Ten years ago when competitive rockcrawling began to flourish, no one really knew where it would end up. Coupled with many different sanctioning bodies, the sport grew and changed over the years, as did the vehicles and drivers. But as with any twist and turn in our industry, another change has happened. The UROC organization has morphed from rockcrawling to Rock Cross, where three rigs abreast compete on a rockcrawling course as it thrills the audience and packs the stands. We enjoyed the first such spectacle at the Rocky Mountain Raceway in Salt Lake City last August.
Rock cross starts out with...
Rock cross starts out with three rigs racing towards a cliff face-being first off the line can lead to good positioning for the climb. Abusive nerfing isn't allowed, as it's pretty easy to knock a rig off a hill halfway up a climb. We think some of the future runs will include gyro stabilizers and nerf bars on board the buggies.
Having a starting flag and a checkered flag means that there aren't any cones, points, or penalties to count or worry about in this competition. Now it's finesse, speed, and durability of the rig that matters and with a lot more action going on. The start line starts each heat off in the two classes-Modified and Stock. These purpose-built rock rigs aren't usually at home in the speed department, so drifting around a dirt turn and quick acceleration were not common to all the competitors. And having three 4x4s of any type scrambling up the same cliff for position is without a doubt an exciting sight.
This type of entertainment is not rockcrawling, and may not be for everyone in the sport. However, it is a new breed of competition we think will grow and spawn technological advances we can all use on the trail, as rockcrawling has done. And with the advent of these closed-course venues, the environmental danger of this type of sport is greatly minimized so as to protect our trails. We think this could be another great direction for 4x4 enthusiasts, and can't wait to see the next event and see what develops in terrain, vehicles, drivers, and tech. For more information go to www.uroc.com.
Being first to the top doesn't...
Being first to the top doesn't matter much if you roll off the backside. In this case the other two rigs simply went around the rolled ride, then yellow flags come out to make sure the driver is OK and the vehicle is off the course. There are three laps at this event, so it was important to keep the course clear. The rules are still being formulated, but we're sure UROC and the competitors will figure out the safest and fairest format for all concerned. We just want more action between the heats to keep the crowd busy.
Four-wheel drifts on the flats...
Four-wheel drifts on the flats made for some good action, and allowed the leaders to separate from the group. Low crawl gears need to be complemented by speed cogs in this format. We heard the rev limiters taching out during the entire event.
This event gives new meaning...
This event gives new meaning to the term night runs. Competing with stadium lights in your eyes and deep, dark shadows puts a whole new factor into rock cross competition.