Stricter rules for keeping crowds away from the racetrack are working to enhance safety following a calamitous wreck last month in San Bernardino County that killed eight spectators. But promoters also were criticized by some race fans expecting to breathe in the dust the off-road racers kicked up and feel the dry blast of wind when a racer sped by.
Bureau of Land Management officials in California and Washington, D.C., have pledged stepped up enforcement of races on federal land. Officials with SCORE, organizers of the Primm 300, made slight safety adjustments to this year's race. The company, one of the pre-eminent desert race organizers, and the BLM limited spectators to only the main pit area and start-finish line. Organizers also added speed restrictions when racers rumbled their way past pit crews and crowds.

The changes, made to prevent a deadly accident like the one at the California 200 last month, underscore what some suggest is a difference between policing of races in Nevada and California.

Hundreds of onlookers lined the Johnson Valley course, many a few feet away from the racing trucks. The spectators killed were watching the race on the downhill slope of an area called the Rock Pile, where many of the trucks leap into the air because of the hilly terrain.

Race organizers and the BLM's California Desert District were criticized after the wreck because they were unable to keep the crowd far enough away from the racetrack. Only one BLM ranger was patrolling the 188,000-acre area where the crash happened.

In Primm, a dusty Nevada casino resort stop on the California border 35 miles from the lights of Las Vegas, BLM officials and race promoters possess and wield much more control over where crowds gather, compared to California races.

Most races in Southern California are at Johnson Valley and surrounding sites, and the BLM has consistently kept the area open because it is specifically for off-road vehicle use. In Nevada, the BLM has required access roads to be shut for racing to go on.

The difference between racing in Nevada and California leads to dissension among race teams who seek out the stricter, crowd-controlled races, desert off-road enthusiasts and some race fans who think safety can be accomplished while still giving spectators a good view of the race.

Many in Primm said they want desert racing to be safe and continue to have access to appropriate federal lands, but some spectators wonder if the sport can attract crowds if it keeps people so far away.

"No one is going to drive up here to see a race through a fence," said Scott "Shorty" Qualls, 23, of Corona.

For race teams, the fans are an important part of the sport, but they can get in the way. Drivers have horror stories of fans on foot or on dirt bikes darting across the course in front of trucks trying to win. But not in Nevada, at least recently.

Ray Croll, owner of the Grove Lumber team based in Corona, said his team doesn't race in California much because Nevada seems to attract more high-caliber competition and better organizers.

"We depend on the organizers to work with the BLM to make it safe," Croll said. "They provide the security and the medical staff and ensure that nobody is where they aren't supposed to be."

SCORE places high fences and patrols all access points along the race route. Safety teams and roving volunteers in trucks are present in all three pit areas for the race, and at roads leading into the desert. Vehicles can't get by without a pass, and those that can proceed are reminded of the rules and given a trash bag to bring out any garbage. Read the complete article here...

Credits: The Press-Enterprise / Dug Begley

MasterCraft Safety’s role as sponsor of the 2010 MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 goes far deeper than a mere title. “Racers in every class from SCORE Trophy-Trucks to Class 11 cars rely on our products, and we are extremely grateful for that.” explained MasterCraft Safety CEO, Robbie Pierce. Recognizing that actions speak louder than words, Pierce is offering a whopping $10,000 in contingency money for the 2010 SCORE San Felipe 250.

Any competitor utilizing at least one of the following MasterCraft Safety components is eligible to win, providing they run a 16 inch minimum size decal above the mudline on both sides of their race vehicle.

• MasterCraft Safety suspension seats
• MasterCraft Safety restraints
• MasterCraft Safety driving suits

MasterCraft Safety recently expanded their product offering, making it easier than ever to qualify for contingency money. New products include a full-line of performance driving suits, fuel and pit crew fire suits, neck braces, helmet skirts, and elbow and knee pads for pit crew safety. Available in SFI 3.2A/1 and SFI 3.2A/5, the performance driving suits meet and exceed all stated fire protection requirements while providing a comfortable fit and design. Optional hidden-pockets and sewn-in elbow and knee pads make this the first race suit specifically tailored to the unique environmental conditions of desert racing.

For those looking to replace or purchase new safety equipment, the lucrative contingency package offered by Mastercraft Safety makes the decision an easy one. Payouts for class wins are as follows:

• $5000 to first place in the SCORE Trophy-Truck Class
• $2000 to first place for Class 1 Unlimited
• $1000 to first place for the 1/2-1600
• $1000 to first place SCORE Lites (12)
• $1000 to first place Class 10

All remaining class winners will receive a set of new MasterCraft Safety restraints and the only requirement will be to run a MasterCraft Safety decal at least 16 inches in size above mudline on both sides of their vehicle. MasterCraft Safety decals will be available from the MasterCraft Safety Contingency Booth for those competitors who do not already have the required signage to qualify for contingency on their race vehicles.

The event will be held this year on March 12-14 in San Felipe, the picturesque fishing village located along the Sea of Cortez on the Northeastern side of Mexico’s majestic Baja California peninsula. “It is a wonderful match to be able to have MasterCraft Safety join with SCORE to help enhance the dynamic experience that already surrounds this legendary SCORE Baja race,” said SCORE president Sal Fish. The pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and tech inspection of the vehicles in the race will be held on Friday, March 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the picturesque Malecon. Those concerned about having to contend with the three Mastercraft Safety SCORE Trophy-Trucks slated to compete in San Felipe need not fret. While the three trucks are a threat for the overall win, should one of the Mastercraft trucks prevail in the SCORE Trophy-Truck class, the contingency money will be split evenly amongst the four other classes.

Based in Santee, California, MasterCraft Safety is the leading manufacturer of performance off-road suspension seating, five-point restraints, window nets, and limit straps. MasterCraft Safety’s full-line of performance seating offers both comfort and protection in high “G” load situations and provides an 84% reduction of energy in a 50 G load impact; exactly the sort of impacts racers can expect to encounter on the notoriously rough San Felipe race course.

Find mastercraftsafety contact infos here...