The 2010 Race season brings new hopes and challenges for Dan Chamlee and The Factory Racing.This year it began in Laughlin Nevada for the 16th Annual Laughlin Dessert Challenge.The race is the shortest race of the season but surely not the easiest with only 48.41% of competitors finishing. The teams are given 80 minutes to complete 6 laps on the 6.25-mile loop course on Saturday and then repeat again on Sunday.
There had been a lot of Internet smack talk before the race among the racers over two classes that are similar but with the potential of being very different causing many of The Factory Racing’s competitors to move to Class 6 from Class 7.The team was surprised to find themselves amidst so much controversy; they only want to be out racing.But that sometimes comes when you have won so many races and championships and have a target on your back.
Saturday the team had a perfect day and completed the course in 53.31 with an average speed of 42.042 mph, faster than both classes.Many of the competitors came to The Factory Racing’s pit after to congratulate them and were surprised how truly fast this new truck is. Dan is also known as very generous and many competitors came to borrow parts so they could fix their trucks and be ready to run again on Sunday.
Sunday Dan only wanted to finish the course, that’s all he needed for the victory but it wasn’t to be.As he started his second lap the engine cut out.He began playing with wires and it started running again.He began passing teams in class 6 again but as he got to the end of the lap his clutch broke leaving him sitting in the in field as he watched the rest of the race go by.And starting the season with a big fat DNF.He technically still won the race by finishing more laps of the race than the rest of class 7.The team is back to the shop to research a stronger clutch and to find that shorted wire and prepare for the next race.