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Randy Merritt & MONGO Racing have another strong run & finish second in the BITD Silver State 300
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The Best In The Desert Bilek Silver State 300 started in the small town of Alamo, NV on September 26, 2009. The race made its course through the Nevada desert north east of Las Vegas. The morning was warm, but seasonal with a very light breeze that wouldn’t stick around much of the day.
Randy Merritt and the MONGO Racing team were ready to take on the challenge at hand coming off their best finish in over year.
Randy said before the race, “We’ve worked long and hard to prep this KC Hilites, Ford F-150 truck in 4 short weeks and after the Vegas to Reno I believe we have most of the bugs worked out of the truck that plagued us the past year.”
Randy started the race 2nd in class and 63rd over-all in the car and truck field. With one minute intervals Randy’s race started at 10:33 am. By race mile 2 Randy and KC Hilites Ford F-150 were leading the class and trying to put time on the field. Randy’s lead would quickly diminish because of slower traffic.
About race mile 20 Randy couldn’t get by a slower car when the second place truck was in Randy’s review mirror. After passing the small car Randy let the charging truck pass. Randy said after the race, “there was still over 300 miles of racing and I wasn’t going to let the desert beat us.”
At race mile 44, the first pit, Randy was just outside the leader’s dust maintaining his pace with the third place truck not far behind Randy’s dust. All three trucks passed through without stopping.
The MONGO Racing crew were waiting at race mile 84, pit two, to watch Randy and the KC Hilites Ford F-150 go by, but there was a call. Randy’s longtime Co-rider, Navigator and Technician Chris Golding radioed in they had a flat tire. Randy and Chris entered pit two, were they given a new spare tire and headed out on the race course now 12 minutes behind the leader. Randy said, “There was a large rock or something hidden in silt and I had to drive a short distance to hard ground before we could change the tire, but there was to much damage to the wheel to know which failed first.”
At race mile 130, pit three, Randy entered the pit looking for fuel. Randy told the crew one of the lead trucks was stopped at race mile 122. This put the KC Hilites Ford F-150 second in class. After a quick stop Randy was back on course, just a few minutes behind the leader and making up time.
Randy was stopped at race mile 147 for an accident that blocked the course, MONGO Racing was told there were no injuries involved, but Randy could see the leader stopped just head of him. Randy was told all times would be adjusted for the stopping on course.
At race mile 149, pit four, the leader stopped for fuel and left the pits just 3 minutes ahead of Randy in the KC Hilites Ford F-150.
At race mile 184, pit five, the MONGO Racing crew stopped Randy for his last fuel stop of the race and sent Randy out just over 2 minutes behind the class leader.
At race mile 250 Randy once again was stopped, but this time due to another racer blocking the course. Randy and Chris had to dig their way losing precious time to the leader they had gained.
At race mile 270 Randy was once again 12 minutes behind the leader, but charging hard against the desert terrain.
As Randy and MONGO Racing crew neared the finish line Chris came over the radio and said they had to change another tire. Randy said with out spare tire onboard the strategy was to make it to finish line. The MONGO Racing crew told Randy he had a 35 mile lead on the third place truck, but the leader had just finished.
Randy and the KC Hilites Ford F-150 finished 2nd in class, battling the harsh Nevada desert and all those who attempted.
After the race Randy said, “I have to thank my crew and those who helped get me here; it’s been a rough year and half, but I believe we are back and win is only a race away.”
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Randy Merritt
Mongo Racing
www.mongoracing.com
928 210-9972 Cell
928 669-2796 Home
KC HiLiTES are the best forget the rest!!
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