Unlimited Lite
1. Naughton
2. Brandt
3. Currie
4. Deegan
5. Conlon
Unlimited 4
1. Renezeder
2. Pflueger
3. Daughtery
4. Brascho
5. Ward
ARIZONA’S OFF ROAD CHAMPION – Robert “Fig” NAUGHTON CLAIMS TOP UNLIMITED LITE VICTORY!
5:00 PM UPDATE:
Hailing from Flagstaff, Arizona, Robert “Fig” Naughton climbed to the top spot after having to jet to the front of the pack through heavy traffic and fending off charges from Brandt, Deegan and Konlon. Arizona’s Off Road Champion showed some 10,000 screaming fans what Unlimited Lite racing is all about.
Still hobbling around from a self-inflicted broken ankle, The Fig, demonstrated why he is the King of the Unlimited Lite class. Fig faced stiff competition from Chris Brandt, Casey Currie, Metal Mulisha’s Brian Deegan and the two JIMCO trucks driven by Kevin Konlon and Matt Loiodice. In the end, the story was all about #54 ReadyLift Ford Unlimited Lite truck.
Metal Mulisha’s Brian Deegan drove his #38 race truck to the front by mid race, but ultimately battled with Casey Currie in the final laps for the last podium position. The Metal Mulisha following in Arizona is huge as a couple thousand fans cheered as Deegan made pass after pass before Currie put the final move on the short course racing rookie.
The two JIMCO’s, Kevin Konlon and Matt Loiodice, performed excellent and held out for the final run towards the checkered flag finishing in 4th and 5th respectively.
The Unlimited Lite race was restarted five or six times before the drivers were able to stay out of each others way and they got through the first turn without carnage. The delay forced Fig and the chasers to stay focused and go through a handful of restarts.
Arizona off road race fans got to watch their home town racing champion, Robert Naughton take the top spot at the Lucas Oil SPEEDWORLD.
3:45PM UPDATE:
Chuck Cheek will maintain his points lead in the Unlimited Buggy class as he held on to the front spot and took victory in Round 3 of Lucas Oil Racing. He maintained the lead in the last few laps as track officials threw the white flag and ran out front. Bobby Pecoy ran strong and held onto second as Larry Job tried to push forward and took the bronze for today's Round 3 of racing in Surprise, Arizona.
Unlimited Buggy
1. Bruce Fraley
2. Fitzgerald
3. Quinn
4. Geiser
5. Freeman
Unlimited Buggy
1. Chuck Cheek
2. Pecoy
3. Job
4. Davis
3:30PM UPDATE:
After track officials red flag the race after a tough crash Greg George takes the lead. Greg George who took the lead early on is sidelined by a flat tire and will now hand over the lead to Chuck Cheek. George ducks into the pits to get fresh tires and is back on the track in no time. George is now trying to make his way back up to the front as he fights hard against some of the best drivers in the sport.
BFGOODRICH TIRES DOMINATES PRO 2WD Lucas Oil SPEEDWORLD PODIUM!
3:15PM UPDATE:
The rubber of choice for the top three podium finishers here at Lucas Oil SPEEDWORLD is BFGOODRICH Tires. Jerry Whelchel, Greg Adler and Bryce Menzies, the top three finishers were definitely hooking up the rubber in the dirt better than the rest, as the brand that has been the backbone of off road racing for 30 years continues to win races and championships year after year.
The BFGoodirch Tires on the top three trucks withstood the beating through the mogul section and racing door-to-door.
Visit off road racing’s best at bfgoodrichtires.com
3:00PM UPDATE:
DIRTnewz reporters spoke to a few of the buggy drivers this morning and found that there are many different setups taking the track in Surprise today. Many different opinions on how to set up their buggies for this new track that Lucas Oil has brought to short course racing.
Bruce Fraley took the lead early on in his Fraley Motorsports Limited Buggy and will try to hold his competitors off. Curt Geer made his way to second place as he holds his lines, determined to repeat his opening weekend last month in Primm, Nevada.
In the #307, Bryce Menzies took the wheel once again after taking third place in his Menzies Motorsports/ Super Clean Unlimited 2. Menzies was grinning ear to ear and he exited his truck and took to the podium, but didn't hesitate one bit as he moved into the Limited Buggy class.
As the mandatory caution takes over the track and the Bully Dog pace truck slows the field Curt Geer is your race leader as Bruce Fraley catches up and looks for a chance to move back into the front position. Freeman in third with Kyle Quinn and Sean Geiser rounding out the lead pack.
Bruce Fraley takes over the lead and captures victory as Curt Geer seems to be having issues on the front straigh away.
Surprise, Arizona (May 2, 2009) In front of thousands of SouthWest off road racing fans, Jerry Whelchel drove the #2 Porter/Whelchel Pro 2WD race truck to a close win over the 4WheelParts Pro 2WD of Greg Adler. Finishing in third on the podium was Super Clean sponsored, Bryce Menzies, driving the #7 Pro 2WD across the finish line.
FULL STORY HERE>>>
Unlimited 2 -
1. Whelchel
2. Adler
3. Menziez
4. Ward
5. Jones
2:45PM UPDATE:
The limited buggy race is coming up next. Curt Geer is currently leading the limited buggy points race over Reno Navaro by a mere 8 points. Bruce Fraley, Jeff Knupp and Kenny Freeman round out the top five with only 20 points separating the top five limited buggies.
2:25PM UPDATE:
Jerry Whelchel finds his way to the podium after some intense racing to capture his first win of the season in his DragonFire Racing/ Porter Whelchel Racing Ford Unlimited 2
2:15PM UPDATE:
SURPRISE, Arizona (May 2, 2009) – At the mandatory caution Whelchel takes the lead over Johnson who led the first few laps. Jeff Ward takes the third spot with Greg Adler and Bryce Menzies rounding out the top five.
Carl Renezeder, who dominated the first few rounds of Lucas Oil Racing in Primm, Nevada is struggling this weekend but trying to make up time on the leaders.
BJ Baldwin who made his 2009 short course debut this weekend in the #97 General Tire Chevrolet Unlimited 2 is running strong and trying to make his way to the front of the pack. Baldwin rented a Jones Motorsports Unlimited 2 for this race and is excited to be back on the track,
LOORS Saturday morning Practice
1:30PM UPDATE:
SURPRISE, Arizona (May 2, 2009) – Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Officials have just announced that today is OFFICIALLY a sellout crowd. It’s 1:30 p.m. and the opening ceremonies have yet to kick off, but the grandstands are packed while fans continue to stream into the SPEEDWORLD Stadium.
Temperatures are hovering right around the high 80’s with a nice breeze and intermittent cloud cover as the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing is set to kick off with opening ceremonies at 2:00 p.m. There’s no shortage of buzz here at SPEEDWORLD as the sun and beer has brought out the best of Arizona’s off road racing fan base.
There is nothing less than a small army of Lucas Oil officials that have so far performed small miracles in providing racers, sponsors, media, vendors and fans the best that Arizona has to offer here at SPEEDWORLD.
Rhiannon Frieley is preparing to sing the National Anthem as Round 3 of the 2009 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing series is about to kick off and set a new stage in the Southwest American desert.
SPEEDWORLD ARIZONA Erupts As FANS Stream to Lucas Oil Off Road Series
12:00 PM UPDATE -
SURPRISE, Arizona (May 2, 2009) – Race fuel filled the air in the pits as racers prepared early this morning for the Lucas Oil Off Road Series Round 3 here at SPEEDWORLD. While race teams worked hard towards the final practice, fans began filing into the stadium and the stream of fans has not stopped since the gates opened at 9am this morning.
The sound of race engines excited many as they made their way into the grandstands watching Carl Renezeder, Rodrigo Ampudia, Alan Pflueger, Bryce Menzies and many others as racers honed their trucks for today’s main event.
LOORR Series sponsor, Bully Dog Products, represented by Marketing Director, Mike Deford, smiled as the fans lined up in the distance waiting their turn to get through the front gate here at SPEEDWORLD Arizona. “This is absolutely what short course racing is all about. Lucas Oil has done a phenomenal job and our company is stoked to see the grandstands filling up here in Arizona. This is slated to be a great show all weekend long,” commented Mike Deford.
Looking very smooth was the Lucas Oil Pro 2 driven by Carl Renezeder, as well as the Super Clean sponsored #7 truck piloted by Las Vegas young gun, Bryce Menzies. The track features a unique “mogul” section where trucks are forced to make their way though a section looks more like an X-Games section than an off road racing section. However, we have seen the mogul sections in previous years and this race weekend at SPEEDWORLD, Lucas Oil Kingpin, Tony Vanillo, has returned with the mogul section as an equalizer.
Trucks hit the mogul section and immediately tested to the maximum limits. There is no doubt that this will separate the field.
Racer X Pro Buggy racer, Mike Cohen, wadded up the front end of his Alumi Craft Pro Buggy after flipping wildly through the mogul section. He ended up with the front end in pieces and his right front tire skipping along in the dirt unattached.
Cohen climbed out through the roof of the Pro Buggy and kicked the dirt in disgust as the LOORR safety crew checked to make sure he was in good shape after rolling several times at speed.
The buzz in the pits and the vendor row is all about the excitement as fans continue to file into the SPEEDWORLD stadium in search of the best seat in the house.
Racing kicks off at 2:30 p.m. with the Pro 2 extravaganza.
Follow along with our race updates all day long here on Dirtnewz.
