SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1546613
LIFELONG FRIENDS Justin Wilson On What It’s Like To Co-Drive With One Of The Winningest UTV Racers. By Larry Saavedra Photos by Get Some Photo Navigators are more than a fresh set of eyes when you’re competing in the SCORE Desert Racing World Championship series. They are as critical to the final outcome of any given race as a professionally prepped UTV. One missed line, or poorly judged obstacle at speed, and the race can be over before it even begins. Navigators are the ultimate course communicators, and everything they say or do means the difference between first and last place, no matter how well the driver does their job. No one takes that responsibility more seriously than Justin Wilson, the longtime navigator for Polaris Factory team racer Brock Heger, in the SCI Motorsports No. 1879 RZR. “I grew up with Brock in the farming community of Imperial Valley in California,” Wilson said. “I met him when we were little kids, and we would ride motorcycles together all the time. Our parents were friends, and so we had a lot of fun growing up.” Many years later, Wilson raced professionally, mostly in California motorcycle events, to some success. He never considered navigating, though, until he got a phone call from Heger. “Ethan Groom was moving on to become a factory driver for Polaris, and it left Heger without a navigator,” he said. “He immediately called me. Our friendship convinced him, I guess, that I’d be the perfect fit.” Their personalities meshed like the gears in a performance transmission, and immediately they knew that nothing could split apart their friendship, no matter the situation. “Our experiences together helped a lot,” Wilson said. “Just being friends in the car makes a big difference. If one of us makes a mistake, there’s no attitude. That’s the type of relationship we have during a race. He is very lenient in the car and takes everything with a grain of salt. His heart rate never rises above 60. If a mistake happens, he never gets worked up.” As most navigators will tell you, the last thing you want is a hot-headed driver. Wilson says Heger is so easy-going that it makes navigating easier. “He’s so low-key that even when he wins, his emotions don’t change,” he said. “He’s as cool as a cucumber. His personality is able to adapt to any situation. If we get a flat tire, it never fazes him. It makes my job fun.” Most fans don’t know what’s happening inside a race UTV. But Wilson revealed that the entire course is already mapped out on a Lowrance GPS system, which is mounted in front of him during the race. He’s constantly looking up at the course and down at the monitor. It’s a tool he relies on. As a navigator, it’s his job to ensure that every line and obstacle is mapped after weeks of pre-running. “We make our comments or marks on the GPS, and it tells me when to slow down or speed up,” he said. “That way we don’t risk destroying the car.” During pre-running, the driver and navigator cover the entire course from start to finish, and then they compare notes in the process. “If we see a line, we will discuss it,” he said. “We try to make the best decision based on our knowledge and racing skills.” Wilson’s time as a professional motorcycle racer benefits Heger, of course, because he’s looking for the smoothest lines to follow. UTVs can’t hit the whoops like a SCORE Trophy Truck, and according to Wilson, it helps to know there’s another way around it. “It’s the way my mind works as a motorcycle racer,” he said. “Finding the right lines conserves energy too. I’m constantly searching for the best, smoothest line.” Wilson said that in the thick of a race, you have to know how to adapt and adjust, and understand how to communicate that information to the driver in the calmest voice. “I’m talking directly to Heger through an intercom even when we are getting tossed around,” he said. “Sometimes it’s impossible to look at the Lowrance screen and make the calls, but I always attempt to keep my notes simplified enough so I can see the symbols of what’s happening on the course.” While Wilson calls out, Heger reacts, typically, in real time. “He’s really good at reading terrain at high speed himself, but in the dust I can help him out,” he said. “I’m reminding him of what’s ahead, and that makes a difference in how he drives the UTV.” With the SCORE Baja 400, Heger and Wilson know the routine. “We are basically at the Baja 400 the same number of days as San Felipe and the Baja 500,” he said. They will pre-run the course two or three times over several days. “With Heger he can see the course once, or maybe not at all, and it seems to make little difference,” he said. “He’s that good and comfortable racing the Polaris UTV.” At the SCORE Baja 400, Wilson and Heger will be starting near the back of their class, so they’ll be prepared to make up time. According to Wilson, that could mean taking some risks. SJ