COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA DECEMBER 20, 2011 – Chris Brandt #82 BFGoodrich / Toyota Pro Lite Unlimited Truck added two more podiums to the list of successful accomplishments in the 2011 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series at the final race in Phoenix, Arizona at Firebird Raceway. Finishing third in the 15th race of the season on Saturday, Brandt secured the Second Place Championship for the 2011 season. On Sunday, in a hard fought Challenge Cup battle including Pro Buggies, Brandt finished second taking home a $10,000 check. “There is no doubt we tried everything to jump into that first place position, and although we didn’t get the checker flag first, we continued our streak of consistent podium finishes,” said Chris Brandt after the 14th podium of the season. “I would like to thank BFGoodrich, Toyota and all my family and friends that crew for me every weekend. It works so well with the whole family being involved. We know everyone’s going to get the job done and it’s in everyone’s heart to do it well.”
Chris Brandt started the final race of the season on the pole position and had to keep Brian Deegan two positions behind him to win the Championship. “We had a hard battle with Casey Currie and then with Kyle Leduc. I had to fight all the way through the event. Unfortunately, through that, Brian Deegan got up front and was able to run up there. We didn’t let him get away, but I just wasn’t able to get back to him,” said a disappointed Brandt who took a third place finish.
Standing on the podium for the 13th time at this last race of the season did secure him a second place in the season points Championship battle. “I started out leading the points from day one all the way up to the last race. It was a hard fought battle between Brian Deegan and myself all year, he unfortunately came out on top. We had less DNF’s, we only had one of those, but what can I say, if it wasn’t him it was me and if it wasn’t me it was him, we fought for the win at every race,” said Chris Brandt as he reflected on the year. The Brandt Racing #82 team is looking forward to another very successful 2012 season.
The Challenge Cup Race on Sunday mixed Pro Lite Trucks and Pro Buggies, making Brandt one of the 27 drivers after the $20,000 first place purse. Inverting the top 10 season points finishers put Brandt in the 5th row at the back of the trucks, but ahead of the Pro Buggies. By lap two, Brandt had already moved into a podium position. After battling back and forth and having multiple caution flags, when the checker flag dropped after 20 laps, Brandt was the first Pro Lite Truck to cross the finish but was second to a Pro Buggy. “That was a heck of a race, it was all out, those buggies were crazy pushing up through the trucks like they did,” remembers Brandt. The #82 National Concrete Cutting, BFGoodrich Toyota certainly helped put on an excellent show for the packed stadium in Arizona.
Chris Brandt has had an excellent 2011 season. Although the graphics on the truck have changed throughout this season, the talent behind the wheel and the desire to win has never faltered. Chris Brandt was named the 2009 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing “Driver of the Year” and continues to prove his presence on the Pro Lite Track being coined as “Mr. Consistency” in 2011 with the 14 podiums during the season and a second place Season Championship. Starting in ATV Racing, he moved into trucks with great success as the Great Plains Off-Road Racing Association Champion from 1994-1997 where he would win multiple classes during the same weekend, earning him the title “Ironman”. With multiple championships in PACE and CORR “Rookie of the Year” in 1999, he came into the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series with a history of success and a winning nature behind the wheel. Chris Brandt manages to race competitively while running one of the largest concrete cutting companies in the Midwest with his father and raising his young daughter, Macy. Chris Brandt and the entire Brandt #82 Racing Team is looking forward to continuing the excellence into the 2012 season.
Chris Brandt Website: www.chrisbrandtracing.com
Chris Brandt Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/
Chris Brandt at Firebird Raceway, Round 15 VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Brandt Racing Partners: National Concrete Cutting, Inc., BFGoodrich, Toyota TRD, Makita Power Tools, Simpson Race Products, Kartek, K&N Filters, FoxShox, FK Rod Ends, Jaz Products
Photo Credit: Joe Lee Photography