Brandy Phillips Drove the Spectre Performance Chevy C-10R from SEMA to the OUSCI

Rob and Brandy Phillips fled the Las Vegas Convention Center after the 2014 SEMA show and headed straight to the LINQ Las Vegas High Roller Event lot along with fellow competitors

The 2014 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show officially came to a close around 4 PM on Friday November 7; however the celebration wasn’t quite over yet. SEMA initiated an official SEMA show after party, creatively named SEMA Ignited, to showcase some of the wildest custom cars and trucks from the 2014 SEMA show. The event was open to the public and free of charge.

SEMA Ignited was intended to showcase some of the most wild custom cars and trucks from the 2014 SEMA show but for the Phillips’ the real OUSCI excitement was just getting started

Rob and Brandy Phillips fled the Las Vegas Convention Center and headed straight to the LINQ Las Vegas High Roller Event lot along with dozens of fellow Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational (OUSCI) competitors. While the SEMA ignited event was intended as a way to wind down the 2014 SEMA show, the real excitement was just getting started for the PCH Rods gang.

“The closer Saturday morning came, the more nervous I got,” said Brandy Phillips. Brandy was 1 of only 10 cars selected at the SEMA show to participate in the 2014 OUSCI event hosted by Optima Batteries. “The reality hit that I would be going into this event with very little seat time on a brand new build, and only 8 autocross laps from the previous weekend’s NMCA event,” continued Brandy. The 2014 OUSCI would also be Brandy’s first time to compete in an event she’d hoped to be invited to for the last six years.

Brandy grew increasingly nervous as the 2014 OUSCI approached as it would be her first time to compete in the event she’d hoped to be invited to for the last six years and in a new truck

Brandy put on quite the show during the Wilwood Disc Brakes Speed Stop Challenge as she successfully did a 180 degree turn right before the stop box coming close to the concrete wall

The first competitive portion of the two day long Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational would be the Wilwood Disc Brakes Speed Stop Challenge. Competitors were tasked with navigating a portion of the road coarse as quickly as possible and coming to a complete stop in a 40’ stretch designated as the stop box, without going over. Of the Speed Stop Challenge, Brandy commented “I had very little practice in this event and was not familiar with the C-10R enough to push it like I should have.” Not having much confidence with the C-10R’s performance in the Speed Stop Challenge, Brandy was just thankful to get this portion of the OUSCI over with. “I put on quite the show as I successfully did a 180 degree turn right before the stop box coming closer to the concrete wall than I would have preferred,” she said. The crowd cheered and the TV crews were happy for the suspense Brandy’s near contact with the wall incited.

The RideTech Street Challenge Autocross lined competitors next to one another on the starting line for a heads-up run of both sides of the mirrored autocross course for a combined score

The next section of the OUSCI event was the RideTech Street Challenge Autocross. Optima changed the event format for 2014 by lining competitors next to one another on the starting line for a heads-up run of the mirrored autocross course. The winner of the face-off was not always the fastest due to potential penalties given for knocking over cones, or going off the course. “It was pretty intense staging with another vehicle and gauging where they were on the track to see if you were ahead or not,” said Brandy. Her favorite part of the Street Challenge Autocross was when Brandy found herself staging alongside a fellow female competitor in a red corvette named Jane Thurmond for a little girl on girl action. “There was a lot of smack talking, dirty looks and several laughs after the run; all in good fun and (made for) great TV coverage,” reminisced Brandy.

Brandy’s favorite part of the Street Challenge Autocross was when she found herself staging alongside female competitor, Jane Thurmond, in a red corvette for a little girl on girl action

The BF Goodrich Hot Lap Challenge wrapped up the 2014 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational on day-two of the event. Competitors were given up to ten laps on the road course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with their fastest lap being used for scoring purposes. Initially Brandy was slotted in the advanced drivers group for the Hot Lap challenge, but after a few practice laps she decided it would be best to drop down to the novice group. “I was proud of myself for admitting I needed to go into the novice group. I had a lot more fun in that group and was able to work on my lines rather than worry about getting in the way,” said Brandy. Brandy finished the BF Goodrich Hot Lap Challenge with a respectable lap time of 2 minutes and 10.127 seconds.

When the results were tallied, including points earned during the Detroit Speed Road Rally and the Lingenfelter Performance Design Challenge, Brandy Phillips and her PCH Rods 1972 Chevrolet C-10R earned a solid 68th place finish out of nearly 100 cars. “At first I shook my head and laughed,” said Brandy. “It was better than last!” Brandy, and her husband Rob, were just thrilled to have been able to finish the C-10R just before the 2014 SEMA show, compete in the Optima Ultimate Street Car Challenge, and finish the event without any problems.

The BF Goodrich Hot Lap Challenge wrapped up the 2014 OUSCI giving competitors up to ten laps on the course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with their fastest lap used for scoring purposes

When the results were tallied Brandy Phillips and her PCH Rods built 1972 Chevrolet C-10R pickup earned a solid 68th place finish out of a nearly 100 cars and in only her first OUSCI event

“I am thankful for the amazing support I have received during this adventure,” said Brandy. “The crew from Optima Batteries and FM3 were amazing. I had my family with me who all came together to help cover the event, prep the truck, and be there for me mentally. My husband definitely knew what he was doing when building this truck and it showed.” The 2014 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational marked the first official event for the 1972 Chevrolet C-10R pickup and Brandy Phillips after a three-year break from racing. Spectre Performance is excited to have been a part of the PCH Rods C-10R, and will continue to keep an eye on Brandy Phillips during the 2015 race season.

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