September 16, 2008 — Team Red Bull/BOSCH battled bad luck to finish on the podium at round 11 and 12 at Chula Vista International Raceway. Fans turned out in force to watch the massive field of CORR trucks fight for their spot on the podium at the spectacular Chula Vista International Raceway.
Blue skies prevailed above the challenging course, which included a screaming fast front straightaway and giant sweeping off camber turn one. The weekend would unfold as another spectacular two days of Championship Off-Road Racing.
Qualifying Friday
Ricky Johnson, in the number nine Redbull/BOSCH Pro-2 hit the course and immediately attacked the track, finding his lines and managing to qualify 5th fastest. Due to Scott Douglas’s crash in practice, CORR officials decided to make changes to the track making it softer and slippery. Steve Barlow in the Redbull/BOSCH number 2 Pro-4 made some adjustments to his truck in an attempt to compensate for the changing track and was able to qualify 7th.
Racing Saturday
Starting in the 5th position, Ricky Johnson, in the number nine Redbull/BOSCH Pro-2 gave a driving clinic, out matching most of the competition. During the second to last lap, Ricky was spun by Greg Adler as he tried to pass into the 3rd position. Ricky had the inside line in what he felt was a clean pass when Adler came down on top of him ,smashing into his back end spinning him. Ricky fell back to 12th unable to gain further positions during the last lap and a half.
During the morning practice Steve Barlow in the Redbull/BOSCH number 2
Pro-4 was the 3rd fastest truck on the track. Steve started in the 7th next to Tim Herbst. Although the truck was pushing really bad in the corners due to the changes in tire set up, Steve confidently moved up through the traffic to a solid 5th place finish.
Qualifying Sunday
Due to the heavily watered track many of the top competitors in the first qualifying groups turned in less than stellar lap times. Rick Johnson qualified 9th and Steve Barlow qualified 11th.
Racing Sunday
Ricky started in the 9th position but quickly move up through the pack to 5th by the mandatory caution. During the mandatory caution, Ricky pulled into hot pits thinking his engine was blown. Fortunately the pressure drop was due to a broken exhaust and was deemed ok to run.
With his “never count me out” attitude and aggressive driving style, Ricky went back out into the 12th position and charged up the pack to the 5th position. During the last corner Ricky managed to pass both Leduc and Taylor to take a 3rd place finish.
“After getting taken out on Saturday by Adler, I was determined to finish on the podium. I thought my engine was going out, luckily it turned out just to be a broken exhaust. I got back out and got on the podium,” stated the upbeat Ricky Johnson.
Steve Barlow started in the 11th position, but quickly began to move through the traffic picking off competitors. During lap 3, Barlow noticed he was losing voltage, but managed to make it to the mandatory caution lap where he had made it all the way up to 5th, well within striking distance of finishing on the podium. With no radio and voltage dropping Barlow was forced to pull into the hot pits. Once in the pit the crew chief determined Barlow had a dead alternator, which would take him out of the race.
Team Red Bull/BOSCH owner/driver; Steve Barlow had this to say about the weekend of racing; “We were looking for more podiums, we had a little bad luck, but we didn’t give up. We will be ready for Primm.”
About CORR
CORR (Championship Off–Road Racing) is the most thrilling type of off- road racing in the world! Referred to as “Supercross with trucks”, CORR takes place on both permanent and temporary tracks in San Diego, Pomona, Antelope Valley, Dallas, Primm, and Charlotte. The CORR trucks have over two feet of suspension travel and 850+ horsepower, making them capable of jumping over 160 feet while racing. Tracks are built out of dirt with jumps, whoops, tabletops and hairpin turns to keep the racing exciting for the fans, and challenging for the drivers.
CORR racing is a “full-contact” sport, and fans are treated to non- stop action as the competitors bump and grind their way through the course. Pro-2 and Pro-4 Trucks are the premier classes. Event attendance averages over 20,000 plus fans per race. TV coverage consists of nine races on NBC and The Speed Channel. CORR has a large online community, and the primary demographic being is males between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five.
Check out the Team Red Bull/BOSCH website for race results, photos and
video: http://redbulloffroad.com
Team Red Bull/BOSCH is sponsored by:
Red Bull, BOSCH, KMC Wheels, BF Goodrich Tires, FOX Racing Shox, Team Associated, VP Racing Fuel, Alpinestars, KC Lights, Mastercraft Seats, Gear Vendors, Hughes Transmissions, MSD, Amsoil, McKenzies and Ogio.
