Marc Ewing – Driver
Ira Conn – Co-driver

If midnight mechanical thrash sessions and an unexpected major component replacement are a good way to practice days before and during a race, then Team Riot has been to Olympic boot camp and back in preparation for and during the Fabtech 400. Despite the setbacks, #68 charged into the race and started reeling in the competition from the flash of the green at the start. Casey Folks crafted a signature serpentine switchback fest off of the line that put Marc’s truck into bicycle mode for half a breath at the start. This peek at the shiny side pulled a cheer out of the crowd as the truck came back on all fours and charged off. The first lap was a blast as the course unfolded to reveal devilishly toothy technical sections with violent g-outs, miles of corkscrew berms and wide open runways with Marc’s right foot trying to push the fun pedal through the firewall.

Flying through the pits the Riot went into the second lap with a fierce pace and growing familiarity as the previously unseen portions of the course now were woven with the areas that had shaped many practice sessions earlier in the year (albeit backwards). A third of the way around we caught our first glimpse of yellow as the Zorba TT #60 bounced through the green hell of a lunar scape that formed the track. There is nothing like having a bunny to chase and the fluorescent fenders of that truck called out like a taunting lighthouse. We quickly started to gain ground, and in the course of a few minutes our two trucks were separated by less than a hundred yards. Just as we entered the heavier dust in Zorba’s wake an unsettling vibration began to rumble from the rear end of our truck. As we confirmed the vibration a class one car slammed into the left rear quarter hard enough to slide us sideways. In the dust cloud visibility was terrible and seeing the class one we charged after it realizing a moment later that in the impact the buggy had spun out also and neither of us was on course or certain of where the track was. We re-oriented ourselves, took a hard right and steamed back into the battle with a fresh dose of adrenaline and a temporary distraction from the growing vibrations in the truck.

Between the short side trip off the track with the class one and the increasing drag in the driveline the Zorba TT had done a horizon job on us, and a quick inspection stop was in order. A cursory glance showed no obvious impact related damage, nor did the rear brakes look like they were melting off. This along with a very recent similar vibration narrowed the trouble to the differential. Bad. Hammering as hard as we could we finished the second lap and pitted for fuel and a drive line diagnostic investigation. Before the truck was even stopped, Braxton Southwick, crew chief for #68, dove under the back end to inspect the third member and instantly received a backwards brand reading Tubeworks on the palm of his hand as the blistering pumpkin quickly confirmed a new diff had to go in. All hands ripped into the trouble with electric intensity and in 38 minutes the Riot charged back onto the course with a new gear and jaws clenched in the determination to try and run the clock back with a go for broke attitude.

As we neared the last quarter of the third lap the track opened into braided whoop-filled lines that crisscrossed for a couple of crazy miles providing some exciting passes and a break from the hellish fog-like cloud that enveloped us as the moonless night closed in. Ripping towards the pit, an intermittent warning light and high coolant H20 temperature on the Race Pack data screen caused concern enough to make a fast inspection of the cooler cores and cap. All visuals and hand-felt temps seemed okay, so we charged along and cruised into the fourth and final lap. With little traffic to disrupt the visibility the now familiar loop was disappearing under the truck in record time. Three-fourths of the way around Marc passed a few slower rigs, and in the final whoop infested straightaway hauled in a class one with only feet to spare before the medians of house sized boulders closed the passing zone to the finish. We finished just 11 seconds behind the Nunley’s, which put us in 10th for class and 31st overall. Despite the setback of the tortured differential, Team Riot was happy with the way #68 ran, and given the simple math of the long pit we hope that Marc Ewing’s Riot is going to be a truck to try and catch in the coming year.