2012 Best in the Desert Parker 250 UTV Race Results

Matt Parks and Jagged X Racing opened the 2012 Best in the Desert season with a Pro UTV victory at the THR Motorsports Parker 250. Polaris RZR teams swept the first four positions in Pro UTV, while the event also marked the racing debut of the four-seat Polaris RZR XP 4 900.

Parks, the defending 2011 Best in the Desert UTV champion, joined Jagged X Racing for the 2012 season and immediately delivered a victory. He completed the Parker course in 3 hours, 54 minutes and 57 seconds.

2012 Parker 250 Pro UTV Podium

1st: Matt Parks — No. 1932 Polaris RZR 4

Parks was supported by Walker Evans Racing, Holz Racing Products, Maxxis Tires, Tire Balls, Muzzy’s, Desert West Off-Road, Kroyer Racing Engines, OMF and Utendorfer Graphics.

2nd: Dennis Jean — No. 1949 Polaris RZR

Jean’s program included support from XMF, Muzzy’s Performance Products, Factory UTV, Summers Brothers, HiPer Technology, Cal Custom Trailers and Walker Evans Racing.

3rd: Scott Kiger — No. 1934 Polaris RZR XP

Kiger raced with support from Coastal Racing, Holz Racing Products and Walker Evans Racing.

4th: Brandon Schueler — No. 1919 Polaris RZR XP

Schueler was supported by Polaris, BFGoodrich, CR Designs, OMF, Elka Suspension, Summers Brothers, CEM, Polaris lubricants, Simpson, Wicked Bilt, Muzzy’s Performance Products and Vision X.

2012 THR Motorsports Parker 250 UTV Results

Pro UTV

1. No. 1932 Matt Parks — Polaris RZR 4 — 3:54:57
2. No. 1949 Dennis Jean — Polaris RZR — 4:00:12
3. No. 1934 Scott Kiger — Polaris RZR XP — 4:10:42
4. No. 1919 Brandon Schueler — Polaris RZR XP — 4:13:46
5. No. 1911 Scott Martinez — John Deere Gator 825i — 4:25:22
6. No. 1950 Sean Lindberg — Yamaha Rhino — 4:25:22
7. No. 1918 Justin Lambert — Kawasaki Teryx — 4:38:09
8. No. 1930 Sean Cook — Polaris RZR — 4:45:51
9. No. 1907 Justin Wells — Yamaha Rhino — 4:58:12
10. No. 1920 Michael Lansky — Can-Am Commander — 5:17:51
11. No. 1943 Gabe Guerin — Polaris RZR — 7:13:55
12. No. 1917 Derek Murray — Can-Am Commander — 7:20:28
13. No. 1921 Daniel Flower — Polaris RZR — DNF
14. No. 1904 Cory Sappington — Can-Am Commander — DNF
15. No. 1913 Lucas Hand — John Deere Gator 825i — DNF
16. No. 1937 Craig Hein — Polaris RZR — DNF
17. No. 1938 Brian Thomas — Polaris RZR XP — DNF

Sportsman UTV

1. No. 1988 Lacrecia Beurrier — Polaris RZR — 4:20:42 (sixth UTV overall)
2. No. 1997 Jeremy Marshall — Polaris RZR XP — 4:29:38 (ninth UTV overall)
3. No. 1991 Bill Schueler — Polaris RZR XP 4 — 4:35:14 (10th UTV overall)
4. No. 1996 Justin Wells — Yamaha Rhino — 4:57:33
5. No. 1989 Renee Hudson — Kawasaki Teryx — 6:54:52

DSR1 UTV

1. No. 1955 Bobby Rabber — Yamaha — 3:51:11

2012 Parker 250 UTV Race Photo Gallery

Polaris RZR XP 4 Makes Its Racing Debut

The Parker 250 marked the first race appearance for the new Polaris RZR XP 4 900. Jagged X built the No. 1991 XP 4, which Bill Schueler drove with Craig Scanlon as co-driver.

Schueler brought the new four-seat RZR home third in the Sportsman UTV class and 10th among the UTV finishers. That result came despite a flat tire that reportedly cost the team more than 20 minutes because the car was not carrying a spare tire or the tools needed to change it.

The result demonstrated the potential of the RZR XP 4 as a desert-racing platform. Its longer 107.4-inch wheelbase and four-seat chassis provided a different foundation from the two-seat RZR XP 900s that made up much of the emerging UTV racing field.

Jagged X RZR XP 4 BITD Race Preparation

At the time, Jagged X offered to prepare a Polaris RZR XP 4 for Best in the Desert competition for approximately $10,000. The conversion was intended to add the safety, communications and navigation equipment required for desert racing.

The Jagged X race-preparation package included:

• Chromoly-tube roll cage with the required gussets
• Seat mounts welded to the chassis
• Aluminum roof, doors and firewall
• Suspension seats with Simpson five-point harnesses
• Race-legal front and rear bumpers
• Radio communications and GPS navigation
• ATL fuel cell
• Fresh-air system
• Safety nets and required race lighting
• Horn, fire extinguishers and first-aid kit
• Rearview mirror
• Race wiring, switches and number plates

More From Parker

UTV Guide was also in Parker for the introduction of the production XP 4. Read our accompanying 2012 Polaris RZR XP 4 900 first-drive report for impressions from driving the four-seater on sections of the Parker racecourse and a closer look at Jagged X’s original race build.