Disabled Marine Vet Copilots and Inspires at Tuff Trucks Race
Photos courtesy of Martha Pedroza Martinez
Among the cars racing in the Tuff Trucks Race at the Del Mar Arena on June 28 was a distinguished competitor that stood apart from the pack: triple amputee Marine Lance Cpl. Jason Hallett. The EngageOffRoad team partnered with the Race For the Wounded to give Jason a chance to compete in a field of 51 entries and he proved their decision was sound.
The short course race was a time attack where drivers raced against the clock with two attempts per day. Race For The Wounded founder Brett Robinson allied with EngageOffRoad owner Hassim Mendez to make Jason’s dream of racing into a reality.
Jason contacted Hassim the day before the race with the news that his ride to the track had fallen through, so Hassim sent a car to pick him up. The morning of the race, Jason simply had to arrive and ride as part of the three man team in the F-150 Raptor. But those on hand at the arena recognized this was no ordinary day.
Hallett served in the India Company, 3rd battalion, 5th regiment. During his first deployment to Afghanistan in 2010 he stepped on an IED while clearing mines from a compound and lost both legs, an arm, and part of his hand.
Fellow Drivers took advantage of a chance to meet Jason and they introduced themselves and thanked him for his service and his sacrifice in the line of duty. John Borba, Director of WGAS Motorsports, approached Jason and personally thanked him. When Borba opened his arms and his racing event to him, fellow racers applauded the gesture.
As the racers boarded their trucks and fastened their five point racing harnesses, Jason rose from the Offroad Shocks hospitality tent and walked toward the F-150 Raptor. Hassim summoned Aaron "High Tower" Bibb, crew chief for the Baja Adventures Racing Program run by "Pistol" Pete Sohren, to help Jason into the truck.
At 1 pm Jason’s racing day got underway. Del Mar Tuff Trucks Arena erupted with the noise of over 10,000 combined horsepower simultaneously igniting, ready to be unleashed on the arena. Fans were excited to see live off-road action and came decked out in race apparel. Each race truck ran the race course one at a time attempting to post the fastest lap.
Jason was in the 1423 EngageOffRoad/Dustfordogs.com F-150 Raptor with Jeff Musgrave and Robert Zonne and his role as co-driver was to help navigate. His car finished fifth in the session, an amazing accomplishment considering the car count was over 50.
The second heat of the day gave the team another chance to attack the track and they finished in seventh place for an overall sixth place finish in the field of 51. After the race, a handful of racers came over to shake Jason’s hand, congratulate him, and take pictures. Baja Champion Perry McNeil, the legendary Dan Vance, and speedboarder Biker Sherlock were among those whom Jason impressed and inspired.
David Beran is a Copywriter at 4WD
