SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1524296
UTV Technology At Work By Dan Sanchez For the longest time we have seen the technology of side-by-side vehicles improve every season. At first, racers were using aftermarket components to build and beef-up their vehicles to handle the rigors of racing in Baja. Over time, the manufacturers themselves also learned from their involvement here, and began improving the components after each new design. As more side-by-side classes began popping up in SCORE and the vehicles got better, we'd interview winning teams about their vehicles. Over time, many said much of the components are stock, and SCORE fans and the public cried "nonsense." They couldn't believe it. Over time, the vehicles only got better and from the amount of speeds, capabilities and especially the race wins from companies like Polaris in recent years, we had to find out what was actually in these vehicles that the teams say are stock. Factory Polaris and SCI Motorsports driver Max Eddy took a stock RZR Pro R and showed us what it can do I had a chance to talk to the Factory Polaris SCI Motorsports racing team, and found that they themselves are amazed at how the factory OE components perform in Baja racing. We took a 2024 Polaris RZR Pro R right from the showroom floor and had them point out what's stock and what they modified for racing. It was easier for them to point to the items they "modified" from the stock components rather than showing what is aftermarket or that the built themselves. Finding out 75% of the vehicle is exactly how it comes out of the factory is a testament to what companies like Polaris are doing to improve their vehicles. Learning that Polaris engineers have only begun improving the platform, and that there's much more they have in store ahead, it will be exciting to watch what these vehicles can do in the races and seasons ahead. A special thanks to Polaris, their marketing team, and the SCI Motorsports team for allowing us special access to their inner workings.