Starting off with a bang, HDRA produced an unprecedented contingency including a Monster Energy Freestyle Moto show, a lounge-like beer garden, festive music and of course racecars; this was merely a small preview of what HDRA is bringing to off road.

Southern California off-road racing has suffered since the demise of DRIVE and MDR; however, HDRA revived our region by initiating an awesome event in Plaster City.

MORE HDRA:
HDRA Redline at Stateline

Plaster City Photo Highlights

“We want to bring the sport to the masses,” said HDRA’s Roger Norman. “You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again; you not only lose the fans, but after a while you lose the racers. We are going to keep going bigger and bigger. This is only the beginning.”

The course offered some of the best terrain in Southern California. Although there wasn’t much elevation change, there was a wide variety of diversity ranging from sandy washes to high-speed roads, deep silt, to the infamous Gypsum Rd., which literally breaks cars in half.

Simultaneously, the weather could not have been any better in the afternoon race, with temps running in the mid ‘80s. A total of 113 combined vehicles would take the start, 60 in the first heat and 53 in the second, but the unforgiving California desert would whittle that number down to only 52 finishers.

In the first race, the excitement started at sunrise with the sportsman classes. Carlos Fonseca took the win in class 1400.  With 22 entries, this was the biggest class of the day.

“What a weekend! Thanks to HDRA, the entire crew at 3G Crew! Thanks to my wife, mom and dad, useless prep! Gracias a mis dos carnales, Franky and Bobby,” Fonseca said. “Mighty Auto Parts for all your support and dedication to our race program. Loris sanitation, IVE Labs, Royal Purple, King Shocks, Meza Racing Engines, Don Ramon transmissions, Nacho Terriquez and the entire NT crew, they do amazing fab work! Also want to give a special thanks to my partner, Jorge Ortega, you are becoming one bad ass driver. You’re already there champ! And congrats to Craig Reynolds, putting his foot down for the HM Class and bringing home a well-deserved first-place trophy! You guys deserve it! See you guys at the 500!”

During the down time that ensues after the start of a desert race fans were treated with a freestyle moto exhibition and also a hospitality center with a large lounge area to hang out and enjoy the show.

The big winner of the weekend was Jimmy Knuckles of Brawley, Calif., driving his Racer-built Trophy Truck.

“We had a great time,” Knuckles said. “I just hope we hit all those arrows. The course was marked great but it’s just so hard to see when the dust got bad. I had my power steering go out on the last lap right at the top of Gypsum Rd. So I just fought it in the rest of the way. But it was a good day, when we don’t have any problems we can run with the best of them.

“I really have to thank Roger [Norman] for doing this. To have a Trophy Truck sitting there in your garage and have your whole crew there, to park that whole program and go put on races for us. I don’t think I could do it. I really want to thank Roger and HDRA for putting on a race here for us. It’s nice to have racing back here in Plaster City and not have to drive to Nevada just so we can race. Thanks!”

Taking the win in Class 1 and second overall was the team of Cam Theriot and Cash Vessels driving their Jimco Champion buggy.

“I have to thank Cam, he ran the first two laps and I filled in the last three.” Said Cash. “My co-dog Nick helped me all day. Knuckles was gone so I didn’t even try to catch him – he was really wheelin’ that thing. HDRA put on a great race, great race course, great organization. I’m very impressed.”

With well over 10,000 in attendance, the event was deemed a huge success. HDRA was also able to raise $20,000 by collecting donations for the Wounded Warriors Project.

Also announced at the event was HDRA’s first race, Redline at Stateline, will be televised on May 10th on Fox Sports at 5 p.m. and the Imperial 250 will be on the following week.

HDRA’s next event will be held in Reno, Nevada, during the 4th of July week. Festivities scheduled include Monster Energy parties, freestyle motocross, machine guns, Independence Day fireworks celebration and of course lots of great off-road racing. It was also announced that for the racers there would be open “Baja style” prerunning and chasing, so you will be able to pre-run as much as you like, a luxury that has disappeared in the United States.

Other off-road promoters should take note – HDRA is setting the new standard.

RESULTS - HDRA Plaster City

Open Truck
1. Jimmy Nuckles
2. Brady Turner
3. Ruben Ledezma
4. Mitch Edgmon
5. Danny Giannini
6. Steven Eugenio
7. Bill Belansky

Class 13
1. Dennis Trogus

Class 1400
1. Carlos Fonseca
2. Brandon Arthur
3. Gregg Zumwalt
4. Chris Isenhouer
5. Ramin Bagheri
6. David Niccum
7. Bradley Looney
8. Nick Tonelli
9. Vinent Muniz
10. Scott Slater
11. Craig Dillard
12. Sal Gomez
13. Nathan Strong
14. Kevin McMurray
15. Jeremy Deakins
16. Keitg Minnicks
17. Ryan McNaughton
18. Greg Perrymon
19. Chris Bennett
20. Craig Reynolds
21. Ron Attig
22. Nick Isenhouer

Class 1500
1. Paul Santon
2. Robert Wagner
3. Eddie Zeller

Class 2000
1. Jeremy Henderson
2. Chris Ramey
3. Jacob Nieder
4. Carey Jones
5. Brian Groves
6. Hassim Mendez
7. Jerald Steed

Class 01 (Lvl 1)
1. Cam Thieriot
2. Victor Gruber
3. Rick Geiser
4. Rob Figioli
5. Brian Salmon
6. Mike Mithcell

Class 1/2-1600
1. Joey Westhoff
2. Lucas Knecht
3. Kevin Graves
4. Rob Archibald
5. Joe Laff
6. Mac Marmon
7. Bryan Meyers
8. Migues Cortez
9. Cody Robinson
10. Mario Gastelum
11. Travis Reese
12. Jonathan Burnworth

Class 10
1. Michael Deardorff
2. David Norris
3. Chad Dohrman
4. Rick Sanchez
5. Robert Furman
6. Thomas Purcell

Class 12
1. Mike Mallow
2. Todd Stemmerman
3. Vic Bruckmann
4. Charlie Townsley
5. Soren Megling
6. Joel Whitted
7. Jeff Hartmayer

Class 1900
1. Bill Morris
2. Sean Cook
3. Russell Stebar
4. Jacob Shaw
5. Ross Mattox
6. Erik Reynolds

Class 5
1. Richard Garavito
2. Steven Hall

Class 5/1600
1. Jorge Gutierrez
2. David Herrera
3. Eric Garcia
4. Charles Guy
5. Sean Hoglund
6. Stephanie Lozano
7. Frank Cortez
8. Mario Ledezma
9. Alan Brozowski