Everything for the Menzies Motorsports team boiled down to one last race and what may be the biggest race of their 2011 season. Their first ever SCORE Baja 1000 took place just over a week ago and they continued right where they left off and that is by letting the fans, sponsors and fellow drivers know that they are an unstoppable team.

The 44th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 was said to be one of the toughest Baja 1000’s to date, but that didn’t stop Bryce Menzies and Co-Driver Peter Mortensen from taking to the start line. The race was set to start with the first Trophy Truck off the line at 11:30am but with racing and staging ahead of schedule, the race started roughly 15 minutes ahead of the planned start time. Jesse James was the first Trophy Truck to take the green flag followed by Tavo Vildosola, Kory Scheeler and then points leader BryceMenzies in the #70 Menzies/Red Bull truck. Adrenalin took over as Bryce saw the flag drop for him and he knew it was time to go.

With rain sweeping through the streets of Ensenada just days earlier, it was impossible to avoid the puddles and the now mud filled washjust off the start. After blasting through the mud and returning to paved roads, Bryce and Pete found themselves coming to a complete stop just 4 miles into the race. Officials had stopped all the trucks due to a local vehicle blocking the course. The safety of the drivers and locals were the main concern taking place and after careful thought, the SCORE officials brought the remaining trucks up to mile 4.75 and after the course was cleared a complete restart took place.

Timing for all the Trophy Trucks was reset, but the adrenalin rush for Bryce had worn off after waiting almost an hour to start the race again. With a calm driver behind the wheel the #70 set a consistent pace and held down the 4th truck on the road but never let the other trucks to far out of sight.

Also racing to try and claim the Championship was long time racer Rob MacCachren who had his sights set on catching Bryce. With the top ten trucks being so close together after the restart, it was crucial that the Menzies Trophy Truck and driver made no errors. That is exactly what took place and before Bryce and Pete knew it they were already coming up to race mile 80 where the pit crew gave a quick splash of fuel to the truck and within 22 seconds they were back on the road.

Speeds picked up as the trucks made it out of the summit and through the wash with speeds over 90mph Bryce was quickly gaining on Kory Scheeler and just miles up the course both trucks came up to the dry lake bed where the #70 truck held nothing back and reeled in Cory at speeds now reaching 120 mph. In order to not get swallowed up by the clouds of dust coming off of Cory, Bryce went for the pass and after racing side by side down the lake bed the Red Bull truck came out in front and didn’t look back.
With Tavo down back at race mile 98 Bryce was now the second truck on the road and didn’t slow down. Coming off the dry lakebed and back into the washes leading into San Felipe, he spotted Jesse James up ahead pulled to the side of the course changing a tire. After passing the stopped downedtruck Bryce now was first on the road, but coming up fast would be another young driver and 2-time Baja 1000 winner Andy McMillin.

Battling to keep the lead position and not wanting to be in Andy’s dust, Bryce pushed hard but after miles of Andy staying right on his bumper the decision was made to let him pass and not risk making any errors by letting the pressure of the blue McMillin truck get the best of Bryce. Coming up to their first fuel pit just miles later, the refreshed truck and driver were stopped for less then 50 seconds and with fresh BFGoodrich tires, a full tank and fuel and food to hold Bryce and Pete over till the next pit, it dawned on them that they were not even to the half way point of the race.

Over 4 hours into the race the sun started to set on what would be the roughest part of the 700-mile course. The San Felipe loop ended the night for a lot of the racers, but the calm Bryce Menzies guided the truck through the dark terrain with Baja Designs lighting the way. Now back to first truck on the road after passing Andy and Jesse while pitting, Bryce and Pete continued with their game plan and set a steady pace making sure to hit every line they mapped out during prerunning.  Making it out of San Felipe with no errors put the #70 truck in the lead and now it was time to head back towards Ensenada.

With Rob MacCachren behind by over 30 minutes Bryce knew he needed to continue driving how he had been the last 460 miles and he can still pull of a possible win and claim the 2011 Championship, but in Baja, you never know what lies ahead for you and you are never in the clear until you reach the finish. Continuing with the lead, it was at mile 470 when Bryce knew something wasn’t right with the truck. After going miles and still feeling a vibration, the decision was made to stop and check the driveline. With nothing visiblywrong they got back to the race, but the problem was still there. Calling ahead to their pits to let them know something was wrong and to prepare for anything, it wasn’t long before the truck pulled into the pit at race mile 474 and realized it was just a loose wheel. With the problem fixed quickly it still was not fast enough to hold off 2nd and 3rd place trucks on the road, McMillin and Vanderwey.

Bryce got back on the course following in the dust of the top 2 drivers and only something like a flat tire on their end would allow Bryce to regain the lead. A quick drivers change at race mile 540 where Bryce Menzies switched driving duties with short course teammate Ricky Johnson went flawless and the Red Bull truck was on the final stretch back to the start/finish.

The slowest part of the race lied ahead of Ricky as he took the truck through the cold air coming off of the pacific and into the tight, twisting, silt and rock filled hills of Urapan. Flawless driving on Ricky’s end saw the truck through the dark night terrain and he continued to stay within minutes of the two leaders.

Coming back into Ensenada through the now dark and ghost town like washes the Kroyer powered #70 Menzies/Red Bull Trophy Truck made its way back to the heart of town and came around the last turn to see the checkered flag and team members awaiting its arrival. With no Rob MacCachren in sight, Bryce, Pete, Ricky and the team celebrated as they realized they hadjust won their first ever SCORE Championship in their rookie year. At 3:27am Saturday morning the truck crossed the finish line and completed the 2011 Baja 1000, and along with finishing the biggest and longest race of the year, the truck and team completed every race mile that was thrown at them this season.

This years racing has now wrapped up for the Menzies Motorsports Team, walking away with 3 championships and now they will focus their attention to what the upcoming 2012 racing season will bring. Make sure to follow Menzies on facebook and twitter to see just what 2012 has in store for them.

WAYCROSS, GA (November 9, 2011) - Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN has captured the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Championship. The Newport Nightmare claimed his first series championship with an 80-point margin over Scott Bloomquist, the two time defending series champion.

In one of the most competitive points battles ever in a national tour, Owens and Bloomquist traded the points leads during this season a total of seven times. Owens' remarkable consistency during the year enabled him to clinch the title at the season finale "U.S. Steel Dirt Track World Championship" (OH). Owens set fast time at the event and finished second in the feature event while Bloomquist finished fourth.

Owens won eight Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events during the season. His wins came at East Bay Raceway Park (FL), Lucas Oil Speedway (MO), Cleveland Speedway (TN), Fonda Speedway (NY), Florence Speedway (KY), Volunteer Speedway (TN), Knoxville Raceway (IA) and Rome Speedway (GA).

During the season, Owens recorded 32 top five finishes and 35 top ten finishes. Owens started the season with a string of 24 top five finishes in 25 starts. Owens completed every LOLMDS points race that was contested during the season with no DNF's the entire season.

Scott Bloomquist led the series with 15 wins and finished second in the final Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship points standings. Don O'Neal (a two-time series runner-up) finished an impressive year in third. Steve Francis of Ashland, KY claimed fourth place in his first full year of competition in the series and Jared Landers of Batesville, AR finished in fifth place.

Completing the top ten in the series championship points standings are: the 4-time series champion, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL (sixth), John Blankenship of Williamson, WV (seventh), Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY (eighth), Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC (ninth) and Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA finished tenth.

Along with finishing in fifth place, Jared Landers won the 2011 Quarter Master Rookie of the Year Award. Landers bested 15-year-old Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA to win the title in his first full-year of dirt late model racing. Landers won a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event at Tazewell Speedway (TN). He had a total of seven top five finishes and 15 top ten finishes, which allowed him to distance himself from Reddick as the season progressed.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will honor the series champion and the top ten in the series points standings at the series year-end awards banquet to be held at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN on December 8th, in conjunction with the IMIS Trade Show.

November 9, 2011 (YORK, PENNSYLVANIA)  In a dramatic conclusion to the 2011 World of Outlaws Late Model Series season, Rick Eckert emerged as the WOOLMS National Champion following the 'Lowes Foods World Finals' at the immaculate Dirt Track at Charlotte on November 3-5!  The huge weekend started on Thursday night at the Concord, North Carolina speedplant with qualifying and Rick posted the eighteenth fastest lap for Friday's show and the ninth quickest lap for Saturday's program.  When Friday rolled around, Rick ran third in his heat race prior to moving up six positions in the $10,000 to win feature event en route to a steady twelfth place performance.

The York, Pennsylvania standout was a mere two markers ahead of Josh Richards when the 'Lowes Foods World Finals' finale took place in front of over 14,000 spectators and the cameras of the SPEED Channel on Saturday evening.  Rick ran fourth in his loaded heat race and later won his B-Main to transfer into the 50-lap, $10,000 to win main event.  After starting twentieth on the grid, Rick and Josh Richards raced back-and-forth and side-by-side for position throughout the race. 

It appeared as if Richards was on his way to another series championship, but a last lap flat tire on the #1 car allowed Eckert to scoot by for a twelfth place finish and his first World of Outlaws Late Model Series Championship, which was worth a hefty $100,000!  Full coverage from the 'Lowes Foods World Finals' weekend at Charlotte can be viewed online at www.worldofoutlaws.com.

“I am still up on cloud nine,” Eckert said during a telephone conversation this week.  “It was a great battle with Josh (Richards) all year long and it just feels awesome to come out on top.  We raced so hard on Saturday night with both of us starting in the back; at different points in the race we were ahead or behind the #1 car.  It wasn’t looking good late in the race, but I saw his car lay down coming to the white flag and I couldn’t believe that he had a flat tire.  Once I got by him, it kinda set in that we were going to win the championship and it was just an awesome feeling!”

“There are so many people that I have to thank including all of my sponsors, product sponsors, fans, family, and crew,” Eckert went on to say.
“We aren’t overly funded, so it definitely took a total team effort to get the job done against some teams that had more resources than us.  With being a regular on the World of Outlaws tour since 2004, it made it extra special to get that championship we have been after for so long!”

The #24 team will not rest on their huge accomplishment from last weekend, as they plan to travel to the legendary Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, Maryland on November 12-13 for the 24th Annual ‘Octoberfest 350.’  The unsanctioned finale at Hagerstown this upcoming weekend will pay $10,000 to the winner.  Qualifying and preliminary action will take place on Saturday, while the 100-lap main event is slated for Sunday afternoon.  Rick is a three-time winner of the ‘Octoberfest 350,’ as he took the checkers back in 2001, 2002, and 2009.  Additional information on this show can be located by clicking on www.hagerstownspeedway.com.

Rick would like to thank the following sponsors for their commitment to his race team:  In Loving Memory of Raye Vest, J&K Salvage, Ritchey Sandblasting, Bloomquist Race Cars, Jay Dickens Racing Engines, Eckert Trucking, S&S Mobile Power Wash, Allstar Performance, Arizona Sport Shirts, Awesome Racewear, Bell Helmets, Beyea Headers, Callies, Comp Cams, Delph Communications, Dyer's Top Rods, FK Rod Ends, Heintz Bros. Automotive, Hoosier Tire, Hypercoils, ISC Racers Tape, JC Dubil Race Parts, Next Level Racing Graphics, Ohlins Shocks, Performance Bodies, Petersen Aluminum, Peterson Fluid Systems, Quarter Master, Ringers Gloves, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil, Scott Performance Wire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Sweet Mfg., The Bolt Patrol, Tim Fitez Painting, Van Alstine Tire Groovers, Weld Racing Wheels, Wiles Driveshafts, and Winters Performance. 

The latest dirt on "Scrub" Rick Eckert can be found online at his official website, located at www.RickEckertRacing.com.

"Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. A victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character" (T. Alan Armstrong). A season that encompasses ten months of racing action can be very grueling. Jason Meyers and his Elite Racing team may have not been a favorite to take back-to-back titles after the first five months of racing action, but they used that time to grow stronger. Then in July, the hours of work the team had put in became apparent. During those final five months is when the victories came and the true character of the team showed. Through togetherness and hard work, this weekend Meyers became just the fourth driver in World of Outlaws history to win back-to-back

First off, thank you very much for being part of our project! Second, congratulations for being an important part of the World's Fastest Vegetable Oil Powered Vehicle!! November 12-13, the Greenspeed team ventured to the El Mirage Dry Lakebed just north of Los Angeles, CA for the final Southern California Timing Assc (SCTA) event of the year. On Saturday the 12th, Dave (driving) was very nervous sitting on the start line because it was the very first time the truck was going to move while being powered by vegetable oil. He put it in gear and proceeded down the 1.3 mile course to smash the existing record of 98 mph with a run of 139.882 mph. The team followed that up on Sunday with a run of 155.331 mph. Hopefully high enough to stand until we make it back to the salt flats in August of 2012 for Speed Week. At that point, the team intends to challenge the existing petroleum record of 215.091 mph, with vegetable oil as a fuel of course! We hope to also find a bio-diesel supplier before then as well, so we can fill the tank with that and get that record too.

We would like to offer a very special thank you to all of the folks in the SCTA. They really reached out to our group and made it possible for us to compete this year. During each of our three trips this year (Speed Week, World of Speed, El Mirage) the folks we met were amazing. And an extra very special thank you to Jim Dunn, Kiwi Steve, Mike Spacek, and Roy Creel. They are our hero's!!

For those wondering, Greenspeed did actually make the insane deadline of Speed Week 2011. Some of you may remember shipping parts to the salt flats even!! We ended up finishing the build at the salt!! Passed inspection on the last night of the event and made it to the start 50 minutes before the event ended!! On that timeline, there was no way to get vegetable oil heated prior to getting on course. We were able to make a rookie run and one licensing run though!

After the mad rush that led to Speed Week, the team brought the truck home, started school the next day, and then started replacing all the duct tape with clamps and made sure everything was in it's proper place. Spent some time on the dyno getting the injection timing and fuel curve correct with plans of taking the record at World of Speed two weeks later. The crew made it to the salt with plenty of time and passed inspection with flying colors. On the very first run, at about the half mile mark (with a speed of over 140 mph), two cylinders decided to crack. The next morning, the team packed up and headed home feeling pretty dejected. We took the engine to Big Twin Diesel for a careful teardown and inspection. By the end of day, Big Twin, Northwest Motor Machine, Mahle, and Clevite were ready and willing to help us have a running engine in time to make it to the salt for one last attempt at World Finals, in another two weeks. So, putting class work on the back burner once again, the team doubled down to get everything ready in time. The night we planned on leaving, with a perfectly running truck, and a brand new vegetable oil system, we found out the event was cancelled due to 4" of standing water on the salt flats!! In a slight daze, the team took some deep breaths and started looking into alternatives (runways, drag strips, anything that might work for us to get the record out of the way). Found out our best bet was to go for the final SCTA event of the year at El Mirage. It was risky though: a very long drive, questionable weather in the middle of Nov, and a very short course. But as you've already read, it turned out well for all.

The team is currently working to find the money to have posters, small picture books about the project, picture CD's, and t-shirts made for everyone. Keep your eyes open for a care package from Greenspeed!

Our website (http://greenspeed.me) has recently been updated with pictures from all three of the events we attended this fall, there will be more from El Mirage soon. All the pictures are downloadable, feel free to use them for promotions. Please credit Holly Salewski on any photo used from the "Events" page. You can also find Youtube videos of both the record breaking runs on the "Events" page: http://greenspeed.me/Greenspeed/Events/Events.html

You can also find a small brochure about Greenspeed on the "Press" page. There is a smallish picture of it on the top right, you can click on it and download a hi-res version for printing. Or, just click here: http://greenspeed.me/Greenspeed/Press_files/GreenspeedInfoBrochure.pdf

You can also find a few of the recent articles about Greenspeed on the "Press" page. Since setting the record, there has been a surge of coverage on the internet. We are working on some hard copy publications, if you have any editors who are friendly, please let them know about us. The online news articles are piling up a little too quick to stay on top of getting them online.

Greenspeed is dedicated to making your involvement in our project worthwhile. If there are any special requests, or any special projects we can help with, please let us know and we will gladly accommodate to the best of our abilities!

This Saturday, there will be a small feature about Greenspeed during the BSU/Wyoming game on national TV. Along those same lines, Mountain Beach Productions, out of Missoula, MT, has agreed to put all the video footage we've collected over the past year into a half hour documentary about the project. This will be done in their spare time over the winter, as they will be doing it without pay. If anyone has the means to accelerate the process, feel free to contact them!

So, thank you again for your involvement in Greenspeed. Without you going out on a limb and supporting a seemingly unrealistic project, the record would not have fallen in record time. 

Dave Schenker
President, Greenspeed

Colorado Springs, CO 11/21/11 -  For the first time in four attempts, I have finished the Baja 1000. The BFGoodrich Team of Bud Brutsman, Andrew Comrie-Picard, Roger Lovell, Joel Weinberger, Kyle Tucker, and myself overcame major mechanical issues to finish with of time of 27:42:26. We were 6th in Class 10. While I am proud of our position, the challenge itself is more memorable and significant. 

The race is so many things that it's indescribable in a few paragraphs. Only a few miles from the start a semi truck jackknifed and completely blocked the course which in turn caused a logjam of trophy trucks. Mud holes and hazards both manmade and natural littered the first 30 miles. Our car came through cleanly and made it to BFG Pit #1 in good time. Roger and I jumped in the car and waited patiently as the Wide Open crew replaced both CV shafts. We bolted from the pit and brought the car up to pace before tackling the rock filled mountains.

Its no secret that our expertise is in the rocks and we passed several racers on the way to the summit. We blew the siren and tapped a class 8 (full size truck) before making quick tracks down the other side. We must have insulted the driver as the truck later caught us in a sand wash and unquestionably tried to wreck us as he passed, an attack I will remember. South of Laguna Salada we cautiously approached an enormous silt bed. It was terribly worse than what we saw in the pre-run and stuck cars littered the area. I floored it before we were blinded and threw the car into oblivion. Bushes, cars, silt holes, and ditches flashed from the blinding dust as I did my best to keep the tires clawing through the powder. Running 4th in Class 10 we broke free of hellish silt and sped south.

About 20 miles later we noticed a sudden drop in oil pressure accompanied by flames shooting off the back of the car. Something had punctured an oil galley covering the hot exhaust with oil which in turn started a fire. We got the fire out and eventually reached the chase crew via sat phone. After nearly 5 hours of hard work, new parts, and a little bit of luck, we had a functional car. Once again adrenaline took hold as we blasted over whoops, rocks, and sand. We were again struck with mechanical demons but able to fight the car into BFG Pit #2. Brief repairs were made and we ventured into the desert at full strength with Roger now behind the wheel. 

I have heard plenty of stories about big whoops but nothing compares to San Felipe whoops. The unending monstrous corrugations only yielded when sharp rock filled the course. Soon we found ourselves clawing through another frightful silt bed and this time we became mired. I jumped out into the moonscape and started to dig. I stuffed twigs under the tires and Roger worked the car back and forth. We repeated the process several times and made slow progress. Finally we were free and I was exhausted. We covered another 60 rough miles before handing the car off at BFG Pit #3. With 320 miles down we were well behind the field but making encouraging progress. 

With the 44th annual SCORE Baja 1000 less then 2 weeks away, it has been a month full of testing and prepping for the #70 Menzies/Red Bull Trophy Truck withBryce Menzies behind the wheel.  This past week Bryce and Co Driver/Crew Chief spent numerous hours working with Baja Designs, in and out of the shop perfecting the right light set up for the truck and the terrain.

“This will be our first time racing at night so our light set up will be one of the most important keys to us completing this race.” said Bryce as he worked late into the night with the Baja Designs team. After fabricating custom light bars in the shop, it was time to take it to the desert. Wednesday afternoon the Menzies team loaded up the truck for one last run through the Nevada desert as the sun set behind the mountains and nightquickly fell upon them. 

Both teams worked late into the night with temperatures dropping below 40 degrees all while working on the light set up, they were also getting the feel for how cold its going to be during the night hours of therace in the middle of the Baja desert, waiting for that 1 minute pit stop that is one of the most crucial parts of the race. With the light set up complete it was time to go chase the night down with over 10 Baja Designs lights leading the way. With both Bryce Menzies and back up driver Ricky Johnson running the truck down washes, up mountains and through the famous Jean whoop testing section at over 100mph it was very clear that the Baja Designs/Menzies team had all come to an agreement that this would be the perfect set up for the truck, the driver and the race.

The teams loaded up and drove back into town where theMenzies team will now head down to Baja Mexico on Monday, where they will prerun the course everyday and night all up until the day before the race.

“I feel really good going into the race and really confident with our light set up. It was really helpful that Baja Designs took the time to come help us this week and our goal is to get that number one spot and Championship.” – Bryce Menzies