CORR: Team USA Lake Odessa sumamry

Team USA off road starts the 2005 CORR season

The Team USA Off Road team made it's way to Lake Odessa, MI. for the start of the 2005 Lucas Oil Pro Series sanctioned by Championship Off Road Racing. The C.O.R.R. Series is televised (Delayed) by Speed.

The two truck Pro2 team of Kevin Probst in the U.S. Army/Toyo Tire / Chevy and Larry Gourlie in the U.S. Marines/Toyo Tire /Chevy will campaign the full season as Team USA Off Road.

The team arrived at the I-96 Speedway on Thursday night and met at the track Friday morning at 7AM for setup. Kevin and Larry had to leave for an ESPN radio interview with Corr officials at 8:00am.

Kevin and Larry returned to the track and got ready for the afternoon practice session. All went well and both trucks were ready for Saturday's event.

The morning practice also went well for Kevin and Larry, with Kevin setting some of the fastest times in the session. The start of the first round in each CORR season is luck of the draw. Larry drew #1 and Kevin #2. Who would believe it!

At the green, Larry made it to the turn 1st with Kevin outside and Carl Renezeder inside. Kevin came away with the lead and Carl Second. The two came to a rough section of staggered jumps and both doubled them. No others could and the pace was set. Kevin and Carl led the way for several laps with Taylor in 3rd. Kevin came wide on lap 5 in turn one and Carl took advantage. Carl maintained the 1st spot for a couple more laps until the engine blew, relinquishing the lead to Kevin. The U.S.Army truck was maintaining a good pace and then a rock in the back section of the track took hold of a tire. The lead was good, but not enough to keep eventual winner Scott Taylor from stealing the win on lap 11. Kevin tried to keep the 2nd spot only to fall to 4th on the white flag lap. At the finish it was Taylor, Baldwin, Douglas and Kevin. Larry finished in 7th after struggling with steering issues. The on board camera will be a good visual for the Speed program and the U.S. Marines entry of Larry. The enthusiastic crowd gave Kevin a big applause leaving the track in appreciation of the effort to maintain the spots with only a wheel left on the right rear.

In the Pits, the TEAM USA Off Road transporter was the home to the Marines and Army recruiters. The track announcer let the crowd know about the raffles and free support our troops flags available in the pits. Kevin and Larry spent an hour or two signing autographs and giving away posters and flags.

Sunday's round 2 was ugly with early rains causing havoc on the mostly clay track. Larry finished 9th and Kevin 10th due to his last lap roll over. "I got impatient and clipped a tire trying to go around a lapper." Said Kevin, "I am 8th in Points 13 out of the lead, with a pole position start for round 3 in Antigo. We will take advantage of that situation." Our Toyo Tires are just the ticket for Antigo, and the hookup they provide will be the difference in the team's performance at the hard clay facility.

-www.teamusaoffroad.com