Ramona teen pulls off win at Glen Helen Raceway
Ramona teenager Brandon Arthur, known as The Stinger in the off road racing world, captured his first career Pro Lite win in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series held at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino.
Arthur, 18, has been moving up through the ranks in his rookie season in Pro Lite. In round 10 of the Aug. 1 and 2 race in San Bernardino, he put it all together with a convincing win over a field of top-notch racers.
Most of the tracks Arthtur has raced on this season were new to him, but he had raced at Glen Helen before and had an opportunity to test there weeks before the race. The testing paid off.
After running fastest in practice, he went out and qualified fourth, despite a transmission issue that developed during the session.
His crew was able to change the transmission and prep the truck before the race started. During the race Arthur got bottled up mid-pack and finished seventh, but he knew he could do better.
On the following day, not only was he the fastest qualifier in his group, but the draw for inverted starting position was a zero — meaning Arthur would start on the outside of row one next to past Pro Lite Champion RJ Anderson. In turn one it looked like
Anderson would jump out in the lead, but Arthur put his bright yellow truck in the lead for good, taking the win and setting the fastest Pro Lite lap of the weekend.
“We got a good drive off the start thanks to my Toyo Tires and took the lead,” said Arthur. “I battled with RJ the whole way but he ran me clean. We had a great race and came home with the win.”
Arthur, who drives a Pro Traffic Services, Competitive Metals, Rigid Industries Pro Lite, said he and his crew would not be where he is today without his sponsors: Pro Traffic Services, Competitive Metals, Rigid Industries LED Lighting, Toyo Tires, Magnaflow, Aeromotive Fuel Systems, Trailready Beadlocks, FOX Racing Shox, Wirefab, Summers Brothers, ECP Powder Coating, F&L Racing Fuels, Maxima Racing Oils, FiberwerX, graphics by Bink Designs and Mastercraft Safety Equipment.
“We also welcomed Heatshield Products to our group of sponsors this race,” said Arthur. “They help us with heat shielding and thermal protection on the truck.
“The crew and I have been very determined to run out front. We finally got a little luck to go with all the hard work we’ve been putting into the team.”
Arthur’s goal at the beginning of the season was to learn the tracks and work his way onto the podium. He reached beyond that goal. His rapid ascension may be surprising to some but not to those who have seen him succeed in everything he does.
The Ramona teen next heads to Wild West Motorsports Park in Sparks, Nev. for a race Aug. 22-23.