The 2011 TORC season would make its mark on Menzies Motorsports when they showed up as rookies to the TORC series and walked away as Champions. Traxxas The Offroad Racing Championship (TORC) series broughtshort course racing back to Texas this passed weekend debuting at the famous Cycle Ranch Motocross Park for the final rounds of the 2011 season. With a new track, new obstacles and a new crowd it was up to the drivers to keep the fans wanting to come back for more door-to-door banging action. The trucks and drivers didn’t fail to disappoint and from the first practice Friday to the last race Sunday afternoon, the word action doesn’t even come close to what these guys brought to the table.

PRO LIGHT
                Luke Johnson in the #14 Red Bull/Menzies Pro Light has had his ups and downs throughout the 2011 TORC season but it was Friday’s practice where it all came crashing down. On a new track you always expect the unexpected, especially when it’s your first time out. The course still has flaws to be worked out, you are still setting up your truck to perform its best on that track and in all that you still have to try and find the fastest line. As Luke came around for another lap in the first practice session it was at the Red Bull start finish jump where Luke found himself coming down nose first into the red Texas dirt and continued to flip end over end until finally coming to rest just feet before the start of turn one. As the truck lay motionless upside down, Lukequickly gained his composure and pulled himself out of the carnage escapingwith only minor cuts and bruises. The impact of truck to dirt was violent but in the midst of the wreck the truck did what it was made to do in that situation and that is to protect the driver. The truck was towed back to the Menzies/Red Bull pit and retired for the weekend.

                After sitting out Saturday’s race, it was decided on Saturday night by Series and Menzies Sponsor, Traxxas, to let Luke take to the track one last time for Sundays final round. Traxxas wheeled over their Pro Light and the Menzies crew quickly got to work on prepping it to be race ready. Number plates changed the next morning and Luke was back in the driver’s seat, going out for practice in the same truck that was raced in Chicago just a month before by James Stewart.  

                After the National Anthem rang through the air, Pro Lights started their engines to start off Sunday’s races. Starting in the back of the pack was the #14 of Luke, now in the all black Traxxas truck. As he set a good pace in the first half of the race he continued to do the same after the mandatory yellow. With aggressive driving taking place all around the course and many trucks finding themselves in the hot pits for flat tires or broken parts, Luke’s fast yet cautious driving took him all the way to 5th place as he jumped passed the checkered flag with one last top 5 finish for the 2011 season.

PRO 2wd
                Coming in as a rookie to the TORC series in the PRO 2wd class, Bryce Menzies gained the respect of drivers quickly as he continually found himself atop the podium claiming numerous #1 spots throughout the season. The Menzies/Red Bull #7 PRO2 pushed its way through the season and when it boiled down to the final rounds in Texas, nothing was being held back be either driver or truck.

                After introductions the Pro 2’s made their way around the track to catch the pace truck. Starting on the pole was Chad Hord and right next to him was point’s leader Bryce Menzies eagerly awaiting the drop of the green flag. The pace truck pulled of the track and spotters called out to their drivers the start of the race. Coming into turn one first was Hord, followed by Jeff Kincaid andthen Menzies. Hord found himself out of the race right away and let the door open for the battle to begin between Kincaid and Menzies. Watching Jeff’s lines and waiting for a clean opening, Bryce didn’t let Jeff out of sight. The two trucks pulled from the rest of the class and left everyone else battling for 3rd place. As Jeff and Bryce made there way down the straight into the last turn, Bryce sailed passed Jeff and closed the door on him coming out of the finalturn and back into the front stretch where fans lined the fence and cheered for the new leader. Bryce held the number one spot all the way to the finish and got his 2nd win in a row along with sealing his 2011 PRO2wd Championship.
                Sunday’s race came to Bryce with ease as the bright yellow wheels of the Championship winning truck took Bryce from his 6th place starting position all the way to first in just one lap and that’s where he stayed all the way to the checkered. Sweeping the weekend and going home with his first ever career Pro2 Championship. “This was an incredible year! I have to give it up to my crew; I would not have been able to pull this off without them. This was a year I will never forget and I also want to thank all Rob, Chad and all the drivers outthere for giving it their all too. I am proud to share the podium with some of the best off-road drivers out there. Said Bryce as he took in his first TORC Series Championship.

PRO 4x4
                Veteran to the off-road industry and household name Ricky Johnson drove the #48 Menzies built Pro 4 to many wins throughout the 2011 season, but it all boiled down to this weekend between media made rival Johnny Greaves. Johnny set up pit at Cycle Ranch with a 4 points lead and none other then Ricky Johnson was on the other end of those points and ready to race till the very end and take the lead away.  
                Ricky put the Menzies/Red Bull PRO 4 right on the pole for the start of Saturday’s race and when the green flag dropped it was a drag race between Ricky and Johnnygoing into turn one. Coming out from the shaded turn and pinning it to turn two was Ricky Johnson, but Johnny was not far behind. Ricky was able to hold Johnny and the rest of the PRO 4 class off and when the mandatory yellow came out Ricky gained 2 points and Johnny 1 point which now split there points difference by 3. Restart was underway and again the BFG tires hooked up andpulled the #48 truck into the lead yet again. Johnny snuck his way up to Ricky and soon the crew and fans were back on their feet waiting to see who wouldcome by the front stretch in the lead. Ricky took the turn wide and Johnny made his way to the inside to complete the pass. With only a few laps to go Ricky knew he needed this win and now he really had to put the pedal down and take that top spot back. This style of track is where Ricky shows his skill and knowledge of the sport and he took advantage of that. Setting up his lines perfectly and waiting for Johnny to make a mistake is what he needed to do and that mistake came going into the last turn where Johnny over rotated and handed away the lead. Ricky left everyone in the dust and claimed Saturday’s PRO4 win. Now standing tied in points for the PRO4 TORC series Championship it was up to Ricky to come out in front of Johnny just one last time this season.

                Ricky and Johnny showed up at staging on Sunday with their game faces on, both ready to leave it all out on the track. It all came down to this. The 2010 defendingPRO4 champ getting ready to defend his title and Ricky Johnson, new to the PRO4 class, ready to take title for himself and the Menzies Motorsports team.

                Starting side by side again but toward the back of the pack was the Red Bull and Monster Pro4 trucks roaring towards the start and as soon as the flag dropped it was Scott Douglas coming into turn one with Johnny and Ricky right on his rear tires. Holding these positions almost till the half way when before Ricky knew it, Johnny was barreling towards first place trying to take the lead when unknown circumstances caused Johnny to lose control almost taking Douglas out with him and leaving the lead wide open and that’s when Ricky took hold of the race and didn’t look back. At the restart Ricky had Douglas right behind him and then Johnny having to try and battle his way back to the front from 3rd in order to defend his title. Unfortunately after the restart Johnny found himself unable to complete the race and pulled off the track with a broken truck, which left Ricky claiming the 2011 TORC series PRO4 Champion before the race even ended. Ricky walked away Sunday with the title and he also swept the PRO4 class winning both Saturday and Sunday.

Menzies Motorsports left Texas just how they planned, with 2 Championships and sweeping the top classes. Not only did they show everyone at TORC by winning 4 of the 6 races what Menzies Motorsports is all about, but they also held with pride 3 of the 4 Oakley Bomb awards for the fastest laps. Next up for Menzies is conquering their first ever SCORE Baja 1000 where Bryce Menzies, will one last time for 2011 be racing for another championship. 

Saldana dominated once again, winning for the second time this season at the historic half-mile dirt track that is beginning to define his career. Twice he has won the prestigious Kings Royal, but twice a potential championship run was decimated by injuries from a crash, most recently in July when he sustained a shattered arm, punctured lung and broken ribs that kept him out of the Kasey Kahne Racing Red Bull Maxim for nine weeks.
On Friday, just two days after winning at Hartford (Mich.) Motor Speedway his first race back, Saldana again was in victory lane at Eldora after leading 30 laps and holding off  Paul McMahan, to the checkered flag. It was his sixth win of the year overall.
"I have to thank God for this one," said Saldana."It was only three weeks ago that I could barely run on a treadmill and tonight I outlasted a very physical race track. That's a testament to my trainer at Pit Fit, Jim Leo. He ran me through my paces and pushed me harder and harder and it's paid off. I couldn't have imagined in a million years we would have won Hartford but now we've made it two in a row. It just shows how tough and good this team is. We were competitive earlier this season and they haven't missed a beat since."
On Saturday night at Lernerville, Saldana was going for his third win in a row and suffered engine trouble that resulted in a 23rd-place finish.

On Friday night, Saldana qualified third, finished third in his heat, fifth in the dash and eighth in the A Main.
On Saturday, Saldana let out a big breath before crawling out of his Kasey Kahne Racing #9 Red Bull Maxim in the Beaver Dam Raceway victory lane. He had just held off Craig Dollansky to win the Jim Boyd Memorial for his fourth victory of the season, but his first win since early May. Saldana is now within six points of the point’s leader.
“It feels great to be back in victory lane after the past month," said Saldana, of Brownsburg, Ind. "A good start has kept us in this points battle and if you're going to beat guys like Donny Schatz and Jason Meyers, you have to be spot on, night after night. We haven't been doing that lately. It's been a struggle. It's easy to lose your confidence out here but this win helps. The high line was good for us and I knew Craig was closing in but I was just patient and held on."

10/7/11 - As CAP HENRY and Team CHR slowly wind down the 2011 season, they’ll show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness by converting their normally gold numbers to pink.

“Like so many, our team and families have all been touched by this terrible disease and we want do our part as well”, said team owner KIT HENRY.  “This weekend, we are holding a special sale of our team apparel with all proceeds going to Breast Cancer Awareness.”

This will be a great opportunity for fans to grab a 2011 limited edition item and also help a wonderful cause.  Just go to: www.CapHenryRacing.com for full details.

With just a few races left on the 2011 calendar, Team CHR heads back to Fremont Speedway for a weekend double-header and a final tune-up for the “All Star Circuit of Champions” finale in two weeks.

“I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of what this team has overcome this year”, Kit continued.  “To finish as well as we have with everything we have put behind us shows just how tough we are and how committed our sponsors, crew and fans have been…the words “Thank You” are not big enough!”

Cap will finish 4th overall in All Star’s National Points behind DALE BLANEY, TIM SHAFFER and DAVID GRAVEL and with a healthy margin over fifth place PETE MILLER III…

10/6/11 (BG Motorsports PR) – The final night of the 2011 IRA season took place this past weekend at the Dodge County Fairgrounds in Beaver Dam, WI. 31 Bumper to Bumper IRA sprint cars were on hand for the “Dick Witt Checkered Classic”, Bill started the night by circling the “Horsepower Half-mile” with a lap time of 16.688 seconds which ended up being the 5th fastest time of the night.
By virtue of the qualifying effort, Bill took the green flag from the 5th position in the 2nd of 3, 8 lap heat races. A top 5 finish was needed in order to transfer straight to the main event, once the field was under green, Bill quickly moved up to the 4th position. He went on to battle for 3rd until a dirt clump destroyed the nose wing, which resulted in the side board cutting the front brake line. Bill was able to maintain control of the car throughout the remaining laps & brought home a 5th place finish.
For the final feature event of the season, Bill piloted the Gleason Racing Equipment / Buesser Concrete / Maxim from the 4th position. A red flag on lap 1 required a complete restart, which was a benefit to Bill. He quickly moved up in to 3rd & held on to that position until another red a few laps later. The crew was able to make a few adjustments to the car on this red & on the ensuing restart, Bill had the car rolling along nicely until more wing trouble derailed that effort. This time the wing ram broke free of the wing tree, which let the top wing move back & forth at free will. Bill had his hands full over the last half of the race, as he had to manhandle a car that just didn’t want to turn as a result of the top wing being all the way back. He was able to hold on to 4th over that course & was able to bring the car home in one piece. By virtue of the 4th place finish, Bill & the B Squared Motorsports team were able to secure their 4th Consecutive Bumper to Bumper IRA Championship.
To keep up on all the latest news regarding the team be sure to visit the team website at www.b2motorsports.com. You can also follow the team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bsquaredmotorsports or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bsqdmotorsports.
Sponsorship for the 2011 season comes from the following companies: Buesser Concrete, Hoeft Builders, Hepfner Racing Products & HRP Wings, Diversified Machine Inc., XYZ Machining Inc., Allstar Performance, K&N Engineering, Astro Titanium, Super Shox, BLZ, FK Rod Ends, B Squared Visual Solutions, Weld Racing, Outerwears Inc., Race Gear X, Gleason Racing Equipment, Maxim Chassis, Competition Driveline, Saldana Racing Products, Fibrestar Industries, A&E Collision and Service, BG Motorsports PR & Marketing and Xtreme Stainless, LLC.