Professional off-road Pro 4 racer Rick Huseman knows what it takes to finish first and his record proves it.

Huseman, from Riverside, Calif., swept both Pro 4 Unlimited races on Saturday and Sunday at Miller Motorsports Park to widen his gap in the points standings in the Lucas Off Road Racing Series. Huseman has now won six of the eight races so far this year in the Lucas Oil Pro 4 division of the series. The Pro 4 division includes full-size four-wheel drive trucks with 900 horse power plus.

The racer from Riverside said a good truck, good team members, a little luck and an excellent driver make up the ingredients for winning races.

“It takes a lot to win including some luck,” Huseman said. “We’ve been tuning on this Toyota truck and racing it for the past five years. Tires are a big deal as well as the suspension. The truck has to be ready just not only to constantly turn left like in most racing, but to turn right and to turn left and negotiate jumps and holes and moguls. There are a lot of different situations you face with an off-road track.”

On Saturday, Huseman won by a comfortable 11.285 second margin of victory over Rob MacCachren. On Sunday he was able to squeak out a win by 0.154 seconds over Kyle LeDuc. LeDuc turned on the speed during the closing stages of the race and almost passed Huseman in the final seconds to pull out a victory.

“On the last lap I screwed up and got up on two wheels and it made for an interesting finish,” Huseman said.

Last year, Huseman won the 4x4 TORC series championship which he clinched at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October. This year he jumped over to the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.

Huseman has dominated the past three season in 4x4 racing, but the 36-year old driver has paid his dues.

He started racing back in 1998 in the Pro Lite division and finished the season 14th. Each year he continued to improve in the Pro Lite division and finished in second place each year from 2001 through 2004. In 2005 he jumped to the Pro 4 division and finished seventh, then sixth in 2006 and tied for first place in 2008 after an average year in 2007. He now has climbed to the top of the mountain in the Pro 4 division.

Huseman’s acknowledges that his family has played a major role in his success. His father and three brothers all a part of his racing team.

The next Lucas Off Road Racing Series stop is in San Bernardino, Calif. at the Glen Helen Raceway on Aug. 7-8. “I hope to do well; it’s right in my backyard,” Huseman said.

Mark Watson: mwatson@tooeletranscript.com