CORR in San Diego So-Cal This weekend! May 19-21.Media Day Kicks off 2006 Race Season, Monday May 15 in So-Cal!
Gary Newsome, Baja Racing News
CORR Race Week starts in San Diego, CORR Race season starts BIG! 2005 Pro-2 Champ Carl Renezeder, Baldwin Racing's Josh Baldwin, Team Red Bull's Steve Barlow, Curt and Kyle Leduc, Monarch Vacations Todd Leduc, Monster Energy Drinks Jerry Whelchell all will talk CORR Racing and the 2006 Season and the Chula Vista/San Diego Track today. There is BIG NEWS from San Diego Today.
Today, Championship Off Road Racing roared back to San Diego!
We have several stories that we'll tell you about. Exclusively on Baja Racing News!
The NEW KR Tire
Todd Steen & Josh Baldwin
Baja Racing News EXCLUSIVE!
The NEW BFGoodrich CORR Tire.
The tire company launched its new competition version of its highly popular Mud-Terrain T/A off-road tire. The new Mud-Terrain T/A KR tire (size 35x12/50R17) boasts an advanced tread design that is optimal for Championship Off Road Racing (CORR) competition and features the maximum tread width allowed (10.2 inches). The new tire debuted at the track in San Diego yesterday. It will make its racing debut on May 20-21.
One of the key attributes of the new Mud-Terrain T/A KR tire is its versatility, which will allow use on both the front and rear axles. The tire features a massive, performance-oriented tread pattern that is designed to be easily cusomizable depending on temperature, terrain conditions and each driver's needs. The competition tire includes an extermely capable, go-anywhere tread design and technology that gives it the ability to power through the most diffucult terrain and conditions in the world and leave the competition literally eating its dust.
BFGoodrich Tires will be partnering with several drivers to compete with the new tire, which will include the reigning Pro-2 Champion Carl Renezeder, 2002 CORR Rookie of the Year, Josh Baldwin and six-time CORR Champion Scott Taylor. "BFGoodrich Tires designed the Mud-Terrain T/A KR tires specifically for the intense conditions of the CORR series", said Todd Steen, Motorsports Marketing Manager for BFGoodrich Tires.
Ok, lets talk about the details and some strategy using the new tire. The tire is designed for track competition. Lots of work went into looking at past Mud-Terrain designs and current track challenges. Most importantly, changing track conditions. Heat-cold, Dry-wet and the incredible soil variables. The new KR is using a new compound along with the dynamic-new tread. Teams-racers are being given guidance from the company to cut-sipe the inside treads of the new tire. Not any of the outside tread. So, to customize the tire for conditions, or driver preference, the inside treads will be siped for a custom grip and ride.
Baja Racing News will follow the first weekend of competiton for the new tire closely and report here. Today, Josh Baldwin reported he noticed better handling with the new tire, when digging in the turns.
Rhonda Konitzer is racing a Baldwin owned Pro-2
The NEW Baldwin Racer. Wednesday
It's official. Rhonda Konitzer, a 10 year veteran of off-road racing has joined forces with the Baldwin Racing Team for the 2006 Championship Off-Road Racing season. Rhonda will be in the drivers seat of the Baldwin's 2006 Ford F150 Pro-2. The Kevin Pence built truck is 2 wheel drive with an estimated 800+ horsepower.
Rhonda began her off-road racing career in the Women’s Heavy Metal class at age 16. She then continued on in the Sportsman Stock division finishing 5 out of 6 years in the top 5 in season championship points, and in 2005 moved to the Sportsman-2 division, racing her father Sam’s 2 wheel drive Chevrolet finishing 7 th in year-end points.
Racing for Rhonda has been a family sport. Rhonda has been racing along side her father for the last 10 years, as well as 4 of her cousins. Her father will retire from racing duties and join her in the Baldwin camp as part of the crew.
"I'm thrilled for me and my dad to become part of the Baldwin Racing Program." stated Rhonda. "I'm looking forward to the first race in Chula Vista. I hope my friends, family and fans continue to follow my progress in Pro-2."
Rhonda will compete in all 16 CORR events throughout 2006 in the Pro-2 division. Want more Rhonda? 
Carl's NEW Truck.
The 2006 CORR Pro-2 Lucas Oil Nissan Titan
For the 2006 Championship Off-Road season, defending Lucas Oil Pro-2 Series Champion, Carl Renezeder, will campaign a brand new Lucas Oil Nissan In 2005, Carl dethroned Scott Taylor, the king of Pro-2, with four wins and many great races, securing the title before the final race of the season. In an unprecedented move, Carl sold his championship truck and built a brand new Nissan Titan to defend his title in 2006.
The Nissan Titan R&D truck debuted at the end of 2005 with a variety of drivers, including road racing stand out, Boris Said, at the Nissan Nationals. With an engine program developed by Menards Engine Development and Nissan Motorsports and ultimately built by Menards, the team goes into 2006 with high expectations for another title. The engine is based upon the VK56 Nissan Titan production power plant with a production cylinder block, and production cylinder heads and ignition coils. At 5.6 liters (approximately 340 cubic inches), the race version of this motor produces an estimated 715 horsepower and 500 ft. lbs. of torque.
“We’re eagerly looking forward to the 2006 CORR season,” said Ron Stukenberg, Senior Manager of Motorsports Marketing and Operations for Nissan. “With Carl Renezeder driving the Nissan Titan in Pro-2, it’s not a matter if we’ll be successful, but rather when. Carl is a proven champion and the Titan Endurance V-8 race engine is more than capable of winning in the CORR series.”
During the off-season, under the leadership of Mike Seat, the crew built the brand new Pro-2 from the ground up.
“I’m so excited about this Nissan program,” explained Carl. “Not only does it lend huge credibility to our program, but it’s a race package that’s going to be ultra competitive. I have total confidence that our Lucas Oil Nissan will back up our ’05 championship season with multiple wins and another championship. I can’t say enough about the support from Ron Stukenberg at Nissan, and Jim Steven’s expertise at Menards. They’re dedicated to this program, and my guys have built an incredible truck. We’re ready to go racing.”
Carl will continue to run in the Pro-4 division as well, where he won a championship in 2003 and the Nissan Nationals in 2005. The first race of the 2006 season will be held in Chula Vista, California (near San Diego) on May 20-21. Television coverage dates on Speed Channel will be announced closer to the start of the season.
Quick stats on Carl:
Birth date: April 16, 1964
Residence: Laguna Beach, CA
Family: Wife: Kelley; 3 Children
Education: UCLA graduate, 1987; All-American Water Polo player
Hobbies: XTERRA triathlon, swimming, cycling, motocross, skiing, snowboarding, surfing
34 Career CORR Wins
| 2006 | Won SCORE Laughlin Leap (159’), Won Day 1, 2nd overall at the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge | |
| 2005 | CORR Pro-2 Champion; 9 CORR wins, including the Nissan Nationals in Pro- 4; 2nd in CORR Pro-4 points | |
| 2004 | 8 CORR wins; Governor’s Cup Champion; 2nd in CORR Pro-4 points; 3rd in CORR Pro-2 points | |
| 2003 | CORR Pro-4 Champion; Borg Warner World Champion; 2nd in CORR Pro-2 points | |
| 2002 | 3rd in CORR Pro-4 points; 5th in CORR Pro-2 points | |
| 2001 | 3rd in CORR Pro-2 points; 2 wins; 10 top-three finishes | |
| 1994-2000 | Multiple top-three finishes in CORR; Won SCORE Baja 1000 (1994); 2 top-three finishes in SCORE Baja 500 | |
San Diego-Chula Vista Track, 2006 CORR Schedule
May 20-21 Chula Vista, CA Rounds 1 & 2 22-23 Chula Vista, CA Rounds 7 & 8
Sept 23-24 Chula Vista, CA Rounds 13 & 14
1-22 Chula Vista, CA Rounds 15 & 16
NISSANS Development Year
"2006 is a developmental year for our team, NISSAN and CORR", said both Carl Renezeder and Ron Stukenberg of NISSAN, at the opening of Media Day, in opening nthe Chula Vista track and the 2006 CORR season in San Diego.
When asked, NISSAN represenatives related that NISSAN is the official Chula Vista International Track sponsor for 2006.
The TITAN that will be raced in the CORR series will be under close scrutiny for engine refinements for the 2008, 4x4 version.
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Championship Off Road Today. Jim Baldwin told Baja Racing News today, Championship Off Road Racing would pursue a two weekend schedule inthe Los Angeles area and a two weekend schedule in San Diego for next year.
"Now, that's the goal, whether we are able to find land up there and make it work is another thing", Jim said. "We also have identified some land one mile south of the current Chula Vista location, near Rock Mountain, that may work for us in future years".
Today, Championship Off Road Racing is in Southern California in San Diego/Chula Vista and the fans of the area are stoked. Four weekends in 2006 of hard-core Off Road action, that will be enjoyed by record crowds, Saturday and Sunday. BE THERE!
