TORC: Barlow Motorsports Chicagoland summary

Originally-From: tkaho@kahomedia.com

RICKY JOHNSON REGAINS PRO 2WD POINTS LEAD
4 PODIUMS FOR BARLOW MOTORSPORTS IN CHICAGO

Chicago, Illinois-BMS Red Bull Off-Road driver Ricky Johnson made it quite clear how much he wants the 2010 TRAXXAS TORC Series presented by AMSOIL PRO 2WD championship with back-to-back wins at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago. The dominant performance moves Johnson back into the PRO 2WD points lead with two races to go in Crandon, Wisconsin. Ricky is now 3-points ahead of Rob MacCachren.

The number 48 Red Bull Bosch Power Tools F-150 was the fastest two-wheel- drive truck on the technical Route 66 track. Johnson won the Oakley Bomb Run award for the fastest lap in both round 9 and round 10. That speed allowed Ricky to lead the races at the mandatory caution both nights, picking up four additional bonus points. Johnson now has four wins this season, with a total of seven trips to the winner's circle podium.

PRO 4X4 driver Steve Barlow continued to the podium streak with two top three finishes in Chicago as well. After qualifying third, Barlow started on the inside of row two in round 9. He was bumped back to forth on lap two by a very aggressive Rick Huseman. On the mandatory yellow restart, Steve moved up to third, but race traffic allowed Curt LeDuc to slip past a few laps later. After another yellow, Barlow regained the position and held it all the way to the finish.

In round 10, Barlow's number 83 Red Bull Bosch Power Tools F-150 was jostled back to fifth during the first lap mayhem, then sixth on lap two. On the restart following the mandatory yellow Steve worked his way up to fourth, then into third two laps later. Barlow charged hard to the finish line and it looked like he would pass Scott Douglas for second. In the final turn where the track turns hard left back onto the oval, Barlow got a run on the outside and pulled next to Douglas. Both trucks were swapping back and forth through the bumpy rhythm section and Steve was spun backward onto the oval. While still rolling backward, Steve slammed the truck into reverse, spun the wheel and looped back around in a perfectly executed "bootleg" turn. He stood back on the gas and crossed the stripe without loosing position. The crowd loved it. Barlow Motorsports was four-for-four on the podium in Chicago as Steve Barlow made his fifth podium appearance of the season.

The TRAXXAS TORC Series heads to Crandon, Wisconsin Labor Day weekend for the final two races of the season. Be sure to catch the first airing of the TORC Series on Discovery HD Theater September 2nd at 8:00 pm.

-source: barlow motorsports