NASCAR Truck racer Matt Crafton’s about to go airborne @ TORC Series’ Chicago round!
Posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Crafton’s view of Chicagoland Speedway changes drastically as he puts his foot into a 900-horsepower TORC PRO 2 truck sponsored by Nitro Circus
• TORC’s PRO 2WD class @ Chicagoland Speedway just got a LOT more interesting with Matt Crafton & Travis Pastrana showing up!
JOILET, Ill., (July 17, 2012) – Veteran racer Matt Crafton (ThorSport/Menards) will trade the high banks of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the dirt jumps, bumps & berms of the Traxxas TORC Series, presented by AMSOIL, when the nation’s premier short course off-road racing series comes to Chicagoland Speedway’s Route 66 Raceway, this Thurs. & Fri., July 19-20.
A former NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series overall champion (2000) and current holder of NASCAR Trucks’ longest-running racer/sponsor relationship and 2nd place overall race longevity streak with more than 270 consecutive starts – and counting – Crafton will run a Nitro Circus-sponsored (courtesy of his buddy, Travis Pastrana) TORC Series PRO 2WD truck in Chicago this week.
“Matt is going to have a flat out blast driving a Traxxas TORC PRO 2 truck this week in Chicago,” said Kevin Miller, President of TORC/USAC. “From go-karts to midgets and mini sprints – right up to his current NASCAR Truck – Matt will have to tap on every last inch of his driving talents to put the Nitro Circus PRO 2 truck up on the box.
“And not only will Matt have defending TORC PRO 2 champ Bryce Menzies, current PRO 2 points leader Chad Hord and fast-running newcomer CJ Greaves to deal with at Chicago, he’ll also have Pastrana to deal with as well.”
Two nights of racing action under the lights at Route 66 Raceway’s dirt oval feature four PRO classes (three truck, one buggy) in the fastest, most punishing short course truck racing series on the planet. TORC features legendary off-road heavyweights in defending TORC PRO 4x4 class champion and five-time AMA Motocross champion Ricky Johnson battling former class champion Johnny Greaves from nearby Green Bay, Wisc. A series of bodywork-tearing, truck-flipping battles throughout the three-hour race program, TORC racing at Route 66 Raceway’s dirt oval will again have the massive crowd on their feet hollering at the non-stop action!
What: Traxxas TORC Series, presented by AMSOIL – short course off-road truck racing – the world’s premier Baja-style off-road racing in a stadium setting! Who: Off-road racers from Baja to the Wisconsin northwoods, the TORC Series showcases champion drivers like Ricky Johnson, Johnny Greaves, Rob MacCachren, Mike & Mark Jenkins, Scott Douglas, Bryce Menzies, CJ Greaves, Andrew Caddell, Travis Pastrana and Illinois’ own Scott Taylor (Belvidere). Where: Chicagoland Speedway’s Route 66 Raceway’s dirt oval When: Thursday and Friday, July 19 & 20 Time: Gates open at 2 p.m., qualifying begins at 4 p.m., main event opening ceremonies begin at 7 p.m. Tickets: $20 for adults, $10 for kids 12 and under. Media contacts: Patrick Kenny, Chicagoland Speedway/Route 66 Raceway, Senior Manager, Communications, pkenny@chicagolandspeedway.com and Patrick Schutte, TORC Series PR Director, pat@highprofilepr.com
Bridging the gap between action sport and motorsports, TORC Series short course off-road truck racing delivers an edge that’ll certainly win over the Demolition Derby, NASCAR and NHRA fans at Chicagoland Speedway/Route 66 Raceway. With radical jumps, stutter bumps and berms built into Chicagoland Speedway/Route 66 Raceway’s dirt oval, existing sprint car and late model fans need to get out and see what the heck’s happening on their hallowed grounds here in Joliet, Ill.!
For more information, please visit: www.torcseries.com
Photo: teammenard.com
About TORC
The Traxxas TORC Series, presented by AMSOIL, is the fastest, most punishing short course racing series on the planet! TORC events are packed with flag-to-flag fender banging as drivers push the limits over whoops and jump-filled natural terrain race tracks. Off-road racing fans come from far and wide to experience the most challenging form of high-octane competition. And once they taste TORC for the first time they’re hooked for life!