SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/485293
as they are sometimes known, the crews are small but staffed with what Team Manager, driver and U.S. Marine Kent Kroeker calls "Baja Operators". Each member is an expert in his field and the small crew can perform the job of a much larger normal crew. The hard work of the specialists resulted in not just a finish but also a championship for the team. For 2015 the Mills team is venturing into uncharted waters. While driver Taylor Mills has a solid amount of seat time using a Trophy Truck to prerun, racing is a different animal. Despite the challenge, the team is upbeat about its future and feel they have an ace in the hole with their engine program. Developed by both the team and Arrow Racing Engines, the truck will run a V10 power plant that weighs just 500 pounds and puts out over 900 horsepower. The team named the engine the 512 Gustav after the Schwerer Gustav, the largest artillery piece ever made. In their eyes, the 512 Gustav is a distinct advantage in both power and reliability. "We expect this package to change the way Unlimited Trophy Trucks are powered. Imagine racing a 900 horsepower engine for two seasons without a rebuild. This kind of performance and reliability is unheard of in off- road racing," said Kent Kroeker. The team's Class 8 truck runs the same engine, and after 4300 miles of racing and pre-running , they pulled the engine and sent it back to Arrow for inspection. " Lee Carducci at Arrow Racing analyzed the motor and it was good to go and told us there was no reason to pull it from the truck," said Taylor Mills. He also spoke to the reliability of the drivetrain. " Another great thing is that we don't have to run a reduction box, just a 5:29 rear end and a Turbo 400 transmission. It's a bullet proof drivetrain from one end to the other. " The potential for the engine and drivetrain combination really gets exciting when you look at the power curves. " Our torque and horsepower comes on at 1500 rpm and the torque and horsepower go up at a 45 degree angle all the way to the 7800 rpm redline. At the peak it is making 925 horsepower and 860 foot pounds of torque. You come out of a corner in second gear and 30 yards out, I switch to third for traction and then you pull guys ahead of you up the hills and down the straits. It gives us a competitive edge. The horsepower, torque and reliability of the Viper motor," says Mills.