The Sportsman Off-Road Series will launch the Sportsman Light Truck class for the 2015 race season. The class is based off the popular mid-size tube frame truck PRO class, but with some limitations that will ensure a true “level playing field,” as well minimizing the overall cost of the race truck. The concept of this Sportsman class began as project of Flying Dutchman Off-Road Racing nearly two years ago, and will be on the track beginning June 6-7 during the Louderville Steel Off-Road Super Challenge at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway.

“This class is really needed in our series,” noted Crandon’s Cliff Flannery. “There are PRO truck teams that don’t have the support needed to travel back and forth across the country, but want to race. The Sportsman Off-Road Series will give them that opportunity. We went a step further and with the support of several vendors, we have an engine and drivetrain package that will keep costs under control as well. This class will grow by leaps and bounds in the next three years.”

Sportsman Light will be the first Spec Class ever introduced at the Sportsman level of short-course off-road racing. All participants must run a Spec Engine, Spec Transmission, Spec Torque Converter, and a Spec ring and pinion.

The powerplant is the Ford 347 from Ford Performance Parts. The sealed engine is available from several performance outlets. If a team has a PRO version of the Ford 347, it can be inspected, recertified and resealed by ProPower Racing in Sullivan, Wisconsin.

“Ford Racing developed the D347SR specifically for racing applications,” notes Mike Delahanty, Ford Racing Performance Parts Product Manager. “It’s built with the best race parts – from the best in the Racing Aftermarket companies like SCAT, Mahle, Edelbrock, Clevite, Crane Cams, PAC Valve Springs, MSD and more.  Every engine is hand assembled with racing clearances – and every rotating assembly is individually balanced.  The 347SR has the power and durability to win – right out of the crate.  Ford Racing is looking forward to working with the Sportsman Off-Road Series in 2015 and beyond.”

The spec transmission rules were a joint effort from some of the premier off-road transmission builders in the sport. Auto Trans Design from Germantown, Wisconsin, J & H Performance Transmission in Garden City, Michigan, and Stoney Automotive Engineering of Lansing, Michigan are the exclusive vendors for Sportsman Light.

The exclusive vendor for the torque converter is Dynamic Motorsport of Melrose Park, IL. Dynamic will dyno test every converter and ensuring performance equality.

Currie Enterprises of Corona, California will be the exclusive ring and pinion suppler of Sport Light. Currie is offering every Sport Light competitor two sets of gear, one short-course and one long-course combination. The ratios will be the same for every competitor.

The class will be fully supported by the companies in the MORR contingency program as well as Ford Racing Contingency Program – http://fordracingparts.com/register/default.asp.

For complete rules information and spec contacts on the Sportsman Light Truck class, visit:  www.sportsmanoffroadseries.com/rule-book.html.