Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA

LOORS: Menzies Motorsports 2010 season review

MENZIES Motorsports DOMINATE 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Pro Championships LUCAS Oil Off Road Series CROWNS 'Menzies Motorsports' SUPER TEAM AWARD! LAS VEGAS, NV -- The final chapter of the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Series ended Monday ...

MENZIES Motorsports DOMINATE 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Pro Championships

LUCAS Oil Off Road Series CROWNS 'Menzies Motorsports' SUPER TEAM AWARD!

LAS VEGAS, NV -- The final chapter of the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Series ended Monday night at the Wild Horse Pass Resort, home of the Lucas Oil Series Awards Banquet, where Menzies Motorsports dominated the highlight reels, as well as the new race track at the Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona. The Menzies 'Super Team" arrived to the freshly groomed racetrack and unloaded their race vehicles with one goal in sight and that was to win championships.

Three out of the four Menzie Motorsports professional drivers were all in the hunt for what was expected to be a formidable challenge in attaining the championship hardware.

Not withstanding catastrophic failure, it was destined to be a celebratory weekend! By Monday night's Lucas Oil Off Road Series Award Banquet held at the Wild Horse Pass Resort, Menzies Motorsports earned two racing championships, a third overall points trophy and the entire team was crowned the 2010 Lucas Oil Series SUPER TEAM! "It's been an incredible weekend and a wonderful night. Just over four years ago, we decided to embark on this motorsports journey and we've come a long way. I've made a lot of friends over these four years and it's been a great ride. Our team has proven time and time again they are at the top of this game and I couldn't be any more proud," said the smiling Steve Menzies.

The action all started early Thursday afternoon as Lucas Oil race officials opened up the new racetrack for practice sessions and it didn't take long before the Menzies Motorsports racers were setting fast lap times. Justin Smith, Larry Job and Cameron Steele all were within reach of the season championship, but there was much work to be done before champions would be crowned.

Among a packed house of Arizona fans, Justin Smith drove the #319 Menzies Motorsports/Metal Mulisha Limited Single-Buggy to a third place podium finish, which put him in the championship spotlight among a huge class of ultra-competitive racers. Crossing the black and white waving checkered flags, Smith earned the first championship of his young off road racing career in the world-class Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. "It's very exciting to win my first championship and win it among the family that has backed me all season long. Racing for Steve, Terri and Bryce Menzies has been one of the best experiences in my life. They provided me with top-notch equipment and the best race support at the Lucas Oil Off Road Series. My crew chief, Pete Mortensen, worked tirelessly on my car all season long and we had to work through many peaks and valleys, but in the end, it was all worth it as we both earned our first season championships. The sponsors and the best equipment available made it possible for us to charge hard for this championship and I'm glad we could deliver."

In addition to earning the Limited Single Buggy Championship trophy, Justin Smith was recognized at Monday night's Lucas Oil Series Awards Banquet as the "Rookie of the Year" in the highly competitive Limited Single Buggy class.

Justin Smith is no stranger to the sport of off road racing, having been tutored by off road racing legend, Cameron Steele, since the young age of 13 years old. Smith grew up in the same seaside California town Steele is from, San Clemente, California. San Clemente has been a hotbed for developing action-sports athletes for more than 25 years, mixing in the surf, skate and adventure way of life into a quaint beach town.

The 40-something year old Cameron Steele, a well-renown action-sports television commentator, was whisked into the spotlight early in the season with terrific racing performances of his own while racing the #916 Menzies Motorsports/Bully Dog Unlimited Pro Buggy. Steele, a veteran desert racer, took full advantage of the opportunity given to him by Menzies Motorsports and earned his first-ever short course championship in the widely popular Unlimited Pro Buggy division. Steele and fellow Menzies Motorsports teammate, Larry Job, have been the stars of the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Series Unlimited Pro Buggy class. It was Las Vegas racer, Larry Job, who led the overall season point's race coming into this final race weekend of the season.

Cameron Steele's task at hand was nearly impossible as he had to earn the top qualifying position and win the race outright to beat teammate, Larry Job, on overall points. On Friday afternoon, after spending hour and hours walking the race track on foot while dissecting each and every turn, Steele took to the track and qualified in the top spot earning the extra points.

33 Unlimited Pro Buggy racers took to the track in 2010 and with one final race before crowning a champion, no one could predict what was about to happen. With a full field of the nation's top racers all battling for the top spot, the banging and bumping of the Pro Buggy race was exciting. By the halfway point of the race, Cameron Steele had worked his way around Bobby Pecoy to take the lead and add another point towards his championship run. With the drop of the green flag, Steele had to fight off a fast charge, from perhaps one of the most talented drivers in all of off road racing, Jerry Whelchel. Steele maintained his line and his speed crossing the finish line in the first position captivating the thousands of fans in attendance.

Afterwards Cameron Steele commented, "Wow, it's been a very long season and it all turned out for the best! Fortitude! We just never gave up and every time we hit the track, we had to work hard. Steve and his team are absolutely the best. They have supported me all season long and gave me a fantastic car. Winning at this level and having to come from behind to win puts an exclamation point on our season. Thanks to everyone in the Menzies Motorsports organization from sponsors to crew to our big extended family. It's been amazing."

Larry Job finished the season earning the second place trophy in the overall points championship right behind his teammate, Cameron Steele. Larry commented, "If I didn't win the championship, I was hoping for Cameron to win it. We've battled all season long and I'm glad my teammate won. It's been a sensational year."

With the championship hardware nestled beneath the awning of the Menzies Motorsports race haulers, the attention focused to the #7 Blanco Basura/Bully Dog Pro 2. Bryce Menzies charged from the start and worked his way through the field, falling just short of a podium finish claiming the fourth position. Over the course of the season, Bryce earned 9 top five finishes and 14 top ten finishes earning the third spot in the overall season ending point's race. In Sunday's Lucas Oil Challenge Cup race, which combines both Pro 4 and Pro 2 trucks and featured 26 race trucks, Bryce raced to the front of the field and held off everyone except Kyle LeDuc in the #99 Pro 4. Bryce earned the second place finish in the overall and earned the first place finish among Pro 2's.

Bryce later said, "It's been a great year and we've learned a lot. We've gained speed each and every race and that final Cup race demonstrates this truck can really go fast. We are really looking forward to a winning 2011 season."

-source: www.menziesmotorsports.com.

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article LOORS: Rob MacCachren Phoenix event summary
Next article LOORS: Team LeDuc Racing Phoenix event summary

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA