Two more champs crowned in Race Two on Saturday at Traxxas TORC finals @ Lancaster
Posted on Saturday, September 29, 2012
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2012 TORC Series champions capped in SoCal include: Bryce Menzies in PRO 2 and Brad Lovell in PRO Light
By Pat Schutte
LANCASTER, Calif. (Sept. 29, 2012) – The second races of day one of the Traxxas TORC Series, presented by AMSOIL, Rick Huseman Memorial Cup weekend at Lancaster’s (Calif.) Antelope Valley Raceway produced two more thrilling races that crowned two more TORC Series champions!
Joining Rick Johnson as 2012 TORC PRO class champions were Bryce Menzies in the PRO 2 class Brad Lovell in the PRO Light class.
TORC AMSOIL PRO 2WD
Race 2
Rob MacCachren (Ram/Mopar/Traxxas/BFG) and Bryce Menzies (Red Bull/Ram/Mopar/KMC Wheels) were lined up just inches apart in the second row of the final TORC race of the day – the 2012 TORC PRO 2 championship on the line with MacCachren holding onto a slim one-point lead, 261-260 over Menzies. So close they could yell “Good luck!” above the din of the shrieking 900 horsepower Mopar motors, the two bolted out to the early lead with MacCachren up about eight truck lengths on Menzies.
But before you could say ‘Look out for that K-rail, Rob!,’ the 2012 championship was gone in the shape of a broken rear end on his Ram truck – to go with no doubt a broken heart for MacCachren.
“Rob’s an awesome racer and I knew we’d be in for a battle,” said Menzies, who won the Oakley Bomb award with the race’s fastest lap. “This track was brutal, but winning another championship is just unbelievable. This is for my dad and my mom. Love you guys.”
When the racing resumed Menzies just flat out ran away with it, bringing ‘er home some 16 truck lengths ahead of Jeff Kincaid (Traxxas/AMSOIL/BFG), with Mike Oberg (AMSOIL/General Tire/King Shocks) holding off a feverous charge from Chad Hord (BOSS Snowplows/Nissan/BFG) for 3rd.
Said Oberg: “That was a pretty grueling race on an awfully tough track. You had a lot of 900-horsepower trucks tearing into it, but the TORC crew did a nice job keeping it together as best as they could. Glad we were able to pull off 3rd and keep that podium position (over Hord).”
Said Kincaid: “I let him (Menzies) and Rob go again, unfortunately Rob broke down. I tried to chase Bryce down but just couldn’t catch him.”
TORC AMSOIL PRO 2WD Race 2
1- Bryce Menzies 2- Jeff Kincaid 3- Mike Oberg 4- Chad Hord 5- Mike Jenkins 6- Jamie Grosser 7- Mark Kvamme 8- Steve Barlow 9- Rob MacCachren 10- CJ Greaves
Traxxas PRO Light
Race 2
A historic final race in the TORC PRO Light class at Lancaster as Monster Energy racers swept the entire podium (RJ Anderson 1st, CJ Greaves 2nd and Casey Currie 3rd) while Brad Lovell (AMSOIL/Nissan/Torchmate/BFG) won his first-ever TORC PRO Light overall class championship.
“The stress, the pressure has been immense,” said Lovell, who also won the Ultra4 Championship in his rock crawler last week. “First person I need to thank is my wife. Then AMSOIL, who came on board first with me. Torchmate, Nissan – thanks to everybody. And thanks to my mom for coming out here and helping with the team. I couldn’t be prouder.”
With Shawn Morris (Maxxis/AMSOIL/Proformance Auto) pulling the holeshot, Keegan Kincaid (Traxxas/AMSOIL/BGF) and CJ Greaves (Toyota/Maxxis) in tow. Back in the very back row was defending PRO Light champ Andrew Caddell (Ram/Mopar/Traxxas/BFG), who charged like heck to get up to the front, only to crash into one of the Ram Power Wagon TORC safety trucks! It would just not be Caddell’s day on Saturday at Lancaster.
Dogging each other hard at high speed, CJ Greaves and Anderson soon put Morris in the rear view mirror and separated prior to the competition yellow. Currie (Nissan/General Tire), Kincaid and Lovell would follow, rounding out the top five through the midway point of the race.
Following the comp yellow the Monster Energy trio of CJ Greaves, Anderson and Currie growled out to a substantial lead – one they’d enjoy through the checkers.
Said Currie: “RJ and CJ killed it. We gave it all we’ve got and can’t wait to get back out here for the Jeff Huseman Cup tomorrow and give it all we’ve got again.”
Said CJ Greaves: “We won the first race, but RJ raced a great race in the second one.”
Said Anderson, who won the $1,000 Traxxas Maxx Lap: “When I was going for the lead I flicked it into a corner just like Rick Huseman used to. It was amazing I made it. Pulled my last tear-off during the pass and had to stay out in the lead from there.” Noteworthy: Anderson blew an engine in the first race and, in less than three hours, got a new on put back in – with help in the parts department from both CJ Greaves and Currie.
Traxxas PRO Light Race 2
1- RJ Anderson 2- CJ Greaves 3- Casey Currie 4- Keegan Kincaid 5- Shawn Morris 6- Brad Lovell 7- Ross Hoek 8- Andrew Caddell 9- Nick Baumgartner 10- Dan Kelly 11- Noah Fouch 12- Matt Cook 13- Todd Cunningham 14- Jerrett Brooks 15- Randy Eller DNS - Luke Johnson DNS - Mitchell DeJong
TORC Ram PRO 4x4
Race 2
JUST for good measure 2012 Traxxas TORC Series champ Ricky Johnson (Red Bull/Ram/Mopar/KMC Wheels) laid the smack down one more time of the rest of the PRO 4 field, winning the day’s second of two races at Antelope Valley Raceway in dominant fashion over 2nd place Mark Jenkins (Traxxas/AMSOIL/BFG) and Adrian Cenni (Real Tree Energy).
“TORC’s back in California and it’s awesome to see everybody out here,” said Johnson, who won the Oakley Bomb Award for the race’s fastest lap. “Three TORC championships in a row – PRO 2 in 2010, PRO 4 last year and another PRO 4 title this year. I’m glad Adrian didn’t have the BFG tires we are running. He was awfully fast out there today.”
Rocketing out to the early lead was the race’s sentimental favorite, Scott Douglas (AMSOIL/Borla Exhaust/BFG). Douglas, who’d made every TORC podium this year and placed 2nd overall to Johnson, was due for a race win. And things looked to be going his way until he got together with Mark Jenkins (Traxxas/AMSOIL/BFG) and high sided his truck on the infield K-rail. Unable to move the race was red-flagged in order to free Douglas from the concrete lane divider.
During the red flag lap Greaves would somehow stall his Toyota, but managed to get back going. Leading at the competition yellow Greaves would again meet with trouble as he rolled in roughly the same spot where Douglas had his troubles. Greaves would get yanked back over by the TORC Ram Power Wagon Safety Trucks, and remarkably made his way back onto the lead lap before finally breaking down for good a couple laps before the finish.
With Johnson now up front Cenni did his best to make it a race, pieces of bodywork flying off his Real Tree Energy truck down every straight – to the point that all he had left was one door. And though he’d get close, Johnson was just too strong and powered ahead for the victory, followed by Mark Jenkins in 2nd – his second podium of the day.
“It was a very tough race,” said Cenni. “That one corner that I kept rolling in has got my number. Tough course and I’m happy to get 3rd.”
Added Jenkins: “Third to second – great to be making progress,” he said laughing. “Seriously, Texas, Wisconsin and California heat, the guys on the Traxxas/AMSOIL/BFG team allow me to bring it every weekend.”
TORC Ram PRO 4x4 Race 2 Results
1- Ricky Johnson 2- Mark Jenkins 3- Adrian Cenni 4- Johnny Greaves 5- Mike Jenkins 6- Scott Douglas
Ultra 4 Exhibition Race
Gary Ferravanti continued to dominate the Traxxas TORC Series short course scene in his rock crawler/rock racer, winning today to make it three-in-a-row after sweeping the Crandon (Wis.) World Championships earlier this month.
Ferravanti looked to have run away with things, but was reeled in and passed a couple of times by Bill Baird – before Baird’s on-board computer shut down his over-cooked motor late in the race. Erik Miller then put on a charge, but couldn’t quite catch Ferravanti before the checkers flew.
Ultra 4 Exhibition Race One Results
1- Gary Ferravanti 2- Erik Miller 3- Bill Baird 4- Roger Lovell 5- Kyle Green 6- Kevin Sacalas 7- Corey Kuchta 8- JT Stephens 9- Will Carter
Stay tuned to www.torcseries.com on Sunday for the running of the inaugural $65,000 Rick Huseman PRO 4/PRO 2 Memorial Cup and the $15K Jeff Huseman PRO Light Memorial Cup races honoring the late off-road greats.
About TORC
The Traxxas TORC Series, presented by AMSOIL, is the fastest, most punishing short-course racing series on the planet. TORC events are packed with flag-to-flag fender-banging as drivers push the limits over whoops and jump-filled natural terrain race tracks. Off-road racing fans come from far and wide to experience the most challenging form of high-octane competition. And once they taste TORC for the first time, they’re hooked for life!