Nor Cal Rock Racing (NCRR) finished off the 2016 series in combination with VORRA on September 24th back at the Prairie City SVRA. The weather was running hotter than normal for this time of year and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky at the base of the Sierra Nevada foothills around 20 miles outside Sacramento, California.

We saw big crowds at the first event of the series at this location and even bigger crowds at the second event of the series at the Wild West Motorsports Park. You can see the track off in the distance when driving down US 50 towards the even. It was already full of people, but the first race hadn’t even started yet and we were an hour before the first race was scheduled to start.

JP Gomez the series champion in the 4400 class.

We had the ability to walk the whole track and noticed the addition of several sharp turns, jumps, and whoop sections that were definitely going to challenge racers. The first rock section had been redone completely, making it bigger, longer and wider than previous races. The climb onto the rocks looked to be about three feet up regardless of the line chosen. We knew the 4400 drivers would be going vertical as they hit this section later in the day during the main event.

Tractor tires and K-rails mark corners on this track.

The Course

This track favors the early bird through the gates as they set up their easy-up tents with premium vantage points overlooking the track. This side of the track has the best access to the vendor area, where the latest in off-road merchandise was on display.

The second area of choice is always the far side of the track, where 4×4 trucks and Jeeps back up to the fence on the other side of the track. We had a great view of the racing coming out of turn one and the backside of the rock sections. People can relax here with friends and ice chests full of their favorite cold beverages. Music is blasting everywhere between races, creating a fun off-road racing, festival-type environment.

Brian Caprara set the pace for the 4400 Class in Heat 1.

Kurtis Harryman led the 4800 Class to rock section  number two.

The Event

NCRR partnering with VORRA has really created quite an event for every off-road racing fan. The combination of the VORRA off-road buggies and Class T trucks really complement the UTV and rock racing buggies already popular with NCRR fans.

Thanks to the partnership, fans can see almost every type of off-road racing all at the same short-course venue on one day. The beginning saw UTV racing with a half dozen kids pulling out on the track to race their 170 Polaris UTVs.

Kids may not be running through the stands next year. They may be in the pits getting their ride ready for the next race. It was interesting to see young kids in fire suits and custom helmets out there in UTVs tricked out with custom paint and covered in sponsor stickers. Many were racing alone, while others had a sidekick in the passenger seat hanging on through every corner.

This was an exhibition race at this event, but promoter John Goodby felt confident it would be added as a new class next year based upon the interest from fans and racers alike. It reminded me of a slower and younger version of the Mod Kart Kids from Lucas Oil Off Road Racing.

Racing Action All Day Long

Race one of the main events was broken out into a weird mix of similar classes from VORRA and NCRR. The first main consisted of nine cars competing from the V4-V6 Sportsman classes along with the V8 Sportsman class, and the 4500, 4600 and 4800 classes.

While there is a mix with all of these classes, the Jeeps and buggies are similar enough to make the racing really interesting. V4-V6 Sportsman came down to two drivers, Sean McBride and Curtis Armstrong, who had been exchanging the lead through the earlier heats during the day.

Mike Gutierrez of the V8 Sportsman class.

Armstrong had the fastest lap times of the day, but McBride outlasted his opponent and finished in first place. The V8 Sportsman main was limited to one driver, but it did not stop him with competing with the other eight vehicles to finish the race in first place.

Mike Gutierrez in the no. 5454 car was fast, finishing his day with his fastest lap of 2:32.3 in the main event. Jimmy Jack has been a favorite this year in the 4500 class, and he was being challenged all day by Morgan Derodoff in the no. 4518.

Morgan Derodeff had a great start and lead through Heat 1.

Jimmy Jack broke down in the second heat and had worked throughout the afternoon to get the no. 63 ready for the main. Jimmy Jack got the car ready and ended up beating out Derodoff in the main event. Joshua Basci was the only entry remaining in the 4600 he saved the rig and cruised through to an easy first-place finish in the main. Kurtis Harryman of the no. 4829 was the only survivor from the earlier heats of the day, and completed the race with an easy win in his 4800 class.

Race two of the main event had the VORRA Sportsman, Class 9 and Class 10 desert buggies. We watched these races throughout the series and to date, cannot find anyone to bet against Max Baggett in the no. 1042 buggy.

The no. 1042 of Mike Baggett continued to dominate the competitors in Class 10.

Baggett won every race of the day maybe the series and put down lap times as quick as 1:50.822, which put him among the fastest vehicles of the day. Baggett was paired in Class 10 up against Bill Minteer, age 81, and his no. 1025 car. Minteer was racing with his son for the first time in over 40 years. Despite the downtime, the Minteers ran laps about 15 seconds off Baggett’s blistering pace, and managed to finish in front of all other classes in their heat.

Class 9 was won by no. 955 John Heimstra, who put down the fastest series of laps of the day. Closely behind Heimstra was no. 914, Jay Schroeder, who recorded the fastest lap of the day in this class. Christian Jaklevic in no. 511x was the only car to finish the VORRA Sportsman class with a very respectable 1:59.8 lap.

Sportsman no. 511 belonged to Christian Jaklevick.

Race three of the day was the Prerunner and Class T trucks from VORRA. These are basically a mix of stock looking vehicles racing against Ian Murray from Grass Valley, California in one of the fastest trucks we have seen throughout the series.

The Prerunner class was split, dividing wins throughout the day between Matt Kinney from Grass Valley and Zack Merrill from Newcastle. These competitors drove what we would call the “sleepers” of off-road racing: Looking at these competitors, fans may wonder if they are going to make it around the track but by the end of turn one, it is obvious these off-road vehicles are here to compete.

Ian Murray beefed up his I-beam front suspension to deal with the harsh terrain

Zack finished with lap times around 2:05, with the closest competitor in his class finishing with laps around 2:15. Zack would prove to be the only competition for Ian and his truck in the main event; throughout the series this year, we have seen only 5-8 different trucks racing in Class T.

The racing was brutal, and of the four trucks in Class T that raced in Reno for the second race in the series, only Ian Murray would be able to return for the final race in the series. The Class T trucks are some of the most spectacular racing of the series and we hope to see more trucks back and racing next year.

UTV Turbo series champion Phil Blurton.

Race four was the UTV Turbo class. UTV racing has really picked up this year, and this class is always full with 8-10 UTVs competing. The favorite of the season has been no. 125, Phil Blurton from Loomis, California, winning every race in the season this year.

Phil continued being the only UTV Turbo driver running laps under 1:50 all day. Phil would blast out to an early lead, followed by Jeff Barbarick and Darian Gomez. These three would finish lap after lap error-free throughout the main, keeping their positions but slipping apart by about 15 seconds at the finish.

Brendan Thompson has been winning races this season in his Honda Pilot.

Race five was the UTV 800 and UTV 900 classes consisting of five racers. Kyle Stanfill, no. 13, finished first in the UTV 900, beating out early favorite Brendon Thompson. Scott Melville would finish in first in the no. 11 in the UTV 800 class.

Beau Judge dominated the UTV 1000 class all season.

Race six was the UTV 1000 and had 10 UTVs in the main. Beau Judge the season favorite, ran great all day and continued to blast past the competition and find his way to the top of the podium again. Beau would be the only person in the UTV 1000 class to run laps under the 1:50 mark all day.

Raul Gomez showed why he is one to watch in every 4400 race.

Race seven was the long-awaited 4400 class final. Racing throughout the day had been dominated by series champion no. 4482 JP Gomez. The battle for the win would again be between JP and brother Raul Gomez no. 4483. JP started in first place and stayed there throughout the race.

Raul ended up on his lead in heat one and had to fight his way from fifth place towards the front. It took Raul six laps to move up from fifth to second place for the finish. Mike Bou, no. 54, battled with Brendon Thompson in the no. 5150 car for third place until Lap six when Brendon went out. This allowed Bou to climb from fourth into third place for the last three laps.

Raul Gomez gives fans a great look at the sponsor information on top of his car.

It was a great season, and we are expecting bigger and better races in each class next year. We believe this format, with so many different types if racing will only grow the off-road racing sports. Be sure to check out the gallery below with even more racing action!