By now you’ve seen the “infamous crash video” from Milford, and if you haven’t you will need to go to www.JeffStambaugh.com . While it didn’t look that cold, riders at Milford were greeted with rain and then snow on Friday and Saturday. The upper limits of the track and nearby mountains turning a wintery white, while below in the parking lot large flakes fell down threatening to make a mess of already muddy conditions. Luckily for the UTV racers, and the Pros on Sunday, the weather did a complete 180 and when from mid-30s and snowing to a pleasant sunny (but chilly) evening Saturday. Unfortunately the weather report had taken it’s toll and there was a small UTV turnout. Classes 1, 2 and 3 all started on the same line at the same time together.
Stambaugh was optimistic about the track. He had fun at Milford in years past, and although he had more fun with more UTVs, he knew the guys he would be racing with, and hoped the video would turn out good. When the flag dropped Stambaugh was 2nd into the first turn with driver Michael Gonzalez in front and a RZR hot on his heels. Gonzalez and Stambaugh played cat and mouse for a bit through the off-road until Gonzalez got hung up on a berm and Stambaugh made the pass. By the end of the first lap the #1 Rhino was 1st overall with a decent lead over the rest of the classes. It was pretty uneventful throughout most of the race. The UTVs got spread out so much that it was a lot of lonely driving!
It then got a little interesting for Stambaugh and another RZR driver (and passenger). About lap 3 Jeff came around a corner and headed down a straight, towards a broken down RZR. As he looked at the driver, motioning with his hand “What happened?” he hit a deep whoop. While flying through the air he decided it was about time he tested his 4130 Chromoly roll cage – he’s never successfully put the Rhino all the way on its roof – until now! His 5 point harnesses kept him strapped in tight as he flew nose first off of a deep whoop landing on his bumper and successfully rolling over onto his roof. He does another quarter turn, headlights pointed to the sky, hoping that he can do a full 360 and land on his wheels again….but to no avail. His Rhino returns to it’s roof and Jeff is left hanging upside down. Luckily for him the RZR driver and his passenger come running over to check on him. They flip him over and get him back on his wheels, but a Class 1 and Class 2 RZR pass Stambaugh while he was checking to make sure he is still one piece. Class 2 RZR was kind enough to stop and shout some words of encouragement, “You’re going the wrong way, man!” This hang up put him in 3rd overall, but still first in class and that’s how he finished his race at Milford.
Stambaugh said of the race, “Well I have some bruises from the harnesses, and my bumper is squished so far in I can’t open the Rhino hood, but overall it was a great time! It always is. The Fullbore Plastic held up really nice to that roll over and out here the Maxxis tires give you a huge advantage in the rocky stuff. There are a ton of monster rocks out here and they are sharp! Maxxis tires are definitely the tire to have on the famous jagged rocks of Milford.” He then spent Sunday sweeping the races on the dirtbike and made a mental note of what he needed to check before Anza.
Jeff would like to thank the following: Lonestar Racing, Elka Suspension, Fullbore Innovations, Blitz Vision, SixSixOne, Weller Racing, S&S Motorsports, Patriot Racing, Kelley Blocks, & his girlfriend