Two Wins For Team AMSOIL MX; Canard Closes Gap

Riders from the GEICO Powersports/AMSOIL/Honda team won both of the 250cc motos on Saturday at the Moto-X 338 National (Mass.), and secured two of the three podium spots.

Trey Canard won the first moto of the day and finished third overall. Justin Barcia won moto 2 and was second overall to Tyla Rattray, who finished second in both motos and ended with a better combined finish. Barcia said conquering the shifting sands of Southwick was a real challenge.

"This is the hardest track we race on all year," said Barcia. "The bumps and the holes – I almost lost it so bad in the second moto. The sand moves and the lappers crash and blow out the turns, so it's different every lap."

For Canard, his seventh podium finish of the season represented a mixed bag on the day. In the second moto, Canard fell after he touched wheels with Dean Wilson. While he rallied to finish ninth in that race, Canard's streak of four consecutive event wins was broken.

"You expect a lot of crazy stuff to happen here at this track," Canard said. "That second moto wasn't a good one, but it wasn't a disaster, either. I came out of there healthy.

A bright spot for Canard was that he shaved three points off of Christophe Pourcel's lead in the 250 class. Canard trails by 13 points with two events – worth 100 points total – left in the season.

Rookie Eli Tomac had another strong day, finishing seventh overall after finishes of sixth and seventh at Moto-X 338.

The AMSOIL team is right back at it on September 4 at the Steel City National outside Pittsburgh.

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

Team AMSOIL

Watch TORC Live Tonight

The Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL returns to action today and Thursday as the top off- road truck drivers in the world battle it out at Route 66 Raceway in Chicagoland, Ill.

In Pro 4x4, AMSOIL Super Team driver Scott Douglas is coming off an excellent weekend of racing in Bark River, Wis.where he nabbed another podium finish and earned the holeshot award. Douglas is currently third in the season points standings, sitting just behind Monster Energy/AMSOIL driver Johnny Greaves and Rick Huseman at the season’s midpoint.

The AMSOIL Pro 2wd class is set to be an exciting show with a tight points race involving AMSOIL Super Team drivers Mike Oberg and Chad Hord. Oberg has maintained a spot in the top five and is looking for another victory to push him into the top three in points. Meanwhile, Hord currently sits in sixth and hopes to crack the top five by the end of the day tomorrow.


Monster Energy/AMSOIL Pro 2wd driver and former motocross legend Jeremy McGrath is looking for a repeat coming off his history making first off-road career win in Bark River.

Perhaps the biggest news surrounding the Chicagoland races comes from NASCAR great Kyle Busch, who will make his TORC debut tonight in an 850 h.p. Traxxas/AMSOIL Pro 2wd truck.

You can catch all of the action through TORC's live stream.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH.

Check back on Monday for race results.

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

Team AMSOIL

Trey Canard to Represent USA at Motocross of Nations

GEICO Powersports/AMSOIL/Honda rider Trey Canard was named to AMA Team USA for the 2010 Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations. Ryan Dungey and Andrew Short will join him in representing the USA at the September 25-26 race at Thunder Valley MX in Lakewood, Colo.

Motocross of Nations (MXoN) is one of the highest profile motorsports events in the world and has run consecutively for more than 60 years. MXoN features teams competing by nationality to earn combined scores, which determine the overall winning team. Team USA has the strongest track record of any country at Motocross of Nations, with 20 wins to their credit.

“It’s such a huge honor to be selected for Motocross of Nations” said Canard, “I’m so thankful to be able to represent the USA with Ryan and Andrew – they’ve done some great racing this year and I’m looking forward to working with them and giving it my all!”

Canard will race the MX2 class for Team USA aboard his AMSOIL sponsored Honda CRF250R, while Dungey will race the MX1 class, and Short the MX3 open class.

Canard will go for his fifth overall win a row at the next round of the AMA Outdoor Nationals in Southwick, Mass. on August 28.

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

Team AMSOIL

Douglas Nabs Another Podium; McGrath Takes Career Win Number One

Scott Douglas continued his championship quest with another podium at the Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL last weekend in Bark River, Mich. Meanwhile, another AMSOIL sponsored driver, Jeremy McGrath, took home career win number one.

In the Pro 4x4 class, the late season title push is getting physical. While clean racing has highlighted the 2010 TORC season to date, Bark River brought out a rougher style of driving. Douglas, who led at times during both Saturday and Sunday's races, was able to get a third and fourth place finish out of the weekend to stay within reach of class championship.

"It’s a shame that almost every pass today was made on heavy contact," said Douglas. "The hood and fenders have been on this truck for the past five races, we don’t drive that way. These trucks are $250,000 pieces of art and they are out here driving like we are in demolition derby cars.”

In the AMSOIL Pro 2wd class, Mike Oberg found a pair of top five finishes in his AMSOIL/BFG truck, moving him back into the top five overall and just a few points out of third. The story of the weekend was the first career win by Monster Energy/AMSOIL driver Jeremy McGrath. McGrath has been on the podium numerous times during is TORC career, and was excited on his first win.

“I gotta say thanks to the whole Greaves team," said McGrath. "I mean, all you guys have put in a lot of work for me and have been patient and I appreciate that. This is a weekend I’ve been waiting on for a long time, so what better place to have it than Bark River!”

Jeff Kincaid also picked up a win for Team AMSOIL in the Pro 2wd class on Sunday. Chad Hord was running in a podium spot on Saturday before getting tangled up with Ricky Johnson.

In Pro Lite, Andrew Caddell pushed his Traxxas/AMSOIL truck back into the winners cirlce. One of the best runs of the weekend came from AMSOIL Super Team member Brad Lovell. The rookie and champion rock racer has been learning the ropes in TORC this summer and finished with a pair of fourths in Bark River.

Up next on the TORC schedule is a mid-week showdown at Chicagoland Speedway. NASCAR star Kyle Busch will be strapped into an 850 h.p. Traxxas/AMSOIL Pro 2wd as he makes his TORC debut next week, August 25-26.

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

Team AMSOIL

Team AMSOIL Sweeps Podium at Unadilla MX

Team AMSOIL 250cc rider Trey Canard has been the hottest thing on two wheels over the past six weeks. The championship contender headed into the Unadilla round of the AMA Outdoor Nationals with three straight overall wins and had closed the gap on points leader Christophe Pourcel to 38. Canard, and the rest of the GEICO Powersports/AMSOIL team, put on a racing clinic at the New York track this past weekend.

In the first moto, Canard's teammate Justin Barcia took the early lead after battling with race leader Dean Wilson. Barcia's time out front would only last a few laps before Canard caught, and passed him for the win. Meanwhile, Pourcel had to drop out of the race after a few laps, and tightening up the overall points race with Canard.
Canard wouldn't be a lone wolf on the podium this time around as his teammates were right on his tail. Blake Wharton was able to pass Barcia for the second podium spot, while Barcia rounded out the box in third. Rookie Eli Tomac, who won the opening round, found his confidence again, finishing fourth in the first moto, giving the AMSOIL sponsored riders the top four spots in moto one, the first time in the teams storied history.

"Sweeping the podium with my teammates was awesome," said Canard. "I am so excited for everyone, and it was a great day for our team. Hopefully we can keep this going."

In the second moto, the battle to the finish between Canard and Pourcel went down to the final jump. Pourcel picked up the win, but the overall damage had been done. Canard, who won his fourth straight overall (1-2), closed the championship gap on Pourcel to just 16 points with four rounds left to race.

"I feel like I'm on right now," said Canard. "I try not to think too much and just go out to do my thing. I see what I can do at each race, and I'm so happy I've been able to keep this momentum. Hopefully I'm a contender for the overall title."

Even though the rest of the GEICO team failed to podium in moto two, they all ran strong races. Barcia finished second overall after finishing fifth in the second moto. Wharton went 2-9 for fifth overall and Tomac went 4-6 for sixth overall.

The team heads to Southwick, Mass. on August 28 for the tenth round of the AMA Outdoor Nationals.

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

Team AMSOIL

Watch TORC Live This Weekend

The Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL returns to action this weekend as the top off- road truck drivers in the world will battle it out on the 1.5 mile track in Bark River, Mich.

AMSOIL Super Team member Mike Oberg picked up his lone win of the season in Bark River last month, while fellow AMSOIL and Pro 2wd driver Chad Hord will look to impress his hometown crowd.

In Pro 4x4, AMSOIL Super Team driver Scott Douglas is coming off an excellent weekend of racing in Oshkosh (Wis.) that put the veteran driver into second place in the championship standings. Douglas sits just behind Monster Energy/AMSOIL driver Johnny Greaves at the seasons midpoint.

While a packed crowd will be sitting on the Bark River hillside this weekend, you can catch all of the action through TORC's live stream.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH.

Check back on Monday for weekend results.

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

Team AMSOIL

NASCAR Star to Battle Team AMSOIL in TORC Series

He is arguably the best stock car racer in the country and now, he’s going head-to-head against the best racers in the world. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch is scheduled to make his Pro 2WD off-road racing debut in the Traxxas TORC Series Presented by AMSOIL Aug. 24-25 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.

The 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion will face Team AMSOIL drivers such as seven-time AMA champion Ricky Johnson, Chad Hord and Mike Oberg. Many drivers have raced in off-road prior to their careers in NASCAR, Brendan Gaughan and Jimmie Johnson to name a few. Busch has previous dirt racing experience, driving a dirt late model in the annual “Prelude to the Dream” race founded by NASCAR champion Tony Stewart.

“I’ve always wanted to try out one of the Traxxas TORC Series trucks, so being able to race one at Chicago is going to be a lot of fun,” Busch said. “Racing an off-road truck has been on my list of vehicles I wanted to try out before my racing career was over, so I have to thank Traxxas for giving me a chance to come out and race one of these short course trucks for the first time.”

The event, held the same week as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ and IZOD IndyCar Series’ events at the speedway, puts the The Traxxas TORC Series and its drivers right in front of a whole new group of enthusiastic motorsports fans. It’s an unprecedented week of “must see” horsepower and action. Chicagoland provides an incredible backdrop for the series’ television show, “The Off Road Championship,” premiering on Discovery’s HD Theater Sept. 2.

TORC Season Preview from race dezert on Vimeo.

“The Traxxas TORC Series Presented by AMSOIL is the premier short course off-road series offering incredibly exciting racing at iconic venues, but it's the class of drivers that make our series so special,” said Kevin Miller, president of the series’ sanctioning body, USAC. “When you add someone like Kyle Busch into the field, not only does it draw new fans to our sport, but it raises the game of every driver in the field. No one wants the new guy to come in and win and I think anyone who knows Kyle knows he’s not coming in to Chicago with the intent of just racing. He's there to take home a victory and leave with the trophy."

For ticket information for this event, call Chicagoland Speedway at 815-727-RACE or visit TORCSeries.com for online advance ticket purchases.

The TORC Series continues with two rounds of racing this weekend in Bark River, Mich. You can watch it live on www.amsoil.com.

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

Team AMSOIL

Team AMSOIL Offshore Second at Great Lakes Grand Prix

More than 100,000 fans came out to the second annual Great Lakes Grand Prix last weekend and Team AMSOIL racers Bob Teague and Mike Defrees were in the middle of all the action.

Race day conditions proved rough with winds close to 20 MPH whipping up Lake Michigan and making prop selection critical for success. Once the green flag dropped, it was evident that the Team Stihl 388 Skater had an edge with their set up. Team AMSOIL worked hard to keep within striking distance but couldn't get past Team Stihl, finishing second in the 80 mile race.

Team AMSOIL is currently in first place position in the SBI National Standings and OPA/Geico Series. They will be back on the water in Patchougue, N.Y. on August 20-22.

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

AMSOIL Race Department

Loretta Lynn's Wrap-up

Heat and humidity. Heartache and heroes. Those words always seem to fit the week-long saga known as the AMA Amateur Nationals at Loretta Lynn's presented by AMSOIL.

More than 1,400 of the top amateur riders embarked on Loretta Lynn's Ranch last week for six days of sweltering heat and bar-to-bar racing action. Future pros like Jason Anderson and up and comers like Cooper Webb all battled the 100-degree heat to be crowned champions at the largest amateur race in the world.

Watch MX SportsCenter from Loretta Lynn's

AMSOIL was at hand all week at the Ranch, offering oil changes, checking in on sponsored riders and offering the complete line of AMSOIL products to the thousands of racers and fans in attendance.
While some of these kids will become household names, many more will be able to say that they raced at Loretta's, which annually showcases the top five percent of amateur riders in the United States. So, AMSOIL extends a mighty congratulations to their success and we'll see you at the Ranch in 2011.

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

Team AMSOIL

Rinker On Top in Memphis

Terry Rinker returned his new-look, black-and-white power boat to the winners circle in Memphis last weekend.

Rinker took part in the Powerboat Superleague event held on the Mississippi River. Rinker, racing in the Formula 2 class in Memphis Riverfront Regatta, took on pole sitter Donnie McDowell for the 30-lap final. Rinker, who switched from his trademark yellow boat to a new black version, pushed his AMSOIL sponsored boat to the win over McDowell and the rest of the F2 field.

It's Rinker's first win of the year. Rinker will be in Aurora, Ind. on August 21-22.

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

Team AMSOIL

Amatuer Nationals Presented by AMSOIL This Week

When the final checkered flag waves to signify the end of each day of competition at the 2010 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by AMSOIL, there is only one source for the inside scoop on the motos and highlights of the day's action: MX Sports Center. Hosted by AMA Pro Motocross Championship television announcer Jason Weigandt and DMXS Radio's Kevin Kelly, MX Sports Center is the exclusive daily highlight show of Loretta Lynn's and has now become a staple of the legendary event.

Since the online show's 2005 inception, MX Sports Center has brought viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by AMSOIL. Whether broadcasting from the track, the AMSOIL Arena, or any of the varied hangouts at Loretta Lynn's Ranch, MX Sports Center will utilize the flexibility afforded by its mobile studio to bring something unique to the masses.

"Our whole goal of MX Sports Center is to simply bring something different to the viewer," Weigandt says. "We want to cover the full scope of Loretta's, not just the racing. That means we need to showcase the hundreds of other things that are available to everyone during the weeklong event outside of what takes place out on the track. However, the racing is the backbone of both the show and the event itself, and we make sure to cover everything major that happened during each day's motos."

Beginning on Wednesday, August 4, fans at home can catch recaps of each day of competition at Loretta Lynn's. The videos will be hosted at MotorcycleUSA.com and links can be found on both the Racer X and MX Sports websites. The videos are produced by Racer X Films, the same talented group behind the Racer X Motocross Shows for the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

The first motos of the 29th Annual AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by AMSOIL kick off Tuesday, August 3, from Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. For information about the event, log on to MX Sports Center Returns for 2010 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship.

The first motos of the 29th Annual AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship kick off tomorrow, August 3, from Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. For information about the event, log on to the official site of Loretta Lynn's.

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

Team AMSOIL