Harley Letner bested the deepest Trick Truck field of the season by qualifying first at the Method Race Wheels Time Trials for the BFGoodrich Mint 400. While Trick Trucks are typically considered the premiere class in desert racing, Letner’s beat 62 of the best drivers in the world in his Kaiser-built Youtheory unlimited class buggy to be first off the line at Saturday’s Mint 400.

"The tight technical qualifying course worked in my favor," Letner explained. "We love the bragging rights when we beat the trucks, but honestly my goal is to win the 1500 class." Last year Letner qualified second, bested by Jason Voss by less than one second.

For his efforts, Letner will start alone and get one minute of clean air ahead of RPM teammates Apdaly Lopez and Clyde Stacy. Baja champion Apdaly Lopez completely the 4.4-mile qualifying course a mere 1.5 seconds behind Harley Letner. While Stacy is the driver of record, his twin-engine Trick Truck was qualified by Josh Daniels. Similarly, fifth place qualifier Victor Gruber had past fast qualifier Dale Dondel qualify his Racer Engineering truck. Gruber will start side by side with 2017 Mint 400 winner Rob MacCachren.

The Method Race Wheels Time Trials started with some tribulations, as the first truck off the line rolled half way through the course, shutting down qualifying. The 4.4-mile course was filled with rocks, whoops, silt, high speed sections, and washouts that became progressively worse as the day went on. "That is desert racing," ninth place qualifier Justin Lofton explained. "The fast guys will be towards the front no matter when they qualify."

Following the 1500 buggies and Trick Trucks, the 6100-class had the opportunity to qualify for starting position at the Mint 400 for the first time. Just as he had done at the Parker 425, Ryan Millen qualified first in the crate-engine 6100 class. He will lead the 45-truck class, which starts two at a time in 30 second intervals on Saturday afternoon.

Millen was followed by Rafael Navarro IV, TJ Tuls, and Heath Shoup. Last year’s 6100 winner Jonathan Swift has not returned to defend his title, meaning that a new racer will get bragging rights for the class in 2018.  We will find out Saturday just how important starting position is for 1500, Trick Truck, and 6100 vehicles at the 50th Mint 400.

Results BFGoodrich Mint 400 Class 6100 Time Trial

01) Ryan Millen I TOY I 00:05:01.695
02) Rafael Navarro I ALM I 00:05:02.754
03) T.j. Tuls I RCE I 00:05:11.837
04) Heath Shoup I FUS I 00:05:20.161
05) Brian Simmer I CTM I 00:05:21.163
06) John Gonzales I CBG I 00:05:21.240
07) Blade Hildebrand I JIM I 00:05:22.390
08) Ryan Agius I CBG I 00:05:27.679
09) P.j. Guglielmo I ARM I 00:05:27.902
10) Andrew Whitehead I MAS I 00:05:28.150

DOWNLOAD FULL RESULTS CLASS 6100

Results BFGoodrich Mint 400 TrickTruck/1500 Time Trial

01) Harley Letner I CTM I 00:04:33.851
02) Carlos Apdaly Lopez I FGR I 00:04:35.170
03) Clyde Stacy I FGR I 00:04:36.282
04) Victor Gruber I RCE I 00:04:38.904
05) Rob Maccachren I FGR I 00:04:39.609
06) Ray Griffith I JIM I 00:04:40.306
07) Bryce Menzies I FOR I 00:04:40.355
08) Troy Herbst I HSB I 00:04:41.733
09) Justin Lofton I FOR I 00:04:41.741
10) Larry Roeseler I FOR I 00:04:41.923

DOWNLOAD FULL RESULTS TRICKTRUCK/1500









Photos: The Mint 400

THE MINT 400

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