Las Vegas, NV

Brandon Arthur earned a 1400 Class Championship in 2012, his first full season as driver of record but stepping up to the major leagues in his HRT Motorsports built Pro Traffic, Competitive Metals, Rigid Industries Trick Truck is a completely new challenge. He is now racing against seasoned veterans with deep pockets. It’s not easy competing against the best but Brandon is willing to do whatever it takes to establish himself in the unlimited truck field. Brandon draws on knowledge from his father Todd, veteran team member Donny Kerr and co-driver Brian Busby but much of his success is due to his own hands on efforts.

Coming into The General Tire Mint 400, presented by Polaris the plan was to stay out of trouble, get a decent qualifying position and come away with a good finish at the legendary race. They qualified in the 32nd position, which put them about mid-pack in the unlimited field. When the green flag dropped on raceday, he made great progress right from the start. After just one lap, he and co-rider Brian Busby were running with the lead pack in the 13th spot. The top trucks were setting a blistering pace that soon took a toll on many.

Brandon’s plan to run smart was going well until the motor started to push oil out the exhaust. “The FOX shocks were working perfectly and we had no flats to our BFGoodrich tires but the engine was getting worse,” said Todd, “I got in the truck after the second lap and the motor dropped one cylinder and then another.”

The truck was running on only six cylinders when it was decided to save what was left of the engine. “We planned to play it safe but it didn’t work out,” said Brandon Arthur, “The course was rough and super dusty but we had a great truck until the engine problem. I will tear the motor down and figure out what went wrong.” Brandon is a talented mechanic who competes in Skills USA automotive competition. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. Brandon won the regional series and now moves on to the state finals. “Brandon’s Skills competition will force him to miss the HDRA race in Ridgecrest but his mechanical abilities will pay the bills more than truck racing might,” says Todd. Brandon will be back in the dirt July 12-14 at the Reno 500 in Reno, Nevada, a double points race. He hopes to make a good showing there to score maximum points towards the HDRA season championship.

Photography By: Brian Binkert
Bink Designs – www.binkdesigns.com

Jean, NV

When Brandon Arthur got a great, second row starting position draw for the South Point, Vegas 250, his team was confident they would achieve excellent results on raceday. In his only other race in the new truck, Rockin on the River 2012, Brandon won the Trophy Truck class and finished second overall. With his new co-rider, Brian Busby of F&L Racing Fuels and backing from Rigid Industries, Maxima Racing Oils and KMC Wheels, the opportunity to line up against some of the top teams in the sport was something he was looking forward to with great anticipation.

Everyone racing a Trophy Truck in HDRA has good equipment but the top teams also have solid financial support and years of racing experience behind them. After announcing that the HDRA series would also be part of a World Championship of Desert Racing that combines their results with the SCORE Desert Series to crown a World Champion, Top Trophy Truck teams showed up to chase a World Championship title. Brandon would be racing against his usual rivals plus BJ Baldwin, The Herbst Brothers and Cameron Steele.

At the drop of the green flag, Cameron Steele and Ruben Ledezma roared off from the front row. The next pair off the line would be Brandon and five time champion BJ Baldwin. Brandon got the jump as the flag dropped and raced side by side with BJ into the first turn. Brandon knows you can’t win a 250 mile race in the first corner but you can lose one. He also knew BJ would not back down so he lifted to let BJ go when the track narrowed to a single line. All the pre-race preparation, planning and hard work was done, it was now time to go about the job of racing. It might have been due to the frigid temperatures, a stray rock or just a bad part but at mile 14, a fitting failed sending oil over the hot engine and into the cab of the truck. Brandon quickly shut it down and brought the truck to a stop. Thankfully, the onboard extinguishing system was not needed.

HDRA recovery was on scene quickly and had the truck in tow back to the hotel parking lot. The team quickly found the problem, replaced the part and cleaned up as much as they could. After an escort back to the course by HDRA officials, the team had lost close to an hour. The emphasis shifted from winning, to making sure they finished. Unless something miraculous happened, they had little chance of catching the leaders. It was soon discovered that the same special anti-wear/extreme pressure additives in their Maxima Racing Oil that protect critical engine components from extreme loads and peak temperatures also clings well to foot pedals.

Brandon’s feet were slipping off the gas pedal in the whoops but on the bright side, they had no fear of losing their engine, it was running strong.

Brandon, Brian and the rest of the team took advantage of the conservative pace to hone their communication skills. “It was my first race with Brian co-riding,” said Brandon, “It was good to have some time to get used to each other. I like the way he calls out corners. He has a lot of racing experience. He will be a big asset to the team.”

Co-riding has to be one of the hardest jobs in racing. It’s not easy hurling through the desert in the hands of someone else. No driver will admit it but every co-rider knows, all the stray branches picked up and brush rubbing happens on the passenger side for some reason. “I felt comfortable with Brandon right away,” said Brian, “Off the start we were in BJ’s dust and the sun was in our eyes. I called out the corner and with one hand on the wheel and the other covering his eyes, Brandon flicked it into the corner sideways. I knew right then we were going to have some fun. There were times when the truck got quiet because I didn’t have to say anything. Brandon was taking the right lines and putting the truck where it needed to be.”

The team soldiered on to finish eighth out of twelve trucks; far short of their goals but they did pick up valuable points on some of the competitors who they will be tangling with as the season progresses. Their next race will be the HDRA 250 in Ridgecrest, California April 5-7. The team will be there looking for redemption, it going to be a good one!

Photography By: Brian Binkert
Bink Designs – www.binkdesigns.com

Thank you to all our sponsors:

Off Road Racing’s Brightest Young Star, Brandon Arthur capped off an incredible season at the HDRA, “Rockin on the River” event held in Laughlin, Nevada. He won both days finishing 10:58 ahead of second place Nick Isenhouer in his HRT Motorsports, Competitive Metals, Ford F-100 and earned the Class 1400 Championship.

Brandon also won both days in his recently completed Open Class truck that he will campaign next season. In his first race in the HRT Motorsports, Competitive Metals, Open Class Truck Brandon finished just 39 seconds behind Class 1 Champion Mike Mitchell for second overall on the weekend.

Way back in January, at the first race of the season, Brandon made a huge impression on Grand Marshall Ivan “Ironman” Stewart who knows plenty when it comes to driving talent and winning Championships. He compared Brandon to a young Robby Gordon. Many thought the comparison was premature at best but looking back on the season, he has lived up to Ivan’s assessment.

“We had a great weekend of racing,” said Brandon, “We were here to win the Championship and get some seat time in the HRT Motorsports Open Truck. Both trucks were dialed in and ran flawlessly. It was incredible being able to run the long course in Laughlin. I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid to watch the Laughlin Leap and the road crossing jump. Being able to jump the road crossing at full throttle was the best part of the whole weekend. I can’t thank HDRA enough for all the hard work they did to allow us to run the full course. Our Championship was made possible by the hard working crew at HRT Motorsports and the support we get from Competitive Metals, F&L Racing Fuel, Rigid Industries, Ridiculous Clothing, Mirage Racing Products, WireFab, Summers Brothers Racing, Fox Racing Shox, Pro Traffic Services, ECP Powder Coating & Bink Designs.

Brandon and his HRT Motorsports, Competitive Metals, team made a huge impression on Ivan Stewart and many others this season. He finished every mile of every race accumulating the highest point total. On his way to the Championship, he never placed lower than second; taking four wins out of six races. His new Open Truck has already proved to be fast and reliable. A second Championship, this time in the Open Truck Class, is definitely their goal. They will be going up against bigger and better funded teams in the unlimited class but that will make the wins only sweeter. Brandon Arthur will definitely be the one to watch in 2013.

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Ramona, CA

Brandon Arthur will have a huge weekend of racing ahead of him when he lines up to race at the HDRA, “Rockin on the River” offroad race in Laughlin, Nevada Nov. 9-11. Not only will he be racing his HRT Motorsports, Competitive Metals, Ford F-100 in class 1400 but also he will be doing double duty when he jumps behind the wheel of his brand new Open class truck, which was recently constructed in house at HRT Motorsports.

The heat race format of the “Rockin on the River” race allows Brandon to compete in Heat 1 in his 1400 truck and then race heat 4 in the Open Truck class. Heat 1 will do four laps totaling 66 miles. Heat 4 will run six laps for a total of 99 miles. Brandon will do 165 miles on Saturday and then do it again on Sunday.

Brandon’s goal was to win the class 1400 championship this year, his rookie season and with one race to go has a 20 point lead on second place in championship points, Chris Isenhour. Brandon, who is now a Junior in High School, was allowed to race the 1400 truck he built if he maintained good grades. He obviously kept his part of the bargain running a solid season that would earn all A’s in anyone’s book. Brandon’s record going into the final event stands at two wins and two seconds, an amazing accomplishment for any driver let alone a rookie in class 1400.

“We are going to stick with what’s worked so well this year,” said Brandon’s father, Todd Arthur, “It was a little more work bringing both trucks but we are well prepared. We did the normal prep routine on the F-100; it’s ready to wrap up that championship. The Open Truck was doing so well in testing we decided to give Brandon a chance to get some race miles in it this year before we move up to the “Big Time” next season. We proved that we have what it takes to run a successful race program this year. The new, Open Class truck is very fast. We are thrilled with our progress so far and have a lot of confidence moving forward.”

With a 20 point lead going into the final race of the season the championship is still not a forgone conclusion. Brandon Arthur and the HRT team will be doing the same thing they’ve done all year, prove it in the dirt running wide open!

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Primm, NV

The High Desert Racing Association (HDRA) put together another incredible event; this time a long course night race at Primm, Nevada. Each lap of the Dusk til Dawn 250 was more than 50 miles long allowing the teams to open it up under the stars.

The darkness was no match for Brandon Arthur who’s bright yellow HRT Motorsports, Competitive Metals, Ford F-100 lit up the course with consistent fast laps and his Rigid Industries, LED lightbar. With no prerunning allowed and days of monsoon rains before the race, unexpected washouts were the main concern on the first lap. Thankfully, the course was in fair shape but not entirely free from hazards. Running flat out, Brandon came up on a pool of standing water that caught him and co-driver Donny Kerr off guard. His FOX Racing Shox soaked up the hit on the suspension but the skidplate slapped the surface of the water sending it exploding into the sky and up and over the roof of the truck. Unfazed, the engine kept slurping the F&L Racing Fuel and the truck never skipped a beat. The incident produced nothing more than a good laugh and a wipe of the face shield.

Brandon’s truck is always ready to take on whatever the course dishes out. His crew is stocked with knowledgeable racers who perform well under pressure. The Monster Energy pit crew challenge held Saturday morning gave them a chance to show their stuff. While the crew waited, Brandon drove the truck into the designated pit box. After coming to a complete stop and shutting off the engine, the crew jacked up the Summers Bros equipped rear housing and changed both BFG tires. After the truck came off the jack, Brandon could re-fire the engine and drive out of the box. When the rear tires cleared the box, the clock was stopped. If any lugnuts were left loose, a one-minute time penalty would be assessed. The team won their class with no penalties and a fast time of just 52 seconds. The quick work from the crew earned them $500 bucks and a sweet Monster Energy trophy.

“It was great starting the weekend off with a win in the pit crew challenge,” said Brandon, “The race ran smooth for us. We did the whole thing on the same set of BFG’s; only stopping for fuel and a quick check every lap. The course jumped from one two-track to another in a few spots that made it confusing on the first lap but we just followed the gps until we had it memorized. We don’t have the official results yet but this might have clinched the 1400 class championship for us. If that’s the case, we might bring the new Trophy Truck to the next race in Laughlin. No matter what we will be going all out because we just like to go fast!”

HDRA’s 2012 season ending event will be held November 9-12 in Laughlin, Nevada. The two-day shortcourse style event will be a tough test for the drivers and crews. No doubt, Brandon and crew will be more than ready to take it on!

Photography By Art Eugenio
Get Some Photo / www.getsomephoto.com

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The HDRA, Eldorado Fireworks 500 race was an enormous test for Brandon Arthur and his team in their bright yellow HRT Motorsports/Competitive Metals #1456 truck. At the season opener in Primm, Nevada, they made it look easy with a dominating win Brandon’s first time out. The Fireworks 500 race was a polar opposite. It all started on a positive note with Brandon qualifying first in class 1400 by 25 seconds over Jeremy Deakins and the Isenhouer brothers, Chris and Nick.

During contingency on Friday, Brandon was a huge hit with the fans; signing posters and posing for photos. At times, they lined up in front of his booth, eager to get an autographed poster. Live On Dirt and Channel 4 News did interviews with him and he got some sage advice from Ivan Stewart who stopped by for a visit. “Contingency was cool,” said Brandon, “The fans were so friendly; it felt like a huge party. I talked to several people who had never been to a race. They saw my truck and stopped by to ask about it. Having the trucks parked on Virginia Ave. in front of the Eldorado and Silver Legacy casinos was a great idea.”

The following morning it was anything but a party. When Brandon and co-driver Donny Kerr set off, they knew it would be a tough day. The race would cover 500 miles of silty and rocky terrain unlike anything else. It was a broken car that caused a bottleneck in a narrow section of the course trapping Brandon and most of the field. He could have used some help from his newest sponsor Pro Traffic Services of San Marcos, California, a traffic control provider but unfortunately, they didn’t make the trip to Reno. He used his own initiative to get around the jam but lost an hour doing it.

On lap two, the punishment started to take a toll on the truck. The spindle snout on the passenger side of the truck broke. It isn’t a high dollar part, it’s a less expensive factory part that is plenty tough for most courses but was never designed for this level of abuse. Brandon and Donny hiked out to pit c for help. They found a part from racer Keith Minnicks and got a ride part of the way back from the HDRA recovery crew, (thanks guys!). They made repairs and resumed the race.

On lap three, after a splash of F&L Racing Fuel, they headed out one more time. They were making good time when you guessed it; the other snout threw in the towel too. In an incredible show of sportsmanship and class, Jeremy Deakins loaned Brandon a snout so he could finish the race and prevent a dnf (did not finish). Jeremy had already crossed the line for the win but his generosity helped Brandon immensely in his quest to win the HDRA class 1400 championship in his rookie season; hats off to Jeremy.

With a 2nd Place finish and the points lead in hand the team heads to Primm, Nevada, August 24-26 for the HDRA, Dusk to Dawn, night race, don’t miss it!

Photography By Brian Binkert
Bink Designs / www.binkdesigns.com

Thanks to all of our sponsors:

El Cajon, CA

Bink Designs has completed a colorful and visually striking website designed for off-road racing’s brightest young star, Brandon Arthur. The site shows off Brandon’s team colors and includes a custom “Brandon Arthur” logo all designed in house by Brian Binkert of Bink Designs. It is a place where Brandon can promote his team and the many sponsors who value the exposure Brandon provides on and off the racecourse.

Fans will enjoy the many features the website has like photos and videos of Brandon in action, the latest news, links to sponsor’s websites and much more. Brandon has demonstrated his driving skills in competition. Now with help from Bink Designs, he has taken the steps to create his identity and grow his fan base through successful promotion and interaction with the public.

Bink Designs provides a number of marketing services that will help take your race team to the next level including: Identity, Print Design, Vinyl Graphics, Web Design, Photography and Apparel.

For more information visit binkdesigns.com

Reno, NV

The High Desert Racing Association’s Eldorado Fireworks 500 race at the Tahoe-Reno Motorplex June 30th through July 8th is set to redefine what an off-road event can be for racers and fans. The Fireworks 500 will be the perfect destination for the entire family. The Tahoe-Reno area offers some of the best recreational opportunities in the western US including sightseeing, river rafting on the Truckee river,  lake and stream fishing, boating, hiking, waterparks, shows, dining and the Off-Road Racing Hall of Fame. There will also be several fireworks displays in the area to celebrate our independence on the Fourth.

The HDRA staff has planned a long list of special events to take place the entire week of the event starting with the Off-road expo in Sparks, NV. on June 30^th. Contingency and tech will be held on July 6^th under the famous “Biggest Little City in the World” arch on Virginia Street in downtown Reno. Autograph signings, Monster Energy FMX freestyle shows, concerts and a private party for HDRA members will take place during the week.

Fans will be treated to an incredible spectating experience on top of a long, graded level plateau, perfect for camping and RV’s. The plateau overlooks the main pit area, the qualifying loop and a good portion of the racecourse. There will be hot food, cold beverages and a beer garden available at the event. If you would like to get a taste of HDRA racing action prior to the Fireworks 500, tune in to Fox Sports West on Thursday, May 17^th to catch coverage of the Imperial 250 held outside El Centro, California. The HDRA media crew will be filming at each event to bring you complete coverage on Fox Sports West throughout the season. For TV channel and time schedule in your area see http://msn.foxsports.com/tv/schedule

The racers are looking forward to the Eldorado Fireworks 500 for several reasons. First off is the ability to recon the 118 mile long course all week during daylight hours. The recon periods are open to anyone who becomes an HDRA member so you can come out and have fun prior to the race and take in some of the spectacular scenery at your own pace. The racecourse, held on 130 square miles of private property, offers canyons, washes and ridgelines that will take you up and down the mountains where wild horses run through yucca and juniper groves. The layout of the course is in a cloverleaf shape so you won’t need a huge pit team; you can easily reach remote pit sites with the same vehicle. This also makes it great for the spectators who will see each vehicle several times on every lap.

Racers who register and pay entry fees before June 15^th will receive an HDRA logo bag and commemorative race jacket. Plus… entries received before June 15^th will also receive two tickets to the exclusive Monster Energy VIP party! Entries received between June 16^th and July 1^st will still receive a HDRA logo bag.

Special room rates are available at the Eldorado Reno Resort and Casino and the Silver Legacy Resort and Casino, two of Reno’s finest. “This will be the event of the year for Reno,” says Rick Murdock from the Eldorado Reno resort, “In addition to the race we will be having the All American BBQ festival with some great food and free live entertainment, it’s going to be an unbelievable weekend.”

If you’ve ever thought of taking part in one of Wide Open Excursions “arrive and drive” race events this is the time. They are expecting up to ten cars competing in the race including cars from the Eldorado Reno and Silver Legacy casinos and a Monster Energy car that will be piloted by some of their Monster Energy athletes.

“We are extremely excited to be a part of HDRA and the upcoming Fireworks 500,” said Wide Open Excursion’s Brent Fenimore, “This event is going to be amazing for everyone involved. The location is spectacular and when you combine the amenities in Reno with the chance to race for 500 miles, it’s going to be an epic experience for our competitors.”  Wide Open HDRA Racing Includes Race Entry Fee, HDRA Membership Fee, Recon Running, Pre-Race Strategy Dinner, Fully-prepped Race Car, Designated Crew Chief, Pit Support, Chase Crews, Post-Race Victory Dinner & 4 VIP Hospitality Suite Passes.

Simply put, the HDRA Fireworks 500 race is going to be the most talked about event of the year. Make plans to join in on the fun with the whole family June 30^th through July 8^th in Reno, Nevada. For complete event information go to: hdrarace.com for the latest news.

Imperial, CA

The HRT motorsports team was on home turf when they lined up to race the HDRA, Imperial 250 held in Plaster City, California. Hopes were high for repeating the results they experienced at Primm, Nevada where they had a trouble free run to the victory; this race however, the team would be tested. They drew a tenth place starting position out of 22, “run whatcha brung” class 1400 race trucks. Right off the start driver Brandon Arthur began overtaking the rest of the field. Even with a thick layer of dust hanging in the still morning air, Brandon moved up to fourth after the first lap.

Lap two was more of the same; putting the team just behind the lead truck when they both hit the pits before lap three. That’s when the crew showed what they were made of beating the lead truck out of the pits, putting Brandon out front. With clean air and a victory in reach they increased their lead. That’s when the trouble started. The truck began to sputter and then died. Brandon made quick work of diagnosing the problem as a lack of fuel so he and co-driver Donny Kerr set about switching the wiring and hoses over to a back-up pump that was mounted in preparation for such a problem. After making the switch, the second pump was found to be inoperable but in the course of repair they discovered a loose connection that was the culprit all along.

The race course laid out by Roger Norman’s HDRA staff was a brutal one. Over half of the field of 1400 trucks that started did not finish. With the addition of huge 39 inch, B.F. Goodrich tires the team’s new forty spline, 300m, Summers Brothers axles were certainly getting a workout in the deep sand, huge rocks and big jumps found on the course. The tough conditions were breaking other team’s trucks left and right but due to the expert fabrication performed in-house by Todd and crew at HRT and quality of materials they get from Competitive Metals their Ford truck was holding up just fine. After making repairs, they set out after the now leading truck of Carlos Fonseca. Brandon drove amazingly; making up five minutes on Fonseca in less than a lap but it wasn’t enough to catch him in the end. The team got a well-deserved second place, put in the fastest lap of the day, built on their commanding lead in the championship points race and proved they could handle the pressure when it counted.

The team will need every ounce of their skill and determination when they compete next in the heat of the Nevada desert on July 4-8th at the 500 mile long HDRA, Fireworks 500.

Primm, NV

While most sixteen year olds are driving, their main concern is to get where they are going without hitting anything. Not many are capable of going out two weeks after getting their license and putting on their own driving clinic. During the HDRA, Redline at Stateline offroad race, that’s exactly what Brandon Arthur did. In only his third time racing his class 1400, Ford F-100 race truck, he put down back-to-back wins in the two day event finishing ahead of his nearest rival by minutes not seconds, over twenty five to be exact. Brandon is a polite young man with some incredible driving skills. One might compare him to iconic racer Larry Ragland who spoke softly and drove ferociously. Ivan Stewart, the Grand Marshal of the race and an icon himself, thought Brandon’s driving was more like a young Robby Gordon’s. Ivan was so impressed, he came over to meet Brandon and to congratulate him on the win after the race.

All the more remarkable is the fact that Brandon built his truck himself with some help from his father, Todd, who is a talented fabricator, and Trophy Truck racer. “The truck used to belong to my Dad who used it on his farm,” says Todd Arthur “Brandon is a good kid; being allowed to race the truck is his reward for keeping his grades up. The truck is licensed for the street and Brandon drives it to school sometimes, we take the windshield out to go racing.”  Brandon has acquired knowledge way beyond his years learning from his father and also from his veteran co-driver Donny Kerr who used to ride in the Trophy Truck with Todd.  Aside from his fabrication and driving skills, Brandon is also an accomplished automotive technician and engine builder who has placed as high as second in state wide skills competition. His experience competing against the clock to diagnose and repair an unknown problem will no doubt come in handy at some time in his desert racing career.

With help from HRT Motorsports, Competitive Metals, Rigid Industries, Racer X and Fox Racing Shox, Brandon is shooting for the HDRA class 1400 championship this season. With two wins in his first race as driver of record and the points lead after the first event, he’s off to a great start. Brandon’s next race will be the Plaster 250 held in Plaster City, California April 5-8. You might want to check it out while you can. Considering his significant skills and talent behind the wheel, If you don’t hurry, you won’t be able to one day say that you saw Brandon Arthur race before he was famous.