Oberg Wins Inaugural Jason Baldwin Memorial Cup
AMSOIL Super Team driver pulls upset in final race of 2006

Chula Vista, Calif. ~ From the small town of Eagle River, Wis., AMSOIL/Kumho Tires Super Team member Mike Oberg found himself on top of the off-road racing world this past weekend in Chula Vista, Calif.

Oberg, who finished the Championship Off-Road Racing (CORR) Pro-2 Series in second place and just two points away from the title, qualified his two-wheel drive Chevrolet truck as the second fastest Pro-2 truck for Sunday’s Inaugural Jason Baldwin Memorial Cup. The race featured 24 Pro-2 and Pro-4 trucks racing against one another for a winner-take-all $66,000 payday.  All trucks start at the same time, but the Pro-2 trucks are started more than a full straight away in front of the four-wheel drive Pro-4 class.

Oberg, starting second, drove a clean race for the 16-lap event.  He ran third for most of the race and was able to capture the lead with just five laps remaining.  The world champion was able to hold off a hard charging Curt LeDuc, who was the lead Pro-4 truck, on the final turn to capture the win and become the first name on the Jason Baldwin Memorial Cup.

“Today’s win was the biggest win of my career,” said Oberg.  “To be able to win the first Cup race honoring Jason Baldwin is unbelievable.  To be able to bring this win back to AMSOIL, Kumho Tires, Rancho and all of my sponsors is a great honor.”

Oberg wasn’t the only AMSOIL/Kumho Tires Super Team driver to take a big win over the final weekend of racing in CORR.  Teammate Scott Douglas has been one of the hottest Pro-4 drivers in the second half of the season.  The El Cajon, Calif. native backed up his elite status with another win in the four-wheel drive class on Saturday on the final weekend of the 2006 season.

Douglas, who is in his first season on the AMSOIL/Kumho Tires Super Team, led from start to finish during Saturday’s Pro-4 race.  The ten-time world champion picked up his fourth Pro-4 win of the year and his eighth Pro-4 podium of the season.  Douglas also finished fourth in the four-wheel drive class on Sunday.  His strong second half surge pushed the BorgWarner Champion into third in the final CORR standings, just three points out of second.

“Saturday’s win was great for our entire crew,” said Douglas.  “We had some fuel issues in qualifying and our crew got it all figured out and put this AMSOIL/Kumho Tires Pro-4 in the winner’s circle.  We had some early crashes and we were still figuring out this new truck at the beginning of the year, but my crew worked hard and they got this Ford F-150 dialed in for the stretch run.”

Douglas also ran in the competitive Pro-2 class in 2006.  He was able to pick up four podiums, including one win and finished the season fourth overall.

Oberg missed the season title by two points after raking up six podiums and one win in 2006.  Teammate Dan Vanden Heuvel also picked up two podiums this season and finished the season 12th overall.  Rookie driver Dan Vanden Heuvel, Jr. competed in the Pro-Lite class and had two top five finishes and ended eleventh in the final standings.

Click here for exclusive interviews with the CORR "Super Team."

Brady Smith Eyeing World Championship
Late model driver going head-to-head with the best this weekend

Chillicothe, Ohio ~ Team AMSOIL late model driver Brady Smith made his trip to the Buckeye State a successful one last weekend.  Smith brought his Chevy Monte Carlo to the K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, Ohio for the annual Dirt Track World Championship. 

Friday’s qualifying was delayed for a day while the rain fell on the K-C Raceway.  Smith posted the 36th fastest lap during qualifying against 143 cars.  The Deuce then dominated his heat race to earn the pole position for the $50,000 to win event.  Throughout the early stages of the 100-lap event, Smith ran in the top five.  Unfortunately, the car faded toward the end of the race and he recorded a 14th place finish in his first attempt at the world championship race.

“It was a good run for us, but we were just a little off in the feature,”
said Smith.  “With the kind of competition that was present for that race, you can’t be wrong on the cars set-up at all.  It was great to win the heat race and then start on the pole for that big of an event.  Hopefully next time I am in that position, the car will be dialed in just a tick better and we can stay up front the entire 100 laps.”

The Brady Smith Racing Team has decided to take this coming weekend off from Dirt Late Model competition, as the weather forecast for the Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway does not look promising.  They will next compete in their season-ending event on November 2-4 at the Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Mississippi for the Jambalaya 100. 

Co-op Sponsorships

If you are a T-1 certified AMSOIL Dealer looking to sponsor a local racer through the AMSOIL Co-op Race Program, please fill out the G-2074 and send it the AMSOIL Racing Department.  Teams who were sponsored last year will need to fill out the form once again.  Also, please remember to send in your race results, as they will be included in the Checkered Flag.