Primm, NV – The High Desert Racing Association (HDRA) put together another incredible event; this time a long course night race at Primm, Nevada. Each lap of the Dusk til Dawn 250 was more than 50 miles long allowing the teams to open it up under the stars.

The darkness was no match for Brandon Arthur who’s bright yellow HRT Motorsports, Competitive Metals, Ford F-100 lit up the course with consistent fast laps and his Rigid Industries, LED lightbar. With no prerunning allowed and days of monsoon rains before the race, unexpected washouts were the main concern on the first lap. Thankfully, the course was in fair shape but not entirely free from hazards. Running flat out, Brandon came up on a pool of standing water that caught him and co-driver Donny Kerr off guard. His FOX Racing Shox soaked up the hit on the suspension but the skidplate slapped the surface of the water sending it exploding into the sky and up and over the roof of the truck. Unfazed, the engine kept slurping the F&L Racing Fuel and the truck never skipped a beat. The incident produced nothing more than a good laugh and a wipe of the face shield.

Brandon’s truck is always ready to take on whatever the course dishes out. His crew is stocked with knowledgeable racers who perform well under pressure. The Monster Energy pit crew challenge held Saturday morning gave them a chance to show their stuff. While the crew waited, Brandon drove the truck into the designated pit box. After coming to a complete stop and shutting off the engine, the crew jacked up the Summers Bros equipped rear housing and changed both BFG tires. After the truck came off the jack, Brandon could re-fire the engine and drive out of the box. When the rear tires cleared the box, the clock was stopped. If any lugnuts were left loose, a one-minute time penalty would be assessed. The team won their class with no penalties and a fast time of just 52 seconds. The quick work from the crew earned them $500 bucks and a sweet Monster Energy trophy.

“It was great starting the weekend off with a win in the pit crew challenge,” said Brandon, “The race ran smooth for us. We did the whole thing on the same set of BFG’s; only stopping for fuel and a quick check every lap. The course jumped from one two-track to another in a few spots that made it confusing on the first lap but we just followed the gps until we had it memorized. We don’t have the official results yet but this might have clinched the 1400 class championship for us. If that’s the case, we might bring the new Trophy Truck to the next race in Laughlin. No matter what we will be going all out because we just like to go fast!”

HDRA’s 2012 season ending event will be held November 9-12 in Laughlin, Nevada. The two-day shortcourse style event will be a tough test for the drivers and crews. No doubt, Brandon and crew will be more than ready to take it on!

Photography By Art Eugenio