klaus
June 26th, 2006, 20:07
NEWS from CRANDON INTERNATIONAL OFF-ROAD RACEWAY
CRANDON, WI
Johnny Greaves the "King of Crandon" Raceway
Off-Road Champ Sweeps Weekend Racing Action
CRANDON, WI -- Veteran off-road racer Johnny Greaves shook the foundations of professional off-road racing at the 2006 Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run Races at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway this past weekend.
In a show of dominance never before seen in off-road racing, Greaves, Abrams, WI, won the feature event of the race weekend -- the 2006 running of the Potawatomi Chairman's Cup "heavy metal challenge"-- earning more than $30,000. He also dominated two rounds of Lucas Oil Championship Off-Road Racing (CORR) Pro 4 high performance truck racing action and captured the American Axle TracRite jump record for the weekend. Greaves won every race and award available to him.
Greaves warmed up for Sunday's 13th annual Potawatomi Chairman's Cup race by easily winning two rounds of CORR points racing. In Saturday Pro 4 action, Greaves won an extra $1,000 bonus from Crandon Raceway and race title sponsor the Forest County Potawatomi Community.
Enroute to his Saturday win, Greaves launched a monster leap on the first lap of that race over the famous American Axle jump located mid-track at Crandon. The jump of 133' 3" held up and earned Greaves the jump title for the weekend. Greaves was awarded $1,000 by American Axle. His race truck is equipped with an American Axle front end.
On Sunday, Greaves started the day in his Forest County Potawatomi Toyota Tundra 4x4 by winning the second round of CORR racing in the Pro 4 class.
Taking the starting line for the 13th annual Chairman's Cup race, Greaves had earned the pole for the event with his Saturday class win. The 10-lap romp over Crandon's 1.75 mile track combines high performance 4x4 race pickups (Pro 4) against similarly configured 2-wheel drive race pickups (Pro 2 and Sportsman 2). The Pro 4 trucks have a competitive advantage. The top eight Pro 2 trucks receive a special 1/4 mile head-start in the race and Crandon Raceway officials drop two starting flags.
Early race leaders were Pro 2 drivers Kevin Probst, New Lenox, IL, and Scott Taylor, Belvidere, IL. Taylor was coming off a big weekend of his own by winning both CORR Pro 2 class races at Crandon in convincing style in his Skyjacker Ford F-150. And Taylor was the only previous Pro 2 racer to ever win the Cup.
Taylor took the lead early in the race after Probst lost a transmission. He was quickly followed by a string of Pro 2 trucks, including the Monster Energy Ford of rookie sensation Jerry Whelchel, Irvine, CA. After lap three, the handicap lead of the Pro 2 trucks evaporated and Greaves was in third place, gaining position on Taylor and Whelchel lap after lap. Also in the hunt was Curt LeDuc, Cherry Valley, CA, in his Skyjacker Ford 4x4, running fourth.
At the end of lap five, Greaves passed Whelchel and began to track down Taylor. He took the lead at the beginning of lap seven, taking the checkers with a final race time of 14:59. Taylor finished second in his Pro 2 truck -- another testimonial to his considerable driving skills, winning $9,100. LeDuc finished third. First Sportsman 2 driver to finish the race was Ben Wandahsega, Bark River, MI. Wandahsega is also sponsored by the Forest County Potawatomi. Wandahsega won $3,000 and finished 11th overall in his FCP/Toyo Tires pickup.
"You don't want to be stuck behind Taylor, even in a 4x4 race truck," said Greaves. "Scott is one of the very best off-road racers of all-time and, at one point, I was worried about tracking him down at all," he said. "It was difficult to get around Whelchel at the right place on the track. With 23 high speed race trucks out there, it must have been a great show for the fans and there was a lot of traffic," said the elated champion.
Greaves was awarded his first place prize money of $25,000 by Al Milham, vice-chairman, Forest County Potawatomi. Cliff Flannery, president, Crandon Raceway, awarded Greaves $2,000 on behalf of Toyota Racing Development. Also on hand in Crandon's victory circle was Dennis Weaver, BF Goodrich Tires, awarding Greaves an additional $1,000. Greaves also claimed a $1,500 Miller Electric welder as part of his prize-winnings.
With the FCP Chairman's Bonus Award and the American Axle jump prize money, Greaves cleared $31,500 in cash and prizes from Crandon Raceway coffers for the weekend. He won another $4,400 from CORR for a grand total exceeding $35,000.
When informed of the major weekend sweep, Greaves said he knew the team and his truck was doing well. "We were just so focused race to race that I didn't know the awards were piling up," he said. "We have a devoted, hardworking team -- the best in the business right now," noted Greaves.
"My sponsors are second to none. It is a tremendous thrill to have a winning weekend in front of my title sponsor -- the Forest County Potawatomi," he said. "I also want to thank TRD, BF Goodrich, Fox Shocks, American Axle, Monster Energy Drinks, MasterCraft race seats, BorgWarner and all the others-- I wouldn't trade this group for any in motor sports." Greaves went on to compliment Crandon Raceway. "This is the greatest off-road facility in the country, they put on the greatest show and have the greatest off-road racing fans," he said.
"We've had drivers win both weekend class events before, said Cliff Flannery, track president. "We've even had a driver win both class races and a Chairman's Cup race but never every single available award in one weekend," he commented. "There are so many variables in off-road racing -- the changing track surface, the weather over two days -- that we think Johnny did the impossible this weekend," he commented.
It was the second Chairman's Cup win for Greaves. He also won the Cup in 2003. Interestingly, four rookie drivers finished in the top 10. Whelchel took fourth in his Monster Energy Pro 2 Ford. Troy Herbst, Las Vegas, NV, was sixth in the Terrible Herbst Chevrolet. Marty Coyne, San Diego, CA, was ninth in his Pro Comp Tires Chevrolet. Rhonda Konitzer, Oconto Falls, WI, the only female driver entered, placed tenth.
"I love this place," said Whelchel, who put in the first 30 laps of his racing career at Crandon Raceway over the weekend. "I can see why Crandon is the off-road racing's world capital," he exclaimed. "I'll be back looking for wins at the World Championships."
Crandon Raceway officially opened the 2006 off-road racing season and its 37th year of professional off-road racing with a special ceremony Saturday morning in conjunction with Skyjacker representatives. Skyjacker Suspensions, the official shock absorbers and suspensions of Crandon Raceway, and Raceway representatives dedicated an attractive and colofrul new "Skyjacker" finish line overhead bridge sign.
Crandon Raceway will host the crown jewel of off-road racing events -- the 2006 BorgWarner World Championship Off-Road Races this coming Labor Day weekend, September 1-3. That race will feature the 12th annual BorgWarner Shootout. That race is similar to the Chairman's Cup race and features the most prestigious award in off-road racing -- the $125,000 BorgWarner Cup. Prior to that, the Raceway will host the Lucas Oil Ultimate ATV Adventure weekend, July 22-23.
Full results of the Chairman's Cup race and all CORR events at the 2006 Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run Races at Crandon Raceway are available at www.crandonoffroad.com and www.mylaps.com.
CRANDON, WI
Johnny Greaves the "King of Crandon" Raceway
Off-Road Champ Sweeps Weekend Racing Action
CRANDON, WI -- Veteran off-road racer Johnny Greaves shook the foundations of professional off-road racing at the 2006 Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run Races at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway this past weekend.
In a show of dominance never before seen in off-road racing, Greaves, Abrams, WI, won the feature event of the race weekend -- the 2006 running of the Potawatomi Chairman's Cup "heavy metal challenge"-- earning more than $30,000. He also dominated two rounds of Lucas Oil Championship Off-Road Racing (CORR) Pro 4 high performance truck racing action and captured the American Axle TracRite jump record for the weekend. Greaves won every race and award available to him.
Greaves warmed up for Sunday's 13th annual Potawatomi Chairman's Cup race by easily winning two rounds of CORR points racing. In Saturday Pro 4 action, Greaves won an extra $1,000 bonus from Crandon Raceway and race title sponsor the Forest County Potawatomi Community.
Enroute to his Saturday win, Greaves launched a monster leap on the first lap of that race over the famous American Axle jump located mid-track at Crandon. The jump of 133' 3" held up and earned Greaves the jump title for the weekend. Greaves was awarded $1,000 by American Axle. His race truck is equipped with an American Axle front end.
On Sunday, Greaves started the day in his Forest County Potawatomi Toyota Tundra 4x4 by winning the second round of CORR racing in the Pro 4 class.
Taking the starting line for the 13th annual Chairman's Cup race, Greaves had earned the pole for the event with his Saturday class win. The 10-lap romp over Crandon's 1.75 mile track combines high performance 4x4 race pickups (Pro 4) against similarly configured 2-wheel drive race pickups (Pro 2 and Sportsman 2). The Pro 4 trucks have a competitive advantage. The top eight Pro 2 trucks receive a special 1/4 mile head-start in the race and Crandon Raceway officials drop two starting flags.
Early race leaders were Pro 2 drivers Kevin Probst, New Lenox, IL, and Scott Taylor, Belvidere, IL. Taylor was coming off a big weekend of his own by winning both CORR Pro 2 class races at Crandon in convincing style in his Skyjacker Ford F-150. And Taylor was the only previous Pro 2 racer to ever win the Cup.
Taylor took the lead early in the race after Probst lost a transmission. He was quickly followed by a string of Pro 2 trucks, including the Monster Energy Ford of rookie sensation Jerry Whelchel, Irvine, CA. After lap three, the handicap lead of the Pro 2 trucks evaporated and Greaves was in third place, gaining position on Taylor and Whelchel lap after lap. Also in the hunt was Curt LeDuc, Cherry Valley, CA, in his Skyjacker Ford 4x4, running fourth.
At the end of lap five, Greaves passed Whelchel and began to track down Taylor. He took the lead at the beginning of lap seven, taking the checkers with a final race time of 14:59. Taylor finished second in his Pro 2 truck -- another testimonial to his considerable driving skills, winning $9,100. LeDuc finished third. First Sportsman 2 driver to finish the race was Ben Wandahsega, Bark River, MI. Wandahsega is also sponsored by the Forest County Potawatomi. Wandahsega won $3,000 and finished 11th overall in his FCP/Toyo Tires pickup.
"You don't want to be stuck behind Taylor, even in a 4x4 race truck," said Greaves. "Scott is one of the very best off-road racers of all-time and, at one point, I was worried about tracking him down at all," he said. "It was difficult to get around Whelchel at the right place on the track. With 23 high speed race trucks out there, it must have been a great show for the fans and there was a lot of traffic," said the elated champion.
Greaves was awarded his first place prize money of $25,000 by Al Milham, vice-chairman, Forest County Potawatomi. Cliff Flannery, president, Crandon Raceway, awarded Greaves $2,000 on behalf of Toyota Racing Development. Also on hand in Crandon's victory circle was Dennis Weaver, BF Goodrich Tires, awarding Greaves an additional $1,000. Greaves also claimed a $1,500 Miller Electric welder as part of his prize-winnings.
With the FCP Chairman's Bonus Award and the American Axle jump prize money, Greaves cleared $31,500 in cash and prizes from Crandon Raceway coffers for the weekend. He won another $4,400 from CORR for a grand total exceeding $35,000.
When informed of the major weekend sweep, Greaves said he knew the team and his truck was doing well. "We were just so focused race to race that I didn't know the awards were piling up," he said. "We have a devoted, hardworking team -- the best in the business right now," noted Greaves.
"My sponsors are second to none. It is a tremendous thrill to have a winning weekend in front of my title sponsor -- the Forest County Potawatomi," he said. "I also want to thank TRD, BF Goodrich, Fox Shocks, American Axle, Monster Energy Drinks, MasterCraft race seats, BorgWarner and all the others-- I wouldn't trade this group for any in motor sports." Greaves went on to compliment Crandon Raceway. "This is the greatest off-road facility in the country, they put on the greatest show and have the greatest off-road racing fans," he said.
"We've had drivers win both weekend class events before, said Cliff Flannery, track president. "We've even had a driver win both class races and a Chairman's Cup race but never every single available award in one weekend," he commented. "There are so many variables in off-road racing -- the changing track surface, the weather over two days -- that we think Johnny did the impossible this weekend," he commented.
It was the second Chairman's Cup win for Greaves. He also won the Cup in 2003. Interestingly, four rookie drivers finished in the top 10. Whelchel took fourth in his Monster Energy Pro 2 Ford. Troy Herbst, Las Vegas, NV, was sixth in the Terrible Herbst Chevrolet. Marty Coyne, San Diego, CA, was ninth in his Pro Comp Tires Chevrolet. Rhonda Konitzer, Oconto Falls, WI, the only female driver entered, placed tenth.
"I love this place," said Whelchel, who put in the first 30 laps of his racing career at Crandon Raceway over the weekend. "I can see why Crandon is the off-road racing's world capital," he exclaimed. "I'll be back looking for wins at the World Championships."
Crandon Raceway officially opened the 2006 off-road racing season and its 37th year of professional off-road racing with a special ceremony Saturday morning in conjunction with Skyjacker representatives. Skyjacker Suspensions, the official shock absorbers and suspensions of Crandon Raceway, and Raceway representatives dedicated an attractive and colofrul new "Skyjacker" finish line overhead bridge sign.
Crandon Raceway will host the crown jewel of off-road racing events -- the 2006 BorgWarner World Championship Off-Road Races this coming Labor Day weekend, September 1-3. That race will feature the 12th annual BorgWarner Shootout. That race is similar to the Chairman's Cup race and features the most prestigious award in off-road racing -- the $125,000 BorgWarner Cup. Prior to that, the Raceway will host the Lucas Oil Ultimate ATV Adventure weekend, July 22-23.
Full results of the Chairman's Cup race and all CORR events at the 2006 Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run Races at Crandon Raceway are available at www.crandonoffroad.com and www.mylaps.com.