Torchmate/AMSOIL Team Nabs First Desert Win

Photography credit to Mike Aiello

Desert racing offers a variety of terrain that no other form of racing can boast; smooth roads, rocky silt, water, and dust. In the desert, things can change in an instant but the net result is always the same, a grand adventure.

For those unfamiliar with the desert, a “7200 truck” is an unlimited mid-size truck. The only restrictions are a 6-cylinder motor and maximum overall width. The #7231 Torchmate/AMSOIL Ranger was built around a stock frame which limits it more but also allows it to compete in the further restricted SCORE Class 7. It has a fire breathing 4.5L Ford motor originally designed for NASCAR and countless hours of custom fabrication. This race, the Silver State 300, is a single loop around the most desolate areas of eastern Nevada. Bill Kunz would drive with Team AMSOIL rock racer Brad Lovell navigating the entire 322 miles.

The pair darted from the start line second in their class. After about 35 miles, they crept up on the leader but soon lost him in the blinding silt. Luckily he pulled off at the first pit, giving the Torchmate/AMSOIL Ranger some clean air. They pitted at race mile 90 and watched Al Hogan regain the lead.

Near race mile 120, along a narrow stretch of mountainous road, something went haywire and all electrical power in the truck cut out. As they loosened the trucks belts, the #7286 of Dave Caspino plowed into the back of the Ranger which, to their benefit, pushed them off the course and out of harms way. They were able to trace their electrical problem to a loose battery terminal. Despite losing several positions, the crew focused on finishing strong and not worrying about the lead.

Over the next 30 miles, they passed Caspino and another 7200 truck when they pulled off the course to make repairs. The AMSOIL sponsored duo raced out of the mountains and towards the BFGoodrich/AMSOIL pit area. However, before they could reach the pits, they spotted a column of black smoke and were informed that Hogan's truck had caught fire. A race official told them that the race was on hold until the fires was put out. Hogan, leading the 7200 class, hit a power pole with enough force to completely knock it over. The power lines fell onto the wrecked truck and started a fire. Somehow, everyone got out safe but the truck burned to the ground. After clearing the wreck, the race was resumed and trucks were started 30 seconds apart. The restart worked in their favor as they were able to take fuel and still maintain their position near the front of the pack.

Kunz and Lovell ran clean for the next 70 miles before gaining and passing another vehicle, not knowing if the truck was a 7200 truck or not. Finally, the finish line came into view, and they took the checkered flag. After driving 322 difficult miles, they won by only 5 minutes and 17 seconds.

"This is our first win in the #7231 Torchmate Ranger and we could not be happier," said Lovell. "AMSOIL and BFGoodrich have really gotten behind our program and we owe them our thanks."

On the same day as this race, the #32 and #232 rock racers returned to RAM Off-Road Park In Colorado Springs, Colo. Roger Lovell and Mark Hayward gave hair raising rides all day for the charitable cause Christmas for Kids. They helped raise nearly $1,000 to make Christmas brighter for children in need. With no time to spare, the entire Torchmate team will convene in Farmington, N.M. on October 3 to battle for top honors at the WE-Rock Grand Nationals.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.

Douglas Shines Brightest Under Perris Lights

The Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL thundered it's way back to the West Coast with two phenomenal rounds of racing held at Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, Calif. Although the daytime weather was a scorching 106 degrees, by the time racing got underway at six p.m., temperatures and a light breeze made the evening ideal for the 12,000 off road fans in attendance.

Friday AMSOIL Super Team driver Scott Douglas dominated the Pro 4x4 class with a first place finish, doing a lot of banging and bumping along the way with Kyle LeDuc. On lap six, LeDuc finally succumbed to the contact with Douglas and was forced to park his PRO 4x4 due to damage. Adrian Cenni finished second behind Douglas, and AMSOIL sponsored driver Johnny Greaves would take the final podium spot. AMSOIL/Red Bull's Steve Barlow took the Oakley Bomb Run Award for the fastest lap time.

Rob MacCachren proved to his fans that he will be a deciding factor in the AMSOIL PRO 2WD by taking the win on Friday. AMSOIL Red/Bull's Ricky Johnson finished second, and fellow supercross legend Jeremy McGrath taking third and the Oakley Bomb Run Award.

Chad Hord led early in Friday's Pro Light race race, but was caught up in lapped traffic, allowing Chris Brandt to take the lead. Brandt, Jeff Kincaid, and Marty Hart went one-two-three on Friday evening. Kincaid would take the Oakley Bomb. Hord finished fourth.

On Saturday, Hart took second in Pro Light after losing a tough battle with Kincaid. Hord once again led the race early, but had to pit during the mandatory caution due to a flat tire. Luke Johnson made his PRO Light debut in the Traxxas/AMSOIL truck, placing fifth overall.

Douglas once again led the Pro 4x4 field early on Saturday as he was looking for his third win in the last four races. Rick Huseman, however, showed off his exceptional speed and finished with an eight car length lead and the Oakley Bomb Run Award. Kyle LeDuc took second and follows behind Huseman in the points race. Douglas secured the final spot on the podium after running second for most of the race.

The AMSOIL Pro 2wd class was the last race of the evening, but surely worth the wait. Greg Adler was taken away via ambulance after an incident with AMSOIL Super Team driver Mike Oberg. Adler got sideways leaving Oberg no where to go but into the side of the 4 Wheel Parts truck, sending Adler upside down. Oberg would keep the AMSOIL/BFGoodrich truck moving forward, finishing sixth for the second straight night. In the end, MacCachren would take the win, Team AMSOIL driver Dan Vanden Heuvel second and Todd LeDuc a third.

The next and final stop on the 2009 TORC race schedule is the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track in Las Vegas, Nev. Come see the champions get crowned October 23 and 24. The Perris race will air on ESPN2, Sunday October 4.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.

Traxxas TORC Series Presented by AMSOIL Roars Into Perris (New Video)

The Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL returns to the West Coast for the final two weekends of thunderous action. The series will make its final appearance at Perris Auto Speedway for the 2009 season this Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26.

In the AMSOIL PRO 2WD class the top spots are close with the season championship is one the line. Team AMSOIL driver Ricky Johnson holds the points lead, with Todd LeDuc only two points behind. Johnson is also within reach of Rob MacCachren, who is eight points away from taking the championship.

In the Kumho Tires PRO 4x4, the championship will be a huge undertaking, as Rick Huseman has a twenty point lead over Kyle LeDuc and a forty-two point lead over third place Johnny Greaves. AMSOIL Super Team driver Scott Douglas sits in fourth and has been putting a late charge on the leaders.



The Pro Light class features two AMSOIL sponsored drivers at the top, with Jeff Kincaid just 11 points ahead of Super Team driver Chad Hord.



In addition to the online broadcast efforts of DirtNewz.com's Live at TORC and USAC Live Race Day Coverage, ESPN Sports will bring the Perris/TORC event into everyone's house with a television, airing of the race on Sunday, October 4th, at 11:30am EST.

Fast Facts
The Race: Perris, California
The Date: Friday September 25th and Saturday September 26th, 2009.
The Track: Perris Auto Speedway
The Time: Friday, 7pm and Saturday, 7pm.
TV: ESPN2 Sunday October 4th at 11:30am EST.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.

Teague Wins Again, Takes Checkers in N.C.

Team AMSOIL Offshore traveled from New York City to North Carolina to compete in the Fourth Annual Crystal Coast Super Boat Grand Prix. The dry pits for this event were located in the middle of downtown New Bern, N.C. and also included a car show featuring numerous rare and modified hot rods, muscle cars, choppers, and exotic cars. The spectators and racing fans were plentiful during the entire event.

Boats were craned in by the Port of North Carolina at Morehead City using massive cranes normally used for loading and unloading containers off ships. The viewing area for the race was on the Port docks where bleachers were set up next to a VIP area. From the viewing area, the entire 5.4 mile race course could be viewed.

Team AMSOIL tested on Saturday after rebuilding a carrier assembly on the left transom assembly. On Sunday, there were two races. The Manufacturers’ Production Classes and Stock Outboard race started at noon. The faster and larger boats raced at 2 o'clock. Team AMSOIL was assigned to the third start in the later race, paired up with the War Paint Cat 750 boat. Bob Teague and Paul Whittier raced a fast and consistent race moving up through the pack of boats that started in the second start. The Cat Lite’s progress was hampered about three-fourths through the 84-mile race when a blade snapped off one of the propellers.

Fortunately, by this point in the race, Team AMSOIL had won its class and War Paint had retired due to mechanical problems.

The win at the Crystal Coast Super Boat Grand Prix puts Team AMSOIL Offshore #77 in an unbeatable position in the Super Boat International points chase. Team AMSOIL Offshore Racing is currently in the lead in point standings in OPA, OSS, SBI and the Triple Crown Series

"The AMSOIL Dominator Racing Oil continues to be proven as the best choice for the Mercury Racing 525 EFI engines," said Teague. "We are seeing no signs of engine wear using the AMSOIL 15W-50 Dominator Racing Oil. Additionally, Team AMSOIL continues to prove that AMSOIL MCF is the right choice for the Mercury VISSM Super Speed Master dry-sumped drives."

Next Stop for Team AMSOIL is the OSS Horny Toad National Championships on Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, September 25-27.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.

Lovell's Reclaim XRRA Championship

Team AMSOIL rock racer Brad Lovell reclaimed the XRRA National Championship in high flying style at the legendary RAM Off-Road Park, dethroning 2008 champion Shannon Campbell. The RAM Park features the largest jumps and most demanding course on the XRRA circuit and the effort was a repeat of Roger Lovell’s championship on the same course only two years ago.

The morning’s round of racing featured two laps without the chance to hit the biggest jumps. Due to Brad and Roger Lovell finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the western series, they were forced to race one another. The situation created a challenge as Brad and Roger normally spot for each other, but the team took the setback in stride.

“During the first run I got pretty worked up and was really hard on the truck.” Brad recalls, “I hit the same hole on both laps and was worried I hurt the suspension. I was surprised but everything held.”


Brad’s times were among the fastest as were Roger’s. Even on the more technical course, Roger finished only a couple seconds behind his brother. Half way through regular racing, the brothers were sitting in second and fifth.

The race course was reversed for the afternoon runs, thus opening a series of jumps that clear a 15’ ditch followed by a 20’ rock staircase. The consequences for coming up either long or short were dire, making the timing crucial. The AMSOIL/Torchmate Fords sped head-to-head from the start line before Roger, with only 250 hp, was forced to work his way around the jumps. Brad was able to clear all the jumps but overshot the staircase and almost went end over end.

“I was in the air and kept waiting,” explained Brad,” The truck went nose down and I knew I was in trouble. I hit incredibly hard. I can’t say enough about the tires and Spidertrax axles that lived through it.”

Roger suffered a worse fate when his wheel lugs sheared off in a rock notch. He recalls, “I didn’t quite realize what had happened in the rocks. I kept my foot in the gas and got out of the rocks before I realized my hopes of a win were gone.”

What was a detriment to Roger ultimately gave the team an advantage. Roger could now act as a spotter and coach for Brad. The top six teams were announced and the pressure of the final round set in. Brad Lovell, in the #232 truck, was seated nine seconds behind leader Rick Dermo and mere seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

"There was not much strategy," said Brad. "We had three 2nd place finishes this year and came in second at the national championship last year. We wanted the win. We are pretty tactical, but it was win or break for sure.”


Brad lined up against the same jump that nearly wrecked him earlier in the day and focused on the task at hand. With Roger’s coaching Brad kept a cool head and timed the jumps correctly. The effort was far quicker than Dermo and put the Lovells in the lead. One run left, one chance to make it or break it.

“I kept thinking, don’t screw it up, be smart! I knew I had a few seconds to burn and concentrated on clean run. In the end, I had a smaller margin than I thought but it was good enough for a win. I took a lot of gambles today and it paid off. I am really proud of our family and team.”

The pace of the 2009 AMSOIL/Torchmate Racing campaign has yet to slow. Brad Lovell will navigate for #7231 Bill Kunz in the Silver State 300 desert race on September 26. The team has spent weeks preparing for the race and got a great look at the course only a week ago in the team’s new Ford Raptor pre-runner.

Photos with watermark are free for use with this story and credit should be given to Chad Jock. Photos without watermark are free for use and credit should be given to Jud Leslie.

AJ Diemel Wins Wissota 100

A pair of AMSOIL sponsored dirt trackers found success at the AMSOIL Dirt Track Series WISSOTA 100 weekend of racing last weekend.

Team AMSOIL driver AJ Diemel topped overall WISSOTA points leader Jeff Wildung to capture his second WISSOTA 100 title. More than 200 of the top late model drivers in the United States take part in the annual event, held this year at the Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.D.

Dan Ebert, who is better known as a professional snocross racer, continued his hot summer by winning the Midwest Modifieds Race of Champions. The Race of Champions pits the top open wheeled modifieds from all 60 AMSOIL Dirt Track Series tracks in one showdown during the WISSOTA 100 weekend.

Congratulations to both drivers on successful seasons.

Until then, we'll see you a the races.

Teague Takes Big Apple by Storm

Team AMSOIL Offshore of Bob Teague and Paul Whittier competed in the 19th annual running of the New York Super Boat Grand Prix. The race course was on the Hudson River between Manhattan and Jersey City. This is a very unique racing event on one of the most famous water ways in the country. The race course runs in front of where the Twin Towers stood prior to 9/11/2001. The race occurred on the eighth anniversary of the catastrophic attack. While the race team was there, the skies were lit up by the two towering lights on the night of the anniversary.

The Hudson River was closed to most traffic for the race. Large taxi boats continued to operate on the shore line which resulted in many large boat wakes crossing the course. The wakes in combination with the current and waves bouncing off the sea walls made for an ever changing course. Each lap presented a different challenge during the 85-mile race.

The Team AMSOIL 368 Skater once again ran flawlessly using the same engines and drives that have been in place for the whole season. With the first place finish in New York, Team AMSOIL #77 is now in first place point standings in SBI, OPA, OSS, and the Triple Crown Series.

The only maintenance on these engines and drives has been changing oil for the purposes of tilting the boat for travel and oil analysis. "Team AMSOIL continues to prove that AMSOIL MCF is the right choice for the Mercury VISSM Super Speed Master dry-sumped drives," said Teague. "The Team is also seeing no signs of engine wear using the AMSOIL 15W-50 Dominator Racing Oil. The company’s great sponsorship package, dedicated racing department team and superior lubricants all make it possible for Team AMSOIL Offshore Racing to achieve success!"

Up next for Team AMSOIL is the Crystal Coast Super Boat Grand Prix in Morehead City, N.C on September 19-20.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.

AMSOIL Shock Therapy Excites Elko Speedway Crowd (Video)

AMSOIL Shock Therapy and AMSOIL Excaliber simply lit Elko Speedway on fire this past weekend. Jon Zimmer and newcomer Chris “Panda” Ryan did everything except tear their equipment up to turn the fans on, and at the end, the roaring crowd told Zimmer and Ryan they’d done their jobs.

“It was a great show,” said Zimmer. “Even though it was freestyle only, I wanted to show the fans in Elko what Team AMSOIL and team Sudden Impact Racing was all about!”

To begin, Zimmer and Ryan came to the front stretch of the speedway and did dueling donuts side-by-side to tease the crowd and prepare them for the two rounds of freestyle to follow. When it was freestyle time, Ryan put AMSOIL Excaliber through its paces, hitting the van stack and car set, then pulling into another donut. His first weekend in the truck was a success, and he could be seen getting analysis and advice from Zimmer after his first run.

Zimmer was on point from the moment he left the pit area, blasting out and immediately taking on the van stack with tremendous air, then standing the truck nearly vertical on the car set. A high-speed donut and more air followed, and the crowd was definitely into the monsters and AMSOIL Shock Therapy. This was simply a tease for the final freestyle of the night, however.

Zimmer and Ryan saved the best for last, with Ryan grabbing some huge air in Excaliber and capping it with a donut on the front stretch, while Zimmer went into a longer and even faster run than his previous one. Zimmer had Shock Therapy pointing every way but upside down, somehow keeping the truck on all four wheels, even through a cyclone donut that began in turn one and ended in turn four! Zimmer even managed a small slap wheelie off of the car set, and when his run was finished, the tire smoke from his final donut engulfed the entire truck, and the thousands of fans in attendance were screaming and cheering for Team AMSOIL.

“We were happy with the way things turned out for sure,” said Zimmer. “People were telling me that it was the best show they’d seen at Elko, and with AMSOIL behind us, it makes it that much easier to keep the fans happy.”

From here, the team travels to Calgary and a full show, with racing and freestyle on the docket. Look for an interview with Zimmer soon, as well as video and more photos from Elko!

Until then, we'll see you at the races.

Traxxas TORC Series Presented by AMSOIL News (Douglas Video)

The Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL marks it's return to the west coast with a kick off party at Roscoe's in Chino Hills, Calif. on Thursday September 24, 2009. The party, which starts at 5 p.m. is the start of what will be an exciting weekend of action packed off road action at Perris Auto Speedway September 25 and 26.

Douglas captures Pro 4X4 World Championship from Dirt Productions on Vimeo.

Fans that attend the kick off will have the chance to win Traxxas R/C trucks, race tickets, and many other prizes. Come out, meet your favorite drivers, including AMSOIL Super Team driver Scott Douglas. Dirt Newz will be broadcasting live on dirtnewz.com with all of the latest news and driver interviews from the party. TORC sponsors will be on hand doing giveaways and promoting the Perris race.

Roscoe's Deli is located at 14700 Pipeline Avenue in Chino Hills, Calif. The Traxxas TORC Series- The Off Road Championship Presented by AMSOIL is the world's premier short course off road series. TORC drivers push the limits with 900 horsepower, action-packed fender pounding on challenging natural terrain racetracks. The 2009 season schedule includes stops in Texas, California, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin. For more information on TORC please visit http://www.torcseries.com/.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.

Rinker Wins Mod-U Championship

Team AMSOIL powerboat racer Terry Rinker won his second straight National Modified Unlimited class championship last weekend in Kankakee, Ill., while his brother and teammate, Randy Rinker, earned the third place podium finish.

Mod U qualifying consisted of two 15-lap heats. In the first heat, Terry started from the last position on the start dock, but worked his way to second to gain valuable points toward the final starting grid. In the second heat, Terry started from the pole position and led wire-to-wire, taking the win and earning enough points for the pole position in the final race. In the final, Terry led 11 of the 15 laps en route to winning the championship.

The Rinker brothers also competed in the Champ class at the Kankakee River Valley Regatta. Terry earned the third place podium finish, while Randy started sixth off the dock, but was unable to finish after suffering boat damage due to contact with another boat.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.

Crandon Crashes and TORC Highlight Video

There was a ton of great racing at Crandon International Raceway this weekend, courtesy of the Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL. Super Team members Scott Douglas and Chad Hord both won, and Team AMSOIL members Scott Taylor and Rickey Johnson found the podium.

The biggest story of the weekend was the live ABC coverage and the crashes. Here's a look at the craziest wrecks from the famed venue.

The Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL will be back in action at the Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, Calif., September 25-26.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.

Hord, Douglas Lead AMSOIL Charge at Crandon

AMSOIL Super Team driver Chad Hord was impressive in his Pro 4x4 debut and teammate Scott Douglas took home another World Championship ring at the latest rounds of racing in the Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL.

With more than 40,000 rabid race fans lining the hillside and filling up the campgrounds for the 40th Anniversary weekend at Crandon International Raceway, the AMSOIL Super Team set the standard with the first race of the weekend, the Pro Light Decisions at Sundown on Friday night.

Hord, in his Boss Snowplow/AMSOIL Pro Light, was looking for his first win in the three year old "Cup" race. While it wasn't a points race, it brought home bragging rights and a big check from the Forrest County Potowatomi. Hord pushed to the front, battling with early race leader Jeff Kincaid. After the mandatory caution, Kincaid made a mistake on the front stretch, spinning out and giving Hord the lead. Hord went on to his first Cup win, setting the stage for the Team AMSOIL to have another stellar weekend at Crandon.

Saturday is World Championship day at Crandon. If you win your class race on Saturday, you are dubbed a World Champion and you take home the ring to prove it. Hord was looking for some more hardware in the Pro Light class race, and once again battled Kincaid all race long. Kincaid would take the win, and pull even with Hord in the points race.

Hord's appearance on the podium wasn't limited to the Pro Light class. The championship driver also took the wheel of a second AMSOIL Pro 4x4 owned by Scott Douglas. Together the pair dominated the field on Saturday. Douglas was able to take the lead early after starting in second and with only one other truck on his rear bumper for much of the race, Douglas put his AMSOIL/Ford F-150 on top of the box for his first win of the season. The truck on his back bumper was that of Hord's, who maneuvered through the field like a class veteran, finishing second and picking up the Oakley Bomb award for laying down the fastest lap time of the race.

Racing on Sunday usually means one thing: the BorgWarner Cup race. But with NASCAR driver Robby Gordon pulling double duty and driving a Pro 2wd at Crandon before traveling to Sunday nights NASCAR race, it wasn't your typical Sunday at Crandon. With the ABC cameras rolling, the racing was full of accidents and adrenaline.

Gordon proved his worth by running near the front for most of the race on Sunday, but two AMSOIL backed drivers, Scotty Taylor and Ricky Johnson proved their championship credentials by going one-two in a great race. Taylor, who is at his best at Crandon, used the track to his advantage and pushed out a large lead over the rest of the talented AMSOIL Pro 2wd field. Johnson, meanwhile, battled with Gordon and eventual third place finisher Rob MacCachren for the rest of the race. Johnson still leads the points chase, but Taylor is just eight points back with four races left.

In Pro Light, it was the Hord and Kincaid show once again. Both drivers will be moving up in class next year, and both wanted to finish their Pro Light careers with a win at Crandon on Sunday. But only one person can win and Kincaid showed his exceptional speed off with a second win. Hord was equally as fast, but had to battle from a seventh place start to finish with his another second place finish for the weekend. Kincaid now leads the points chase by just one heading into the next round in California.

As soon as the green flag dropped on Sunday's action in the Pro 4x4 BorgWarner Cup race, with the Live ABC cameras rolling, there was a major wreck involving six drivers: Mark Jenkins, Mike Jenkins, Steve Barlow, Adrian Cenni, Jamey Flannery, and Steve McCrossan. The crash narrowed the starting field of thirteen down to half of its original starting size. Officials red flagged the race and went for a restart after extensive clean-up of the race track. Within a lap of the restart Kyle LeDuc took the lead and never looked back. He would eventually take the podium and the Oakley Bomb Run Award for the fastest lap time. Fan favorite Johnny Greaves put up a good battle, but a late race incident would take him out of the race for the BorgWarner trophy. Douglas and Hord again finished bumper-to-bumper, this time with Hord in fourth and Douglas in fifth. Douglas sits fourth overall in Pro 4x4.

The next stop on the 2009 Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL schedule is Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, Calif. The action will take place over two evenings, October 23-24.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.

New Jersey Motorsports Park Hosts AMA Pro Road Racing 2009 Season Finales This Weekend

New Jersey Motorsports Park Hosts AMA Pro Road Racing 2009 Season Finales This Weekend

The biggest motorcycle road racing event to date at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) will take place this Labor Day Weekend, September 4 - 6, when the 2009 season finales for AMA Pro National Guard American Superbike presented by Parts Unlimited, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike presented by AMSOIL and AMA Pro SuperSport presented by Shoei are run on NJMP's Thunderbolt Raceway.

The three-day AMA Pro Superbike Championships event also includes the penultimate round of the 2009 AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-GT series in a jam-packed holiday-weekend schedule of six races. The action begins with practice, qualifying and Superpole qualifying on Friday, September 4, and continues straight into the weekend with three races each day on Saturday and Sunday. The SunTrust Moto-GT enduro on Saturday, September 5 at 11 a.m. will be followed by the first finals for American Superbike at 3 p.m. and Daytona SportBike at 4:10 p.m. Sunday, September 6 will see Daytona SportBike roll off first at 2 p.m., SuperSport following at 3:10 p.m. and American Superbike closing the weekend at 4:20 p.m. The Superbike and Daytona SportBike races are each 23 laps for 50 miles on the 2.20-mile Thunderbolt circuit, while the SuperSport race is a 19-lap distance for 40 miles.

All of the action from the AMA Pro Superbike Championships at New Jersey will be featured in a pair of same-day telecasts on SPEED. Saturday's American Superbike and Daytona SportBike finals and other action will be shown that night in a two-hour show at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT), while Sunday's premier class races and other highlights will air in a two-hour show that evening at Midnight ET (9 p.m. PT).

Mat Mladin (No. 1 Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000)wrapped up the 2009 American Superbike Championship one race ago at last month's Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), but several other top American Superbike riders and 2009 race winners will be battling for the final championship podium spots this weekend. The top contenders include Mladin's teammate Tommy Hayden (No. 22 Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000) with 348 points, five-time 2009 race winner Josh Hayes (No. 4 Yamaha Motor Corp. USA Yamaha R1) with 344 points, Ben Bostrom (No. 2 Yamaha Motor Corp. USA Yamaha R1) with 315 points and Team AMSOIL star and three-time 2009 race winner Larry Pegram (No. 72 Foremost Insurance/Pegram Racing Ducati 1098R) with 313 points. Pegram dominated the Tornado Nationals and led every lap in both finals from the Superpole for the biggest weekend of his American Superbike career. Earlier this season, Pegram out-raced Mladin and the rest of the field at Road America for his first win in 10 years. Other highlights this season include a third-place showing in the Saturday final at Infineon and his first podium of the year in Race 2 at Auto Club Speedway with another third.

All three titles in AMA Pro Daytona SportBike presented by AMSOIL will be decided this weekend. Each championship will likely come down to a battle between points leader Danny Eslick (No. 9 GEICO Powersports/RMR Buell 1125R) and 2009 race-win leader Martin Cardenas (No. 36 Team M4 Suzuki GSX-R600). Eslick and the No. 9 RMR Buell team are on top of the rider and team entrant standings with 357 points, 17 ahead of Cardenas and the No. 36 Team M4 Suzuki. The dominant duo has combined to win 13 of the 18 Daytona SportBike races this year, with Cardenas one up on Eslick in the win column with seven victories. Josh Herrin (No. 8 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R6) is third in the championship with 321 points and is the only other rider alive in the title chase heading to the finale.

TORC Makes Its Live Broadcast Debut on ABC

The Traxxas TORC Truck Series presented by AMSOIL will make history this weekend, broadcasting live for the first time on network television from the Crandon International Off Road Raceway on September 6, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET on ABC (1 p.m. PT)."This will be the first time that the TORC Truck Series will be carried live on a major network, and represents the next step in the evolution of our sport and our series—the premier off road series in the world," stated Ricky Johnson of TORC. "Throughout the season we have had great ratings, and we expect the trend to continue for this live telecast. With our time slot and the racing competition, this will be a phenomenal show.""This will be another groundbreaking weekend for TORC. It's amazing what we've accomplished in just a few short months; it just keeps getting bigger and better," added Mitch Covington, co-owner of TORC. "Labor Day weekend with two days of off-road racing, we expect to draw a crowd of more than 40,000 spectators. Add live network t.v. and it just doesn't get any better than this."The final two rounds of The Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL will be held at Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, Calif. (September 24-25) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nev. (October 23-24).

Super Team Prepares For Crandons' 40th; First Turn Fans Contest

The AMSOIL Super Team of Scott Douglas, Mike Oberg and Chad Hord are getting ready for the 40th Anniversary of Crandon International Raceway this weekened. The Super Team, along with the sports top drivers, have been preparing for the BorgWarner Cup weekend, which will air live on ABC this Sunday at 4:00 pm EST. Here's a look at Douglas and Hord preparing for the Pro 4x4 class in which Hord will be driving a Douglas Motorsports AMSOIL Ford F-150 this weeekend.

Turn One at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway is the greatest starting point in motorsports. Race trucks with more than 800 h.p. funnel into the legendary track’s first turn at more than 100 mph. While most fans only get to see what happens after the turn, series partners AMSOIL and BFG are working together to bring 20 lucky fans the best seat at “The Big House”.

What’s in the AMSOIL/BFG Prize Pack?

1. Ten sets of two VIP passes to the AMSOIL/BFG Coral located on Turn One
2. Limited-Edition Crandon T-Shirts from BFG
3. Two AMSOIL Racing Can Coolies
4. BFG Hat
5. AMSOIL Hat

Registration is easy, and, best of all, FREE! Just stop by the BFG trailer (in the pits) or the AMSOIL display trailer (near the handicap seating on the hill) and fill out a registration card on Friday or Saturday. The winner will be announced at the Inaugural Traxxas Pro Pit Party RC Race on Saturday night following the AMSOIL Pro 2wd race (approximately 7:00 pm). All of your favorite drivers will be on hand to race the mini-trucks head-to-head and sign autographs.

So, if you want to be LIVE on ABC this Sunday during the greatest moment in motorsports, sign up for the AMSOIL/BFG First Turn Fans Contest this Friday and Saturday at Crandon.

Until then, we'll see you at the races.