Rockcrawling competition is a hot sport nowadays, and new venues and organizations are competing among themselves for top-dog status, just like the competitors. One of the original organizers is Sports In The Rough, who took the Pro Rock series to the Avalanche Ranch near Durango, Colorado, last summer for a gnarly course full of difficult obstacles. The best part was that real technical driving skill was needed at the competition, rather than the point-and-shoot style of bashing and crashing which is becoming so prevalent. In fact, those who drove elegantly were amply rewarded with no errors, while their heavy-footed brethren hit more cones and received more penalties than we've seen in a long time.
The Pro Rock series is divided into two groups: the Trophy Class where nearly anything goes, and the JP Offroad Modified Stock Class where tires are limited to 35 inches and a titled, street-legal-ish vehicle is the intent. This class represents the majority of those in the normal 4x4 recreation sport, rather than the full-on competition rigs. While we like the technology and action of the Trophy Class, the near stone-stock class gives the regular Joe a chance to compete without breaking his wallet.