SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1537671
SCORE JOURNAL 53 FACTORY UTV WARS - HONDA vehicles, it takes careful planning to build a winning team. "It's very competitive now and we welcome Polaris and Can-Am doubling down on their commitment to racing," said Proctor. "I can't help but think back to when Honda was competitive in Supercross racing. I would like SXS racing to get to that level and I believe it has the potential to get there. We welcome the competition." For factory teams to win, it also takes a new level of driving talent. In SCORE, we are now seeing young drivers with lots of experience breaking new barriers and dramatically showcasing the level of performance on these vehicles. "When guys come out of other former racing classes to drive a SXS, they tend to over-drive the vehicles," said Proctor. "These younger athletes we are using are not new to the sport and have been driving SXS from a very young age, giving them more experience in the vehicles and knowing how to handle them properly." Corbin Leaverton, for example, is a driver who Proctor had been watching and talking to for a couple of years, before getting him to race the Talon in 2025. "One of my goals when I stopped driving was to help drivers come up through the ranks," said Proctor. "I had been talking to Corbin and was finally able to work out a deal with him. He's an exceptional human being and a joy to coach. He was a natural fit for the team from day one and his win at the SCORE Baja 500 was a testament to his race craft." Proctor and Honda are happy with the progress the team has had over the last five years. Proctor says that Honda is committed to continually move the needle in the powersports industry. "They're not regretting their investment in the SXS market," says Proctor. "But they've never been a company to chase someone else. They notice what Polaris and Can-Am are doing but it's all a math equation for the company. It wants to use what they already have and make the most of their engineering and production. Things like using a touring motorcycle engine for their SXS, adding a steering assist motor from their automobiles, and other examples like this. They recognize the market and are willing to take their time and not chase the competition based on horsepower alone." SJ