1st Place Finish at Bilek Racing Silver State “300” for Western Motorsports 7203 Truck
The Backus Brothers Take the Win in their Second Race of the 2011 Season
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
North Las Vegas, NV
The racing began at 9:30am on Saturday, April 30, at the Bilek Racing Silver State “300” in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Adjustments had been made and racers were ready for the Best in the Desert’s second truck points race of the 2011 season.
The race began with the 7203 truck, piloted by Sean Backus and co-driver Bryan Lyttle, leaving the starting line in 11th position, just ahead of the 12th position 7256 truck, driven by Martin Christiansen and co-driver Tyler Irwin. By the first pit, at mile marker 60, the 7203 and 7256 had pulled to second and third place, respectively, on the track and first and second based on corrected time.
Backus and Lyttle pulled to the front of the class by the second pit, while Christensen and Irwin had a minor hold up and sat in third place at mile marker 93. By mile marker 134, the 7203 truck was in first place with a five minute lead and at pit four had a seamless driver change to Brett Backus and co-driver Rob Fox. Christensen managed to pass David Caspino in the 7201 truck near mile markers 134 for second place and at the driver change was only five miles behind the 7203 truck. Another flawless driver change left Western Motorsports in an incredible position for two podium finishes. “Our pit crews did an amazing job of getting the trucks fueled, drivers switched, and the trucks back out on the track. Western Motorsports could not wish for a better pit performance than we had this weekend,” declared Fox.
Unfortunately, a second top finish was not in the cards for the 7256 truck and seven miles after the driver switch, Rick Backus and co-driver, Mark Moffatt, experienced a terminal mechanical failure that took them out of the race.
Backus and Fox piloted the 7203 truck to the finish line for the first time in the 2011 season leading the class the whole way. They maintained a three and a half minute lead over the 7201 truck by pit 5 and by pit 6 had increased their lead by two minutes. Shortly after pit 6, the 7203 truck lost third gear and the team was forced to complete the final fifty miles in second gear going under sixty miles an hour. Even with this set back, they claimed the first place finish over two minutes ahead of the second place 7267 truck driven by Travis Bozzano and Ken Cox Jr. and eight minutes ahead of third place, which was claimed by Justin Davis and Jordan Kundert in the 7285 truck.
Western Motorsports would like to thank their title sponsor, Eleven Western Builders, and BFGoodrich for their continued support. SignPros and Dave Smith Painting also deserves a huge “thank you” for the incredible job they did getting the trucks painted and stickered for race day.
Media Contact: Kristina Snell
760-822-4704
