The return to Minnesota for the Final Rounds of the TORC Series presented by AMSOIL saw Douglas Motorsports regain the speed and pace the team had been searching for all season. The final results were not quite what Scott Douglas was looking for, but the performance definitely put the rest of the PRO-4x4 field on notice for the 2018 season.
The final two rounds of racing for the season saw another round added to the schedule due to the postponement of Round 4 during the first visit to Elk River Motor Park back in June. The purposely-built permanent track would see three days of racing during the first weekend of autumn.
The jam packed race schedule began with practice on Thursday with the #7 AMSOIL Rusty's Off-Road Walker Evans Racing Cooper Tire PRO-4x4 running quicker as the day progressed. After a few small chassis set-up changes, the familiar white and black truck was ready to race. When PRO racing began on Friday, air temperatures approached one hundred degrees.
Friday's Round 4 saw oppressive heat with temperatures approaching one hundred degrees. Scott and his team did their best to keep themselves hydrated and cool. The PRO-4x4 line-up saw Scott Douglas lined up in the second row. When green flag racing began immediately began fighting a tight condition in the truck making it difficult to turn. This prevented Douglas from running at peak performance, netting a fourth place finish.
Quickly the team took Scott's input as well as the computer data to retune the truck for Saturday's penultimate round of the season.
Saturday's fourteen lap race began with an epic battle for the lead between Scott Douglas and Johnny Greaves. The two veterans went door to door for the first six laps swapping the top spot several times before Douglas took the lead for what looked like for good on lap seven. Then during lap ten, Douglas stumbled as his 4-speed manual transmission was without second gear. When this initially happened four competitors went past the leader. Undaunted Scott gathered up the truck and made back two spots before the checkered flag, officially finishing on the podium in third place.
Back at the hauler Scott Douglas and his crew were still all smiles as the truck, even with the transmission issue, was now performing at the highest level as a race win could be in sight. After repairing the transmission, Scott and his team looked to end the season on a high note.
Sunday's season finale saw #7 AMSOIL Rusty's Off-Road Walker Evans Racing Cooper Tire PRO-4x4 quickly led the field coming out of the first turn. Unfortunately, the transmission issue resurfaced causing Scott Douglas to finish well down in the finishing order.
"Even though our results don't show it this weekend, but this has been the best weekend for our team all season," noted Scott Douglas. "We showed signs of this at Crandon and this weekend saw us competing at the front of the field. I wish the TORC season was still going. This will really keep the team charged up all winter and look for Douglas Motorsports updates throughout the off-season on social media."
Officially for the season, Scott Douglas finished the TORC Series presented by AMSOIL PRO-4x4 Championship in fourth place.
Douglas Motorsports thanks all its fans for their continued support as well as the team's marketing partners including:
