Ford-powered Off-road Racing

In addition to an enlarged displacement (4.125 bore and stroke), Yates aluminum heads, billet-steel crank and rods, and a dry-sump oiling system, this Blue Oval blowtorch features a multiport electronic fuel injection MoTeC engine management system. The peak output registered on the dyno was 780 horses at 6,800 rpm, and 670 lb-ft of torque at 5,400 rpm. That blast-furnace of power runs through a race-prepped Turbo 400, three-speed automatic and a Chrisman 10.5-inch rearend with a 5.53:1 ratio. With such low gearing, top speed is limited to 143 mph at 7,200 rpm, but the upside is all that juicy torque on tap, essential for scrambling over hill and dale.

This drivetrain setup was gutsy enough for Lugo to do an Evel Knievel at the Laughlin Leap, where he took Second Place with a jump of 151 feet, just a few feet shy of the record.

Keeping Lugo's ultimate goal of owning a Trophy Truck in mind, chassis builder Craig Stewart made sure he could convert the proven truggy foundation to a Trophy Truck by having mounts in place to accept an F-150-shaped fiberglass body. "It's mostly cosmetic," Lugo points out. "We just add bumpers, a fiberglass body, and spares." The body is an '05 Ford F-150 extended-cab shortbed with flares to accommodate the oversized BFG tires. Wally World Color and Design applied the gold-flecked, crimson color scheme and graphics.

The initial investment is not the most costly aspect of building a Trophy Truck. The base price is about $300,000. "But it's all the spares that are the most expensive," Lugo admits. "It's such a survival sport. When you're running in the desert and break down, there's still time to repair and win." Camburg supplies many of the off-road performance parts, many of which are stowed right on the Trophy Truck for ready access in the event of a breakdown.

We experienced a small taste of that when the cockpit filled with oil fumes, bringing our high-speed run to a halt. We found out later a zip tie arced off the starter motor and melted an oil line, leaving a trail of spots for the support crew to follow. "We're glad those things happen," Lugo says. "That's why we test."

Of course, fixing a Trophy Truck in the middle of the desert while the clock is ticking requires some serious performance exper-tise. Banks Power is the primary sponsor for the No. 36 Lugo Racing Trophy Truck, and the company's Director of Technical Communications Peter Treydte serves as the crew chief, while technicians Dave Vermilion and Kevin Hannah act as tire changers and mechanics for the off-road team.

Banks' engineering staff contributed to the development of engine, navigation, and communication electronics as well. The MoTeC engine management helps the crew coordinate tuning and data acquisition parameters to keep the aluminum racing mill running at its highest potential and to monitor its vital signs for analysis. A Trophy Truck running in the open desert also needs some help finding its way, so Lugo's comes equipped with a Lowrance GPS and Kenwood radio equipment prepared by PCI radios.

Now that Lugo has his Trophy Truck sorted out, he's ready to climb the mountain--literally--on the Baja 1000, which he plans to enter next year. That grueling event also requires building an F-150 Pre-Runner, used for checking out the course a week beforehand, and evaluating rough sections as many as three or four times to find the best route. That rig has a few more creature comforts, but still is outfitted with a race engine, though it's set up for longer-term duty.

In the meantime, Lugo is headed for the Laughlin Leap again to see if he can improve his hang time. "We just need a bit more of a runway to get our speed up," he says. That, and maybe a flight suit as well.