Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Pro 2 Series' Stronghold Motorsports Takes Podium
- Apr 4, 2011
After struggling in Saturdays opening round, teammates Rob Naughton and Jeremy McGrath surged to the front of the pack and pulled away, giving Stronghold their first ever sweep in the Pro 2 class. "We made a gear and tire change that helped," said Naughton, who captured his first ever Pro 2 win. "But more than anything, the mental change I made as a driver helped me really push the truck to its limit and maximize its potential." Naughton ran his fastest lap time on the 19th circuit. It was a 20 lap race. The 2010 Pro 2 Rookie of the Year said the win has already given the team confidence it can win the championship. "We expect to continue to race up front and win races. It was awesome for the entire team. They put in a ton of work, and to have both trucks podium was very special and the best way for us as drivers to say ‘thank you' to our crew."
McGrath, the 7-time AMA Supercross Champion, and the man responsible for putting Supercross on the map in the U.S.A., was happy to bring home the second place trophy in his debut weekend with Stronghold. "I didn't have a great starting position so I had to fight my way to second. Once I got there, me and Rob battled really close. I was able to get side-by-side with him, but I couldn't make it stick. I'm just happy we were first and second on the podium. The team deserved it." McGrath was approached by Scott Bailey to drive Stronghold's Pro 4 truck in 2010. The opportunity arose for the two-wheel superstar to move into the team's second Pro 2 truck, and McGrath saw an opportunity to form the best team in the division. So far, the move has paid off, but McGrath knows they still have work to do.
"We only have two rounds of racing under this new truck, and I'm seeing a lot of these tracks for the first time, so I know the learning curve is going to be steep. I know we have the package to get a championship, but the talent in the field is unbelievable." Naughton added "I know I can win every race, but with guys like (Brian) Deegan and Jeremy, it's going to be difficult to stay on top." Both drivers applauded K&N's industry leading filters for keeping their motors working at optimum levels. "K&N obviously makes the best filter on the market. When you are racing 900 horsepower motors that are the best money can buy, using any other filter is just not an option," Naughton said. McGrath added "Our Roush Fenway motors make amazing horsepower and are running through dirt and rocks while flying through the air at more than 80 miles an hour. I don't think there are any harsher conditions in racing, and because of that, K&N is the only brand of filters this team will ever use." Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
