“Mopar’s new 512 cubic inch V-10 crate motor was incredible. Our General Grabber Competition Tires and Method wheels worked perfectly with no failures. Our massive 4.4 inch Fox shocks gave us yet another flawless race. And Baja Design’s HID light system and Philips DRLs turned night into day,” said Kroeker.

Known as “the worlds toughest race”, this year’s Baja 1000 stood out as the toughest yet. Recent torrential rains had turned the racecourse into a quagmire of mud, exposed rocks and ruts. Out of 278 entrants in the 2011 SCORE Tecate Baja 1000, only half ever made it to the finish line.

Ram Ready for Baja 1000

Team KORE arrived in Mexico ten days prior to the race in order to reconnoiter the course and finalize the race truck development.

“Normally, you arrive in Baja with a proven race car that’s fully-prepped and ready to go. Due to an engine change and complete suspension reconfiguration, this truck was nothing but a cab-cage in September. We literally worked on her 12-15 hours a day, not finishing the build until it was on the starting line,” said crew chief Mike Kerr.

Kroeker drove the first 450 miles of the 700-mile race. Although making aggressive physical contact with 8 other trucks that made the mistake of not immediately moving over for him, Kroeker handed a cosmetically damaged but functional vehicle to precision driver, Roach who then raced it to the finish without incident.

“Winning the worlds toughest race is a testament to every aspect of what it means to be a man. And I’m not talking about driving skill; I’m talking about everything – from the guys who forge the pistons in the motor, to my pit crew who works tirelessly through the night, covering thousands of miles, bringing parts and fuel where they need to be – winning the Baja 1000 means laser-focused excellence that can’t be demonstrated any other way,” said Kent Kroeker on the team’s class win and 30th overall finish.

Dedicated Victory

“This victory is especially gratifying for our entire team because we dedicated it to our fallen comrade, Jeremy,” continued Kroeker.

Jeremy Graczyk, co-driver in the Ram 1500 for KORE’s 2009-10 assaults on the Baja 1000 died earlier this year. Graczyk, along with Kroeker made national headlines in 2010 after their life-saving first responder actions to a nearly fatal crash on the Baja course.

“Our sponsors are great but aside from General Tire’s Baja Pits, we have no external support, so we rely heavily on improvisation and adaptation. This year was particularly difficult – with a newly engineered vehicle and only 12 volunteers, we felt like a Special Operations Team doing a mechanized assault behind enemy lines. But the time compression and adversity made winning that much sweeter – in fact, I know the team will never again feel this accomplished – this one was hard-fought,” Kroeker said later.

Chris “Mongo” Williams, KORE’s lead chase driver, summarized the victory when approached by a fan asking for a KORE race T-shirt, “We don’t give these away; you have to earn them.”

Ram Runner at Work

Such was KORE’s opportunity last week, taking the latest Ram Runner concept truck out to play (and yes, to test also). The sharp eyed will notice the truck’s distinctive new bumper design adding an even more aggressive and battle-ready element to the truck. But why read about world class Raptor-killing technology when you can simply feast your eyes? Here are some photos from KORE’s day in the sun…

Ram Runner Bumper Design

Ram Runner Suspension Package

General Tire AT2's - because the Ram Runner needs to be on ground occasionally.

Ram Runner at Play – er..Work!

Veterans of Desert Racing

Team KORE, veterans of desert racing and their 800 horsepower Class 8 General Tire Dodge RAM  race truck returned to Baja after their Class 8 win in the SCORE Baja 500 earlier this year.  Many on the team are veterans of the Marine Corps.  And at least one is still on active duty.  Co-driver Jeremy Graczyk volunteered his leave time to pit will alongside the rest of the team against the rugged Mexican terrain in the all out race for La Paz.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to have this team.” says KORE Suspension owner, Kent Kroeker “They volunteer their time, go without sleep, work heinously hard, and chase the race truck  all the way down the peninsula.  This team never gives up.  No matter what.”

Prior to the race, Team KORE and Kroeker spent two weeks in Mexico prerunning the course, and getting their logistics in place in preparation for the legendary desert race.   The influx of trophy trucks running the Baja 1000 meant that the course would get significantly altered even as the race goes on.   The Class 8 truck is well equipped to the task with General Tire Grabbers and a Mopar Max Wedge power plant equal or greater in size to most of the trophy trucks on the course.

“There’s so much that goes into being successful in Baja. Everything has to line up perfectly or you aren’t going to pull it off,” said Team Manager John Zambie. “So far we’ve blown up a new motor, got stuck in the silt, broke parts and experienced about every kind of human and/or mechanical failure you can imagine. I’m hoping to have used up all our bad luck during prerunning.”

On 17 November, the day before the race, the team was staged and waiting down the peninsula. Kroeker, co-driver Jeremy Graczyck, Jim Graczyk and Colt Hubbell left in the afternoon to prerun the first 30 miles of the race. About half way through the section they came upon a head-on accident that occurred between a race truck and passenger vehicle. Trapped inside the passenger vehicle was a man with critical injuries, including a partially-amputated arm. The KORE team stopped his bleeding with a tourniquet, secured the area and helped Mexican firemen extract him.

More information on this story can be found here:

http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_74fd8f16-33d2-5c64-8494-eefd911403e6.html?mode=story

The next morning combat veterans Kroeker and Graczyk climbed into the General Tire/KORE Race Ram to line up for the race.

Baja Position Lost

At high noon, the tall red RAM began the race in 5th position for the Class 8 trucks,  crossing the starting line, departing Ensenada and flying south on the dusty course. Within 50 miles Kroeker started feeling something wrong with the truck. A uniball in the steering assembly had lost a retaining ring and was wandering in its housing. A long pit ensued during which the team resorted to welding the bearing in place. During this time they lost numerous positions and were forced to drive in heavy dust.

At Race Mile 340, having regained some ground, Kroeker and Graczyk handed the truck to WRC Champion Harri Rovanpera and John Zambie. The team drove through the night, fighting low visibility due to dust and heavy fog, passing many disabled vehicles failing prey to the harsh terrain and eventually getting stuck themselves in silt beds north of Loreto. After much digging the team escaped and made it to KORE pit 7 where Rodolfo Iribe and Frank Martinek took over driving duties.

Display of RAM Power

The sun sank in the Mexican sky as precise driving and navigating by Rudy and Frank brought the RAM race truck uneventfully across the finish line for a second place win in Class 8. Much to the chagrin of SCORE officials, the angry Iribe proceeded to display the power of the KORE race vehicle for the crowd of fans and rip out an 800 horsepower burnout on the finish podium, rendering it permanently damaged for the remainder of finishers.

“We had a great overall season in Class 8 and either won or placed second in each of our three outings.  ” said Kroeker back in San Diego.  “Out of it all I’m more proud of our race team than anything else. Everyone did a great job.  We couldn’t ask for a more capable group of desert race veterans.  Our sponsors – General Tire, Fox Racing Shox, and Indy Cylinder Head gave their all to help us win. Everyone with us returned safely and it was another great adventure.” Kroeker paused before going on. “But let me make one thing perfectly clear: We don’t like second place. Not one bit.”

Read how Kent Kroeker and KORE design the long travel suspension kit on the Mopar Ram Runner and bring the Ram Runner to life.  Mopar® Magazine goes behind-the-scenes on the creation of Mopar’s high-flying 2010 Moab Jeep® Safari smash hit—the Mopar Ram Runner.  Download the full article here.

Baja Race Preparation

After months of technical and logistical preparation, Team KORE established itself in Baja, ready to take on “The 500”.  Adding to the tension was the fact that KORE had made numerous changes to the race truck – major suspension and steering modifications that had yet to be put to the ultimate test.

Prerace preparation was going smoothly.  Then while prerunning the race course on his dirt bike, driver Kent Kroeker got a flat front tire, crashed and suffered a compound fracture of his right thumb.

“The 500 has been my nemesis for over ten years.  In various classes I’ve won every other race.  But in the 500 I’ve taken second place at least five times, but never won – all because of bad luck.  A little pain never hurt anyone, but I was thinking that with the bone hanging out, if it got infected my race would be over before it started,” said Kroeker.

After changing his tire and riding to his support vehicle, chase crew members Chris “Mongo” Williams and John Scripps extracted Kroeker to San Diego where he underwent emergency surgery.

Baja 500 Race Day

Race day dawned hot and dry.  A surprise heat wave brought 100 degree temperatures and no wind.  “Heat is no problem – this is desert racing – but even a little wind helps increase visibility.  We had no such luck,” said Kroeker’s navigator, Baja Design’s President, Alan Roach.

At 11am Kroeker launched the big Ram off the starting line.  For 200 miles, Kroeker and Roach fought tremendous dust, stuck vehicles, rocks and loose terrain, bringing an undamaged race truck to Finnish WRC champion driver Harri Rovanperä and KORE navigator John Zambie. The Mopar 540 cubic inch Max Wedge roared off at full speed toward Mike’s Sky Rancho and into the night.

For the next 165 miles Rovanperä and Zambie made full use of 800 horsepower, 4.4 inch Fox bypass shocks, and no less than 14 Baja Designs HID lights, bringing Rodolfo Iribe and navigator Frank “Maximus” Martinek the big Ram in the physical lead by 12 miles.

“Being sideways in the air at triple digit speeds is interesting to say the least, but never once did I feel Harri was out of control.  The guy can flat out drive,” said Zambie after the race.  “I was having so much fun I didn’t want it to end.”

In Urapan, the KORE pit crew from NTG Racing put fresh Grabbers on the big Dodge, then Iribe and Martinek proceeded to tackle one of the most technical sections of the whole course.  At one point a stuck race car blocked the trail, and Martinek, a Marine Corps combat veteran got out, pushed past the struggling drivers, then physically lifted the front of their car out of the way so Iribe could drive past.

For the Win

At the finish line Team KORE waited with nervous anticipation.  Last year’s Baja 1000 was heartbreaking.  Thirty miles from the finish, while in the lead, an obscure part broke costing KORE the win.

“Until the very end, anything can happen – the trans could blow, Mexican ambush, log jam, whatever.  This is the gnarliest racing on earth and it ain’t over ‘till it’s over,” said Crew Chief, Mike Kerr.

After about an hour of nail-biting anticipation, Iribe and Martinek came around the final turn in a full-throttle power slide, getting the checkered flag and the win by almost 3 hours.

“This win was the culmination of months of effort from our employees and volunteers.  Many thanks to General Tire, Baja Designs, Fox Racing Shocks and Greer Brothers Racing for their continued support,” said Kroeker at the finish line.  “Winning the Baja 500 is the second best feeling in the world.  Team KORE can’t wait for the Baja 1000.”

“IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE – Meet Kent Kroeker, The Guy Who Proves It Just Might Be Possible to Truly Have It All.”

Kent and SaraMae Kroeker were featured in the May Dirt Sports magazine article along with driver, Harri Rovanperä and their sponsor General Tire.  The in-depth article chronicles KORE’s rise as a major competitor in the SCORE Baja Race series.   Download the full article in pdf here.

After hard, but solid driving by Kroeker, Rudy Iribe and Finnish WRC Champion Harri Rovanpera, by race mile 390, team KORE was in the lead again.  Kent Kroeker was driving with Frank Martinek navigating.

Ten miles from the finish line, 20 miles ahead of their competition, the bung in the passenger-side trailing arm let go.  There was no way to drive the truck from that point.  Using both spare tires, a mechanical jack, a shovel and the truck’s nitrogen jack system, Kroeker and Martinek positioned the truck in such a way that they could align the suspension components correctly.

A nearby checkpoint crew then welded the parts together while Kroeker and Martinek watched their competition drive by.

20 minutes later, Team KORE rolled across the finish line for 2nd place.

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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – On 25 April, the best Stock Full class racers in the country gathered at Primm, Nevada to pit their machines against one another on one of the roughest courses in the Best in the Desert Series.

Normally it takes over a month of full-time work to prep a vehicle for a race.  Everything must be rebuilt or replaced.  Only two weeks had passed since competing in the Mint 400, so there was very little time for KORE to repair and prep the Powerwagon.

“Basically, Fox rebuilt our shocks and Les Black rebuilt the carb.  We changed filters, belts and fluids, threw in a fresh set of plugs, some new Grabbers and drove to Primm.  We dropped in a new transfer case in the hotel parking lot and rolled her through tech inspection,” said John Zambie.

KORE’s late entry guaranteed a rear start.  At just after 6am the Stock Full class was roaring into the desert.  Kent Kroeker drove with Frank Martinek in the right seat.  Within ten miles they had passed half of the Stock Full competitors.

“Despite the partial prep, that truck never felt so good.  The suspension and power were dialed.  Everything felt perfect and we were crushing everyone,” said Frank.

After the first 80 miles, the four top competitors, Foutz, Griffin, Kroeker, and Merritt rolled through the pits within two minutes of each other!  With two more laps to go, it was going to be an all-out battle for the win.

By the end of lap two, Kroeker and Martinek were leading on time, less than a minute behind Griffin.  At the KORE Pit, the team put in 20 gallons and Rudy Iribe swapped into the left seat while Martinek remained in the right to provide up-to-date course information.

Everything was looking great, but within ten miles the Powerwagon’s serpentine belt had snapped.

It took six minutes to change the belt and during that time Foutz and Merritt got past them.  Rudy drove like a madman to get back into position, but by that time the gap between Griffin had grown to 4 minutes.

“I was hoping this would be a repeat of Primm last year when we finished just behind Griffin, but won on corrected time.  All it took was six minutes of bad luck and we were back in second place.  The Stock Full class is just that competitive,” said Kent Kroeker after the race.