Fort Mill, SC – General Tire’s Justin Davis is a busy man this year. With a full off-road schedule, Davis has also opted to race in the 2012 Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series (LOORRS) under the Green Army Motorsports umbrella. Last month at Firebird International Raceway, Davis had a rough go of it fighting handling issues most of the weekend. However, the team has worked hard over the last few weeks and the 18-year-old is ready to tackle rounds three and four at the challenging .9-mile dirt short course.

This weekend marks the return of LOORRS racing to the all new Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park. The newly designed track is demanding and is sure to highlight a driver’s ability to control their vehicle. From low-speed hairpin turns to the back-straight where speeds will approach 100 mph, Davis is sure to put his General Grabbers to good use as he looks to stand atop the podium when he attacks the track in his No. 85 Green Army Motorsports Pro-2 truck. We sat down with Davis to find out how he’s prepared for the race and what fans can expect this weekend. Here’s what he had to say:

Q: In rounds one and two you referenced “gremlins” that led to a pretty disappointing weekend. How do you overcome these and what changes have you made heading into rounds three and four at Lake Elsinore?
A: Lots and lots of testing will be done before the race. We learned from rounds one and two and will definitely improve heading into Lake Elsinore.

Q: What are some of the keys to getting around Lake Elsinore?
A: I have personally not been there. I have only scene what it looks like from pictures and maps. But I hear it will be challenging.

Q: How important is qualifying for a short course race?
A: It is very important. The best place to be is the top five, because you are with all the fast guys.

Q: How does the track change from day one to day two? Does the intensity of the racing change?
A: The track will tend to dry out and it always seems that there is a lot of carnage on the last day as guys get more aggressive with their driving. My General Grabbers will definitely play an important role as the track changes over the weekend.

Q: You race both short course and off-road, does your off-road racing help your short course racing and vice versa?
A: Racing desert teaches you patience so that in short-course you don’t blow it in the first turn and are able to make it to the finish…hopefully with all the body panels on. In short course, it keeps you more on your toes and you really don’t have time to think. It also benefits me when I race Laughlin and in qualifying at Best in the Desert.

Q: Do you approach a short course race different than you would an off-road race?
A: I go in it with the same attitude and routine. I go there to finish on the podium. That is my main goal.

Q: At Firebird, you quickly ran out of your truck when you thought it had caught on fire. If you had to do it over again would you fully act out the scene from “Talladega Nights” where Ricky Bobby anxiously runs across the track?
A: I didn’t think I was on fire, I was running good and then with no warning there was a flame next to me. I have to thank all the safety crew that made sure the fire was all out.

Q: If you had to explain to a new fan what racing will be like at Lake Elsinore, what would you tell them?
A: Since that track is supposed to be super fast I would say NASCAR speed mixed with super-cross jumps.

For more information on the LOORRS event at Firebird Raceway, and the activities surrounding the event, make sure to visit www.lucasoiloffroad.com.