Traxxas TORC Series
Encyclopedia
The Traxxas TORC Series is an American
national short course off-road racing
series that races primarily in the Midwestern United States
. It was sanctioned and officiated by the United States Auto Club (USAC) in 2009 and was managed by Rick Johnson; USAC took over total management starting in 2010. The title sponsor for the series is radio controlled car manufacturer Traxxas
.
racer and Motorcycle Hall of Fame
member Rick Johnson. He had hosted a off-road racing event at his Perris Auto Speedway
in 2008. There were two large sanctioning bodies in short course off-road racing for 2008: CORR and WSORR
. CORR had been sanctioning events on the West Coast
and WSORR had sanctioned Midwest
events. CORR closed before the end of the 2008 season and canceled its final two racing weekends. TORC took over the sanctioning of the Midwest and some of the West Coast events. USAC assumed complete management of the series starting in 2010.
class. It also has a two wheel drive trophy truck class, a light duty two wheel drive pickup truck
class, and a 1600 cc buggy
class. The sportsman truck division consists of four and two wheel drive truck classes plus a stock truck class. Sportsman buggies feature regular 70 horsepower buggies plus a light class with restricted
55 horsepower engines. Three classes of grassroots all feature stock vehicles. The Formula 4x4 trucks are stock 4x4 trucks or SUVs, Classix race cars are stock cars with modified suspensions, and the Enduro trucks are two wheel drive 3/4 ton pickup chassis.
. In 2011 it will partner with the RallyCar Rallycross Championship
at three races (Bark River, Crandon and Chicagoland).
covered the 2009 events at Texas, Crandon's spring event, both Bark River events, and the second Perris event. ABC
televised the first 2009 event at Perris and it broadcast Crandon's BorgWarner World Championship race live. Marty Reid
was the lead play by play announcer along with Tes Sewell. Former Miss USA
Kimberly Pressler
was the pit reporter.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
national short course off-road racing
Off-road racing
Off-road racing is a format of racing where various classes of specially modified vehicles compete in races through off-road environments.-North America:...
series that races primarily in the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. It was sanctioned and officiated by the United States Auto Club (USAC) in 2009 and was managed by Rick Johnson; USAC took over total management starting in 2010. The title sponsor for the series is radio controlled car manufacturer Traxxas
Traxxas
Traxxas is a leading hobby level radio control model manufacturer based in Plano, Texas, United States, offering a variety of both electric and nitro powered cars and boats...
.
History
The series was founded for the 2009 season by former motocrossMotocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
racer and Motorcycle Hall of Fame
Motorcycle Hall of Fame
The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is an offshoot of the American Motorcyclist Association that recognizes individuals who have contributed to motorcycle sport, motorcycle construction and motorcycling in general. It displays motorcycles and riding gear and memoribilia. The museum is located in...
member Rick Johnson. He had hosted a off-road racing event at his Perris Auto Speedway
Perris Auto Speedway
Perris Auto Speedway, also known as The PAS, is a 1/2 mile clay oval track located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds in Perris, California. The track features a raised backstretch offering fans a better view over the infield of the oval. The track hosts USAC/CRA sprint cars, street stocks, dirt...
in 2008. There were two large sanctioning bodies in short course off-road racing for 2008: CORR and WSORR
World Series of Off-Road Racing
The World Series of Off-Road Racing was an American off-road racing series. The series began in 2007 and it ended after the 2008 season.-Classes:WSORR sanctioned classes from Trophy Trucks down to grassroots racers...
. CORR had been sanctioning events on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and WSORR had sanctioned Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
events. CORR closed before the end of the 2008 season and canceled its final two racing weekends. TORC took over the sanctioning of the Midwest and some of the West Coast events. USAC assumed complete management of the series starting in 2010.
Divisions
The series is divided into PRO, Sportsman, and Grassroots divisions. The Pro division is headlined by a four wheel drive trophy truckTrophy Truck
Trophy Trucks are the fastest class of off-road racing vehicles designed and built to resemble modern pickup trucks. Although any truck that meets the safety standards can race the trophy truck class, they, for the most part, feature long travel suspensions and high power engines...
class. It also has a two wheel drive trophy truck class, a light duty two wheel drive pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
class, and a 1600 cc buggy
Dune buggy
A dune buggy is a recreational vehicle with large wheels, and wide tires, designed for use on sand dunes or beaches. The design is usually a modified vehicle and engine mounted on an open chassis. The modifications usually attempt to increase the power-to-weight ratio by either lightening the...
class. The sportsman truck division consists of four and two wheel drive truck classes plus a stock truck class. Sportsman buggies feature regular 70 horsepower buggies plus a light class with restricted
Restrictor plate
A restrictor plate or air restrictor is a device installed at the intake of an engine to limit its power. This kind of system is occasionally used in road vehicles for insurance purposes, but mainly in automobile racing, to limit top speed and thus increase safety, to provide equal level of...
55 horsepower engines. Three classes of grassroots all feature stock vehicles. The Formula 4x4 trucks are stock 4x4 trucks or SUVs, Classix race cars are stock cars with modified suspensions, and the Enduro trucks are two wheel drive 3/4 ton pickup chassis.
Tracks
Before the inaugural season, Traxxas TORC announced that it secured an exclusive deal with Bark River International Raceway and a 15-year exclusive deal with Crandon International Off-Road RacewayCrandon International Off-Road Raceway
The Crandon International Off-Road Raceway is an off-road racing racetrack that has hosts the "World Championship Off-Road Races".-Location:The track is located west of Crandon, Wisconsin on U.S. Route 8.-Track layout:...
. In 2011 it will partner with the RallyCar Rallycross Championship
RallyCar Rallycross Championship
The RallyCar Rallycross Championship is a rallycross championship held in the United States. Founded in 2010, it is the first series in America for European-style rallycross competition...
at three races (Bark River, Crandon and Chicagoland).
- Texas Motor SpeedwayTexas Motor SpeedwayTexas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
(2009 on the 0.4 mile clay oval) - Perris Auto SpeedwayPerris Auto SpeedwayPerris Auto Speedway, also known as The PAS, is a 1/2 mile clay oval track located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds in Perris, California. The track features a raised backstretch offering fans a better view over the infield of the oval. The track hosts USAC/CRA sprint cars, street stocks, dirt...
(2009) - Crandon International Off-Road RacewayCrandon International Off-Road RacewayThe Crandon International Off-Road Raceway is an off-road racing racetrack that has hosts the "World Championship Off-Road Races".-Location:The track is located west of Crandon, Wisconsin on U.S. Route 8.-Track layout:...
(2009 - present) - Bark River International Raceway (2009 - present)
- Oshkosh Speedzone (2009 - present)
- Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayLas Vegas Motor SpeedwayLas Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
(2009) - Route 66 RacewayRoute 66 RacewayRoute 66 Raceway is a motorsports facility located in Joliet, Illinois. The facility consists of a dragstrip and a dirt oval. The drag strip hosts several drag racing events including the NHRA. The dirt oval hosts many weekly dirt racing events...
(2010-2011) - Langlade Fairgrounds (2010)
- Cycle Ranch (2011)
- Red Bud MX (2011)
- Pikes Peak International RacewayPikes Peak International RacewayPikes Peak International Raceway, also known as PPIR, is a participant focused racetrack located in Fountain, Colorado, south of Colorado Springs and north of Pueblo...
(2011) - Charlotte Motor SpeedwayCharlotte Motor SpeedwayCharlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
(2011)
Television coverage
The Off Road Championship currently airs on Discovery HD and is produced by The Armory with executive producer BJ Birtwell and Kevin Miller. Season 1 consisted of 20 1-hour episodes and began airing Sept 2010, finishing March 2011. Season 2 will begin airing in Q3 of 2011 and finish Q1 of 2012. 2009 Pro events were televised on national television in the United States. ESPN2ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
covered the 2009 events at Texas, Crandon's spring event, both Bark River events, and the second Perris event. ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
televised the first 2009 event at Perris and it broadcast Crandon's BorgWarner World Championship race live. Marty Reid
Marty Reid
Marty Reid is an American television sportscaster who has worked for ESPN since 1982.Reid is currently the lead television announcer for ESPN on ABC's coverage of the IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500, and was the lead announcer for ESPN and ABC's NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage for the...
was the lead play by play announcer along with Tes Sewell. Former Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
Kimberly Pressler
Kimberly Pressler
Kimberly Pressler is an entertainment presenter and former Miss USA. She is one of few women to win both the Miss New York Teen USA and Miss New York USA titles.-Pageant career:...
was the pit reporter.