High flying fun in Buchanan

Published 7:39 am Friday, August 2, 2013

TORC action photo courtesy of Peter Murphy

TORC action photo courtesy of Peter Murphy

BUCHANAN — The high-flying, dirt-churning world of professional short course off-road truck racing — aka the Traxxas TORC Series, presented by AMSOIL — returns to RedBud MX for two days of racing action Aug. 10-11.
“America’s Motocross Track,” nestled into the luscious, vineyard-rich rolling hills of southwestern Michigan, RedBud plays host to rounds 11 and 12 of the 2013 Traxxas TORC Series.
The dirt sports centerpiece in a state with an affinity for off-road recreational vehicle use, RedBud owns the bragging rights to the highest attended pro motocross race in the nation for 40 years running — the RedBud MX National.
The first class amenities and famous RedBud soil mix make for an ideal location for the high-powered TORC off-road trucks, which return for the third-consecutive year to the legendary Michigan motocross track.

Special appearance
Making a special appearance this year to contest TORC’s PRO Lite truck division will be the greatest motocross racer of all time — as well as the winningest racer in the history of RedBud MX — the one and only Ricky Carmichael.
The “Greatest of All Time,” Carmichael returns to race RedBud for the first time since retiring from pro motocross in 2009. Racing the Monster Energy/Traxxas/Oakley TORC PRO Lite truck, Carmichael is expected to be a big hit with the legions of MX crossover fans who line the property at RedBud when the TORC trucks come to town.

Big test
Motocross’ Valhalla, RedBud will again be a short, technical and big air test for the racers on the Traxxas TORC Series. Headlining the premier TORC PRO 4 division in 2012 with a sweep of the two-day action at RedBud was Red Bull/Ram/Mopar/KMC Wheels’ Ricky Johnson, himself a former multi-time MX National winner at RedBud.
Bridging the gap between action sport and motorsports, TORC Series short course off-road truck racing delivers an edge that has already won over the legions of motocross fans at RedBud. With radical jumps, stutter bumps and berms built into the existing RedBud MX track, motocross fans, off-road fans and motorsports enthusiasts in general are set for one spectacular weekend of racing at Michigan’s famed dirt bike circuit.

Event information
Gates open at 8 a.m., practice and qualifying begin at 9 a.m., opening ceremonies and racing begin at 10:50 a.m.
Tickets per day cost $25 for adults, $10 for kids 6-11 and kids five and under are free. A two day weekend pass is $40 for adults and $20 for kids.
For more information, please visit: www.torcseries.com