Glendale, AZ (6/28/2018)
- Paul O’Brien scored a runner-up finish during
the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series event
at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. O’Brien
was driving a Can-Am Maverick X3 in the Turbo
UTV class.
|
Weller
Racing's Paul O'Brien scored a 2nd Place
finish at the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing
Series on Saturday in the Turbo UTV
class |
The event was held on what O’Brien dubbed
a real driver’s track. The 1.2-mile circuit
features nine turns—including sweepers and
hairpins—whoops and a huge tabletop jump on
the backstretch. The doubleheader event featured
drivers from both the East and West Coast
in what was the largest Turbo field yet this
season.
In Saturday’s race, O’Brien started 10th,
but consistently made it to the front. Then,
on the final lap, he took second from his
Weller Racing teammate Cory Weller. The podium,
along with a sixth-place effort in the mud
on Sunday, puts him first in points.
“I was behind in qualifying so I knew it
would be an interesting race,” said O’Brien.
“I knew I had to put my head down, avoid the
carnage, and slowly work my way forward. Toward
the end, a couple of guys went out and I made
some good passes. It made for a good race
and I was pleasantly surprised how it turned
out. I got a good gift with the caution right
at the end.”
O’Brien is a competitor in every sense of
the word. He enjoyed racing drivers from the
Midwest because they forced him to step up
his game.
“It was exciting to race against the Midwest
guys,” said O’Brien. “It helps all of us get
faster and it’s a good thing. A good driver
is a good driver, whether on the West Coast
or the East Coast. They race different disciplines
like the woods and we have our desert. Bring
it together and it’s a neat combination.”
The big tabletop jump spanned nearly 200
feet from peak to peak. O’Brien got past the
intimidation factor of the huge jump and used
it to his advantage during the races. His
Can-Am was more than up to the challenge.
“You come up to a wall of dirt and can’t
see the other side, so that’s pretty intimidating,”
said O’Brien. “But once I got over it, everything
was good. The Can-Am is a great car right
out of the box. I also have to take my hat
off to my wife. She’s never really been around
racing before and she’s my spotter.”
O’Brien will be back in action when the Lucas
Oil Series heads back west to Sparks, NV July
21. The event is being held at Wild West Motorsports
Park.
Special thanks
to Paul O’Brien’s 2018 Sponsors:
Weller Racing, AIM Sports, DWT Wheels, Lucas
Oil Products, Eibach, AEO Powersports, Specialty
Coatings, CT Race Worx, LG1 Designs, Elite
Raceworx, Streamline Brakes, Cylex Signs