Southwest Boulder & Stone enters the racing scene with Rock Pile Racing

FALLBROOK – Southwest Boulder & Stone owner Mike McLeod has started an off-road race team. Comprised of company employees, along with other Fallbrook residents, the inexperienced team is making quite a splash.

Racing in the highly competitive Class One Division with two races

completed, they have been on the podium both times with a third and first place finish. Class One Cars are unlimited in both horsepower and suspension, and along with trophy trucks are at the top of the off-road racing chart.

Southwest Boulder is running a Jimco car with 650 horsepower and 30” of suspension travel. Acquiring the car was a unique experience. After looking at entry level

race cars, McLeod saw a McMillin Racing Class One at an off-road racing supply company and made a unique offer: he offered to trade a huge pile of rock for the car. A few days later, the team had a car and a new name: Rock Pile Racing! However, assembling the basic equipment and supplies to start racing was a daunting task in itself.

Rock Pile Racing’s first race in January was a 250-mile romp through the incredibly rough Barstow desert. The team produced a third place finish. The car was running in first place on lap six of eight when a tire blew. While changing the tire, the jack slipped, pinning itself under the car and a routine tire change cost thirty minutes.

Last month, Rock Pile Racing ran its second race in the Barstow area. The team revamped their strategy and ran a nearly perfect race finishing first in class and first overall.

Rock Pile Racing’s car is driven by Andrew McLeod, Cameron Parish and Scott Youngren with JC Bergholz, co-driver. The main pit is run by Ron Chubb, TC Steingrube, and Randy Ruple.

McLeod said he is pleased to have success this early in such a competitive class, adding that he credits the help of more than thirty guys who have quickly come together to work as a team as well as local sponsors Scrappy’s Tires and Fallbrook Oil.

The team’s next race, Royal Purple 500, will be held on May 21 in the Johnson Valley area.