MUSTANG, NV (Aug. 27) – The second day of the Lucas Oil Off Road Series event on Sunday was a bit cooler weather than the day before. Fans saw some good racing and a popular driver scored his first victory at the track, a place where Lady Luck hasn’t been too kind to him.
Once again, saving the best for last, the Pro 2 class ended the two-day event. However the track crew gave the drivers a surprise when they ripped the dirt prior to the race.
This gave the drivers a rough surface and according to the winner exposed some rocks so some weaving was necessary in certain areas.
Jeremy McGrath on his way to winning the Pro 2 main and scoring his first victory at Wild West Motorsports Park.
After being greeted by wild fans Jeremy “Show Time” McGrath said, “It was really great with the Maxxis Truck and I’m really pumped. Was battling Rodrigo (Ampudia) but was really unfortunate that I got into the back of him. He spun out basically and if I had braked I would have been back in fifth. Big thanks to the Champ 2 team, we had good weekend, tough track the guys did a big rip before the race, lots of rocks out there, you had to mind your P’s and Q’s.”
Then he congratulated second and third place drivers as well as sponsors Maxxis Tires, ICON Vehicle Shocks, N Wheels, Safe Craft Safety Equipment and Vic Hill Engines.
When the green sent the Pro 2 field off R.J. Anderson’s race went sour when he spun at the top of the hill. Going over the Ski Jump, Turn 1, Rodrigo Ampudia led McGrath as they roared into the infield and the very tight Turn 2.
Close behind was Bradley Morris in his second race of the day as he substituted for the missing Rob MacCachren, who had to leave for a family emergency.
In the Pro 2 class MacCachren’s truck was raced by Carl Renezeder. This allows MacCachren to still get the points although he wasn’t in the truck due to a family emergency.
Up front Ampudia and McGrath were either nose-to-tail or side-by-side as they tore around the course and turned the race into their own private duel.
The Lucas Oil series used a competition caution at the halfway point of the mains to let everyone close up and to offer the driver a short breather.
When racing resumed Ampudia and McGrath took off but this time the leader started to spin in Turn 2. McGrath couldn’t avoid him and the impact completed Ampudia’s spin.
Morris, who was running a close third at the time barely had enough time to slow down and might have had slight contact with McGrath, who now had the lead.
There would be two more cautions, one for a truck that stalled on the front straight and the other when another hit the K-rail at the top of the hill. Fortunately the driver wasn’t injured.
Once the field reformed the green waved with four laps to go and McGrath took off. Brian Deegan, who was a lap down then charged through the field and got back onto the lead lap but it was too late.
Jeremy McGrath celebrates his Pro 2 victory with the fans.
McGrath held the lead and scored a popular victory followed by Morris and Jerett Brooks while Ampudia was able to recover to end up fourth. And McGrath’s victory helped pad his lead in the championship points race.
Next fastest are the Pro 2 trucks and they had a nine-truck field. When the green waved Saturday’s winner Carl Renezeder led the charge with R.J. Anderson in second and sitting in third was the truck of Rob MacCachren raced by substitute driver Bradley Morris.
Soon after that there was a caution due to contact that put the fast time qualifier Eric Barron out of the race after only one lap. On the restart Renezeder and Anderson took off with the field in hot pursuit.
Early in the Pro4 ain, R.J. Anderson chases Saturday’s winner Carl Renezeder (17).
Behind the leaders Doug Fortin, Doug Mittag were disputing third place. After a side-by-side duel Anderson finally took the lead going into the Turn 2 hairpin.
Then there was another caution as the truck of Greg Adler slowed then came to a stop. Soon after that Fortin reported to the hot pits with a flat.
Since the order reverted to the previous lap Renezeder was put back in the lead but shortly after racing resumed, after a bit of nose-to-tail racing, Anderson once again gained the lead.
Then Renezeder had to pit due to a tire going down so he was out of contention at that point.
Up front Anderson stormed across the finish to win the race followed by Mittag and the MacCachren’s truck. As for Anderson, luck was on his side as he only had front wheel drive at the end since something in the rear had given out and he probably wouldn’t have been able to complete another lap.
“She literally gave it all she had and is done sitting right there,” Anderson said. “The last couple of laps started having a bad vibration, thought I had dirt in my tires and literally coming out of the last corner think I lost a third member on the pinion so I’m only front wheel drive. So I came down the front straight on the limiter giving it all she had.”
R.J. Anderson was lucky to win the Pro 4 main as his truck’s rear gears broke in the final lap.
Anderson not only picked up his first win in Pro 4 but set the fast lap in doing so. At the end he thanked his crew for their hard work and faith in him then he included sponsors Rockstar Energy, Polaris Rzr, BF Goodrich Tires, Kevin at Core Racing Engines and others that help his team.
Next down the list is the Pro Lite division and they had 13 trucks that took the green to start their main. Up front Jerett Brooks led the charge along with Christopher Polvoorde.
Soon Brock Heger took over second dropping Polvoorde to third and into the clutches of Ryan Beat. For Mickey Thomas it wasn’t a good day as tire problems put him out after only five of the 14-laps.
After the mandatory caution at the half-way point racing resumed with Brooks and Heger continuing their close battle for the lead. Behind them Polvoorde, who at one time was sixth was third while Beat was in fourth.
All four finished in that order.
On the podium Brooks, who set the fastest lap said, “Want to give huge props to Brock (Heger), me and him are going at it in the points and I think it’s three now. It’s cool that we’re racing each other clean and it’s going to come down to me and him. I’m super pumped, my 77 truck was pretty fast, I didn’t throw it away and it was good.”
Then he thanked his whole team plus sponsors Rigid Industries, Bilstein Shocks, KMC and his family.
When the seven Pro Buggies took the green Sterline Cling led the charge with Ellott Watson and Darren Hardesty close behind him.
It was a quick race with only the halfway caution to slow things down but just for a lap. On the restart Cling took off while Hardesty and Watson continued their fight for second.
With two laps to go the Buggy of Brady Whitlock slowed but was able to pull off before causing a caution. Up front Cline was in the as the battle for second was slowing down those two buggies.
Cling, who leads the points, went on to score the victory, which gave him a sweep of the weekend, while Hardesty was able to take second ahead of Watson.
“When I head I had a handful of car lengths on them, going up the hill I could take a little peak out the right side window at the Jumbo Tron to see how many laps were left or where they were on me. Got to thank Cory Kruseman (A sprint car racer that has a driving school.) for having me out this week, he’s helped me out this weekend as well. Driving sprint cars around Perris makes this feel like I’m driving a turtle so that definitely helped.”
Then he thanked supporters and sponsors Kyle Green Fabrication, Kevin Green in the hot pits, Fox Shocks, BF Goodrich Tires and his parents.
Once again two races ran before the pro classes and the Mod Kart division fielded 14 racers. On the green Mia Chapman led the charge but soon Chris Nunes had the point followed by Ricky Gutierrez and Trey D. Gibbs.
Two cautions slowed the pace due to karts tangling but once the safety crew cleared things the green waved again. Nunes still held the lead but now had to again hold off Gutierrez and Gibbs.
There would be another caution when more karts tangled and the order up front got a bit scrambled.
On the restart Nunes took off and would take the victory but now Brody Eggleston ended up second with Cole Keatts coming home third ahead of Gutierrez and Gibbs.
On the top step of the Podium winner Nunes, who scored his first win of the season said, “Everyday after school I was down there trying new things with the shocks and finally got it working pretty good so I’m stoked to be up here. I knew I had to stay smart and I knew if someone like Ricky got by me I’d just keep my cool as we want to go for the championship. The whole time I was like, ‘don’t make any mistakes, just take it easy,’ and that’s what I did and we’re up here on the box.”
Then he gave special thanks to Ames Computer Systems that figured out a clutch problem. He also thanks Mod Kids USA, Motivate RC, Techno RC, Hi Tech RC Servos, the fans as well others that have helped him.
Once again the Pro 1000 UTV class fielded the most racers, 18 in all. When they took the green to start their main Paul O’Brien led the charge up the hill to the Ski Jump.
Soon O’Brien was under pressure as he and Brock Heger had a short side-by-side duel. Then Heger took over the point as O’Brien fell into the clutches of Brandon Arthur.
After the halfway caution racing resumed only to slow again when there was a caution for a racer stopped in Turn 3.
Two more cautions slowed things down but on every restart O’Brien would pull to the inside taking the line that Arthur wanted so he was forced to use the outside line in Turn 1.
After that final caution, with two to go it was a sprint to the finish. Reaching the checkered flag first was Heger then after a small gap O’Brien and Arthur taking second and third with Ray Bullock coming home fourth.
On the podium Heger, who has five wins this season said, “This class is so competitive, pretty much all the cars are the same, that’s what is so fun about it. Pretty much anyone can buy a Yamaha, come out here and be a top contender. It was a good race, got up front kind of early and kept charging.”
Then he thanked his spotters, Blue Media, ICON, Maxxis Tires, Ultra Wheels and his parents for their support.
If the reader would like to see all the Lucas Oil events MAVTV and CBS Sports do broadcast them on a delayed basis. For current airings as well as being able to access the events at different times one can subscribe to www.lucasoilracing.tv.
For further information on the series, drivers and other information the series website is, www.lucasoffroad.com.
REPORTER’S NOTE: There is a photo gallery after the results.
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RESULTS
Lucas Oil Off Road Series – Round 10
Wild West Motor Sports Park – Aug. 27
Mod Kart:
+ Main (10-Laps): 1. Chris Nunes, 2. Brody Eggleston, 3. Cole Keatts, 4. Ricky Gutierrez, 5. Trey D. Gibbs, 6. Koen Crawford, 7. Trey Eggleston, 8. Luke Knupp, 9. Mason Prater, 10. Chance Haugen, 11. Caden Fluegge, 12. Â Â Â Â Connor Barry, 13. Mia Chapman, 14. Brook Jensen.
Pro UTV:
+ Main (10-Laps): 1. Brock Heger, 2. Paul O’Brien, 3. Brandon Arthur, 4. Ray Bulloch, 5. Dustin Nelson, 6. Jason Weller, 7. George Hammel, 8. Ronnie Anderson, 9. Keith Brooks, 10. Austin Welland, 11. Justin Peck, 12. Jason Merrell, 13. Trevor Leighton, 14.Josh Bergman, 15. Klpp Mickels, 16. Mickey Thomas, 17. Nathan Barry, 18. Tommy Scranton.
Pro 4:
+ Main (16-Laps): 1. R. J. Anderson, 2. Doug Mittag, 3. Rob MacCachren*, 4.Adrian Cenni, 5. Kyle LeDuc, 6. Doug Fortin, 7. Carl Renezeder, 8. Greg Adler, 9. Eric Barron.
Pro Lite:
+ Main (14-Laps): 1. Jerrett Brooks, 2. Brock Heger, 3. Christopher Polvoorde, 4. Ryan Best, 5. Ronnie Anderson, 6. Hallie Deegan, 7. Brandon Arthur, 8. Cole Mamer, 9.Ray Griffith, 10.Keaton Swane, 11. Sarah Burgess, 12. Justin Peck, 13. Mickey Thomas.
Pro Buggy:
+ Main (14-Laps): 1. Sterling Cling, 2. Darren Hardesty, 3. Ellott Watson, 4. Bud Ward, 5. Matthew Brister, 6. Trevor Briska, 7. Brady Whitlock.
Pro 2:
+ Main (16-Laps): 1. Jeremy McGrath, 2. Bradley Morris, 3. Jerrett Brooks, 4. Rodrigo Ampudia, 5. Brian Deegan, 6. Rob MacCachren*, 7. R.J. Anderson, 8. Adam Daffner.
* – Substitute driver due to family emergency but points go to MacCachren.
PHOTO GALLERY:
