Alexander Motorsports Takes Victory in the 5000 Class at Parker 425
- 30 apr 2013
Arriving at the pits early, Steve Alexander and the crew were scheduled to make a showing in the parade at Parker, Arizona bright and early in the morning. Fans had likely anticipated the spectacle along the streets, but the team was anxious for the event that would take place just a few hours later. They were focused on racing in the 5000 class of the Parker 425 for their second consecutive season. With all of the festivities behind them, Alexander and his team started in the third position of a field of three. At about 8:40 a.m., Alexander was given the green flag and he hit the course with one thing, and one thing only, on his mind: he had a race to win! "I was very confident, because we run the best equipment in today's market," recalled the driver. I would have preferred being the first of the line," he continued. "But when you start behind the pack, and you pass them all, you know you're in the lead. My plan was to take the lead early and put as much distance between us, so when my relief driver, Doug Roorda got in the car, he'd be able to run a clean race." Within the first two miles of the 425-mile race Steve Alexander had already managed to muscle his way around the field of drivers and was setting the pace. In fact, he was determined to put as much distance as possible between himself and his competitors.
Pulling into the pit at the first lap's end, Alexander was informed by his crew that they had discovered a minor crack in the steering mount. The crack was repaired within 35-minutes though, and after Kris Trajano took over the co-rider/navigator position, Alexander was back on the track and on his way. Although this race proves demanding on both the driver and the car year-in and year-out, this particular race lent to an array of obstacles resulting from the fury of "Mother Nature". Recent rains had deemed the track more brutal than usual, and the adverse conditions were taking their toll. In fact, one of the competitors had already fallen victim to the conditions and was out of the race before the second lap was complete. Alexander had no idea of where the other driver was though, until happening upon where they sat idle at mile-62. At this point the Alexander Motorsports team knew the only thing that might separate them from a victory would be mechanical malfunction of their own vehicle. Their goal was simple - keep the car together, and the victory was in the bag. With 280 miles of navigating the rugged terrain under his belt, Steve Alexander gave the wheel to team member, Doug Roorda. Although the fix on the cracked steering mount was holding fast, one of the bolts had been jolted to a point it had been pulled from the housing. But the driver knew what had to be done and began his journey to the checkered flag. Referring to the victory, Steve Alexander said, "It was huge! Three of the biggest races in America are the Parker 425, the MINT 400 and Vegas to Reno. When you win one of these, you have done something!"
Crediting his team for their performance , he continued, "They're very important. Without a team, you are alone, And there is no way you're gonna win when you are alone." The Alexander Motorsports team is also confident that proper maintenance played a huge part in their victory. When asked the importance keeping one's car in optimal condition, Alexander stated, "That's an easy one. When I see the number of cars broke down in the first two miles, and I see why, it's obvious many of the issues could have been prevented by doing proper maintenance." A strong advocate of keeping the internal components of his engine well lubed and contaminant free, the driver continued, "We use K&N oil filters, fuel filters and air filters. I won last year's championship and I won the first race of this season, and K&N played a huge part of that!" With the 2013 season just getting underway, Steve Alexander and Alexander Motorsports are looking forward to what might lurk around the next corner. When asked what fans can expect in the days to come, Alexander's answer was short and to the point, "Consistency and determination." Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. Other K&N news stories about Alexander Motorsports: Alexander Motorsports Wins 2012 Bluewater Desert Challenge and 3rd Back-to-Back Championship; Alexander Motorsports Takes Class 5000 Win at BITD Silver State 300; Alexander Motorsports Takes 3rd in Debut Race at the 2012 BITD Parker 425 |
