LAREDO WORLD RALLY TEAM SURVIVES THE TOUGHEST RACE ON THE PLANET – KING OF THE HAMMERS 2011

LAREDO WORLD RALLY TEAM SURVIVES THE TOUGHEST RACE ON THE PLANET – KING OF THE HAMMERS 2011 POST RACE REPORT

“ WOW! Now we know why they call it the hammers! We felt like we were being hammered on from all sides for 12 hours, including internally. The whoops and train track desert bumps were just retarded and really hard on both the car and us. Fastest we went was 85mph (138kph) in the open flat lake section and we played it safe due to the high winds. The first lap was really sketchy in the desert sections due to all the dust in the morning. The Piñata buggie worked great on the rock sections and we went by fairly quickly unless if there was a traffic jam. The only problems we had were a blown valve stem from bumping into another stopped car, loose electrical connector, and bad gps visibility. We ran only four 37 inch stickies and no bead locks, and no communication radio. IRC helped us out with a tracking device just in case we broke down, we could be easily located. Congrats to all the teams that participated. “ Stated Ponce and Dave.
Ponce starting of the race while Dave navigates his fabrication

This unique team has tried the LCQ twice in the past and this time they returned as a guest star international team to participate in the main race. Ponce was unable to finish his race rig on time and ended up partnering up with Javier’s Gulf Coast Crawl Shop and Dave Gutwillig. “Javier Ibarra and his crew are tight and 110% pro, I have seen them race and knew they could help pull Team Mexico thru the finish, I am glad they accepted my offer, Gracias Amigos. I would like to especially thank Javier Ibarra for putting up his shop, tools, rv, tow rig, and trailer as well as Dave Gutwillig for prepping the Piñata Buggie to pass tech and survive the race. Dave’s fabrication is the best race buggie I have ever driven and it crawled and raced like a world class machine. Dave is an excellent desert racer and crawler, we both helped each other to keep cool and finish. I have raced and finished the WRC Mexico twice without any prior rally experience, but when compared to the King of the Hammers www.ultra4racing.com , which is a new type of motorsport that combines 120 miles (193kms) of the most brutal rock trails and open desert terrain known to man, KOH is way more challenging and has lived up to its name of being the toughest off road race on the planet” Stated Ponce.
Ponce and Dave getting ready for takeoff into Planet KOH

The team chose to run using a unique strategy that worked well, Ponce started and ended the race driving the desert sections and then switching off to navigational duties, while Dave Gutwillig (fabricator and owner of the Piñata buggie) raced the rock and other desert sections. Overall it was a great learning experience and we will be back next year with more Bongo to try and finish in the top 20. Dave and Ponce will be running 2 rigs in 2012 and will make sure to pre run next time at least 2 times and mount a large view GPS unit, along with radio communications. Recce is the key to be able to go fast. They both have also been signed on the new Dyno Max Off road Race Teams Program and are dealing with other new partners. Both will also be concentrating on racing the new Baja Texas Racing and Texas EDR Series. Ponce will head back in April to Norway to do some rally and Nordic off road racing. Ponce still remains the only driver in the world that has competed in the rock motorsports of rock crawling and rock racing since 2006 in Mexico, Venezuela, USA and Norway where he has learned new racing techniques to help him survive and finish 2 WRC events without any prior rally experience and now a KOH; his new addiction of desert rock racing has now begun. Dave also plans on doing more desert racing and has some new fabrication concepts that he will be adapting to race and crawl faster.

Ponce and Dave at the finish

The Team would like to thank their main partners LAREDO CVB OF LAREDO TEXAS, JAVIER’S GULF COAST CRAWL SHOP, RAMSEY WINCHES, IRC Tracking, LIZARD SKIN, QUARTERMILE GRAPHICS, SAMS LIQUOR, PRP Seats, FOA Shocks, TOM WOODS Drive shafts, PSC, MASTER PULL, BAJA PITS, BIKE BARN, Liberty Country Constables Office Precinct, and Northwest Machine Shop. Other sponsors include Javier’s Autos Unlimited, Rusty’s Offroad, Ameri-Freight Auto Transport, Moods of Norway, Latination TV, Despain Automotive, TacoTote of Laredo, Allied/Raceline Wheels, Pronto Muffler Shop of Laredo, Triple J Express, JACAMAN WINES, FRS Energy, H.E.B. Supermarkets, Pizza Hut of Laredo, Casanova 4×4, Wine Country Motorsports, Taco Palenque, DJ Safety, Despain Automotive, Rugged Radios, Ajeepear.com, Patria Office Supplies, PCI Race Radios, Laredo Performance, Offroad Mexico News, Zona Car Mexico, World Rally Sport Mag, Bower Media Productions, Rally Buzz, Crawl Mag, Wicked Mag, Pirate 4×4 TV and Track-Any-Car.com
Racing done in memory of guitar legend, Louie Alfredo Ponce.
Find out more about the Laredo World Rally Team at www.worldrallyteam.com and GCCS at www.gulfcoastcrawlshop.com