Western Motorsports Prepares for Double Team Weekend at Lucas Oil Event
by Shawn Stewart, Western Motorsports
Sean Backus
Sean Backus to Debut Unlimited Lite at Lucas Oil Season Finale
As the off-road racing season winds down towards a 2009 conclusion, Western Motorsports cranks up efforts with two entries into the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series (LOORRS) season points-finale November 14-15 at the Primm Valley Motorsports Complex in Primm, Nevada near Las Vegas. Team driver Sean Backus will make his debut piloting the #65 Eleven Western Builders/Superior Electric/Labor Ready – Toyota in the Unlimited Lite class. It will be his first-ever time driving the truck, the track and the series. The short course off-road racing style is fitting for Backus, a former motocross racer and current off-road desert racer.
Western Motorsports Unlimited Lite
“I’m really excited about racing the short course in this Unlimited Lite truck. I think it’s going to combine my motocross and off-road desert racing experience very well,” said Backus, the 20-year old driver from Encinitas, California. “I drove the truck for the first-ever time just a few days ago. It felt good and the test went really well. The guys at Western Motorsports have been working extremely hard to get this truck ready. We all will be learning as the weekend goes on. It’s a new class for the entire team. But we have a smart group and I know we’ll be ready. I just want to go out there and get a good solid finish for my first race.”
Mafia Industries Kawasaki Teryx
In addition to debuting in the Lucas Oil Series Sean Backus has been named to drive in the Kawasaki Battle of the Builders event for Mafia Industries, a Fabrication and Restoration shop based in Southern California. Hosted each year by Side x Side magazine the event is a competition that allows retailers to show off what they do best while helping the magazine’s readers see what is new and available to modify their own Kawasaki Teryx. 10 builders will go head to head using 3-non-partial drivers who test and evaluate the cars. Then on the final day of the event each builder uses their own driver. Backus will compete for Mafia Industries in various obstacle courses arranged by Side x Side Magazine.
Dave Mason JR. Looks for Top Finish in Kart Modified Championship
Kart Modified
Dave Mason Jr. has been in the running all season for the Lucas Oil Kart Modified Championship. For much of the season he’s led the points. But after a pair of rare finishes outside the top ten, Dave Jr. has dropped to 4th place in the championship. He enters the final two rounds of the season 20-points behind leader Connor Hart. Mathematically he can still win the Championship. Dave Jr. has nearly all top five finishes on the season, but has yet to capture victory lane at the Lucas Oil Events this year. Dave Jr. and his Western Motorsports team will be well prepared for going after maximum points and race wins. Additionally, this event will mark the end of the road for Dave Jr. and the Kart Modified Class as he reaches the class age limit.
“There certainly is a lot to drive for this weekend. We are still in the championship chase. At the very least we’d like to finish in the top-3. We’ve been a top-3 team all year and I’m confident we can get back there and put a good finish on the year,” said Dave Jr. “We had a bad race weekend at Phoenix, which really was something new for us to experience. But we aren’t giving up and you just never know what will happen. Look at NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson he just lost half his points in one race.”
“All I can do is focus on my part and the rest will play out however it does and I’ll be OK with that,” added Dave Jr. “It’s also my last race in the Kart Modified class so I’d really like to finish well. Winning would surely be a nice way to thank my team and sponsors for all they have done for me this year. It also would be a nice way to graduate from the class. But when it comes to race time I won’t be thinking about any of that. I will just focus on going out and having a good solid race.”
For more on Western Motorsports Visit: www.WesternMotorsports.org
For more on the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series visit: www.lucasoiloffroad.com
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