BEST IN THE DESERT Mint 400UTV Race March 4, 2017

Mitch Guthrie Jr's crew did yeoman’s work tracking the running order and keeping his car running competitively in the grueling race. Among his great driving, a spot-on crew and a fast and durable car, Guthrie Jr was the man to beat all day.

“The course was brutal,” said Guthrie jr. “I tried to figure out the fast spots and where we needed to save the car. Figuring that out was the most important thing. Then, in the pits, having a great crew who could fix the car quickly was key. The biggest thing with desert racing is knowing where everyone else was. My crew spent most of the race following the running order. Walker Evans Racing really came up big for me. They made sure I was dialed in and got back out on lap three to win the race. I do the driving, but they are the ones making sure the car makes it through the race.”

Walker Evans Racing's Mitch Guthrie Jr took the checkered flag with a 20+ minute lead over 2nd place to claim th ewin

The Murray Racing brothers, Jason and Derek, added another podium to their already impressive past Mint 400 results. Driving a Can-Am Maverick X3, the duo started ninth and overcame fueling issues to snag the runner-up slot.

Can-Am's Jason & Derek Murray finished 2nd Overall at the BITD Mint 400

“We’re happy to be here and put the Can-Am X3 on the box,” said Jason Murray. “This is a stock platform and it’s pretty impressive to see what these machines can do with a stock suspension, stock drivetrain and stock engine.”

Though always seeking victory, sometimes just finishing the Mint 400 is an accomplishment. Derek Murray explained that they are always thinking about how to win, but also to ensure a finish.

Can-Am's Jason & Derek Murray finished 9th at the season opener, so their 2nd place finish in the Pro Turbo Class will give them a boost in the BITD Points Championship

“We always want the win, but one little thing will take out these days,” said Derek Murray. “Out of a 110-plus cars we finished second, so we’re proud of our team and proud of the Can-Am X3.”