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2017 RACE SEASON STARTS OFF WILD
After an extended off season thanks to the cancellation of our first two rounds of racing at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park, the drivers and crews of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, presented by GEICO, were chomping at the bit to get back to it as they made their way here to sunny Chandler, AZ and the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. It was a hot day here in the Arizona desert, but if anything, the action on-track was even hotter, as fans were treated to some spectacular action throughout the proceedings.
PRO 4 UNLIMITED
In the first Pro class race of the year, veteran rivals Carl Renezeder and Rob MacCachren lined up on the front row in Pro 4 Unlimited. The first start ended in a three-truck pile-up in turn two, thus eliciting a restart, and the second start turned out a four-truck crunch in the same corner, but the race was allowed to continue after a lengthy full course yellow. Early leader Carl Renezeder was passed by Bryce Menzies in the #7 Red Bull/KMC Wheels Ford on lap three, and on lap five, things behind these two really started to get ugly. Doug Fortin and Greg Adler got together off the ski jump out of turn two, getting both drivers sideways. Fortin was then hit hard in the passenger door by MacCachren, ending Fortin’s race, and forcing another lengthy yellow. Once the incident had been cleared, Renezeder was Menzies’ closest challenger, but Menzies was just too quick, and when Renezeder then picked up a left rear flat mid-race, Kyle LeDuc got by Renezeder for second in the #99 Monster Energy/Toyo Tires Ford. Soon after, another yellow allowed Renezeder to get into the Hot Pits for a tire change, and when racing resumed, he marched through the field to get all the way back to second by race’s end. Around him, there was some serious beating and banging going on, but at the head of the field, Menzies was all alone and in a league of his own as he brought home the win. Renezeder finished up second in his #17 Lucas Oil/#DirtMovie Ford in the first race of what he has announced will be the final season of his career, and rounding out the podium was LeDuc in his much-anticipated all-new truck. Fourth place went to RJ Anderson in the #37 Rockstar/Polaris RZR truck, and fifth was Bradley Morris in the #24 K&N/Kicker Ford, who didn’t quite reach the checkers after a last lap collision with MacCachren broke his steering.
PRO 2 UNLIMITED
Pro 2 Unlimited saw Bryce Menzies take the early lead, ahead of Jeremy McGrath, Jerett Brooks, Brian Deegan, and RJ Anderson after the opening lap. Anderson got by Deegan in the early going, but then pulled off and out of the race on lap six, which moved Deegan back up to fourth and Rob MacCachren to fifth. Up front, Menzies clearly had the measure of the field for much of the race, but after Brooks got by McGrath for second with a nice move down the inside into turn three that took McGrath’s line away, Brooks moved up to challenge Menzies. After a late race full course caution, Brooks pulled another great dive down the inside, this time into turn two, where he got past Menzies and into the lead in his #77 General Tire/Bilstein Ford. Menzies back by in turn four, though, but Brooks then came off of the ski jump out of turn three on the next lap and skidded up under Menzies back bumper as the two came down to turn three. This upset Menzies’ truck, and Brooks was able to get back by, with Menzies then aggressively moving up the inside of Brooks as they started into turn four. Menzies tried hard to muscle Brooks wide, but just as Menzies was starting to go by, he wound up spinning wildly into the infield, with Brooks going by and hanging onto the lead. On the final lap, MacCachren closed right in on Brooks and McGrath, who were now nose-to-tail, and with a nice surprise duck down the inside, MacCachren got McGrath, and nearly got Brooks as well, to move up to second. Brooks held on, though, despite a flat tire and no rear brakes, to take the win in his first-ever Pro 2 Unlimited race! Second was MacCachren in the #21 Rockstar/Makita Ford, with McGrath third in the #2 Maxxis/Traxxas truck, Deegan fourth in the #38 Monster Energy/Mickey Thompson Ford, and Eric Fitch fifth in the #97 General Tire/Valvoline Ford.
PRO LITE UNLIMITED
Brock Heger put his #12 Icon Vehicle Dynamics/Maxxis Toyota into the early lead of the Pro Lite Unlimited race, ahead of Ryan Beat, Jerett Brooks, Ronnie Anderson, and Hailie Deegan. Deegan and Brooks each picked up one spot apiece on lap two, with the running order within the top five then staying the same all the way to lap 12, when an incident involving Justin Peck and Sarah Burgess resulted in Peck’s needing medical attention. This put the race on hold with a red flag, but once the incident had been cleared, racing resumed, and finally, another pass was made within the top five. Anderson got back by Deegan at turn two to move up to fourth, but both Deegan and Brandon Arthur then passed Anderson on the next lap after Anderson began to slow with a left rear flat. From there, Arthur chased his own former truck, now in the hands of Deegan, all the way to the checkers, but was unable to get past her. Up front, Heger picked up the big win that so many people have always known is capable of, with Brooks finishing second in the #77 Rigid Industries/General Tire Nissan. Third went to Beat in the #51 Rockstar/Bilstein Chevrolet, fourth was Deegan in the #38 Monster Energy/4 Wheel Parts Toyota, and fifth was Arthur in the #6 MavTV/Pro Traffic Services Chevrolet.
PRO BUGGY UNLIMITED
In the open wheel ranks, it was Eliott Watson who jumped out to the early lead in his #3 Fox Racing Shox/BFGoodrich Tires Alumi Craft, with Sterling Cling, Darren Hardesty Jr., Bud Ward, and Trevor Briska hot on his heels. Kyle Aarup got by Briska for fifth on lap three, before settling into a good battle with Ward over fourth place. After a mid-race restart, Ward got loose coming into turn two, and as he spun out, Matthew Brister hit Ward very hard on the left side. Both cars sustained heavy damage and were out of the race, but fortunately, both drivers were alright. The incident put Aarup up to fourth and Briska to fifth, and on the restart lap, Hardesty Jr. bumped his way past Cling in turn two to take over second place in the #99 Bilstein/Off Road Warehouse Alumi Craft. On the next lap, Aarup made a beautiful pass on Cling in turn four to grab third spot in his #11 Apco Plumbing/Lucas Oil Alumi Craft. Lap 13 then saw Aarup make a slow apex in turn three, and just as he was starting to get away, Cling and Kevin McCullough stacked in behind Aarup, allowing Briska and Broc Dickerson to get by and up to fourth and fifth places, respectively. Dickerson dropped back on the next lap though, putting Cling back up to fifth in the #77 Cling’s Aerospace/FiveOne Media Alumi Craft. At the checkers, it was Watson with the win after leading wire to wire, ahead of Hardesty Jr., Aarup, Briska in the #59 MTRV8/Prolong Super Lubricants Funco, and Cling.
That wraps up our first day of racing action for this 2017 season.Tomorrow, we’ll be right back here at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park to do it all again. Gates open to the public at 8:00 AM, just ahead of the morning’s first qualifying session, which starts at 8:30 AM. Racing begins with the kart classes starting at noon, and Opening Ceremonies kicks off the Pro class action at 2:30 PM. It should be another warm one tomorrow, so be sure to hydrate and get some sunscreen on, and get yourself out here to enjoy what should be another great day of racing.
About The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series
The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series is the evolution of the long-standing support of short course racing by Forrest Lucas and Lucas Oil Products. Steeped in the Midwest tradition of short course off-road racing infused with a West Coast influence, Lucas Oil Off Road Racing brings intense four wheel door-to-door action to challenging, fan-friendly tracks. Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series: This is Short Course. For more information, please visitwww.LucasOilOffRoad.com.
Written by Scott Neth for the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.
After an extended off season thanks to the cancellation of our first two rounds of racing at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park, the drivers and crews of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, presented by GEICO, were chomping at the bit to get back to it as they made their way here to sunny Chandler, AZ and the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. It was a hot day here in the Arizona desert, but if anything, the action on-track was even hotter, as fans were treated to some spectacular action throughout the proceedings.
PRO 4 UNLIMITED
In the first Pro class race of the year, veteran rivals Carl Renezeder and Rob MacCachren lined up on the front row in Pro 4 Unlimited. The first start ended in a three-truck pile-up in turn two, thus eliciting a restart, and the second start turned out a four-truck crunch in the same corner, but the race was allowed to continue after a lengthy full course yellow. Early leader Carl Renezeder was passed by Bryce Menzies in the #7 Red Bull/KMC Wheels Ford on lap three, and on lap five, things behind these two really started to get ugly. Doug Fortin and Greg Adler got together off the ski jump out of turn two, getting both drivers sideways. Fortin was then hit hard in the passenger door by MacCachren, ending Fortin’s race, and forcing another lengthy yellow. Once the incident had been cleared, Renezeder was Menzies’ closest challenger, but Menzies was just too quick, and when Renezeder then picked up a left rear flat mid-race, Kyle LeDuc got by Renezeder for second in the #99 Monster Energy/Toyo Tires Ford. Soon after, another yellow allowed Renezeder to get into the Hot Pits for a tire change, and when racing resumed, he marched through the field to get all the way back to second by race’s end. Around him, there was some serious beating and banging going on, but at the head of the field, Menzies was all alone and in a league of his own as he brought home the win. Renezeder finished up second in his #17 Lucas Oil/#DirtMovie Ford in the first race of what he has announced will be the final season of his career, and rounding out the podium was LeDuc in his much-anticipated all-new truck. Fourth place went to RJ Anderson in the #37 Rockstar/Polaris RZR truck, and fifth was Bradley Morris in the #24 K&N/Kicker Ford, who didn’t quite reach the checkers after a last lap collision with MacCachren broke his steering.
PRO 2 UNLIMITED
Pro 2 Unlimited saw Bryce Menzies take the early lead, ahead of Jeremy McGrath, Jerett Brooks, Brian Deegan, and RJ Anderson after the opening lap. Anderson got by Deegan in the early going, but then pulled off and out of the race on lap six, which moved Deegan back up to fourth and Rob MacCachren to fifth. Up front, Menzies clearly had the measure of the field for much of the race, but after Brooks got by McGrath for second with a nice move down the inside into turn three that took McGrath’s line away, Brooks moved up to challenge Menzies. After a late race full course caution, Brooks pulled another great dive down the inside, this time into turn two, where he got past Menzies and into the lead in his #77 General Tire/Bilstein Ford. Menzies back by in turn four, though, but Brooks then came off of the ski jump out of turn three on the next lap and skidded up under Menzies back bumper as the two came down to turn three. This upset Menzies’ truck, and Brooks was able to get back by, with Menzies then aggressively moving up the inside of Brooks as they started into turn four. Menzies tried hard to muscle Brooks wide, but just as Menzies was starting to go by, he wound up spinning wildly into the infield, with Brooks going by and hanging onto the lead. On the final lap, MacCachren closed right in on Brooks and McGrath, who were now nose-to-tail, and with a nice surprise duck down the inside, MacCachren got McGrath, and nearly got Brooks as well, to move up to second. Brooks held on, though, despite a flat tire and no rear brakes, to take the win in his first-ever Pro 2 Unlimited race! Second was MacCachren in the #21 Rockstar/Makita Ford, with McGrath third in the #2 Maxxis/Traxxas truck, Deegan fourth in the #38 Monster Energy/Mickey Thompson Ford, and Eric Fitch fifth in the #97 General Tire/Valvoline Ford.
PRO LITE UNLIMITED
Brock Heger put his #12 Icon Vehicle Dynamics/Maxxis Toyota into the early lead of the Pro Lite Unlimited race, ahead of Ryan Beat, Jerett Brooks, Ronnie Anderson, and Hailie Deegan. Deegan and Brooks each picked up one spot apiece on lap two, with the running order within the top five then staying the same all the way to lap 12, when an incident involving Justin Peck and Sarah Burgess resulted in Peck’s needing medical attention. This put the race on hold with a red flag, but once the incident had been cleared, racing resumed, and finally, another pass was made within the top five. Anderson got back by Deegan at turn two to move up to fourth, but both Deegan and Brandon Arthur then passed Anderson on the next lap after Anderson began to slow with a left rear flat. From there, Arthur chased his own former truck, now in the hands of Deegan, all the way to the checkers, but was unable to get past her. Up front, Heger picked up the big win that so many people have always known is capable of, with Brooks finishing second in the #77 Rigid Industries/General Tire Nissan. Third went to Beat in the #51 Rockstar/Bilstein Chevrolet, fourth was Deegan in the #38 Monster Energy/4 Wheel Parts Toyota, and fifth was Arthur in the #6 MavTV/Pro Traffic Services Chevrolet.
PRO BUGGY UNLIMITED
In the open wheel ranks, it was Eliott Watson who jumped out to the early lead in his #3 Fox Racing Shox/BFGoodrich Tires Alumi Craft, with Sterling Cling, Darren Hardesty Jr., Bud Ward, and Trevor Briska hot on his heels. Kyle Aarup got by Briska for fifth on lap three, before settling into a good battle with Ward over fourth place. After a mid-race restart, Ward got loose coming into turn two, and as he spun out, Matthew Brister hit Ward very hard on the left side. Both cars sustained heavy damage and were out of the race, but fortunately, both drivers were alright. The incident put Aarup up to fourth and Briska to fifth, and on the restart lap, Hardesty Jr. bumped his way past Cling in turn two to take over second place in the #99 Bilstein/Off Road Warehouse Alumi Craft. On the next lap, Aarup made a beautiful pass on Cling in turn four to grab third spot in his #11 Apco Plumbing/Lucas Oil Alumi Craft. Lap 13 then saw Aarup make a slow apex in turn three, and just as he was starting to get away, Cling and Kevin McCullough stacked in behind Aarup, allowing Briska and Broc Dickerson to get by and up to fourth and fifth places, respectively. Dickerson dropped back on the next lap though, putting Cling back up to fifth in the #77 Cling’s Aerospace/FiveOne Media Alumi Craft. At the checkers, it was Watson with the win after leading wire to wire, ahead of Hardesty Jr., Aarup, Briska in the #59 MTRV8/Prolong Super Lubricants Funco, and Cling.
That wraps up our first day of racing action for this 2017 season.Tomorrow, we’ll be right back here at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park to do it all again. Gates open to the public at 8:00 AM, just ahead of the morning’s first qualifying session, which starts at 8:30 AM. Racing begins with the kart classes starting at noon, and Opening Ceremonies kicks off the Pro class action at 2:30 PM. It should be another warm one tomorrow, so be sure to hydrate and get some sunscreen on, and get yourself out here to enjoy what should be another great day of racing.
About The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series
The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series is the evolution of the long-standing support of short course racing by Forrest Lucas and Lucas Oil Products. Steeped in the Midwest tradition of short course off-road racing infused with a West Coast influence, Lucas Oil Off Road Racing brings intense four wheel door-to-door action to challenging, fan-friendly tracks. Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series: This is Short Course. For more information, please visitwww.LucasOilOffRoad.com.
Written by Scott Neth for the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.
