The Parker 400 Returns with Spectacular Off-road Racing and Thousands of Fans!
Jan. 15, 2024
Off Road Racer Staff
Parker, Arizona – Monday, Jan 15th: Unlimited Off-Road Racing announced today that the 50th Anniversary of The Parker 400 Off-Road race was a massive success. Nearly 125 off-road warriors in twenty-five classes competed on the newly CRIT Gauntlet and infamous Parker desert race course for three exciting days in front of a crowd of over twenty-thousand race fans, campers and spectators. The legendary and challenging Parker race course pulled no punches, taking out nearly 35% of the field who succumbed to mechanical issues. There were two racer rollovers but no serious injuries and the racers involved are recovering at home thanks to the quick and professional work of the Unlimited safety and retrieval team. And there were no major law enforcement or spectator management issues, thanks to careful planning and coordination with the BLM, La Paz County Sheriff's Office, and CRIT PD and Fish and Game. The weather proved to be ideal for racing and spectating, and drew massive crowds to the area, with an estimated economic impact to be in the multiple millions.
“The Parker 400 is back! It feels really good to see the massive fan turnout, a generation of people have grown up spectating and racing this race and it showed. The racing was nothing short of spectacular in every class, but the star of the whole weekend was Connor McMullen. His performance beating all of the Unlimited Trucks in a Class 1 car with half of the horsepower will go down in the history books as one of the greatest off-road race performances. This young man has a bright future in off-road racing ahead of him. We couldn’t have asked for a better event to kick off the inaugural year of the Unlimited Off-road Racing Series!” stated Unlimited Off-Road Racing CEO Matt Martelli.
Race action kicked off on Thursday with Qualifying, where the 4WD Unlimited Trucks of Justin Lofton and Cole Potts would top the Unlimited classes and Bruce Binnquist would earn the fastest Limited class time. Friday’s Limited Race saw Brayden Baker and Larry Heidler battle for the lead over the first two laps, but Heidler would win out after surviving the third and final circuit. It was a similar story in Saturday’s Unlimited Race, where Lofton and McMullen would fight tooth and nail for most of the day, but an issue 12 miles from the finish would hand the win to McMullen, returning the open-wheelers to glory.
“We are very thankful for the support from the sponsors as well as the Town of Parker, Mayor Hartless, La Paz County including the Board of Supervisors, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, Parker Area Chamber of Commerce, Bureau of Land Management, Arizona State Trust Land Department, and all of the local residents and landowners.” stated Unlimited Off-Road Racing COO Josh Martelli.
The next race on the Unlimited Off-Road Racing points championship calendar is the 56th Annual BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400, March 6th - 10th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Last year saw a massive surge in attendance and the second highest entry list in decades - 490 race teams. Race fans and teams are encouraged to visit themint400.com now and reserve their spot for what will be another massive race event in the heart of Sin City.
About The Parker 400 (theparker400.com)
The Parker 400, is a celebrated titan in off-road racing, known for its demanding Arizona landscape and storied tradition. Hosting over 40,000 fans and more than 300 competing teams from around the globe each January, it's a highlight of the off-road racing calendar. This historic event, which is part of the Unlimited Off-Road Racing schedule, begins with a captivating vehicle showcase in downtown Parker, setting the stage for two days of high-octane racing over a challenging 400-mile course. The Parker 400 is more than a race; it's a festival that embodies the off-road spirit, featuring live entertainment and fan activities. With live streaming that reaches over half a million viewers worldwide, the event offers an unparalleled spectacle of endurance and skill, cementing its status as a must-attend event for off-road aficionados. Under the guidance of the Martelli Brothers, the Parker 400 continues to honor the legacy of off-road racing, celebrating the rugged beauty of the Arizona desert and the tenacity of racers who tackle its terrain.
For more info on The Parker 400 go to theparker400.com.
About UNLTD Off-Road Racing
The Unlimited Off-Road Racing league was formed by The Martelli Brothers in 2023 after more than a decade of successful desert off-road race promotion, including The Mint 400, The UTV World Championship and The California 300. The league was formed to promote the sport of desert off-road racing, the off-road industry, and to expand the reach of off-road companies beyond the industry and into the homes of every off-road race fan, globally. Key attributes of the newly formed league include large racer car counts, competitive and challenging race courses, safe and family-friendly spectating areas, multiple days of racing and off-road festivities all located near major cities and markets that positively affect the off-road industry. The Martelli Brothers, owners of the motorsports powerhouse production group Mad Media have made it their mission to grow the league into a four-race series that showcases the best off-road racers on the best courses in North America.
Unlimited Off-Road Racing Series is supported by the top brands in off-road products including: Camburg Racing, Magnaflow, Eibach Springs, King Shocks, Rugged Radios, Vision Wheel, Cagewrx, Rigid Industries, Lifeline Safety, Tread Lightly!, The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, and Dirt Co brand clothing.
For more information on Unlimited Off-Road Racing go to unlimitedoffroadracing.com.
Top
“The Parker 400 is back! It feels really good to see the massive fan turnout, a generation of people have grown up spectating and racing this race and it showed. The racing was nothing short of spectacular in every class, but the star of the whole weekend was Connor McMullen. His performance beating all of the Unlimited Trucks in a Class 1 car with half of the horsepower will go down in the history books as one of the greatest off-road race performances. This young man has a bright future in off-road racing ahead of him. We couldn’t have asked for a better event to kick off the inaugural year of the Unlimited Off-road Racing Series!” stated Unlimited Off-Road Racing CEO Matt Martelli.
Race action kicked off on Thursday with Qualifying, where the 4WD Unlimited Trucks of Justin Lofton and Cole Potts would top the Unlimited classes and Bruce Binnquist would earn the fastest Limited class time. Friday’s Limited Race saw Brayden Baker and Larry Heidler battle for the lead over the first two laps, but Heidler would win out after surviving the third and final circuit. It was a similar story in Saturday’s Unlimited Race, where Lofton and McMullen would fight tooth and nail for most of the day, but an issue 12 miles from the finish would hand the win to McMullen, returning the open-wheelers to glory.
“We are very thankful for the support from the sponsors as well as the Town of Parker, Mayor Hartless, La Paz County including the Board of Supervisors, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, Parker Area Chamber of Commerce, Bureau of Land Management, Arizona State Trust Land Department, and all of the local residents and landowners.” stated Unlimited Off-Road Racing COO Josh Martelli.
The next race on the Unlimited Off-Road Racing points championship calendar is the 56th Annual BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400, March 6th - 10th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Last year saw a massive surge in attendance and the second highest entry list in decades - 490 race teams. Race fans and teams are encouraged to visit themint400.com now and reserve their spot for what will be another massive race event in the heart of Sin City.
About The Parker 400 (theparker400.com)
The Parker 400, is a celebrated titan in off-road racing, known for its demanding Arizona landscape and storied tradition. Hosting over 40,000 fans and more than 300 competing teams from around the globe each January, it's a highlight of the off-road racing calendar. This historic event, which is part of the Unlimited Off-Road Racing schedule, begins with a captivating vehicle showcase in downtown Parker, setting the stage for two days of high-octane racing over a challenging 400-mile course. The Parker 400 is more than a race; it's a festival that embodies the off-road spirit, featuring live entertainment and fan activities. With live streaming that reaches over half a million viewers worldwide, the event offers an unparalleled spectacle of endurance and skill, cementing its status as a must-attend event for off-road aficionados. Under the guidance of the Martelli Brothers, the Parker 400 continues to honor the legacy of off-road racing, celebrating the rugged beauty of the Arizona desert and the tenacity of racers who tackle its terrain.
For more info on The Parker 400 go to theparker400.com.
About UNLTD Off-Road Racing
The Unlimited Off-Road Racing league was formed by The Martelli Brothers in 2023 after more than a decade of successful desert off-road race promotion, including The Mint 400, The UTV World Championship and The California 300. The league was formed to promote the sport of desert off-road racing, the off-road industry, and to expand the reach of off-road companies beyond the industry and into the homes of every off-road race fan, globally. Key attributes of the newly formed league include large racer car counts, competitive and challenging race courses, safe and family-friendly spectating areas, multiple days of racing and off-road festivities all located near major cities and markets that positively affect the off-road industry. The Martelli Brothers, owners of the motorsports powerhouse production group Mad Media have made it their mission to grow the league into a four-race series that showcases the best off-road racers on the best courses in North America.
Unlimited Off-Road Racing Series is supported by the top brands in off-road products including: Camburg Racing, Magnaflow, Eibach Springs, King Shocks, Rugged Radios, Vision Wheel, Cagewrx, Rigid Industries, Lifeline Safety, Tread Lightly!, The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, and Dirt Co brand clothing.
For more information on Unlimited Off-Road Racing go to unlimitedoffroadracing.com.