Lovell brothers make tracks at Temple Canyon.
So, what’s an Ultra4 and a Pro Light doing at a hill climb you say? Believe it or not, competition hill climbs demand an incredible level of vehicle durability and driving skill, with each competition packaging in a delectable level of racing, carnage, and rolls beyond what one would imagine. Last weekend, Brad and Roger Lovell took out their Pro Light and Ultra4 vehicles, respectively, to battle it out at Temple Canyon, a CHCA Hill Climb competition. In the end, Brad drove his Spider 9 powered Pro Light to 3rd place while Roger drove his own Spider 9 powered Ultra4 to a all time best time for the team. Some great photos, and videos, from the weekend provided below courtesty of Lovell Racing.
Enter Lovell Racing.
Colorado Springs, CO 5/15/12 – It has been many years since a CHCA Hill Climb has been packed with so much carnage. Rollovers, wrecks, and ejections from the racing surface filled the weekend. Navigating through the mayhem were brothers Roger (in the #232 AMSOIL Ultra 4) and Brad (in the #44 AMSOIL Pro-Light).
The Lovell team spent much of the practice day tuning the vehicles and finding the right line – getting set for the times that count on Sunday. Brad faced off in the Comp Truck class that allows a Pro-Light but also leaves it woefully underpowered in comparison to the competition. Even with the handicap, Brad was able to slide his way onto the podium in 3rd place with a time of 3:24.57 after qualifying 4th.
While Roger was the only Ultra 4 in attendance, that did not mean he wasn’t trying to win a race. His goal – Brad’s 2010 class winning time of 3:37.87. Roger had a unique opportunity to best his brother’s time under similar conditions in the same vehicle. Roger was able to beat the time in qualifying and pick up an additional 3 seconds on race day for a best time of 3:34.73. Roger adds, “It was good to get back behind the wheel after Pikes Peak and a confidence booster to whoop up on Brad’s time.”
For those interested in a comparison between the two, check out the side by side run from each vehicle. The Ultra 4 was sped up by 10 seconds so the trucks start and finish at the exact same time (for comparison of segments where each vehicle is faster). The loose marbles in the last corner really cost the 2wd.
This race served as important test time for changes to the Pro-Light for the team’s next race – TORC action in Red Bud, MI on Memorial Day weekend. If you are unable to be in attendance, look for live coverage of the weekend’s action on TORCseries.com. You can also follow the team on their Facebook page: Lovell Racing .