Off Road

The Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich sponsored duo of Johnny Greaves and Jeremy McGrath arrived to the track with one goal in mind and that was to continue charging for the series championship in both the Pro4WD and Pro2WD divisions.

Combined, the Greaves-McGrath race team has garnered 10 podium finishes so far this season, with six races left to determine the series championship. Both racers are positioned to rally for the series championship trophies. Early Friday, the two off road champions spent serious time on the track evaluating the recent changes made to the 1.5-mile racetrack prior to the afternoon practice where the two drivers proved that both Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich race trucks were dialed in and very fast.

Fans lined up in front of the Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich PIT ZONE in search of posters and autographs from both drivers who stayed until the last fan received special attention. That was about the time that Greaves and McGrath suited up for Saturday's racing extravaganza.

Throughout the day, TORC race officials tracked moving masses of unstable weather threatening the region, but once the Pro 2WD's took to the track, everyone in the stadium focused on the door-to-door truck racing action. The wild and exciting battles surprised no one, as the field charged the first turn all following the #2 Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich Pro2WD driven by Jeremy McGrath. Lap after lap, McGrath's BFGoodrich Tires churned up tight lines that were powered by the awesome Toyota TRD power plant, allowing him to run wild in the front of the pack.

McGrath led the majority of the race, but with only a few laps to go, McGrath was hampered by a fogging face shield. "The #2 Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich Pro2WD was excellent today. The team gave me a great truck and I felt that we ran solid, but my helmet shield was fogging up really bad and I just couldn't see during the last couple laps of the race. I held off Ricky as long as I could, but I ended up having to deal with the inability to see forward and a couple trucks got by me," said the upbeat McGrath.

The #2 Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich Pro2WD racer finished the race in third place on the podium and set the fastest lap time of the race, earning the exclusive OAKLEY Bomb Award for the first time this season.

Greaves rolled onto the racetrack in his #22 Monster Energy/ Toyota/ Potawatomi/ BFGoodrich Pro4WD starting from the third row after the mandatory inversion. As the green flag dropped, Greaves worked his magic on the track and by the time the mandatory yellow caution flag waived at the halfway point, Greaves was in second place. As the race restarted, fan favorite Johnny Greaves, charged on the lead truck when the unthinkable occurred and he suffered a mechanical failure that sidelined him in the final laps of the race. Greaves ended up the day in 7th position overall.

Greaves explained, "We've been consistent all season long and we really had a great performing truck. I was patient and was waiting for the right time to make a move, but we were struck with the bad luck stick today. Unfortunately, it's all part of racing."

Sunday was another day and another race as Mother Nature cooperated with the weather and track conditions were spectacular. There was an intense buzz among the thousands of fans that came out for another wild day of off-road racing and they lined up in front of the Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich PIT ZONE.

As race time approached, Jeremy "SHOWTIME" McGrath strapped himself into his MasterCraft race seat and prepared for yet another battle of the nation's top off road warriors. As the Pro2WD race kicked into high gear, so did McGrath, as he waged war while starting from the second row. The #2 Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich Pro2WD was making strides and running in the top three when he was forced to brake hard to avoid massive carnage in the final turn before the start-finish line. McGrath was shuffled to the back of the pack, but that didn't dissuade the 7-time Supercross Champion from rebounding and focusing on the task at hand. In short order, he climbed back to a top five position when he was bombarded with some massive sized rocks and chunks of dirt that broke loose the windshield rock guard from its mounted position in front of the steering wheel.

"All systems were go and the #2 Monster Energy/ Toyota/ Potawatomi/ BFGoodrich Pro2WD was working perfectly. Then all of a sudden I was bombed by the roosts from two trucks that broke off the front window rock guard and left it wrapped around the steering wheel of the truck. I was left with this metal rock guard tangled around the steering wheel. By the time I got the rock guard untangled, I was in the back of the pack. The truck was good all weekend long, we had a couple unfortunate circumstances that didn't go our way this weekend. We're racing in the front with the leaders at every race and we are close, very close. We are headed to the 40th Anniversary at Crandon International Raceway with the #2 Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich Pro2WD and I'm feeling confident that we'll be right there in the front vying for the top spot in Rounds 11-12.

In Sunday's Round 10, Johnny Greaves lined up side-by-side with the #7 Amsoil Pro4WD of Scott Douglas in the second row. It didn't take long for Greaves to assess the situation of the top two race trucks as they used each other as moving bumpers while racing down the track. After two laps and the field of Pro4WD trucks opened up some space, Greaves dueled with the likes of Kyle LeDuc, Rick Huseman and Steve Barlow. However, after the mandatory yellow caution flag, Greaves mashed the right foot pedal of the #22 Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/ BFGoodrich Pro 4WD in search of victory. Johnny flew around Steve Barlow before setting his sights on his Monster Energy teammate, Rick Huseman. Fans cheered on the #22 black and green race truck and gasped when Greaves put the truck onto two wheels for a short moment. However, in true Greaves fashion, the slight deviation didn't stop him from attacking the track and forging to the front of the pack.

And although he didn't win, when the checkered flag dropped, Greaves earned his sixth podium thus far in the 2009 TRAXXAS TORC Series.

Greaves said, "The season is far from over. One of our goals for the 2009 season was to be in contention for the season championship and the #22 Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/ BFGoodrich Pro4WD is sitting in third place in the overall point's race. The truck was running strong today and we had some great laps. The Toyota TRD engine package combined with the Xtrac transmission continues to perform under the most difficult off road conditions you can imagine. It's basically 15 minutes of mayhem! BFGoodrich Tires continually work side-by-side with us in tire wear, tire development and race support. We've got a long list of race team sponsors and supporters who all make this possible and we couldn't do it without them. We're going to Crandon to win big at the 40th Anniversary weekend. With six races left in the season, we’re in a pretty good position right now."

After 10 rounds of the 2009 TORC Series, Jeremy McGrath maintains a top five position in the Pro2WD overall championship point's race with a total of 171 points, while teammate Johnny Greaves sits in third place overall with a 199 points in the Pro4WD class.

Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich sponsored Johnny Greaves Motorsports returns to racing action in the 2009 TRAXXAS TORC Series on September 5-6, 2009 for Rounds 11-12 in Crandon International Raceway in Crandon, Wisconsin. Crandon International Raceway is celebrating its 40th Anniversary of off road racing over the weeklong festival beginning on August 31 through September 6, 2009. Visit www.crandonoffroad.com for all the details.

The 2009 TRAXXAS TORC Series Rounds 9-10 will be broadcasted on ESPN2 on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 11:30 a.m. for a 90-minute television special. Check your local listings for broadcast times near you and visit www.torcseries.com for additional information.