Vernal, Utah ~ The nation's top teams faced some of the toughest natural course rockcrawling in the entire 2005 season. The rocks of Vernal, Utah tested the best-of-the best as they charged forward in search of the event win and some teams, vying for the UROC Pro National Series Championship. The Super Modified Division had the normal cast of characters in the top ten, however in a stunning surprise, none of the top three teams were running the ever-so popular BFGoodrich Krawler KX tires. Toyo Tires sponsored - Peter and Frank Wells led all Super Modified teams with a top score of +26 points after completing four obstacles of the eight obstacle event. Following the Wells Brothers was Goodyear's Walker Evans and his Big Bad Spotter - Nick Campbell with +47 points.

In third position sits Toyo Tires/Skyjacker sponsored - Mark Berger with +52 points, right on the bumper of Evans. UROC Championship Series point's leader - Shannon Campbell is in fourth position after scoring +36 points on obstacle # 2 where he leaked a small amount of bottle drinking water on the course. Campbell, sponsored by BFGoodrich, leads a big pack of top teams beginning with Rock Runner Racing's Jason Paule and Don Robbins. Goodyear's Jason Bunch finished in the top ten ahead of Bart Jacobs, Joel Randall and Ken Blume wrapping up the top ten spots. Noticably out of the top ten spots but trailing only by a few points is Beard Seats - Jason Scherer, Fabtech's Tracy Jordan and Super Modified Supercrawl Champ - Randy Torbett. These three top contenders were followed by UROC Portland, Indiana winner - JohnnyG and Mastercraft Seats Nick Sessions.

The second tier of top teams is only out of the top ten by fifteen points from 10th to 15th position. By far, UROC's obstacle # 2 posed the biggest challenge for the world's toughest rockcrawlers as every single team took the winch line to the top. In the Modified Stock Division professional rockcrawling's top fourteen teams took to the rocks and by the end of the first day, Brad & Roger Lovell took top honors scoring +68 points. However, Supercrawl Champion Dean Bulloch is only 12 points behind the leaders, you could never count this fierce competitor out of the competition. Maxxis Tire's Craig & Dallas Stumph ended the day with +95 just behind Skyjacker sponsored Team Sisson's Brothers + 85. The action between sixth position and fourteeth position was very tight and the point spread was only 23 points between competitors. Skyjacker's Jeff Mello was stonewalled throughout most of the day with engine problems that reduced his horsepower tremendously. Mello fought off the difficult conditions and finished in 12th position with +134 points. We'll finish up our coverage today with some of the top shots from today's wild action. You can also visit the Off-Road.com Photo Gallery to view the 400+ actions photos from the rocks of Coney Island.

Coney Island - Home of the Conefest: The UROC Pro National Series first day competition wound up being difficult for most of the nation's top rock crawling teams. On the south side of Coney Island (Coney Island was named that by Brian Errea and Joachim Schwiesow early this morning before the event began) are three extremely difficult obstacles that incorporate a significant climb into the first portion of the obstacle. As a matter a fact, not one team climbed obstacle # 2 without the aid of a winch line. That is a first for the entire 2005 UROC Pro National Season. Most of the top teams faced difficult decisions on the south side of conefest, however bad luck just plain struck others. Fabtech's Tracy Jordan was penalized for leaking a small amount of transmission fluid from his rock rig during his climb. And several hours later, Shannon Campbell completed the same climb and while winching up the obstacle a drinking water bottle leaked water out of his rock rig and he to was penalized. Campbell ended up with a +36 points on that obstacle finishing the day tied for fourth at +54. A full day of stories to follow..but first here are the first day final scores.

Ken Blume pushes the Yukon Gear and Axle sponsored rock rig over the top with sucess. Ken also mastered the bottom section of this obstacle.

The Maverick's fans are located throughout the world and today he's sitting in the top ten after +46 points in the first three obstacles of the day. The Maverick sends his best wishes to fans worldwide.

Vernal-Utah ~ The conefest continues here at Coney Island, located just outside of Vernal, Utah. The temperatures have creeped into the upper 80's this afternoon as teams battle for position here on the tough rocks of Eastern Utah. High scores has been the overall theme of the day as some of the nation's top teams are coming off obstacles looking defeated. Alloy USA - Brad Lovell continues his charge towards the UROC Pro-National championship and told ORC staffers that he had a good first day of competition and was finished. Lovell said, "I'm not as nervous as I was when we started and we have gained alot of confidence throughout the day. We're done for the day and I think we're leading the other teams, but not by much." The Lovell Brothers ended the day scoring +68 points to lead the Modified Stock Teams.

Supercrawl Champion- Dean Bulloch finished second behind the Lovells with +80. -RockRunnerRacing's Schwiesow and Errea ended up the day scoring +105 points in 5th position. Bruce Zeller and his crew put his Nelson and Nelson rock rig back together after his big tumble and he's back in the action but with a total score of +109 for the day. JohnnyG is rolling his K2 through the obstacles and he's been working hard at studying each and every as he's in the hunt for the event win and is the closest competitor to Shannon Campbell for the national championship. JohnnyG finished up with +81 for the day after scoring a +38 on obstacle #2.

Toyo Tires Mark Berger has put his Skyjacker/Toyo Tires rock rig over the rocks of Coney Island. What has been a conefest for many, Berger has managed to break in a new spotter, as well as score negative points in search of Toyo's first UROC Pro-National win. Berger has one obstacle left and he's scored +27 that has him in fourth position overall in Super Modified.

Walker Evans is here just off a cruise. The cagey off-road champion is putting his Goodyear rubber in the right place as he and Nick Campbell aim for a top five finish. Evans has +40 points after three obstacles. The first reported scores are here and posted below.

Vernal-Utah ~ Mad Rock Racing's Bruce Zeller sufferd a hard rollover on obstacle # 3 that ultimately broke out the center section of his Mickey Thompson wheel. Not only was the wheel destroyed but the hub was ruined as well. Initially it was thought that he only ruined the cover, however further inspection revealed it the entire hub will have to be replaced.

Coney Island, Vernal-Utah ~ It's a conefest as many teams have hit two, three and four cones on a single obstacle. We do not have any preliminary scores as of yet, however we'll post scores as soon as we receive them from UROC Scoring. And in yet some more controversy, Mr. Tracy Jordan is doing his best to have UROC Marshalls overturn penalty points he was assessed during obstacle 2 where he leaked out some transmission fluid while winching up the face of the obstacle.

UROC's Announcer - The Big Sarge announced, during his running commentary, broadcasted live here at the event site, that Jordan was leaking transmission fluid. That announcement brought it to the attention of the Judge who called Jordan for the penalty subsequently penalizing his score on that obstacle. Jordan has pled his case to UROC officials and continues to respectfully argue his point in an attempt to have the penalty removed from his score.

Left Photo: Roger Lovell surveys the next obstacle as he and Brad search for a championship run. Bottom Photo: Skyjacker's Team Sisson continues to battle here at Coney Island- Vernal, Utah.

Left Photo: Jason Paule performing some smooth moves. Bottom Photo: UROC Points Leader- Shannon Campbell told us , "We're just hoping to have a steady weekend."

Maxxis Tire's Mr. King commented about Pat Gallagher RP Films - "He's like the little puppy you never had...ya know." Our response - "No Creighton we don't know...please elaborate."

Lance Clifford and his wife Kelly are wheeling on obstacle # 2. Clifford is no longer spotting for Mike Shaffer who is here in Vernal, Utah with a new spotter. -Mastercraft's Carnage Crew end up hitting three cones on their first run at obstacle # 3 with Nick Sessions behind the wheel. They started off great but ended the the run taking two cones on what has been named "Coney Island."

Jeff Mello in the Skyjacker Jeep is having problems on obstacle #7 as he nears the end gate. The end gate is set up on top of the Coney Island - Brian Errea rolled over on obstacle #6 taking the maximum penalty as he attempted the difficult climb up the face of # 6. The face is a slight double whammy with the second ledge of the double whammy a good distance from the middle ledge. The end gate is a tough end gate at the very top of the obstacle. - Brad Lovell just scored a forty on obstacle # 8 after a tough obstacle. Brad said, "We just took out too many cones." -Dean Bulloch has walked up the face of obstacle #6 and drove over the top where he is now heading up the back side of the obstacle and has successfully crossed the end gate.

RedBull's Becca Webster, although sidelined a bit by a broken left foot, a soft cast will allow her to compete this weekend in the Red Bull Rock It. Her spotter, Lil Rich', arrived to Coney Island ready to lead her through the tough obstacles.

The Maverick performs his magic.

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ALLOY USA 11:00 AM Update

Vernal, Utah - The Big Sarge just announced, "Drivers start your engines," and the action is underway here in Vernal Utah. Brian Errea has named the big rock island that is home to four of the obstacles, Coney Island, for the simple reason that it appears that it will be a conefest on a couple of those obstacles.

The weather is epic as the blue sky is currently cloudless and the temperatures are in the mid-80's.

Toyo's sponsored- Mark Berger's team had a late night problem when Berger's spotter - Jim suffered Kidney Stones and was rushed to the hospital at 4:30 a.m. Berger found a willing replacement, Shane Parrish, early this morning...fitted with his new Team Toyo apparel, the man named "Angry" is ready to roll.

Lovell Racing was here early this morning scouring over the obstacles preparing for a run for the championship.