back in 2010 Holley Performance Products organized their first LS Fest in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and ever since then, the annual event has drawn larger and larger crowds, with participants coming from all corners of the continent. It’s more than a car show, though – there’s something going on from the time the gates open until they close, on the dragstrip, the drift and autocross circuit, the chassis dyno, or the swap challenge tent. “An assault on the senses” is sort of a cliché, but it’s a totally appropriate description for a day at LS Fest.

In 2017, Holley added a second event to the schedule, the LS Fest West, taking over the sprawling dragstrip and motorsports complex at The Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. May 2018 marked the second annual spring event, and as anticipated, it was even bigger than the inaugural LS Fest West.

“The best way I can put it to you is that LS Fest events are a party,” says Holley’s Blane Burnett. “Sure, there are competitions that take place within the event, but for the most part, everyone is here to enjoy what they’ve built and have a good time.” In case you think that Burnett might just be saying that to earn a paycheck, know this – He’s a True Believer with the cleanest daily-driven (and autocrossed) LS-swapped Nissan S14 you’ve ever seen. 

Speaking of swaps, one of the most striking things about LS Fest West 2018 was the sheer variety and number of LS-powered vehicles on the property. While the event runs three full days, it’s almost not enough time to take it all in, between all the various competitive events including drag racing, drifting, a road course time attack, and even off-road competition, then trying to see everything in the show-n-shine. 

We only got to experience a fraction of everything that was going on this year, but as you can see, if you are a fan of late-model GM performance (no matter what is wrapped around that engine) there’s a compelling reason not to miss LS Fest West 2019.

Holley Performance LS Fest West 2018

Who knew you could have so much variety from just one engine design? Holley Performance LS Fest West was the perfect way to show that and celebrate all things GM and LS V8.

LS Fest has been a staple of Holley Performance since 2010 but the West was begging for their own event. So, last year, Holley brought their famed celebration to Las Vegas and with it came a variety of automotive disciplines to show off the amazing LS engine. 2018 brought some changes, improvements, and expansions with two new exhibitions.

One of the substantial changes that came this year was combining the Autocross, 3S Challenge, and Drifting into a single area. This made getting to and from those events and the off-road or drag racing a much shorter trip. Not far from it were the new attractions – the Hoonigan “Thunderdome” and Mr. Chow’s Side Show, a demonstration of the NorCal car stunting culture that normally takes place illegally on city streets. Basically, it’s doing donuts in an enclosed area but doing so legally as compared to what normally happens.

Drag racing and LS engines just go together, so of course The Strip would be open for all three days with the Three Pedals Rumble, Cam Motion True Street, SAM Tech Street King, Vortech Late Model Heads-Up, Earl’s LS Truck 1/8-mile and MSD LS Outlaw 275 1/8-mile classes. For those not looking for compete or just wanting to run for fun, Hooker Headers opened the drag strip to Grudge Racing and Test-and-Tune, as well.

Over on the off-road side, with the Nitto Tires Off-Road Challenge, Loren Healy in the MBRP/Nitto Ultra4 4400 rig took the win. This is his older 4400 that might have seen its last race with him behind the wheel of it. It’s potentially sold and his new Unlimited ready for Ultra4 Racing’s Metal Cloak Stampede at Prairie City SVRA on May 11th and 12th.

For on-road, it was dominance by Rich Willhoff and his 2006 Corvette Z06. On the QA1 Autocross Course, Willhoff set fastest time with a 32.067-second run while on the Super Chevy 3S Challenge, he finished first with a 26.174. The Racepak Road Course Challenge saw him on top for a third time with a 1:22.388 time. The Lucas Oil Drift Challenge brought out the youngest winner so far in LS Fest History with Branden Sorensen taking first place in LS-swapped 212 Performance BMW. Second went to Noah Michaels in his Torqstorm supercharged S13 Nissan 240SX while Ian McDougall took third in his Drift Shop S14 Nissan 240SX Coupe.

That was it from LS Fest West in 2018 and they have promised to come back with even more in 2019. We’ll be there as well and look forward to bringing it to you next May!

2018 Silver State 300

Desert racing is filled with highly competitive racers, but is also known for the brutal terrain that has to be overcome. No matter where the race is held, you can almost count on there being a mix of sand, rocks, and silt. The course may climb mountains, drop into dry river washes, or skirt rock outcroppings, but the scenery remains fairly consistent. The Best in the Desert Series, Silver State 300 race breaks the mold. There are miles of featureless dry lake beds, and valleys filled with endless sage brush like other races, but the area around Caliente, Nevada where the race is held also contains tight, twisty trails through Juniper forests, water crossings, and green canyons filled with cottonwood trees.

The race starts outside the small town of Alamo in a typical high desert valley filled with sage brush and grazing cattle. The roads there are fast as they were designed to get ranchers from one place to another in the least amount of time. The terrain starts to change around mile 23 as the brush disappears; dirt and rocks dominate the landscape. At mile 30, they have skirted several mountains and cross their first dry lake bed. At only mile 45 they turn east into a canyon that leads into a mountainous area. The map looks like a squiggly line as the course twists and turns following the terrain as it clings to the sides of the hills. Much of the course was laid out by nature. Flowing water has carved out paths through the steep rocky hill sides for centuries. The dry river beds are the only evidence that remains, and provides natural pathways for travel. It’s not easy going as river bottoms can hide deep pockets of sand that put huge loads on engines, transmissions, and drivelines. Large, wheel crushing rocks lurk just below the surface. The course gets very tight and technical as it descends into the town of Caliente and pit 3; only a third of the way to their goal.

With considerable challenges already overcome, the course then heads towards the water crossing. It looks deceptively shallow and not much of an obstacle, but it is much deeper than it looks. Desert racing vehicles are designed to keep dust and dirt out of their engines, not water. If you hit the water crossing too fast, and your intake is not shielded, the strong vacuum created by the engine will suck the water into the engine like a 5 year old getting the last drops of a milkshake in the bottom of the cup. Once the water gets into the cylinders, the engine locks up and stalls. In extreme cases the hydraulic pressure can kick a rod out the side of the block. The water can also wreak havoc with the electronics or other mechanical parts. When the water hits hot metal, it turns to steam that can invade areas that are normally protected by seals. The thermal shock can also have an impact. Some were stopped in their tracks by the water; others suffered hidden damage that would show up much later in the race.

Hopefully the water dried out quickly because the course would turn to silt as it made its way north to Panaca. Silt is very fine particles of sand or dirt that has the consistency of talcum powder. The tiny particles are carried by the wind or water and deposited in the billions. A silt bed can be 10 feet across, or go on for a mile. It can stop a moving vehicle in its tracks and require a lot of digging, or a tug from a rope to get un-stuck. The best way to get through is to bury the throttle and maintain your momentum. Getting stuck strikes fear into any driver. Not only will you have some serious work to get out, but the silt that gets kicked up by each vehicle hangs in the air like a cloud and blinds oncoming drivers. The only safe thing to do is wait until the air clears before getting out of the vehicle, and head for high ground when another vehicle is approaching. The silt gets into everything, just like water, and can stall an engine if it clogs up the air filters. If you get through the silt, a second water crossing waits only a few miles away. Those drivers who have made it this far are only half way through the race.

A long standing saying in offroad racing is that “in order to finish first, you first need to finish.” Just completing the course is a major accomplishment, but there is also the specter of the competition. Desert racers are just as tough as the terrain, and will suffer through incredible hardships in order to win. The race is not over until the very end. Defending Trick Truck Champion Jason Voss was the number one qualifier in time trials giving him the first shot at the course. He typically checks out from the field when he gets out front and had a big lead at the halfway point of the race. He suffered suspension parts failure soon after that point and lost several hours of downtime making repairs. He made it to the finish in 13th place. Justin Lofton was in the mix until he lost a motor. When it came down to the final miles, Justin Matney battled with Justin “Bean” Smith driving Tracy Graff‘s Trick Truck. Matney came out with the overall win by 6 minutes after racing flat out for over 5 hours. The Silver State 300 showed that no matter how fierce the competition, or how many hours are spent in preparation, the desert still provides the greatest challenge to offroad racers.

No Tougher Test Than KOH, King of the Hammers

The Ultra4 series, King of the Hammers race, (KOH) is touted as the toughest single day off-road race in the world. Anyone who has witnessed it will back that up. The course changes every year, but always includes a mixture of grueling desert terrain, and punishing rock trails. It’s a brutal, soul crushing endeavor that will test the resolve of even the most hardened competitors.  The racer who conquers the terrain, and the competition is crowned King, but many competitors hope to merely finish the course without timing out. The challenge and spectacle of KOH draws competitors, fans, and media from all over the globe. A desolate dry lakebed in Johnson Valley, California is transformed into a makeshift city of over 50 thousand people during the event. Part high-speed desert racing, and part hardcore rock crawling, it has created a whole new category of motorsports; rock racing.

The first gathering in 2007 was to see if the assembled competitors could even survive the course. Known as the O.G. 13 run, there were actually only 12 cars that could make it, but O.G. 13 sounds better, so it has stuck to this day. Those original competitors, and anyone who is crowned king, are entered into the race; everyone else needs to qualify. In the decade that has elapsed, KOH has expanded into the Ultra4 series that holds racing events across the country. Each Ultra4 event is unique to the terrain found at its location. Top finishers earn a spot in the big race in Johnson Valley.

The unique nature of KOH, and its incredible challenge, attracts a very diverse pool of competitors. Recreational four wheelers, competition rock crawlers, short course and desert racers, adventure seekers, even some celebrities have taken the green flag. Despite the miles of desert that have to be negotiated, most agree that the race is won in the rocks. Maybe that’s why the professional desert racers that have competed over the years have failed to finish in the top tier. In fact, the same 5 racers have shared the crown over the last 11 years. Erik Miller, Randy Slawson, Loren Healy, and Jason Scherer all have 2 wins, (Scherer joined the 2 time winners club this year). Shannon Campbell has three titles to his name. Had Randy Slawson won this year, he would have joined Campbell with 3, but a crack in his exhaust pipe cooked the transmission fluid and left him on the side of the course only a mile from the finish. He was in an intense, wheel to wheel battle with Jason Scherer all day long and came up just a little short. It might seem like a safe bet to pick one of these drivers to win any given year, but as Slawson proved, anything can happen. In fact, both Slawson and Loren Healy got wins after earning the only remaining starting spot during the last chance qualifier race. Slawson is considered a local, spending years 4 wheeling in Johnson Valley. Healy hails from New Mexico, and was a recreational trail runner before being elevated to a King of the Hammers.

As diverse as the drivers are, the cars are even more unique. Ultra4’s premiere class is unlimited. Rules exist to ensure safety for the competitors but nearly everything else is left up to materials, technology, and imagination. Desert racing has taken 50 years to get where it is today. Ultra4 has taken advantage of desert racing technology, namely in the area of shock technology, but the evolution of the cars has progressed at a staggering pace. The cars that participated in the first “Race” in 2008 would have a hard time qualifying for the race today. Rock crawlers with air shocks would not be able to match the pace that competitive cars are running today. Huge bypass shocks, mega horsepower engines, and bullet proof driveline components have become compulsory. In order to be in contention for the win, you need to be continuously moving. Stopping to winch, making repairs, or suffering flat tires are all serious setbacks. No outside assistance is allowed outside of designated pit areas. If a driver has problems, repairs need to be made in the field with spares carried on-board. If other parts or tools are needed, they have to be retrieved from a pit area and carried back to the stranded vehicle. The only exception to this rule is if a fellow competitor offers to help. Most competitors will help other others because they know it could be them and someday they will need the favor returned. Every year some poor soul has to hike through incredibly brutal terrain and retrieve some ridiculously difficult component to carry like a driveshaft, battery, or spare tire. This race is not for the weak. It’s also not for the timid. One rule that has caused tempers to flare, but is entirely legal, and necessary, is the bottleneck rule. If a vehicle becomes stuck or incapacitated in the course, competitors are within their rights to drive over them. Whether it’s a huge rock, or another car, Ultra4 vehicles are capable of going over either one in short order.

In the beginning, there was only one class. Now the program has expanded to include several races that take place over an entire week of events. King of the Motos is the two wheeled version of KOH and is similar in its extremely challenging nature. 2018 winner Cody Webb was the only rider to complete all 140 miles making him the obvious winner of the toughest King of the Motos races to date. It was Webb’s fourth KOM win of his career. Next up on the schedule was the UTV race. It’s unfathomable that the UTV’s can traverse the same trails as the Ultra4’s but they do. This year’s UTV race was especially brutal as only 12 out of 118 teams finished the course within the time limit. Mitch Guthrie Jr. took his first win as a driver at KOH, but he is no stranger to the race. His father has won the race 6 times; all with Mitch Jr. riding along as co-driver. Mitch Sr. suffered a rollover on backdoor but recovered to finish in 3rd place behind Branden Sims who was 2nd.

In order to broaden the opportunities to compete at KOH, the Smittybilt Everyman Challenge was devised. The EMC has three classes of limited cars competing; offering a class for almost anyone. Incredibly, the top three finishers on the podium were all from a different class. 1st overall was Baja 1000 winner, Dan Fresh racing his 4500 class Jeep Wrangler. The second truck to cross the line was driven by Casey Gilbert. Gilbert was driving in the 4800 legends class. The third truck to cross the line was driven by Jessie Combs who was competing in the stock class, 4600. She was the 59th truck off the line in the morning, and worked all the way through the pack to take the stock class victory and 3rd place overall. In addition to being the fastest woman in the world after an official run of 398.954 mph in the North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger in the Alvord desert, claiming the women’s 4-wheel land speed record in 2013, she is a KOH veteran, and would also run the Ultra4 race on Friday.

King of the Hammers has evolved into one of the most incredible motorsports events in the world. It attracts thousands of fans, the most elite racers in the world, as well as the average Joe who builds their own car in the garage. It has spawned a completely new genre of racing, and remains one of the toughest tests on the planet. If you’ve never been, make plans now. You will be treated to nothing less than the most amazing experience ever.

Mint 400 Takes Over Las Vegas

The Mint 400 offroad race was a huge spectacle, even for Las Vegas. The vehicle parade down Las Vegas Blvd. on Wednesday was hard to miss. Even if you didn’t catch a glimpse, the sound of engines churning out thousands of horsepower could not be ignored. For two full days after, Freemont Street was transformed into a huge party with hundreds of fans, vendor booths, special events, and of course, race vehicles. Over 450 teams would be taking the green light on Saturday morning. In the meantime, time trials would be held Thursday morning, the pit crew challenge would be decided, A Miss Mint 400 contest judged, and numerous parties were taking place.

At time trials, the biggest, baddest vehicles in the race, the Trick Trucks, were bested by Harley Letner in his unlimited open wheel class 1500 buggy. The Trick Trucks excel on the long stretches where they can open up their 800 plus horsepower engines and let their nearly three feet of suspension travel eat up the bumps. On the qualifying course, there were several tight turns and other terrain that held the Trick Trucks in check. Instead, the super-fast Letner stole the top spot. Known for his incredible talent behind the wheel, and the ease at which he operates on the edge, Letner is a contender for the top qualifying spot at every race. He is the defending class 1500 champion and represents the unlimited cars well.

The Method Race Wheels Pit Crew Challenge had cash and prizes up for grabs from Fox Racing, BFGoodrich, Impact Racing, and Rigid Industries. The crews that do the hard labor on race day had their moment to shine. In the 6100 class, defending champs GHA Racing picked right up where they left off last year with a fast time to beat. When the dust settled though, it was Householder Motorsports beating GHA in the finals with a time of 54.8 seconds. The Trick Truck, and 1500 unlimited class were loaded with some of the best crew members in the business. Heavyweight teams like MacCachren Motorsports, Youtheory, and RPM Racing were all knocked out in the first round. Last year’s runner up, Team Ready Gunner, were able to change two of their BF Goodrich 40-inch TA tires in just 45.4 seconds to take the victory.

The night culminated with the Miss Mint contest. Former Miss Mint winners include “Wheel of Fortune’s” Vanna White and “Wonder Woman” Lynda Carter. This year’s contest had six finalists who embodied the heritage of the competition. “This was intended as a call to arms to find a woman worthy of 50 years of American off-road racing culture,” explained Mint 400 co-owner Josh Martelli. Ashleigh Figearo, Bailey Hughes, Janna Breslin, Tia McDonald, Olivia Gray, and Lesley Andreas all made it to the finals. They all spent the day with founding father KJ Howe and Spanish Tony of The Gentleman’s Guide To Racing. After tests of shooting ability, off-road driving prowess, and wine tasting, Bailey Hughes was crowned Miss Mint for 2018. Hughes is a great ambassador to the sport. A part of the Sims Motorsports UTV team, she has even worked the merchandise trailer in the past! Afterward, everyone wandered over to the Dusty Times Magazine launch party where The Eagles Of Death Metal ripped everyone’s faces off with their insane music.

When race day finally arrived, cars were divided between two races. The limited cars would run either 2 or 3 laps in the morning, depending on the class they were in, and the unlimited cars and trucks would do 3 laps in the afternoon. They are split up for both safety reasons, and to accommodate all of the vehicles racing. After the morning race, a pattern was established. Nearly every race was decided by a thin margin. The class 10 cars are the top of the food chain in the morning race. They have limited engines but unlimited suspension. With not a lot of horsepower, their technique is to keep the throttle pinned at the rev limiter the whole time. Brock Heger beat Arnoldo Gutierrez Jr. by a scant 22 seconds. In the turbocharged UTV class, one of the largest with 68 entries, Justin Lambert charged from the back of the pack to take the win over Phil Blurton by only less than a minute after 7 hours of racing.

There had been a light drizzle for most of the day, and when the sun dropped, it began to rain. The big unlimited vehicles would race into the darkness and rain on their final lap. The defending two-time trophy truck champion in the SCORE series, Apdaly Lopez, looked to be the overall winner. That was until local Las Vegas racer Bryce Menzies put a charge on during the final lap. Menzies was able to pull out a slim 28 second margin to take the win.

The Mint 400 has roots that date back to the 1960’s. It was also featured in Hunter S. Thompson’s famous book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream. The spectacle witnessed this year rivals those early days. Anyone who took part, contributed to the history that will be written about in some future novel.