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Katie Vernola Makes Her Debut in Desert Racing in the Parker 250
Katie Vernola Makes Her Debut in Desert Racing in the Parker 250
24 feb 2017
Katie Vernola's long-wheelbase RZR is ready to take on the Mint 400
There is a steep learning curve in the brutal sport of desert racing. Fortunately, K&N-sponsored racer Katie Vernola is a quick study. Vernola made her desert racing debut at the Parker 250, which was round one of the Best in the Desert (BITD) Series. Vernola piloted a Polaris RZR XP 4 Turbo through the Arizona desert in the race.
A key element of that learning curve is finding the perfect balance between hard-charging speed and keeping the equipment together. When we asked Vernola about her biggest take-away from the Parker 250, she made that point very clearly.
Vernola's handled the Arizona desert well until she lost a tire
“Go fast but don't go too fast. Going into the Parker 250, I knew the race didn't start until the second lap if I wanted to finish,” Vernola said. “The first lap I drove smooth and very cautious throughout the 80-plus mile lap, passing 10 UTVs. When the second lap came up, I drove much faster knowing my Polaris RZR is taking the brutal Parker course pretty good. I had a good run on the second lap until mile 67 in the rock garden. I lost my rear passenger side tire. Go fast but don't go too fast.”
Reigning in the competitive impulse to pin the throttle and charge full-bore goes against Vernola’s aggressive nature. However, she is clearly taking the lesson of her Parker 250 DNF to heart, and adjusting her mindset for the next desert race.
No one has ever made a K&N race suit look better
While Vernola is planning a full-season bid in the BITD series, she has not forgotten about her bread-and-butter racing series. Vernola is a veteran racer in the WORCS series and will attack that title with a vengeance.
“My goals for 2017 are to get on as many podiums as I can, and chase the championship title in WORCS and Best of the Desert,” Vernola said.
Vernola knows that K&N will be behind her in her WORCS and BITD racing efforts.
“I started my relationship with K&N four years ago racing a 2012 Polaris RZR 900, and every year has gotten better and better. K&N doesn't just sponsor my three Polaris RZRs with top-of-the-line filters, I also run their filters in my Lexus, chase truck, and RV,” Vernola said.
Vernola trusts K&N filter to keep her engine protected
“K&N also gave me the opportunity to race across the United States against some of the best drivers in the world. They provided me a custom one-of-a-kind K&N race suit to look most professional at all my races. K&N is not just a sponsor, they are a part of my family.”
K&N will be following Katie Vernola’s championship chase in both the BITD and WORCS series. Check back to this news site for full coverage.
