SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1531575
MR. PERFECT Kaden Wells Wins Every Race For The Pro Stock UTV Championship By Mike Vieira Photos By Get Some Photo K aden Wells’ first season racing a Can-Am in SCORE events couldn’t have gone much better for him, as he drove every mile of every race. The SCORE San Felipe 250 saw him have to deal with some axle problems, and he says, “There were quite a few cars that had issues, but it seemed like whoever got their car fixed first was going to be the one to win it.” And, indeed Wells got his car going again in about 15 minutes, and other than stopping for fuel, he had a smooth cruise to finish first with nearly a 40-minute lead. In the SCORE Baja 500, Wells tried to keep a steady pace, rather than outrun everyone else from the start. It paid off, as he was able to take the lead around the 200-mile mark. Another axle problem caused him to lose about 10 minutes while repairs were made, but his lead was large enough to that point it allowed him to easily earn another first-place finish. He believed the axle issues were caused by CV joints that were overextending and overheating, destroying the splines in the joints. With the axle, problem figured out, the SCORE Baja 400 went smoothly and was “all gas and go”, according to Wells. He took the lead about 85 miles into the race and maintained it to finish with a nearly 20-minute margin, despite having to make a stop for a quick flat fix. Kaden’s first time driving the SCORE Baja 1000 solo saw the same kind of success he found in the earlier races. “This time it took us a little longer to get into the physical lead,” he said. “I think it was around mile 160 where we were able to pass and get into the lead.” The long race went smoothly for the team. “About 2:00 in the morning, the long course was hard on the body, and with all the darkness, it was a little more exhausting,” said Wells. “Once the sun came up, everything was normal again. It was like I woke up again, but making it through the night was definitely the hardest part of that race.” Hard as it may have been, Wells managed to finish with more than a two-hour lead in the class. His strategy of taking a rear start and spending the race passing everyone else in every race of the season obviously paid off as he rolled up the championship by accumulating the most overall UTV points for the year. Wells is very happy running in the Stock Class, saying that it provides a level playing field for the competitors and that the race cars don’t turn into “money pits”. Right now, he is waiting for the final 2025 rules to make sure his car will still fit the class, and if the parts from some of his new sponsors will be allowed. Depending on what happens, he may have to bump up a class for the new season but will plan to employ the same steady pace to chase another championship. As of now, he’s not sure if he’ll try to do the next SCORE Baja 1000 on his own, but he is planning to drive all the miles in the earlier races to hopefully duplicate his success. SJ