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After an absence of over two years from the series’ calendar, the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, presented by GEICO, is back at the Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park here in Lake Elsinore, CA. Series director Tony Vanillo and crew have put in an astounding effort to completely overhaul this venue, and have created a great new track that drivers and fans are already becoming big fans of. Elevation change abounds on this 1.1-mile circuit, and several high-flying jumps all help to give the drivers a surprising challenge. Several drivers were caught out by mistakes of varying consequence this afternoon, but the overall common theme that seemed to show through was that this track will create some very close, exciting racing. Times were stacked tightly in almost every class in this afternoon’s qualifying sessions; read on to find out just how close they were.
Pro 4 Unlimited
The first class out on track for qualifying was Pro 4 Unlimited, and this afternoon’s session was dominated by reigning champion Carl Renezeder and his #1 Lucas Oil/General Tire Nissan. Renezeder had the fastest opening lap, a 50.261, and lowered the session-best lap three times, holding his top spot on the time sheets throughout the session. On lap five, Renezeder set his pole-winning time, a 49.018, and although no other driver was able to topple him, the competition behind Renezeder was very close. Todd LeDuc finished a very strong second with a 49.129 in his #7 Rockstar/Makita Ford, with Eric Barron and his all-new #32 LAT Racing Oils/Dirt-Tech Toyota taking third with a 49.273. After a dominant opening weekend at Firebird, Kyle LeDuc could only manage fourth with a 49.470 in his #99 Monster Energy/Toyo Tires Ford this afternoon, and rounding out the top five was Josh Merrell in the #22 MavTV/Hart and Huntington Ford, whose best lap was a 49.792.
Pro Lite Unlimited
The Pro Lite Unlimiteds were up next, and with such a big field on hand, the qualifying session was split into two parts once again here in Lake Elsinore. In the first session, Round 1 winner Austin Kimbrell had the fastest opening lap, 53.456 in his #88 Toyo Tires/K&N Ford, but was quickly overtaken by Round 2 winner RJ Anderson in the #37 Monster Energy/South Point Las Vegas Dodge. Anderson clocked in at 53.278 on lap three, then lowered his best lap three times by session’s end, finishing with a best lap of 52.658 to top the first session.
In group 2, Justin “Bean” Smith got in a good early lap at 54.080 in his #19 Competitive Metals/Metal Mulisha Ford, and although he was challenged by Casey Currie in the #2 Monster Energy/General Tire Nissan, Smith came out on top of the session, improving his time to a 53.139. Overall, Anderson’s time from group 1 was the best of the class, giving him the pole at 52.658. Kimbrell’s best time of 52.974 gave him second, while Smith’s topping of group 2 only placed him third overall. Fourth went to Chris Brandt in the #82 BFGoodrich Tires/National Concrete Cutting Toyota, also from group 1, with a 53.160, and rounding out the top five was Currie, whose best time was 53.507.
Super Lite
Super Lite saw a good mix of drivers vying for the top spot in qualifying this afternoon, with opening weekend double winner Sheldon Creed taking the fastest first lap with a 59.421 in his #74 Racer X Motorsports/Trench Shoring truck. Drew Britt, who was Creed’s closest challenger in Chandler, took the top spot away with a 58.803 on lap two, then lowered that time substantially, down to a 57.484 on lap three in his #7 Mickey Thompson/Universal Technical Institute machine. Britt’s time held through lap five, when Jessie Johnson, who makes a return to the class this weekend, turned a 57.223 in his #15 So Cal Super Trucks/MasterCraft Safety entry. Johnson was looking good to get the pole, but on the last lap, Creed grabbed the top spot back with a 56.488, which secured pole position for him. Second went to Johnson, whose best time went unchanged, followed by Britt, who also was unable to improve his time. Fourth went to Brent Fouch in the #21 (57.489), and rounding out the top five was Ryan Hagy in the #0X General Tire/4 Wheel Parts machine; his best time was 58.018.
Pro 2 Unlimited
As if Super Lite hadn’t shown an abnormal-enough number of drivers challenging for pole position, Pro 2 Unlimited had an even better showing this afternoon. The session’s top time was improved on every single lap today, and it was Brian Deegan who opened the fight with a 52.413 on lap one in his #38 Rockstar/Metal Mulisha Ford. Rob MacCachren dropped the time to 51.797 on lap two in his #21 Rockstar/Makita Ford, but was then replaced by Greg Adler in the # 10 4 Wheel Parts/BFGoodrich Tires Ford; Adler clocked his best lap of the session at 51.113 on lap three. Lap four saw Deegan move back to the top with a 51.007, but it was then MacCachren who improved to a 50.692 on lap five. Lap six saw a fourth driver, Jeremy McGrath in the #2 Monster Energy/Toyo Tires Ford, take a crack at the pole; McGrath had his best lap of 50.578 on lap six. On the seventh and final lap, though, it was again Deegan who re-took the top spot, redeeming himself after a rollover in Pro Lite Unlimited qualifying, as he took the pole with a lap at 50.357. Second went to McGrath, third to MacCachren, fourth to Carl Renezeder in the #17 General Tire/Team Associated Nissan (50.905), and fifth to Rodrigo Ampudia in the #36 Papas & Beer/Lucas Oil Ford (50.996).
Pro Buggy Unlimited
Next up was the first of the two open-wheeled classes, Pro Buggy Unlimited. Cameron Steele, running his car for the first time this season after having Justin “Bean” Smith fill in for him in Chandler while Steele and his wife welcomed their first child (congratulations Cameron!), took the lead on the time sheets on lap one, turning a 53.490 in his #16 Monster Energy/Yokohama Alumi Craft. On lap two, Doug Fortin bettered the top time, dropping to a 52.974 despite running his backup car after suffering a rear suspension failure on his newer car in this afternoon’s practice session. Fortin’s time held up for a couple of laps, but was then bettered by Steven Greinke on lap four, who took the session-leading time down to 52.804 in his #23 SC Fuels/Concourse Racer. On the next lap, Garrett George clocked in at 52.195, a time that was good enough to give the third generation George family driver his first pole in the #71 Discount Tire/Yokohama Funco. Second went to Greinke, who improved to a 52.367, with Jerry Whelchel taking third with a 52.588 in his #5 General Tire/Camburg Foddrill. Fourth went to Fortin, who moved his best time down to 52.631, and defending champion Mike Porter took fifth with a 52.753 in his #8 Mickey Thompson/Fox Racing Shox Alumi Craft.
Limited Buggy
The final qualifying session of this afternoon was that of Limited Buggy, and it was Bruce Fraley, coming off a tough weekend at Firebird, who ran a great opening lap of 56.987 to top the time sheets early in his #312 Race Fuel Energy Drink/BFGoodrich Tires Fraley. On lap two, young gun Bradley Morris moved past Fraley with a 56.699 in his #304 Lucas Oil/Oakley Alumi Craft, but was passed back by Fraley on lap four, as Fraley turned a 56.448 to take the pole. Morris’ time held up for second, with Dillon Ayers taking third at 56.811 in his #398 Gear One/Fat Performance Lothringer. Fourth went to Zachary Hunt, who returns to the series this weekend after missing the first two rounds at Firebird. Hunt and his #334 Speed Energy/Bowden Development, Inc. Alumi Craft had a best lap of 56.834, while class rookie Chad Graham had a best lap of 57.363 in his #330 Team Associated/King Off Road Racing Shocks Alumi Craft, which gave him fifth place this afternoon.
That wraps up the action from the all-new Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park this afternoon. Join us again tomorrow for Round 3 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, presented by GEICO. Gates open to the public at 9:00 AM, with racing starting at 12:30 PM, and Opening Ceremonies at 2:30 PM. The weather will be on the warm side, but with a nice breeze and the ever-lengthening shadows of the grandstands helping to keep things comfortable, it should be a great afternoon at the races!
About the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series:
The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series is the evolution of the long standing support of short course racing by Forrest Lucas and Lucas Oil Products. Steeped in the Midwest tradition of short course off road racing infused with a West Coast influence, Lucas Oil Off Road Racing brings intense four wheel door to door action to challenging, fan friendly tracks. Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series: This is Short Course. For more information please visit www.LucasOilOffRoad.com.
Written by Scott Neth for the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series