RockCrawler.com First Ever ULTRA4 Win for ?EZ? Rick Mooneyham

[RockCrawler.com]

TOOELE, UT July 16th, 2013: Driver “EZ” Rick Mooneyham is no stranger to the ULTRA4 podium.* Over the years, he’s been one of the most consistent top three finishers at the Griffin King of The Hammers Presented by Nitto Tire. However, despite all of his podium finishes, a first place trophy had proved elusive to [...]

TOOELE, UT July 16th, 2013: Driver “EZ” Rick Mooneyham is no stranger to the ULTRA4 podium.* Over the years, he’s been one of the most consistent top three finishers at the Griffin King of The Hammers Presented by Nitto Tire. However, despite all of his podium finishes, a first place trophy had proved elusive to Mooneyham; that is until last weekend’s American Rocksports Challenge held at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT where Mooneyham crushed the competition and claimed first place finishing nearly 45 seconds ahead of Shannon Campbell. The American Rocksports Challenge is the third and final race in the Trail-Gear Western Regional ULTRA4 Series.

As thunder clouds loomed and the rain began in earnest, the top 24 of 38 ULTRA4 teams lined up for the main event on Saturday afternoon. Mooneyham in his black Nitto Tire Trick Toys Fab car started next to Shannon Campbell in the Green Monster Energy car on the pole position. The main race was 12 laps long and followed the format used in both qualifying and prelims that combined the Miller Motorsports short course with the competition rock crawl course. Off the line, Campbell took a quick lead with Nelson, Sacalas and Mooneyham hot on his heels, Campbell experienced a rollover in the rock section and Sacalas made his way around Campbell to take the lead followed closely by Mooneyham. The two would continue on this way for several laps until Sacalas experienced a hard hit in the rocks which required him to pit and replace a tire. As Sacalas made his way into the pits, Mooneyham took the lead and never looked back. Shannon Campbell worked his way back into second position and 2013 Rookie Jake Hallenbeck would take his first podium finishing in 3rd. *The top 10 non-qualified drivers also earned a spot in the 2014 Griffin King of The Hammers. Below is the entire list of finishers and qualifiers.

Ten Rubicon Express Modified and Pro Comp stock class drivers also competed in both a prelim and main event this weekend. The Stock and Mod cars had to complete the same number of laps on the same course as the ULTRA4s. In the Rubicon Express Modified Class, 2013 Rookie, Paul Bickerton claimed first place, Wayne Hartwig took 2nd**and Mitch Funk would narrowly beat out Jeff Rector for 3rd*place.Wayne Hartwig has consistently finished every race of the regional series on the podium for the Modified class this year. *In the Pro Comp Stock Class, Miller Motorsport Parks own John Williams would claim the first place position in his only race this season with Richard Gauthier finishing 2nd*and Kevin Adler finishing 3rd. *Gauthier and Adler have both finished all 3 regional races on the podium this season. Gauthier with one 1stplace and 2 2nd*place finishes and Adler with a 1st, 2nd*and 3rd*place finish this season. Please see the entire list of finishers and qualifiers below.

The final 4WD Hardware Eastern Regional series race will be held in Hot Springs, AR at the Superlift Park on August 16th*and 17th.*The Nitto Tire National* Championship will be held the following month on Friday, September 27th*on Moapa Indian Reservation Land near Las Vegas, NV. Please visit*www.ultra4racing.com*for more updates and details on both races.

Finish Car Driver Laps KOH Qual Total Time 4400s

1​

554​

Rick Mooneyham

12​

Yes-1

27:16.0​

2​

5​

Shannon Campbell

12​

pre-qual

28:00.6​

3​

4775​

Jake Hallenbeck

12​

pre-qual

28:22.0​

4​

26​

Clay Gilstrap

12​

pre-qual

28:43.7​

5​

3​

Wayland Campbell

12​

pre-qual

29:53.3​

6​

321​

Tom Wayes

11​

Yes-2

27:19.0​

7​

4486​

Marcos Gomez

11​

Yes-3

27:25.7​

8​

966​

Jason Blanton

11​

pre-qual

27:42.3​

9​

4435​

Kevin Sacalas

11​

pre-qual

28:08.4​

10​

72​

Hunter Sparrow

11​

Yes-4

29:10.4​

11​

4427​

Jeff Russell

11​

pre-qual

29:14.4​

12​

308​

Rocco Baldassare

10​

Yes-5

27:16.4​

13​

1977​

Brendon Thompson

10​

Yes-6

27:18.5​

14​

4481​

Alex Hardaway

10​

pre-qual

27:36.3​

15​

524​

Mark Danzo

10​

Yes-7

28:17.1​

16​

4416​

Brian Tilton

10​

Yes-8

29:18.5​

17​

4483​

JP Gomez

9​

pre-qual

25:26.7​

18​

4409​

Paul Garner

9​

Yes-9

27:50.1​

19​

775​

Robert Daly

8​

Yes-10

27:29.1​

20​

4459​

Keith Xavier

8​

28:04.3​

DNF

4472​

Dustin Isenhour

7​

31:46.3​

DNF

76​

Jason Scherer

3​

05:31.0​

DNF

4404​

Nick Nelson

2​

02:49.3​

DNF

4407​

Randy Rodd

1​

52.747​

LCQ

4441​

Darren Henke LCQ

99​

Angelo Parisi LCQ

67​

Loren Healy LCQ

4487​

Matt Nieman LCQ

62​

James Evans LCQ

911​

David Buchberger DNS

4463​

Rob Lynch DNS

11​

Bruce Szember DNS

777​

John Brock DNS

83​

Jacob Scott DNS

4444​

Jason Pickett DNS

104​

Jim Brown DNS

742​

Larry Anderson DNS

701​

Greg Lundeen Stock/Mod Mod Finish Car Driver Name Laps Behind Total Time

1​

4578​

Paul Bickerton

12​

39:56.7​

2​

4502​

Wayne Hartwig

10​

2 Laps

43:01.3​

3​

4515​

Mitch Funk

9​

3 Laps

23:59.0​

4​

4505​

Jeff Rector

9​

3 Laps

24:29.7​

DNF

4531​

Shawn Rants

1​

DNF

48.925​

DNF

4509​

Jeremy Eaton DNS Stock Finish

1​

4623​

John Williams

12​

46:58.3​

2​

4643​

Richard Gauthier

9​

3 Laps

42:36.8​

3​

4602​

Kevin Adler

5​

7 Laps

20:16.9​

DNF

4654​

Bailey Cole

3​

DNF

10:55.2​

​

ULTRA4*SPONSORS

MetalCloak is the title sponsor for the*ULTRA4*MetalCloak Nor Cal Stampede​

Trail Gear is the*ULTRA4*West Coast Series Sponsor​

Nitto Tire is the*ULTRA4*National Series Sponsor​

Official Sponsors of*ULTRA4*Racing also include:​

• 4 Wheel Parts
• ATX Wheels
• Axial
• Bestop
• Blue Torch Fabworks
• Corona Motorsports Rental
• Dynomax Exhaust
• GenRight Off Road
• Griffin Radiator
• Impact by Mastercraft Safety
• Kawasaki
• King Shocks
• Lucas Oil
• Miller Welding
• Nitto Tire
• Procomp
• PSC
• Posion Spyder
• Rubicon Express
• Smittybilt
• Spidertrax
• Trail Gear
• Warn
• WIDIA

ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING MOTORSPORTs IN THE US -*ULTRA4RACING**ULTRA4*racing began in 2007 with a dozen friends competing for bragging rights. *Six years later, more than 350 cars compete nationally and internationally in*ULTRA4*races. *In 2013, races in the United States will be held in the following states: Utah, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Arkansas, California and Texas. Additionally, the 2nd*annual*ULTRA4*sanctioned King of the Valleys race will be taking place this August in Wales, UK.​

ABOUT*ULTRA4*RACING​

ULTRA4*is a vehicle type, class and series.**ULTRA4Racing was born from the popularity of the annual Griffin King of the Hammers Presented by Nitto Tire, considered to be the toughest one-day off-road race. The vehicles are unlimited four-wheel drive, capable of competing in multiple racing disciplines – extreme rock crawling, high-speed desert racing and short course.* In six years, the sport has grown significantly from the inaugural King of the Hammers to an eight race national series including a National Championship.*ULTRA4*Racing is managed by Hammerking Productions located in Lake Arrowhead, CA.* To learn more, log on to*www.ultra4racing.com.​

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