SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1539923
ATTENTION TO DETAILS KEVIN REID CHECKS HARDWARE, PEOPLE, AND HIS TEAM TO IMPROVE THEIR ODDS OF WINNING BY DAN SANCHEZ PORTRAIT BY JACK WRIGHT PHOTOS BY GETSOME PHOTO As one of the top Class 1 buggy teams in the sport, Kevin Reid of RPI Racing has a lot on his plate. Not only does he have to oversee the race team and two top drivers, but he also has to run RPI Products, a top fastener company for aerospace, medical, and racing applications. A tour through the manufacturing plant showcases their attention to detail, as many of the fasteners they create are inspected by the government and must pass extremely high standards. That level of perfection and attention to detail can also be seen throughout the RPI race team that Reid leads. The factory has Magnaflux testing, so Reid also checks all the machined racing components, ensuring no stress fractures are found that could break during a race. “Because we’re detail-oriented, I have two guys prep both the race car and pre-runners separately so there’s no conflict with the parts, etc,” says Reid. “Both our guys, Matthew Hearst on the race car, and Chris Remy on the pre-runners, do a great job and at the level of detail that I expect. We also want to make sure we have enough parts, so we worked on stocking up on those, and we’re currently cycling through two Kroyer Racing Chevy big-block engines. In addition, we are in the process of switching our communications to Starlink units, which will give us better reception anywhere on the course.” Reid’s racing experience began in a 5-1600 car back in the early 1990s, and the successful efforts later transitioned to his wife, Shelby, who began winning numerous races in a Class 1 buggy. She soon became a dominant force in the class and passed that on to their son Cody, who won several SCORE races in Class 10 at a young age. Cody moved up classes to race with his mom in their Class 1 buggy, and took over the driving duties after she retired. But with all those changes, it hasn’t stopped Kevin Reid from doing what he does best. “For the most part, I have always managed everything from people, parts, schedules, logistics, and more,” he says. “I enjoy it and I love seeing Cody win and do the best he can and carry on what his mom, Shelby, started with our family in Class 1.” With many wins and Championships under their belt, RPI Racing is a fixture in the class, always pushing the boundaries of what’s next in these SCORE “legacy” vehicles. “Cody has won the SCORE Baja 500 in Class 10 and has won the Baja 500 three times in a row in Class 1, as well as the SCORE Baja 1000,” says Reid. “Unfortunately, Cody has had back problems and surgery, so we began this season with another driver helping out, Adam Pfankuch, who is doing a phenomenal job for the team. Both Cody and Adam are very different drivers, and neither of them likes the same thing, so it makes it a little more difficult for me to make sure they have what they need before and during a race, but it’s nothing I can’t handle,” says Reid.” This includes prepping the trucks that carry the supplies and fuel down to the race, as well as food for Cody. “He eats very healthily and doesn’t eat anything in Mexico,” adds Reid, “He usually brings everything with him, so we have to plan ahead and buy his meals to bring them down with us. Along with that, I have to make sure we have fuel for all the vehicles and manage the chase teams for pre-running and the race. We always have to follow them around because the Class 1 buggy doesn’t have the fuel range, so everything needs to be planned out ahead of time.” Reid has been doing this for quite some time, so the team’s many fuel stops are strategically placed along the course for their big-block, V8-powered, all-wheel drive Alumicraft buggy. “We love this car and it has been good for us, and fast,” says Reid. “What makes this season more exciting for us is the changes to qualifying at SCORE races. We greatly appreciate SCORE changing the rules and allowing competitors in various top-tier classes to compete among each other. This places us within the vehicles we should be running with. We’ve always been challenged to be behind so many slower SCORE Trophy Trucks and trying to get past them. Everyone in Class 1 is thrilled about this, and I hear it has many teams coming back to Class 1. I would love to see where we have 15 or more competitors in the class by next season.” SJ