Harley Letner Wins the Method Race Wheels Laughlin Desert Classic Overall
#1570 Harly Letner and Youtheory Racing have taken the overall win at the 2017 Method Race Wheels Laughlin Desert Classic presented by Canidae Tap It. After Pat Dean fell way back around the beginning of the third lap, the tension was released and Letner cruised to the overall win with an elapsed time of 02:03:48.320.
Not that Letner needed the help. He started the day with a twenty two second lead after yesterday’s performance and was first off the line to open air. Letner earned Youtheory Racing its third consecutive Class 1500 win in 2017 with victories at the Parker 425, Mint 400 and now the Laughlin Desert Classic.
2017 Method Race Wheels Laughlin Desert Classic Top 5 Overall
| Name | Day 1 Time | Day 2 Time | Overall Time |
| 1. Harley Letner (Class 1500) | 01:01:24.397 | 01:02:23.923 | 02:03:48.320 |
| 2. Jason Voss (Trick Truck) | 01:04:29.173 | 01:03:31.752 | 02:08:00.925 |
| 3. Terry Householder (Class 1500) | 01:04:42.559 | 01:03:49.810 | 02:08:32.369 |
| 4. Shawn Croll (Trick Truck) | 01:04:32.903 | 01:04:03.389 | 02:08:36.742 |
| 5. Eduardo Laguna (Trick Truck) | 01:05:14.597 | 01:03:42.309 | 02:08:56.906 |
Click here to see full weekend Class 1000, 1500 & 6200 results.
Click here to see full weekend Trick Trucks results.
Click here to see the unofficial overall order by race.
Jason Voss needed to make up the three minutes and five seconds he surrendered on Saturday but fell short in the end after Letner added more time today. Voss finished with a total elapsed time of 02:08:00.925 and did however take the win in the Trick Truck class by a narrow margin over Shawn Croll and gained valuable points towards another overall points championship.
Shawn Croll stuck with Voss all weekend but was never able to capitalize on any mistakes because well, Voss didn’t make any. A superb run by Croll – he’ll for sure be up towards the front for Vegas to Reno in August.
Judging by how Eduardo Laguna came through our spot on day 2, we knew he was really wanting to push the pace. Even with Best in the Desert’s wonderfully watered track, the mid-day heat dried things out and made it difficult to pass in the dust on this very short course.
Letner led a field of thirty Class 1000, 1500 & 6200 racers in the third race and cruised to the class victory, adding to his overall lead. After Pat Dean dropped back, the door was opened for #1539 Terry Householder to take second in class. It sure is great to see the Householder’s back in the desert after a brief hiatus. Terry was nearly a minute faster today than his pace yesterday. #1590 Jeff Quinn took the last spot on the podium.
Harley Letner wasn’t the only racer to mark a third straight win. #1074 Brock Heger also won the Parker 425, The Mint 400 and now the Laughlin Desert Classic in Class 1000. Heger finished three and half minutes faster than second place Class 1000, #1087 Troy Messer. The third spot was taken by #1003 Christian Fessler.
RACE 1 WEEKEND RESULTS (Class 1700, 2700, 3700, 4700, 5000, 7100, 8100, VINT)
| Name | Day 1 Time | Day 2 Time | Overall Time |
| 1. Keith Waibel | 00:52:50.988 | 00:52:42.530 | 01:45:33.518 |
| 2. Chris Isenhouer | 00:53:31.443 | 00:52:42.153 | 01:46:13.596 |
| 3. Sara Price | 00:56:48.149 | 00:53:57.428 | 01:50:45.577 |
| 4. Shelby Thompson | 00:57:23.037 | 00:58:18.549 | 01:55:41.586 |
| 5. John Holmes | 01:00:34.179 | 01:02:18740 | 02:02:52.919 |
Click here to see full weekend results.
Click here to see the unofficial overall order by race.
In the opening race of the day, 00:00:00.377 separated #8172 Keith Waibel with day 2 winner #4757 Chris Isenhouer, who needed to make up the forty one seconds he lost to Waibel on day 1 to take the overall. Waibel took home the race win on the weekend while Isenhouer settled for the Class 4700 win.
Sara Price powered her RPM OFF-Road truck to a third place overall finish in her first desert race behind the wheel of the #8108. Price finished second in class behind Waibel and commented at the finish line 3yesterday she felt as comfortable as ever after her third lap. Today, she improved yesterdays time by nearly three minutes, finishing the opening race with time of 01:50:45.577, third amongst all 1700, 2700, 3700, 4700, 5000, 7100, 8100 & Vintage classes.
Tommy Croft in the #4501 Chenowth took the weekend win in the vintage class, not to mention seventh overall in the 38 year old race car with a Volkswagen motor. Tommy drove today and teammate Peter Alesi was behind the wheel yesterday. The duo beat the #4510 vehicle raced by Peter Alesi Jr. and Mark Fox, the other vintage car that makes up Norm Francis’ RETRO Racing.
RACE 2 WEEKEND RESULTS (Class 1100, 2000, 2400, 3000, 6000, 7200)
| Name | Day 1 Time | Day 2 Time | Overall Time |
| 1. Randy Merritt | 01:13:14.907 | 01:15:08.383 | 02:28:23.290 |
| 2. Mike Avila | 01:16:45.756 | 01:15:44.730 | 02:32:04.265 |
| 3. Tim Carolan | 01:17:02.294 | 01:16:01.971 | 02:33:04.265 |
| 4. Bryce Eisenhauer | 01:20:23.697 | 01:16:21.076 | 02:36:44.773 |
| 5. Ryan Winner | 01:19:26.635 | 01:19:49.214 | 02:39:15.849 |
Click here to see full weekend results.
Click here to see the unofficial overall order by race.
#7235 Mike Neff bounced back after his DNF yesterday to take the win in the second race today. However, it was #7281 Randy Merritt whose combined time of 02:28:23.290 who took the win in the 1100, 2000, 2400, 3000, 6000 & 7200 class race. #2428 Mike Avila finished second in the race and took the class win in 2400. #2406 Tim Carolan finished third in the race and second in class.
#6068 Ryan Winner edged out #6001 Todd Jackson in the Trophy Lite race. Winner was thirty one seconds off Todd Jackson’s leading time yesterday but fired back today to the class win by twenty four seconds.
RACE 4 WEEKEND RESULTS (Class 6100-8000)
| Name | Day 1 Time | Day 2 Time | Overall Time |
| 1. Steve Kovach | 01:11:04.007 | 01:09:40.970 | 02:20:44.977 |
| 2. Matt Laughlin | 01:11:19.236 | 01:09:31.095 | 02:20:50.331 |
| 3.Ryan Hancock | 01:11:25.519 | 01:10:10.418 | 02:21:35.937 |
| 4. Robert B. McBeath | 01:11:43.425 | 01:10:34.306 | 02:22:17.731 |
| 5.P.J. Guglielmo | 01:11:35.246 | 01:10:45.093 | 02:22:20.339 |
Click here to see weekend results.
Click here to see the unofficial overall order by race.
Hometown racer, Matt Laughlin won the 6100 race today, putting him just six seconds shy of #6107 Steve Kovach on the weekend. Ryan Hancock finished off the podium in 3rd. The 6100 race was again some of the most competitive racing during the weekend, with 22 racers and the top three all within a minute of each other.
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