The UTV Underground Pro Desert Racer Questionnaire

[Trentk]

Hello Everyone!
I am researching the possibility of moving to a UTV soon and I thought this questionnaire could benefit anyone interested in joining our sport. So I asked Joey if he'd like to run it as an article and he was on board right away and suggested I start a thread here. I also had Matt Parks review the questions. From what I have seen in the threads here it seems like all the current desert racers are interested in growing the sport and I hope the questionnaire will show people what it takes to race at the top level. The videos already show how much fun it is and we all know it just takes one taste of desert racing before you are hooked for life.

Since this is my first post, here is a little background on me: I have been racing ATV's in the pro class since 2009 in BITD, SCORE, WORCS and the local AZOP and old Whiplash races. I have won a few championships but haven't won any of the big races in the pro class yet, I have won the Baja 500 and V2R in the sportsmen class. I am an Information Technology Business Analyst and Project Manager so I tend to analyze the crap out of something before jumping in. I have also run a few large automotive forums in the past.


UTV Pro Desert Racing Questionnaire
I am sure some of the info would apply to WORCS and short course racing but this is intended to answer desert racing questions.

1. What is your name and the team you race with?

2. What is your current race vehicle? Make, model, year.

3. What was the total cost (or labor hours) to build your chassis to BITD/SCORE specifications?

4. How long do you go between engine rebuilds? Are you refreshing the engine before each race?

5. Do you have major engine modifications? (more than bolt ons, for example, different pistons, crank, rod, ported head, etc)

6. Do you run race gas?

7. How long do you get out of an axle?

8. Do you replace the axles/cv’s after each race?

9. How many hours or races do you get between shock rebuilds?

10. How often do you replace heims, ball joints, and bushings?

11. Have you cracked your frame from normal use (not crashing)?

12. What are the main weak points of your UTV that requires servicing often or attention?

13. Got any tips for keeping your drive belt and axles happy and living a long life while still keeping a competitive pace?

14. Do you foresee a solution to keeping the drive belt happy for long durations at wide open throttle? I am reading that these cars can do 85mph but in a race you can only maintain about 65 or else the belt will die a short death. Seems a shame to leave all that potential on the table.

15. Are you using a flat prevention system and if so which one? Tireblocks, Tireballs, Pro Fills, Tire Johnnies, DWT 12 ply tires, etc...

16. How many spare tires/wheels do you take to a typical race?

17. How many race miles can you get between fill-ups?

18. Which is the superior platform; a long wheelbase 4 seater or a shorter 2 seater?

19. Is the Polaris trailing arm rear suspension design better/worse/the same as the Can Am a-arm rear suspension design?

20. What is your biggest yearly racing expense: Engines, tires, suspension, drivetrain parts, hotels, chase fuel, race fuel, or entry fees?


Questions less likely to receive an exact answer, be vague if you want

21. What is your maximum sustained speed? (not just a top speed that is hit briefly)

22. What is your top speed?

23. How much hp and tq are you making to the wheels?

24. What is your vehicle weight with fuel and spares, no driver

25. If you'd like to share anything else or feel I missed a question please tell me here.

Thank you for your time!
Trent Kendall

 

[Trentk]

For the sake of transparency and to show that I am here to share too here are my responses from a Pro ATV racer.

1. What is your name and the team you race with?
Trent Kendall. www.kendallrace.com and XX Army

2. What is your current race vehicle? Make, model, year.
2006 Honda TRX450R and 2009 Honda TRX700, also built a frakenstein 2007 Raptor 737 with 5 gallon fuel cell.

3. What was the total cost (or labor hours) to build your chassis to BITD/SCORE specifications?
Lonestar will gusset and powdercoat a stock honda frame for about $500 but it isn't required. The frame will still eventually crack after 1-2 years. I have heard the Honda sponsored teams do not gusset the frame at all and they change frames every few races.

4. How long do you go between engine rebuilds? Are you refreshing the engine before each race?
I try to do the top end before each big race because the entry fees and travels expenses are so damn big that its not worth the risk to DNF. Top end rebuild for parts is about $400.

5. Do you have major engine modifications? (more than bolt ons, for example, different pistons, crank, rod, ported head, etc)
To be competitive on wide open BITD style courses you need to have a better power to weight ratio than stock provides. We run a mild cam, ported head, pump gas piston, and full exhaust.
For a very long race like a point to point Baja 1000 a stock motor with a basic cam is your best option.

6. Do you run race gas?
I would like to but I am poor so we run a 50/50 91 octane avgas mix. I used to run straight 91 octane but the bearings showed signs of minor detonation.

7. How long do you get out of an axle?
ATV axles last 4+ years.

8. Do you replace the axles/cv’s after each race?
n/a

9. How many hours or races do you get between shock rebuilds?
We service the shocks every 30-50 hours.

10. How often do you replace heims, ball joints, and bushings?
I try to get a season out of these parts, normally 10-14 months.

11. Have you cracked your frame from normal use (not crashing)?
Yes, atv frames will eventually crack when raced regardless of gusseting. Once they crack you can repair but they will keep cracking. With that being said I still push mine to 3-4 seasons.

12. What are the main weak points of your UTV that requires servicing often or attention?
For atv's I monitor the frame, balljoints, pivot bolts and the transmission.

13. Got any tips for keeping your drive belt and axles happy and living a long life while still keeping a competitive pace?
n/a

14. Are you using a flat prevention system and if so which one? Tireblocks, Tireballs, Pro Fills, Tire Johnnies, DWT 12 ply tires, etc...
We had hiper pro fills for the SS300 and I got a huge puncture. I went about 10 miles before it felt like I was riding on the rim. I got to the pit after 35 miles and it completely melted the entire set of pro fills. They came out of the tire as one melted block of rubber. Pro fills are a less dense version of the Tireblocks.
At last years V2R we had tireblocks in our heavy Pig Honda 700 and got a flat and we went about 50 miles on it before we were on the rim. We went another 40 miles to the pit and they were melted too.
I have raced with Tireballs and they have worked but if you pop more than a few of them the tire gets so out of balance it is not possible to travel at high speed. I would race on them all the time if I could afford them.
The Pro Fills install the easiest if you have dual beadlocks, I would rate the tireblocks and tireballs as quite a bit more difficult to install even with all the proper special tools.

15. How many spare tires/wheels do you take to a typical race?
For V2R we will bring 4 fronts and 4 rears.

16. How many race miles can you get between fill-ups?
65 miles at race speed.

17. Do you foresee a solution to keeping the drive belt happy for long durations at wide open throttle?
On the ATV I have only experienced one broken chain ever. It was during the Baja 1000 in 2009. Earlier in the race the ATV threw the sprocket and the chain wadded into the case. The ATV was handed to me about 200 miles later and 100 miles into my section the chain broke. It sucked big time. I think it broke due to the trauma it received when it wadded up earlier. The top pro teams do not use a master link.

18. Which is the superior platform; a long wheelbase 4 seater or a shorter 2 seater?
n/a

19. Is the Polaris trailing arm rear suspension design better/worse/the same as the Can Am a-arm rear suspension design?
n/a

20. What is your biggest yearly racing expense: Engines, tires, suspension, drivetrain parts, hotels, chase fuel, race fuel, or entry fees?
Entry fees and chase fuel.


Questions less likely to receive an exact answer, be vague if you want

21. What is your maximum sustained speed? (not just a top speed that is hit briefly)
84 on the Honda 450. 101 on the Raptor 2 years ago on the asphalt section of the Henderson 250. 96 on Dirt.

22. What is your top speed?
see above

23. How much hp and tq are you making to the wheels?
55/34 on the Honda and 74/55 on the old Raptor.

24. What is your vehicle weight with fuel and spares, no driver
455 pounds

25. If you'd like to share anything else or feel I missed a question please tell me here.
I wish I was addicted to a cheaper hobby.

 

[badassmav]

1. What is your name and the team you race with?
Reid Johnson/ #1905 MB Motorsports
2. What is your current race vehicle? Make, model, year
2013 Can-am Maverick
3. What was the total cost (or labor hours) to build your chassis to BITD/SCORE specifications?
2,000 + hours
4. How long do you go between engine rebuilds? Are you refreshing the engine before each race?
We only rebuild or freshen up our engine when damage occurs during a race. Usually, it is silt/air filtration related. IMO, the Rotax engine is good for 2-3,000 race miles if properly protected.
5. Do you have major engine modifications? (more than bolt ons, for example, different pistons, crank, rod, ported head, etc)
Bone stock, except for custom exhaust and clutch mod's.
6. Do you run race gas?
From now on, yes since learning about octane levels, and how they relate to vapor lock.
7. How long do you get out of an axle?
We dont break axles or cv's. Our last set of new cv's on our 1 1/2 year old axles lasted 1,200 race miles, and we only changed the cv's to assure reliability for this years Baja 500.
8. Do you replace the axles/cv’s after each race?
No.
9. How many hours or races do you get between shock rebuilds?
Fox freshens up our internal bypass shocks every race.
10. How often do you replace heims, ball joints, and bushings?
It varies. Our car has a combination of uniballs and rod ends totalling 30 pieces. Usually, depending on the race course, we replace around 4-8 rod ends per race because they are totally worn. Almost always, the rear outer 7/8" rod ends that attatch the a arms to the aluminum upright. We don't run any protection over them, but will probably start to soon. The ends that are wearing are the ones that are cycled through the majority of their deflection range. Once the ball rotates where the high mis. spacers pass the teflon liners, the dirt introduced eats them up in no time.
11. Have you cracked your frame from normal use (not crashing)?
It has been cracked at the suspension pivot points upon hard and damaging impacts 2-3 times.
12. What are the main weak points of your UTV that requires servicing often or attention?
Hands down. Clutch and belts.
13. Got any tips for keeping your drive belt and axles happy and living a long life while still keeping a competitive pace?
Aligning the cv joints so they do not operate at compound angles keeps our cv's and axles 100% reliable. We are working on the clutch to lengthen belt life. 200-250 miles is currently the best we get from our belts, and that is with Marc driving smart to keep the temps down.
14. Do you foresee a solution to keeping the drive belt happy for long durations at wide open throttle? I am reading that these cars can do 85mph but in a race you can only maintain about 65 or else the belt will die a short death. Seems a shame to leave all that potential on the table.
Through working with Adam @ Airdam, we are getting closer to all around belt reliability. I know of no teams that can run wide open for as long as they would like, without suffering from belt reliability issues.
15. Are you using a flat prevention system and if so which one? Tireblocks, Tireballs, Pro Fills, Tire Johnnies, DWT 12 ply tires, etc...
Slime. Running the 8 ply ITP Blackwaters help tremendously in avoiding tire changing punctures. Also, the rigid OMF beadlock 15" rims help a lot.
16. How many spare tires/wheels do you take to a typical race?
8.
17. How many race miles can you get between fill-ups?
We try to keep it under 110 miles for a 18 gallon tank. We like to never let the tank go below 2 gallons of fuel.
18. Which is the superior platform; a long wheelbase 4 seater or a shorter 2 seater?
Long wheelbase, in almost all circumstances. KOH may be different, but we don't run that brutal race.
19. Is the Polaris trailing arm rear suspension design better/worse/the same as the Can Am a-arm rear suspension design?
The trailing arm rear suspension that Polaris has can be built for much less effort, and net far better results.
20. What is your biggest yearly racing expense: Engines, tires, suspension, drivetrain parts, hotels, chase fuel, race fuel, or entry fees?
Logistics. Pre running, gas, and lodging. Marc estimates around 30k for this years Baja 1000.

Questions less likely to receive an exact answer, be vague if you want

21. What is your maximum sustained speed? (not just a top speed that is hit briefly)Currently, 65 mph.

22. What is your top speed?
70 mph +/-, depending on terrain and conditions.
23. How much hp and tq are you making to the wheels?
Never dyno'd it to see. I estimate 10 hp or so more than the other Mavericks that do not relocate their rear housing.
24. What is your vehicle weight with fuel and spares, no driver
2,365 lbs.
25. If you'd like to share anything else or feel I missed a question please tell me here.

 

[Simi Dude]

I guess no one else want's to share there their info.......
And I thought this was a real interesting thread.

 

[badassmav]

I guess no one else want's to share there their info.......
And I thought this was a real interesting thread.

No one will divulge the detailed information that I have. Even Marc is bummed that I am sharing detailed facts about our set up, performance, and componentry. Teams work hard for their set ups, and are insecure about letting other teams have free access to that data. It is understandable. I'm not threatened by it, and hope it will save lesser experienced teams a bunch of time and heartache. It doesn't matter how much I divulge, no one can beat us in Mexico, which is where we will secure the points title.

 

[jaggedx]

Very interesting, I will participate as soon as time permits

 

[badassmav]

Very interesting, I will participate as soon as time permits

That's awesome, Bill! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Oc1]

Following Reid's testimony I'll play. We are a new team and have had lots of teething issues on our first season. We went way out of the box on our build so its cost us some time trying to re-invent the wheel.


UTV Pro Desert Racing Questionnaire
I am sure some of the info would apply to WORCS and short course racing but this is intended to answer desert racing questions.

1. What is your name and the team you race with?
Pierre Burns Beyond Insanity Racing
2. What is your current race vehicle? Make, model, year.
Custom build using Can Am Commander suspension points
in a tube chassis DSR1
3. What was the total cost (or labor hours) to build your chassis to BITD/SCORE specifications?
Thousands of hours and around 22k
4. How long do you go between engine rebuilds? Are you refreshing the engine before each race?
Blew up one junk yard motor. Second motor seems strong.
5. Do you have major engine modifications? (more than bolt ons, for example, different pistons, crank, rod, ported head, etc)
No
6. Do you run race gas?
No
7. How long do you get out of an axle?
Haven't had any issues yet.
8. Do you replace the axles/cv’s after each race?
No. Clean and inspect them after every race. Keeping them in Phase nets full travel and longevity.
9. How many hours or races do you get between shock rebuilds?
Depends
10. How often do you replace heims, ball joints, and bushings?
As needed. Our heims are all larger than than average and we run top of the line chromoly heims so they last quite a while.
11. Have you cracked your frame from normal use (not crashing)?
No
12. What are the main weak points of your UTV that requires servicing often or attention?
steering box has been a major issue but hopefully the new one solves the problem
13. Got any tips for keeping your drive belt and axles happy and living a long life while still keeping a competitive pace?
Eliminated the drive belt! Keep your angles in check and the axles should be happy.
14. Do you foresee a solution to keeping the drive belt happy for long durations at wide open throttle? I am reading that these cars can do 85mph but in a race you can only maintain about 65 or else the belt will die a short death. Seems a shame to leave all that potential on the table.
Yes it is
15. Are you using a flat prevention system and if so which one? Tireblocks, Tireballs, Pro Fills, Tire Johnnies, DWT 12 ply tires, etc...
Not currently.
16. How many spare tires/wheels do you take to a typical race?
4. Would like to have more but so far it hasn't been an issue.
17. How many race miles can you get between fill-ups?
Seem to be getting around 6 mpg

18. Which is the superior platform; a long wheelbase 4 seater or a shorter 2 seater?
The new 4 seaters are getting huge. We went with the max allowable at the time of our build but I think they allow more now. I think you can get to long. We are around 110"
19. Is the Polaris trailing arm rear suspension design better/worse/the same as the Can Am a-arm rear suspension design?
I like trailing arms better but you can make either work. The Commander uses trailing arms in little different set up than the RZR
20. What is your biggest yearly racing expense: Engines, tires, suspension, drivetrain parts, hotels, chase fuel, race fuel, or entry fees?
Its our first year so we are spending lots of money modifying design issues. Entry fees and logistics are a huge chunk as well.

Questions less likely to receive an exact answer, be vague if you want

21. What is your maximum sustained speed? (not just a top speed that is hit briefly)
85
22. What is your top speed?
105

23. How much hp and tq are you making to the wheels?
Not sure, its hasn't been on a dyno. Stock GSXR motor makes 180 hp at the crank. We have some parasitic drag from the third.

24. What is your vehicle weight with fuel and spares, no driver
Around 2k gassed and ready to race.

25. If you'd like to share anything else or feel I missed a question please tell me here.

Building an XP would have been a lot easier and probably yielded better results out of the box. The downside is we would have spent the same amount just getting the initial rig and I think once we get the final bugs worked out we will have a much faster car that will work really well.
Thank you for your time!
Trent Kendall

 

[badassmav]

Yeah, brr brrr. Now were rolling!

 

[badassmav]

C'mon Bill, don't let me down! Marc was telling me that nobody would respond to such an invasive questionnaire, so I was ecstatic to tell him he was wrong, and that the JX guys were also diving in. Thanks

 

[AReed]

I would play but it's not a full blown desert car. More of a well rounded racer I was say.

 

[COGNITO]

I will participate when I get some time, busy busy!

 

[SimsMotorsports]

Reid you know I'll participate, I've got nothing to hide! Give me some time I'm driving home from vacation and need a desktop computer to write it all

 

[badassmav]

Thanks guys! The author of this thread, Trent, PM'd me a while back and had some tech questions for me. As always, I suggested that if he asked them in the public forum instead, everybody can get in on the action. Teachers and students alike. I prefer to keep technical correspondences public, as to allow all qualified members to offer their experience and opinions. Although I am a lifelong journeyman fabricator, my knowledge of off road cars and the preparation of them is by no means superior to any other experienced fab or prep guy out there. I just dig a little deeper when researching data that is unfamiliar to me. When I design something, it is based on quantifiable parameters. The web is the baddest tool in my arsenal (next to the fridge). It puts everything else to shame, including me. Whether or not something is working for another team, does not mean it will net us the same results. Unfortunately, there are many items or areas of our car that are the way they are, only because Marc says, "That's what the ______ are running." I'm not argumentative. I don't have the care or time to bicker about things (except here!), so Marc has a lot to do with the overall success, and failure of the car.

From early on, Marc has not been pleased that I offer up so many details about The Monster Mav. Be it specs, race prep and inspection, damage, repair, revealing photos, performance figures, etc. He says that the other teams are listening, and are benefiting from the information that I share, but are not reciprocating. Because I pretty much built and have been maintaining the Monster Mav for the price of admission, I feel that the design belongs to me. Marc is family. I always help family. Because I do not receive a weekly or routine paycheck or salary, the info and design is mine to do what I wish with. I wish to share it. I always allow Marc the final say. If he is too sore about something I shared, I'll delete the post. Needless to say, Marc was pretty bummed out when I filled out this questionairre. He said no other top teams would fill out the questionairre like I did, and if they did, they would only offer obvious info like tire size, or other non-invasive details. Funny that when he elaborated on the "top teams", he referenced Simms, Cog, Xguys, and the Murrays. So far, all but one have chimed in and promise to answer the questionairre.

I am anxious to see the performance gap between the top factory backed UTE's. Short of offering detailed clutch setup info, or shock valving data, I believe that the info shared here is not absolute, and needs to be taken with a grain of salt. The race is still won through diligent preparation, then ultimately, on the race course.

Thanks to Trent and Pierre for their participation. I'm hoping to prove Marc wrong, that the competition is not a secret society. That the top teams, and hopefully many others, will also open their info vault and let it flow...

 

[SimsMotorsports]

Ok here we gooooooo

1. What is your name and the team you race with?

Branden Sims, Sims Motorsports/Lonestar Racing

2. What is your current race vehicle? Make, model, year.

Polaris, Rzr Xp1000, 2014

3. What was the total cost (or labor hours) to build your chassis to BITD/SCORE specifications?

I built my entire chassis along with the aluminum work myself. I probably have close to $2000 in material costs (tubing, tabs, dzus, aluminum) along with a month and a half of labor only being able to work on it after my normal 8-6 job was finished.

4. How long do you go between engine rebuilds? Are you refreshing the engine before each race?

I dont do any engine rebuilds unless i see a sign of a failure (smoking, burning oil)

5. Do you have major engine modifications? (more than bolt ons, for example, different pistons, crank, rod, ported head, etc)

I don't have any bolt on modifications (Stock intake, stock exhaust, and no fuel programmer), but i do have some head work done to my engine (port and polish, cams, valve springs)

6. Do you run race gas?

No, 91 pump gas

7. How long do you get out of an axle?

Replaced my rear axles for the first time this season last race after putting 1450 miles on the axles and cg's. Fronts are still the same that i started the season with

8. Do you replace the axles/cv’s after each race?

No

9. How many hours or races do you get between shock rebuilds?

Same oil that i started the season on, probably due for a shock service

10. How often do you replace heims, ball joints, and bushings?

Only when i am able to find wear on them. I use the best heims possible to help with that. I haven't replaced any this season

11. Have you cracked your frame from normal use (not crashing)?

Yes, last race i ripped a bolt through the frame that took me out of the race

12. What are the main weak points of your UTV that requires servicing often or attention?

All suspension pivot points

13. Got any tips for keeping your drive belt and axles happy and living a long life while still keeping a competitive pace?

keep them cool, we all have tried different methods. Idk if any of us have perfected it yet. RUN SMALLER TIRES would be a huge help, but we all know that isn't going to happen.

14. Do you foresee a solution to keeping the drive belt happy for long durations at wide open throttle? I am reading that these cars can do 85mph but in a race you can only maintain about 65 or else the belt will die a short death. Seems a shame to leave all that potential on the table.

Once you figure out how to keep it cool you should be able to run it at its full potential a lot more reliable, but I'm sure you will find the next weakest link shortly after........

15. Are you using a flat prevention system and if so which one? Tireblocks, Tireballs, Pro Fills, Tire Johnnies, DWT 12 ply tires, etc...

Nope, just normal compressed air in my ITP Ultracross tires

16. How many spare tires/wheels do you take to a typical race?

6 spares, also depends on which race, conditions, milage, and terrain

17. How many race miles can you get between fill-ups?

I could prob max out at 125 but i keep them around 100 miles

18. Which is the superior platform; a long wheelbase 4 seater or a shorter 2 seater?

I love my 2 seater, to say its superior i can't say honestly, but i do know that i don't like driving the 4 seater

19. Is the Polaris trailing arm rear suspension design better/worse/the same as the Can Am a-arm rear suspension design?

I can't answer seeing that i don't know much about the Can Am suspension design and how it performs. Reid seems to have done a stellar job on his though.

20. What is your biggest yearly racing expense: Engines, tires, suspension, drivetrain parts, hotels, chase fuel, race fuel, or entry fees?

Seeing that this is my rookie season and until i proved myself everything was a huge expense. Now at this point i would say travel/fuel along with entry fees especially in SCORE


Questions less likely to receive an exact answer, be vague if you want

21. What is your maximum sustained speed? (not just a top speed that is hit briefly)

I tend to see 65-67 on my GPS pretty often

22. What is your top speed?

At sea level in Ensenada i hit 83.2 mph

23. How much hp and tq are you making to the wheels?

Im not quite sure roughly 10hp more than stock

24. What is your vehicle weight with fuel and spares, no driver

Never been weighed, hopefully a lot lighter than Reids car though Lol

25. If you'd like to share anything else or feel I missed a question please tell me here.

 

[SimsMotorsports]

Good night, Terracross this weekend at Haydays i need some sleep

 

[badassmav]

Thanks Branden! Now you see how painless that is guys? Now it's your turn. C'mon on up and take a swing. Branden hit his out of the park!

 

[Trentk]

Thanks to those who have participated! Glad to see this thread finally progressing, hopefully we can all learn from each other and grow the sport!

I think this video is another good place for a new UTV racer to lookup what is generally involved in building a desert racer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-94xiPVpg88&index=7&list=LL-xSS5jdt5yUCk-HRqxIg7A

Trent

 

[mearsman]

Ok here we gooooooo



1. What is your name and the team you race with?



Branden Sims, Sims Motorsports/Lonestar Racing



2. What is your current race vehicle? Make, model, year.



Polaris, Rzr Xp1000, 2014



3. What was the total cost (or labor hours) to build your chassis to BITD/SCORE specifications?



I built my entire chassis along with the aluminum work myself. I probably have close to $2000 in material costs (tubing, tabs, dzus, aluminum) along with a month and a half of labor only being able to work on it after my normal 8-6 job was finished.



4. How long do you go between engine rebuilds? Are you refreshing the engine before each race?



I dont do any engine rebuilds unless i see a sign of a failure (smoking, burning oil)



5. Do you have major engine modifications? (more than bolt ons, for example, different pistons, crank, rod, ported head, etc)



I don't have any bolt on modifications (Stock intake, stock exhaust, and no fuel programmer), but i do have some head work done to my engine (port and polish, cams, valve springs)



6. Do you run race gas?



No, 91 pump gas



7. How long do you get out of an axle?



Replaced my rear axles for the first time this season last race after putting 1450 miles on the axles and cg's. Fronts are still the same that i started the season with



8. Do you replace the axles/cv’s after each race?



No



9. How many hours or races do you get between shock rebuilds?



Same oil that i started the season on, probably due for a shock service



10. How often do you replace heims, ball joints, and bushings?



Only when i am able to find wear on them. I use the best heims possible to help with that. I haven't replaced any this season



11. Have you cracked your frame from normal use (not crashing)?



Yes, last race i ripped a bolt through the frame that took me out of the race



12. What are the main weak points of your UTV that requires servicing often or attention?



All suspension pivot points



13. Got any tips for keeping your drive belt and axles happy and living a long life while still keeping a competitive pace?



keep them cool, we all have tried different methods. Idk if any of us have perfected it yet. RUN SMALLER TIRES would be a huge help, but we all know that isn't going to happen.



14. Do you foresee a solution to keeping the drive belt happy for long durations at wide open throttle? I am reading that these cars can do 85mph but in a race you can only maintain about 65 or else the belt will die a short death. Seems a shame to leave all that potential on the table.



Once you figure out how to keep it cool you should be able to run it at its full potential a lot more reliable, but I'm sure you will find the next weakest link shortly after........



15. Are you using a flat prevention system and if so which one? Tireblocks, Tireballs, Pro Fills, Tire Johnnies, DWT 12 ply tires, etc...



Nope, just normal compressed air in my ITP Ultracross tires



16. How many spare tires/wheels do you take to a typical race?



6 spares, also depends on which race, conditions, milage, and terrain



17. How many race miles can you get between fill-ups?



I could prob max out at 125 but i keep them around 100 miles



18. Which is the superior platform; a long wheelbase 4 seater or a shorter 2 seater?



I love my 2 seater, to say its superior i can't say honestly, but i do know that i don't like driving the 4 seater



19. Is the Polaris trailing arm rear suspension design better/worse/the same as the Can Am a-arm rear suspension design?



I can't answer seeing that i don't know much about the Can Am suspension design and how it performs. Reid seems to have done a stellar job on his though.



20. What is your biggest yearly racing expense: Engines, tires, suspension, drivetrain parts, hotels, chase fuel, race fuel, or entry fees?



Seeing that this is my rookie season and until i proved myself everything was a huge expense. Now at this point i would say travel/fuel along with entry fees especially in SCORE





Questions less likely to receive an exact answer, be vague if you want



21. What is your maximum sustained speed? (not just a top speed that is hit briefly)



I tend to see 65-67 on my GPS pretty often



22. What is your top speed?



At sea level in Ensenada i hit 83.2 mph



23. How much hp and tq are you making to the wheels?



Im not quite sure roughly 10hp more than stock



24. What is your vehicle weight with fuel and spares, no driver



Never been weighed, hopefully a lot lighter than Reids car though Lol



25. If you'd like to share anything else or feel I missed a question please tell me here.

Great job! Thanks for taking time to complete the questionnaire


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[COGNITO]

1. What is your name and the team you race with?
Justin Lambert, Cognito Motorsports
2. What is your current race vehicle? Make, model, year.
2014 Polaris RZR 4 XP1000
3. What was the total cost (or labor hours) to build your chassis to BITD/SCORE specifications?
this is kind of a vague question, but chassis only about 100 hours
4. How long do you go between engine rebuilds? Are you refreshing the engine before each race?
no, go as long as we can until something doesn't look right when changing the oil.
5. Do you have major engine modifications? (more than bolt ons, for example, different pistons, crank, rod, ported head, etc)
pistons, head porting, header, all by Sparks Performance Products
6. Do you run race gas?
a little mixed in with mostly pump gas
7. How long do you get out of an axle?
one half to full season
8. Do you replace the axles/cv’s after each race?
no
9. How many hours or races do you get between shock rebuilds?
half season
10. How often do you replace heims, ball joints, and bushings?
half way thru the season normally
11. Have you cracked your frame from normal use (not crashing)?
yes
12. What are the main weak points of your UTV that requires servicing often or attention?
cv joints, steering, clutch
13. Got any tips for keeping your drive belt and axles happy and living a long life while still keeping a competitive pace?
for the belt, a belt temp guage helps to know where you are at. Axles, don't land on the gas!
14. Do you foresee a solution to keeping the drive belt happy for long durations at wide open throttle? I am reading that these cars can do 85mph but in a race you can only maintain about 65 or else the belt will die a short death. Seems a shame to leave all that potential on the table. proper belt break in and cleaning, also keep the clutch intake fed with clean air.

15. Are you using a flat prevention system and if so which one? Tireblocks, Tireballs, Pro Fills, Tire Johnnies, DWT 12 ply tires, etc...
ITP Terracross 30" tires
16. How many spare tires/wheels do you take to a typical race?
a full set
17. How many race miles can you get between fill-ups?
normally 120
18. Which is the superior platform; a long wheelbase 4 seater or a shorter 2 seater?
long IMO
19. Is the Polaris trailing arm rear suspension design better/worse/the same as the Can Am a-arm rear suspension design?
IMO polaris trailing arm better, but both have pros and cons.
20. What is your biggest yearly racing expense: Engines, tires, suspension, drivetrain parts, hotels, chase fuel, race fuel, or entry fees?
they are all nearly equal slices of the pie, give or take, but race fuel is probly the cheapest.

Questions less likely to receive an exact answer, be vague if you want

21. What is your maximum sustained speed? (not just a top speed that is hit briefly)
when the terrain/road permits 120mph, we sustain 75
22. What is your top speed?
82, well it will go faster than that downhill
23. How much hp and tq are you making to the wheels?
approx 10% more than stock.
24. What is your vehicle weight with fuel and spares, no driver
1900
25. If you'd like to share anything else or feel I missed a question please tell me here. How do you rate desert racing? A ten! i give it a ten!!