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Honda 400EX WORCS Racing Project
Story by: Tina Lugan

Honda 400EX WORCS Racing Project
Tina Lugan Races her first WORCS Race

St. George, UT (6/19/2014) - I have always been intrigued with the WORCS series since back in 2003 when a bunch of Idaho friends loaded up and went to our first WORCS race in Milford, Ca. at Honey lake MX Park. Back then, the series was just starting its roots and ATV’s were minimal numbers – entries were in the 70’s to be exact.  Despite all the broken parts the first thing that came to everyone’s mind was
“Damn that was fun- when is  the next round!”

Tina Lugan Honda 440 EX Build

Tina Lugan's WORCS Racing Honda 400 EX Project Build

My Husband, Troy, was hooked, and then before we knew it, so was our kids. I was an avid Flattrack racer, and my Quad was nowhere “WORCS race ready” by any means, so I chose to start doing Photography and cheer on my family instead. I’ll never forget when the series drew in enough entries that ATV’s were given their own WORCS schedule. The season kicked off in my home state of Idaho at the time, and that’s when I started to wonder if I could ever finish a WORCS race!  

Seeing my family having such a great time and on the podium and taking Championships over the years, I have always stayed involved with the riders and desperately wanted to feel that rush that everyone gets off the gate and into the first corner! The series instills such a sense of family and friends; it just has a way of bringing you back over and over.

Sand Hollow State Park

Sand Hollow State Park features over 16,000 acres of pristine off-road riding

Now living in Las Vegas area, we are much closer to many of the WORCS races. In 2013, I attended the Sand hollow State Park Round in Hurricane, Utah. This was a much different Round than most as it covers most of the terrain with bright colored sand and rock. As I rode my ATV to different areas of the course to shoot photography, I found myself REALLY liking this course. At the end of the weekend, I found myself feeling like I really should have just dropped the camera and went out and gave it all I had! With concerns of my Husband being away most of the year working in the Oil fields, my responsibility as a parent kicked in and I quickly shrugged off the idea. I knew that I didn’t have the proper equipment to have my ATV be able to survive the course either without some alterations.

I remember it as plain as day, My Husband and I were talking outside by the fire pit and I teared up and said I wanted to race Sand Hollow. I need to do this race. I’m still not sure why , but I think I’m like most racers … once it’s in your blood, it’s always there , no matter what your age is . Now at the age of 45, I knew for sure he would be against it. After all, I am no spring chicken, I have had very little true seat time in close to a decade, but I got a shocking answer. He said “Then go do it. I think you should and I support your decision.”

I was in total shock and disbelief. I had instant butterflies to go race again. Feeling I was getting ahead of myself, I started to have all kinds of concerns go through my head. Such as … gear. I hadn’t bought gear in years! It was hard enough to keep up with my growing kids need for gear, let alone buy myself any. Times have been very tough the past 7 months due to a horrible accident leaving my Husband homebound to recover from 3 surgeries , so in my mind , I started to dismiss the idea as this was starting to no longer feel a reality due to costs and our budget.

My Husband stressed to me he would make sure it happened. It was MY turn to enjoy what my family had done for the past 11 years of their lives. I knew he meant well and was so supportive, but I also knew the finances were not going to allow in such a short time frame … or at least, that’s what I thought!!

Each and Every day for the entire month prior to the Sand Hollow round, my Husband Troy spent all day and well into the evening polishing and modifying a few add-ons that we had spare in the garage from his Honda 450R . I would be somewhat of the underdog…. As I would be racing a 2002 Honda 440ex. None the less, I know what my Honda is capable of and it’s has a strong engine as well as excellent handling suspension, thanks to my Elka Shocks.

Elka Suspension

Lugan used Elka Suspension on her Honda 440EX to help soak up the rough terrain at the Sand Hollow WORCS

After all the polishing , new chain , new bearings it badly needed that we had spares of, she was shining up pretty nicely and looked just like the day we rebuild my Quad. I still felt that sense of disbelief that I was going to let myself down getting overly excited about this because I still had important things I would need to race and we just couldn’t swing it. I decided to try on my Husbands gear and to surprise it fit, so this would be one solution solved for a weekend! I no longer had gloves to fit me and my Helmet had been through so many hits over the years, I wasn’t even sure it would be safe to race in. It was a start….

A couple days later, I heard the UPS truck pull up to the house (you know that sound, we ALL know what the UPS truck sounds like!) I knew I didn’t order anything. My Husband grabbed the box and told me to open it. I was a little baffled.  As I opened it, the first thing I see was a sweet FLY helmet! Then gloves, jersey, and pants! I asked Troy where they came from. He told me a little story about a few things he had been working on to make sure that I was well equipped for my race.

Tina Lugan Honda 440 EX

To her surprise, Fly Racing gave Tina Lugan a full set of their latest riding gear

My long time Photographer mentor and good friend Harlen Foley from ATVriders.com and Fly Racing had supplied me a full set of gear. Fly has been my families’ FAVORITE gear for many years. Troy had told me this wasn’t the end of surprises and I had nothing to worry about - I WOULD be racing!

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