KOH 2025

StretchASU said:
A UTV drivetrain won.

And they proved being nimble and not needing a bajillion HP is competitive enough to get it done.

FWIW, U4 tried to make rules to keep these guys out of the class whether they openly admit it or not, so CanAm/CT Raceworx just said hold my beer and built chassis’ with pickup points and components similar to the factory models and went out and whipped ass. It’s what the unlimited class was meant for.
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Didn't they say those top finishing utv's had 450hp? Maybe not a bajillion, but damn.

I still don't like it and nothing will change my mind.

But, absolute congrats to CT Raceworx. They killed it, for sure.
 
UTVs have come a long way since their inception in 2006 and have been underrated for a long time. Polaris just released a Pro R factory race edition for $140k which is a decent way to jump in for race teams not wanting to build a machine. You could build a competitive machine for $80-120k if you have the know how.

It will be interesting to see how this changes the race but I don't think you're not going to see UTVs take over 4400. While CT Race Worx builds awesome machines, it's more the driver than the machine that had Kyle Cheney winning. UTVs can't take the beating the average 4400 can without breaking.
 
Joe_U4 said:
Why? A badass driver with a badass machine won
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Again....
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R Q said:
Personal preference. I just don't care for UTVs and didn't eagerly anticipate KOH and watch to see a UTV race. Not taking anything away from them, they built a great rig and drove great all day.
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Agreed, they are bad ass for sure. I also agree it's the driver too. I just don't enjoy watching one wheel.
I do understand it's "unlimited" though. Maybe they should race it with a helicopter? I know, that's ridiculous, lol.
 
I have both and see both sides of the argument. However, my "greh" golf cart has hurt a lot of Jeep's feelings that tried to wheel with it 😁
 
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The thing is, MOST (not all) of the anti UTV crowd are defending an ideal that was never the intent and was theirs alone.

Go back to the early days, all the way to the OG-1-3….you had FToys competing well. With way below 200hp.

Jeff and Dave never envisioned this as a hp war…quite the contrast - the earliest intent was a series of rock crawling obstacles with a sprint between them.

But chicks dig the long ball and big engines equal big wallets
 
Ron said:
The thing is, MOST (not all) of the anti UTV crowd are defending an ideal that was never the intent and was theirs alone.

Go back to the early days, all the way to the OG-1-3….you had FToys competing well. With way below 200hp.

Jeff and Dave never envisioned this as a hp war…quite the contrast - the earliest intent was a series of rock crawling obstacles with a sprint between them.

But chicks dig the long ball and big engines equal big wallets
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They sale more everything because of that R-word. Will it go the way of most every other sport with an engine? Probably. Look at those roots compared to now. People management will be the Achilles Heel.

Faster, money, faster, money, faster, money leads to F1, Super Moto, NASCAR, and MX . Big money or no competing. Big money or no circuit.
 
The great thing about an SXS is you can go buy one off the showroom floor for like $30k that’ll run circles around 99% of the full size off-road vehicles out there, especially in the go-fast space. Accessible to most people and mass produced. As much as I hate the SXS culture, we are in a golden era of them. Heck, same with high performance cars and trucks too. Go back to 2000. No side by sides, no Raptor, no Z06 Vette, no SRT group, no TJ Rubicon even. Diesel trucks had like 200hp and 450ftlbs.
 
Joe_U4 said:
UTVs have come a long way since their inception in 2006 and have been underrated for a long time. Polaris just released a Pro R factory race edition for $140k which is a decent way to jump in for race teams not wanting to build a machine. You could build a competitive machine for $80-120k if you have the know how.

It will be interesting to see how this changes the race but I don't think you're not going to see UTVs take over 4400. While CT Race Worx builds awesome machines, it's more the driver than the machine that had Kyle Cheney winning. UTVs can't take the beating the average 4400 can without breaking.
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I felt the need to point out technically they were started by Honda in 1977. That’s my opinion at least. Honda Odyssey (ATV) - Wikipedia
 
its the story of man and machine conquering the odds with a unique machine that made u4 cool. Now it’s dominated by big teams that take a new bronco body and put it on a race chassis for marketing, or a razor for that matter. It’s like the difference between seeing a musician in concert playing music vs a studio edit being lipsynced to me. The weight suspension design motor choice of a sxs doesn’t bother me, but the sport is transitioning from backyard builds street racing to nascar teams going through the motions
 
Shreddinlettuce said:
its the story of man and machine conquering the odds with a unique machine that made u4 cool. Now it’s dominated by big teams that take a new bronco body and put it on a race chassis for marketing, or a razor for that matter. It’s like the difference between seeing a musician in concert playing music vs a studio edit being lipsynced to me. The weight suspension design motor choice of a sxs doesn’t bother me, but the sport is transitioning from backyard builds street racing to nascar teams going through the motions
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I'd go even farther and say its like the musician playing in his garage or a tiny local bar w/ just a $150 amp vs the full studio.

The badass vehciles and production are awesome, but the real soul was back when it was a couple handfulls of guys w/ last minute thrown together rigs and Lance conveying status from a van. I remember what a huge step forward it was just getting cameras set up in a couple of places.
Joe_U4 said:
Agreed, but any popular grass roots thing eventually outgrows the original intent. It's just the nature of things, I remember when NASCAR drivers actually built and worked on their own cars :laughing:
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Indeed.

The question is whats the next thing to start up like this att he grassroots level?
 
The fact that nothing about the sxs racing are stock. I’m not sure why they just don’t run an unlimited sxs and an unlimited full size race. As stated it’s like all modern racing, see who can spend the most money and go faster. Half the teams there have trucks and sxs. I’d bet they would race both unlimited classes if separated. Sxs entered the rock bouncing world several years ago and shook it up. They now have several classes. No one doubts how agile and fast sxs platforms are now. Seem the whole purpose of classes in racing is to keep the separation. Either way, I don’t have a dog in that fight. Plus seems like they keep making the courses harder and harder about like they did in rock bouncing. Kinda like hey idiots come see how much we can make you tear up with your money so we can get some attention.
 
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