Hot temps bring hot competition in Bark River.

         After a long 4 week break, Jeff Kincaid Motorsports loaded up they’re Round 8 winning Pro Lite team and headed back to Bark River, Michigan for Rounds 9 & 10 of the Traxxas TORC series. Knowing he was the man to beat, Jeff had his crew put a fresh Goodwin Competition, Toyota 3RZ motor in his Traxxas, Forest County Potawatomi Tacoma to ensure he stays on top of the podium. Friday afternoon brought a practice session for all classes. Jeff made a couple of laps in the session, performing a usual shakedown run making sure all was well with the new motor and the truck. Comfortable with his setup, Jeff was ready to regain sole possession of the points lead.

Saturday morning brought rain, which doused the track, cancelling practice sessions for the morning. The 8 truck Pro Lite field took to staging with Kincaid lined up in the 6th starting position with the inversion for Round 9. With the previous classes racing complete the Bark River track crew had the track in near perfect condition after the early morning rain. The pace truck led Mark Krueger to the line as they 2 by 2 field awaited the green. The green flag dropped, and Jeff charged hard to the front making it into the 3rd position by halfway through the first lap. Before the completion of the first lap Kincaid made his way around Mark Krueger putting himself in second behind Marty Hart. Kincaid continued to follow Hart through the mandatory caution, awaiting Hart to make a mistake. Once the green flag dropped again, Jeff went to work right away on Hart trying different lines all around the track. On lap 8, Kincaid pulled along-side Hart in the back section, and slid ahead of him going up the big hill taking over the 1st position. Once Jeff was in the lead, he ran away to a 15 truck lead and cruised home for his 3rd victory of the year. Marty Hart finished in 2nd and Chris Brandt rounded out the podium in 3rd. In his charge for the lead, Kincaid laid down the fastest lap of the race, receiving his 5th Oakley Bomb Run of the season. With the win, Kincaid took sole possession of the points lead with a 9 point lead over Chad Hord.

Jeff’s crew performed a check over of the Toyota Tacoma to ensure it was in winning form again for Round 10. The 8 truck field again lined up 2 by 2 with Kincaid lining up 6th again with the inversion. Mark Krueger again led the field to green on the rolling start. Jeff again wasting no time putting himself in winning contention, he settled into the 3rd place through the first lap. Casey Currie led the field for the first couple laps, with Marty Hart following in 2nd. Kincaid challenged Hart for 2nd many times throughout the 1.5 mile track. On lap 4, Kincaid tucked up to Hart’s bumper flying over the big Traxxas hill, with Currie just ahead. The top 3 slid 3-wide into the right handed sweeper. Hart made contact with Currie causing him to spin in front of Kincaid. With nowhere for Jeff to go, he crashed into Currie’s front corner causing them both to go off track.

Hart continued on to take the lead as Chad Hord and Chris Brandt got by Kincaid before he got back underway as Currie’s day was over from the contact. Jeff charged hard and got back by Brandt before the mandatory caution. The field bunched back up, and took the green again. Kincaid wasted no time challenging Hord for 2nd. The two diced back and forth with Hart in a close first. On lap 8, Hart began to slow with a flat tire letting Hord and Kincaid by him to battle for the lead. Kincaid continued to follow Hord through lap 9. Jeff pulled up to Hord’s rear bumper entering the finish line corner, and pulled up along-side him crossing the finish line. Hord slid to the outside line, and Kincaid’s BFGoodrich tires hooked up helping him complete an outside-in pass through the double for the lead. Kincaid led Hord through the back stretch, but began to slow over the Traxxas hill and pulled off the track with a mechanical failure. Hord went on to win the race with Mark Oberg taking 2nd, and Mark Krueger taking third. Kincaid’s DNF put him in the 5th finishing position. Once again, Kincaid laid down the fastest lap in the race, receiving the Oakley Bomb Run Award for the 6th time this season, the most in any other class.

Leaving the weekend Kincaid sits 2nd in points, only 1 behind Chad Hord with 6 rounds remaining. The action from Round 10 of the TORC series airs this Sunday August 16 at 11:30 eastern time on ESPN2. The next stop for Jeff Kincaid Motorsports is the 40th Anniversary World Championships at Crandon, WI, for Rounds 11 & 12 of the TORC series, and also the Decision at Sundown Cup race, September 4-6, 2009. We hope to see you there!