Laneco Racing is not a one man operation. It's
a team. His crew is made up of more than 20 members whose devotion
towards the Laneco effort amounts to thousands of man-hours
prepping for each race.
April 2001 -- It is said: "What happens in the desert, stays in the desert." When Eric Lane left the desert for a 10-year hiatus, he left his heart's ambition behind -- off-road racing, family, friends and his childhood. "I started out racing with my dad in an old Chenowth back when I was 13 years-old," says Laneco
Racing's pilot. "Things were a lot different then. Times have changed.
"What's changed for the sport of off-road racing is a host
of technological advances. Years ago, suspension travel was
measured in inches and subsequent back aches. Today, it can
measured in feet and excessive speeds which trounce upon the 100-mph barrier.
Attention to detail is one way to build a
proffesional race team, but it is Eric's dedication and passion
toward all those involved, including his truck, that make Laneco
Racing a solid force to be reckon with.
The times? "Well, this is the time when if you had yourself a 5/1600 car, you were running top-ten with a set of Gabriel shocks," says Lane. "It's been so long ago that I barely want to remember how long ago it really was!" "Let's put it this way, the first bike I rode in a race down in Borrego (Southern California) was a 125 Hodaka. I grew up in El Cajon with guys like Ricky Johnson and Brock Glover. That's what we did. We raced."
So what drove the gap in between Eric and his racing career? "I got married. Then there was a lapse in life," Eric says with a smile as he hoists his one-year-old daughter from his wife's arms. "The only reason I got back into it was for the Nevada 2000," he says.
"At the time I was working in the BFG pits. And then Casey (Folks, Best In The Desert promoter) jumped in with the 2000 race, and I said, "I've got to do it." But at this point in Eric's life there was something else to consider, his family. "They had no clue what off-road racing was all about. When I brought it up to my wife she said, "You want to do what!" Eric recalls. The two ironed things out and Eric was on his way to the checkered flag, placing within
the top five for his class in the 2000-mile, once-in-a-lifetime race.
Once the fire was lit, Eric couldn't stop and settle with the status of a weekend racer.
For Eric Lane - his ambition does not rest
upon jack stands, it's alive in the desert, where he's been racing
since the age of 13. His dad posted top-notch finishes with Eric in
the left seat.
Eric's commitment for the sport lead him to
give up a successful career as a heavy equipment contractor in
exchange for a truck and a dream. His skills as a driver have
landed him into a contract with Lightforce, who's a major backer of
Lanco Racing effort.
Sitting shotgun is potential co-pilot and
Off-Road.com General Manager Eddie Perez, who's about ready to go
for the ride of his life.
The heart of the F-150s powerplant is the oil.
Dual commercial grade diesel engine filters contribute to the
reliability while racing under the harsh condition of the
desert.
"I had to make more out of it. I couldn't just do
it halfway and be satisfied.
I had to give it all I got."
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