Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Local Motors Rally Fighter rolls over, refuses to play dead]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/06/local-motors-rally-fighter-rolls-over-refuses-to-play-dead/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/06/local-motors-rally-fighter-rolls-over-refuses-to-play-dead/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/06/local-motors-rally-fighter-rolls-over-refuses-to-play-dead/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Local Motors Rally Fighter desert racing flip - video screencap

We already knew that the Local Motors Rally Fighter was one of the most interesting new vehicles of the last decade - it has a compelling backstory (come-from-nowhere company with a crowdsourced design), a fascinating look all its own and off-road chops. But now we know it has something approaching genuine robustness.

How genuine? Check out Turn 2 Production's video of competitor No. 1841 as it runs in this past weekend's Best In The Desert racing series' Parker 425. The 1800-class desert entrant is shown here as its driver takes a small jump but fails to nail the landing, digging the nose in and precipitating an end-over-end flip. The Rally Fighter lands on its wheels, and then without skipping a beat, the team presses on regardless, only momentarily encumbered by a floppy hood.

The team would go on to finish the Parker, AZ race, earning a fourth-in-class place and taking 19th overall.

Continue reading Local Motors Rally Fighter rolls over, refuses to play dead

Local Motors Rally Fighter rolls over, refuses to play dead originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best in the desertcar flipendofliplocal motorsrally fighterrallyfightervideoWed, 06 Feb 2013 12:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20450421/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/06/local-motors-rally-fighter-rolls-over-refuses-to-play-dead/20450421/article-detail.xml 20450421 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/local-motors-rally-fighter-flip_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/local-motors-rally-fighter-flip.jpg <![CDATA[After desert crash, motorcycle racer rides 14 more miles with broken ribs, collapsed lung]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/02/after-desert-crash-motorcycle-racer-rides-14-more-miles-with-br/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/02/after-desert-crash-motorcycle-racer-rides-14-more-miles-with-br/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/02/after-desert-crash-motorcycle-racer-rides-14-more-miles-with-br/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Endurance off-road racing is brutal, and riders willing to tackle the open desert on a motorcycle are as tough as they are adventurous. Sam Longson, competing in the Best in the Desert "Vegas to Reno" race on August 17, showed just how rough off-road racing can be when he rode his bike the final 14 miles of the race with three broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung.

After riding 520 miles of the 534-mile event (known as the "Longest Off-Road Race in the United States"), Longson crashed his Yamaha after hitting what appears to be loose gravel over the trail. The incident occurs at the 4:30 mark of the video, at which point Longson flies back-first into the rock-strewn terrain.

Being in such a remote location meant Longson was far from help, so he hopped back on his bike, took a quick breather and headed for the finish line. Through the rest of the video, you hear him groaning in pain as he rides over the rough terrain. Despite all that, he finished the race in 38th place overall and third in his class.

The ordeal, recorded on Longson's helmet camera, is posted below. Note that the audio contains some explicit language, particularly (and understandably) in the portion following the crash.

Continue reading After desert crash, motorcycle racer rides 14 more miles with broken ribs, collapsed lung

After desert crash, motorcycle racer rides 14 more miles with broken ribs, collapsed lung originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best in the desertmotorcycle crashmotorcycle crash videooff-road racingsam longsonvegas to renovideoyamahaSun, 02 Sep 2012 20:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20314370/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/02/after-desert-crash-motorcycle-racer-rides-14-more-miles-with-br/20314370/article-detail.xml 20314370 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/endurance-motorcycle-crash_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/endurance-motorcycle-crash.jpg <![CDATA[Ford SVT Raptor R to run 2009 Best in the Desert series]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/05/ford-svt-raptor-r-to-run-in-2009-best-in-the-desert-series/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/05/ford-svt-raptor-r-to-run-in-2009-best-in-the-desert-series/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/05/ford-svt-raptor-r-to-run-in-2009-best-in-the-desert-series/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above for high-res image gallery of the SVT Raptor R from its debut in BAJA

Ford's race-ready SVT Raptor R made it's competition debut last fall in the Baja 1000 and managed a respectable third place finish in its class for its first time out. That same truck is returning to racing soon in the hands of Rob MacCachren and Steve Olliges to run the five race "Best in the Desert" series. The SVT Raptor R has a 500-hp version of the 6.2L V8 that will be available in the production SVT Raptor next year. Underneath, the Raptor R also has a standard Raptor frame and a production spec 6-speed automatic transmission. The initial run of production SVT Raptors that go on sale this summer will use the F-150's current 320-hp 5.4L V8. Ford will also be using the Raptor R race program to test new performance parts that will offered to regular customers after the truck launches.

Gallery: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor R


[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford SVT Raptor R to run 2009 Best in the Desert series

Ford SVT Raptor R to run 2009 Best in the Desert series originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best in the desertBestInTheDesertford f150 raptorford raptor rFordF150RaptorFordRaptorRThu, 05 Feb 2009 13:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1451397/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/02/05/ford-svt-raptor-r-to-run-in-2009-best-in-the-desert-series/1451397/article-detail.xml 1451397 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/svtraptorr_01_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/svtraptorr_01_opt.jpg <![CDATA[HUMMER ends sponsorship of Rod Hall Racing]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/02/hummer-ends-sponsorship-of-rod-hall-racing/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/02/hummer-ends-sponsorship-of-rod-hall-racing/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/02/hummer-ends-sponsorship-of-rod-hall-racing/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for high-res gallery of our time embedded with Team HUMMER

The swan song (or would that be swan hummer?) has come for HUMMER's involvement with Rod Hall Racing. HUMMER has announced it's ending sponsorship of the team that has brought it numerous race championships and victories. Last year's accolades include first in the stock full class in the Baja 1000, and season championship honors in SCORE's stock mini and stock full class, and the Best in the Desert series.

With General Motors a little light right now on the cash front, and with HUMMER up for sale, the move had to be expected. We had a chance to ride with Chad Hall in last year's Baja 500, and we can tell you that the Hall family and the trucks they drive are first class. The H1 and H2 SUT trucks are up for sale, so if you're keen to get in the dirt with some proven tech, there's probably no better place to start.

Gallery: The Baja 500: race day with Team HUMMER Racing


[Source: Hummer Guy]

HUMMER ends sponsorship of Rod Hall Racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baja 1000baja 500Baja1000Baja500best in the desertBestInTheDesertgmh1h2 sutH2Suthummermotorsportsracingrod hall racingRodHallRacingscoresponsorshipsuvFri, 02 Jan 2009 15:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1416581/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/01/02/hummer-ends-sponsorship-of-rod-hall-racing/1416581/article-detail.xml 1416581 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/01/baja_500_race_day01_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/01/baja_500_race_day01_opt.jpg <![CDATA[Rod Hall/Team HUMMER's Emily Miller looks to enter record books]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/rod-hall-team-hummers-emily-miller-looks-to-enter-record-books/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/rod-hall-team-hummers-emily-miller-looks-to-enter-record-books/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/rod-hall-team-hummers-emily-miller-looks-to-enter-record-books/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The TSCO Vegas to Reno race, part of the Best in the Desert off-road racing series, is 457 miles long through the Nevada sand and scrub. From start to finish takes many racers 12 hours or more, and a driver that goes the entire distance is known as an "Ironman." For this year's edition, Emily Miller of Team HUMMER plans on being the race's first ever Ironwoman.

Miller will be piloting an H2 in the stock class with a navigator, Jake Povey. Some will undoubtedly think it crazy to try winning off-road races in an H2, but Miller's teammate Josh Hall has won the race three years in a row in his H2 SUT. Miller's no stranger to the podium herself, having come second at this year's Terribles 250.

The TSCO Vegas to Reno race happens this Friday, August 22 (that'd be tomorrow), where Miller will probably have some vintage Cake playing on the iPod. You can keep up with all the live action at www.rodhallracing.com, and to you, Emily, best of luck.

[Source: GM]

Rod Hall/Team HUMMER's Emily Miller looks to enter record books originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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