Racing

Gunning for his fifth-consecutive championship, George came to Speedworld determined to get on the box. On Saturday, he got a good start and was working toward the front, but a flat forced him to pit. After a quick tire change he got back on the track and started picking off competitors. On the final lap, George managed to inch past the leader right at the finish line to steal the win. On Sunday, he got off to another great start and was running near the front of the pack, but a mechanical issue left him in fifth.

“This weekend our goal was to finish strong,” said George. “A big part of succeeding in this series is having the right equipment and mindset to finish these grueling races. On Saturday, I had a good start, but got a flat and had to pit. Our pit crew did a killer job and got me back on track fast. Once I got back on the track I moved to the front and passed the leader on the last corner of the last lap. I beat him by less than a tire at the finish. It was amazing. It felt great to take that win. On Sunday, I was sitting in second for the first couple laps. I knew I had the speed for first, but was pacing the pack and waiting for an opportunity to pass when a mechanical issue forced me off the track. I had a great weekend and want to dedicate it to my Grandma Geri, who had a medical emergency this weekend. She is my biggest supporter and comes to every race, so this was for her.”

Although Winbury is the youngest driver in the UTV unlimited class, his skills are on par with the most seasoned racers on the circuit. At Speedworld, he maintained a consistently-fast pace and navigated the blue-groove course with precision to finish in second during both rounds of the weekend.

While this was Waage’s first event of the 2011 LOORRS season, the Arizona local and desert-racing veteran put his Dragonfire Racing Kawasaki Teryx on the podium both days of the event. Better known for dominating the Baja 500 and 1000 races in 2009, Waage proved his skills as an off-road racer translate anywhere. At Speedworld, Waage successfully piloted his Teryx to third-place finishes both rounds of the event.

One of the biggest adversaries the racers faced over the course of the weekend was the scorching hot Arizona sun. By race time on Saturday, the temperatures were hovering around 108 degrees Fahrenheit. Racers did everything they could to keep themselves and their cars cool, but the heat proved too much for some racers to handle.

“Dealing with the temperature was a huge challenge,” said George. “It would get over 130 degrees Fahrenheit in the car during the race. When you’re fighting the heat and exhaustion, it makes it really difficult to race. To prepare myself for that kind of heat I work out in the sun before the race and drink lots of fluids with electrolytes. Then I try to cool down as much as possible right before I climb into the cockpit. I train a lot for heat like this, so I feel like it actually gives me an advantage out there because I know the heat affected some of the other drivers much worse than me.”

In five weeks, the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series continues to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nev., for Rounds 13 and 14. With only three rounds left in the series, George is more determined than ever to earn the wins he needs to advance to the top of the leaderboard.

Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS)
Speedworld Off Road Park – Surprise, Ariz.
September 24-25, 2011

UTV Unlimited Class Results – Round 11 (Saturday)
1. CHAD GEORGE, FUNCO MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI
2. TYLER WINBURY, KAWASAKI
3. HANS WAAGE, KAWASAKI
4. RJ Anderson, Polaris
5. ROBERT VANBEEKUM, MUZZY’S MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI

UTV Unlimited Class Results – Round 12 (Sunday)
1. RJ Anderson, Polaris
2. TYLER WINBURY, KAWASAKI
3. HANS WAAGE, KAWASAKI
4. ROBERT VANBEEKUM, MUZZY’S MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI
5. CHAD GEORGE, FUNCO MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI