SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/501768
Newcomers can get an appreciation of just how much can be accomplished within this class. The list of aftermarket performance parts and details on the fine points of a 5/1600 build are too numerous to discuss in one article. There are also many specialty manufacturers of race parts and major hardware are accessible. A great example that showcases this class, is the YOLO Racing Team from Vancouver, British Columbia. These guys are a competitive group of friends with a lifelong passion and appreciation for the VW Bug. "We chose 5/1600 for two reasons, " says said Erich Reisen, of the #575 YOLO 5/1600 team. "We were new comers to the sport and wanted to get into an affordable class. We also wanted to get into a competitive class. So in 2006 when the idea to actually do this race (SCORE Baja 1000) came to mind, the 5/1600 was attractive. We wanted to get our feet wet in desert racing, but not mortgage our homes. The 5/1600 seemed like the perfect entry level class." Early Days of Class 5/1600 In the mid to late 1970's there were dozens of Class 5/1600 teams entered in most every big SCORE Baja race. At that time there were many new teams were getting their feet wet in desert racing, and fabricators and engine builders were busy keeping up with the demand for vehicles, engines and drivetrains. More than a few race car builders perfected their craft and figured out all the ways to design safe and competitive cars for their customers. Automotive aftermarket equipment manufacturers became very efficient at producing the best performance components to give a car the best chance to not only survive a race, but win the class. Likewise, specialty VW engine builders, some who started out building drag race engines, found ways to get the most reliability and innovate performance advancements that served the off- road racing industry and the teams that ran the 1600 classes very well. The cars were competitive, fun, and capable of winning races. In 2005 and 2006, entries in Class 5/1600 were still strong in the range of 20 to 25 vehicles per race. Yet, being a class of race car that was, and still is, created to be economical for the race teams, Class 5/ 1600 entries reflected national economic downturns, which also impacted the desert racing community as a whole. Now, more than at any time in the last 15 years, there is every reason to look forward to seeing Class 5/1600 growing and providing a great opportunities for new drivers and new race teams. It's especially pleasing to those wanting to compete in a nostalgic and high-performance form of desert racing that is personally rewarding. "I think 5/1600 is a great entry class for teams trying to get into SCORE Baja racing," Reisen said. "The initial costs are very low and the cars are extremely reliable. The Baja Bug is simple and trustworthy. The prep on the car is very straightforward and can be handled by most weekend mechanics." BUY OR BUILD? For the modern Class 5/1600 racer, there are three basic routes one can take to acquire a competitive vehicle. You can buy a ready to race 5/1600 car from a team that has moved into another race class. Or you can buy one completely fabricated by a shop that has the skills and experience to build it within the rules. Those teams who are handy with a torch and at building custom THE KEY TO ANY GOOD CLASS 5/1600 RACE VEHICLE IS TO START WITH A BALANCED AND BLUEPRINTED ENGINE FROM A KNOWLEDGEABLE BUILDER. COURTESY FAT PERFORMANCE 049 SCORE JOURNAL