TORC: Crandon Int'l Off-Road Raceway news 2009-06-15

"TORC Racers Head for the Big House"
Off-Road's Top Female Star Opens '09 Campaign during Historic Crandon Stop

CRANDON, Wis. -- Can anybody stop Ricky Johnson? Legendary moto-x racer turned off-road racer Johnson returns to off-road racing's biggest stage -- Crandon International Off-Road Raceway -- this coming June 20-21 for the annual Brush Run Races after an 11-year absence and he is riding high.

Joining Johnson on track in the Pro 2WD class is the country's number one female star -- Rhonda Konitzer. The immensely popular racer from Oconto Fall, Wis., debuts her 2009 race truck at Crandon. Konitzer has the only pro short course podium finishes by any female and she is seeking an elusive first place win in front of a host of fans and the ESPN2 cameras.

Johnson has three wins in four rounds of Traxxas Off-Road Championship Series presented by AMSOIL (TORC) racing this season and a 22-point bulge in the point standings. Behind Johnson is a group of all-star racers locked in a battle for 2nd seeking to halt Johnson's winning ways.

The group includes defending BorgWarner Shootout champion Scott Taylor, Rob MacCachren, moto-x superstar turned TORC racer Jeremy McGrath, Todd LeDuc and more, while defending Midwest Series champion Dan Vanden Heuvel is sticking his own front end into the race."So far it has been a dream season for the Red Bull team," said Steve Barlow, Johnson's stable-mate who drives a Red Bull Kumho Ford F150 in the Pro 4x4 class. b^0x001cBut the proof is in the pudding and that comes down to one thing, one track -- and that is Crandon Raceway -- the Big House," said Barlow.TORC will bring all the super stars of off-road racing to Crandon this season -- the 40th anniversary at the track. "If you like big-time off-road racing -- and you like autographs, Crandon is the place to be," said Cliff Flannery, track president. "All the young guns of off-road racing, all the well-known super stars will be in town June 20-21," he said. "Bring a lot of pens and markers," he said. "From Ricky to Rhonda, Mason to MacCachren, Frana to Fortin, you can meet them all."Johnson last raced and won at Crandon in 1998. Both Red Bull Off-Road Team racers, who reside in California, have also entered the 16th annual Potawatomi Chairman's Cup race

Crandon opens the season June 20-21. The track will hold its 9th annual Fan Appreciation Drawing Saturday at 11 a.m. sharp, with one lucky fan winning $1,000. Besides TORC Pro and Sportsman racing, the track will feature the Mole Lake Casino Stock Cup Race early Saturday afternoon.JThe weekend concludes with Sunday's 16th annual Forest County Potawatomi Chairman's Cup Race. Weekend tickets are just $30.

-credit: cir