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Rocky Mountain Raceway:
Challenging. Brutal. Tough. The ultimate race for survival
begins on the rocks of the DIRT nation as the 2005 UROC
Pro-National Series season opener kicks off Wednesday, April 6,
2005 at the Rocky Mountain Raceway in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The world’s toughest professional rock
crawlers have all gathered at the first UROC Pro-National event of
the year staged on the man-made rocks of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Often regarded as the sanctum of professional rock crawling, the
State of Utah has hosted more rock crawling events than any other
territory in the union.
“It’s
been a very long off-season. The championship hunt is on!”
exclaimed Beard Seats sponsored driver, Jason Scherer.
“We are very excited for this season to kick
off. The off-road aftermarket industry has really come full circle
with professional rock crawling and they are manufacturing extreme
parts for both competition rigs and trail rigs alike. Our Beard
Seats team has the whole package this year and the focus is to
execute our plan in the hunt for the UROC Pro-National
Championship,” stated Scherer.
Mastercraft Seats factory backed team, Team Carnage Crew
Driver, Aaron Dusenbery calmly said, “Let the games begin.
Our crawler, “Lil Bastard” is prepped and ready to rock
and roll. We’ve been waiting for this moment since last
October!”
The friendly rivalry between the two off-road
aftermarket seat manufacturers is one of many that kicks off in
Salt Lake City. The off-road tire manufacturing champion –
BFGoodrich Tires, heads into the new year with a new look on their
tractor trailer, but the same old winning tire, the BFG Krawler KX.
A reliable unnamed source recently told us, “The new paint
job on the tractor trailer looks like we are owned by Pepsi,”
laughing and shaking their head as we parted ways.
However, in the fray for 2005 tire championship is
also Toyo Tires, an emerging David (of David and Goliath) in the
massive off-road tire wars. Taking to the desert, rocks and dirt
tracks around the United States and Baja, Toyo Tires is making a
mark in a very short time. In the first off-road race of the year
at Laughlin, Nevada, Toyo Tires marked a podium finish, claiming a
third place trophy on the #7 SCORE Trophy Truck of Scott
Steinberger. And only weeks later, the #76 BITD Trophy Truck of
Scott’s teammate, Jesse Jones, scored a second place victory
behind a set of Goodyear tires. Finally, a month later, the sands
of San Felipe, Baja California where the desert meets the Sea of
Cortez, BFGoodrich Tires captured yet another off-road racing win
as 18-year old Andy McMillin won the San Felipe race
overall.
You ask, “What does this
have to do with the rock crawling tire war?” The giant tire
manufacturers range far and wide when it comes to claiming titles.
Joining the battle at a bigger level this year is Maxxis and
ProComp as they reach into the expanding off-road tire market at
record levels. In 2003 Maxxis sponsored three teams, 2004 saw a
sponsorship of 12 teams and in 2005 Maxxis has sponsored 20
professional rock crawling teams with tires. GO Maxxis! Supporting
a handful of off-road racing veterans is Goodyear who provides
tires, but not a whole lot of track side support in the past
season.  |
Jon Nelson has
revolutionized professional rock crawling and now he's taking a
vacation?
Four!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Incorporating rapid change in the infancy of this
young motor sport is what it takes to be “on the edge”
as advanced technology and competition rules take precedent in this
growing profession. The days of competition rigs looking as they
just rolled out of the “booger” factory are WAY long
gone. (Booger refers to a weld, that looks, well…like a
booger.) Enter the most technologically advanced and beautifully
handcrafted works of metal artistry ever seen. Not wanting to take
anything away from the world of NASCAR, but the top-built cars have
also been fabricated by the same guys that built NASCAR race trucks
in the past.
Only a few years ago, when
teams told their friends and the general public that they were rock
crawling, many thought they simply meant they were “rock
climbing.” That’s not quite what they had in
mind.
Are you ready for the latest in team
apparel? The question of the early season is who has the tractor
trailers and who doesn’t. Recently, a rock crawling team
owner said, “We are very close to obtaining our NASCAR type
tractor-trailer hauler for our team.”
The 2004 season saw a tremendous amount of media attention
garnered towards top-rated teams. ESPN2 televised the UROC
Pro-National events throughout the season and spotlights in
NEWSWEEK magazine didn’t hurt either. The birth of two new
off road magazines occurred during the 2004 season, both of which
provided extensive coverage to the UROC Pro-National events.
DIRTsports magazine features competition based
articles and photographs relating to all types of off-road
competition including SCORE desert racing, CORR short course
racing, Baja off-road racing and of course, rock crawling.
Xtreme magazine dominates strictly the extreme
version of the professional rock crawling scene, as well as the
weekend warrior blazing his own trails. Led by two dudes and a hot
chick, look for this magazine at a store near you….RIGHT
NOW!
It wouldn’t be a motor sport
without a little controversy mixed in, would it?
Throughout the off-season, UROC officials held off
on announcing the pending event schedule, as they scrambled to put
the 2005 season together. Initially, it was announced that events
would be held throughout the United States, with emphasis on
“throughout.”
UROC initially
announced possible locations that included locales such as Texas,
Phoenix, Jellico, Tennessee and more. The word amongst the
competitors was the long miles between events, as well as the time
to drive such long miles, and it was not being compensated for with
big corporate sponsors. So the question is, has the sport grown to
a such a size to accommodate cross-country events. It cost a lot of
money to travel thousands of miles each year criss-crossing America
in search of another rock crawling win.
Corporate sponsors have sparingly appeared and only for the
teams that demonstrated market equity in return for their
investment dollar. The bottom line? Many East Coast teams that were
set for this first year nationwide season have disappeared from the
line-up for the UROC Pro-National Series for the 2005
season.
In fact, it is rumored that UROC
officials have “allowed” these East Coast competitors
to do so and yet compete in a different regional series, while
allowing them the opportunity to be eligible for the 2006 UROC
Pro-National Series. Insiders recently commented that teams are
trying to hold on for the bigger sponsorship money to enter this
niche’ of a motor sport that will allow teams to be gone
traveling across the country for weeks at a time in search of the
next championship performance, but perhaps it has yet to reach that
level.
UROC has announced the 2006 Pro-National Series
will be a “true” nationwide series with an East
Champion and West Champion culminating at Supercrawl V, where some
bad-ass driver will be named the Supercrawl V World
Champion.
But let’s get focused back
on the pending 2005 UROC Pro-National Season.
Who’s gonna be there to claim the championship?
Before rubber has even touched the course the
motor sport is abuzz with the who, how and when it will
happen.  |
In the red corner, out of
Phoenix, Arizona...coming into the ring with everything he's
got....
Shaaannnooonnn
Campbelllll...
Where's
Mitchie? |
Let’s run down the list of probables in the
Super Modified Class -
- Campbell
Enterprises Shannon Campbell reigns as the master engineer and
fabricator on the newest featured moon buggies in the world.
Campbell and his crew have added rear steer to a few of the
Campbell moon buggy ranks and that added feature may be something
big in the beginning of the season. But Campbell himself is the one
to watch for. This throttle happy champion knows how to win and how
much to bring to the dance in order to take home the prettiest
trophy. Of course we mean trophies, as he’s already married
to the hottest chick in the world.
- Rock
Runner Racing Motorsports & Twisted Customs KingPin - Jason
Paule is the quiet knight that shines when the going gets rough.
Some say he’s able to leap tall buildings and others lay that
particular claim to his spotter, Travis “Superspot”
Wadeson. So Trav…how is life in Sin City? Paule is all pure
driver. Cool, calm and he just keeps at it under the guidance of
SuperSpot until they take the checkered flag.
- Fuzzy-Wuzzy Zeller or Mad Max? Or you mean Bruce Zeller!
This tiger will eat you up and spit you out and that’s only
on the practice field. Driving what has been called the most
technologically advanced rockcrawler ever built – Nelson
built “Scrapper,” Bruce Zeller has been rockcrawling
for a few years or so…since taking possession of the most
bad-azz rockcrawler ever built he’s won, won and won! Watch
out as Zeller has something special and he’s got a big point
to prove this season.
- The Legend –
Walker Evans. His Goodyear sponsored rock rig is sporting Campbell
Ent. rear steer and his spotter is no one other than his chief
mechanic – Nick Campbell. Campbell’s been working out
at the gym during the off-season and no Shupee…that’s
not the eight ounce curls he’s been working on!
- Mike Shaffer – Way due for an epic season.
Has all the talent, best spotter, best equipment, mucho throttle
and I predict a break out season for Shaffer Off-Road.
- JohnnyG Gilleland – The K2 is ready for
action as the JohnnyGRockRacing Crew is prepared for a full year of
battling on the rocks of America. JohnnyG told us, “My wife
is due with our sixth child and she’s still giving me the
green light for a full year of tough competition. We are excited
about the new season.”
- Mitch
Guthrie? He’s racing desert trucks nowadays.
- Jon Bundrant? He’s racing pro drag races
nowadays.
- Jon Nelson? Golfing and
flyfishing...
- Ken Shupe? Staying home on
the East Coast…maybe next year.
-2004
Supercrawl Champion Randy Torbett? Word was he didn't want to
travel the US in search of another championship run but you never
know.
- Tracy Jordan – The UROC
Pro-National defending champion. That’s a little pressure. He
switched teams from Rock Runner Racing to Zeller’s Mad Max
team. That’s a little pressure. He switched from a Twisted
Customs two-seat rock rig to a Campbell Enterprises built single
seat moon buggy. That’s a little pressure. He has a new
sponsor, FABTECH Suspension. That’s a little pressure. And
isn't he gettin' married this season to one of the most beautiful
ladies in the rockcrawling world - Heather? Now that's some
pressure!
There is a lot of
“new” stuff in his 2005 resume, but he’s one
tough steel horse cowboy!
- Bob Standage
– Top rated competitor last season in the UROC Pro-Nationals
Modified Stock. He’s taking the step up to Super Modified
after working out the bugs in his Subaru powered moon-buggy. His
spotter is made for lifting HEAVY rock and these guys communicate
well and have won lots together in the past. Question is can they
tow the line against the heavy hitters of the Super Modified class.
One thing they do have always…ahhh, we can’t talk about
that Mason jar can we?
- Jason Scherer
– Has it all in line and his crew is packed tight. The
question is can he pull it off against the likes of veteran
pro’s. His early foray’s on the rocks have made him
shine like a veteran…time will tell.
- Aaron Dusenbery – Mastercraft Seats factory backed and
the world of rock crawling on his shoulders. He heads into this
first competition with his new rock rig that has been pimped on
television and the magazine circuit more than his widely known
spotter “Jason” from BackStreet Boys
has…Hahhhhhhhhh not really…his spotter is well-tuned
and prepared for the battle of his life on the rocks of Rocky
Mountain Raceway.
- Don Robbins –
Primed and tuned for the upcoming season. Robbins brings decades of
off-road experience to the rocks of America. Does anyone know this
guy ironmanned (that means he did it all alone) the famed SCORE
Baja 1000 race last year after the end of the professional
rockcrawling season? The 1017 mile course runs from the length of
the Baja Peninsula and is the longest nonstop point-to-point race
in the world. Robbins finished in the top five in class after
suffering a significant injury.
- Mark
Berger – Driving his Twisted Customs designed/built rock rig
and sporting the latest in the tire wars, Berger and Toyo Tires
firmed up there deal at the beginning of the year. Berger is the
defending 2004 Cal Rocs Champion. He has everything it takes, now
he just needs a little bit of luck.
- Peter
Wells – Finished solid in the top ten in the 2004 season at
8th place. He to is now competing on Toyo Tires after wheeling and
dealing in the off-season. Look for the Wells Brothers Racing team
to be in the hunt as the first event launches on Friday
morning.
- Ken Blume – Word has it
that Blume is not making the trip and is staying on the East Coast.
And actually we don’t know one way or the other. If he makes
the trip he’ll be right there banging doors with the best of
them. If not, the field of competition will miss him and other East
Coast competitors as the East Coast is home to some of the top
rockcrawlers in the world.
That about wraps
up the top ten from the 2004 season and other notables that made
headlines in the off-season. Who is your pick? Join our
Rock Crawling Forum Below. | |
In the Modified Stock Class the probables
are:
- 2004 UROC Pro-National
Champion/Supercrawl Champion Dean Bulloch and Karl Munford.
Hmmmmmmmm…let’s just say something like 30 years of
rockcrawling experience for Dean and 28 years of rock crawling
experience for Karl capturing the 2004 UROC Pro-National
Championship, Supercrawl III Championship and a host of other big
wins in other series. They have returned with a beefed up rock rig
and a renewed spirit of an African lion. Watch them closely in
their run for the championship.
-
2004 Pro-Rock Champion and On Track Krawler Team’s arch rival
– Rock Runner Racing Motorsports’ Brian Errea and
Joachim Schweisow. They battled neck-and-neck with Dean
Bulloch’s team throughout the 2004 season oftentimes only a
single point apart. This dynamic duo is on a rampage and they are
coming hard in search of their first UROC Championship. They do, in
fact, know how to win…look for them to be strong.
- Skyjacker/Alcoa sponsored Team Sisson is a
well-orchestrated family team that is always part of the
championship story. Last season they suffered some destruction on
their rig named “Tracy’s Diamond.” You ask why?
Well heck. The money they spent on the race car was the money that
was going to be used on Tracy’s Diamond. After finishing 4th
overall last year, they are poised to show the world what they are
all about.
- Becca Webster – Red
Bull’s lady among the rocks. Anything is possible and
she’s on a terror. She’s attracted the media attention
like no other woman in the sport. Poised and always smiling. Watch
for her to grace the pages of the DIRTnation’s competition
sport magazine – DIRTsports in an issue close to you
soon.
- Craig Stumph – Rock Stars on
the rocks! Known as the godfather of rock crawling…he has the
talent and knows the line. Can he hang with the youngsters?
- Mike Bailey finished 36 points out of the money
last season in 5th position. He’s has it all. Let’s
watch and see.
- Ted Grady – Trekking
from Washington to each event is a chore, but Grady has everything
in place after “a learning” season last year. Watch for
him to put his gorgeous blue rock rig in places you wouldn’t
think it should go…
We will bring you
the event finals on Sunday after the first UROC Pro-National Series
event wraps up in Salt Lake City, Utah. | 
