Rockstar Makita Team LeDuc is Victorious at Crandon International Raceway!

September 8, 2009 by Fish
Filed under Press Releases

Kyle LeDuc Wins the Prestigious BorgWarner Cup at Crandon Raceway!

Curt LeDuc Takes Home Third in the BorgWarner Cup Challenge
Todd LeDuc Wins Round 11 in Pro 2WD Class

The highly anticipated 40th Anniversary of Crandon International Raceway kicked off over Labor Day weekend to an estimated crowd of nearly 40,000 fans. The live ABC broadcast of the competition not only added to the notoriety of the event, it also brought nation-wide attention to the “small town with big time racing.” With just three more races left (including Crandon) in the Off-Road Championship (TORC) Series, Rounds 11 and 12 brought all-out competitive action in the Pro 4×4 and Pro 2WD classes. Claiming victories in both the 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive classes, the Rockstar / Makita Team LeDuc rightfully earned their spot in the history books during this legendary anniversary race at the venue dubbed “The Big House.”

When the final checkered flag dropped Sunday evening at Crandon International Raceway, it was Kyle LeDuc in the No. 99 Rockstar / Makita Pro 4×4 Ford who earned his first BorgWarner Cup and the 4th Oakley “Bomb Award” of the season for the fastest lap time in the race. Father, Curt LeDuc, the 1998 winner of the coveted BorgWarner Cup, also claimed a podium position in his No. 43 Rockstar / Makita Pro 4×4 Ford by crossing the finish line in third place.

As both LeDucs took to the stage to claim their trophies and the $100,000 sterling silver Cup, it was an obviously emotional and historic accomplishment for the family and crew. Becoming the first “father and son” team to earn podiums in this prestigious race, Curt commented, “It has been an unbelievable day and a great weekend for my family, our team, and our sponsors. To any father who has ever worked with his sons, keep doing it! It does pay off! I couldn’t be more proud of both Kyle and Todd.” In addition to earning the celebrated Cup title, Kyle also takes home a $40,000 cash purse compliments of Crandon International Raceway and another $3,500 cash prize from Ford as a “Racer Performance Award.”

Sunday’s hard-fought victories were in sharp contrast to Saturday’s disappointing Pro 4×4 race as Curt LeDuc suffered a dramatic crash while making a charge for the third position during his 7th lap. Kyle, who had been running in second place, was battling for the lead when he received the black flag during the fifth lap for an incident with the No. 2 truck of Steve Barlow. Forced to go to the back of the pack due to the penalty, Kyle crossed the finish in the 9th position while Curt was able to recover and claim an 8th place finish. As the final points were tallied at the conclusion of the weekend, Kyle will head into the next race in the second points position while Curt currently claims the fifth spot on the points grid.

Saturday’s Round 11 Pro 2WD action found Todd LeDuc claiming the “hole shot” during the land rush start and dominating the field of 19 competitors. Leading entire race from the green flag to the checkers, Todd also earned his first Oakley “Bomb Award” of the season for the fastest lap time. “It is a real honor to take home a win during the 40th Anniversary celebration of Crandon and I can’t thank the fans, the dedicated crew, and my generous sponsors enough for making this possible,” commented Todd LeDuc.

Sunday’s Round 12 brought lots of excitement to the spectators and the television audience as a three-way race for fourth place broke out between Todd LeDuc, Robby Gordon, and Evan Evans just a few hundred feet from the finish. Todd, who was running in fifth, made a last minute charge for fourth and successfully passed Robby Gordon just seconds before crossing the finish line. Gordon and LeDuc made contact during the battle and Robby ended up backwards on the track, ultimately finishing in the sixth position. Todd currently claims the second spot on the points grid and is trailing leader, Ricky Johnson, by just two points! With two races left in the regular season and just two points separating Todd from the leader, the next race at Perris Auto Speedway is sure to be exciting in the Pro 2WD class.

Rockstar / Makita’s Team LeDuc Racing will return to the track for Rounds 13 and 14 of the Traxxas TORC Series racing on September 25 – 26 at Perris Auto Speedway. Coverage of The Off-Road Championship Series Crandon race can be seen Wednesday, September 9th on the ESPN2 Network at 10:30pm Pacific Standard Time.

Rockstar / Makita Team LeDuc Racing is Sponsored by:

Rockstar Energy
Makita Tools
Toyo Tires
KC HiLites
KMC Wheels
King Shocks
MSD Ignition
K&N Filters
MasterCraft Safety
Simpson
Leatt Brace
Ford Trucks
Beco Radiators
Kalgard
United States Air Force

It was an emotional celebration as Kyle takes to the podium to claim his $100,000 sterling silver BorgWarner and 18k gold Crandon Cup. Curt LeDuc also took home the third place finish in the BorgWarner Cup race.

Kyle LeDuc joins the ranks of racing legends, such as recent Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee, Jack Flannery, and his Dad, Curt LeDuc, who have added their name to the BorgWarner Cup.

Kyle LeDuc takes the final turn heading toward the finish to claim his victory in the 16th Annual BorgWarner Cup.

Todd LeDuc charges hard to earn the “hole shot” during the land rush start in Saturday’s Pro 2WD competition. Leading the race from the green flag to the checkered, Todd took home the win and is currently just two points off the leader in the points chase.

Curt LeDuc earned third place and joined his son, Kyle, on the podium during the 16th Annual BorgWarner Cup race.