Nothing Short of a 'Miracle', Rain Threatens Round 2 at Traxxas Torc Series Race-But Fans Step Up Big in Texas
Crandon, WI (May 17, 2009)-The premier short course racers in the world blew away the Texas fans and brought the sport of short-course truck racing back to the off-road world as the Traxxas TORC Truck Series, Presented by AMSOIL, thundered to life at the Texas Motor Speedway this past Friday and Saturday evenings, May 15 and 16.
The weekend of pulse-pounding action kicked off with the Red Bull TNT Freestyle Show along the front stretch, with the PRO LIGHT class first to take the track. Multi-discipline racing legend Marty Hart was first to write himself into the TORC record books with a victory, followed by Traxxas driver Jeff Kincaid, who also won the Oakley Bomb Run Award for the fastest lap in his class, with Boss Snowplow driver Chad Hord finishing out the podium.
In the ever competitive PRO 2WD Class, presented by AMSOIL, Red Bull driver and series co-owner Ricky Johnson, proved you can have it all by taking the checkered in the first ever TORC race. He was chased to the finish-and the podium-by fellow two-wheel legend, seven-time Supercross champion, Monster Energy's Jeremy McGrath, with Todd LeDuc rounding out the top three, followed by fellow Rockstar driver Rob MacCachren who earned an Oakley Bomb for the fastest lap time. Next on the track was PRO 4x4 with Monster's Rick Huseman taking first, followed by Rockstar’s Curt LeDuc, and Monster's Johnny Greaves.
The next day, a Texas-sized deluge turned the Ricky Johnson-designed track into muddy morass. But Johnson led the charge behind the wheel of a bulldozer to bring the track back to racing condition with the TORC track crew with 6 hours of non-stop work, which also included a sump system to pump out a couple of small lakes which had formed in the infield.
The all day dump didn't deter the die-hard Texas truck fans, and 5,000 longhorn locals filled the famed arena. Casey Currie drove himself into the TORC record books and his first-ever short course win, followed by Leatt-Brace's Kyle LeDuc and Chris Brandt, with LeDuc also taking home an Oakley Bomb. The PRO 2WD action followed with Skyjacker's Scott Taylor going flag-to-flag taking both a first place finish and the Oakley Bomb Run Award. Red Bull driver Ricky Johnson took a close second, followed by Rockstar driver Rob MacCachren. Johnny Greaves had a huge crash on the front stretch but was out of his car within minutes and on his feet. In PRO 4x4, Monster Energy driver Rick Huseman followed his Friday night victory by making the weekend a clean sweep by driving to the top of the podium again on Saturday, followed closely by AMSOIL star Scott Douglas, and rounding out the top three, Rockstar's Kyle LeDuc.
"I estimate around 5,000 people came to the race tonight. That is fantastic for a rainy night here in Texas!" said TMS General Manager, Pake Busch. "I greeted many fans as they were leaving and overheard several saying this racing was more exciting than NASCAR! We are excited to have TORC here at Texas Motor Speedway and look forward to years of growing this sport here in Texas."
