Primm, NV (October 30, 2009) Going into Lucas Oil Off Road Series Rounds 9 & 10, Rockstar Hart and Huntington Premiere Motorsports Group positioned several drivers to capitalize on the 2009 season. 3 of the 7 race efforts in the PMG Stable are situated to take home a Lucas Oil Offroad Series Championship.
Chad Leising and the #17 Lucas Oil Hart and Huntington SuperLite has been a top contender all season, throwing down some of the fiercest battles and rivalries in the series. Chad has been chasing SuperLite Series leader & veteran desert racer, John Harrah all season long. Never more than 10 points out of the lead, Leising’s strategy has been to apply pressure to the competitors and earn consistent top 3 finishes. Taking 5 podiums out of 8 races has paid off and set Chad up to defend his SuperLite Title.
Saturday’s Round 9 did not going according to plan at all. The #17 SuperLite broke a drive axle right after Turn 1 on the very first lap. Leising did all he could to push his truck around the track for the remainder of the race and was able to pick up a finish earning him 34 points. Back in the Rockstar Hart and Huntington Pits, Chad met with his PMG Crew Members to assess the situation, prepare for the next round, and put their best foot forward. Chad commented, “The pressure is on and it is up to me to make up for the lousy finish on Saturday. I have to do well in this next race or we can kiss the championship goodbye.”
Sunday’s Qualifying went well and according to mylaps.com, Leising not only had the fastest qualifying time & top speed, Chad also took the track record for the SuperLite division. However, due to a mix up in the Qualifying starting order, the pole position was awarded to Chad George. Leising and the #17 SuperLite would have to start near the back of the field for Round 10. Strategy adjustment required, Leising’s Crew Chief Craig Stevens called for Chad to take it easy and spend the first 2 laps in the rear keeping the truck together and allowing minimal to no contact while the leaders set the pace and wear themselves out. Regardless of the game plan in place, Chad mixed it up all the way through the field and by the competition caution, the #17 Lucas Oil Hart and Huntington SuperLite had claimed the 2nd position and was poised to take over the lead. In 1st place and Round 9 victor, Ricky James, has been super fast and a great threat since he joined the series and holds an impressive ratio of races entered and races won. Chad knew he had a battle to get up front and fend off the competition behind him.
On the restart, Chad launched off the line perfectly, catching Ricky James in Turn 1, however another restart was called due to some shenanigans and a black flag waved on another competitor. Once again, Chad blasts off on the green and conservatively takes 2nd. By the last lap, it was time for Leising to make his move. Ricky dived down for the inside line in Turn 2 while Chad took his momentum and speed wide outside on the slower line. The aggressive maneuver paid off and Rockstar Hart and Huntington was awarded their third 1st Place victory of the day and fourth of the weekend.
Chad has now narrowed the gap from class leader John Harrah down to 6 points and is in good position to win the division. “Taking the win after starting nearly dead last is a great feeling. My team does an incredible job preparing the SuperLite, but out on the track it is all me. I cannot do what I do without them. Special thanks goes out to everyone at King Shocks, KMC Wheels, K&N Air Filters, Weekend Warrior Water, General Tires and everyone at the Lucas Oil Series.”
Television coverage of the Lucas Oil Off Road Series Rounds 9 & 10 will air on SPEED Channel November 7 at 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. , and the SuperLite Series is featured on VERSUS April 3rd, 8th, 10th and 15th all at 5:00 p.m. Check your local listings to confirm dates and times.
Looking forward to LOORRS final rounds, Chad commented “We are preparing for Primm more mentally then physically with the truck. This will be the race that I have the most pressure on my back and I am prepared to go into the last 2 races with my head clear and focused solely on one thing. Winning! I earned the 2008 SuperLite Championship and I will not be letting go of the 2009 Championship without a battle to the death. This one is going to be a fight till the checkers.”
For more information on the Rockstar Hart and Huntington Offroad Team go to
www.premieremotorsportsgroup.com, www.ChadLeising.com or www.hartandhuntingtonoffroad.com
With the season finale merely 3 weeks away which will be aired on NBC Nov 29th, at 1pm as well The Outdoor Channel Dec 7th at 4:30, 7:30 and 2:30.
This professional motorsports organization is the product of numerous individuals and support of strong companies brought together to create an offroad racing powerhouse. The brands like Rockstar Energy, Hart & Huntington, Lucas Oil, Geico Powersports, PRD of Santee, Powder 1, Stevens Motorsports, Liquid Graphics, Fantasyoff-roadracing.com, Simpson Race Products, Gator Wraps, Chronic Tacos, and General Tire will ensure a number of achievements & results throughout the 2009 season. Additional support from King Shocks, K&N Air Filters, VP Racing Fuels, KMC Wheels, JSTAR Motors, National Concrete Cutting, Century Collusion Center , NRGX, Screen Works, Corona Millworks Racing, Blurred Motion, and Bully Dog Technologies, constantly through the season compounds the sustainability of racing.
