SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/539275
THE STRAIGHT AXLE JEEP IS A 4X4 BUGGY THAT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO TAKE ON RACES LIKE KING OF THE HAMMERS, BUT CURRIE MANAGED TO BE COMPETITIVE. "Being at the finish line was something I won't soon forget. But I also had a great time pre- running the course," -- Casey Currie A s a competitive short-course racer, Casey Currie is a respected driver and has proven his skills on motorcycles, Pro Lite trucks, and his current race vehicle, a straight-axle Jeep buggy. So his announcement to participate at the 47th Bud Light SCORE Baja 500 in his Jeep, caused a stir among SCORE fans, especially when he entered to compete against Unlimited Trophy Trucks, instead of the new Hammer Class SCORE created especially for these types of vehicles. But Currie knew exactly what he was doing. Knowing that the Unlimited Trophy Truck class gets the most exposure, his participation here would draw more attention, and ultimately get he and his fan base interested in SCORE racing. "I really wanted to get my family back down to Baja and get them involved in SCORE racing again," said Currie. "Our family has a huge following of Jeep fans, and many of them don't see SCORE as something they can compete in. So this was also a way to re- introduce this crowd to SCORE, and hopefully get people excited about the sport. I'd love to see more participation from them in the future and thought that if I could do it, someone else in the Jeep world would also want to try." Currie's desire to get his family back to Baja came from his initial experience to SCORE racing back in 2003. Currie co-drove in Pro Truck and finished second at the SCORE Baja 1000, and then co-drove a Class 1 vehicle where he finished third at the SCORE Baja 500 that same year. With no real expectation of winning, Currie did manage to prove to himself, his family, and fan base, that he's capable of competing against some of the best long distance desert racers in the world. Finishing 18th was a victory for Currie who was happy with his performance. But he also had some minor setbacks that kept him from finishing higher in the pack. "I had no major problems at all during the race," said Currie. "For the first 140 miles, no-one passed me in the dirt until I got a flat tire. It wasn't until then that two trucks got by me and another was able to pass me on the flat part of the course. I think it was because we were coming up to a blind turn and they had a helicopter as 039 SCORE JOURNAL