Four for four. That is the headline for the success BFGoodrich Tires has had in the desert in 2015 after Justin Lofton claimed the overall win at the Polaris RZR Mint 400 outside of Las Vegas last weekend. This is Lofton’s second race since choosing to rely on BFGoodrich and its Baja T/AKR2 race tire, which continues to solidify its claim as the dominant desert racing tire in the industry.
In addition to Lofton’s win, drivers on BFGoodrich Tires won accounted for nine of the top 10 overall finishers and 16 of the top 20 as well as 12 class wins. In the Class 1000 category, Roger Starkey won on the company’s new 35-inch Baja T/A KR2 designed for that class. In all, 14 of the top 16 in this class ran the new tire.
After claiming 10 of the 11 major North American desert races in 2014, drivers on BFGoodrich Tires continue the run of success with its fourth consecutive win in these races to make the tally 14 of the last 15 desert races won on the company’s tires. More than 60 percent of the field at the race chose BFGoodrich Tires.
“To say we are ‘back in the desert’ is now becoming an understatement,” said Chris Baker, motorsports director for BFGoodrich Tires. “When you see success as we did this weekend at the Mint 400, it justifies the focused effort and investment BFGoodrich has made to bring the best race tire to our drivers. We are filled with pride when racers trust in our products like Justin Lofton did this year. It’s more than a leap of faith to switch technical partners when desert racing is so competitive. Racers are looking for the equipment to provide them whatever edge they can get. We are proud to have been able to deliver that to Justin and the racer community using our products.”
BFGoodrich Performance Team member Rob MacCachren took his trick truck in third overall just behind Robby Gordon to round out the podium.
Again the MINT 400 proved to be one of the toughest desert races held in the United States as rough terrain and winds caused difficult sightlines for drivers. For Lofton, that wasn’t going to stop his progression forward. After two laps, he trailed leader Robby Gordon by just under 10 minutes. With a fresh set of KR2 tires, he hunted down and passed the leader to claim the win.
After, Lofton remarked, “Race went great for us. We had a three step plan of making it to the finish line and it worked out perfectly. Our BFGoodrich Tires worked great. We hammered on them all day and they wanted more. I couldn’t be happier with our program this year.”
Other notable accomplishments included the win by 62-year old Sam Berri in Class 1500, in which he ran the same set of BFGoodrich Baja T/AKR2 tires the entire race.
The BFGoodrich Tires Baja T/AKR2 continued where it left off at the last race, setting the bar for desert race tires. The tire, whose design and technical attributes were the foundation for the recently released consumer tire, the All-Terrain T/AKO2, not only helped Lofton to the win but was on seven class wins, 12 of the top 16 overall and 14 of the top 16 finishers in Class 1000.
TOP 10 OVERALL FINISHERS (BOLD indicated driver on BFGoodrich Tires)
1. Justin Lofton (Class 1400) 5:57:38
2. Robby Gordon (Class 1400) 5:59:03
3. Rob MacCachren (Class 1400) 6:05:31
4. Carlos Apdaly Lopez (Class 1400) 6:12:14
5. Gustavo Vildosola Jr. (Class 1400) 6:14:10
6. Dan McMillin (Class 1400) 6:21:54
7. Luke McMillin (Class 1400) 6:23:21
8. Gary Weyhrich (Class 1400) 6:24:24
9. Sam Berri (Class 1500) 6:24:27
10. Cody Parkhouse (Class 1500) 6:24:41
BFGoodrich Tires Class Winners
Trick Truck Justin Lofton
1500 Sam Berri
6100 Brett Sourapas
7200 Steve Kovach
8000 Dave Westhem
1000 Roger Starkey
1800 John Webster
2900 UTV Logan Goodall
4500 Steve Rountree
4700 Robert C Johnson
1100 Justin Buckley
3000 Mike Bach
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