The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORS) brought short course racing to Utah’s Miller Motorsports Park, and as a result the Rockstar Energy Drink / Makita Tools Team LeDuc Racing brought home thousands of new fans from the Beehive State. Action kicked off on Friday, June 25 th with qualifying and roared into an action-packed weekend of racing under sunny blue skies. Todd LeDuc qualified 4th amongst 14 drivers for Round 7 of racing and started in the front row in the Pro 2 Unlimited class. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Todd pulled out to a comfortable lead in his Rockstar Energy Drink / Makita Tools Ford F-150 Pro 2 Unlimited.After the mandatory restart bunched up the field, Todd battled with Rodrigo Ampudia for the win in some of the most exciting racing of the season. Ampudia bicycled his truck through Turn 5 on the last lap, but was able to gather his truck and narrowly defeat Todd. “I was able to podium at the last race for new sponsor Jägermeister, and I was excited to do the same for the US Air Force here at Miller Motorsports Park,” Todd said following the race. The Air Force has signed up for a three-race sponsorship of Todd LeDuc, fitting given the amount of time his 800 horsepower Pro 2 Unlimited truck spends in the air.Todd’s brother, Kyle LeDuc, qualified 3 rd for Saturday’s racing, just a few spots ahead of his father Curt, who qualified 7th. Track conditions and traffic conspired against Kyle early on in Round 7, causing him to spin out early in the race. Never one to quit, Kyle was working his way back towards the front of the pack, but a flat tire forced him in to the hot pits, costing him valuable time. Kyle eventually finished 10th in his Rockstar Energy Drink / Makita Tools Ford F-150 Pro 4, just ahead of his father Curt. Sunday started with Kyle qualifying 3 rd and Curt qualifying 7th again, but that is where the similarities end. Kyle drove the No. 99 Rockstar / Makita Ford like a man possessed, running at the front of the pack for the entire race. He battled with Rick Huseman, the eventual winner, for the last seven laps, bringing the capacity crowd to its feet. “I actually ran the fast lap of the day,” Kyle explained. “I think that proves that I have what it takes to run with Rick (Huseman).” Curt LeDuc finished the race in 4 th place amongst 13 competitors, just three seconds short of reaching the podium.Todd LeDuc qualified 5th for Sunday’s racing action, putting him on the front row again. This time he started on the outside, but with a bit of patience he was able to take the lead and run comfortably up-front until the mandatory restart. Fuel delivery issues on the No. 8 truck caused a momentary lapse in concentration that cost Todd dearly, causing him to spin out and move back to 5 th place. Fortunately there was plenty of time left for Todd to work his magic, and his opportunity came on the same turn where Ampudia had bicycled his truck on the previous day. While the rest of the field was getting bunched up, Todd took the Rockstar Energy Drink / Makita Tools Ford F-150 high up the banked wall to move into 2nd place with one lap remaining. Pushing his Pro 2 Unlimited truck to the limit, Todd was barely trailing behind race leader, Rob MacCachren, but ran out of real estate and ultimately finished in second place for the second time in as many days.
With the season half way to completion, the “First Family” of short course racing is well poised to make a run at series championships in both the Pro 2 Unlimited and Pro 4 Unlimited classes. The next stop on the LOORS circuit for the Rockstar Energy Drink / Makita Tools Team LeDuc Racing will be at Glen Helen Raceway for the series’ only scheduled race in Southern California. Television coverage of the Lucas Oil Off Road Series racing action at Miller Motorsports Park will be broadcast on Speed and CBS networks. Check local listings for broadcast times.
Posts Tagged ‘Todd LeDuc’
Todd LeDuc Back on the Podium for Both Rounds of Racing in Utah.
Monday, July 5th, 2010
Todd LeDuc Makes the 3-Way Championship Battle – and Takes Home a Podium Finish in Perris, CA
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009The TORC Series returned to Perris Auto Speedway this past weekend for the second time this past weekend for the second time this season. Similarly to the previous race, temperatures reached above 100 degrees, but that didn’t slow down any of the racing action as the pros competed Friday and Saturday nights under the lights.
Todd LeDuc came into Perris second in the Pro 2WD points standings after a victorious weekend in Crandon, WI. Being second in points also means that Todd started Friday’s race in Perris on the third row, as the top six drivers in points are inverted for the two by two start.
Friday’s night action began with Todd starting in the fifth position, making Scott Taylor his first pass of the night on lap 3 of the 20 lap race. As leader Jeremy McGrath held off Ricky Johnson and Rob MacCachren, early in the race, Todd battled with Dan Vanden Heuvel to reach the front. After jumping table tops neck and neck with Dan, Todd finally on lap 14 passed Dan Vanden Heuval and charged after Jeremy McGrath, who had dropped to third. Todd was on the heels on Jeremy as the checked flag was waved, with Todd LeDuc finishing in the fourth place position. Rob MacCachren won the race with Ricky Johnson in second, and Jeremy McGrath in third.
With each race growing closer to the close of the TORC Series season, points standings and the championship are starting to weigh heavy on the racer’s minds. The pressure of the points could easily be seen on Saturday night’s Pro 2WD race as many of the drivers altered their driving styles, with varied results.
With Todd’s fourth place finish on Friday, he moved to third in the points, enabling him to start Saturday’s race on the second row. Once again Jeremy McGrath took the hole shot at the start of Round 14, but quickly found himself falling to the fifth position by the third lap with Todd LeDuc passing him for the fourth place spot. At the competition yellow Todd once again had to fend off a defensively driving Jeremy McGrath, who swapped positions with Todd a couple times before Todd quickly pulled away. Todd LeDuc said before the race, “I am going to have to be more aggressive and more demanding of my truck than ever before in order stay in this points chase”.
It seemed the pressure was getting to Ricky Johnson as Rob MacCachren passed him for the second place position on lap 11, and Todd LeDuc passing him on lap 12 for the third place spot. However, Ricky Johnson was not about to be passed up so easily. A battle ensued between Todd and Ricky for the remaining laps as Todd pushed his #3 Rockstar truck to the limits wheeling over the rhythm section to maintain optimum speed and the position.
The Saturday night crowd cheered wildly as the checkered flag was thrown with Rob MacCachren taking the win for the second time of the weekend, Dan Vanden Heuval placing second, and Todd LeDuc capturing the third place position.
The points standing are closer than ever with only nine points separating the top three drivers. Rob MacCachren has moved to first, with Ricky Johnson in second, and Todd LeDuc in third. The final two rounds of the TORC Series will take place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, October 23 and 24 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Intense racing action is guaranteed as these drivers will be bringing their best game to win the 2009 Traxxas TORC Series Championship.
Todd LeDuc is the Pro 2WD WORLD CHAMPION
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009Todd LeDuc Becomes Pro-2WD World Champion at Crandon Raceway!
Pro 2 World Champion
The highly anticipated 40th Anniversary of Crandon International Raceway kicked off over Labor Day weekend to an estimated crowd of nearly 40,000 fans. The live ABC broadcast of the competition not only added to the notoriety of the event, it also brought nation-wide attention to the “small town with big time racing.” With just three more races left (including Crandon) in the Off-Road Championship (TORC) Series, Rounds 11 and 12 brought all-out competitive action in the Pro 4×4 and Pro 2WD classes. Claiming victories in both the 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive classes, the Rockstar / Makita Team LeDuc rightfully earned their spot in the history books during this legendary anniversary race at the venue dubbed “The Big House.”
Saturday’s Round 11 Pro 2WD action found Todd LeDuc claiming the “hole shot” during the land rush start and dominating the field of 19 competitors. Leading entire race from the green flag to the checkers, Todd also earned his first Oakley “Bomb Award” of the season for the fastest lap time. “It is a real honor to take home a win during the 40th Anniversary celebration of Crandon, especially with the U.S. Air Force on board with me this weekend, and I can’t thank the fans, the dedicated crew, and my generous sponsors enough for making this possible,” commented Todd LeDuc. With this win, Todd became the 2009 Pro 2WD World Champion, which includes a $10,000 cash purse and championship ring.
Todd in the Lead
Sunday’s Round 12 brought lots of excitement to the spectators and the television audience as a three-way race for fourth place broke out between Todd LeDuc, Robby Gordon, and Evan Evans just a few hundred feet from the finish. Todd, who was running in fifth, made a last minute charge for fourth and successfully passed Robby Gordon just seconds before crossing the finish line. ”I kept waiting for Rob MacCachren and Robby Gordon to get into eachother or make a mistake, and they never really did’” said Todd. Gordon and LeDuc made contact during the battle and Robby ended up backwards on the track, ultimately finishing in the sixth position. Todd currently claims the second spot on the points grid and is trailing leader, Ricky Johnson, by just two points! With two races left in the regular season and just two points separating Todd from the leader, the next race at Perris Auto Speedway is sure to be exciting in the Pro 2WD class.
U.S. Air Force Sponsored
When the final checkered flag dropped Sunday evening at Crandon International Raceway, it was Kyle LeDuc in the No. 99 Rockstar / Makita Pro 4×4 Ford who earned his first BorgWarner Cup and the 4th Oakley “Bomb Award” of the season for the fastest lap time in the race. Father, Curt LeDuc, the 1998 winner of the coveted BorgWarner Cup, also claimed a podium position in his No. 43 Rockstar / Makita Pro 4×4 Ford by crossing the finish line in third place.
As both LeDucs took to the stage to claim their trophies and the $100,000 sterling silver Cup, it was an obviously emotional and historic accomplishment for the family and crew. Becoming the first “father and son” team to earn podiums in this prestigious race, Curt commented, “It has been an unbelievable day and a great weekend for my family, our team, and our sponsors. To any father who has ever worked with his sons, keep doing it! It does pay off! I couldn’t be more proud of both Kyle and Todd.” In addition to earning the celebrated Cup title, Kyle also takes home a $40,000 cash purse compliments of Crandon International Raceway and another $3,500 cash prize from Ford as a “Racer Performance Award.”
Sunday’s hard-fought victories were in sharp contrast to Saturday’s disappointing Pro 4×4 race as Curt LeDuc suffered a dramatic crash while making a charge for the third position during his 7th lap. Kyle, who had been running in second place, was battling for the lead when he received the black flag during the fifth lap for an incident with the No. 2 truck of Steve Barlow. Forced to go to the back of the pack due to the penalty, Kyle crossed the finish in the 9th position while Curt was able to recover and claim an 8th place finish. As the final points were tallied at the conclusion of the weekend, Kyle will head into the next race in the second points position while Curt currently claims the fifth spot on the points grid.
Rockstar / Makita’s Team LeDuc Racing will return to the track for Rounds 13 and 14 of the Traxxas TORC Series racing on September 25 – 26 at Perris Auto Speedway. Coverage of The Off-Road Championship Series Crandon race can be seen Wednesday, September 9th on the ESPN2 Network at 10:30pm Pacific Standard Time.
Todd Leduc Wins at Bark River!
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009Todd LeDuc Earns First Win in TORC’s Pro 2WD Class, currently 2nd in Points in Pro 2WD.
Just two weeks after dominating the field in both the two wheel and four wheel drive classes at the Lucas Oil Off Road Race Series (LOORRS), the Rockstar / Makita Team LeDuc headed East for Rounds 9 and 10 of TORC Series racing in Bark River, Michigan. As the stands filled up with nearly 17,000 spectators, the 1.5 mile track of Bark River International Raceway provided some spectacular and unpredictable racing as the inaugural TORC Series season inches towards a close with just three races left in the points chase.
As the largest of the Pro classes took to the track on Saturday, Todd LeDuc found himself in the middle of a three-way battle with Johnson and McGrath for the lead position in the Pro 2WD class. As the checkered flag flew on the 11th lap, Todd crossed the finish line with a 2nd place podium in his No. 3 Rockstar / Makita Pro 2WD Ford. Claiming a hard fought lead on Sunday, Todd Leduc got out front and held on strong to earn his first win in the Pro 2WD class during TORC’s debut season.
Rockstar / Makita’s Team LeDuc Racing will return to the track for Rounds 11 and 12 of Traxxas TORC Series racing on September 4 – 6 at Crandon International Raceway. Coverage of The Off-Road Championship Series Bark River race can be seen on the ESPN2 Network – check local listings for broadcast times. As part of the 40th Anniversary celebration, Crandon’s legendary Labor Day race will be broadcast LIVE on the ABC Network over the Labor Day weekend!!
Coverage of the LeDuc’s debut during Rounds 7 & 8 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Race Series at Lake Elsinore Park can be seen on August 23rd on Speed TV. Check local listings for broadcast times.
Rockstar / Makita Team LeDuc Racing is Sponsored by:
Rockstar Energy
Makita Tools
Toyo Tires
KC HiLites
KMC Wheels
King Shocks
MSD Ignition
K&N Filters
MasterCraft Safety
Simpson
Leatt Brace
Ford Trucks
Beco Radiators
Kalgard
Photos Courtesy Dave Clark/Trakside Photo
Todd’s TORC results so far:
Thursday, June 18th, 2009TORC results: 7/02 – Todd LeDuc
Round one- Ft. Worth, TX: 3rd
Round two- Ft. Worth, TX: 4th
Round three- Perris, CA: 3rd
Round four- Perris, CA: 7th
Round five - Crandon, WI: 2nd
Round six- Crandon, WI: 2nd
Round seven- Bark River, MI: 5th
Round eight- Bark River, MI: 3rd
Another Podium Finish for Todd in Perris, California
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009The Rockstar Makita sponsored driver Todd LeDuc once again took home another podium finish this past weekend during the second race of The Off-road Race Championship Series presented by Traxxas. The first California event of the eight race series kicked off May 29th and 30th at the celebrated Perris Auto Speedway.
Friday’s round three action found the No. 3 Rockstar / Makita Pro 2WD of Todd LeDuc battling it out with the notorious Jeremy McGrath once more. Avoiding McGrath’s mid-race spinout, Todd took the checkered flag with a hard fought third place finish.
Round four made the fans go wild with excitement in the packed stands as the crazy action unfolded before their eyes. Fortin hit the “K” rail and Adler smashed into the wall closest to the grandstands, sending fiberglass flying into the crowd. Avoiding the mayhem and carnage, Todd finished in the seventh position and kept his fifth place standing in the points chase.
The Rockstar / Makita LeDuc Team will be back for the third race of the Traxxas TORC Series at the historic Crandon Raceway in Crandon, WI on June 20 – 21st. Coverage of previous weekend’s racing can be seen on the ESPN2 Network. Check local listings for broadcast times or go to www.torcseries.com
Todd Leduc places Third at TORC Series 2009 Season Opener
Monday, June 15th, 2009Enthusiasm ran high as the Pro 2WD class staged for the first round of Friday night’s action. Traveling from as far as Wisconsin and California, a field of 15 Pro 2WD competitors returned to the track, many for the first time in nearly 8 months.
Starting on the outside of the second row for round one, Todd LeDuc in the No. 3 Rockstar / Makita Ford, battled it out with Jeremy McGrath for the third spot on the podium. After the mandatory caution, Todd moved into third and maintained the position until the checkered flag flew after the 20 lap race.
Thanking his crew and sponsors for making it possible, Todd LeDuc remarked, “It’s great to be back racing with these guys again! I look forward to an exciting season of competing at historic venues such as Crandon and representing Rockstar Energy Drink and Makita Tools. None of this could be possible without the tireless efforts of our pit crew and the excellent support of our sponsors.”
Once again starting on the outside of the second row, Todd LeDuc ran a consistent race and claimed the second fastest lap time during the second round of Pro 2WD competition at Texas Motor Speedway’s dirt track on Saturday. Avoiding a pile-up in turn three, LeDuc maintained the fourth spot on the track until the finish and secured his standing as fifth in points. With just ten points separating Todd from first, the second race of the TORC Series to be held at Perris Auto Speedway at the end of the month is sure to be a hotly contested competition.