A month after the SRTV-SXV-XL became the first military vehicle to complete a King of the Hammers event, BC Customs will return to the Mint 400 with three of them. Martin Eskildsen (#M965), Jonathan Woodward (#M966), and Thomas Norwood (#M967) are the drivers of record for each car, which will compete in the Modern Military class.

The SRTV, or Search and Rescue Tactical Vehicle, was developed by the family-run BC Customs in 2004 for use by the United States Air Force’s Guardian Angel program. As its brand and military names (Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Rescue Vehicle, or GAARV) suggest, it is intended to extract imperiled and wounded personnel in the field. The first order from the Air Force came in 2007 before production by HDT Global and procurement started six years later.

It is a lightweight, all-wheel-drive off-road vehicle that can be dropped from aircraft like the C-130 and CH-47. The design, along with the rest of BC’s lineup, was inspired by Ultra4 vehicles since the Johnsons are off-road racers; the company is also an arm of SXOR Motorsports (Sky Xtreme Offroad). The SRTV was originally a candidate for the Special Operations Command’s GMV 1.1 but lost to General Dynamics’ Flyer 72, which has also been raced at the Mint.

BC also develops variants like the SXV, a UTV-style model that emphasizes rapid deployment and maneuverability, and the longer SXV-XL for larger missions.

Brandon Johnson, BC’s Vice President of Sales and Design, drove the SXV-XL at King of the Hammers’ Every Man Challenge in February. After starting 120th, he finished 26th overall as the lone military vehicle. His car was fully stock save for mandatory racing safety modifications like additional door bars, window nets, and race-legal seating.

Other members of the Johnson family have piloted SRTVs in desert races as well. Cole Johnson won Modern Military at the 2024 Mint 400 in an SRTV while Brandon placed fourth, though the former will race his usual SXOR 4400 at this year’s event.

The former Extreme E also employed two SRTVs as medical rescue vehicles starting 2022. Known as the MDD-1 and MDD-2, they were converted from their base model by Whelen Engineering and Chip Ganassi Racing, whose XE division was managed by retired Navy SEAL Dave Berkenfield.

Four cars in total are signed up for the Mint’s Modern Military category. They will compete in the Limited Race on Friday, March 7.

Featured image credit: Baja Designs