Hoek Rebounds in Round 8 – Top 5 Finish during Speed Live Broadcast

“Tonight we had a great run from start to finish,” commented Ross Hoek. “Starting well back in the field really makes it a challenge to get on the podium. Hope all the fans watching onSPEED and all those that packed the grandstands enjoyed our race, I know I had a blast tonight. After all is said and done our Ignite Racing Fuels/Venom Energy/Allstar Performance Ford can challenge for a podium spot every time out. We are really looking forward to getting back to the wide open spaces of Bark River and Crandon.”

Tough Weekend for Hoek at The Big House
 
Holland, MI (June 2, 2012) – Ross Hoek Motorsports was looking forward to getting the #21 Ignite Racing Fuels/Venom Energy/Allstar Performance Ford back on track at Crandon after an up and down weekend of racing at Red Bud. The Big House as Crandon’s race track is so aptly named, has been host to some of Ross Hoek’s greatest finishes, including a World Championship ring. Unfortunately forces beyond his control saw the team labor through the annual Spring Run in Crandon.
 
The days leading up to the race weekend saw heavy rains put enough moisture in the 1.75 mile long track to create ideal short-course racing conditions. The Friday afternoon qualifying session saw the team take a conservative approach to the session and stopped the watches tenth fastest in the fourteen truck field.
 
The next morning race teams awoke to partly sunny skies and above normal temperatures. The weatherman predicted rain for later in the evening, so it looked to be a great day for Northwoods style short-course off-road racing. The race schedule had the PRO-Light group competing mid-afternoon and very few racers figured rain would be an issue. Unfortunately the weatherman was wrong as rains hit the area just before Saturday’s PRO-Light race and lasted into the evening.
 
The Pro Light race started with dry skies, but the race track was wet and really muddy just about everywhere. The landrush start saw the Ignite Racing Fuels Venom Energy Ford exit Turn One safely in tenth place. The opening five laps showed Ross gain control of the muddy track as he worked his way up to fourth place at the mandatory caution. As the green flag flew Ross was ready to challenge for the podium when heavy rains began to fall making visibility impossible. Somehow, Hoek stayed out of any major contact and finished Round 5 in seventh place.
 
“The vision was a problem before the rain came,” remarked Ross Hoek. “But the heavy rain made it impossible to race. After the mandatory caution I had used up all my tearoffs and I had to race with the helmet shield up. Somehow we made it to the end, but my eyes are trashed.”

 
The next morning cooler temperatures and clear skies prevailed and thanks to Mother Nature and the great work of the Crandon track crew, the race track was in near perfect condition for Round 6 action.
 
Based on his Saturday finish, the #21 Ford started in the middle of the front row. The first half of the race was uneventful as Hoek was running mid pack waiting for second half of the race to make the charge for a podium finish.
 
As the race trucks headed in single file formation for the starter’s flag one of the front running trucks hit the brakes (commonly known as brake checking) causing the majority of the field to run into each other. The race officials waved off the start because of the incident, but it was too late for Ross Hoek. When the accordion effect happened, the truck behind Hoek got underneath the rear bumper and broke a brake line on the orange #21 Ford. Realizing there wasn’t any possible quick fix, Hoek just cruised the final four laps looking to stay out of everyone’s way, finishing in eleventh place.
 
“The restart saw someone up front brake checking, and it ruined a lot of equipment,” commented Ross Hoek. “They need to start throwing black flags for this BS. Only then will it stop. We didn’t tear much up today, because we really didn’t get the chance. The restarting incident caused us to lose the brakes, so all I could do was coast around the track. The issues we had this weekend we not of our own doing, our race program is really on the upward swing. Chicagoland is a lot like Charlotte so I look forward to a couple of great finishes.”
 

Red Bud Takes Hoek for a Ride
 
Holland, MI (May 30,2012) – After a third place finish in Charlotte, Ross Hoek arrived in Buchanan, Michigan confident knowing his team can compete with the big teams in the sport. Early in the weekend it looked like the Ignite Racing Fuels/Venom Energy/Allstar Performance Ford Ranger would be a strong contender, but the Red Bud MX natural terrain layout showed its grit and created a long night for the Ross Hoek Motorsports team.
 
The .75 mile long track was completely redesigned since the 2011 event. Twelve days before Round Three, Ross Hoek was asked to come to Red Bud to give some input with the track design, but knew all too well what he saw would not be the finished product. By race weekend, additional jumps, whoops, and sand were added to the layout changing the complexity of the track. Competing on the new Red Bud track with twelve other PRO-Light drivers would prove to be a real challenge for everyone.

Round Four
Due to the poor finish on Saturday Ross was relegated to start near the back of the twelve truck field. Right from the start of the fifteen lap race, Ross knew the truck wasn’t handling the Michigan terrain as well as the day before. The damage from Saturday’s had taken its toll on the trucks performance. Frustrated and disappointed Hoek persevered and crossed the finish in ninth place.
 
“Yesterday we really had our Ignite Racing Fuels/Venom Energy/ Allstar Performance Ford Ranger working really well,” noted Hoek. “This track is really rough on equipment, and it’s really tough to pass. Other competitors had suspension failures throughout the weekend and speeds these trucks are able run, makes it gamble if your equipment will make it to the checkered flag. We’ve got three weeks until the next race and we will get our hot rod back to one hundred percent for the run at the Big House.”

Holland, MI (May 23, 2012) – After a great weekend of racing at the opening event in Charlotte last month, Ross Hoek is well prepared for whatever the competition as well the natural terrain layout of the track at Red Bud MX has to offer. Thanks to a productive on-track test session the #21 Ignite Racing Fuels, Venom Energy, Herculiner, Allstar Performance, Pro-Light is tuned and ready for the TORC series’ second visit to the iconic motocross venue.  
 
Last year, the inaugural TORC Series Red Bud event experienced horrific weather conditions as heavy rain fell throughout the area preventing track designers from fining tuning the brand new one mile long layout. For 2012, the TORC track crew came to Red Bud a week early to work with the track owners to create a more wide open layout allowing the PRO trucks to use all their horsepower when competing for the win.
 
With over a month between race weekends, RHM team had plenty of time to go testing the Pro Light as well as make final preparations for the team’s new Sportsman Light Buggy entry. The orange VW powered buggy will be driven by team members throughout the season. Not only will the team have fun with the Light Buggy, but the time on the track will give the crew members a better insight into what the race vehicles and driver must cope with during a race.
 
“The competition in the PRO-Light class this year is even tougher than last year as everyone is stepping up their program,” remarked Hoek. “I’ll have quite a few fans from my hometown coming to Red Bud and I don’t want to disappoint. I believe we have really done our homework this year. Look for the #21 Ignite Racing Fuels, Venom Energy, Herculiner, and Allstar Performance Ford to be a consistent front runner throughout the season.”

Holland, MI (April 24, 2012) – By the time the Ignite Racing Fuels -Venom Energy – Ford Ranger of Ross Hoek left Charlotte, the competition knew the Michigan native had stepped up his game for 2012. During both nights of racing, the #21 PRO-Light Ford showed the field that the team had the pace to be a contender for the championship. The weekend culminated with a hard fought finish on the podium.
 
After spending the off-season updating the truck and working with the team’s marketing partners, the Ross Hoek Motorsports team wondered if they would make it to North Carolina in time for Friday’s opening round of racing when the team’s transporter had mechanical issues stranding them almost four hours from the Charlotte Motor Speedway. After an eighteen hour delay, RHM arrived at Charlotte ready to hit the track, but just after the Thursday evening practice session.
 
The very technical .9 mile long track consisted of moguls, whoops, high speed jumps and a table top that taxed every aspect of the truck as well as a driver’s talents.
 
After the first Friday practice session the team made adjustments to the truck’s suspension while Ross used the Stack data logger to promptly diagnose and resolve a fuel pressure problem.
 
The qualifying session saw the Ignite Racing Fuel Ford Ranger qualify sixth fastest among the field of PRO-Light racers. Ross knew there was room for improvement and continued to make adjustments leading up to Friday night’s live broadcast on SPEED. .
 
Friday – Round One
The starting grid had the #21 Ford on the pole as TORC officials inverted the starting order of the top six qualifiers. When the green flag was waved to start the eighteen lap event, Ross found himself in the middle of a four truck battle for the three podium positions. Just before the competition caution at the midpoint of the race, the race truck lost brake pedal pressure, leaving Ross with little or no brakes. Undaunted, Ross changed his driving style looking to keep his truck from plowing into his fellow competitors. Needless to say his race pace dropped off, but he finished Round One in seventh place.
 
“Our Ignite Racing Fuels -Venom Energy – Herculiner Ford Ranger is really fast,” noted Ross Hoek. “It’s unfortunate we had brake issues tonight. I am confident we will correct the issue, and will come back tomorrow night even stronger.”
 
The next morning, Ross and the team sorted out the brake issue, and made a minor change to the rear suspension.
 
Saturday – Round Two
The line-up for the two wide rolling start had the orange #21 starting seventh right behind Friday’s race winner. Ross steadily picked up positions and found himself in contention for a podium position at the midpoint of the race. Throughout the entire eighteen laps, Ignite Ford Ranger battled the RAM trucks of Caddell and Johnson as well as the Toyota of Greaves. The top four positions were in a heated battle. Ross even led the race for a couple of laps. When the checkered flag was waved, Ross Hoek finished a well earned third place, the highest finishing Ford in the field. The RHM team was smiling and high fiving each other during the podium celebration.
 
“We are small team compared to guys that finished in front of us, but we showed everyone we can compete at a very high level,” commented Ross Hoek. “Yesterday’s practice session was the first time behind the wheel this season. I know if we had any seat time before this weekend, our finish on Friday would have been better, and who knows where we’d be tonight.”

Holland, MI (April 9, 2012) – With the 2012 TORC Series about to begin, Ross Hoek Motorsports spent the off-season not only working on “speed secrets” for his V8 powered Pro-Light Ford Ranger race truck, but continued to build on his marketing partners. As the team is entering its third season with the V8 powered Ford Ranger, look for Ross Hoek to be a contender for the championship.
 
After creating a partnership at the end of the 2011 season, Ignite Racing Fuels signed on for the entire 2012 season as did Turn One power steering. The strength of the RHM race program shows in its continued commitment by long time marketing partners, Venom Energy, Herculiner, Bronco Graveyard, and Allstar Performance.
 
At the shop during the off-season, Ross and his team made some changes in the chassis set-up and added a data acquisition system from Stack. Now the team can’t wait to get to the track to begin collecting the data and interpreting the findings.
 
“Having the Stack data logging system in the truck will be key to the development of the truck throughout the season,” noted Ross Hoek. “There will be a learning curve as how to use all the information we collect, but this type of equipment is needed for us to compete with the big-budget teams.”
 
The TORC season will begin April 20 at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. When the race series made its inaugural visit last July to the epicenter of NASCAR, Ross had a catastrophic crash during practice that changed the course of his season.
 
“I really tore up the truck and it not only prevented the team from racing that weekend, but the following event in Bark River as well,” recalled Ross Hoek. “I learned a lot about our truck from that incident, and I can’t that Kris at ISP enough for the incredible seat his company built for me. The containment seat prevented a serious injury.”
 
The southwestern Michigan native vows to return to Charlotte with his #21 Ignite Racing Fuels – Venom Energy – Lane Automotive Ford Ranger and this time he will contend for his place on the podium.
 
As mentioned, the 2012 TORC race season begins with Round 1 on Friday, April 20 in Concord, North Carolina. If you can’t be there in person, the evening’s racing will be broadcast live on SPEED. The Saturday evening Round 2 action will be broadcast live as well on the internet at unstream.tv.
 
While all of this is unfolding, the crew from The Armory will be filming the racing style docu-drama reality show, The Off-Road Championship. The eighteen episode series, now in its third season, will be airing on SPEED beginning later this summer. If you watched last year’s series, you know Ross was one of the main racers covered during the PRO-Light episodes

Ross Hoek Motorsports Introduces Ignite Racing Fuels @ Chicagoland!
 
Holland, MI (September 20, 2011) – Ross Hoek Motorsports was really looking forward to the return to The Dirt Track at Chicagoland Speedway as the technical layout was a favorite from a year ago. After missing the middle portion of the TORC race season due to a catastrophic incident at Charlotte, Ross Hoek got back into the game with a top ten finish his first race back at Crandon.  Heading into Chicagoland, Ross was also looking forward to show-casing his newest marketing partner; National Biofuel Distribution. Ross Hoek Motorsports will be promoting the Ignite High Performance Ethanol brand of racing fuels for NBD.

Needless to say, Thursday night was one of the biggest nights of racing for Ross Hoek and the rest of the TORC competitors.   
 
Round 12 action saw Ross run a very smart race, once again running hard looking for that top five finish. It looked like it might happen, but a slight miscue had the #21 Ignite Racing Fuels, Allstar Performance, Venom Energy sponsored Ford Ranger finishing the night in seventh place.
 
“Both nights we ran fairly well,” remarked Ross Hoek. “With nearly twenty PRO-Light trucks taking the green flag every time out, the level of competition is really incredible. We came out of this midweek race in great shape, nothing major needs to be replaced. Our finishes were solid. I’m pretty happy with our results.”
 
“It’s great to have Ignite on board for the rest of year.  Finishing on the podium every time out is our goal and with the help of great partners like Ignite, Allstar Performance, BFGoodrich tires, Royal Purple, and Venom Energy our team will be one to watch.”

Holland, MI (September 8, 2011) – The Labor Day Weekend event in Crandon was the first time the #21 Allstar Performance, Venom Energy sponsored Ford Ranger saw action on the track since the practice incident at Charlotte. In fact when Ross Hoek Motorsports arrived at the track early Friday morning, the #21 Ford Ranger would need several more hours of prep time before it was ready for competition. Realizing magnitude of work still needed, Ross and his team didn’t rush the situation and had the truck ready for Sunday’s Round 10 race action.

The start saw the #21 Allstar Performance, Venom Energy sponsored Ford Ranger quickly move into eighth place by the second lap. When the mandatory yellow came out Ross was in sixth place and was looking to challenge for a spot on the podium.  After the field went back to green flag racing, the #21 Ford Ranger began to have carburetor issues, slowing the pace of the race truck. After ten hard fought laps, Ross Hoek crossed the finish line in ninth place.
 
“After Charlotte, our truck was a disaster,” recalled Ross Hoek. “We really took a hard hit and we tore the engine right loose in the chassis; I knew if we rushed the repairs it would come back to bite us. When we arrived at Crandon we still had to finish all the wiring and plumbing as well as mount the body and a brand new ISP containment seat. It took us until late Saturday afternoon to get our hot rod running and Sunday afternoon we barely made the call to the green flag.”
 
“As far as the racing, we had a great first half of the race considering we started in the second row. Then after the mandatory yellow we developed a miss in the carburetor and this really hurt the truck coming out of the corners. Other than carb issue, the truck is in really great shape and after a couple days back at the shop  the #21 Allstar Performance, Venom Energy sponsored Ford Ranger will be ready for Chicagoland.  I need to commend my crew for totally rebuilding this truck and having it ready to compete with no test time prior to the race.   We almost called it a year after that wreck but getting back on the track now will make us better prepared to run for the 2012 Championship!”

Holland, MI (July 29, 2011) – The first ever Pro Short Course event in the heart of NASCAR country would be the perfect setting for Ross Hoek and his Allstar Performance, Venom Energy sponsored Ford Ranger to bring home his first podium finish of the 2011 season.   The #21 PRO-Light is currently 4th in points and looking to improve at this terrific venue.  The Dirt Track @ Charlotte Motor Speedway would be the ideal back drop for a couple podium finishes to solidify Ross’ position in the 2011 points battle.
 
The .8 mile long layout ran on and inside the clay based circle track and included several double jumps, a couple of mogul fields, a rhythm section, and one large jump over a thirty foot gap that was right in front of the grandstands. The track design was very technical and different from traditional TORC layouts.

The first PRO-Light practice session on the purpose built track saw Ross first in line. The Allstar Performance Ford was looking for a few easy laps for the first practice session on this obviously un-tested race track.  Less than 1/3 of the way through Ross’ first lap the truck felt good as it crested the third of 4 jumps on the back straight away then the truck hit the poorly placed 4th jump and things instantly went bad.  The truck basically “cased” the 4th jump, then the rear end bucked sending the front bumper rapidly down into the Charlotte clay.  The truck’s energy was then thrown into a violent end over end spin climaxing with a driver side dead flat landing on the hard packed track surface.  The truck flipped one more time and came to rest on its BF Goodrich tires.
 
Thanks to his ISP seat and belts, along with his Safety Solutions neck restraint, Ross quickly exited the truck on his own and tried to look over the damage.  Initial inspection looked easy to repair before the next practice session of the day.

Once the PRO-Light was towed back to the transporter, Ross and his crew noticed the engine and transmission were torn from their mounts.  The front suspension damage and broken wheel were easy fixes for a seasoned short course team but the truck had major internal structure damage, there was no way of fixing this at the race track.
 
Just minutes after the incident Ross Hoek explained what happened.
 
“I was just trying to take it easy through the double doubles and I was going a speed that couldn’t hurt me,” noted Ross Hoek. “Obviously I was wrong.  That portion of the track really needs to be changed. There’s no flow, no way to race through those 4 jumps.”
 
USAC officials must have been listening, as the track crew immediately went to work on that portion of the track knocking down the first 3 and removing the 4th jump. By race time, the changes made for ideal racing for all three PRO classes.
 
With the terminal damage to the race truck, and Ross with a sore foot and hand, the team would spend a rare race weekend watching all the action from the grandstands.
 
“It was a different way to spend a race weekend,” remarked Ross Hoek. “I really enjoyed the watching the races, but we have a ton of work ahead of us to get the truck ready for the next race. This incident knocks us out of the year end points chase. Now we will focus on race wins, and getting another Crandon World Championship ring.”

After a solid 4th place finish at Red Bud, Ross Hoek and the Allstar Performance, Venom Energy sponsored PRO-Light Ford Ranger were prepared to battle to the podium in Crandon. The veteran off-road racer has logged hundreds of laps in his career at the track known as the “Big House” so experience was definitely on his side.
Friday afternoon saw blue skies and warm temperatures for the practice and qualifying session. Unfortunately, the team saw the #21 Ford Ranger experience a minor mechanical problem before practice.  With no time to spare the team skipped practice to repair the truck for qualifying.  With no practice on the famed track Ross ran some conservative laps qualifying 11th  “Starting eleventh in Crandon’s land rush start doesn’t penalize you as much as starting six rows back in a typical two wide rolling start,” explained Ross Hoek.
The third round of Pro light racing in the 2011 Traxxas TORC Series saw perfect weather conditions as the 1.25 mile “Big House” track was in the best shape that anyone could remember. Ross has “won” the hole shot at Crandon many times in his career but today he was not a contender as the Green flag flew.  With many new trucks and rookie drivers Ross quickly darted behind the pack to the safest spot along the inside wall where Ross watched the carnage unfold in front of him. Nearing the exit to the first turn the entire track was blocked by a mass of trucks, Ross jammed the brakes before entering the pile up then a gap opened and Ross breezed through with only minor body damage.   The multi truck wreck stopped the race and created a complete restart. This incident took several minutes to untangle, but amazingly 14 of the 15 trucks made it back for the green flag.
On the restart, the BFGoodrich Tires brought the #21 Ford right through much of the field and into fifth place; within a lap or 2 Ross was running third and making rapid advances on the 2nd place truck of Lovell.  The top three trucks, Caddell, Lovell, and Hoek, held their positions all the way to the half way mandatory yellow at lap five.
When green flag racing resumed, Ross saw Shawn Morris attempting a pass on the inside. Not wanting to risk contact with the less experienced driver making a risky pass attempt Ross ran wide giving up the spot.  Immediately, the Allstar Performance Ford was right on Morris’ bumper looking for a way back around. The remaining three laps were very entertaining as the two trucks ran side by side several times. When the checkered flag was waved, Ross Hoek finished fourth.
“The truck ran great today, I left the door open one time and Morris got by me,” noted Ross Hoek. “I was faster than he was the final couple of laps, but I couldn’t make a clean pass. Thanks goes out to Allstar Performance, Venom Energy, and especially BFGoodrich Tires. My BFGs hooked right up and got me up front, both times today. We will go back tonight, make a few changes, and we will be back on the podium tomorrow.”
Unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans for Sunday’s festivities at the Potawatomi Brush Run. Heavy rains throughout the night caused Parson’s Pond to overflow onto the front straightaway. After several discussions, TORC and Crandon officials cancelled the day of racing. The racing will be made up at a later date and the announcement of when and where will be released in the near future.
After three rounds of racing Ross Hoek currently stands in fifth place in the chase for the 2011 TORC PRO-Light Championship.

Hoek Takes another Podium in Round 10 in Chicagoland
Fights for 4th place in Round 9
 
Holland, MI (August 30, 2010) – The Ross Hoek Motorsports #21 Allstar Performance, Venom Energy, Royal Purple, BFGoodrich, Ford Ranger had its best performance of the 2010 season in the Traxxas TORC Series from Chicagoland.  The orange Ford nearly pulled off back to back PRO-Light podium finishes in the inaugural TORC event at Route 66 Raceway and provided the best racing action of the PRO-Light division.
 
The first of its kind mid-week, two evening TORC event at Chicagoland Speedway brought out the largest PRO-Light field of the year to race on TORC’s best purpose-built stadium style track of the year. The.8 mile layout included fast sections with six high flying jumps, but it also included a tricky camelback jump, a high and long flying tabletop, a mogul section and a rhythm section. The layout appeared to be a Supercross track for four wheeled vehicles. The course received high praise from most every driver.
 
Wednesday Evening – Round 9
A solid qualifying run had Ross and his #21 Allstar Performance Ford Ranger starting third thanks to a solid qualifying lap. It took two attempts before the class could get a clean first lap, due to two separate rollovers. Fortunately Ross avoided all the mayhem, but fell back a couple spots in the process. Undaunted, Ross quickly moved back into third place by the fifth lap. The top three racers solidly held their positions to the halfway point of the sixteen lap event.
 
When the field went back to green flag racing after the midway mandatory yellow, Ross began to feel pressure from #29 Rayford. The two battled back and forth, fender to fender. With three laps to go, Rayford made an inside pass to take the position. Then on the final lap Ross used all the Ford power he had through his ATD transmission into his BFGoodrich tires and made a bold move through the rhythm section. At one point, the #21 Ford regained the spot, but there was too much speed for the Ford Ranger to hold through the final corner. At the checkered flag, Ross Hoek finished a hard fought fourth place.
 
“Man that was tough,” remarked Ross Hoek. “We had Rayford coming through the whoops, but he got just in front of me coming out the corner and won the drag race to the finish. The last lap showed me I can carry more speed through the infield and I’ll use that to my advantage tomorrow night.”
 
Thursday Evening – Round 10
The next night saw Ross quickly put the Allstar Performance Ford Ranger into second place. Ross ran consistent lap times and held off #43 Cadell through most of the event, but a late charge by the #43 put Ross in the third spot. The top three trucks gradually distanced themselves from the rest of the field when the sixteen lap feature ended. Round 10 was Ross’ third podium finish of the season.
 
“We really have this Allstar Performance, Venom Energy, Royal Purple, BFGoodrich, Ford Ranger running great,” noted Ross Hoek. “Now we can fine tune the setup for each track we go to. Next week is our second visit to Crandon for the year and the season finale.  The championship chase is down to a two truck competition, all we can do at Crandon is win and that is our goal.  My first Pro-2WD win was a Crandon World Championship, I can’t think of a better way to get my first PRO-Light win.”