CHERRY VALLEY, Calif. ( April 18,2008) – LeDuc Motorsports, a perennial title contender in the Championship Off-Road Racing (CORR) series, is proud to announce it has entered into a multi-year agreement that makes Rockstar Energy Drink and Makita Industrial Power Tools the primary sponsors for the team.
Rockstar Makita Team LeDuc will make its CORR debut April 25-27, when the eight-race closed course season opens at the Los Angeles County Fairplex in Pomona.
The multi-year agreement continues an association that began last season, when Rockstar Energy Drink became a Team LeDuc sponsor, and expands on the synergy Rockstar and Makita have established with their title sponsorship of the Suzuki factory motorcycle team in the AMA Supercross and U.S. Motocross series.
“Championship Off-Road Racing delivers the best action and energy on four wheels, and this is certainly something the Makita customer can appreciate,” Makita marketing brand manager Brent Withey said. “Makita is excited to be part of the CORR with Rockstar Energy Drink and LeDuc Racing.
“The LeDucs commitment to winning has made them one of the top teams in the sport.”
Rockstar Makita Team LeDuc will field four entries in the series. Team founder and patriarch Curt LeDuc, 53, will continue in the Pro 4 class and be joined by youngest son Kyle LeDuc, 26, a former Pro Lite champion. Newlywed Todd LeDuc, 29, will be back in Pro 2, and freestyle motocross star and Metal Mulisha founder Brian Deegan, 32, will make his series debut in the Pro Lite class.
“I don’t think there’s too many teams that are this stable,” Curt LeDuc said of the foundation the team has built with Rockstar and Makita joining Ford Trucks, Toyo Tires and the team’s other strong sponsors. “I think they (Rockstar and Makita) feel the value of CORR is going to go through the roof, so (why not) sign a long-term deal and see where it heads."
“We’re outside our (automotive) industry for sponsors and that’s what our sport needs, the companies like Rockstar and Makita. It’s what it’s always needed to grow it. Jim Baldwin (CORR chief executive officer) has created an opportunity for us and the teams that hasn’t existed. We’re excited. I think we’re going to build a big fan base nationwide. Live TV adds another excitement level.”
Previously a Midwest-based series, CORR this year will conduct all of its races in Southern California and Southern Nevada, the areas where off-road racing was born and continues to thrive.
The television schedule also has been strengthened. NBC will have 90 minutes of coverage of each event, with three live shows, and SPEED TV will offer eight 2-hour programs, of which six will be live. That includes SPEED’s coverage of the opening race, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. PDT April 26.
“I treaded water racing short course in the Midwest (and waiting) for this to happen,” LeDuc said.
“It’s exciting to see it happen and to be part of it and be able to put my kids in a position to succeed in a tough business.
“Makita is heavily involved with contractors, building homes, and we all know that industry. So now (they’re thinking) let’s market our tools to the automotive guy, let’s get him to use Makita Industrial Power Tools. They see that as a potential to grow their brand.” Makita’s Withey confirmed that.
“Makita knows that off-road racers demand quality tools,” he said. “We also know that plenty of contractors are involved in off-road racing. So our partnership is a perfect fit for the brand.”
“Rockstar has a great product and good marketing, too,” LeDuc said. “It’s youthful. Bring the kids in, give out t-shirts and stickers. They’re a sponsor that does a lot of activation. They’re not just looking at what happens on the track; it’s in the pits, too.”
LeDuc, who also will race a Rockstar Makita Ford in the Best in the Desert series, said the addition of Rockstar and Makita will give the team the support necessary to “buy the right parts and test and hire the right people and perform at the top of our game.
“Racing is what we do. We don’t build houses or pour concrete or anything else. We’re 100 percent focused. This is what we do seven days a week.”
In addition to Rockstar Energy Drinks, Makita Industrial Power Tools, Ford Trucks and Toyo Tires, the team is sponsored by Kal-Gard Racing Lubricants, K&N Air Filters, KC Hilites, KMC Wheels, Precision Gears, Mogi Transmissions, Ringers Gloves, Automatic Transmission Design (ATD), MSD Ignitions, MasterCraft, SignPros and Dragon Optics. Kal-Gard, another new addition, also has signed a multi-year agreement.
For further information, contact Rockstar Makita Team LeDuc at 951-845-8820 or Jim Short at jimshort65@sbcglobal.net or 951-203-2649.
