SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/555623
For Derek and Jason Murray, of Murray Racing, SCORE's PRO Stock UTV Class was a way for them to participate in a formal division that started as a chal- lenge, but quickly proved to be successful. Murray Racing finished in second place in the SCORE Baja 500 and is current- ly in second place in the points standings with their CanAm side- by-side. "We were excited when SCORE created the PRO Stock UTV Class," says Derek Murray. "We had been racing in other se- ries' and we dabbled with SCORE, but never in a formal class. When the rules got firmed up, it was hard to race competitively, but we adapted and were successful. The class has definitely grown to be one of the bigger classes in SCORE, and we're excited to be a part of that." These Aren't Your Showroom UTVs Anymore While PRO Stock UTV Class 19 rules state that the vehicles must have stock mounting points for items like A-arms, engine mounts and other factory com- ponents, these side-by-side UTVs are definitely not stock. "There's a lot of work that goes into modifying the car and to get it prepped for competition," says 2014 Class Champion Marc Burnett. "Some of the modifica- tions include the cage, seats, and seat belts for safety issues. The gas tank also needs to be bigger, and we modify the tires wheels, shocks, and suspension, just to be competitive." In this fast growing class, teams also have to be keen on the latest innovations as the vehicles are constantly being updated and improved at both the factory and race levels. For example, at last year's SCORE Baja 1000, Johnny Angal won with a 110 horsepow- er Polaris. Less than a year later, UTVs are now making around 130 horsepower from the factory showroom engine. "There's ton of growth in the cars, and you will see them change a lot within the next few years," says Burnett. "The cars are going to be fast- er and have a better suspension than most classes. Pretty soon we will not be called the golf cart class anymore. It's amazing how much faster the cars are now and we only expect them to get faster and better." Aside from side-by-side ve- hicle manufacturers improving their products to make these vehicles go faster, aftermarket UTVS RACING IN CLASS 19 MAY BE GETTING FAST, BUT MANY EXPERIENCED DRIVERS LIKE BRANDON SCHUELER IN HIS JAGGED X POLARIS, ARE CAREFUL TO AVOID DEEP SILT BEDS AND OTHER OBSTACLES THAT CAN SLOW DOWN THEIR VEHICLES. 081 SCORE JOURNAL