When the Lucas Oil World Series of Off-Road Racing (WSORR) visited Bark River International Raceway in July, off-road superstar Jeff Kincaid (above), of Argonne, Wisconsin, looked to be cruising to his sixth PRO Light Pickup championship undefeated in his first four races. His Forest County Potawatomi/Traxxas Toyota hasn’t visited the podium since, and now his points lead is the smallest of any World Series class.  
Steve Federico, in his Invisible Glass/PF Chang’s/Sticker Dude Toyota has raced to within just five points of Kincaid, setting up an intriguing rematch at Bark River “The Deuce” for WSORR rounds nine and 10 and the Island Resort & Casino Boss Snowplow Off-Road Shootout on August 9-10.
And it isn’t just Federico making a big mid-season run at Kincaid. Federico’s teammate, Lee O’Donnell has a win and a third in his last two outings and is third in the points chase. Jon Probst, in his E3 Sparkplugs/Team Lucas Oil Nissan, finished second in both of the earlier Bark River rounds and is fourth in the points. Randy Eller in the Maxxis Ford is coming off his first World Series class win in a sparkling performance during round-eight action and has moved up to fifth. Kincaid will be tested by a confident group of World Series PRO Light Pickup drivers who are all still in contention for a class championship.
The margin is nearly as tight in the PRO Super Buggy class where John Mason of Plymouth, Wisconsin, has a narrow 12-point lead over Tim Lemons. Mason and his Mendeola Honda have an amazing streak of eight straight podium finishes, which is just one better than Lemons and his Toyota. Last year’s class champ, Gary Nierop in another Toyota, is third.
Dan Vanden Heuvel, of Appleton, Wisconsin, hopes his dream season continues in the PRO 2WD class. Back-to-back wins in the Maxxis Chevrolet his last time out have given him 24 points of breathing room over Kevin Probst in the E3 Sparkplugs/Team Lucas Oil Chevy. Evan Evans in the Potawatomi Chevy is in third. and Bark River has proven to be one of his most successful tracks. Dave Waldvogel in the Bendix Chevrolet, Ross Hoek in the Skyjacker Ford, Zane Roberts in the Buffalo Wild Wings Chevy and Rhonda Konitzer in the Konitzer Racing Chevy all add to the talented PRO 2WD field that will line up for a showdown at Bark River “The Deuce.”
Kent Brascho, Pell City, Alabama, is the country's leading money winner in off-road racing circles, having already won more than $40,000 this season in the PRO 4x4 truck class. Brascho’s Lucas Oil Chevy has won three races in a row and has a 45-point advantage over Jerry Daugherty in the Racin’ Dirty Chevy and Al Drews in a Ford.
In the World Series SRT (Sportsman) Division, Keith Steele, of Madison, Wisconsin, is undoubtedly the hottest driver at the moment, winning five of the eight Super Truck races in 2008 in his Monster Energy Chevy. Dan Baudoux’s Mole Lake Casino Ford is second in the points chase, 19 points back, and local favorite Ben Wandahsega of Bark River, Michigan, in the Potawatomi Chevrolet, is third.
It took him eight rounds of racing but another Bark River favorite, Scott Beauchamp, in a Chevy, has moved to the top of the Stock Truck points lead. He is eight points up on Eric Ruppel in the Phil’s Inc. Ford, with former class leader Craig Metz in a Ford in third. Beauchamp is the defending Stock Truck champion and has won two races in a row.
There has also been a change at the top of the 1600 Buggy points chase. Mike Seefeldt, of Sussex, Wisconsin, has assumed the top spot. Six podium visits in a row, including a round-seven win have pushed him past Mark Steinhardt by nine points. Brad Erickson of nearby Wilson, Michigan, is third in the points. Mike Vanden Heuvel, of Appleton, Wisconsin has racked-up four consecutive 1600 Light Buggy wins to lead that class. Matt Gerald is 19 points behind Vanden Heuvel, with upstart Chad Dewall now third.
Defending Formula 4x4 class champion Dave DeMaegd, of Mishawaka, Indiana, also has a streak of eight straight podium finishes in his Jeep and now enjoys a 26-point lead over Jim Ridderbush in a Chevy and Tim Moeller in a Ford in third. Rob Weiland in his Chevy leads the Classix class points chase, while Marc Rogaczewski is tops in Enduro Trucks.