Rock crawling is one of the most technical off-road sports out there. To prove how difficult the terrain is, approximately one-quarter to one-half of the race entrants do not even complete a race. The extreme terrain and obstacles range from enormous boulders and unstable rock piles, to rugged desert and mountainous trails. However, the insanity of rock crawling doesn’t dissuade Brad Lovell from competing. Off-roading has been Brad’s hobby and passion for more than 15 years. He began rock crawling five short years ago, where in his first season of competition, he began as a rookie and ended a champion. Brad owes much of his rock-crawling success to hard work, dedication, and the support from his family. Ask the experts recently sat down with Brad to discuss the sport of rock crawling, what it’s like teaming up with his brother and their plans for the upcoming 2009 season.

Brad grew up camping and four-wheeling in Colorado with his brother, Roger. Their love for off-roading began when the two would explore the stunning trails and backcountry of their home state. As their love for the sport evolved, they began checking out sanctioned events to fill their need for off-road excitement. “Roger and I saw our first Super Crawl event live and we noticed it was the same type of terrain we were riding,” said Brad. “We decided to modify the vehicle we had been driving into a competitive vehicle and started prepping for the next race.” A short time later, Brad and Roger took home their first rock-crawling championship.

Five years later, Brad and Roger’s passion for off-road competition along with their list of accomplishments continues to grow. Major victories for the Lovell brothers include the 2008 XRRA National Championship and the 2008 W.E. Rock Pro-Mod Western Championship, which by the way, was their fifth consecutive year taking home that title, and each was won on BFGoodrich^® Krawler™ T/A ^KX tires. “The BFGoodrich Krawler T/A tire can’t be beat, we absolutely love it” said Brad. “The tire has revolutionized the sport of rock-crawling. The overall performance of the tire is remarkable. The traction on big rock climbs is excellent and the cornering gives us a huge advantage.” For the 2009 season, they will continue to alternate between BFGoodrich Krawler T/A tires and the Baja T/A^{® KRT} tires depending on the race.

One of the key elements to the Lovell brother’s success is their attention to detail while preparing. “It’s difficult to imagine subcontracting out the work that needs to be done on the truck and relying on someone else to have our truck in top shape,” said Brad. “If you want something done right you have to do it yourself.” Their shop is based at Brad’s house, which is convenient for Roger, who lives nearby. “We have spent many sleepless nights perfecting our trucks, from the designing to the painting, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Brad and Roger’s relentless efforts resulted in a first overall title in the 2008 W.E. Rock series. “We had an exceptional year in W.E. Rock,” said Brad. “It was very fulfilling because the Pro-Mod class was very competitive and we expect it to stay that way.” Another major series Brad and Roger competed in is the XRRA series. “Over the last two years, we have learned how challenging it is to run two vehicles at these fast-paced races,” said Brad. “We are extremely proud of our new #232 Fabtech Ranger, as it is capable of winning in both racing and crawling which are becoming more diverse.” Brad placed 3^rd overall in the XRRA series, while Roger improved his overall standings from 2007 finishing 11^th overall.

Brad and Roger look to build upon the success of their 2008 season with two strong finishes at the upcoming 2009 King of the Hammers event. “King of the Hammers is one of the most exciting competitions for us because of the grand scale of the race,” said Brad. “It is considered the crown jewel of the sport and will be more difficult this year than ever before.” Last year, Brad led the race for more than one third of the course before suffering multiple problems symptomatic of a new truck. Roger’s consistent driving nursed their #32 Alloy USA Ranger to the finish. Last year’s race taught them a lot about the logistics of King of the Hammers and they were offered two highly sought after guaranteed starting slots for 2009.

Brad notes that the sport of rock crawling is a cost effective way for those looking to get a sense of what off-road competition is about. “Make sure you start with the right foundation,” said Brad. “I can’t emphasize enough how tremendous our support team is.” Their support team ranges from their sponsors to their family. “Our mom and step dad still drag the camper around to all our events so our wives are in comfort and our children have a place to play,” said Brad.

BFGoodrich wishes the Lovell brothers a successful 2009 season. For more information about Brad and Roger, visit www.lovellrockracing.com.