SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1310482
Cayden MacCachren This chip off the old block is well on his way to success Story by Stuart Bourdon Photography: Courtesy Cayden MacCachren Cayden MacCachren turned 18 this year and with a couple of very successful seasons of UTV racing already under his belt, he recently rode with his dad Rob MacCachren in the Trophy Truck during a desert race. Rob and Cayden are one of several father/son duos that have what we call “desert racing DNA,” and Cayden is certainly one of the sport’s rising stars. He is not new to off-road racing and explained how things have been going for the newest MacCachren to make history in the dirt. According to Rob, when Cayden was growing up, he did all the fun things like go-karts, motorcycle riding, and mountain biking. He also played some basketball and football, but nothing stuck long-term that he was passionate about. “I never wanted to force anything on him and just exposed both kids to the world, so to speak, and let them find what they were into,” said MacCachren. “I wanted to give them as many opportunities and experiences as I could offer.” In 2016, Rob bought a UTV just to play with in the desert, and he and Cayden started going out and having a good time with it. “He seemed to take to it, and in 2017 he wanted to do more of that, so we started looking for a UTV to race,” said MacCachren. Rob began to look at the rule books and at different models and brands to see what they should get. A Taste of Speed “Cayden had never shown a great deal of interest in the SCORE Trophy Truck when we went out to the desert testing, but not long after we began talking about racing a UTV, he started asking if he could get in and go for a ride,” said MacCachren. The experience made an impression on Cayden. “The very first time I strapped into the SCORE Trophy Truck was during a test session,” he said. “It was a surreal experience. I remember being shocked by the speed. We were going so fast my eyes couldn’t even focus on the road ahead.” According to Rob, that’s when the search for a race UTV heated-up. A friend of his mentioned he had a race-ready UTV at his house. “Cayden and I went to look at it and then went to a UTV race. We thought that this looked pretty easy to do so we found a used car that was coming up for sale,” said MacCachren. “Mark Holz was the owner and builder of the UTV and had done a lot of cars for RJ Anderson. Mark loaned us the car to see if Cayden liked it.” First Big Win Cayden ran the UTV, but after that first race weekend, they decided to look for a brand-new car. According to MacCachren, Mark told them he was building a new car and that he would still make them a great deal. “We bought the new car and Cayden started racing,” said MacCachren. “That first year he quickly figured out what worked and what didn’t.” Cayden began to learn and soon started winning some races. “I began racing a Polaris RZR RS1 in the WORCS series in 2019 and ended up winning the 1000 Stock class points championship,” said Cayden. He was racing in the 1000 Stock class that ran on Sundays. There was another class called 1000 Unlimited that ran on Saturdays, and it allowed much more modification. According to dad, they would go to the races on Thursday, practice Friday, but Cayden wouldn’t race until Sunday. “We basically sat around all day Saturday doing nothing, so we decided to run both classes and both days the next season (2020),” said MacCachren. “This year (2020), I am competing in both the 1000 Stock, and 1000 Unlimited classes,” said Cayden. “And at this point, I’m leading in championship points for both classes. It has been a learning experience, not only on the racing side but the prep/logistics side as well,” said Cayden. The last two rounds of Cayden’s 2020 UTV racing season are on the same weekend as the SCORE Baja 1000. “Cayden was going to co-drive/navigate at the upcoming SCORE Baja 1000, and as many of the other desert races coming up as he can, but in the UTV racing series he is in, drivers get to throw away their two worst races of the season,” said MacCachren. “The points chase is too close right now, and he wants to race those last two races to make sure he has the best chance of winning the 2020 championships in his UTV classes.” Moving Up Fast Cayden did get a short opportunity to drive dad’s SCORE Trophy Truck, which added to his overall experience. “His first full race in the Trophy Truck with me was during a state-side race this year, and he did a great job,” said MacCachren. “But we hit a big roller and G-d out badly. I hurt my back, so I decided to have him go ahead and finish the last 90 miles.” Cayden continued, “Riding with my dad during the race was a great experience, with the dust and other competitors all aiming for the top spot, but driving that last 90 miles was something I’ll never forget. It’s incredible how fast and smooth the Trophy Truck is.” “As of now, the plan is to continue on the UTV route for 2021, but there is certainly always motivation to compete in other vehicles,” said Cayden. Rob added, “It blows my mind how many kids who are second or third generation off-road racers have been so successful. They’re in the family, in the group, and they are listening and watching. They are paying attention, learning a lot, and they get it. Cayden is one of the best I’ve had ride with me, and he’s just getting started.” SJ “We were going so fast my eyes couldn’t even focus on the road ahead.” – Cayden MacCachren