SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1537671
SCORE JOURNAL 30 FACTORY UTV WARS - POLARIS He believes the new Polaris RZR can be pushed harder than ever before, and Polaris models like the RZR Pro R are now running in the mix with SCORE Trophy Trucks. Heger adds that the durability of the new race-ready Polaris UTV is backed- up by the record-setting finishes they've had in Baja with SCORE. "The very first versions of our race cars were much different. There were times when I'd have problems driving them at 60 percent of their full potential. It was very early in our program and I had lots to learn. Now the pace has gone way up and maybe I'm part of the problem, but at the end of the day I want to showcase what these vehicles are all about." In off-road racing, it's natural for drivers to push the limits of a race car, and Heger sees the benefits to going wide-open-throttle at times. "It's my job as a factory team racer to beat other vehicles, and to do the unexpected, and maybe that means breaking something," he said. "I'm supposed to get good finishes, but I'm also out there trying to push hard. If a part fails in the process, oh well. It makes the platform the best it can be." With the field of factory racers growing, Heger is happy to see the younger generation coming up in the sport. "It's great to race and even better to talk to people about the platform when I'm just out riding for pleasure," he said. "It encourages people to go out and have fun, and maybe get into professional competition someday." He also believes there must be a balance between cost and performance for the general public to embrace. "Right now you can do it," he said. "As for support from Polaris I see and talk to the engineers from the company, they are actively involved in every aspect of it. I think this level of competition that we're at right now can be sustained. We're there to win races, and then the next week we're testing new parts to try to be better. Our goal is to keep trying to do what's best for the brand. At the end of the day I just love racing, showing up and performing." SJ