Team AMSOIL Off-Road Racers Find Success in Perris
Team AMSOIL Earns Five Wins, 11 Total Podiums
The second and third rounds of the Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL were full of excitement, drama and intrigue as Team AMSOIL racers battled it out at the Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, Calif. May 29-30.
Coming off an impressive win and second place podium finish at Texas Motor Speedway, Red Bull/AMSOIL Pro 2wd racer Ricky Johnson continued his winning ways in Perris, taking the wins on both Friday and Saturday and extending his overall points lead to 22. Saturday’s race saw AMSOIL racers earning a sweep, with Jeremy McGrath and Dan Vanden Heuvel taking second and third respectively behind Johnson. AMSOIL Super Team racer Mike Oberg finished sixth on Friday and was battling for second on Saturday with four laps to go before a mechanical issue dropped him to eighth.
In the Pro Light class, AMSOIL racer Jeff Kincaid earned the win Friday, while AMSOIL Super Team racer Chad Hord finished third. Hord again battled up front with Kincaid on Saturday. During a restart, the two veteran drivers pushed hard, but a red flag came out after Steve Federico jumped the start. When Federico slowed down in the dangerous back stretch, he caused a massive chain reaction that caused Hord to flip his truck into the K-rail. After changing a flat tire and retaking his spot on the restart, he captured the attention of the sold out crowd by pushing the AMSOIL-sponsored truck to the front and earning the win. His third podium of the year vaulted Hord into a tie with Kincaid for the overall lead.
"That was one of the most exciting races of my life," said Hord. "I've never felt the energy of a crowd like I did tonight. To come back after that crash and win is just unbelievable."
In the Pro 4x4 class, AMSOIL Super Team driver Scott Douglas was looking to build off his second place podium finish in round two. On Friday, he started on the outside of row two and settled into fourth before passing Curt LeDuc by the third lap. While holding off pressure from LeDuc and Adrian Cenni, he passed AMSOIL racer Steve Barlow on lap nine for second. From there, AMSOIL racer Johnny Greaves and Douglas diced back and forth all the way to the checkered flag, with Greaves taking the win and Douglas earning the second place podium finish.
On Saturday night, Douglas started in good position, but was hit multiple times on the opening lap, spinning him into the outside concrete retaining wall. Quickly gathering himself, Douglas proceeded to catch up to the pack. By lap six, he was battling for fourth and by lap eleven, he was back in third. From there, a three-way battle ensued with Greaves and points leader Rick Huseman to the checkered flag. Greaves finished second, while Douglas finished third and moved into third in the overall standings, just three points behind the second place Greaves.
“I knew we had a very fast truck tonight, and I was looking forward to putting the AMSOIL Kumho Ford through its paces for these great California race fans,” said Douglas. “We took some hard hits on the first lap, but thanks to the best crew in the business, the truck held together. Our truck prep is second-to-none and even with the obvious damage I was able to run it on the ragged edge and challenge for the lead.”
Television coverage of the Perris Auto Speedway TORC Series races will air on ABC this Sunday, June 7 at 5 p.m. EDT. Rounds five and six of the 2009 TORC Series will take place at Crandon International Raceway in Crandon, Wis. on the weekend of June 20-21.
AMSOIL/Torchmate Team Sweeps Podium in Colorado Springs
The AMSOIL/Torchmate team dominated the second annual ROC Race in Colorado Springs, Colo., sweeping the podium by taking first, second and third place. Brad Lovell and Bill Kunz started the competition strong by setting the fast time on their first official run, and the team only got faster on their ensuing runs as they became the only team to beat eight minutes.
In the second day of competition, Lovell and Kunz lined up against park owner Ray Mandel. Although Mandel took the early lead, Lovell and Kunz were right behind and, as the trucks took separate lines through a wash, Lovell and Kunz pushed into the lead. However, as Mandel attempted to re-take the lead, he hit Lovell and Kunz in the air and landed on them. Although they were unable to complete the run, the pit crew repaired the truck enough to compete in the final two races. Having already set fast times over the weekend, Lovell and Kunz were able to ease their pace and bring home the win.
Team AMSOIL/Torchmate racers Jesse Haines and Mark Levrett were only seconds off the fastest times, finishing second overall behind Lovell and Kunz, while Team AMSOIL/Torchmate racer Roger Lovell took the third place podium finish.
Team AMSOIL Gathers Top 10 Finishes in Opening Motocross Rounds
San Bernardino, Calif.
The opening round of the 2009 AMA Motocross season was held May 23 at Glen Helen Raceway Park in San Bernardino, Calif., where all four Team AMSOIL 250 riders finished in the top 10. Rookie racer Justin Barcia got off to a great start in his first professional moto, passing teammate Trey Canard for the lead and holding it for the first half of the 14-lap race. Although he eventually succumbed to arm-pump, he finished the race in ninth. Teammates Canard, Brett Metcalfe and Blake Wharton finished third, seventh and eighth respectively. In moto two, Barcia again busted out to an early lead, leading 10 of the 13 laps before being passed by Ryan Dungey and Tyla Rattray. Barcia finished third, giving him sixth overall; Canard finished eighth, giving him fifth overall; Metcalfe finished sixth, giving him seventh overall and Wharton finished 10th, giving him 10th overall. In the 450 class, Dan Reardon started sixth in the first moto, but a fall on lap two put him back in 16th. Working his way forward, he eventually finished 10th. After dropping out of moto two with a bent front-brake caliper carrier, Reardon finished 17th overall.
Sacramento, Calif.
All four Team AMSOIL 250 riders finished in the top 10 once again at the second round of the 2009 AMA Motocross season held May 30 at Hangtown Classic in Sacramento, Calif. Canard finished third in the first moto and second in the second moto for a second place podium finish, Metcalfe finished fifth in the first moto and fourth in the second moto for fourth overall, Wharton finished ninth in the first moto and fifth in the second moto for seventh overall and Barcia finished second in the first moto and 29th in the second moto for 10th overall. In the 450 class, Reardon finished seventh in the first moto and fifth in the second moto for sixth overall.
AMSOIL Offshore Team Dominates in Kentucky and Maryland
Lake Cumberland, Ky.
The AMSOIL Offshore Racing Team of Bob Teague and Paul Whittier led both of its races from start to finish in the fierce OSS Cat Lite competition in Lake Cumberland, Ky. on Sunday, May 10. Prior to the trip, the Team AMSOIL 368 Skater was re-fitted with new Mercury 525 EFI engines and components, and extensive testing prior to the race paid off with a dominant performance. Team AMSOIL started on the pole position in each Cat Lite heat and quickly pulled away from the competition, earning victories in each heat.
Ocean City, Md.
Teague and Whittier competed in the OPA season opener in Ocean City, Md. last weekend. With top rival Motley Crew unable to make the start, Team AMSOIL ran unchallenged in the Super Cat Lite class, but ran hard anyway, finishing fifth overall against the higher class Turbine-Powered, Extreme and Super Cat 750 boats. The Team AMSOIL Skater performed flawlessly in the brutal conditions of the Atlantic Ocean, providing valuable preparation for the team’s upcoming attempt at breaking their own endurance record June 12 off Sunny Isles Beach, Fla.
