Pomona, CA (June 8, 2008)—Championship Off Road Racing arrived to the Los Angeles Fairplex-Pomona centered in the mecca of the Los Angeles metropolitan area on a purpose-built dirt track a stone throws from the world acclaimed NHRA drag strip. The purpose designed race track featured massive intense bumps and high-speed asphalt straight away that tested the ultimate in horsepower and put racers into the exciting turn one at about 90 miles per hour along with a very deep hole in turn 4 that tested the skills of all racers.
The best seats in Rounds 5 & 6 were just outside the safety fence in turn one where “Monster Vision” was assembled alongside the race track. The multi-level VIP lounge offered Monster Energy VIP’s the absolute best viewing option in the entire facility. The VIP lounge pumped out the music while displaying wide-open racing action on the big screen inside the Vegas style catered trackside party.
Equaling the incredible view of the exciting door-to-door racing action atop “Monster Vision,” the Southern California weather lived up to its billing and shined down with incredible mild temperatures that So Cal is well known for this time of year.
With thousands of fans packing the stands on both Saturday and Sunday, Monster Energy racers were very busy mixing it up with the most charged up spectators attending the ever so exciting Championship Off Road Racing – Monster Energy style!
Saturday’s Round 5 started out with Jeremy McGrath’s third place finish after the multi-winning motocross champion weaved that familiar McGrath magic through a packed field of 20 plus Pro 2 race trucks all charging for the checkered flag. McGrath adds this weekend’s podium placement to a solid finish in Rounds 3 & 4 held three weeks ago in Las Vegas, Nevada that places him solidly in the top five of the Pro 2 points series points standings.
In Saturday’s Pro 4 race, Monster’s Johnny Greaves was forced to start from the rear of the field after suffering a mechanical problem during his qualifying efforts.
The Wisconsin-native rallied his #4 Monster Energy Pro 4 like a SCUD missile and by the mid-race mandatory competition yellow, he was in fifth position marking his victims before the green flag dropped. Once the flag dropped, the spectators roared at each truck Greaves picked off. Greaves battled with the leader until the door was left open where Johnny immediately took advantage taking the lead. With thousands of fans cheering on Monster Energy’s Greaves, he seemed to be headed for envitable victory, although in the final turn he suffered an exploded stub axle that put him into a 360-degree loop allowing three trucks to race past and take the checkers. Greaves finished in 4th place.
Taking 6th place in the incredible battle among the Pro 4 ranks was Travis Coyne followed by Rick Huseman in 7th.
Casey Currie drove his Pro Lite truck to a third place podium finish after his crew worked non-stop to dial in the #2 race truck during practice and qualifying. Currie overcame a tough battle to reach the podium and fought off the challenges from six other trucks all vying for the top three spots.
CORR Pro Lite rookie racer, Shannon Campbell, a world-class champion rockcrawler, continues to make impressive strides in the highly competitive Pro Lite field with a top ten finish claiming the 6th position in Saturday’s Round 5. Campbell, who has claimed more rockcrawling victories than any other team in history, has transitioned nicely into the 2008 CORR Pro Lite season. This weekend’s race marks only his fifth and sixth Pro Lite race ever.
Sunday’s Round 6 saw Monster’s Rick Huseman drive the #3 FABTECH / Monster Energy truck to his second victory of the season and on the podium he commented, “Monster Energy all the way!”
Starting from the third row in what many considered the best racing seen in many years, Rick Huseman was able to avoid all the bumping and banging while charting his way through the field with his Monster Energy/Toyota TRD teammate, Johnny Greaves. The two Monster/Toyota trucks got to the front of the pack before the competition yellow flag and began to stretch out their leads before Greaves succumbed to a “clicking” noise that put him out of the race. Greaves explained, “We really ran fast to the front and then during the competition yellow I heard a slight clicking that became louder as soon as the green flag dropped. We broke something in the drive train and that put us out of the race. Rick ran a great race and we’re glad to see him take another win for the Monster/Toyota team.”
With Greaves out of the race, Huseman still had to fight off Carl Renezeder who flew side-by-side with Huseman coming out of the CORR behemoth hole in turn 4. Two trucks flew out of the hole and only one truck survived and that was the Monster Energy #3 truck piloted by Huseman. He went onto to race across the checkered flag taking the win.
After taking the victory checkered flag from the CORR flagman, Huseman spun his high-powered Monster Energy/Toyota Tundra in front of the Monster Vision VIP lounge celebrating the victory with friends, family and sponsors all viewing from the top of the lounge.
Huseman commented, “Our team has been working very hard at consistency and today it paid off. During Saturday’s race we were the unfortunate victim of a crash when we were sidelined by another competitor. We ended up finishing seventh, but that’s not what we were looking for. The summer break is a long six-weeks between races and we wanted to go out on top and head into the rest of the season with some momentum. This is a Monster victory for Rick Huseman Racing.”
Sunday afternoon’s Pro 2 saw the affable Johnny Greaves land in the top five among the large 25 truck field. Greaves finished 4th after starting from the fifth row and making his way up through the field quickly. Claiming another top ten was Jeremy McGrath in the #15 Monster Energy sponsored truck. In only the third race weekend of the season, McGrath continues to prove that he’s the real deal and a serious contender in the huge Pro 2 field.
Hailing from Ensenada, Mexico, Rodrigo Ampudia struggled through the weekend after racing in both the Pro 2 and Pro Lite classes. The fast young gun finished 4th in Sunday’s Pro Lite race after finishing only six laps in Saturday’s race. Ampudia just missed the podium after he had a fast clean run on Sunday afternoon. Taking home the eighth spot was Shannon Campbell who also racked up his second consecutive top ten proving that he can race with the nation’s top Pro Lite competitors in only his six race ever.
Rounds 5 and 6 of the CORR Series will be broadcasted on Speed Channel on Sunday, June 22, 2008 from 2-4 p.m. and on NBC Sports on Sunday July 6, 2008 from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Visit www.corracing.com for the full season of the television broadcast schedule.
Next up are Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2008 CORR Series, to be held July 26 & 27 at the Chula Vista International Raceway in Chula Vista, Calif.
2008 CORR Series
Round 5 & 6, June 7 & 8—Los Angeles Fairplex, Pomona, Calif.
Saturday (June 7) Round 5 Results
Class - Pos. No.- Driver- Hometown – Vehicle
Pro 4 (18 Laps)
4th 4 Johnny Greaves, Abrams, WI, Toyota Tundra
6th 5 Travis Coyne, El Centro, CA, Ford F150
7th 3 Rick Huseman, Riverside, CA, Toyota Tundra
Pro 2 (18 Laps)
3rd 15 Jeremy McGrath, San Francisco, CA, Ford F150
11th 4 Johnny Greaves, Abrams, WI, Toyota Tundra
16th36 Rodrigo Ampudia, Mexico, Ford F150
Pro Lite (15 Laps)
3rd 2 Casey Currie, Anaheim, CA, Nissan
11th 5 Shannon Campbell, Gilbert, AZ, Ford Ranger
15th36Rodrigo Ampudia, Ensenada, Mexico, Ford Ranger
Sunday (June 8) Round 6 Results
Class - Pos. No.- Driver- Hometown – Vehicle
Pro 4 (18 Laps)
1st 3 Rick Huseman, Riverside, CA Toyota Tundra
6th 5 Travis Coyne, El Centro, CA, Ford F150
14th 4 Johnny Greaves, Abrams, WI, Toyota Tundra
Pro 2 (18 Laps)
5th 4 Johnny Greaves, Abrams, WI, Toyota Tundra
8th15 Jeremy McGrath, San Francisco, CA, Ford F150
12th36 Rodrigo Ampudia, Mexico, Ford F150
Pro Lite (15 Laps)
4th 36 Rodrigo Ampudia, Mexico, Ford Ranger
8th 5 Shannon Campbell, Gilbert, AZ, Ford Ranger
28th 2 Casey Currie, Anaheim, CA, Nissan
