SOPWITH MOTORSPORTS AND KINCAID RACING WRAP UP OFF-ROAD TESTING FOR PARKER 425
Sopwith Motorsports and Kincaid Racing combine forces to participate in the Best in the Desert’s Parker 425 desert race in 2010.
LUCERNE, Calif., January 17, 2010 Sopwith Motorsports and Kincaid Racing wrapped up a successful test of Kincaids Trick Truck last week, logging more than 100 miles on the Lucerne off-road race course in preparation for this years Parker 425 desert race (February 5-7).
Truck owner Scott Kincaid staged the test so the teams second driver, veteran asphalt racer Stephen Cox, could get comfortable in the truck. Cox, who is a 2-time road racing series champion and 13-time race winner, will be competing in his second desert race next month.
Stephen has driven just about every type of racecar in the industry. Hes one of the most versatile drivers in the sport. But this was his chance to get some seat time in a Trick Truck and get used to working with his co-driver prior to the Parker event, said Scott Kincaid.
The transition from road racing to desert racing has been exciting, said Cox. The Kincaid Trick Truck is easy to handle, super fast with about a thousand horsepower and outfitted with the best of everything.
Throughout the day of testing, Cox demonstrated his racing skills with consistently improved lap times on the desert course. Cox and co-driver Gary Kincaid logged nearly 50 miles together during the test session, reaching speeds in excess of 121 miles per hour.
My co-driver, Gary, is fantastic, said Cox. Hes really calm and has a lot of experience. A Trick Truck is actually not that different from any other racecar, but reading the terrain can be challenging for a road racing guy like me and thats where Gary excels.
On January 10, the Kincaid team kicked off race preparations by joining more than 100 drivers at a pre-run event held on the Parker 425 course in Arizona. Many of the countrys top off-road racers will compete at this years Parker 425, with the overwhelming majority being west coast natives who have built their careers on the off-road racing circuit.
I guess Im kind of breaking a pattern, not being the traditional type of driver at Parker, said Cox, who was born and raised in Indianapolis. Racing in any form is really popular at home. Weve got the (Indy) 500, the Brickyard, dirt cars, road racing, and short tracks but we dont have anything like desert racing. Not many guys get to drive all these cars and race in the desert, too, so this is pretty special for me.
A victory at the Parker 425 would secure Cox a place in racing history among an elite corps of drivers to score wins on asphalt ovals, road courses, dirt tracks, and in the desert.
The Parker 425 began in 1972 as a 500-mile event and remains one of the most prestigious off-road racing titles in America. For more details about the 2010 Blue Water Resort & Casino Parker 425, visit the Best in the Desert website (www.bitd.com).