AZOP Opens Season In Vulture Mine

Season Opener in Vulture Mine

The brutal Arizona desert held nothing back as the Arizona Offroad Promotions/ Rowley White RV Racing Series opened its season in the Vulture Mine area south of Wickenburg.

Video | 2019 AZOP Todd Peterson’s Vulture Mine Hare Scrambles

This is a race report provided by AZOP/Story and Photos by Jonathan Barrett

Sponsored by Ridenow Powersports and Sinister Fabrication, the race was held in memory of Todd Peterson, a long-time checkpoint volunteer and close family member to all within AZOP over the years. The minis had a five-mile course through winding hills and steep inclines, and the big bikes, quads and UTVs had a 30-mile loop of multiple sand washes, long stretches of whoops and even a waterfall to traverse.

UTV 170s and 250s

The UTV 170s and 250s came to dominate in the desert. Braden Krah, Kenzey Foshee and Erik Alvidrez would take the podium in the 170 class, and the 250’s would bring Reid Aikins, Vincent Riccitelli and Brody Aikins to the top spots. Polaris held the top 170 spots, and the 250 podium would bring a Polaris and two Hisun cars running second and third.

Hailey Hein rolls her 570 through a sweeping turn.

UTV 570

The next morning, the UTV 570s came out to race, with Hailey Hein yet again getting on top of the box with Riley Hein and Mia Lloyd rounding out an all-girls podium. All three Polaris 570’s performed to perfection and blasted through the Arizona desert.

Mia Lloyd races along the hills toward a third-place finish.

Riley Hein takes second in her 570.

Cory Sappington takes a decline with speed

Greg Geiser takes third in Turbo.

Pro UTVs

After the 570s, the big UTVs staged at the starting line, ready to put rubber to dirt through a 120 mile race. In the Pro class, it was James Moore off to a quick lead after leaving the line sixth, but at race mile 15 the front differential gave out and he limped it to the pits, ending his race.

Derek Geiser heading toward an overall victory.

That left the Geiser Performance Can Am of Derek Geiser to take the lead and hold it all four laps to the checkered flag, followed by Mark Milne and Cory Sappington, running Polaris and Can Am. Tom Wilson, the 2018 Pro Champion, blew a tire on lap one, repaired it in the pits, had a strong lap two trying to make up time, and then blew the same tire again on lap three, ending his race after three laps.

Unlimited Turbo

The Unlimited Turbo class hosted the biggest class, with Bruce Kennedy’s Can-Am powering through the rough terrain and taking a first-place finish over the Hardcore Tuning Polaris of Cole Keatts and the Geiser performance Can-Am of Greg Geiser.

1000 Non-Turbo

The 1000 Non-Turbo class had the Polaris RZR of Logan Goodall taking the win ahead of the two RZR’s of Paul Romanek and Luis Fernandez. Last but not least, Logan Stephenson put his RZR 850 on the top spot in the 850cc class.

Top 10 are as follows: Derek Geiser, Mark Milne, Bruce Kennedy, Cole Keatts, Greg Geiser, Daniel Hurn, Logan Goodall, Richard Epperson, Paul Romanek and Luis Fernandez. After 120 miles, many cars were broken and battered, with the winners happy they left mostly intact.

Bruce Kennedy pushing as hard as his Can Am will take him, taking first in class.

Logan Goodall takes the NA win.

The Vulture Mine Hare Scramble was a great location to start the long AZOP season this year, with a great turnout by all and plenty of action laid down on the track. The next race is the Blythe Grand Prix February 9-10 in Blythe, California at Shorty’s Sports Park.