Ontario, Calif. - The UTV Inc./Lone Star Racing/Fox team of John Angal, Brian Bush, Branden Sims and Justin Quinn drove their No. 1919 Polaris RZR, equipped with 30-inch ITP Ultracross tires to the 2014 Tecate SCORE International Baja 1000 Class 19 victory in this past weekend in Baja California Sur, Mexico. ITP had five teams competing on the Mexican Peninsula, gunning for podium glory and a seeking to finish one the most grueling endurance races in the world.
"We were absolutely thrilled to learn the winner of Class 19, John Angal's UTV Inc., completed every single grueling mile of an unforgiving Baja 1000 course without a flat tire caused by the course," said Ryan Edwards, Tech Support Representative/West Coast Race Coordinator. "The 8-ply, 30-inch ITP Ultracross tire has proven itself in many environments, but to conquer the Baja 1000 and this year's challenging terrain certainly improves upon its image as an ideal tire for desert competition."
A total of 19 side-by-side vehicles entered the Class 19 (Pro) ranks this year. The course stretched from Ensenada to La Paz, covering 1,275 miles of the roughest desert terrain imaginable, including power-robbing silt beds, dense dust, jagged rocks, cliffs, sand, cavernous whoops, tire-piercing cacti and much more. The Baja 1000, which runs over two days, truly is about surviving the course, avoiding danger—whether that be extreme physical and mental fatigue, mechanical failure or race-ending obstacle—and reaching the finish line before timing out. Finishing is an accomplishment close to winning, but not as much as being the first in your class to cross the finish line.
Angal, who built his own vehicle for the race, was competing in his first Baja 1000 ever. He built a team and vehicle capable of taming Baja, but still needed to make a good tire choice. That proved to be the ITP Ultracross R Spec tire. The team led much of the race early on and, despite the brutal conditions, never once stopped to fix a flat caused by the Baja course. And after losing the lead around the 700 mile mark due to broken radius rods damaging the tires, the No. 1919 regained the lead around San Ignacio and then never looked back, becoming the first UTV to finish the epic 2014 race.
Not only was Angal's UTV Inc. squad first to finish, but also it was just one of eight teams to reach La Paz in the appointed time. Angal's team, which has only been competing for roughly eight months, rolled into La Paz with a finishing time of 33:25:13. They averaged just more than 38 mph in their Polaris RZR XP4 equipped with ITP Ultracross tires. Angal was quick to point out that it was an entire team effort, but also gave a nod to ITP and his ideal tire choice for taming Baja.
"The best UTV off-road tire ever. We could not have made it without ITP Tires. We had two flats caused by our steel radius rods sticking through them, but no flats caused by the brutal Baja terrain," said Angal on his Facebook page. "We would like to thank all of our crew, drivers, shop helpers, employees, friends and families who have helped on this project and making this lifelong dream become a reality."
Justin Lambert (Cognito Motorsports No. 1908) also ran ITP Ultracross tires on his side-by-side, and ended up finishing seventh. Running ITP Blackwater Evolution tires, the No. 1919 Murray Racing/Can-Am/ITP of Derek and Jason Murray suffered just one flat the entire 1,275 miles.
The Ultracross tire, offered in 30x10R-14, features a unique non-directional tread design that provides great traction in a wide variety of conditions and varying surfaces. The tread pattern is also considered "open," which makes it an ideal choice for desert conditions. The larger 14-inch wheel diameter both improves sidewall compliance and allows more choices for wheels.
