BSROA Team Challenge - August 2003 - Photos from www.authorizedvehicle4x4.com, story by Peter Vollers

There will be a full story in the newsletter, but just wanted to let everyone know the results of the Inaugural BSROA Team Challenge. Gotta admit, I was in no way sure how this was going to come out as I was kind of figuring things out as I went, but it turned out to be simply awesome.

First off, I'd like to congratulate the participants: Adam Check and RJ Clayton; Marty Amedeo and Kaan Karakaplan; Monte Blumenfeld and Brandon Johnson; and Alan Elliott and Brian Rossini. You guys really stepped up and took the event seriously. You all adhered perfectly to the safety precautions and followed instructions to a tee. Plus, you all drove like champs. Really some of the best off-road driving I've ever seen.

Also, I wanted to thank the generous event supporters. We had a ton of prizes donated by Eric Riston at Atlantic British, not to mention the crucial route flags. Rick Hawkins generously donated two plasma torch heads and tig torch head from his welding supply company. Lastly Jo VanDenbroeke donated a brand new high lift jack.

There were four obstacles comprising the competion. Each obstacle had a 25 point route, a 15 point route, a 5 point route and a 0 point bypass. Each driver could choose any of the routes. Each team had two trucks and the team with the most points at the end won. You gain points by driving the routes successfully. You lose points by having or doing the following:

• locker(s): deduct 5 points
• tires: for every inch above 32 inches, deduct a point
• hitting a flag: deduct 5 points Plus, and this was the kicker, each driver had 3 tries and 3 tries only at each obstacle. If you failed on your third attempt, you were done, no points for that obstacle and you had to take the bypass.

So, here are the results:

• WINNERS (123 points): Alan Elliott and Brian Rossini
• 2nd place (119 points): Monte Blumenfeld and Brandon Johnson
• 3rd place (113 points): Marty Amedeo and Kaan Karakaplan
• 4th place (96 points): Adam Check and RJ Clayton

In a nutshell, Alan and Brian won by driving really consistently. They were clearly the most stock in the bunch with only a 1 point deduction at the start of each obstacle due to Brian's 33s. They really won the event on the first obstacle where both of the them amazingly cleaned it, while much more modified trucks like RJ's and Brandon's hit a flag. Alan and Brian showed everyone that you don't have to have a huge truck to win. You can do it with consistency and sound strategy.

Monte and Brandon had their day on the third obstacle, that shelf which traverses the entire trail. The 25 point route was the middle, right up the steepest part of the shelf. They both cleaned it and were running with no lockers, the only nonlocked trucks to do so.

That was the obstacle that also hurt Adam and RJ badly. Adam and RJ were some of the most modified of the bunch with Adam's (generous) 35s and locked rear and RJ with the rear locker. Adam's way cool Toyota axles with vented disks, Toyota power steering, with homemade driveshafts and steering linkage, all mounted with huge 35 inch TSLs on Peter Janney's old '64 IIA was a site to behold. Adam's only problem was that he was pushing those big tires with the tiny original 2.25 and 4.10 gearing. With that little motor, he was a tad overgeared and, to everyone's shock, stalled on his third attempt up the ledge getting no points for that obstacle. Gotta hand it to Adam and RJ though. Since they had the most experience with the venue in general, I made them go first on every obstacle, a massive disadvantage. They also bravely chose nothing but the 25 point routes and kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

Lastly, Marty and Kaan drove excellently throughout. But for a hit flag on the 2nd and last obstacle, they would've tied for first.

Excellent job everyone. Thanks again for coming out.

PKV