LOORS: Rodrigo Ampudia Las Vegas event summary

Another Podium Finish For Rodrigo Ampudia At LOORS Racing In Las Vegas

They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but it is hard to keep a secret when your driving is on display in front of bleachers full cheering of fans. This was the situation that Papas & Beer Racing's Rodrigo Ampudia found himself in as the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORS) returned to Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend. In four previous LOORS races in Las Vegas this season, Ampudia had already compiled an impressive list of accomplishments that included a second place and two third place finishes in LOORS premier Pro2 Unlimited class. Starting on the front row on Saturday's race in the 800 horsepower No. 36 Lucas Oil/Papas & Beer Ford, Rodrigo was well positioned for more success. True to form, Rodrigo ran a clean race and ran towards the front of the pack for much of the race. Unlike the eager gamblers who frequent the Vegas Strip, Rodrigo was patiently waiting for his opportunity to strike, but the leaders never made a mistake that he could capitalize on. When the checkers came out Papas & Beer Racing had added another podium finish to their resume, finishing in third place just seven seconds behind the winner.

Sunday's race, the grand finale of the weekend, was full of carnage, and Rodrigo was not immune. The race was off to a rough start when the No. 36 Lucas Oil/Papas & Beer Ford got into the wall on the first lap, damaging the steering system in the process. Ampudia persevered though and was running towards the front of the 17 truck field through the competition yellow at the mid-point of the race, but shortly thereafter he was sandwiched between Robby Woods and Bryce Menzies, pushing him back to fifth place. The talented young Ensenada native was battling with Robert Naughton for fourth when Naughton hit him in mid-air, causing the No. 36 Lucas Oil/Papas & Beer Ford to roll upon its return to earth. Jeff Seifert then inadvertently plowed into Ampudia and a small fire ensued. While this ended his day of racing, fortunately no injuries occurred.

The next stop for Rodrigo Ampudia is the famed Baja 1000 in just two short weeks, as he teams with Vildosola Racing behind the wheel of their Red Bull-sponsored Trophy Truck in search of an overall win. Sitting fourth in LOORS season points in the premier Pro2 Unlimited class, Rodrigo intends to make a big finish at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, where the brand new track should level the playing field and showcase Rodrigo's natural talent. Scheduled on December 11-12 as the final round of racing, series champions will be crowned and the $30,000 Lucas Oil Off Road Cup will be up for grabs.

-source: www.papasracing.com