To expand the sport of short-course off-road racing, the Lucas Oil Off-Road series headed south of the border for the second straight year for a weekend of racing at Estero Beach Resort in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. Local race fans gathered and U.S. fans grabbed their passports to get in on the action in Ensenada as well for Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2016 season.

In the Pro 4 class, Bryce Menzies was able to put the demons of his recent Baja 500 race behind him (in which he was leading much of the race but didn’t come away with the win) to earn the win at Round 7, edging out Rob MacCachren and last year’s class champ Kyle LeDuc in third. Young father LeDuc rebounded at Round 8 and earned a convincing win on father’s day, edging out Doug Fortin and Carl Renezeder in second and third, respectively.

In the Pro 2 class, Supercross legend Jeremy McGrath showed the field he has something for them in 2016, as he earned the Round 7 win, making it his first back-to-back set of wins in short-course off-road racing after taking the checkered flag at Round 6. McGrath edged out second-place finisher MacCachren and local favorite Rodrigo Ampudia in third place. Round 8 was another story, as Menzies jumped out to earn his second truck class win of the weekend. Doug Mittag earned the second-place finish at Round 8, while RJ Anderson secured the final podium spot in the class.

In the Pro Lite class, Ryan Beat earned his first win of the season after holding off class points leader Jerett Brooks, who finished in second place. Brandon Arthur, another racer in the hunt for the class championship, rounded out the podium in third. At the finale Pro Lite race of the weekend, Jeff Hoffman earned his first pro-class victory at Round 8. Brooks earned another second-place finish on the weekend, and Arthur followed suit by earning another third-place finish in the class.

In the Pro Buggy class, Garret George earned the win during Round 7, holding off second-place finisher Darren Hardesty Jr. and third-place finisher Eliott Watson. At Round 8’s race, Kevin McCullough came away with the victory, and this time Watson finished in second place ahead of Hardesty.

The Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series returns to action in Southern California at Glen Helen Raceway from July 23-24.

MORE LUCAS OIL OFF-ROAD COVERAGE
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Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Recap from Lake Elsinore

Lucas Oil Off-Road Rounds 7-8
Rounds 8
Pro 4
1. Kyle LeDuc
2. Doug Fortin
3. Carl Renezeder

Pro 2
1. Bryce Menzies
2. Doug Mittag
3. RJ Anderson

Pro Lite
1. Jeff Hoffman
2. Jerett Brooks
3. Brandon Arthur

Pro Buggy
1. Kevin McCullough
2. Eliott Watson
3. Darren Hardesty Jr.

Rounds 7
Pro 4
1. Bryce Menzies
2. Rob MacCachren
3. Kyle LeDuc

Pro 2
1. Jeremy McGrath
2. Rob MacCachren
3. Rodrigo Ampudia

Pro Lite
1. Ryan Beat
2. Jerett Brooks
3. Brandon Arthur

Pro Buggy
1. Garret George
2. Darren Hardesty Jr.
3. Eliott Watson