Monster Energy Toyota BFGoodrich Team of Greaves-McGrath Storm into Las Vegas at a Minutes Notice!

On Tuesday, March 2, 2010, Johnny Greaves received the phone call giving the okay to load up and attend the first race of the year put on by the Lucas Oil Off Road Series. With very little time to prepare, Johnny's team, still back in Wisconsin, working heavily on the McGrath Unlimited 2 (U2), was told to load up, and make their way to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Meanwhile the Unlimited 4 (U4) was at Johnny's shop in California because of a recent tire test for BFGoodrich.

Neverless, the team pulled it together and arrived at Las Vegas on Thursday in time to prepare for the weekend. Friday's practice proved the Greaves-McGrath team was ready to take on the Lucas Oil Champions by capturing both fastest lap times in the U4, and U2. During qualifying however, Johnny had a shock that got damaged, so he had to pull off during Lap 4, but still salvaged 4th fastest time, and McGrath continued to top the field with the fastest lap time in U2!

It was looking very promising for the Monster Energy Greaves-McGrath team. In the U4 they inverted two rows putting Johnny on the pole, along side Scott Douglas. The two portrayed an epic battle to the end with Johnny trying every move in the book to get around Douglas, but with Douglas being able to get all the good lines, it was very difficult to make a pass. With only 3 laps left, the BFGoodrich tires were working great and providing a good run at Douglas in a couple cases, and had appeared Johnny was going to make the pass. However, two laps from the finish the Toyota's drive shaft broke leaving him parked, giving a disappointed Johnny a 12th place out of 17 trucks.

When it came time for the U2 race, McGrath came to the line totally stoked after having dominated the lap times since arriving in Las Vegas. The invert put Jeremy second row outside. After a 4th place start, Jeremy began his charge to the front, but was just a little too eager for his first U2 win. In his excitement he created some early contact, which resulted in a broken tie rod, taking McGrath out early in the race, finishing 25th.

After downpours Saturday evening, Lucas Oil officials decided to cancel qualifying Sunday morning, and save the track for race time. This put the Greaves-McGrath team starting in the back of the pack since their start position was based on their previous days finish. Johnny went to the line not worried, he was confident that his Toyota motor, and BFGoodrich tires would give him a terrific jump on the rest of the pack. Lap two gave Johnny a surprise though, as he watched his air cleaner get snapped off, and the gasket get sucked into the carb, leaving his Toyota very hard to control. With Johnny's experience, and ability to drive in almost any situation, he completed the race, and still salvaged a 5th place!

McGrath also in the back of the pack, went to the line with an entirely different attitude this time. Having an extremely competitive 25 trucks in front of him he patiently picked his lines, and made his way thru the pack. Still very hungry for a win, he ran the fastest lap of the race, and finished with an amazing 4th place, passing 21 trucks along the way.

With the first race in the books, the team is extremely excited about both trucks being at the the top of their class. The Greaves-McGrath crew is now headed back to WI, to regroup, and make sure the trucks are 100% ready for the 2010 season to come.

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