Santee, CA – The Best In The Desert series, Vegas to Reno race (V2R) is all about running flat out. The course has long fast stretches that have engines banging off the rev limiter for miles. Running at full speed is just the way Todd Tuls likes it. Some drivers like tight, technical courses; Todd likes to go fast. The 534 mile long course has plenty of pitfalls along the way to catch unsuspecting drivers but the only strategy here is to keep up the pace or get left behind.

The Milk-N-It Motorsports team will be relying on their Jimco Class 1500 race car and components from the top suppliers in off road racing like FOX Shox, BFGoodrich Tires, BTR Wheels, Motec, Jamar brakes and their newest sponsor Baja Designs Off Road Lighting. The racers will set out in the morning, race all day and into the night. The last section of the course is rocky and super technical. The sun will be sinking fast and the racers will be putting in everything they have left to get to the finish. Todd’s Baja Designs LED lighting will give him an edge as the course turns to darkness in the final miles. “My son TJ and I are excited to be a part of the Baja Design’s Team Enlightened,” says Todd, “We will be running the OnX 6 LED Light bars and Squadron XL & Pro LED Lights for Vegas to Reno; pre-race testing went really good with the lights.”

The crew also depends on Baja Designs. They will be chasing the race car from pit to pit across Northern Nevada. They will play a game of leapfrog all day as they service the car and then get to their next destination. Some pit crews are sacrificed along the way; they just can’t keep up with the car as it speeds north. At the end of the day, they need to make their way through the darkness to meet up with the rest of the team in Reno.

Todd and the crew have had good results at Vegas to Reno in the few years they have competed there. They had a rough race in 2011 when the car suffered suspension damage that took them out but they have also posted strong top ten finishes. With much more experience under their belts and a well sorted car, they hope to climb up in the standings at this year’s event. It all begins this Wednesday when they qualify during time trials to establish their starting position on Friday.

Photo: Brian Binkert