Yumans prevail in off-roading race in San Luis R.C.

SAN LUIS RIO COLORADO, Son. – Racers from the Yuma area recently made their strongest showing yet in the three-year history of the Grand Prix off-road race in this border city.

Kyle Chavez and Daniel Plaza, competing as the Double Lucky Racing Team, took first place in the utility task vehicle turbo class category of the races hosted by the Baja California off-roading association CODE Off-Road Feb. 17 and 18.

Racing their modified UTV under the sponsorship of Hercules Tire International, the two finished the two three-lap heats over the 20-mile course in a combined time of two hours 15 minutes and 8 seconds.

Both Chavez and Plaza have extensive off-roading experience, but the San Luis Rio Colorado race marked their first time racing together as a team.

“We were confident we would do well,” said Plaza. “We brought together our experience, Kyle as a driver and me as (co-pilot). Starting in 2012, I raced in the Trophy Lite car class, and he in the quad motorcycles, now we’re in a different class. But in the end it was all the same, off-road racing. Our prior experience helped us a lot in winning.”

Christopher Avalos of Yuma, meanwhile, finished in second place in the ATV Sport motorcycles competition, completing the course in two hours, 33 minutes and 33 seconds.

Another team, made up of Alynna and Andres Dominguez, came in in third place in the ATV Novato class, finishing the course in two hours and 55 minutes.

The course for the race began on south side of the city, at the end of 9th Street and extended to the southeast in desert through depressions, over low-slung hills and into areas of loose sand. Plaza said he and Chavez took the time in the days before the race acquainting themselves to the terrain.

“One of the things was that, after several laps in many parts, the sand was really loose,” Plaza said. “It wasn’t easy, but it helped us a lot to know the course before the race, because that way you know on what stretches you can accelerate more and on which you have to more slowly.

In some places along the course, he said, they were able to reach 92 mph.

The San Luis Rio Colorado race brought together racers in various categories now only from that city and the Yuma area but from around Sonora, Baja California and several other Mexican states. In all 174 teams raced in 16 different auto categories on Feb. 17, while motorcycle races took place in three categories the following day.

Plaza and Chavez said they plan to take part in another CODE Off-Road race in Baja California in May, as well as compete in races scheduled in July, October and November, also in Baja.