| BEST
IN THE DESERT Series
Bluewater Gran Prix
Parker, Arizona
May 19-20, 2007
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By:
Levi Merriman
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Parker, AZ - Over fifty ATV and UTV teams
along with over one hundred motorcyclists came out to
the Blue Water hotel and casino for the first Gran Prix
style race of the year for the Best in the Desert series.
The Blue Water Gran Prix has replaced the Terrible Town
250, leaving that race for the trucks and cars taking
place earlier this month. The racing was broken down into
moto style events instead of everyone taking to the race
course at the same time. The ATV were broken into 3 different
races, Quad unclassified, Quad Pro and the last heat would
was Quad Expert and Amateur along with the Iron man class.
The UTV’s would also race in the Quad Pro class,
allowing all the races to be full.
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Q1 Team - Wayne Matlock & Chad Prull's Honda
TRX450R
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The course itself consisted of many natural and not
so natural obstacles. Along the route, man made mud
holes nearly swallowed some racers alive; jumps, water
crossings and even racing through an old metal barn
kept the track interesting for both the racers and spectators.
Racers would stage just across the parking lot from
the main casino entrance then dash down the dirt straight
adjacent to the main parking lot, across the street
and into the desert. Within the first half mile racers
would already hit a few mud holes causing a bit of a
bottle neck at times as they didn’t want to blast
themselves with the slick sandy mud.
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Off-road Ski-Doo sled outfitted with custom a-arms,
shocks, spindles, and wheels up front to convert
into an ATV
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Heading out through the desert the course twisted its
way up and over the carved out ravines and under highway
95 on to a high speed section and into the hills. Coming
out of the hills, the competitors hit an asphalt road
as the raced towards the metal barn. A slippery concrete
floor inside the barn allowed the more experienced racers
to slide through with ease while the rest slowed for
the 90 degree exit. A short ride up the ridge line brought
the course back to the pavement and back under the highway
as they hit a large natural water crossing. Most took
it slow, but as the day heated up they were also enjoying
the refreshing cool down they were given when they hit
the water with some speed. After the water crossing
they headed towards the Colorado river, and along another
asphalt service road before darting back up the hills
towards the Casino. Nearing the end of the course, they
would drop back to the beach of the river, along pit
road, and back to the parking lot to begin the next
lap.
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1907 Team Justin Wells & Travis Holyoak's
Yamaha Rhino
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