Moss Brothers Score Win #27, Look for Mint in Nevada

The Moss Brothers have wasted no time in getting their Bronco repaired and their sights focused on this weekend's SNORE MINT 400 race, an event steeped in history and nostalgia. For 20 years it was billed as the 'richest off road race' in the United States until it disappeared in 1988. Parnelli Jones entered a Ford Bronco in the very first MINT 400 race. The expectations from racers and spectators are high for this resurrected event. "I am looking forward to participating in one of the oldest and most famous off road races, one that I used to read about when I was still in school," notes owner/driver Don Moss. "I first went to this race in 1982 as a pit crew member, then later as part of the crew for the Cal Poly Toyota race team, and then again for famed Class 3 racer, JM Bragg." This race is drawing Class 3 (short wheelbase 4wd) entries from across many race organizations as part of a newly formed independent Class 3 cup. It is anticipated that there will be six solid competitors at the event, any of whom could win should the dominating Moss Bronco stumble. Don and Ken Moss, along with their Black Bronco Crew, are eager for the competition and up for the challenge. The team is intent on bringing home win number 28 and adding this exclusive and historic race to their list of victories.

The SNORE MINT 400 race will begin on Saturday, March 29 at 7 am near Jean, Nevada and the 95 mile loop will go through Primm before heading East and North back up to the start/finish line. Racers will navigate this route four times and will have a 16 hour time limit. Class 3 will be the 19th class off the line and will likely be finishing the race after sunset, but not in the dark thanks to their recently added KC HiLiTES HID lights. The most accessible spot for spectators will be Pit B behind the Fashion Outlet Mall near Buffalo Bills Casino in Primm.

The Moss Brothers' Race team includes BF Goodrich Tires, Deaver Suspension, KC HiLiTES, King Shocks, River City Differential, Bronco Driver Magazine, West Coast Broncos, ATO Transmission, Walmers Machine, Delta Rubber, Finish Line Racing Enterprises, Unique Metal Products and Beard Seats.

San Felipe Race Notes from Don Moss

The SCORE San Felipe 250 was held Saturday, March 15. The crew this time was myself, Ken, Dave, Dan, Robert, Rick, Amber, Tom and Julie. Rick (Flyin Bronco) was with us at Laughlin. We rolled in on Friday morning in time for the BFG meeting and then did the contingency and Tech parade. The local crowds were not huge, but seemed happy to see us. Through a snafu last year, the course had been moved to Ensenada 10 days before the race, leaving everyone hanging.

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This year we had a house to stay in. John, the owner of AutoFab owns the house. We were able to stay there through Rick and Tom's connection to John. The place was great, with an absolutely top notch shower. (I can't even begin to describe what we have used in years past) There was a lighted yard in back where were able to park the trailer, Bronco and F350, with room for several more. A thank-you letter is on its way to John. Tom and Julie were new additions to the team. Tom graduated from Cal Poly a few years before I got there, but worked on the off-road racing program, including the Toyota truck. Julie is actually a third generation SLO native.

On race day, we had only the three chase trucks, with Tom and Julie sticking with Rick. Ken, Dave and Robert headed out in my F350 for our first scheduled stop at race mile 93 at Morelia Junction. Dan and I pulled up to the staging area and did the typical hello's with all the other racers we have come to know over the years. As we were getting ready to climb in and put on the seat belts, I notice a puddle of transmission fluid under the front of the truck. Holy cow, one of two transmission coolers was leaking from a crack somewhere in the middle of the core! We have about 10 minutes until the start of the race, so we get on the radio and find our closest chase truck is already at Zoo Road, stuck in huge traffic. Dan and I go ahead and bypass the bad cooler ourselves. Right off the start, SCORE had placed a new jump, similar to those in the wash in Ensenada. The crowds were huge at the jump, however we were a little timid going over, since we had never seen it before. Once we got into the deep whoops, the Cancino Explorer caught us and passed us. That light-weight truck was able to cover the rough terrain better. The transmission temperature was OK until about mile 30 where the course started to climb and get into sand, then the temperature went to the peg. We stopped and let it cool maybe a dozen times and decided this just was not going to work all day. We did not have a spare cooler, so we went ahead and cut the leaky cooler back in. The temperature came right down, but we began to smell oil by RM 93. We ended up putting about 8 quarts in the rest of the race, so the nose of the truck and the engine is completely covered with those 8 quarts of oil now, but it got us to the finish.

Rick put together a great write up, so rather than reproduce what he wrote, I have included his story:

Well Don missed the call when he said chasing for them would be boring. I had a great time, so busy never even found time to eat. Me in my Bronco and my good friends Tom and Julie in their Land Rover Defender were set for an easy day of chasing for the Moss Brothers but it turned out quite different. We went out early to race mile 24 to watch the Trophy trucks fly past and waited for Don and Dan to go through. Chupakabras went by first about a minute ahead of Don. We hauled ass to race mile 30 for another visual where we saw Chupa's still leading by 45 seconds.

We were scheduled to then go to race mile 167 to set up a pit for a fuel splash however we heard Don on the radio asking for help. The Bronco's tranny was overheating and they were having to stop to cool it down. We hopped on to Highway 3 and found access to the race course and I took off after them. We found them near race mile 36 waiting to cool the tranny again. We poured water on the working cooler and off they went. We then got back on Hwy. 3 to get ahead of them and got set up at race mile 46.5 with tools ready to reconnect the leaking cooler. Don and Dan rolled in and we got the cooler lines reconnected and off they went again. We managed to get to race mile 55.4 in time to see the Explorer race by with Don just behind. We took a quick look at the cooler to see if it was leaking very bad but at the time it was a slow leak.

We then took off on the access road to race mile 68.3 where I came across a guy hitch hiking. He looked legit so I picked him up. It turned out to be a crew member for the Chupakbras team. Their chase truck was broke down and he was walking to the course to make a co-driver swap. Strange happenings for sure. I mean what are the odds on that. We made it out to the course at race mile 68 ahead of both the Explorer and the Bronco. The Explorer came in hot with the water temp around 250. Muey calente for sure. Don and Dan were right behind them, we looked over the cooler and the leak was not terrible so off they went across the lake bed. We took FJ40 from Chupakabras with us to find the broken chase truck but we couldn't find it. Tom programed in their race frequency into his radio and let him call his crew. they said they were fixing the chase truck so we dropped him off back at the starting line.

We then heard a call from Don on the radio that they made the drivers switch at Morelia Jct. but the tranny cooler leak was worse and we needed to get extra transmisssion fluid and a funnel for our planed stop at race mile 167. traffic through town was bad, it seemed like forever but we got through and we were heading south on 5 again. As we got closer to the turn off we started to hear Dave calling out race mile markers as they passed them. Oh shoot we are going to be cutting it close. We got to the turn off at KM 36 and headed out to the course at a fevered pace. I had my Bronco moving fast up the wash trying hard to get there in time to get set up for the fuel stop. Traffic coming out was heavy and I kept having to dodge them as they crawled by. I was thinking one of those sirens off the trophy trucks would be nice right about now. All the time I could hear Dave calling out race miles 162, 164, damn I hope I make it when then I see a class 7 truck going by on the course. Yes, I made it with maybe 5 minutes to spare. Whew! My buddies Tom and Julie were still in the wash trying to get there but the Defender was overheating. I got the dump can out and the tranny fluid ready when I heard the familar sound of the Black Bronco coming. Dave had to jump out and help me with the hood. While I was dumping in the fluid Dave managed to re fuel the truck by himself. What a guy. We slapped the hood back on and off they went again. This time there was no sign of the Explorer. I thought to myself the overheating problem must have got them. Tom and Julie roll up shortly there after and we both headed back to town. Don and Dan along with Robert were doing the last tranny fluid dump near check point 4 so we headed to the finish line to wait.

It wasn't long and here they came driving under the Tecate sign at the finish line. What a relief. It was a long but fullfilling day that I won't soon forget. Thanks to Don and Ken and the whole team for letting us join them. They are truely some of Baja's best and I was proud to be a part of it. I can't wait until the 500.

I would like to give a huge thanks to Rick, Tom and Julie. Amber opted to stay at the house on race day, rather than ride with Rick. I have ridden with Rick, and after seeing what he covered, I think she might have made the right call! I had promised them that they would just have to motor around and watch the rest of the race, we would never have any problems. Hah! I think they did about 500 chase miles, some on the course, to find us and give us a hand.

Ken and Dave did the rest of the race from RM 93 to the finish, finishing on a broken leaf spring, but no major problems after that. New this year was the GPS tracking device that updated our position on an internet website every two minutes. The pricy little device also has the capability to send out automatic alarms or make satellite phone calls in an emergency. If you were watching, you would have seen the #302 Chupacabras and our truck were going back and forth for that first 100 miles. If they had not had problems, we would have been toast! They had engine, transmission and axle problems, spending a good portion of the night stuck in Matomi wash.

The high point of the trip was meeting and talking to Don Adams and his son on Friday. Don has many, many wins in this class back in the 80's when all I could do was read about it. Low point of the trip was hearing about the stolen stuff from the Cancino crew, and the 17 hour trip back to Sacramento. That was with only two stops for food! Next race is next week, the Mint 400! Who's ready to go?

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