Pirate4x4.com - 2008 W.E. Rock U.S. Nationals brought to you by Torchmate CNC Cutting Systems.

W.E.ROCK U.S. Nationals
U.S. Nationals ,
Written by Andy Johnson
Photos by Andy Johnson and England Photography
Coverage brought to you by Torchmate CNC Cutting Systems .

[ EAST QUALIFIERS ] [ WEST QUALIFIERS ]
[ CHAMPION & WILD CARDS QUALIFIERS ]
[ SATURDAY ] [SUNDAY]
[ PHOTO GALLERY ]
[ LISTEN LIVE! ]

UPDATE 9:30AM

Well this is event is on the East Cost so it seems fitting that it was raining all night. Some of the courses have turned really sloppy so Lil Rich rearranged some cones to make sure will be able to complete them.

All the teams are out walking the courses. Then you have Nicole Johnson who it doing a little dance. We should be up and running shortly.

UPDATE 10:15

Brian Errea just rolled off the course on A4.

Rusty Bray is working on making it up the climb on A2.

Brent Bradshaw just made the bonus line on B4 that all the Promods skipped yesterday.

Jessie Haines just flew up the climb on B3.

Mike Klensin just spent 5 minutes or so working the crack on A3.

Looks like the Crain is coming in to grab Rusty off A2.

UPDATE 10:45

Tom Campbell just rolled trying to make the bonus on B4.

Troy Bailey just made it up the climb on A4. Tom the property owner here didn't think anyone would make the climb.

Shannon Campbell is getting lined up for B3.

Rusty Bray is down at the Maxxis trailer doing some welding on his rig. It doesn't like it is anything major.

Looks like Shannon and Lance just finished up B3 with out much trouble.

Brad Lovell is now up on A4.

Nick Campbell just rolled of A1. They were lined up for the climb when Nick hit the hammer and the passenger side front tire broke off from the axle. It looks like he blew the center out the wheel.

Brad Lovell seems to have lost power to the rear tires.

Jake Gochenour lined up for the bonus line on B4, but after lining up for decided they didn't like it and moved over to the regular line.

UPDATE 11:00

Brad Styles is now up B4.

Brent Bradshaw did a quick 3rd member change and is working on B1.

Ken Blume is over A1.

Becca Webster is now set for A4.

Carl Shortridge is setup for B3.

UPDATE 11:15

Becca Webster just over heated on A4.

Dave Cole rolled off the big rock on A2.

Jessie Haines is rolling through the start gates on B4.

Tom Campbell is over B1.

Rusty Bray is giving A3 hell. The first notch is really causing guys trouble. Well most of the courses are causing guys trouble.

Matt Messer just finished up B3 with little trouble.

Jessie is really working to get the bonus line on B4. He took the bonus cone so to keep a good score he is almost forced to make it.

Buzz Bronsema just tumbled to the bottom of A1.

UPDATE 11:20

Nicole and Frank Johnson are really working hard just to make it to the first set of gates on A4.

Jessie Haines had to give up on bonus line. He moved over to the normal line and flew up the climb like nothing.

Jason Paule and Tracy Jordan are over on B2.

Frank and Nicole are having a little conference with the judges on A4. They thought they got 3 wheels through the gates, but the 3 judges didn't agree.

Cody Waggoner is cruising his way around B3.

Nicole and Frank Johnson have the hood off Scarlet Fever trying to see why smoke is poring out from under it.

Dean Bulloch just shot the climb on A3 like it was nothing.

Ken Blume is working his way around A2.

UPDATE 11:30

Dean Bulloch is the first person of the day to finish A3.

Brian Milsap just finished up B3.

Todd Young is working hard to get the bonus climb on B4. Todd just yelled at his spotter and pointed over to the regular climb.

The good thing is the rain stopped early today but the courses are still a sloppy mess. The poor spotters are really having to work just walk around the course.

Brent Bradshaw has the VW motor wound up and is giving B2 to all it has.

Brad Styles is now up on B1.

Lou Levy is up on A4 to see if he can be the 2nd person to finish the course today.

UPDATE 11:45

Brian Errea just rolled off the backside of A1.

Lance and Shannon Campbell are now on B4. Lance is stocking some rocks so Shannon can shot right up the climb.

Lou Levy is struggling. He is sitting on his belly pan with all 4 tires in the air.

Nick Campbell and Jason Berger got the rig fixed and are crawling around A2.

Bill Kunz and Mike Shaffer are on A3. They made it through the big crack and it looks like they will be the 2nd team today to finish.

UPDATE 12:00

Shannon and Lance just schooled B4 with a -2. That is the lowest score of the day.

Nick just timed out on A2. He just couldn't get the rig to get on top of the rock of Gibraltar.

Jessie Haines is clawing his way around B1. He saved a near roll over.

Dave Cole is taking his turn on A3.

Derek West is going on A4.

Matt Messer is getting set for B4.

UPDATE 12:05

Derek West just made the climb A4. He tried the bonus climb but it was just to muddy. He took off up the access road and ended up rolling really hard on the drop off. He landed with in feet of the exit but he just couldn't get the it righted in time.

Dave Cole is getting lifted by the crain on A3.

Todd Young is B1, but he seems to be having issues. He is out of the rig and doing something in the back of the rig.

Matt Messer is now creeping along on B4. Hobie Smith said they aren't going to do anything special, but who knows.

UPDATE 12:15

Brian Errea is working to get up the rock of Gibraltar on A2.

Matt Messer and Hobie Smith just timed out on B4. Sounds like they broke the rear output shaft.

Nick Campbell is up on A3.

Shannon Campbell is tip toeing along on B1.

Brian Errea made a nice save coming off the rock of Gibraltar. He then started up the next climb and lost an inner bead. I think the judge called them for a fluid loss and they pointed out.

Nick Campbell is putting down the power on A3.

Todd McCullen is now up on A4.

UPDATE 12:30

UPDATE 12:45

Tom Campbell is sitting on the climb on B3 just spinning his tires.

Becca Webster is in a very sticky situation on A1. The rig doesn't want to go forward, but if she goes backwards she will be going off a 10 foot wall!

Ken Blume is bouncing around A3.

Jessie Haines is up on B2. That 30 point lead he had yesterday has quickly disappeared to 13 points!! Shannon and Lance are biting at his heals.

Matt Messer is coming up to the Razors edge on B1

Jessie is really having trouble on B2. He is running out of time and still has about half the course to go.

Carl Shortridge is getting lined up for the bonus on B4. When I talked to him yesterday he said he was going to try every bonus today.

Rusty Bray is struggling away on A4.

UPDATE 1:05

Nicole and Frank Johnson are over on A1 trying to make the final big climb.

Brian Errea is working his way around A3.

Dean Bulloch is lined up to see if he can make it up the climb on A4. He hydro locked the motor yesterday and it is not sounding very healthy. It will be interested to see if it makes it through the day.

Alan Woodson is creeping around on B1.

Oh no the crain just pulled Carl Shortridge off B4. Those guys just can't catch a break this weekend.

UPDATE 1:15

Cody Waggoner is lined up to shoot up the climb on B4.

Dean Bulloch timed out on A4.

Team Torchmate is now up to see if they can get to the top of A4.

Shannon and Lance are at the top of the climb on B2 and struggling to get up over the crest. Shannon might have to back back down and hit the hill again.

Brad Lovell is up on A3.

UPDATE 1:45

Nick Campbell just put on one heck of show on A4. He used every bit of HP that car has and launched it up to the top. He was one of the very few today to finish the course.

Jason Paule and Tracy Jordan just made the wall on B4 with no effort.

Becca Webster is over on A2. He has made it up over the big rock and is heading up the course.

Derek West just rolled over on A1.

UPDATE 2:00

Nicole Johnson is over on A2.

Todd McCullen is over trying to make it up the big climb on A1.

Nicole just rolled off of the Rock of Gerbralto.

Troy Bailey is working his way up A3.

The Unlimited Shootout is set:

1. Shannon 58
2. Jessie 80
3. Jason Paule 87
4. Brent 110
5. Cody 124
6. Brad Styles 130

Who is going to take the Unlimited win? Can Shannon keep his great day going or will Jessie find his mojo and come back?

Ken Blume just lost the front ring and pinion.

UPDATE 2:25

We will be done for a little bit while we they move the sound stage over towards the Shootout course.

Latest scores:

UPDATE 3:15

The move is complete and we are back up and running!

We are waiting for Todd McCullen to run his last course before we can start the Shootout.

UPDATE 3:30

Brad Styles is up first on the Shootout course.

The Shootout course is lonnnnnnng and they only have 10 minutes to do it.

Brad hit the first bonus with a nice run on the big bonus vert. Then hit the second bonus and is now working around the backside.

Brad was able to pull out the exit gate with 35 seconds to spare and a -2

UPDATE 3:45

Up next is Cody Wagoner.

He took a couple of shots up the bonus vert and made it up on the 2nd chance. They choose to also take the 2nd bonus gate too but ended up taking a cone. He finished up with a 2.

UPDATE 1:45

Brent Bradshaw was next and he hit both bonus gates and finished with a -2.

UPDATE 4:00

Jason Paule and Tracy Jordan just finished the course with a -6.

UPDATE 4:10

Jesssie Haines finished with a 5 and moves him into 3.

and the ProMod scores:

UPDATE 4:20

Knowing what they need to do Shannon and Lance came into the Shootout and did it. They didn't really bother to avoid a couple of cones. Seemed they were just worried about getting through the course. With that Shannon Campbell and Lance Clifford are the W.E. Rock Unlimited National Champions.

UPDATE 4:30

Nick and Jason just finished with a 1. They put on a very nice wheelie.

UPDATE 4:40

Buzz Bronsema just put on one heck of show. 2 rollovers and they were still able to drive out the finish line. They had already pointed out but they wanted to finish. They finished with a 36.