The preparation and testing is over. It's time for Camburg Racing to put up or shut up with its near-stock Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro in the Mint 400, America's toughest, most storied off-road race.
In Episode 3 of "Dealer to Desert," Jerry Zaiden and the Camburg Racing crew put the Tacoma through tech inspection on Fremont St. in downtown Las Vegas and rendezvoused with the guy who'll take the wheel for the race's opening loop, former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno.
Testing went well, with Leno getting some valuable experience in the Tacoma. But testing doesn't come close to putting it on the line for 100-plus miles of beating and banging in the Nevada desert, and for the off-road racing rookie, there'll be no gentle introduction to a course loaded with suspension-destroying rocks and gulleys and sand beds that can eat a truck alive.
"Any tips for me?" asks Leno. "This is my first time doing this."
"Yeah, when you're out there, try and keep the tires on the ground..." grins desert racing veteran and loop-two driver Zaiden.
To give Leno every chance to do just that, off-road and rally ace Ryan Millen will be sitting alongside him as an extra pair of eyes and a guy who knows when to push and when to nurse if they're going to hand the truck over to second-leg driver Zaiden in one piece.
Next morning, as dawn breaks over the casinos of Primm, Nev., and the temperatures start to rise, it's go time. A near-stock truck and a first-time driver vs. the unforgiving desert terrain – time to see who's toughest...
Look out for the final episode of "Dealer to Desert" on RACER.com and catch previous episodes, too. Plus, you can find out more about Camburg here.
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