The 2011 Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL landed at Charlotte Motor Speedway for two rounds of hard-fought off-road racing action. Ricky Johnson set the tone early in the Pro 4×4 class as he dominated Friday’s race for a comfortable win. Behind Johnson, AMSOIL Super Team driver Scott Douglas engaged in tough battles with Johnny Greaves and Mark Jenkins before cruising to the second-place podium. Jenkins took third. On Saturday, Greaves and Johnson squared off in what has been called the best Pro 4×4 finish in the history of the TORC Series. Johnson landed on Greaves’ roof as he was trying to pass, but could not find his way around the defending champion and settled for second. Meanwhile, Douglas and Jenkins found themselves in a fenderto- fender rematch, with Douglas gaining the upper hand en route to the third-place podium.
In Friday’s Pro 2wd final, Bryce Menzies grabbed the holeshot and the early lead ahead of Rob MacCachren and Scott Taylor. As the laps wound down, Menzies and MacCachren separated from the pack and found themselves in a serious battle for the win. MacCachren finally cruised to victory when Menzies’ engine stalled, and with only four trucks remaining by the final lap, Taylor took second and Jeff Kincaid third. Back with a new motor, Menzies dominated Saturday’s race, leading wire-towire for the win. MacCachren took second and AMSOIL Super Team driver Chad Hord finished third.
The Pro Light class saw defending champion Casey Currie hold off a hard-charging Samuel Hubinette to take his first win of the season; Andrew Caddell held off RJ Anderson to take the third and final podium position. Currie earned a second straight win on Saturday, while Caddell charged through the pack from last place to take an impressive second-place podium. AMSOIL Super Team driver Brad Lovell rounded out the podium in third.
The intensity from Charlotte carried into the next two rounds of TORC action at Bark River Raceway in Bark River, Mich., where Johnson and Greaves raced bumper-to-bumper before the two trucks touched in mid-air, knocking Johnson out.
Amsoil Super Team Racer Chad Hord
Douglas and Mike Jenkins, meanwhile, jostled for second, with Jenkins finishing on top after Douglas missed a shift. Douglas finished third. On Sunday, Douglas and Greaves quickly jumped out from the pack before contact led to a flat rear tire and broken front differential on Douglas’ truck. Entering the hot pits during the mandatory caution put Douglas at the back of the field. Upon the restart, Greaves and Johnson found themselves in yet another close battle. Missing several chances to pass Greaves over the final three laps, Johnson made a final, aggressive charge on the second-to-last turn. The contact pushed Greaves to the wall just 100 yards from the finish line, and Johnson went on for the win. Mark Jenkins, Mike Jenkins and Douglas finished second, third and fourth respectively.
Menzies earned his second Pro 2wd victory in a row on Saturday. Kincaid finished second; Hord picked up the pace after a mediocre start to catch and pass Taylor and Marty Hart for the third-place podium. On Sunday, Hord jumped out front early before losing his steering and striking the backstretch wall. Hart and Menzies also wiped out, and after a red flag delay, Kincaid took the win, followed by Keith Steele and AMSOIL Super Team driver Mike Oberg.
Caddell pulled the holeshot and picked up the victory in the Pro Light class. Hubinette finished second, followed by Luke Johnson in third. Sunday’s action saw Hubinette win a close bumper-tobumper battle with Caddell, who finished second. CJ Greaves finished third.