“We started off the race first off the line and tried to keep a good pace but we were stuck behind the classes in front of us,” Lastra said. “We were in dust all day. Before pit two, we missed a turn and went off-course and couldn’t get back on, so we lost a spot to our friends — the McFaydens. We followed them to pit two. Luckily, they stopped for fuel, and I was able to get back around them.” 

Lastra’s challenges didn’t stop there, but he kept overcoming every obstacle in his way. 

“Just before pit three, we went off-course again and broke a part on the car, which caused us to lose brakes,” Lastra said. “We limped into the pit, the crew fueled the car and said it was a bent arm. So, we nursed the car to the finish. At the finish, we realized the part was a wheel bearing. Somehow and some way, the car stayed together. Someone was watching over us for sure.”

Although he said it was a dusty course and mistakes were made from it, they “still managed to get the win in the Riverland Racing red sled!” His final time of 06:57:37.650 earned him the victory. 

He thanked his team: Carolyn and Randy Raschein for the chance to pilot their Can-Am, the Schulz family, Dana Harlow and Chase Willford for pit support, and co-driver Robert Villarreal for an awesome job. Thanks to Lonestar Racing’s Shawn Fisher, Joey Olson and Horacio Contreras for incredible race prep.

Lastra also credited his sponsors — Riverland Rents, Can-Am, Oregon UTV Parts, Lonestar Racing, King Shocks, Tensor Tires, Method Wheels, Modquad, EVO Powersports, Shock Therapy, Icebox Performance and ZRP — for making his racing efforts possible.

“I began to find my groove, and we just started clicking off the miles,” Gastel said. “The staff at Legacy definitely laid out a challenging course. I mean, this course had everything from rocks to fire roads to silty areas, washes, and dry lake beds all the way up in the mountains — that’s probably why I like this course so much. You’re not just stuck in one type of terrain. You see everything.”

After the fourth pit, he daringly attempted to pick up the pace. A quick splash of fuel at Pit #5 and a verbal pat on the back by the crew sent Gastel on his way again. 

“I knew we had a significant lead over the next car in our class, so I was trying to remind myself not to take any unnecessary risks,” Gastel said. “The section between five and six was probably the roughest of the race, so we were definitely just trying to conserve the car and not get any flats or break anything. We sailed into pit six where we were scheduled to take our last five gallons of fuel.” 

He said his pit crew informed him that the second-place car in his class had closed in on them, so Gastel picked up the pace for the last 50 miles. 

“The reality began to set in that as long as I could get the car to the finish line, the race was ours,” Gastel said. “I started thinking of all the firsts — the first finish for this new car, my first win since the passing of my dad, and the first time my son ever raced in the car with me. When we got that checkered flag and they awarded me with the first-place plaque, it was definitely an amazing feeling.” 

“We stuck to our plan,” Gastel said. “The pit stops were on point. Everyone hit their mark. We didn’t have to get out of the car once. No flats. No mechanical issues. The team was rewarded with the win. None of this would be possible without the people and companies that support us every time we suit up to race.”

Gastel said that everything went off without a hitch. All in all, it was a pretty uneventful day and that is what most teams hope for when it comes to their machines and race strategy. 

Gastel expressed the utmost gratitude for the loyalty of his sponsors. He’s been racing UTVs in the desert for 11 years, and almost all of his sponsors have been with him since the beginning. 

“I’d like to thank my wife. Thanks to my son for doing an amazing job during his first time in the car. My pit crew of Fernando, Frank and Homer. Phil Blurton and all of the guys at his shop: No Limit. Thanks to the staff and volunteers at Legacy. Can-Am, Summers Brothers, Rugged Radios, Raceline, ITP, Baja Design, No Limit RD, PRP, Factory UTV, Alltech Motorsports, Union Graphics, and UTV Sports Magazine for getting our stories out there!”

“We utilize a stock cooling system, stock power plant, stock fuel system – it’s basically a showroom car, other than the required safety items,” he said. “And we go out and have this kind of success.”

Gastel said it’s especially impressive that they can win their class and take 15th overall in the UTV lineup in a truly stock car. 

Culver City, California’s Craig Macintosh (S915) took second in class, and Las Vegas’s Bryan Houghton (S923) claimed third.

Fellow Las Vegas resident Sarah Stewart, who recently picked up a Polaris sponsorship, earned the UTV Stock1 class win. She piloted her Tortoise Supply Racing-backed machine through a wide mix of terrain, joking that silt got into every crevasse of their lives. Her husband also competed in the event, taking fourth in UTV Unlimited. 

“With all the rain we’ve had recently there were some intensely rutted-out and dangerous spots,” said Stewart. “Legacy did a great job with marking dangers but keeping the course exciting with variety — fast, slow, winding trails, some wide-open meadows, through trees and river crossings. The splash of water was so refreshing! It was a challenging but a great ride. Thank you to all of our sponsors that help us get this done!”