Rob MacCachren EARNS TORC PRO2WD SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP at LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Unassuming and definitely not flashy by nature, Las Vegas’ Rob MacCachren played like a ‘Rockstar’ to his hometown crowd Saturday, carefully and skillfully dicing his way to a popular second place finish Saturday in the TRAXXAS TORC Series in the 14-lap Pro 2WD race on the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
With an inverted start putting him sixth on the starting grid as the season point leader, MacCachren, 44, got caught up in a mud bog between turn 1 and 2 at the start that pushed him back to seventh place and sent him on a mission to earn yet another season point championship in his illustrious off-road racing career.
Sixth at the end of lap one, and knowing that motocross legend Ricky Johnson, his closest rival in the points chase, was out front, MacCachren methodically and masterfully maneuvered his mud-laden truck through the field picking of racers one at a time until he moved into a comfortable second-place behind Johnsons No. 48 Ford F-150 at the mandatory caution midway through the race at the end of lap 7.
After the field was red-flagged during the mandatory caution to add more water to the dusty 3/4 of a mile purpose-built race track, MacCachren realized that winning the war was more important than taking a chance for a race win could have ended up putting him on the sidelines and out of the points battle.
Deciding not to chase Johnson and giving him breathing room instead, MacCachren stayed close, but not to close while staying comfortably ahead of the rest of the 14-truck field to secure the Pro 2WD season crown.
This season was an uphill battle from the start with two fourths, one third and one second to start the season and our Rockstar Energy Racing crew chief Jim Blackmore was the coach who doggedly led this team to a season championship, said MacCachren, a three-time selection to the Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters All-America motorsport team. As soon as the green flag dropped tonight and I saw how muddy the track was and then I got spun a little, I started having some very bad thoughts about the race and our dream of a season title.
I kept focused and things started sorting themselves out, but I was counting points and knew I couldn't let Ricky (Johnson) have too many trucks between us. With amazing help of our finely tooled 35-inch BFG Tires, I was able to power my way up front by the time we reached the mandatory half-way caution and once we re-started felt we could accomplish what we set out to do.
Putting himself in better control of his quest for a championship by winning Fridays round 15 at LVMS, MacCachren ended his stellar 2009 TORC Series season with his 15th top five finish out of 16 races. His remarkable season included five victories, four seconds and three thirds.
With Johnson winning, MacCachren second, third in Saturdays race was Dan Vanden Heuvel Sr., in the No. 77 Chevy Silverado.
In the season point's race, MacCachren edged Johnson by four points capturing the TORC Season Championship.
Leading the points in two open desert racing series, SNORE and Best in the Desert, Rob MacCachren is preparing to race the season-ending 42nd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race in Ensenada, Mexico.
The TORC finale will be broadcasted on ABC on Sunday, November 8, 2009. Check your local listings for broadcast times near you and visit www.torcseries.com
