NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 23, 2006) –Championship Off Road Racing (CORR) finished out the 2006 season with a dual Nissan championship victory upon its return to Chula Vista for the “Nissan Shootout at the Otay Corral,” on October 21 and 22, 2006. Nissans proved their superiority at the 1.09-mile Chula Vista International Off-Road Raceway in Chula Vista, California, with Carl Renezeder, of Lake Forest, Calif., in Pro-2, winning Saturday’s Round 15 and finishing in 7th on Sunday’s Round 16 with his Titan-bodied race truck, clinching the Pro-2 season title; while in Pro-Lite, Chad Hord, of Felch, Mich., in his Frontier-bodied race truck, finished third in both Round 15 and Round 16, winning the Pro-Lite championship, making for a Nissan double-championship in 2006.
“Nissan Motorsports cannot be more proud of the efforts of two great drivers – in Pro-2, Carl Renezeder and in Pro-Lite, Chad Hord – to win two CORR Championships in a single season,” said Ron Stukenberg, senior manager, Nissan Motorsports marketing and operations. “This season, CORR provided Nissan Motorsports with a tough and exciting proving ground for our components, and to say that we’re thrilled would be an understatement.”
Renezeder echoed Stukenberg’s enthusiasm. “There is no arguing with the toughness and reliability of our Titan race truck,” he said. “With six wins and a Pro 2 championship in this truck’s first racing season, we’re thankful for not only a great team effort, but salute Nissan Motorsports and their commitment to CORR and off-road competition.”
In Pro-Lite, Chad Hord and his Nissan Frontier race truck went through many literal ups and downs in the 2006 CORR season, but 13 podium finishes in 16 races proved more than sufficient to lock up the championship. “There’s no doubt that our dedicated effort, teamwork and our partnership with Nissan Motorsports is why we’re 2006 champions,” said Hord. “The competition in Pro-Lite is very tough, but my Frontier race truck was fantastic all season and our results prove what the truck and my team are capable of.”
Race Reports
Pro-2
Renezeder, in his 715-horsepower Nissan Titan-bodied race truck, won in Saturday’s Round 15 action. The race was not without excitement, as Renezeder’s Titan race truck stumbled at the start and he fell as far back as 14th before hustling his way through traffic, including brushing the wall in the battle, to come back for a thrilling win.
With only nine points separating first and second place in the championship standings, Sunday’s Round 16 race started with a piece of duct tape placed on Renezeder’s dashboard by Stukenberg emblazoned with the credo “Refuse To Lose.” Renezeder took that message to heart and, despite the best efforts by his competitors to thwart his championship bid, finished 7th, which was enough to take the Pro 2 championship by a mere two points over his main competitor.
Pro-Lite
In Saturday’s Round 15 Pro-Lite action, Art Schmitt, of Pittsburgh, Penn., finished second in his Frontier race truck, while points leader Chad Hord came in right behind in third. Hord’s third place and consistent podium finishes were enough to secure the 2006 Pro-Lite championship for the Nissan Frontier race truck.
Although Hord had already won the championship, Sunday’s Round 16 action saw Hord’s return to the podium with another third place finish. Hord credits his success and consistency with his Nissan’s reliability. “In three years of incredible competition, I’ve had no engine problems or failures with my Nissan race trucks,” he said. “That’s proof that Nissan and Nissan Motorsports equipment is reliable and ideal for CORR competition.”
CORR and Nissan
Its 9th season now concluded, Championship Off-Road Racing (CORR) combines fender-to-fender racing on challenging closed course dirt tracks in the Midwest and Southern California. Televised on a tape-delay basis on the SPEED Channel, CORR is arguably the largest and most watched off-road racing series in North America.
Nissan has a long heritage of Motorsports success, both off-road and on the track. Nissan’s Contingency Awards Program offers more than $125,000 in available awards to qualifying Nissan drivers in 2006, including those competing in CORR and the 43rd SCCA Club Racing National Championship Runoffs® road-racing event. Nissan Motorsports offers a comprehensive 108-page parts catalog, available through Nissan Motorsports at nmc.race@nissan-usa.com or 888/833-3225.
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