Another OPTIMA-Powered Entry Makes the 2011 King of the Hammers

The 2010 Ultra 4 Stampede was held recently in Reno, Nevada and the OPTIMA-sponsored Lucas Oil-Figspeed #4478 team started 42nd in the 52-car field. The Stampede is a three-lap, 20-mile loop that combines extreme rock-crawling and desert racing into a 10-hour timed event.

If it sounds like a rough event, it is. Les Figueroa and his co-driver, Joe Thompson managed to complete the first lap without any flat tires or rollovers, which undoubtedly helped them climb from 42nd to 28th place. The team made a pit stop on lap two, where a cracked upper link mount was noticed. Led by Crew Chief, Jimmy Robinson and assisted by Creighton from Maxxis, the crew sprung into action and welded the broken mount.

The team motored on, finishing in 14th place overall, crossing the finish line with a flat tire, in just under seven hours. Of the 52 teams who started the race, only 18 managed to finish and with their strong showing, Figueroa Thompson qualified for the prestigious 2011 King of the Hammers. Good luck gentlemen!