Take a look as DIRTnewz brings you action from the first Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Race of 2009
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Geico Lucas Oil SERIES Kicks Off Primm, Nevada with Carl Renezeder DOMINATING the Qualifying ACTION.
Primm, Nevada (April 4, 2009) The long anticipated short course racing season finally launched Friday afternoon with the beginning of the Geico sponsored Lucas Oil Off Road Series just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. It has been nearly 7 months since the 2008 premiere short course racing series, Championship Off Road Racing, cancelled the September Primm race, which was a signal that the end was near.
It was only a couple months later when CORR announced the end of the 2008 series leaving sponsors and racers without a clear path for the 2009 season.
Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series was created after CORR closed and this weekend launches a new era in the world of short course closed course racing.
Held in the Buffalo Bills Resort at the Nevada/California state line, racers have gathered for the first show of the season. The asphalt pits are crowded with throngs of racers in a multitude of classes including Unlimited 4, Unlimited 2, Unlimited Buggy, Limited Buggy, Super Lite, Modified Kart and Junior 1 & Junior 2 karts. The first official practice of the season was held Friday afternoon and by mid-afternoon race officials cancelled practice because of 50+ mph winds that had ripped and shredded several race hauler canopies in the pits.
With practice shelved, racers turned to tuning race trucks and cars in preparation of today’s qualifying and races.
A peruse through the pits discovered that many of the top short course racers have not come to the GEICO Lucas Oil race, although several teams that were not expected to be here are here including Rodrigo Ampudia, Greg Adler, Alan Pflueger, Jerry Whelchel and several others. Those that had committed to the series earlier in the year included Travis Coyne, Gene Woods, Carl Renezeder, Jeff Ward, Kevin Davis and others.
Mother Nature blew hard through the night swaying the 15 story towers at the Buffalo Bills Resort and Casino, but as the sun rose of the Nevada desert it was clear and gorgeous.
Practice and qualifying kicked off at 10:00 a.m. with only a slight breeze as the sound of high horsepower and watching the dirt fly was refreshing.
Carl Renezeder was the top qualifier in the Unlimited 4 as he pushed the #17 Lucas Oil 4WD drive race truck down the front stretch at top speeds. Alan Pflueger, driving the second Lucas Oil Unlimited 4 BFGoodrich Tires truck, pulled off the track after two turns with an unknown mechanical issue. Travis Coyne driving the Pro Comp Unlimited 4 truck proved to be fast on the Primm dirt as well.
In the Unlimited 2 class Carl Renezeder dominated the field qualifying in front of Rodrigo Amupdia and Danny Ebberts. Supercross icon Jeff Ward looked fast and ran clean lines in front of the 4Wheel Parts Unlimited 2 of Greg Adler.
The Unlimited Lite truck field was dominated by Chris Brandt and followed closely by Casey Currie and Jimmy Stephenson. The 2007 CORR Pro Lite Champion, Rob Naughton, finished qualifying in fourth position followed up by Rockstar/Metal Mulisha’s Brian Deegan and Todd Cuffaro.
Racing action begins at 2:00 p.m. after opening ceremonies.
