Casey Sims Starts the Season off Strong at WORCS Rounds 1 & 2
RT Pro Race Report | Casey Sims @ WORCS Rounds 1 & 2
Primm, NV – Here we go! The 2017 race season has begun! We picked up my new Polaris RZR 800s from the GSP shop the night before we left for WORCS rounds 1 & 2. As we headed out to the race, I had a lot on my mind. This season, I moved up from the SXS Youth 250 Production class. Now racing in the SXS Youth 800 Production class, I would be faced with some challenges in learning to drive a new car, and racing against new racers with amazing talent. I felt ready for what was ahead of me.
As I approached the start line on Saturday for WORCS round 1, I was focused. I had only driven my new car one lap in practice the day before. Due to the heavy rain in Primm, NV that week, WORCS cancelled the normal Friday practice and only allowed us to run one practice lap. They also cancelled qualifying for the Lucas Oil track race that we were about to run. We qualified by drawing straws the night before, and I was lucky to pick #1. I had a great start position. As we rolled through the first lap behind the pace car, I geared up for the green flag to drop. It dropped and we were off! I was able to hold my position for a short period of time, but then I was passed by two of my competitors. As the race progressed, I stayed consistent and focused on my new car and the way it was handling on the track. By the fourth lap, I was running in 5th, but was able to move to 4th on the fifth lap and finished the race in 4th place. I was happy with the way my car handled and I was able to improve my lap times by 6 seconds over the course of the race!
On Sunday, we’d be racing the full WORCS desert course for round 2. The rain had come back on Sunday which would make for a very muddy day. We lined up for the start of the race, and as the green flag dropped, I floored it and was running in the top 4 of my class. The track was muddy and I was already using my tear-offs. About half way through the first 8 mile lap, I had gone through all of my tear-offs and my visor was fogging up. I radioed ahead to my pit crew and told them I was having trouble seeing. I had to finish the lap and get to my pit. As I pulled into the pit, my crew chief had towels for me. He quickly wiped the mud off of my helmet and sent me on my way with towels to use for the rest of the race. I had lost a little time with my pit stop, and was running in 6th place, but in the end, it was the best thing I could have done. All of the other racers were having problems seeing too and some got stuck or rolled because of it. Coming into lap 3, I was running in 3rd. I stayed consistent and was able to make up some time, and I finished the race in 3rd place! I was really happy to have moved up to a podium position!
I am looking forward to this season and I am feeling more confident in my new car every time I drive it. I’d like to thank my amazing sponsors for their support: Got Sand Performance, Mad Racing, Method Race Wheels, Crow Enterprizes, Factory UTV, GBC Motorsports, Yoshimura, Demon Powersports, RT Pro, Baja Designs, Gates G Force, Elka Suspension, Rugged Radios, Maxima Racing Oils, Crown Performance Products, Surface Sun Systems, Pavement Recycling Systems, Perrault Motorsports, and my parents who make this possible for me! Thanks to Harlen Foley for taking awesome pictures of us in the rain and to WORCS for organizing these races and giving us a place to run! In February, I’ll be racing at the DIRT Series round 1 at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, CA and at WORCS round 2 at Honolulu Hills Raceway in Taft, CA.
You can check out the Sims188 Race team on Instagram @csims188 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/csims188/.
