Johnny Greaves eNews http://www.johnnygreaves.com/ Johnny Greaves Race Reports and News Feed en-us Copyright 2009 Johnny G Motorsports NEWS | Monster Energy's Johnny Greaves Sets World Record with First-ever 300-Foot Truck Jump http://www.johnnygreaves.com/index.asp Greaves' Monster Energy/Toyota Motorsports Racing teammate Jeremy McGrath calls it "Frickin Huge" after Greaves touches down with WR Corona, CA (December 28, 2009)--What began as a relatively calm morning in the southern California foothills just outside San Diego literally became the stuff Guinness Book of World Records are made of when Monster Energy's Johnny Greaves came roaring down a dirt road at 105 mile per hour and launched his 3,800-pound, 800-horsepower TORC off-road PRO 2WD Toyota through the air over the length of an NFL football field.

Landing quite peacefully some 301-feet later despite the overall violent nature of the jump. Greaves looped back around and was met by his Monster Energy/Toyota Motorsports team and off-road racing teammate McGrath.

"He made it look good, made it look easy. But that jump was frickin' huge," said McGrath.

With a spectrum of measuring and surveying equipment on hand, Greaves added more than 100 feet to the previous 2WD distance truck jumping record of 193-feet set last year. Check it all out for yourself here.

Click here to watch the video on YouTube

"I was a little bit nervous," Greaves admitted the day of the jump. "I woke up and I was going to go ride down there and look at the ramp and talk about what we need to do, but my brother was already in Jeremy's horse barn tearing the truck apart and getting the gearing right and I was like, 'All right, it's on!'"

With a gap of 200 feet (between the take-off and landing peaks), Greaves knew anything below 100 mph on the in-run would cause him to "auger" into the face of the landing. But with some spot-on mathematical calculations provided by his crew, and, believe-it-or-not, some tips on flying a truck like a dirt bike from McGrath, Greaves pulled off one of the most amazing motorsports distance jumps in history.

Read Full Story...]]> RACE REPORT | Greaves & McGrath RUN WILD at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2009 TORC Series Finale! http://www.johnnygreaves.com/2009reports.asp Las Vegas, NV (October 29, 2009)–The familiar Monster Energy black and green colors entertained the crowds at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on both Friday and Saturday nights as America's favorite off road racer, Johnny Greaves and Super Cross Legend, Jeremy McGrath, put on a performance that fans will not soon forget. Both racers ran wild in hopes of earning victories in the last race of the 2009 TORC Series season.

Friday Night Racing - TORC Las Vegas Motor Speedway Round 15

McGrath pushed the #2 PRO 2WD race truck to the edge, jumping out to an early lead and battled among the top five throughout the race.Driving the #2 two-wheel drive machine to the podium in Round 15 of the 2009 TORC Series was Super cross Legend Jeremy McGrath. The final race weekend of the season kicked off in front of an enthusiastic Las Vegas Motor Speedway crowd held on the world-famous Speedway Dirt Track.

McGrath was all business as he conversed briefly with crew chief and spotter, Curt Greaves, over the race radio preparing for the 16-lap PRO 2WD Round 15. With an inverted start that put McGrath in the second row on the starting line, the #2 Monster Energy/ Toyota/ Potawatomi/ BFGoodrich backed race truck shot off the start line like a speeding bullet.

McGrath pushed the #2 PRO 2WD race truck to the edge, jumping out to an early lead and battled among the top five throughout the race. McGrath's Toyota TRD motor package delivered impressive power to the 35" BFGoodrich Tires that churned up the Vegas Dirt Track racecourse.

Over the course of Friday night's race, TORC officials restarted the race four different times and McGrath had plenty of go-power to roar to the front. Jeremy charged hard for what would be an incredible first victory, while racing door-to-door with those racers vying for the season championship.

Read Full Story...]]> RACE REPORT | Monster Energy's Greaves & McGrath Ride on the Edge and EARN Podium Finishes at Perris Speedway http://www.johnnygreaves.com/2009reports.asp Perris, CA (September 28, 2009)-Monster Energy backed Johnny Greaves Motorsports arrived to Southern California in the middle of a blistering heat wave for the 2009 TORC Traxxas Series Rounds 13-14 held at the Perris Auto Speedway. Over 12,000 fans filled the dirt track stadium to watch what turned out to be an incredible battle between the legends of TORC off road racing. The return of off road racing under the lights in Southern California brought out the crowds to watch the best off road racing of the season on the tight half-mile race track.

America's favorite short course racer, Johnny Greaves, faced off against the nation's toughest competition seen in years as the elite Pro4WD class battled fiercely under the bright lights of Perris Auto Speedway. Greaves charged his Monster Energy/ Toyota/ Potawatomi/ BFGoodrich sponsored race truck, while team Jeremy McGrath buckled up his Mastercraft Safety gear in his #2 Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich two-wheel drive machine. Both Greaves and McGrath were the favorite among the legions of fans at the TORC Autograph sessions both nights.

Jeremy McGrath battled not only the scorching elements of Mother Nature, but he also battled flu-like symptoms all weekend long. Greaves, on the other hand, was focused on the task of working on every angle of his race truck in order to be as fast as he could be on the track.

One thing for sure, the Monster Energy/ Toyota/ Potawatomi/ BFGoodrich/ PIT & FAN ZONE was packed both nights as the Southern California fans flocked to the Greaves Motorsports pit to get an inside look at what makes Greaves and McGrath tick.

Read Full Story...]]> RACE REPORT | Greaves/McGrath Dreams DASHED at 40th Crandon, Monster Energy FANS Cheer On Crandon Favorites Johnny Greaves & Jeremy McGrath http://www.johnnygreaves.com/2009reports.asp Crandon, WI (September 6, 2009)-Greaves Motorsports drivers, Johnny Greaves and Jeremy McGrath took to the dirt track at Crandon International Raceway with hopes of multiple victories for the high profile off road race team. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the famed 1.65-mile track, the off road racing icons, Johnny and Jeremy demonstrated they were fast during Crandon's Friday practice and qualifying sessions.

The dynamic duo arrived to the nation's most sacred off-road racetrack and were greeted by hordes of Monster Energy fans. Track officials reported over 50,000 fans in attendance on each of the two race days sandwiched in between the 4-day Labor Day holiday festival.

Led by team owner, Johnny Greaves, the Greaves Motorsports race team was spit shined and polished for Friday's Crandon Parade celebrating the 40th anniversary of Crandon International Raceway. Fans surrounded the two Monster Energy/Potawatomi/Toyota/BFGoodrich sponsored race trucks as Johnny and Jeremy signed autograph hero cards and posters throughout the event.

The two off road racers were all business when it came to qualifying and the final practice before Saturday's Crandon World Championship Race, which also doubled as round 11 of the 2009 TORC Traxxas Series.

Read Full Story...]]> RACE REPORT | Greaves-McGrath Combine for 10 Podiums in Quest for Traxxas TORC Championship, McGrath Sets Fast Race Lap, Earns Oakley Bomb Award http://www.johnnygreaves.com/2009reports.asp Bark River, MI (August 10, 2009)-Over 17,000 thousand fans packed into the Bark River International Raceway near the shores of Lake Michigan for Rounds 9-10 of the TRAXXAS TORC Off Road Race Series. Bark River International Raceway is located 10 miles Southwest of Escanaba, Michigan. The 1.5-mile race course features undulating terrain and boasts the highest elevation change of any race course in the 2009 TORC Series.

The Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich sponsored duo of Johnny Greaves and Jeremy McGrath arrived to the track with one goal in mind and that was to continue charging for the series championship in both the Pro4WD and Pro2WD divisions.

Combined, the Greaves-McGrath race team has garnered 10 podium finishes so far this season, with six races left to determine the series championship. Both racers are positioned to rally for the series championship trophies. Early Friday, the two off road champions spent serious time on the track evaluating the recent changes made to the 1.5-mile racetrack prior to the afternoon practice where the two drivers proved that both Monster Energy/ Toyota/ Potawatomi/ BFGoodrich race trucks were dialed in and very fast.

Fans lined up in front of the Monster Energy/ Toyota/ Potawatomi/ BFGoodrich PIT ZONE in search of posters and autographs from both drivers who stayed until the last fan received special attention. That was about the time that Greaves and McGrath suited up for Saturday's racing extravaganza.

Throughout the day, TORC race officials tracked moving masses of unstable weather threatening the region, but once the Pro 2WD's took to the track, everyone in the stadium focused on the door-to-door truck racing action. The wild and exciting battles surprised no one, as the field charged the first turn all following the #2 Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi/BFGoodrich Pro2WD driven by Jeremy McGrath. Lap after lap, McGrath's BFGoodrich Tires churned up tight lines that were powered by the awesome Toyota TRD power plant, allowing him to run wild in the front of the pack.

Read Full Story...]]> RACE REPORT | Johnny Greaves Sweeps Traxxas TORC Series in Michigan, Jeremy McGrath Earns Podium after Epic Battle in Sunday's Action http://www.johnnygreaves.com/2009reports.asp Bark River, MI (July 13, 2009)-Johnny Greaves, the 6-time off road racing champion, was all smiles Sunday afternoon as he completed a weekend sweep of the 2009 TRAXXAS TORC Series Rounds 7 and 8. Dominating performances this weekend add important series points in his quest to reign as the TORC series champion.

Bark River International Raceway welcomed the Traxxas TORC Truck Series to Michigan's Upper Peninsula amid the 70-degree weather while some 6,000 fans packed the grandstands on both Saturday and Sunday.

Bark River International Raceway is located ten miles Southwest of Escanaba, Michigan along the shores of the beautiful Lake Michigan. The 1.5-mile race course features undulating terrain and boasts the highest elevation change of any race course in the 2009 TORC Series.

The #22 Monster Energy/Toyota/Potawatomi Pro 4X4 was the class of the field on both race days. On Saturday’s Round 7 race, Greaves started in the second row and after just three laps behind the pole sitter, the Wisconsin native jetted to the front of the pack and never looked back. When the yellow midway caution lap came out, the field of Pro 4X4’s closed the gap on the Monster Energy off road racing superstar. However, as the field returned to green flag racing, the #22 charged out to a comfortable lead. Thousands of fans cheered as Johnny carved his line from the soft Michigan dirt enroute to yet another remarkable victory.

As he climbed from his Mastercraft race seat, the smiling Greaves said, "It's great to be back in the winner's circle! We've struggled a bit during the first half of the season, but the dedication from my Monster Energy/ Toyota/ Potawatomi team, along with our racing partners, have allowed us to get back into our winning forum. We had a testing session ten days ago and that help put us back on track. The season's only halfway over and we've got the crosshairs dialed in on the championship. It's a long way, but the #22 Monster Energy Pro 4 is charging hard."

Read Full Story...]]> RACE REPORT | Monster Energy Toyota Potawatomi Team of Greaves-McGrath Show Speed in Crandon at TORC Series' Midwest Debut in Rounds 5 and 6 http://www.johnnygreaves.com/2009reports.asp Crandon, WI (June 23, 2009)-The Monster Energy Toyota team of Johnny Greaves and Jeremy McGrath rolled into the famous Crandon International Raceway to greet over 24,000 fans for the traditional "Brush Run" hosted by Forest County Potawatomi. While Greaves and McGrath struggled with some mechanical failures and race contact damage, both Jeremy McGrath and Johnny Greaves left on Sunday feeling as if they may have figured out some things about their set-up that will propel them back to the top for the rest of the year. Greaves salvaged a 4th place finish in round 5 on Saturday while McGrath had a cut tire as he was positioned for a win but was still able to pull-off a 4th place finish and tied for 3rd in the points. Round 6 was even tougher for both-Greaves broke had a ring and pinion and McGrath had engine failure.

"It was great to be back on a big track here in Crandon and see how our Toyota's were going to need to be set-up for the 'Midwest Swing'," stated Greaves. Rain kept us from doing as much testing and it really would have helped us. All in all though we just had some mechanical issues or we would have stayed on the podium. We feel we are going to run strong from here on out and discovered a few things that are going to pay off down the road."

In Saturday's round 5, Greaves got off to a 5th place start and quickly started his move to the top in lap one. He quickly moved into 4th and was charging hard to the front when he had a front-end failure and was loosing traction. He held on to finish 4th and gain valuable points for the title chase. On Sunday in Round 6, Greaves again battled hard through the start and looked as if he had the speed to win, when he had a ring and pinion failure that put him out of contention for the win.

Jeremy McGrath had a solid weekend of racing, but again was denied the podium due to mechanical failure that plagued the Monster Energy team all weekend. In round 5 on Saturday, McGrath drove a solid race and was battling for the lead with Scott Taylor when he developed a flat rear tire from heavy contact with Vanden Heuvel on the back turn. His tire was cut deep and flat but McGrath held on for an impressive 4th place and tied for 3rd in the points. On Sunday, in round 6, McGrath was again charging hard for the lead when he blew the engine on lap 5 and had to watch from the in-field. He only dropped a couple of positions to 5th in the points.

In the Forest County Potawatomi Chairman's Cup race, Greaves made some significant changes to the set-up and came out charging early on in lap one. After a 5th place start, Greaves had already passed the Pro 4X4's and was making his move to the Pro 2's by the gravel-pit turn. Greaves was once again disappointed as he lost steering from a broken steering belt, forcing him to pullout.

"Overall, John was disappointed of course, but he did find the set-up he was looking for by the end of the weekend," stated Jeremy McGrath. "He has that look in his eyes that he knows he is on the right track for the rest of the season, so don't underestimate Mr. Greaves. My truck is running great and I feel I would have gotten a win this weekend if it weren't for getting hit so hard and giving me that flat. I've learned in racing to be patient and keep working and it will work out in the end."

Read Full Story...]]> RACE REPORT | Greaves and McGrath Keep the Podium Hot in TORC Rounds 3 & 4, Greaves Earns First Win of TORC Season in Pro 4X4 http://www.johnnygreaves.com/2009reports.asp Perris, CA (May 31, 2009)-The Monster Potawatomi Toyota team of Johnny Greaves and Jeremy McGrath left Perris Auto Speedway Sunday morning with big smiles on their faces as Greaves earned his first win in the new Traxxas TORC Series on Friday night while McGrath earned another second place spot on the podium in round 4. On the weekend the team racked-up three podiums finishes in front of a big crowd in Southern California and the pair of Monster Toyota’s were a fixture in all the race battles for the lead.

On Friday night, McGrath jumped out to an early lead in the Monster Hammerhead Toyota Pro 2WD class and lead the race all the way to the halfway point. Late in the race the supercross legend got caught-up in some fender banging and ended up in 8th. On Saturday night, McGrath once again got off to a Monster of a start by leading all the way until the competition caution with fellow Supercross champion Rick Johnson in second. On the re-start, Johnson made an aggressive move to get around McGrath and the battle was on. Exciting the TORC fans, McGrath and Johnson fought hard for the rest of the race with McGrath taking the second place podium spot for Toyota and giving the "Showtime" fans a great show.

Longtime crowd favorite Johnny Greaves started his weekend off in the right direction Friday night with a win and tough battle with veterans Scott Douglas and Rick Huseman. Greaves made it look easy, putting his Tundra out front early on and leading the race the entire way. Huseman and Douglas fought hard and challenged the veteran Greaves late in the race but was unable to overtake the BF Goodrich shod Greaves and Johnny was back on the familiar ground of the top of the podium for TORC round 2.

On Saturday night, Greaves once again got out to an early lead on lap one holding this position all the way till lap 17 of the 20-lap race when a hard charging Toyota of Rick Huseman was able to slide underneath Greaves for the win. The crowd was entertained as usual with close racing the entire way. Scott Douglas worked hard to try and overtake Greaves in lap 18, but was unable to overtake the crafty Greaves and Johnny went on to finish second.

"We had a great time this weekend and it's always nice to get back on top of the podium," stated team owner Greaves. "Jeremy is coming to the front aggressively and I think he and RJ are putting on a great show for the TORC Series fans this year. Our Monster Potawatomi team has gotten the start we wanted to the season and if we just keep this up, we should be in a position to win some titles."

Read Full Story...]]> RACE REPORT | Greaves Motorsports Monster Energy Potawatomi Team Puts It On the Podium in the Inaugural Traxxas TORC Truck Series, Presented by AMSOIL http://www.johnnygreaves.com/2009reports.asp Ft. Worth, TX (May 16, 2009)-The Monster Energy Potawatomi Toyota Team of Johnny Greaves and Jeremy McGrath excited the Texas fans this weekend in Rounds 1 and 2 of the new Traxxas TORC Truck Series by putting on a show filled with vintage Greaves' fast laps and exciting crashes. McGrath added to the teams allure by showing that he is going to be right in the middle of the Pro 2WD championship hunt in 2009, as he looked extremely quick in the new Toyota.

McGrath took to the stage first Friday night with a strong start and got into the hunt for the lead early, battling with Pro 2WD veterans, Rob McCachren and Ricky Johnson. After battling hard McGrath slid wide and let Johnson take the lead late in the race giving McGrath a second place finish on the podium and got the new TORC Season off to a great start for the supercross legend. "The fans got a real charge out of seeing RJ and me going at it and I can't wait to get even in Perris," stated McGrath.

Next up was 6-time Champion and team owner Johnny Greaves in the Pro 4X4 class where Greaves jumped out to a huge lead on lap 1. Greaves led by a wide margin with teammate Rick Huseman and Scott Douglas following behind by the time the competition yellow flag dropped at the midway point. After the yellow, Greaves increased his lead once again until he started having some front drive issues causing an unexpected spinout, allowing Huseman's Toyota to gain the lead with Kyle LeDuc in second. Greaves fought past the younger LaDuc and into second and went after Huesman, but once again the front-drive issue prevented him from catching Huseman. Greaves settled for a hard-fought third to round out the podium.

On Saturday, the rains poured all day and left the track a little muddy for the main events on Saturday. By 9:00 pm the track was looking great and The Pro 2WD took to the track. McGrath started in 5th and his window screen plugged up with the heavy clay and he but battled back to challenge for forth place, but had to settle for 5th with mud caked on his window screen,

Greaves started 4th position but quickly moved in to challenge for the lead. As he came around for the second lap, he cut the inside of a jump in turn four and sent the truck spiraling onto its side, breaking an upper A-arm that ended Greaves round 2 efforts. "I am disappointed in the results, but I am excited about the way the new Tundra performed," stated Greaves. "This new Toyota is great and it proved it is the truck to beat in the Pro 4x4 division in 2009."

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