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Ivan Stewart's Baja Protruck Off-Road Racing Series - How did it all begin?

Jul 17, 2009

When one thinks of off-road racing, a typical image that comes to mind is a big burly truck with performance suspension jumping through the air or traversing across some treacherous desert terrain. Well those are both scenarios that often occur during off-road races; however there is a lot that goes into putting on an off-road event and even more effort goes into establishing an entire series. So how does one begin a highly-recognized racing series, let's take a look into Ivan Stewart's Baja Protruck Off-Road Racing Series.

Ivan Stewart is seen here standing by his Toyota Protruck

Ivan "The Ironman" Stewart is standing by his Toyota Protruck

The Ford Protruck of Rich Voss was displayed at the 2008 Off-Road Impact Show

The Ford Protruck Voss Motorsports was displayed at the 2008 Off-Road Impact Show

Protrucks, including this Voss Motorsports truck, use an AEM Dryflow Airfilter to protect their engines.

To understand the Baja Protruck Off-Road Racing Series, you have to understand the man that started it all, Ivan ''The Ironman'' Stewart. It was a stroke of luck that kicked off Ivan's career in off-road racing. In 1973, Ivan was set to co-drive the Ensenada 300 in a Class 1-2 buggy. As fate would have it, the scheduled driver broke his leg, not wanting to pull out of the race; Ivan decided to drive the car himself. Ivan ended up driving the entire event and winning the race. After 10 years of continued efforts in off-road racing, Ivan joined the Toyota Factory Racing Team in 1983 and the rest is history.

During Ivan's time with Toyota, he racked up a total of 82 career wins. To make up those 82 wins, Ivan holds a record of 17 wins in the Baja 500, three Baja 1000's, 17 in the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG) Stadium Series and several SCORE International events. Individual races aren't the only thing that Ivan was winning in his heyday; Ivan has ten points' championships under his belt. Those championships include the four highly-respected SCORE World Championships and three MTEG Championships. Ivan's career was nothing short of miraculous up until he retired from racing in the year 2000.

So what does an off-road racing legend do after he retires? It's actually quite simple; he continues to be a crucial member of the off-road racing community. Ivan has maintained his relationship with Toyota and together they've released a limited number of the ''Ivan Stewart Ironman Edition'' Toyota Tundra. These trucks come equipped with Toyota Racing Development (TRD) exterior upgrades and performance modifications such as a TRD supercharger package. Let's not forget the years of invaluable feedback that Ivan has shared with Toyota regarding off-roading and suggestions on advancing Toyota truck's on- and off-road characteristics.

Ivan's involvement in off-road racing doesn't end with Toyota however. We have to understand that off-road to Ivan is not only a career but it has become his life. In a business endeavor, Ivan went on to become the founder of the Baja Protruck Racing Series. Ivan created the Protruck series after many years in the racing scene and realizing the void for a spec off-road racing organization. In this respect, all of the racers are equally matched with specifically built trucks. The Protruck organization has generated a more competitive racing environment. According to the Protruck website, ''We've developed the most evenly-matched off-road racing series that pits driver against driver and features a rugged, lightweight spec truck and the toughest, most dependable products available.''

So what does it mean to have a Protruck? Having a Protruck means you've invested into a durable, cost-effective, dual-purpose race truck that's built with the latest technology in mind. The term dual-purpose refers to the ability to race the vehicle in both short course and long course venues at low speeds or high speeds. The cost of building a true off-road racing vehicle can easily skyrocket. For Protruck, they're able to offer race trucks that are extremely capable, but with closely controlled pricing because of the limited amount of trucks being constructed.

Now to touch on the details, all Protrucks are based on full-size trucks from Chevy, Dodge, Ford, GMC, and Toyota. This means the exterior of a Protruck will look like an offering from one of the five manufacturers mentioned. Under that factory-appearing bodywork however is a space frame tubular chassis. This chassis is custom designed with 21 inches of front wheel travel and at least 24 inches of travel in the rear. Then based on whichever manufacturer you choose to go with, you'll install the matching manufacturer for the engine. The engines are small-block V8s. There are some restrictions to which engine can be selected, but all have a maximum displacement of 360 cubic inches and a maximum compression ratio of 9.5-to-1.

Some of the other components of a Protruck are handled by specific manufacturers as well. For the wheels, Alcoa Wheels are used and wrapped with tires from General Tire. The shock absorbers are left to the suspension experts from Bilstein Shocks. Mastercraft Racing supplies the seats to keep the drivers safe. To keep the engine safe, AEM Induction Systems is the official air filter of Protruck. All Protruck racers use an AEM DRYFLOW high-performance 14-inch round air filter to keep harmful dust and debris from entering the engine.

Once the construction of a Protruck is complete, the end result is a high-performance off-road race truck that is fitted with suspension suited for the harshest off-road conditions, has plenty of horsepower on tap, is lightweight and easy to maintain and repair. Add a driver to this equation and loads of fun can be had out in the desert while being competitive in the Protruck Racing Series. Not too many people have the capability and resources to mastermind such an organization aside from the Ironman himself, Ivan Stewart.

Papadakis Racing Works Out Bugs Just In Time To Win Formula DRIFT Round 4 In Las Vegas!

Jul 15, 2009

There are many challenges when building a new racecar. Not only is the race team attempting to build a vehicle that has the potential to win, the racecar must be comfortable for the driver, and the vehicle must meet the sanctioning body's regulations as well. Even more challenges arise when an unconventional build is being attempted such as the rear-wheel drive, V8-powered Scion built for Tanner Foust of Papadakis Racing. These are just a couple of the hurdles that Papadakis Racing has worked through with the construction of their new Scion tC drift car. These issues weren't tackled overnight. It's been a long road for the team.

Tanner Foust in the winner's circle at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Several changes were needed to make the Scion tC perform flawlessly

The Scion tC driven by Tanner Foust has undergone a handful of changes in the weeks leading up to Formula DRIFT's Round 4 (photo credit: John Choi)

Tanner is seen here sliding around a corner

Tanner was able to beat out the competition and take home the 1st-place trophy at the 4th Round of Formula DRIFT (photo credit: John Choi)

The first three rounds of racing were discouraging for the Papadakis crew. The opening round of drifting in the Formula DRIFT series was held in Long Beach, California. The Scion was completed literally weeks before this event and Tanner hadn't had much seat time before getting out on the track. At any rate, the outcome looked promising as Tanner locked in the 3rd-place win and took his spot on the podium alongside Ryan Tuerck and Samuel Hubinette. As the season moved forward, the team made its way out to Braselton, Georgia to the Road Atlanta racetrack for Formula DRIFT's ''Proving Ground'' event. This race proved to be anything but a ''Proving Ground'' for Tanner as he was quickly eliminated in the Top 16 by Ken Gushi. The following round of racing did not turn around for Foust either as he failed to qualify for competition at the Wall Speedway in New Jersey.

After two consecutive non-podium finishes for Papadakis Racing, their main mission became to dial in the Scion so Tanner could do what he does best… win. The weekend of July 10th and 11th was set to be Formula DRIFT's ''All In'' event, which marked the fourth round of racing for the series. Papadakis Racing showed up to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with their game faces on and demonstrated a good practice session the day before the race. According to reports from the racetrack, there was actually an exchange between Team Manager Stephan Papadakis and Tanner that they were not going to hold back in the least bit at this event.

The race kicked off in a good way for Papadakis Racing. Tanner was matched up against Bill Sherman in the Top 32 battle. Tanner led with Bill behind and making a correction on entry. This race was followed by Bill leading with a very aggressive entry angle, however he corrected on the sweeper and Tanner moved forward. In the Top 16, Joon Maeng follows Tanner as the Scion rips into the entry with a speed of 88.4 mph. There was so much smoke from Tanner's Scion that it created a smoke screen and Joon was just trying to keep up. This followed with Joon leading and unfortunately hitting the wall on entry giving the win to Tanner. In the Great 8 battles, Tanner lined up against Kazu Hayashida. In the first run Tanner came in with a huge smoke screen and Hayashida was not able to stay close to the Scion. The following run had Hayashida leading but spinning on the sweeper entry. Tanner continued his drift and ran the course, moving on to the Final 4.

In the Final 4, Tanner raced Tyler McQuarrie and it was a very exciting matchup. First, Tanner leads with Tyler aggressively entering and tapping the wall. Aside from tapping the wall, it was solid run from both racers. The following run has Tanner leaving a massive smoke cloud and Tyler sticking right behind him. A ''One More Time'' is called by the judges and Tyler leads with Tanner mirroring his every move. As the roles switch, Tanner leads and smokes out Tyler to the point where Tyler backs off. Tanner goes onto the finals. In the final round, Tanner drifts against Ryuji Miki. Miki trails Tanner and mistakenly enters shallow and straightens out while Tanner was very aggressive with extreme angle. The following run, Tanner is on Miki through the entire sweeper. The judges call it and Tanner takes his very first win of the season!

What makes the Round 4 win for Tanner even more exceptional is that he delivered huge successes for more than just himself. This victory was the first win of 2009 for the Team Rockstar/AEM Scion, the first win for Scion Racing in the sport of drift, and the first win for Hankook Tires in drift as well. We would like to congratulate Tanner, Papadakis Racing and all the other sponsors on this magnificent win of the season. May many more come your way!

Carl Renezeder Dominates Yet Another LOORRS Short Course Off-Road Racing Weekend

Jul 13, 2009

The inaugural season of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) has been charging forward to create exciting racing action for both racers and spectators alike. Nearing its midway point of the season, the racing series' 5th and 6th rounds were at held the brand-new Lake Elsinore Motorsports Complex in Lake Elsinore, California. For the weekend of June 27th and 28th, LOORRS crafted an extremely challenging course layout for the racers and even carved into a hillside to seat the spectators in an ideal location to witness the hot racing action. Amongst the crashes, side-by-side jumps, and triple-digit temperatures, AEM-sponsored Carl Renezeder competed in the Unlimited-2 and Unlimited-4 classes and took home three wins in a weekend of brutal off-road racing.

Carl Renezeder is seen here jumping over a tabletop section at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Complex

Carl was said to have a unique passing strategy during this race. He was reportedly jumping over competitors to pass them through the tabletop sections

Carl Renezeder is an extremely focused racer as well as a competitive triathlon athlete

Carl is not only a seasoned racing veteran, but also a highly-trained athlete competing in the XTERRA triathlon

As Friday's practice session launched, a severe amount of damage was caused to a quite few race trucks, luckily Renezeder did not take part in the carnage. During the first round of the Unlimited Lite class, Leroy Loerwald crashed badly end-over-end and while waiting for emergency response, Kyle LeDuc charged over the same jump and collided directly into Loerwald's right door. Both trucks were damaged (LeDuc's vehicle was reportedly totaled) and Loerwald suffered a broken arm. As the weekend revealed, this crash seemed to set a trend for the remainder of the race.

On Saturday afternoon, the Unlimited-2 class rolled out and almost immediately Carl Renezeder and Greg Adler separated from the rest of the pack to battle for the frontrunner position. It was a tight race but Renezeder would prove victorious during this battle with Jerry Whelchel joining Carl and Greg for the third-place spot. During the heated battle between Renezeder and Adler a fellow Unlimited-2 racer was involved in another big crash of the weekend. On the 12th lap, Rodrigo Ampudia landed nose first off the last jump which sent his truck twisting through the air. Luckily Ampudia escaped without serious injury however according to reports, his truck is so badly damaged that it is a total loss.

The inclination to crash continued during Sunday's rounds of racing as well. The unfortunate racer this time would be Jerry Whelchel during the Unlimited-2 matchup. On the 11th lap, Whelchel crashed at the same location as Ampudia the previous day. Course workers and emergency crews were instantly on the track administering help and quickly removed Whelchel from the vehicle and back onto his feet. His truck was damaged but the dazed Whelchel was able to walk off the track.

In addition to the treacherous course itself, the temperature during the race never dropped below triple digits. Spectators were looking for shade throughout the day; while the high temps caused severe issues for the race teams. In dealing with the heat in between rounds, the racers had to be cautious not to overheat their vehicles and themselves while in the staging lanes. ''I admire all of my guys for pushing through the heat to prep these things (race trucks) like they did.'' Carl commented on his crew and how flawlessly the trucks performed during the weekend. Carl also went on to say, ''With the relentless heat and dirt, they proved once again why we're a championship team.''

Even with the unyielding temperature and severely battered race trucks, Renezeder went on to win both Round 5 and 6 of the Unlimited-4 class along with one Unlimited-2 class win bringing home three victories for the weekend. The three podium finishes add to Carl's soaring career wins bringing the total up to a colossal amount of 84! This level of commitment and success is only seen by very few racers in a lifetime. If you missed this hardcore racing weekend and want to see Team Renezeder in action, the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Rounds 5 & 6 will be broadcasted on July 12th on the SPEED Channel at 2pm and 3pm EST. If you're local and want to see the next LOORRS race, Rounds 7 & 8 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series will return to Lake Elsinore Motorsports Complex on July 25th and 26th.

AEM Sponsored Carl Renezeder Gains Three Wins in Lake Elsinore

Jul 1, 2009

2009 to date Carl Renezeder has 3 Unlimited-2 wins and 5 Unlimited-4 wins

LAKE FOREST, CA (June 30, 2009) – The brand new track at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Complex provided plenty of dramatic moments this past weekend for rounds five and six of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, but it couldn't tame the likes of five-time national champion Carl Renezeder. In two brief practice sessions on Friday, Renezeder filled his mental notebook with everything he needed to take home three poles and three wins in four rounds of racing. Minor tweaks on set up throughout the weekend made his fast trucks faster still, and even the three-row inverted starts couldn't keep Renezeder from claiming care.

Three Wins for Renezeder and AEM's Dryflow Air Filter in Lake Elsinore, California

"I'm just the lucky guy that gets to drive these things," commented an ecstatic Renezeder in a post race interview. "This track is so much fun to drive, and my guys gave me a flawless truck. What more can I ask for?"

With temperatures above the century mark all weekend, the team was lucky to have a driver that thrives on tough situations and has the physical endurance to stay at the top of his game in extreme conditions. And Renezeder was lucky to have a team that could endure the heat while prepping the trucks.

"The worst part of the heat for me was sitting in the trucks in staging where I couldn't get any air," explained Renezeder. "Once we were moving, it was easy to forget about the temperature. And, I admire all of my guys for pushing through the heat to prep these things like they did. With the relentless heat and dirt, they proved once again why we're a championship team."

The team faces another hot weekend of racing the end of July when the series returns to Lake Elsinore July 24-26. But before then, fans can catch the Lake Elsinore races again on Saturday, July 12, 2009 on SPEED Channel.

AEM-Sponsored Team ATK Wins 1st Place at the 2009 Baja 500 in the JeepSpeed Wrangler

Jun 29, 2009

Team ATK's notable finish at the 2008 SCORE International Baja 1000 seems to have been a launching pad for the race crew. In an extremely competitive lineup of nearly 400 entries, the JeepSpeed Wrangler of Team ATK finished 31st overall, a remarkable finish for such a racer-saturated race. The winning momentum carried the team well into this year as Team ATK took the 1st place spot at the 2009 Baja 500 in Ensenada, Mexico.

Jon Krellwitz and Skyler Gambrell passing bystanders at the Baja 500

Team ATK parades their JeepSpeed Jeep Wrangler through the streets of Ensenada, Mexico

Team ATK parades their Wrangler in the streets of Mexico before the Baja 500

The Jeep Wrangler of Team ATK jumping through an inflatable at the 2009 Baja 500

Before starting the Baja 500, the Team ATK Jeep is paraded through the streets of Ensenada, Mexico

To begin the race, drivers Darren Skilton and his father Clive Skilton (20-year Baja racing veteran) were the first off the line in their class. The temperature was 70-degrees with a light breeze which created the ideal weather for a Baja race day. The perfect racing conditions followed through as the duo charged through droves of Limited Buggies, Mini Trucks, and Full-Size Stock Trucks that started ahead of the Jeep. As the team began approaching Class 7 Unlimited Mini Trucks, they were about 80 miles into the race and looking strong.

Keeping up the momentum, the father and son team blasted through the desert. As the Jeep whipped around a blind turn, Darren noticed a large rock in the middle of the course. Unfortunately, there was not enough time to avoid the obstacle and the Jeep struck the rock with both driver's side wheels. The impact was substantial enough to crack both wheels. Luckily for Darren and Clive, they had set up their race truck with two spares. As they jumped out to swap the wheels, spectators crowded the truck eager to help with the repair. Well, the spectators ended up doing more bad than good and a few of the wheel studs were stripped in the process. Darren still managed to get a couple lugs on to secure the wheels and jumped back into the Jeep to make it back to the next pit stop.

After carefully maneuvering a few miles from the location where they struck the rock, Darren and Clive arrived to a BFGoodrich Tires pit. At the BFG pit stop the Jeep was fueled up with Sunoco unleaded race fuel and Team ATK filed the damaged threads to the rear hub in order to properly mount the wheels. Once the vehicle was back in good working order, Clive decided to switch seats with Skyler Gambrell. Skyler suited up and got in the co-pilot seat to help navigate through the technical crossing of the Sierra De Juarez mountain summit.

Heading through the summit, Darren and Skyler made good time and recovered most what they had lost due to the rock incident. As the team pulled into the second BFGoodrich pit, they estimated a comfortable 30 mile lead on the second-place Land Rover entry. Even with their lead, the team was not in the clear as of yet and more mechanical repairs were needed. This time, the crew noticed that the transfer case was leaking a considerable amount of fluid from the rear seal. The team weighed their options and decided to go for the repairs since they were already at a pit stop and had the spare parts on hand.

The transfer case swap cost the team about an hour and a half. By the time they were back on the road, the Land Rover entry was hot on their trail. This time driver Darren Skilton gave up the wheel to teammate Jon Krellwitz with Skyler remaining co-driver. Across the peninsula they went directly into the setting Baja sun. Jon and Skyler counted the minutes until sunset so they could stop squinting at the horizon. The blinding light lasted for about 50 treacherous miles of driving. Aside from being blinded for the entire time, the Wrangler made it across the peninsula smoothly and safely.

Once Team ATK reached the Pacific coast they were due for a refuel. So the team made their third scheduled pit stop to fuel up the Jeep in preparation for the last stretch of desert. By the time the team left the pit stop, it was pitch black in the desert. Jon flipped on the newly-equipped carbon-fiber KC HiLites POD light rack to ensure visibility of the ruthless terrain. With a sizeable lead over the Land Rover, Jon and Skyler made a decision to take it easy.

Taking the last stretch of the course easy proved to be a good decision and the team cut out any risk of crashing. In the end, the JeepSpeed Wrangler crossed the finish line at about 1am on Sunday morning taking the class win of the Baja 500! The team's elapsed time came out to 14 hours and 4 minutes with an average speed of 30.74 miles per hour with roughly two hours of downtime. Once the official time was released however, the team was penalized by adding 60 minutes to their time for a course deviation in San Vicente. Even with the hardships of the race, Team ATK still came out over two and a half hours ahead of the next competitor.

With a Baja 500 Class win under their belt, the team is looking forward to returning to Baja for the SCORE Baja 1000 later this year. With their continued success and determination, we look forward to hearing more good news from our friends at Team ATK. Congratulations guys!

Team ATK Crew:
Clive Skilton
Darren Skilton
Jon Krellwitz
Skyler Gambrell
Matt McCallum
John Zambo
Keg Parker
Jerry Krellwitz
Bill Frey
Patrick Smith