Menzies Motorsports Walks Away From Charlotte with Two Wins and Great Memories
- Aug 29, 2011
Racing in the Pro-Light class, team member, Luke Johnson and his Menzies/Red Bull #14 were the first to embark upon a race on the dirt track. Starting tenth, it didn't take long for the driver to muscle his way toward the front, as with every turn came confidence and a faster lap. After a mandatory caution, Luke continued racing with fire in his eyes, but unfortunately, his truck was stricken with "unpreventable mechanical issues" and he had to give up his sixth position and pull out of the race. "He was making his way through the competition," recalled a fellow team member. "We will never know if he had a chance to win, because the competition is tough in this class, and there were a lot of great drivers." Crew Chief, Ian Beaman, went to work on the truck immediately when it came off of the track, and when the green flag dropped on the following day, Luke took to driving with his misfortune behind him and success on his mind. In fact, during the first lap, the driver made up three positions and as the race continued, logged some his fastest lap times. When the dust had settled and the checkered flag had swung, the driver had finished in the top five.
Racing in the Pro-2WD class, Bryce Menzies was the next member of the team to race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Recently finishing in second place during round three of the series, at Crandon, Wisconsin, Menzies was foaming at the bits to get out there and "show everyone what he is made of." After qualifying second he would line up right beside mentor and one-time team member, Rob (Mac) MacCachren, which would likely make a victory even sweeter. From the second the race was declared underway, Menzies went to work, and had already earned the lead position in the first turn. From there on, Bryce never looked back, as he and his #7 Menzies/Red Bull Pro2 began to increase their distance from the other drivers. Although leading Mac by 10 seconds near the halfway point in the race, the trucks gathered up during the mandatory caution. When the race was once again deemed underway, Menzies found himself in a fierce battle with MacCachren for the checkered flag. As luck would have it, with only two laps to go, the temperature gauge began to soar, and in the best interest of the truck Bryce Menzies opted to pull out of the race. When asked if it was disappointing to see Bryce fight so hard and have to drop out of the competition so late on the race, a fellow team member explained, "It definitely was, because he would have most likely had the win. But we all know that is part of racing, and just because you're leading on the last lap, doesn't mean you will finish that way." As the air thickened with anticipation and the crowds stood on their feet, Bryce Menzies began the race on the following night with even more determination and confidence. The driver once again pulled away from the pack early and was in a heated battle with his mentor for first place for a period prior to moving several car lengths ahead. But this time the mandatory yellow had no bearing on his lead and when the dust had settled, Menzies was the victor. Lining up in the Pro 4X4 class, Menzies Motorsports team member, Ricky Johnson, hit the track with anticipation of bringing home a win. As the green flag dropped, all seven trucks shot out of the gate with intentions of coming out of the first turn in the lead. Of course only one driver would be successful though, and it just so happened that the #48 Menzies/Red Bull Pro4 of Ricky Johnson filled these shoes. In fact, the driver never looked back and held the lead throughout the entire race until taking the checkered flag. Johnson and Menzies Motorsports returned on the following night with anticipations of earning yet another win. But after a string of strange events lending to a race that will be talked about by race fans for years to come Ricky Johnson crossed the finish line in second place, behind Johnny Greaves. Pulling away from the event Menzies Motorsports could hold their heads high, confident that they had made a showing in front of their fans and fellow drivers at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Their racing skills had shined, but the team was also aware that a portion of their success was due to their perseverance in keeping their engines well tuned and clean. That said, Menzies Motorsports has been depending on K&N products since they began racing as a team in 2007. When asked about K&N's performance, they said, "We wouldn't trade them for any other product. They simply are the best!" Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
