Kelly Walker photo
By Rich Walker
The family and I just got back from our annual vacation to Utah. This year, instead of Moab, we went to Sand Hollow just outside of St. George. People who live there, or have traveled there, have dubbed it “Rock Crawlers Heaven”. Sand Hollow is a State Park recreation and OHV area that is home to trails from mild to wild. And when I say wild, I mean it. I have been professionally rock crawling since 2006 and there were some obstacles that made me say, “No way!” On top of the trails there are kilometres of bright orange sand dunes that are a bucket load of fun. I hope to compile enough pictures from the group that went with us, to bring you a full story soon. You will be impressed. I promise.
While we were en route to Utah, the 2015 Ultra4 MetalCloak Stampede race took place at the Prairie City SVRA off-road park just outside of Rancho Cordova, California. The only Canadian racer to make it down was Eric Brinker in the #312 car. Unfortunately, Eric had some bad luck at this event. During preliminary racing, the temperatures on the car crept up on him, partially due to battling a flat tire for a few laps. In the end, the white smoke coming out of the tail pipe was a sign that his weekend was over. No word yet, but I figure he popped a head gasket. Not to worry, Eric is now a master at replacing motors (sorry buddy!) and will be back up and ready to race in no time.
If anyone is interested in getting into the wonderful world of Ultra4 racing, but aren’t quite sure how to do so, I have the answer for you. Rocco Baldassarre’s red #308 car, featured in the past on these pages, is currently for sale. If you have that itch to go fast, give Rocco a call and work something out. Hit up www.crawlinbc.com or www.pirate4x4.com and check out the For Sale chat rooms for all the car and contact info. I can’t wait to see what Rocco has in store for his next build. If it’s gone before you read this, I am also putting mine up for sale. I will be sad to see it go, but this last trip to Utah made me realize I need a four-seat car. Rock crawling is a big part of my life and I want to be able to share it with my family. If you are interested, contact me with any questions or concerns at info@familyglass.ca.
Up next for Ultra4 is the Glen Helen Grand Prix in San Bernardino, California. Race dates are July 10th and 11th. Glen Helen is another awesome facility; a crazy fast short-course with really cool elevation changes to keep you on your toes.
The first rock crawl event in Nampa, Idaho, the Idaho X Rocks race, is already in the bag. I think it’s safe to say that rock crawling competitions are back given the number of competitors that participated. I had a few buddies there and they all said it was a killer event. Check out www.idahoxrocks.net for all the info and maybe I will see you out there for the next one… in my car… if you buy it!
Stay safe and see you on the trails.