Henderson, Kincaid take big truck wins in first day of races at Crandon

The first set of Pro races at the 56th Annual Polaris World Championships at Crandon International Raceway featured some stellar drives within the big truck fields, including a run from almost last to the front in Pro4. With the loss of practice on Thursday due to a muddy track, qualifying threw a lot of teams and drivers for a loop, so many podium finishers had to fight their way from deep in their respective fields.

One of those was Jimmy Henderson in Pro4. After breaking a front differential in qualifying, he started ninth of 10. Cole Mamer was on pole, but CJ and Johnny Greaves got great starts and emerged one-two ahead of Mamer. But then things began to unravel for the front runners. First CJ Greaves rolled in the Gravel Pit, sending Mamer wide in avoidance. Johnny Greaves, having just watched CJ roll, overshot the next jump and lost a couple of plug wires. Mamer was down a couple of cylinders as well. As a result, Henderson shot to the front and took a lead he never relinquished.

“We came out of the holeshot in fifth, and we were behind Kyle Chaney,” Henderson recounted on the podium. “He was pretty quick, and I picked out a few places I thought I could pass him. I wanted to do it super clean, so I didn't take any chances. I let the track dry out, it was real wet. Once we got the grip, and there was multiple lines on the track, we just started picking people off. It's a long time coming here at the Big House, and we've had a lot of failures and stuff like that over the years. So it feels great to win here in Fall Crandon.”

Keegan Kincaid got the start from pole that he needed, and was never headed in Pro2. Except for a last-lap lunge by Kyle Greaves, Kincaid was never really challenged in the first race of the weekend.

“It felt good. And I knew there are a lot of Pro2s, a lot of really good drivers, and that Holeshot was key,” Kincaid said. “And once we did that, I knew I just had to be consistent, hit the lines. There was a lot of battling going behind me. And at the end, I might have just let off just a little bit too much and let Kyle close the ground quick. But those guys were running hard, and it was good. You know, we've got a truck to race the rest of weekend, and I'm excited to see what it holds.”

It was quite the redemption after a major crash at Bark River that saw Kincaid have to borrow a truck from Bradley Morris to make the second race, followed by a mad thrash to get Kincaid's truck back in shape for Crandon.

The drive of the race came from Greaves, who had a miserable qualifying, starting 12th in the 16-truck field.

From there on, we just said, ‘You know what, let's put our worst body on there and go racing.’ We didn't put elbows out too much. We just gave some love, and I just made passes when, it seemed like it was right. I knew I was running out of time; I could see Keegan running away,” Greaves said.

Greaves launched a Hail Mary in the final turn, going in way deep and nearly making contact with Kincaid, but he couldn't get the truck rotated to launch an attack off the corner to the finish line. Jacob Rosales finished third in Pro2.

Pro Lite featured alternating close battles for the lead, but ultimately Johnny Holtger prevailed. He moved to the front quickly before polesitter Connor Barry retook the lead. The two of them battled hard for the first half of the race, and were side-by-side across the finish line as the competition yellow period came.

When the race resumed, Matt Wood came up to join the lead party, but Barry would soon exit the front with a mechanical issue. That left Holtger and Wood to battle, but Holtger was able to put a little cushion between them by the end. Michael Funk finished third.

Lorenzo Bonacci took the lead early in the Pro Buggy contest, but a flat tire dashed his hopes for a victory. Chaden Minder inherited the lead, and took it to the finish, pursued by Tony Keepers, who started seventh, and Zachary Drapkin.

Wyatt Miller was another driver who didn't have a great qualifying, starting mid-pack in the Pro Spec field. But that didn't stop him from getting to the front almost immediately. Nick Visser came from the back to challenge Miller briefly before dropping back, leaving Avery Hemmer to try to put the pressure on. She faded, however, and Ronald Kosciesza came though to take second over Hemmer. Miller is now in a close battle to the finish for the Pro Spec title with Chris Van Den Elzen

Owen Van Eperen took both Side-by-Side victories. First dominating in Pro Stock SXS before battling father Rodney to take victory in Pro SXS. It solidified his championship lead in both classes, especially as chief rival CJ Greaves had two miserable races, suffering a broken shock in one and rolling in Turn 1 in the second.

Sunday brings the World Championship races in all the Pro categories, plus the weekend finale, the Red Bull Crandon World Cup, where Pro4 and Pro2 battle it out after a staggered start.

• Watch the action from the Off Road World Championships at Crandon all weekend on RACER Network and the RACER+ App. Check the RACER TV page for air times.