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

Holz Racing’s Sven Ellstrom was as surprised as anyone to come with a third-place finish. Ellstrom made his BITD debut in last year’s Pahrump 250 season finale and won the Unlimited UTVclass. Driving a Holz-built Polaris RZR Turbo with Mark Holz as his co-driver, Ellstrom had a belt problem on the first lap, but ran a smooth, trouble-free race from there.

Holz Racing's Sven Ellstrom finished an impressive 3rd in his BITD Pro Turbo UTV class debut at the Mint 400

“I didn’t expect this race to be so intense,” said Ellstrom. “I couldn’t ask for a better car…this is the best car out there. Compared to Pahrump this track was three times as hard. The cars just beat the heck out of the course as the race went on, but the car just powered right through it. Third place in class makes me proud.”

UTV Inc’s David Martinez switched from the Can-Am Maverick he used to win the Unlimited class in last year’s Mint 400 to a Polaris RZR Turbo this year. Finishing fourth in Pro Turbo was a huge step for Martinez.

Polaris / UTV Inc's David Martinez finished a season best 4th place at the Mint 400 & he is looking to debut his new RZR Turbo at the UTV WC

“These RZRs are something else,” said Martinez. “We stepped up with the program this year and the car is just badass. We had a blast. We’ll have a new car ready for the World Championship, and we’re hoping to kick it up another notch and chase some points. Just to see the growth in the event, even from last year, is amazing. It seems like the event has doubled in size and it was a huge show.”

Logan Gastel’s fifth-place finish is just another step in getting acclimated with his new Can-Am Maverick X3. In fact, Gastel nearly doubled the mileage on the new ride during the race.

Can-Am / LSR's Logan Gastel rounded out the top five in the Pro Turbo UTV class

“The car is still new to us; right now we have about 500 miles on it,” explained Gastel. “Every race, we learn something new and make it faster. The course was a lot rougher than I remember from last year, but the X3 is a lot faster in the rougher stuff and the small chatter due to the rear suspension. The added power and the longer wheelbase--the total package--is so much better than last year’s Maverick.”

Jagged X Racing’s Brandon Schueler finished sixth in the Pro Turbo class. The veteran has competed in every Mint 400 in the modern era and he is amazed to see how much the event has grown.

Jagged X Racing's Brandon Schueler

“We lost a couple spots right at the end, but we got a finish and that’s all that counts,” said Schueler. “I think it was a pretty good course and we had fun. Fremont Street was crazy and the finish line was crazy. There was a lot of stuff to see this year. It’s pretty exciting. Coming here and seeing the changes from year to year is pretty intense.”