Thursday, July 1, 2010
TORC Series Opens with a Bang
Fans Pack Crandon to Watch the World’s Best Off-Road Racers
The Crandon International Raceway hauled in more than eight tons of new dirt for its famed 1½-mile off-road, short course track in Crandon, Wis., and the reconstructed track was set up for a record-breaking weekend for the start of the 2010 Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL.
Scott Douglas set the tone for the AMSOIL Super Team. The veteran racer displayed his classic speed all weekend long, finishing both Pro 4×4 class races in third and leaving the two-day event second overall. Douglas understands that consistent podium finishes will help him add to his 11 professional off-road racing championships.
“We are here to win races, but you can’t gamble a potential championship away by being overly aggressive on the race track,” said Douglas. “The entire AMSOIL/Douglas Motorsports crew prepared a flawless truck for all three races this weekend. We had zero mechanical issues.”
Douglas showcased his competitiveness during the 17th Annual Crandon Cup race, where the Pro 4×4 trucks chased down the Pro 2wd trucks, which were provided a 10-second lead to start the 10-lap affair. Pro 2wd leaders Ricky Johnson (Red Bull/AMSOIL) and Jeff Kincaid (Traxxas/AMSOIL) set a fierce pace to start the race. But Douglas was relentless, leading the Pro 4×4 field through the minefield of Pro 2wd trucks. With one lap remaining, Douglas closed the gap on Kincaid, but time was running out. The defending World Champion threw his truck into the final turn hard and late, pulling inside Kincaid’s rear fender. The two trucks launched toward the AMSOIL Finish Line in a photo finish that gave the 20,000 Crandon fans the closest race in the Cup’s history. At the line, Kincaid edged Douglas by just .259 seconds.
Overall, AMSOIL drivers picked up 13 podiums in the three pro classes, including wins by Johnny Greaves (Pro 4×4), Johnson (Pro 2wd), Kincaid (Pro 2wd) and Andrew Caddell (Pro Light). Caddell also set a new track record in the Pro Light class on the very first lap of his rookie race in Crandon, beating the old record by more than one second.
The Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL heads north to Bark River, Mich. July 10-11 for rounds three and four of the 2010 season. The entire weekend of racing from Bark River will be streamed live on http://www.amsoil.com/.
