SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1537671
SCORE JOURNAL 52 FACTORY UTV WARS - HONDA Factory Competition The fact that SXS manufacturers have invested in factory racing teams with young, but high-level drivers and navigators, says something about their commitment to racing, but also about developing a better product for the average consumer. "The founders of Honda had a desire to race," said Proctor. "One of them, Soichiro Honda was quoted saying that if Honda does not race, there is no Honda. So racing is woven into the fabric of the company. But there is a second component to Honda too. They are a conservative manufacturer and in the SXS market, they want something built for everyday enthusiasts." Although Proctor and his team would not hesitate to compete in the SCORE Pro UTV Open class to challenge Polaris and Can-Am, the facts are that as a factory team, Honda is simply not going to build a new vehicle just for competition. "Honda, just like every other SXS manufacturer, has their own business model," says Proctor. "We like to have some input, but they are still a company for profit and focus on manufacturing a consumer product. We would like a 250 horsepower Talon with a turbo and race against Polaris head-to-head, but that's not how Honda operates, so we race what Honda wants us to race." Making A Winning Team It's clear that off-road racing in the SXS classes have dramatically changed over the past 10-years. With teams like Honda, Polaris, and Can-Am improving their GET SOME PHOTO • Gaining additional attention for the Honda Talon team, Mexican actor and internet personality Juanpa Zurita was also able to race in the No. 1999 Honda Talon