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After experiencing a successful outing at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Menzies Motorsports Team headed to Bark River Michigan, where they were scheduled to compete in the TORC Off-Road Racing Series. As the team had anticipated, they set the pace right off of the bat with some of the fastest lap times in the Pro Light, Pro 2 and Pro 4 classes. In fact, drivers, Bryce Menzies and Ricky Johnson qualified first for the next day’s race and teammate, Luke Johnson earned a third position start in his class.

Lining up in the Pro 2WD class, Menzies Motorsports team member, Bryce Menzies, started on the pole next to Marty Hart during the first round of the event. Running at speeds in the neighborhood of 90 mph, Bryce and Hart were in a close race for the first place position by turn two, a battle that continued until the mandatory yellow. After the restart, Menzies fans cheered him on as Bryce shot in front and held the lead for his second checkered flag in a row. While on the podium, the driver was also honored with his third Oakley Bomb Award of the season for the fastest lap.

After the invert, Bryce Menzies began round eight in the back. Aware that he had a challenge in front of him, the driver muscled his way to the third position in short order, and had the lead position in his sights. That said, as fate would have it, Menzies #7 truck made contact with first and second place drivers Marty Hart and Chad Hord while they were tangled up in the middle of a turn. Bryce’s truck sustained significant damage and in turn was not able to finish the race.

Ricky Johnson had full intentions of earning a podium in the Pro 4X4 division. Starting first in round seven, Johnson eventually found himself in a battle for the lead with Johnny Greave. After the mandatory yellow, Johnson and Greaves continued to fight for the lead, until the Menzies Motorsports team member noticed smoke boiling from the back of his truck after soaring over the Red Bull jump. Johnson managed to continue fighting for the first place position for a few more turns prior to pulling off of the track with a broken shock.

With all needed repairs completed on the following day, Ricky Johnson lined up to race in round eight knowing that he had one more chance to earn his spot on the podium. Once again, the driver had worked his way through a maze of competitors and was setting on the third place position by the end of lap one. As Scott Douglas and Johnny Greaves were the only two obstacles between him and the checkered flag, Johnson continued pressing onward. After the mandatory yellow, when the restart flag dropped, Douglas was in the hot pits, lending to the opportunity for Johnson to move beyond the second place position and challenge Greaves for the lead. During the last turn of the final lap, Greaves ended up facing the wall when he and Johnson went for the same line, putting Ricky Johnson in the front, and earning him the victory and position on the podium.

When asked the key to their success, General Manager of Menzies Motorsports, Cory Beacham, answered, “Full dedication to what is best for the team and sponsors, and trying to put the best and most qualified people in the right spots. We are in TORC to win races and win championships,” he continued. “Right now, Bryce has to start and finish the first race in Texas and he will be the Pro-2 Champion. Ricky is only four points behind Greaves for the Pro-4 Championship. Anything less than two championships would be disappointing.”

As one might suspect, Menzies Motorsports are strong advocates of properly maintaining their trucks. In fact, the team uses several K&N products including, their air filters, air filter cleaner, filter oil, and air filter wraps. Referring to K&N products, Beacham said, “Menzies Motorsports has been using K&N products since they started racing in 2007. K&N products are superior to anything else out there.”

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SoCal SAYS: It’s great to see Menzies and team continue to succeed on the TORC circuit. Maybe we can get him to add SoCalTrucks to his list of sponsors soon?