Things are sure looking nice for a 3rd consecutive BITD Championship for Tim Casey and La Paz Racing Team, as they begin the 2012 Best in the Desert Race Series with back-to-back wins at the Parker 425 and the General Tire Mint 400. It’s been 28 years since Tim last raced the legendary Mint 400 and he picked up right where he left off – on the podium. After consistently finishing behind off road Legend, Rod Hall, in his first year of racing in 1983, Tim, 20 years old at the time, beat Rod Hall in the 84’ Mint 400 for his first career win in class 4 modified 4×4. Almost three decades later, Tim proved to still have some Mint magic, as he battled the entire race from behind to claim first in class.
This years Mint 400 course had just about everything a racer could ask for – high-speed sections, dry lakebeds, trademark “San Felipe” style woops, a rock garden and silt that can make a truck disappear. Ten miles in to the race, Tim and co-driver, Bill Rante, got in to some trouble that almost cost the race. All it took was a couple vehicles to chew through a barrier set up by BITD to make one of the deepest silt beds on the course. Unfortunately he didn’t make it to the other side. The truck had been buried down to the axle. Tim and Bill spent the next 40 minutes trying to shovel his truck out and finally was pulled out by a BITD official. “I saw the whole race going away, everything was vanishing,” said Casey.
The game plan for the La Paz Racing Team is usually to run a steady first lap and see how the course is running to make adjustments as seen. At that point, it was to learn what the truck is capable of doing. “I’ve never driven the truck that hard. I was hitting stuff harder and faster than ever before. We wanted to win the race for all our sponsors, especially BF Goodrich in a General Tire dominated class,” said Tim. Lap by lap, Tim and Bill was able to chip away at the leader. By the second lap he was only 26 minutes down, then 6 minutes by the third. Tim continued to keep this pace all the way until he was 1 minute off Webster by pit one of the last lap.
With course running out, Tim and Bill were able to reel Webster in on the final lap and take their 11th win in the last 2 years. La Paz Racing attributes a huge amount of their success to the preparation between races. The back-to-back wins have emboldened La Paz racing in their pursuit for a third consecutive championship in the Best in the Desert Race Series. Tim states, “Racing is a constant obstacle course. The team who dodges the most of them will usually win the race.” The next test will be the Silver State 300 on Cinco de Mayo, an appropriate day for the La Paz Margarita Mix company owner.
2nd Photo by Kelly StClair/MikesRacePhoto.com
3rd Photo by Vincent Knakal of Mad Media
About La Paz Products:
Since 1968, La Paz has become a household name in the cocktail mix industry. Our commitment to quality ingredients, innovative marketing, and American-made products have given La Paz a competitive advantage. The key to a good cocktail is to offer a smooth taste with no bitter after taste. La Paz remains dedicated to producing only the best tasting cocktail mixes.
We are constantly striving to maintain being the best quality flavor available. Our retailers, restaurateurs, and consumers all enjoy the suburb quality and excellent value offered by this attention to detail. Over the last 42 years we have become a full service company offering an entire line of cocktail mixes, Tequila, Agave Wine, Triple Sec, Ready-to-Drink cocktails and bar condiments.
You can find our La Paz and QuickWay cocktail mixes at Smart & Final, Ralph’s, Food 4 Less, Jon’s Marketplace, Top Value, Vallarta Supermarkets, El Super, Superior Market, Super A Foods, Northgate Markets, and many other independent grocery chains. If you are traveling abroad, look for us in Southeast Asia and the British Virgin Islands. For recipe ideas and more visit www.lapazproducts.com.
About Mad Media:
Mad Media (www.madmedia.com) is San Diego based marketing and creative agency offering professional print, web, and film production. They specialize in producing culturally relevant brand messaging using professional athletes, musicians, and artists. Mad Media focuses on sports and cultures that they are passionate about, including skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, motocross, FMX, BMX, off-road racing, rally racing, Hip-Hop, Punk Rock and Mixed Martial Arts. Mad Media has produced over twenty major commercial and viral film projects this year for clients such as Subaru of America, DC Shoes, Monster Energy Drink, and Harley-Davidson. Mad Media has been executing immersive marketing campaigns since 1996.
Media Contact:
Mad Media
Matt Martelli
(760) 721-3600
matt@madmedia.com
