Rick Huseman Adds Dirt Sports 2010 'Driver of the Year' Honors to His List of Accomplishments
Riverside, CA (February 16, 2011)—Off-road racer Rick Huseman has defined "champion" over the last couple of years. With back-to-back championships, one in the TORC Series and another in the Lucas Oil Series, he has racked up awards and accolades from across the racing industry. Now he can add to the list the prestigious 2010 "Driver of the Year" award presented by Ryan Communications Group's (RCG) Dirt Sports Magazine. Rick received this great honor this past weekend in the Monster Energy pavilion at the Anaheim Supercross.
Jim Ryan, publisher/owner of Dirt Sports magazine and Lucas Series on-air television personality, Cameron Steele, made the presentation in front of invited guest, dignitaries and sponsors. Rick received a specially engraved Oakley watch, high performance Oakley sunglasses, and a one-of-a-kind Oakley "Driver of the Year" jacket. He also received a mounted congratulatory advertisement from Traxxas and a large poster of the Dirt Sports magazine cover on which he was featured. The cover and official article will appear in the February issue of the magazine and website: DirtSportsNation.com.
Huseman was selected from outstanding drivers in all off-road racing including short-course, desert, and rock climbing. A panel of judges based their choice on championship performance, the driver's ability to represent both the sport and their sponsors in a professional manner, and their ability to rise above the competition in a significant manner.
Rick's run has been nothing less than spectacular. He won his first PRO 4x4 championship in The Off Road Championship (TORC) Series in 2009. He followed that up by winning the Unlimited Pro-4 championship in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) in 2010 in dominating fashion. Huseman drove his number 36 Monster Energy/Traxxas/ Toyota to 10 victories out 15 rounds of racing. This amazing feat has placed him in the record book for the most single season wins in short-course history. He made it to the podium in 13 out of the races too. In the TORC Series, he narrowly missed the championship having been beat out by fellow Monster Energy/Toyota driver Johnny Greaves by only 3 points. In TORC, Rick won 5 races and podiumed in 10 of the 12 rounds of racing. He also took 5 Oakley Bomb awards for pulling the fastest lap time during a race.
Huseman told Dirt Sport magazine: "To win the Dirt Sports' Driver of the Year title is awesome because you are not just being judged against short course racers, but desert and rock guys too. You are being judged against everyone in the dirt, so to be the Driver of the Year against that kind of competition is just very amazing."
Dirt Sports Magazine is recognized as the leading publication servicing the off-road industry. It is a progressive, multi-media communications business providing full market coverage to more than 1.8 million off-road enthusiast per year. Currently the company includes the print magazine, DirtSportsNation.com (offering a digital version of the print magazine), Off-Road Industry print magazine, and OffRoadIndustry.com. This is the 7th year they have awarded off-road racing standouts from short-course racing, desert racing, rock crawling, ATV/UTV, and other off-road motorsports.
Rick Huseman Racing will kick-off the 2011 season in the LOORRS on March 19th at Firebird Raceway, Phoenix, AZ. The TORC Series gets underway on April 30th at Cycle Ranch in San Antonio, TX. Follow all the action on Rick's website: RickHusemanRacing.com.
^TOP^LOORRS PHOENIX, AZ | ROUND 15
2010 Lucas Pro-4 Champ Rick Huseman Takes Win Number 10, Sets Record for Most Single Season Wins in Short Course History
Riverside, CA (December 15, 2010)—With his second championship in two years under his belt, Rick Huseman headed to Firebird International Raceway in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, AZ, with nothing to prove except that he loves racing, and competition, and winning! With dominating performances in the 14 rounds of racing, you would think Rick would lay back and coast in the final race of the season—not true. At the end of the day, Rick once again stood atop the podium with his 10th win of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series season. This amazing feat has placed him in the record book for the most single season wins in short-course history.
Huseman was narrowly beat out for the pole position by Adrian Cinni but he sent a strong message that he would not hold back when the competition began on Saturday. Cinni, dubbed "the wild man" would get into Rick on lap one, spinning him out, off the track, and dropping him to the rear of the pack.
Rick managed to work his #36 Traxxas/ Monster Energy/ Toyota/ Oakley/ BFGoodrich sponsored truck through the field picking off Johnson, Coyne, Curt LeDuc and eventually Kyle LeDuc to land in the second spot behind Carl Renezeder just before the competition caution.
When the yellow flew to unleash the furry of the Pro-4 class trucks, Renezeder and Huseman checked-out to set-up what looked like a classic battle to the finish line with the rest of the field dicing it up behind them. But Renezeder's succumbed to the pressure and pulled off the track with an engine failure leaving clear sailing for Huseman's Toyota to the end of the race.
With the victory, Rick Huseman landed his 10th first place finish of the year, a feat unsurpassed by anyone in off-road racing.
Lucas hosted a Challenge Cup Race on Sunday that pitted the Pro-4 class against the Pro-2 class for a $52,500 purse to be split between the top 3 positions in a 22-lap race. The slower Pro-2 class was given a half-lap head start on the Pro-4's.
With a packed house, CBS Sports cameras rolling, the large purse, and 27 trucks on the starting line, the potential for some serious fender banging and exciting racing was apparent. The inverted starting grid was base on points standings putting Rick Huseman in the back of the Pro-4 class group.
Rick got a great start and charged ahead through the first few turns—but his day would end early. Another racer rammed into the rear of Rick's Toyota sending him into a violent rollover and catching on fire. The race was filled with carnage, multiple full-course cautions and red flags.
"It would have been a great Christmas bonus to win that race," said Huseman with a smile. "But I am still stoked about winning the championship. We have had an awesome year and ready to take it easy for a while and start getting ready for next year!"Be sure to follow Rick Huseman Racing at RickHusemanRacing.com throughout the off season. The Traxxas TORC Series season kicks-off at a new venue at Cycle Ranch in San Antonio, Texas on April 30th.
^TOP^LOORRS SURPRISE, AZ | ROUNDS 13 & 14
Vegas Deals a Second Championship to Rick Huseman, Dominates LOORRS Pro-4 for Traxxas/Monster Energy/Toyota/Oakley/BFG
Riverside, CA (November 8, 2010)—Rick Huseman Racing landed in Sin City sporting a comfortable lead in hopes of wrapping up the 2010 Pro-4 title in the Lucas Oil Off Road series in rounds 13 and 14 this past weekend. Having missed the TORC Series championship by only 3 points, it was no time to relax with 3 rounds of racing left. Friday's qualifying added an extra level of tension to the mix as Rick rolled his #36 Traxxas/Monster Energy Toyota on the warm-up lap. As a result he would have to start from the back row on Saturday. But in typical Huseman style, he rallied to take his ninth win of the season on Saturday and finished third on Sunday to complete his dominating run and take his second off-road racing championship in two years.
Saturday's round 13 had all of Rick Huseman's closest points competitors starting up front with a horde of hungry racers in-between as he sat on the back row due to his problems in qualifying. As the green flag flew, it was Kyle LeDuc who jumped out to an early lead with Carl Renezeder in 3rd. Rick would not waste any time making his way up into the top 5. Carl helped matters by spinning-out as the field went by dropping him to last place. Curt LeDuc was in third with son, Kyle, leading followed by Adrian Cenni in second. Huseman, now in fourth, was finally able to muscle around Curt to make a charge for the top spots. Cenni managed to move into the lead. Huseman and LeDuc battled side-by-side with Rick eventually able to make the pass to take sole possession of 2nd place leading up to the competition caution at the halfway point of the race.
Kyle LeDuc pulled off the track and headed for the hot pits as the green flag flew to resume racing. Renezeder edged forward making his way through traffic to join the battle for a podium spot. Huseman quickly went on the attack, setting up Cenni for the pass. Cenni, trying hard to hold off the black number 36, rolled in turn four, clearing the way for Rick to cruise on for his ninth victory of the season.
Sunday, it was basically a matter of showing up for the race for Rick Huseman and his team to clinch the title, reminiscent of last year's run for the TORC series title. The race was filled with carnage and drama. Rick lead most of the race but suffered damage that disabled his rear drive with only a few laps to go. Renezeder passed him but went up in smoke on the last lap. Rick, still off the pace, was able to hobble in to an amazing third place, sealing the deal for his second championship in two years.
"We had an amazing year!" said an excited Huseman. "I am so proud of my team and all the sponsors—Traxxas, Monster Energy, Toyota, Oakley, BFGoodrich and all the others—for supporting me and sticking with me and allowing me to run in both series. I can't say enough about Danny and Kevin and my dad for their hard work, and of course Michelle. They sink their hearts and souls into this program and that is why we have been successful."
Rick captured his Pro-4 championship with a dominating performance, taking 9 wins out of 13 rounds of racing and podiumed in all but two races in the Lucas series. He will wrap up the Lucas series season in Phoenix, AZ, on December 11-12th.
^TOP^LOORRS SURPRISE, AZ | ROUNDS 11 & 12
Rick Huseman Takes Eighth Win of the Season in Surprise, AZ for Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Oakley/ Toyota and BFGoodrich in LOORRS
Riverside, CA (September 27, 2010)—After narrowly missing the Traxxas TORC Series championship by only 3 points, Rick Huseman turned his sites on the Lucas Series this past weekend where he holds the Pro-4 Unlimited points lead going into rounds 11 and 12 at Speedworld Off Road Park in Surprise, AZ. It has been a busy summer for Rick Huseman Racing. Rick has firmly established himself as the man to beat. With that distinction, also comes the big red and white target that follows the top contender. Rick had a tough race on Saturday, but when the dust settled on Sunday, he had taken his eighth win of the season and extending his points lead.
Rick qualified his Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Oakley/ Toyota in the top spot for Saturday's race, but the top 6 positions were inverted landing him on row 3 for the start. The mayhem started early with several drivers getting together for a huge pileup in turn four bringing out the red flag and a complete restart. Rick also got tangled up in the fracas. When the green flag flew once again, he worked his way up to the fifth position. But he dropped a spot due to a spin leading up to the mandatory caution. Things went from bad to worse when another spin sent Huseman teeter-tottering over an embankment and had to be pulled off by the tow truck. He also developed a flat tire—all of which put him a lap down with not enough time to make a come back.
"Everyone is entitled to at least one bad race," said Huseman with a smile (this is only his second time out of the top 2 for the year). "We had a good truck, no question about it. I just got tangled up early and things just kind ‘a fell apart after that. We will regroup and hopefully come back strong tomorrow."
Sunday he would come back strong. The all black number 36 lined up on row three once again beside Adrian Cenni. Rick worked his way through the traffic and managed to be in second behind Kyle LeDuc at the competition caution, half-way through the race. On the restart, Rick applied fierce pressure, but LeDuc was able to hold him off. As the race wound down, the battles began to take their toll on some of the machines. Adrian Cenni's motor blew up leaving him stranded on the track. Officials called for the green-white checkered.
No sooner had the racing resumed, that another crash between Curt LeDuc and Josh Merrell brought out a full course caution and setting up yet another green-white checkered flag finish with Kyle LeDuc still holding the lead and Huseman chomping at the bits for another opportunity to get around him on the restart. The top three were nose to tail as the white flag flew. LeDuc bicycled in turn 6, almost crashing. As he tried to recover, Rick Huseman stomped the gas of his Toyota and made the pass for the lead with other trucks spinning and crashing behind him, including the third place running Carl Renezeder. Rick held on to take the checkered and the victory.
Huseman has been consistent throughout the season. He has been on the podium in all but two races—eight of them in the form of wins. He now sits atop the points standings by a hefty margin over the next competitor.
After a month off, Rick Huseman Racing will saddle up again for rounds 13 and 14 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on November 6-7th.
^TOP^TORC CRANDON, WI | ROUNDS 11 & 12
Huseman Ends Stellar Season on Winning Note at the Big House for Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG, Misses Championship by Only 3 Points
Crandon, WI (September 26, 2010)—More than 15,000 of off-road racing's most faithful, journeyed through the bad weather on Friday in hopes that Saturday and Sunday would clear up for the 2010 season finale of the Traxxas TORC Series at the legendary Crandon International Off-road Raceway this past weekend. Rick Huseman entered the Labor Day weekend festivities nursing a 2 point deficit. He knew that it would take a great performance along with a little luck to defend his 2009 championship title and catapult him to the 2010 Pro 4x4 class championship that hinged on the outcome of the two rounds of racing.
Rick would perform well, giving it all he had, coming in second on Saturday and winning on Sunday, only to fall just short of the points championship to his fellow Monster Energy/ Toyota/ BFG driver Johnny Greaves. The win was his fifth of the season (tied with Johnny for wins) and along with his second place, gave him a class leading 9 podiums. He also had 5 Oakley Bomb awards taking the bomb in both races and again breaking the Crandon track lap record he had previously set in the Saturday race and before that, in June.
Huseman's team, made up of his brothers Danny and Kevin and father, Keith, took the Toyota directly from Chicagoland to get it ready for the Labor Day weekend races. Saturday, with no practice or qualifying, Rick lined his Monster Energy number 36 up in the 5th position based on a drawing. He made it through the fearsome "land rush" start, which TORC elected to bring back this year, with all of his fenders still intact but riding in the 6th spot.
At the mandatory caution, Rick's BFG's were taking to the, now dry, track putting him in a 5-truck break-away led by Johnny Greaves, followed by Barlow, Douglas, Huseman and Cenni. Rick dove to the inside of Barlow in turn one and went of the attack with Scott Douglas for the number 2 spot and made the pass with three laps to go. That is when the race began to live up to its reputation with multiple crashes on the track. Mark Jenkins and Barlow rolled their machines as the white flag was in hand for the last lap. Douglas still riding in the third position had to pull out of the race when his truck went up in flames. Greaves grabbed the win and Rick took second followed by Adrian Cenni in third.
With Johnny's win, Rick and his team worked hard to get the truck ready for Sunday's showdown—hoping for a small miracle. Ken Kincaid won the holeshot but rolled his Traxxas truck relegating Greaves to the lead. Rick caught Johnny and the two raced nose-to-tail and side-by-side, with Rick finally taking the lead in the gravel pit turn to lead by the competition caution. It was Rick's race from then on as he won his 5th race of the year. But it would not be enough to earn the championship. Johnny would edge Huseman out by a mere 3 points. Rick would break the track lap record which he had broken on Saturday and he previously held from the race in June.
Rick made these comments from atop the podium: "That was a good race for us, the track was awesome. Look at all these fans, it's crazy how many people are here! It's just awesome. And to have a good race like this for all these people, it's always great."
He went on to say, "We tried our hardest to win that championship. We were a couple, three points behind or something, but we did everything we could to try to get it from Johnny, but he was right there and stole it."
The final race of the weekend was for the coveted AMSOIL Cup. This race, formerly the BorgWarner Cup, pits the Pro 4x4 drivers against the Pro 2WD trucks who get a 12 second head start. Rick started right where he left off in the previous race by taking the lead early. His lead would abruptly end though as he developed mechanical problems and pulled out of the race.
In spite of not winning the championship, Rick Huseman Racing had a stellar season, racking up wins and podiums and keeping his sponsors in the limelight. He had some extremely exciting, close races with only 2 out of the top 5.
Rick has one more shot at a 2010 championship when he returns to the Lucas series where he sits atop the points standings. The next race is in Surprise, AZ on September 25th-26th. Be sure to watch the TORC Series on the Discovery Channel's HD Theatre every Thursday at 8pm Eastern and Pacific time.
^TOP^TORC CHICAGOLAND, IL | ROUNDS 9 & 10
Huseman Gets Third Win in a Row on Wedensday for Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG
Pressure Mounts for Weekend Showdown at Crandon Intl
Joliet, IL (August 26, 2010)—Rick Huseman and his Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG team arrived in the windy city for special mid-week races carrying a narrow lead over Johnny Greaves and Scott Douglas following his back-to-back wins in Bark River. The Traxxas TORC Series, taking on a new venue at Chicagoland's Route 66 Raceway, was hoping to build its fan base by taking advantage on NASCAR's truck series races being held at the adjacent Chicagoland Speedway on Friday. NASCAR's Kyle Busch would race in the Pro 2WD class adding to the excitement of the week.
Rounds 9 and 10 proved pivotal for Huseman leading up to the short turnaround for the season finale at Crandon International Raceway on Labor Day weekend. He would take the win on Wednesday along with the Oakley Bomb Award for the fastest lap. Thursday's race however would be a different story—Rick suffered a broken shock due to contact with Steve Barlow and had to make an early exit from the race. Johnny Greaves went on to claim the win and the points lead by only 2 points, setting up an incredibly thrilling and tense championship weekend.
USAC converted the Route 66 Raceway oval dirt track into a challenging and technical configuration consisting of a lot of jumps, a huge tabletop jump, very rough whoops and rhythm sections that zigzag through the infield section of the track. The long back stretch allowed the powerful 800 hp Pro 4x4 trucks to wind out their motors. Rick used turn one as a launching pad as he would rocket, wicked fast across the back stretch.
Wednesday's race was very exciting from the green flag to checkered. Rick started from the third row. By lap 3, he had move up to the 2nd position behind Johnny Greaves. On lap 4, Huseman took the lead momentarily as the two continued to battle side-by-side and nose-to-tail. Greaves regained the lead just at the competition caution. As the field fell in behind the pace truck, Johnny pulled off the track to fix a tire, relinquishing the lead to Huseman.
On the restart, Scott Douglas was able to move to the lead, but Mark Jenkins flipped bringing out the red flag. On the restart, Huseman went on the attack, ducking to the inside of Douglas. But Douglas was able to hold him off. On lap 10, Mike Jenkins flipped, bringing out the red flag once again. As the field bunched back up, Huseman and Douglas battled side-by-side across the front stretch with Huseman powering his number 36 Toyota to the lead as the two entered the back stretch. Rick began to pull away from the field to claim his 4th win of the season.
As the pressure begins to mount heading into championship weekend, the racing intensified to a new level for the Thursday race. Curt and Kyle LeDuc joined the TORC Series this week and added a lot of excitement to the mix. Curt flipped hard on lap one and Kyle rolled on lap three. Kyle would continue in the race. As the field of nine trucks jockeyed for position, Steve Barlow and Kyle LeDuc were exchanging licks and using up most of the track in the process. Rick tried to go around the outside of turn one where he had great success in Wednesday's race. The rear of Barlow's truck swung around and made contact with the left front wheel of Huseman, knocking the reservoir off of the shock and ruining the suspension of the Monster Energy number 36. Rick tried to stay on the track but eventually had to pull off, unable to continue in the race.
"We were really looking to finish well here this evening," said Huseman. "The standings are so tight and we wanted to put a little cushion between Johnny and me. It is going to be a very intense Crandon."
Rick Huseman and his crew will take the short drive to Crandon and spend the week getting the truck ready for the showdown in rounds 11 and 12 of the season finale at Crandon International Raceway on September 4-5. The Off-Road Championship will premiere on Discovery Channel's HD Theater this Thursday, September 2nd at 8pm and 11pm EST.
^TOP^TORC BARK RIVER, MI | ROUNDS 7 & 8
Huseman Earns Back-to-Back Wins in Bark River for Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG, Reclaims Points Lead
Riverside, CA (August 16, 2010)—No sooner had Rick Huseman completed his successful weekend of racing in the Lucas series, that he loaded his Monster Energy/ Toyota back in the hauler to take the long journey back to Bark River, MI, for rounds 7 and 8 of the Traxxas TORC Series. Rick had never won a race at the Bark River track and was looking to improve on his rounds 5 and 6 performances in Oshkosh. The crowds were huge, the track was slick, and the racing action was heart stopping as Huseman was able to muscle out back-to-back victories. He also reclaimed the points lead in the process from fellow Monster Energy competitor, Johnny Greaves.
Saturday's Pro 4x4 race lived up to its billing and proved to be the most exciting race of the weekend. Rick battled from start to finish with Johnny Greaves—both running Toyotas and BFG tires. Rick and Johnny started on the front row and in good position to win the all important holeshot. Huseman powered through turn one emerging in the lead after going 3-wide through the sweeping horseshoe turn that gives way to a short rhythm section. Rick's Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG sponsored machine would take a commanding lead, shooting 175 feet over the Monster Energy Jump, leading up to the competition caution.
The restart was furious and Rick was able to keep his number 36 out front followed by Johnny Greaves, who had grabbed second away from Scott Douglas. Huseman and Greaves checked out from the rest of the field and had a "Monster" battle on every lap until the end of the race. Johnny tried numerous times to get around Rick's machine but he was unable to until lap 8. Johnny was able to shoot by Huseman at the table-top, but as the two went down the hill towards turn one, Huseman was able to take the inside line and retake the lead in the turn as the white flag flew.
The tag team of Huseman and Greaves finished 1 and 2 for the third time this year. This time it was Huseman taking the win which was his second win of the season.
"That was an awesome race," said Huseman from the podium. "It is amazing what can happen when your truck is working the way it is supposed to. Hopefully [Johnny Greaves] we made the race exciting for the fans. He passed me there in the end but fortunately I was able to get it back. But what a great race!"
There was hardly a fender left undamaged on Rick's Toyota in Sunday's race that featured a lot of fender banging and near misses. Rick started on the back row but had a great start, charging hard to overtake most of the field as they reached the holeshot. Douglas was in the lead followed by Barlow, Greaves and Huseman. Greaves and Huseman both made the pass on Barlow and were running side-by-side, going 3-wide into the AMSOIL sweeper on the back side of the track. Douglas lost control and spun around collecting Greaves in the process momentarily, opening the door for Huseman to power by the two machines that completed the 360 degree spin and continued in the race.
Huseman was able to pull away to a nice lead while the dog fight ensued behind him leading up to the mandatory caution.
The race took an ugly turn on the restart. Scott Douglas took the bulldozer method and took out Johnny Greaves and then crashed into Huseman, shoving him off the track heading into the front stretch at the start/finish line. But Rick was able to recover, powering ahead and showering the crowd with dust as he landed back on the track into a 3-way battle with Douglas and Mark Jenkins. As Douglas attached Jenkins, the two of them spun in Cemetery Corner advancing Rick to the top spot where he stayed until the end of the race to complete the weekend Pro 4x4 sweep and reclaim the points lead. Douglas would fall to 4th allowing the two Jenkins brothers to occupy the final two podium spots.
Rick Huseman will defend his points lead in Chicagoland later this month—August 25-26th, leading up to the championship weekend in Crandon, WI on Labor Day weekend. Replays of the Bark River races can be seen on the TORC Series' website: TORCseries.com.
^TOP^LOORRS SAN BERNARDINO, CA | ROUNDS 9 & 10
'Pinball Wizard' Huseman Dominates LOORRS Pro 4 Unlimited with Top Podium Spots at Glen Helen
Riverside, CA (August 10, 2010)--Rick Huseman enjoyed the short drive from Riverside to San Bernardino, CA, to the legendary motorcross facility at Glen Helen the past weekend for rounds 9 and 10 of LOORRS. Along with his family, Rick's friends and fans by the droves filled the stands to see the Southern Cal home towner take on the tight 0.8 mile track, recently constructed for off-road truck racing.
Rick Huseman continues his domination of the LOORRS Pro 4 Unlimited class with another victory on Saturday evening. He pulled a remarkable second place in the Sunday race after a flat tire and potential race ending spin late in the race. He also widened his points lead by a huge margin.
Rick and his closest points competitor, Carl Renezeder, were placed on the back row of the starting grid for the start of the Saturday race. But Rick's Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ BFG/ Toyota was not to be denied. He went on a tear through the field and claimed the point position before the end of the first half of the race. Renezeder and Kyle LeDuc both suffered roll-overs but LeDuc recovered and would apply pressure to Huseman late in the race.
Following the competition caution, Rick bicycled in turn four allowing LeDuc to take the lead for a short time. Huseman laid down the fastest lap time to power back to the front with just two laps to go and lead the field to the checkered flag for his seventh victory in the 9 rounds of racing.
It would be a different story for the Sunday evening race. Rick put on a display of his tenacity by battling back from a lot of contact. Early in the race it looked like a repeat of Friday's race with Huseman charging to the front to take the lead by lap two and battling Kyle LeDuc running in the second place spot. But Rick's #36 Toyota was in trouble. A tire began to lose air due to some early contact putting his lead in jeopardy.
Another racers bad luck turned into good luck for Rick. Josh Merrell rolled bringing out the full-course caution. Huseman took advantage of the situation by pulling into the hot pits for a quick tire change. He rejoined the field on the lead lap but in the rear of the pack. He managed to make his way back up into the top five before the competition caution midway through the race. That would not be the end of Rick's problems for the night however. With just a few laps to go, Johnson got into the Monster Energy/ Traxxas machine sending him spinning off the track. Johnson was black flagged for the incident. Rick did not give up. Other drivers including Carl Renezeder, John Harrah and Curt LeDuc were all having problems staying right side up. Kyle LeDuc was in the lead as the white flag flew. Huseman made one final charge to get up to the leader but was unable to catch him before the race ended and settled for a remarkable second place finish.
"It felt really good to have all my friends and family here this weekend and I wanted to put on a good show for them," said Huseman about the weekend's action. "I realize a lot can happen in a race so if I suffer a problem I just try to keep putting my Monster Energy Toyota back on the track, and keep working hard, hoping that I can get back to the front. It was great to be able to finish where we did in spite of the spin and the flat tire!"
Rick Huseman Racing will head back to the Midwest for rounds 7 and 8 of the Traxxas TORC Series at Bark River International Raceway in Bark River, MI. The races can be seen via live web streaming on TORCseries.com and USAC's USTREAM portal. Rick Huseman and the TORC Series will appear on the Discovery Channel's HD Theatre every Thursday this fall beginning September 2nd. Visit RickHusemanRacing.com for the latest news and photos.
^TOP^
TORC OSHKOSH, WI | ROUNDS 5 & 6
Huseman Shows Incredible Resilience at the Speedzone in Oshkosh, WI, Makes Fifth Podium Appearance in Six Races
Riverside, CA (July 26, 2010)--Flips, rolls and spins, were not enough to keep Rick Huseman off the podium as the Traxxas TORC Series took on the converted stock-car track at the Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway in Oshkosh, WI, last weekend. Rick would roll not once, but twice in the Friday night, under the lights race and battle back to an incredible fourth place finish, proving the resilience once again of the Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG team.
The action started Friday evening but without qualifying due to earlier rain. Monster Energy was represented on row three with Rick on the outside and Johnny Greaves on the inside. On lap two, Huseman rolled his #36 Toyota and landed on his roof. The full course caution and the quick work of the track crew gave just enough time for the PRO 4X4 to be put back on all four BFGoodrich tires. Rick fired it up and took off in time to stay on the lead lap. By the mandatory caution, he had worked his way back up to fourth in the 16-lap competition.
Huseman worked hard to get around Barlow running in the third position. Going into the 180 degree hairpin turn, he went wide for some good dirt but ended up on two wheels, bicycling, twisting and flipping--but some how he was able to wrestle it down back on all fours just before the white flag. He salvaged a fourth place finish.
Saturday, Rick started on the front row beside Mark Jenkins for the rolling 2-by-2 start and quickly took the hole shot for the lead. He led the first 4 laps but caught a rut on the hairpin turn going into the infield section of the track. The spin cost him two positions, landing him in third at the competition caution.
At the restart, Steve Barlow went hard on the inside of Rick making contact and shuffling him back losing two positions. He powered ahead to reclaim the third spot. Barlow eventually barrel rolled behind him bringing out a race stopping Red Flag. When racing got underway once again, Huseman was finally able to catch up to Scott Douglas and worked hard to make the pass, making several inside and outside moves but ran out of time and had to settle for the third place finish, giving him his fifth podium out of six races.
"I'm just makin' it wild for the fans," Husman said with a chuckle on the podium. "We had a problem with the front-end due to some of the contact, but that's just part of racing."
Huseman will regroup and head back to Bark River, MI for rounds 7 and 8 on August 14-15th to try to reclaim the points lead. Reruns of the race can be seen on TORCseries.com. Visit RickHusemanRacing.com for the latest news and photos.
^TOP^TORC BARK RIVER, MI | ROUNDS 3 & 4
Monster Energy's Rick Huseman Looks Strong in Tough Battle at Bark River Intl Raceway, Takes Runner Up Podium in Round 3, Falls Victim to Mayhem in Round 4
Riverside, CA (July 12, 2010)--Rick Huseman and his family-team made the long trip from Riverside, CA, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to continue his winning ways in pursuit of a double championship season. Rick would walk away from the Traxxas TORC Series rounds 3 and 4 having mixed feelings knowing that it could have been better, but it could have also been a lot worse. He took a close second place podium spot in the Saturday race, just behind Johnny Greaves for another one-two punch for Monster Energy, Toyota, and BFG. On Sunday, he would battle all the way back to the second place position from lap one mayhem, only to have to pull out of the race with just a few laps to go--succumbing to mechanical problems.
The mile-and-a-half Bark River International Raceway track is a make or break track: with big jumps, rhythm sections and plenty of places to pass. It is also a place that can create a lot of havoc and will test the patience and skill of even the best drivers.
Rick started the race on Saturday on the second row for the rolling start. Rick made it through the turn one hole shot in good shape and within a lap-and-a-half, moved into the second position behind the number 22 Toyota of Johnny Greaves. Johnny and Rick pulled out, way ahead of the rest of the field. At one point, Rick caught a rut and swerved through the swampy ravine on the infield of Cemetery Corner. He was miraculously able to recover without loosing any positions.
Rick saw his opportunity to pass Greaves at the restart following the mandatory caution. Greaves got the hole shot but Rick stuck the nose of his Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota on the inside of the Greaves machine but Johnny was able to win the battle.
"I think I was lost in the woods," said Huseman on the podium after finishing in second place. "I am really lucky to be on the podium. I thought I had lost it there for a second. But, my BFG's were hooking up good--I guess Johnny's were too--and we were able to land here on the podium and represent Monster Energy, Toyota and BFG and Traxxas."
Sunday's race was not as easy. Rick started once again on the second row. He chose the outside line into the turn one horseshoe which put him on the inside of the AMSOIL turn where the mayhem began to happen. He got pushed hard into the berm which turned him sideways into traffic, where the oncoming machine of Mike Jenkins basically ran over the front of Huseman's Toyota.
Amazingly, Rick was able to re-fire the Toyota and get back into the race. While Johnny Greaves was once again pulling away from the field, other drivers were dropping out of the race. By lap three, Rick had made his way back into the top four, in good position to make another charge at the competition caution.
At the restart, it was a Monster move for Huseman, picking off two spots. This time, the outside line in turn one, swinging to the inside line worked well for Rick. It looked like it was going to be another Huseman/Greave dual to the finish. Rick hit the Monster Energy jump, sometimes landing more than 160 feet down the track. Rick broke the track jump record last year with a 200 foot landing!
It would not be Huseman's day however. By lap seven, the damage from the lap one incident took its toll on the truck and he had to pull off the track with mechanical problems.
Rick said, "We really worked hard to get ourselves back into the race after the incident in turn two. I was able to work my way back up to second and I thought I had something for Johnny at the caution. But it just wasn't to be."
Huseman will regroup and head to Oshkosh for the next rounds of racing on July 24-25th. Reruns of the race can be seen on TORCseries.com. Visit RickHusemanRacing.com for the latest news and photos.
^TOP^LOORRS TOOELE, UT | ROUNDS 7 & 8
Another Sweep, Huseman Takes Rounds 7-8 in LOORRS, Leads Points Standings in Two Series for Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG
Riverside, CA (June 29, 2010)--Rick Huseman finished up an impressive one-two punch in the Traxxas TORC Series in Crandon, WI, and headed for Utah to run in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT, located just outside of Salt Lake City.
This was the first LOORS race at the beautiful Miller Motorsports park which meant it would mean the team that figured out the track first would have the advantage. Rick Huseman once again demonstrated his skill as a driver by adding yet another sweep to the young 2010 off-road racing season by taking both rounds of racing—putting him atop the points standings in both the Lucas series and Traxxas TORC Series.
Saturday's round 7 action added another veteran and fierce competitor to the mix, Rob MacCachren, who took the wheel of a Pro 4 Unlimited for the first time this season. Huseman started in the back of the field and had to work his way through a lot of traffic, spins and crashes early in the race. But he maneuvered through it all and by lap two, he found himself in the third spot with Rob MacCachren in the lead.
By the competition caution, Huseman was already on the bumper of MacCachren. With a great restart, Huseman, shot ahead to take the lead. Carl Renezeder also had a great restart, moving all the way from fifth to second to pressure Huseman for the lead. Carl tried several times to get around Huseman but Rick was able to pull away. Renezeder caught fire on the last lap and had to pull out of the race. Huseman took the checkered flag adding his fifth win in seven races in the Lucas series. He would also take the fastest lap time during the race turning in a 1:03.824 lap time. Fellow TORC driver Rob MacCachren would finish second.
"There were a lot of battles out there today," said a exhausted Rick Huseman following his victory. "I really had to drive my butt off out there. We are leading in the points in both series 'knock-on-wood', so it's a tough battle every time we hit the track."
In Sunday's race, Rick Huseman would start on the third row with the inversion in effect. But, before the end of lap one he had put is Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG on point and would never look back, stretching his lead to several seconds by the competition caution, which would bunch all the racers back together.
Kyle LeDuc began the attack on Huseman at the restart setting up a thrilling battle between the two. On the last lap, LeDuc bicycled his machine loosing some ground to Huseman. On the final turn, LeDuc crashed hard into the rear of Husman causing Rick to almost spin and hit the k-rail. The two went side-by-side but Huseman's BFG's and Toyota/TRD powerplant hooked up to win the drag race to the finish line in dramatic fashion to complete the Pro 4 Unlimited weekend sweep.
Next up for Rick Huseman Racing is the Traxxas TORC Series rounds 3 and 4 in Bark River, MI, on July 10-11th. It can be seen on the internet via USAC's live video streaming on TORCseries.com.
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TORC CRANDON, WI | ROUNDS 1 & 2
Huseman Continues 'Monster' Streak, Goes 1 and 2 in PRO 4X4 Traxxas TORC Series Season Opener in Crandon for Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG
Riverside, CA (June 22, 2010)--Rick Huseman Racing headed to the Traxxas TORC Series season opener in Crandon, WI, carrying a lot of momentum having already claimed multiple off-road wins thus far this year. As usual, thousands of off-road fans converged on the "Big House" in Crandon this past Father's Day weekend to see the best short-course off-road racers take on one of the most exciting and challenging tracks in the country.
Huseman continued his winning streak by winning Round 2 and came in a close second to fellow Monster Energy/ Toyota/ BFG teammate Johnny Greaves in round 1. Along with his win, Rick took 2 Oakley Bomb Awards presented by Oakley Watches for the fastest lap. He also broke the track record in the process which was previously held by non other than the man himself… Rick Huseman. He also received the Power Pass Award, the award given after each round for the pass of the race. Rick advanced from fourth position to the lead in only two corners on the restart after the competition caution during Sunday's race.
Saturday Rick lined up his number 36 BFG clad Toyota Tundra 4X4 in the number 2 position alongside fellow Johnny Greaves on the pole. The famed land rush start forced competitors to converge on the turn-1 hole shot at speeds around 100 mph! When the dust settled, Rick found himself at the back of the field and a lot of ground to make up. But Rick made quick work of the field and wound up in the 4th position by the end of the first lap on the 1.5 mile track.
On lap 3, Huseman drove the Traxxas Toyota in hard in the gravel pit turn making slight contact with the 3rd place running Scott Douglas. The BFG's hooked up and shot Rick past to begin work on the machine of Steve Barlow. With Johnny Greaves way out in front, it meant Rick would need to be in a good position for a good restart at the competition caution. He worked hard to get around Barlow and made the pass in the gravel pit just before the halfway point caution.
At the restart, Rick made a run on Johnny but was unable to make the pass. With Douglas and Barlow trading licks behind them, Rick and Johnny checked-out and battled throughout the remaining laps. With one last attempt to pass Johnny on the final turn known as Calamity Corner, Rick ducked inside of Johnny but he fell just short of the win.
"That was some great racing! Johnny and I both had everything working. I just ran out of time," said Huseman.
On Sunday, the tables turned somewhat. Scott Douglas was leading the field up to the mandatory caution followed by Steve Barlow, Johnny Greaves and Huseman. At the restart, Douglas suddenly slowed causing Barlow to rear-end him. Barlow swung to the outside to get around Douglas getting into Johnny who had also taken the outside line. Rick took advantage of the situation and shot past Douglas, Greaves and Barlow to claim the first Power Pass Award. He went on to win the race and claimed the top spot in the points standings. He now sits atop the standing in both the TORC series and Lucas series.
"It is a tall order, but it would be great to when championship in two series in the same year. I'm not sure if that has ever been done before," said Huseman on his way to Utah to compete in the Lucas race this coming weekend.
Rick Huseman racing will bring the Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota back to the Midwest for rounds 3 and 4 of the Traxxas TORC Series. The race is scheduled for July 10-11th at Bark River International Off-road Raceway in Bark River, MI, and can be seen live on the internet at TORCseries.com.
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LOORRS LES VEGAS, NV | ROUNDS 5 & 6
Rick Huseman Returns to Vegas with a Vengeance, Remains Atop Points Standings in Lucas Oil Series Pro 4 Unlimited for Monster Energy, Traxxas, Toyota, BFG
Riverside, CA (May 25, 2010)--Rick Huseman continues to set the off-road racing world on fire by taking a 2nd place on Saturday and a 1st place on Sunday in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS). This was the second race at the new off-road track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway held on May 22-23, 2010.After sweeping rounds 3 and 4 in Surprise, AZ, Rick was looking to continue the momentum for Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG at the Vegas track.
The Toyotas of Rick Huseman and Johnny Greaves started Saturday's race on the front row after qualifying 2nd and 3rd (Carl Renezeder won the pole but had to go to the rear of the pack due to some mechanical issues just before the green flag) in front of a field of 14.
When the green flag fell, Rick got the whole shot followed closely by teammate Johnny Greaves. By lap 3, Rick had checked out to a huge lead. At the competition caution, Huseman was still on point with the likes of Adrian Cenni, Travis Coyne, Johnny Greaves but a hungry Carl Renezeder lurking in the 6th position. Cenni out jumped Rick at the green flag to take the lead while Renezeder moved up quickly to the 3rd spot leaving the three veterans to duke it out for the lead.As the laps wound down, Rick made a great move to get around Cenni who pushed hard to retain the lead. As a result, the two got together and swerved off the track sending Renezeder to the lead. Huseman recovered quickly and was able to take the second spot at the checkered flag.
Sunday, Round 6 found Rick Huseman pulling the fastest qualifying time to capture another pole position but started on the 3rd row due to the inversion.
The top five trucks changed positions throughout the first half of the race with a lot of fender banging and carnage going on behind them. At the mandatory caution, Rick Huseman settled in to the 3rd position behind Renezeder in 2nd and fellow Monster Energy driver Johnny Greaves in the lead.Greaves eventually had to pull out of the race due to steering problems allowing Renezeder to take the lead. Rick was pushed to the outside of the track trying to avoid the ill handling Greaves truck, Adrian Cenni went to the inside of both Toyotas and managed to pass Huseman and it looked like the race would end that way. Renezeder and Cenni were running in 1st and 2nd with Huseman in a close 3rd on the white flag lap. When Renezeder slowed due to mechanical problems, Cenni crashed into him and the two became tangled together allowing Huseman to shoot by into 1st place and take the win in dramatic fashion!
"That was an incredible finish!" said an excited Huseman. "I was hoping for one more opportunity to get around Cenni and possibly Carl. Their bad luck became my good luck when those two got together. I want to express my appreciation to Mike Jenkins and Traxxas for stepping up and helping me get to this Lucas race. All the sponsors make it possible to have a competitive team and we do our best to put them on the podium each race."Rick is preparing to start the Traxxas TORC Series season on June 19th-20th in Crandon, Wisconsin, and shoot for a two-series championship!
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LOORRS SURPRISE, AZ | ROUNDS 3 & 4
No Surprise in Surprise--Rick Huseman Sweeps Lucas Oil Series Unlimited-4, Rounds 3 and 4 for Monster Energy, Traxxas, Toyota, BFG
Riverside, CA (April 20, 2010)--Rick Huseman continued his romp through the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) by taking back-to-back wins in rounds 3 and 4 at Speedworld Off Road Park in Surprise, AZ, this past weekend. The Speedworld track had been reconfigured with huge jumps and table-tops, whoops and rhythm sections, and long straight-aways that allowed the drivers to wind-out their 800 HP trucks and produce some exciting racing for the capacity crowd. Huseman's Toyota/TRD power plant, DirtLogic shocks and BFG's were up to the challenge, putting him on the podium for his 31st and 32nd career wins.Rick knew he had a fast Toyota Tundra when he qualified a close second in a field of 13 Unlimited-4 (U4) trucks, but with the 8-truck inversion, he would have to pass a lot of trucks to get to the front in the Saturday race which featured heavy contact, flips and crashes. In fact, Rick was spun out early in the race that put him at the rear of the pack.
Huseman said, "I was really bummed at first when we got spun out but I tried not to panic. I knew the truck was fast today and felt like we could get back to the front. It was really muddy at the beginning of the race but the track dried out and our BFG's started hooking up real good and got us back in the hunt."Rick was eventually able to drive his #36 Monster Energy/Traxxas Toyota back into the top five with fellow Monster driver Johnny Greaves who lead most of the first half of the race. At the competition caution, Johnny developed a flat that would ultimately take him out of contention. Carl Renezender and Kyle LeDuc were battling for second when Rick pulled a slick inside move to pass both Carl and Kyle. Greaves' right-rear finally gave out allowing Rick to take the lead. Carl also developed a mechanical problem setting up a battle between Kyle and Rick in a rematch of round 1. Huseman held him off to take the top podium spot.
In Sunday's round-4 action, Rick Huseman was the fastest qualifier putting his Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG on the pole. The inversion put him on row 3 for the start. There was tough going in the first few laps with Rick hanging around the 7th spot. He was able to maintain his smooth style though and worked his way into the top-3 before the mandatory caution at the midway point.
Rick battled hard with veterans Johnny Greaves, Carl Renezender for the second spot behind Kyle LeDuc who lead most of the race. When the green flag fell, after the competition caution, Rick found himself in second behind Kyle LeDuc. Kyle took a wild roll in turn 2 taking him out of the race. Carl was closing in on Rick but also lost control and nearly crashed, giving Huseman smooth sailing to the end of the race lifting him his third win of the 2010 off-road racing season.
"We are so fortunate to have Monster and Traxxas and Toyota, BFG, Oakley and all our great sponsors' support in our racing program," said an elated Huseman. "They have allowed us to put a great program together and we work very hard to not disappoint them and give them some great exposure. Winning is the icing on the cake!"
LOORRS LAS VEGAS, NV | ROUNDS 1 &2
Last Minute to the Track, First to the Line - Rick Huseman Goes Wire-to-Wire for First 2010 Win in Lucas Oil Series Season Opener for Monster Energy, Traxxas, Toyota, BFG
Riverside, CA (March 8, 2010)--Still riding high from his 2009 TORC Series championship run, Rick Huseman and his team were looking forward to getting the 2010 season underway. Many of the TORC drivers and their sponsors made last minute decisions to race in the Lucas Oil Off Road Series' (LOORS) season opener, Rick also got the ok on Tuesday and made the trip from Riverside to the new off-road track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. With the "cream-of-the-crop" TORC drivers joining the LOORS drivers for the weekend, it looked almost like a CORR race with old rivalries being renewed.
The new eight turn short-course track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was very tight, technical and allowed very little room to pass. A field of 17-Unlimited 4 (U4) trucks took to the track for Saturday's round 1 to kick-off the season. Even though Rick had not driven his Toyota Tundra, now shod with BFGoodrich tires, since the TORC race in Vegas, he managed to qualify first on Friday. The 4-truck inversion put Huseman on the second row in his LOORS debut.
The top drivers basically checked out from the rest of the field with Scott Douglas and fellow Monster Energy driver, Johnny Greaves, battling for the top spot. Johnny would end up breaking late in the race and was unable to finish. Rick would have easily made it to the podium had he not suffered a late flat allowing Kyle LeDuc, Curt LeDuc and Carl Renezender to pass him. He still managed a 5th place finish out of 17.
Sunday's qualifying was canceled due to weather. LOORS officials drew numbers and inverted the first 3 rows of the finishing order from the Saturday race. This put Huseman's Monster Energy/ Traxxas/ Toyota/ BFG on the front row. When the green flag flew, Rick checked out and went wire-to-wire for his first win of the 2010 off-road racing season.
"We are now running BFG's," said the 2009 TORC series champion, Rick Huseman. "They really worked great for us all weekend. We were very happy with our weekend since we didn't know we were racing until the Tuesday before the race. I hadn't driven the truck since last Vegas with TORC. It is great to get back behind the wheel though and get things going. We are looking forward to another great year of racing whether it be with Lucas or TORC."
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2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series
2010 Traxxas TORC Series