Welcome to Bumpracer.com - World Series of Off-Road Racing

World Series of Off-Road Racing NEWS
SKYJACKER’S SCOTT TAYLOR SWEEPS FIRST TWO ROUNDS IN WSORR INAUGURAL EVENT

OWATONNA, Minn. -- Veteran off-road racer Scott Taylor came charging out of the gate in the Lucas Oil World Series of Off-Road Racing marquee PRO 2WD division battle in his Skyjacker/BF Goodrich Ford and won both rounds of the historic first-ever event of the series in the WSORR Tour 2007 opener in Owatonna, Minn. Both days, Taylor battled hard at the Steele County Fairgrounds track and swapped the lead with rivals, particularly the Forest County Potawatomi/Goodyear sponsored Chevrolet driven by Evan Evans. Mechanical issues prevented Evans from finishing on the podium either day although he led both races for a number of laps in the hotly contested battles. In Round I, Mike Oberg’s Amsoil/Kumho Ford finished second and Kevin Probst’s SimplyWow/Toyo/Chevrolet was third. Round II reversed that order with Probst in second and Oberg third.

Oberg turned the same trick in the PRO 4x4 class battle, driving the Amsoil/Kumho Ford owned by teammate Scott Douglas to back-to-back wins. Kent Brascho’s Chevrolet and Al Drews in a Ford finished second and third respectively both days.

The most exciting matchups of the weekend occurred in the PRO Light Pickup division where the top two contenders in the nation in this class faced off, both debuting new trucks. Last year’s class champion, Chad Hord grabbed the early lead in his Lucas Oil/Boss Nissan but a spectacular roll ended his day early in Round I. Five-time class champion Jeff Kincaid, in his new Potawatomi sponsored BF Goodrich Toyota seized the opportunity and took home a win followed by series newcomer Marty Hart in a Maxxis Ford and Lee O’Donnell in a Hankook Nissan. Hart, although new to short course racing, is a seasoned desert racer and proved it wasn’t a fluke by winning Round II by a comfortable margin. He was followed on Sunday by the Invisible Glass/Hankook Toyota of veteran Steve Federico and Hord driving his back-up Nissan Frontier. Hart told the Owatonna crowd after the race, “I came to race the very best this class has to offer anywhere in the country and this is a great way to start the season.”

There were two other double winners in the opening rounds of WSORR action. Ben Wandahsega powered his Forest County Potawatomi/Toyo Chevrolet in the Stock Super Truck class to two wins and Scott Beauchamp claimed both Stock Truck races in his Goodyear Chevrolet.

Wandahsega, managed the two wins in radically different conditions as Saturday’s Round I victory was in bright sunshine over Super Truck contenders Dan Baudoux in a BFG Ford and Don Williams, also in a BFG Ford and that was the exact order of finish in Round II as heavy overnight rains in Southeast Minnesota drenched the track for the early class races on Sunday.

The .8 mile course was drying rapidly though as Scott Beauchamp held off Jason Bort in his Goodyear Chevrolet and and Dan Beauchamp in a Goodyear Ford in Round II action. Al Konitzer and Don Demney, both driving a Dodge with Goodyear tires, finished second and third on Saturday.

In the Super Buggy competition, Aaron Hawley in his BFG Toyota took the win on Saturday and followed it up with another podium finish on Sunday, finishing second to John Mason in his Goodyear Honda. On Saturday, Tim Lemons on Toyo’s was second and Adam Guberud on Goodyear’s was third. In Round II on Sunday, Gary Nierop on Goodyear’s finished third behind Mason and Hawley.

The 1600 battle in Round I was won by Michael Seefeldt on BFG’s. John Fitzgerald on Goodyear’s and perennial class champion Mark Steinhardt with BFG finished second and third. Steinhardt broke through with a win in Round II, followed by Bob Blaney on BFG’s. Seefeldt finished in the third spot.

The largest class of the WSORR opener was the 1600 Light division where 29 competitors lined up for both rounds of action on a fast, but technical track. On Saturday, Jamie Kleikamp, on Goodyear’s, was first, followed by Wesley Frehse and Todd Kemke, both on BFG’s. Round II found Matt Gerald and Goodyear on top with Lemke claiming second and Mike Vanden Heuvel on Kumho’s finishing third.

The Formula 4x4 race was won by Bob Sayers in Round I, followed by Dave Maih and Michael Cusack. In Round II, Tim Mayer was first, followed by Jerry Conrad and Sayers. Don Demney won the Round I Enduro Truck battle with Bob Rhinehardt and Larry Manske finishing second and third. Round II winner was Rhinehardt followed by Mark Gogaczewski and Eric Morrow. Rob Weiland won both Classix races beating Brent Anderson and Bill Groboski in that same order both days.

Rounds I and II of the Lucas Oil World Series of Off-Road Racing will appear on SPEED Channel later in 2007 as part of a comprehensive television package featuring 18 hours of prime time coverage. NASCAR star Brendan Gaughan, a former short course series champion, joined the SPEED television production team at the Steele County Fairgrounds in his recently announced role as WSORR TV race commentator.

Key WSORR sponsors include Lucas Oil Products, Forest County Potawatomi, Nissan, BorgWarner Corporation, Toyo Tires, KC HiLites, Skyjacker, American Racing Wheels, Sunoco and United Trailers. More information is available online at WSORR.com.