NEWS FROM AROUND THE DIRT

Extreme E Confirms Jenson Button as Team Owner and Driver

Formula One Champion Jenson Button has been announced as an Extreme E Team owner and driver. Button has tried his hand at several different motorsports disciplines in the last three years. His father, John Button was a leading rally cross driver in the 70’s and 80’s. Button has always had a passion for offroad racing. Button raced the 2019 Baja 1000.

“JBXE has been a long time coming and I’m both delighted and proud to announce its formation and entry into the inaugural Extreme E Championship. I caught the off-road bug a few years back which led to me entering my own team in a few races including the Mint 400 and even the Baja 1000 and I absolutely loved it” said Button

The Extreme E series kicks off in Saudi Arabia in April.

Meyers Manx Founder Bruce Meyers Passes Away

Meyers Manx creator Bruce Meyers has died at the age of 94. Meyers created the Meyers-Manx dune buggy which became highly popular in the 1960’s. It was known as a California beach icon and was highly celebrated in pop culture.

Meyers originally created the iconic body in his Newport Beach garage. It was a fiberglass body designed to fit on an old Volkswagen. The Manx raced in the very first NORRA Mexican 1000 in 1969. The Meyers-Manx was also used in several Hollywood productions.

Bruce Meyers was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1978. Meyers sold his company last year to Troutsdale Ventures, which plans to carry on Meyers Manx legacy of fun, freedom and expression that Bruce and Winnie originally created.

Toyota TRD is offering a factory lift-kit as a dealer installed option for the 2020 and newer Tacoma. The kit lifts the truck 2-inches in the front and 1-inch in the rear. The kit has been designed and tested by TRD engineers. Bilstein shocks are part of the factory lift kit package. The shocks are bigger than the standard Tacoma shock. The lift kit gives the truck a taller stance and improves ground clearance along with the approach and departure angles. The kit is also backed by Toyota’s factory warranty.

Oceano Dunes Enters Phase 2 Reopening

Green sticker vehicles are now allowed at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation area and Pismo State Beach. California State Parks has announced the popular beach area is entering Phase 2 of the reopening plan.

Phase one allowed street legal vehicles only in the dunes such as Jeeps and trucks. Phase two opens up the dunes to green sticker OHV vehicles such as quads, UTV’s and motorcycles. Day use hours continue to be limited to 7am to 8pm. Onethousand permits for both street legal and OHV vehicles will be issued.

One hundred campsites will also be available at the Oceano Dunes. Rental concessions will remain closed. California State Parks closed the dunes in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic to comply with stay-at-home orders.

Newly Formed Great American Shortcourse Series Plans Four West Coast Races

A new short course series is picking up where the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series left off. The Great American Shortcourse Series is planning four races this year that will include two events this spring and two in the fall.

The series is formed with two promoters coming together. Ultra4 Racing promoter Dave Cole is partnering with Lee Perfect who has held race director positions with the now defunct Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and its regional series. Perfect has also held positions with Championship Off Road Racing (CORR).

The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series abruptly closed its doors last November leaving racers and teams without short course racing on the west coast.

The Great American Shortcourse Series will feature truck, buggy, kart and UTV classes.