Johnson Takes the TORC Series PRO 2WD Sweep, Currie Takes the PRO Light Points Lead
JOLIET, Ill. – Ricky Johnson ruined the Monster party Thursday night at the Traxxas TORC Series Presented by AMSOIL race at Route 66 Raceway with the PRO 2WD event sweep as Monster Energy Drink-sponsored drivers CJ Greaves (Super Buggy), Casey Currie (PRO Light), and Johnny Greaves (PRO 4WD) won in their respective categories.
Johnson also took his second Oakley Bomb Award of the two-day show with a fast lap of 48.176 seconds. Kyle LeDuc earned the honor in PRO 4 with his time of 47.136 seconds.
Currie went into Thursday’s PRO Light event tied with Andrew Caddell for the class points lead and finished the night hoisting the trophy and leaving Joliet with sole possession of first place. After a tenth-place finish Wednesday, a mechanical issue ended Marty Hart’s night early for his third rough finish in a row.
The race kicked off with Luke Johnson flipping down the frontstretch in the early going, but the young racer was able to get out of his machine safely. Currie was able to quickly pass polesitter Randy Eller for the lead after starting fifth and hold on to a lead he would never relinquish.
“We were dialed in all night,” said an elated Caddell from the Winner’s Circle podium. “I knew if I just focused on my own game it was my race to lose. Tonight was the night, you know. Andrew and Ross were running crazy behind me and I was watching, but tonight the thing was definitely hooked up. I’m excited about the points lead going into Crandon. It’s going to make for a great championship points (battle).”
The battle of the race was between Caddell and Ross Hoek. Hoek was able to pull ahead into second, holding off Caddell using a smart defensive strategy and the high side of the corners. Caddell was finally able to pass Hoek for runner-up honors late in the race with Hoek rounding out the podium. It was a clean sweep for Caddell, though, who earned the Traxxas Maxx Cash Award for the second night with a fast lap of 56.756 seconds.
Yet again, it was the PRO 4 class bringing the physical racing as Johnny Greaves took the win as chaos reigned behind him. Both Curt LeDuc and Kyle LeDuc flipped early in the event, but both went on to rejoin the field. The big story early, however, was Rick Huseman, winner of the previous three races, being forced to pull off the track as he had issues with his left front tire, ending the night with a DNF.
“We had a rough day yesterday, having a little communication breakdown in our pits and our spotting,” said Greaves, referring to a black flag he received after pitting during the mandatory caution. “We were just confused all day. So we had a meeting and everybody gathered it up and calmed me down and we went out there and did our thing.”
Despite being a lap down, Kyle LeDuc continued to drive a physical race, getting into Scott Douglas at the line as the mandatory caution flew. On the restart, the younger LeDuc continued to rub fenders with Douglas, getting into the back of the pilot of the AMSOIL-sponsored machine on the tabletop jump. Douglas came down awkwardly, but made a brilliant save, holding on to second. The incident caused TORC Series officials to black-flag LeDuc, ending his race early.
Steve Barlow, Wednesday’s third-place finisher, battled Douglas hard for second for the remainder of the race and provided what might be the best save of the season. In the final turn, Barlow spun, but threw it in reverse, driving backwards nearly 100 yards, spinning his truck back around and crossed the finish line in third for his second podium of the event. Douglas finished ahead of him for his second runner-up finish in as many days.
In the evening finale, Jeremy McGrath, inducted Wednesday in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, took the quick lead over polesitter Mike Oberg and built a strong gap between himself and second place. Johnson began reeling him in as the mandatory caution drew closer. As Johnson took a lead he would keep until the end, Kyle Busch, who returned to race again after qualifying for Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Chicagoland Speedway. Unfortunately for the NASCAR star, Thursday night ended in similar fashion to Wednesday with Busch forced to leave the track with mechanical issues.
McGrath continued to fall back and, at the halfway caution, was passed by fan favorite Chad Hord, who would go on to finish second. On the restart, Rob MacCachren made a tremendous pass on the backstretch, racing his way to third, where he would finish the night.
“Tonight, I’m dedicating this win to my family,” Johnson said from atop the podium. “They put up with me being gone all the time, so this one’s for them. We had a great race and I want to give a shout out to Chad Hord. He’s an awesome competitor and a former champion in PRO Light.”
When asked about the season finale next weekend in Crandon, Johnson indicated there would be no clear favorites. “Everyone’s going to be fast at Crandon. You can’t count out Scott Taylor and there’s also Jeff Kincaid who’s flying on the big tracks and you can never count out Rob (MacCachren), who’s fast anywhere. We’re looking forward to getting up there and it’s going to be a fight for the championship.”
CJ Greves would make it another father-son sweep as well as an event sweep with his second Super Buggy win of the event.
The 2010 season finale kicks off Friday, Sept. 3, at the “Big House” in Crandon, Wis. For more information about the event, visit CrandonOffRoad.com.
For more information on the Traxxas TORC Series Presented by AMSOIL, visit them on the Web at TORCSeries.com. For information on the United States Auto Club, visit USACRacing.com. Both sites will also feature live free streaming of all the events on the TORC Series schedule courtesy of GoPro cameras and eBay Motors.
Race fans can follow all the action throughout the TORC Series season on its official Twitter sites at Twitter.com/TORCMedia and its official page on Facebook.
Johnson also took his second Oakley Bomb Award of the two-day show with a fast lap of 48.176 seconds. Kyle LeDuc earned the honor in PRO 4 with his time of 47.136 seconds.
Currie went into Thursday’s PRO Light event tied with Andrew Caddell for the class points lead and finished the night hoisting the trophy and leaving Joliet with sole possession of first place. After a tenth-place finish Wednesday, a mechanical issue ended Marty Hart’s night early for his third rough finish in a row.
The race kicked off with Luke Johnson flipping down the frontstretch in the early going, but the young racer was able to get out of his machine safely. Currie was able to quickly pass polesitter Randy Eller for the lead after starting fifth and hold on to a lead he would never relinquish.
“We were dialed in all night,” said an elated Caddell from the Winner’s Circle podium. “I knew if I just focused on my own game it was my race to lose. Tonight was the night, you know. Andrew and Ross were running crazy behind me and I was watching, but tonight the thing was definitely hooked up. I’m excited about the points lead going into Crandon. It’s going to make for a great championship points (battle).”
The battle of the race was between Caddell and Ross Hoek. Hoek was able to pull ahead into second, holding off Caddell using a smart defensive strategy and the high side of the corners. Caddell was finally able to pass Hoek for runner-up honors late in the race with Hoek rounding out the podium. It was a clean sweep for Caddell, though, who earned the Traxxas Maxx Cash Award for the second night with a fast lap of 56.756 seconds.
Yet again, it was the PRO 4 class bringing the physical racing as Johnny Greaves took the win as chaos reigned behind him. Both Curt LeDuc and Kyle LeDuc flipped early in the event, but both went on to rejoin the field. The big story early, however, was Rick Huseman, winner of the previous three races, being forced to pull off the track as he had issues with his left front tire, ending the night with a DNF.
“We had a rough day yesterday, having a little communication breakdown in our pits and our spotting,” said Greaves, referring to a black flag he received after pitting during the mandatory caution. “We were just confused all day. So we had a meeting and everybody gathered it up and calmed me down and we went out there and did our thing.”
Despite being a lap down, Kyle LeDuc continued to drive a physical race, getting into Scott Douglas at the line as the mandatory caution flew. On the restart, the younger LeDuc continued to rub fenders with Douglas, getting into the back of the pilot of the AMSOIL-sponsored machine on the tabletop jump. Douglas came down awkwardly, but made a brilliant save, holding on to second. The incident caused TORC Series officials to black-flag LeDuc, ending his race early.
Steve Barlow, Wednesday’s third-place finisher, battled Douglas hard for second for the remainder of the race and provided what might be the best save of the season. In the final turn, Barlow spun, but threw it in reverse, driving backwards nearly 100 yards, spinning his truck back around and crossed the finish line in third for his second podium of the event. Douglas finished ahead of him for his second runner-up finish in as many days.
In the evening finale, Jeremy McGrath, inducted Wednesday in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, took the quick lead over polesitter Mike Oberg and built a strong gap between himself and second place. Johnson began reeling him in as the mandatory caution drew closer. As Johnson took a lead he would keep until the end, Kyle Busch, who returned to race again after qualifying for Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Chicagoland Speedway. Unfortunately for the NASCAR star, Thursday night ended in similar fashion to Wednesday with Busch forced to leave the track with mechanical issues.
McGrath continued to fall back and, at the halfway caution, was passed by fan favorite Chad Hord, who would go on to finish second. On the restart, Rob MacCachren made a tremendous pass on the backstretch, racing his way to third, where he would finish the night.
“Tonight, I’m dedicating this win to my family,” Johnson said from atop the podium. “They put up with me being gone all the time, so this one’s for them. We had a great race and I want to give a shout out to Chad Hord. He’s an awesome competitor and a former champion in PRO Light.”
When asked about the season finale next weekend in Crandon, Johnson indicated there would be no clear favorites. “Everyone’s going to be fast at Crandon. You can’t count out Scott Taylor and there’s also Jeff Kincaid who’s flying on the big tracks and you can never count out Rob (MacCachren), who’s fast anywhere. We’re looking forward to getting up there and it’s going to be a fight for the championship.”
CJ Greves would make it another father-son sweep as well as an event sweep with his second Super Buggy win of the event.
The 2010 season finale kicks off Friday, Sept. 3, at the “Big House” in Crandon, Wis. For more information about the event, visit CrandonOffRoad.com.
For more information on the Traxxas TORC Series Presented by AMSOIL, visit them on the Web at TORCSeries.com. For information on the United States Auto Club, visit USACRacing.com. Both sites will also feature live free streaming of all the events on the TORC Series schedule courtesy of GoPro cameras and eBay Motors.
Race fans can follow all the action throughout the TORC Series season on its official Twitter sites at Twitter.com/TORCMedia and its official page on Facebook.
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