SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1040456
BrinGing Jeeps Back Casey Currie keeps the Jeep effort in BaJa alive with his one-of-a-kind dual purpose Jeep Trophy Truck By Dan Sanchez Photos by Get Some Photo As part of a family that is well-known for adding performance to Jeeps, Casey Currie has brought back a new style of vehicle that he hopes will be at the forefront of 4wd Trophy Truck technology in the near future. Currie made a splash onto the SCORE Baja racing scene in 2015, when he drove his straight axle 4x4 Jeep race truck at the SCORE Baja 1000. The truck was originally built for Ultra 4 racing (King of the Hammers), but with his family’s experience and innovative drivetrain products for Jeeps, he has successfully raced a hybrid vehicle in both the SCORE Trophy Truck and SCORE Hammer Truck classes, and brought with him a sea of Jeep enthusiasts who have a renewed interest in SCORE desert racing. “My dad and uncle, Ray and John Currie, used to run the Stock Full class in SCORE,” said Currie. “When I finally got into racing, it was always a goal to race a Jeep in SCORE and in 2015, I decided to race my ‘hammer truck’ in the SCORE Trophy Truck class and finish the race.” In 2017, Currie won the Hammer Truck class at the SCORE Baja 1000 and with it, he set out to build a new vehicle that could be successful in two styles of racing. “The new Magpul Jeep is built like a SCORE Trophy Truck with 850 horsepower, 30-inches of travel at the rear and 20-inches of travel up front,” says Currie. “The difference is that the fuel cell and tires hang out in the back. Most ‘hammer trucks’ don’t have that, but the design gives me the capability of running on the rocks and at high speeds in the desert.” Currie and his family have a long history of visiting and enjoying Baja. “My family has been going down to Baja for as long as I can remember,” said Currie. “For us, it’s all about the adventure and going to another country. We go down there with well-prepared Jeeps and it’s amazing to be able to drive from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas. There’s so much to see with the heritage, destinations and the people that we love it.” With his family’s background in drivetrain technologies, Currie is constantly working on making his four-wheel drive Trophy Truck withstand the punishments that races like the SCORE Baja 1000 can have on these components. “Overall, four-wheel drive is actually easier on the rest of the vehicle’s components,” says Currie. “Tire and pinion gear wear is extensively less and I think this is the way of the future for these race vehicles. Myself I’ve seen how four-wheel drive makes it easier to get through tight and twisty sections and especially the silt beds in Baja. The only thing that it might be a bit more difficult is in the whoops sections like in San Felipe or Valley de Trinidad.” Despite some early setbacks, Currie is still working on making a variety of drivetrain components stronger, without making them heavier. “The biggest thing is getting the components of a four-wheel drive system to live,” says Currie. “We test all kinds of stuff and we have a new oil that can hold up to high heat, and has a threshold of 900 horsepower and 1000 miles. There’s also a new locker that we developed that helps save CV joints, axles and transfer cases. We’re even looking at new technologies that help on the ring and pinion side that we’ll be showcasing down the road.” Currie plans on running the Jeep Trophy Truck again during the SCORE Baja 1000 this November. SJ