Driver is off to a good start

Burgos takes third in her SNORE debut

SPECIAL TO VIEWBrittany Burgos, right, with co-driver Robbie Woolworth, finished third in the Class 7 Truck event last month at the Battle at Primm. It was Burgos’ first offroad desert race. Advertisement

Offroad desert racing is a rough sport. The vehicles are hard to handle, the roads can be brutal and the drivers need to be tough and unafraid of the dusty, rocky terrain.

Brittany Burgos thinks it's the perfect sport for her.

The 19-year-old Centennial High School graduate and current student of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in downtown Los Angeles recently made her debut in the ranks of SNORE (Southern Nevada Offroad Racing Enthusiasts) by placing third in the Class 7 Truck event at the Battle at Primm races on Feb. 17 and 18.

"I was surprised at how well she did for her first time," said her co-driver Robbie Woolworth of local Woolworth Motorsports. "It was kind of scary at first. She gave me a couple heart attacks. But after the first few laps, her nerves went away and she did really well."

Burgos, a native Las Vegan whose family resides in the northwest part of town, is one of a few females competing in offroad motorsports events. The sport is in her blood; her father used to race and she's been helping at SNORE events for the past five years.

But last month was her first time behind the wheel of her own truck. Woolworth took over the first day of the two-day race, coaching Burgos before letting the rookie drive on the second day.

"I wasn't nervous until we were there, waiting for the flag to drop on the second day," Burgos said. "Then, all of a sudden, I felt like I was getting ready to do something crazy. I hit the gas, and it was a feeling I can't describe."

Her co-driver wasn't the only one surprised at the high-ranking finish.

"I was most definitely surprised to come in third," Burgos said. "When they told me my lap times and I knew how close I was, I was surprised. I figured I'd go out and it would be a good race, but I didn't think I'd do as well as I did."

The rough world of racing might seem an odd fit for a female fashion student -- Burgos is planning to return to Las Vegas in the fall to study hotel management at UNLV -- but this girl is cut out for the job.

Woolworth, who's been offroad racing for 13 years, said he believes his young apprentice has a future in the sport.

"I think she does. Everybody has to start somewhere," he said. "There are other women racing here that started out racing buggies, and those things just beat you up. But for her first time, racing in a mid-level class, she was very competitive.

"She can be more competitive once she gets some more seat time, more experience driving. It's all about pacing yourself. A lot of people want to go fast all the time, and these trucks can't always handle it. It's a fine line you have to work with, because you almost have to be out of control but still in control to be successful."

The competitive spirit that led Burgos to offroad racing is the same thing she thinks will continue her improvement as a driver.

"I've always done everything as a competitive person, always tried to be better, so that's never been a problem for me," she said. "Right now, I'm racing for fun, but ultimately, I want to work my way up to racing in a pre-runner class and get up into the heavy, faster classes eventually."

It's an ambitious goal for a female driver, considering not everyone is behind her.

"Some people are supportive -- in fact most people are -- but others are like, 'What is she doing out there?' " she said.

"It happens a lot ... she catches a lot of (grief) from other drivers and other people," Woolworth said. "Being a girl in this sport, or really in any sport, you're going to get that stuff. But she takes it well."

Burgos said her teenage peers didn't really understand her interest in racing at first, but that since she now spends so much time working on her truck with her team, now her friends are her fellow racers.

With her impending return to Las Vegas, Burgos is planning to focus even more on her offroad pursuits.

"It's going to be nice to be back home and work with everyone and work on the truck more," she said. "I can be more devoted it."

The next SNORE event is the Dash for the Cash 400 at Buffalo Bill's in Jean on March 30. For more information, visit www.snoreracing.net.