Preview: Big changes for LOORRS as season opens at Glen Helen

The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series enters its 10th anniversary season looking at some of the bigger changes the series has seen in its decade of existence. Although the years since the series sprung up to pick up the pieces after the collapse of Championship Off Road Racing in 2009 have seen classes and racers come and go, rule changes that saw stock crate engines come into Pro Lite and fuel injection in the big trucks, there are some big changes in store for 2019 as the series opens its season this weekend at Glen Helen Raceway Park in San Bernardino, California.

Much of that change comes in the Pro 2 class – arguably the premier, if not the fastest, class in short course off road racing – as the series seeks to integrate Lucas Oil Midwest Short Course League (MWSCL) racers into its program. The MWSCL is what was left of TORC, the other organization that arose in 2009 that operated short course racing in the Midwest while LOORRS stuck primarily to the West. Pro 2 will allow racers running under the Midwest's more restrictive engine rules to race, with a cup-style split-start gap back to the more unlimited engine LOORRS Pro 2 trucks. The idea is to allow them to compete on even footing.

“I think it will be pretty exciting,” says series director Bill Smith. "We know from the Cup races in general, even though there's a pretty big disparity in lap time from a Pro 4 to a Pro 2, depending on track conditions, they usually prove to be very entertaining and exciting races. This should be no different. The disparity in speed should actually be very close when the classes mix towards the last lap or two of a race; you're going to see some pretty keen racing.”

The other big change in the class is the introduction of DOT tires, replacing the hand-grooved "Project" tires that existed in the class before. DOT-approved tires have long been required in Pro Lite and Pro Buggy, and have been used in the Midwest for Pro 2 for a couple of years. It should open up the class to more tire manufacturers, and potentially more tire sponsorships for racers.

Pro 2

If the entry list for the season opener is any indication, the changes are already paying dividends. Sixteen early entries in Pro 2 are slated for Glen Helen, with possibly some late surprises. among the newcomers are Daely Pentico, who has made appearances in LOORRS before, but raced Pro 2 in the Midwest last season. Coming from regional racing are Troy Cox and Justin Suhr, and Ricky Gutierrez makes the leap from Mod Karts. Brandon Arthur made a a couple of starts last year with great promise; the Pro Lite standout, though, is still looking for his first Pro championship.

The favorites for a title, though, are to be found among the core group of returning racers, led by defending champion Rob MacCachren. MacCachren has been the dominant force in Pro 2 for years and comes into any season as the title favorite, but there are a host of challengers. Former champion Brian Deegan is still seeking his past form after a season off a couple of years ago. He sees the top of the podium every season, but hasn't really been in a position to challenge for the title.

RJ Anderson has turned into a consistent winner and with a little more luck in 2018 might have claimed the Pro 2 title to go along with his Pro 4 championship. Jerett Brooks came into Pro 2 with a win his first weekend, but while he stands on the podium regularly, he hasn't been able to win a title here as he did in Pro Lite. Bradley Morris had one of his strongest seasons last year that included a victory, but he continues to split his time between Pro 2 and Pro 4, the only driver currently doing so. Rodrigo Ampudia was more consistent in 2018, but hasn't see the top step of the podium in several years.

There is one notable name missing -- 2017 champion Jeremy McGrath. McGrath followed that title with a pretty rough, winless season, and it appears his other activities will take precedence in 2019. The best bets for a title this year boil down to MacCachren, Anderson and Deegan, with Brooks, Arthur and Morris as wild cards.

The Pro 4 (pictured above) field remains small, but quality, with three championship contenders. Kyle LeDuc had a very rough start to 2018 and never really recovered, finishing third in the championship.

Expect him to bounce back and take the fight to Anderson as he seeks to regain his usual spot at the top of the Pro 4 standings. Doug Mittag had his best season in Pro 4 yet, and finished ahead of LeDuc and equaled him on wins. He may be ready to challenge for the title on a regular basis. And, of course, Anderson enjoyed great consistency, even as he fell short of Mittag and LeDuc on the number of wins, to take his first title since he left Pro Lite. As history has shown, though, with Pro 4, just about anyone can win if they finish, so Adrian Cenni, Greg Adler, Morris and perhaps even newcomer Andrew Carlson could see the top of the podium.

Ryan Beat, as he was wrapping up his first championship in Pro Lite last season, thought he might be headed to Pro 4 for 2019. Instead he has decided to stick with Pro Lite for another year and defend his championship. His toughest challengers in that regard will likely be Brock Heger, Cole Mamer, Mickey Thomas and Christopher Polvoorde, all of whom won races last year and could be in the championship fight if luck goes their way. Ronnie Anderson has been knocking on the door, so a win this season wouldn't be a surprise. Same for Hailie Deegan, although she will only be seen at select races as her NASCAR Southwest Tour schedule allows.

Pro Lites

These Pro Lite veterans will be contending with a lot of newcomers. Trevor Leighton moves from UTVs to Pro Lite. At 14, Jax Redline has already been racing about anything off road he can get his hands on, and now tries his hand at LOORRS Pro Lite. Katie Vernola has been racing Lucas Oil Regional, and Cory McClenathan, who has had a long career at the top levels of drag racing, is trying his hand in short course.

Nobody has been able to stop Darren Hardesty Jr. in Pro Buggy for three years, but Hardesty is moving on, beginning to prepare for a Pro Lite run in 2020. In his absence, expect Elliott Watson, Bud Ward and Trevor Briska to be in the thick of the fight to become the first new Pro Buggy champion since Hardesty won his first in 2016. Look for Matt Brister, Chris Nunes and Trey D. Gibbs to see more podiums this season, perhaps even at the top. Newcomers to the class include Mark Zimmerman, Brandon Blyth and Raymond Bowers.

Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series adds a new class for 2019 -- RZR 170. The UTV class for young racers has been hugely popular in the regional series, and take the place of Junior 1 Trophy Karts, which had seen declining entries in recent years. The other big news for the series is the first true unification race for LOORRS and the MWSCL, which will happen at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri in June. And, finally, if you can't muster the funds to go short course racing, iRacing will be offering virtual Lucas Oil Off Road Racing beginning this year.

After this Saturday night's race at Glen Helen, the series goes to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Ariz.; the Baja International Short Course at Estero Beach near Ensenada, Mexico; Lucas Oil Speedway; Wild West Motorsports Park in Sparks, Nev.; and then back to Glen Helen before wrapping up at Wild Horse Pass for both the final points race and the Lucas Oil Challenge Cup races. All races will be streamed live at lucasoilracing.tv, and carried on CBS Sports Network and MAVTV. For more information, see lucasoiloffroad.com.