As the Riot truck closes in on its last stretch toward Reno, Nevada this Friday there will be a new face behind the wheel. Josh Daniel of DanZio Racing has joined Riot Racing’s #68 Trophy Truck team as their back-up driver along with his co-driver, Allen Hickerson. Daniel and Hickerson will take over for Riot’s driver Marc Ewing and co-driver Ira Conn about halfway through the race.

Daniel is the co-owner of DanZio Racing in Henderson, Nevada, a team that spawned from DanZio Performance Engineering, an off-road engine building company he founded five years ago with co-owner and crew chief Chris Muzio. Daniel started the race team three years ago with a Class 1 car that he drives in the SNORE, SCORE and BITD series. Riot is excited to have him on board.

“I’m psyched to have Josh and Allen on team Riot for the Vegas to Reno race!” Ewing said. “They bring a passion for racing and record of winning with them. They are a great fit for the Riot team, and I’m looking forward to some great racing!”

DanZio comes to Riot with a strong race record of four overall wins. In 2009 they won the SNORE Midnight Special and Rage at the River, and this year they won at SNORE’s Battle at Primm and the Pro Baja 2010 Short Course in Cabo. They also took an overall win at the 2010 Laughlin Leap Challenge.

“He brings experience and confidence from a Class 1,” Brandon Johnson, a Riot mechanic said. “He’s comfortable at high speed and he’s very talented.”

Driving since he was eight, racing has been Daniel’s dream since he was young, and after starting DanZio Performance Engineering five years ago and building his own car, he was finally able to do so. He has been a back-up driver for Cameron Steele and Ashcraft Racing, and last year he joined the Desert Assassins. Now he’s eager to take on a more dedicated task in joining Riot.

“I’m real excited about joining the team,” Daniel said. “It seems like Riot’s going on the right track and I’m hoping to be a part of that and be successful. It’s a privilege to be able to race on a team like this.”

Joining Daniel this race is his Class 1 co-driver for the past five years, Allen Hickerson. From San Diego, California, Hickerson works for D&D Laser Screed, a company Daniel also owns. Daniel said Hickerson is a great navigator and mechanic, and their personalities compliment one another to create a great duo.

“I’m very comfortable with Josh. We make a good team up front,” Hickerson said. “I’m stoked to be able to do this with one of my best friends and with Riot.”

Not only do they have confidence in one another, but also in the machine they will be racing. Daniel has been out testing with the truck and the team the past few weeks.

“The Riot truck has all the best stuff in it. The Geiser truck is one of the best trucks you can buy,” Daniel said.

Coming from a Class 1, Hickerson is very excited for his first opportunity to co-drive in a trophy truck. “Trophy Trucks are the best of the best in desert racing, especially with a team that’s established,” he said. “I’m on cloud nine and I can’t wait.”

With Vegas to Reno quickly approaching this Friday, Aug. 20, they are both excited and ready to compete.

“It’s a long, silty, dusty race. The first half is about trying to keep a good pace… and you start pouring it on in the end,” Daniel said. “I have a feeling there’s going to be about four or five teams in the hunt at the end. I think we can be one of them.”