SERIES GET GREEN LIGHT TO GO RACING
ISSUE 5 VOL 1
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JUNE 2020
The Voice Of Off-Road Motorsports
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Q&A WITH CHAMPIONSHIP OFF-ROAD’S CARL SCHUBITZKE
www.dirtsportsworld.com
MASTERPIECE OF METAL ON-POINT PRO-LITE
STORY OF THE SUNKEN SHREDDER
Performance Products
PERFORMANCE IS OUR MIDDLE NAME! CBR Performance Products Inc has a number of years of hands on experience from Motocross Racing, UTV Racing, Road Racing and Off-Road Racing. Many Teams and/or individuals who use CBR products are winning championships and seeing podium finishes. www.cbr-performance.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS REGULAR DIRT>
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WORD
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NEWS FROM AROUND THE DIRT
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DIRTWORLD
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CHAPPY’S PIT STOP
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CALENDAR
FEATURES>
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10 RACING RETURNS! 16 MASTERPIECE OF METAL: ON POINT PRO-LITE 21 IV HYDRATION
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23 THE SUNKEN SHREDDER 27 Q&A WITH CHAMPIONSHIP OFFROAD’S CARL SCHUBITZKE
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Publisher DirtSports Inc. Editor-In-Chief Shaun Ochsner Sales and Management Dave Arnold Contributing Editors Jake Headlee Julie Boyer Steve Hanson FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA DIRTSPORTSWORLD
THE STORY BEHIND JOHNNY JOINTS
Contributing Photography Shaun Ochsner Feld Entertainment Kawasaki Jake Headlee Julie Boyer Bink Designs Eric Minks Email: dirtsports@dirtsportsworld.com Website: www.dirtsportsworld.com DIRTSPORTSWORLD
DIRTSPORTSWORLD
DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 3
WORD
DATES ON DATES
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he COVID-19 Pandemic has caused promoters to cancel and reschedule series dates. Some multiple times. On a normal calendar year, we tend to see some overlap. We all complain about it, choose where we are going and move on. This year the overlap is way out of control. Series are slamming dates on top each other series with complete uncertainty for what the future holds. It starts in July with “A tale of two short course series colliding.” Championship Off-Road and Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series are both racing opposite sides of the country on the same weekend of July 25th-26th. Champ Off-Road will be in Lena, Wisconsin at Dirt City Motorplex and Lucas Oil is just starting the season in Reno. So much for trying to win a championship in both series. Did I mention they both share a technical director? Somebody might be rescheduling! We still don’t have a date for the Baja 500, if that even happens. San Felipe will take place September 22nd-27th, the same weekend Championship Off-Road is trying to make up their rescheduled Spring turned Fall Brush Run. Then there’s the weekend of October 10th. Lucas Oil is at Glen Helen Raceway. UTV World Championships are in Lake Havasu, Arizona and UTV Takeover is in Coos Bay, Oregon. One of these days I am going rent a huge meeting space, put a large calendar on the wall, lock all the promoters in the room and give them each a marker to pick their dates and not come out until there is no overlap! I know the sponsors who support each of these events will thank me.
Shaun Ochsner Editor-In-Chief Dirt Sports World 4 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
NEWS Crandon Spring Brush Run Rescheduled COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on series race schedules. Crandon International Raceway made the difficult decision not to hold their spring brush run event this month. COVID cases in northern Wisconsin are relatively low, however discussions at the track centered around safely bringing an extensive amount of people to the area for a race event. The population of Crandon itself is roughly 1,900 people. Crandon International Raceway consulted with local community leaders and regional health officials. Everyone agreed it was best to postpone the event. June’s spring brush run event was to be the inaugural race for the newly formed Championship Off-Road Series. As of now the series is still planning to hold its next event, July 10-11 at ERX Motorsports Park in Elk River, Minnesota. The Brush Run has been rescheduled for September 25-27 and looks to still be a points event for the Championship Off Road Series. The World Championships traditionally held during Labor Day weekend at Crandon International Raceway also remains on the schedule.
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross to be held in July with Fans The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will now host the season opener at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The race will be held on July 18th with fans. After considerable communication with race organizers, local government and health officials, MX Sports Pro racing says fans will be permitted to attend the event. “While all of our championship venues have been permitted to reopen for recreational use, there are still varying state-by-state regulations that prevent many of them from allowing spectators at an organized sporting event,” said Roy Janson, MX Sports Pro Racing Competition Director. “As a result, the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship schedule will be rolled out in phases as additional venues are given the green light to welcome fans. Each event organizer is in constant contact with their local government and health officials in order to ensure that a fan-attended event adheres to all health and safety measures implemented by the county, and we’re confident that approach will allow us to have a proper championship calendar that allows for the return of spectators and follows social distancing guidelines.” The series is planning an forthcoming announcement on health guidelines at its events. Paddock access will strictly be limited to certain credentials. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 5
NEWS FROM AROUND THE DIRT
Baja 500 Will Not Happen In July SCORE is postponing the Baja 500 again. Authorities in Mexico are stating the area is under a red alert which prevents nonessential activities from occurring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “SCORE International’s focus on the health and safety of our racers, sponsors, media, fans, staff and citizens of Baja California remains our highest priority,” stated Jose A. Grijalva, SCORE President/Race Director. “We are grateful for the patience and
understanding of everyone involved due to the challenging and constantly changing situation of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).” A new date has not yet been announced. The San Felipe 250 will be held September 22nd – 27th. The Baja 1000 will be a loop race, starting and finishing in Ensenada on November 17th. Originally the race was set to be a peninsula run down to La Paz.
WWW.DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM 6 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
NEW PRODUCT
Kawasaki’s 2021 Models The 2020 Kawasaki KRX 1000 made its world debut in October 2019. Half a year later, Kawasaki has announced a 2021 model. A vibrant metallic blue color is available for the newer model. The mechanics and technical specifications of the vehicle remain unchanged. The vehicle continues to feature a centrifugal clutch powered with a parallel twin engine. A low voltage warning has been added to the LCD display. This is particularly helpful when there are a host of accessories being powered by the unit. The 2021 Teryx and Teryx 4 also remain the same. Kawasaki is expanding color choices including the Metalllic Vibrant Blue, Real Tree Green Camo and Pearl Neon Yellow. The Teryx models feature 1,300 lbs of towing capacity. The Teryx and Teryx 4 come with Kawasaki’s 783cc V-twin engine and FOX Podium shocks. They serve a dual purpose as a workhorse or family fun trail unit. Other models released by Kawasaki for 2021 include the MULE Pro Series, MULE SX, MULE 4000 and 4010. Kawasaki also released a youth ATV and Brute Force ATV.
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DIRT WORLD
yone ever rs d n e sa t fan of the rid u o h y nd wit ned . Man ir attire a ring s e k p s o a s gu the ear m rcros s t is fi hed Supe ired to w hat matc e fun par e. Image r u t h a q is re d masks nsors. T rauders o e a donn d their sp asked m ent e m m repp o these ntertain h E out w esy: Feld t r Cou
JASON ANDERSON
D E K S MA
JUSTIN HILL
SHANE MCELRATH
KEN ROCZEN ELI TOMAC 8 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
MARTIN DAVALOS
THE WORLD IS A DIRTY PLACE
CHAD REED
JUSTIN COOPER
SU B YO MI T PH UR OT O
SEND US YOUR CRAZY PHOTO OUT IN THE DIRT AND WE MAY FEATURE IT HERE IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE. Email to: Dirtsports@dirtsportsworld.com
CARLEN GARDNER
JUSTIN BARCIA
DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 9
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SERIES GET GREENLIGHT TO GO RACING. WORDS BY: SHAUN OCHSNER PHOTOS: ERIC MINKS, SHAUN OCHSNER FELD ENTERTAINMENT 10| DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
COVER STORY
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he last sanctioned off-road race was held mid-March, just days before most states came to a grinding halt¬– all because of the COVID-19 pandemic. What followed were cancellations, postponement and events being rescheduled, some several times. Fully prepped race cars sat idle for weeks. In the racing world, it seemed like things were shut-down for an eternity. Today, as states slowly reopen their economies, the wheels are beginning to turn faster on trucks, buggies, UTVs and motorcycles. WORCS One of the first racing organizations to get the greenlight to go racing was the WORCS series. Their first event was held at the Mesquite Motocross Track. The track technically has an Arizona address as the track is just outside Nevada’s Mesquite city limits in the town of Littlefield across the Arizona border. Arizona’s economy is wide-open which allowed the motocross track to host the WORCS event. It’s easy to social distance on a race track when you are the fastest UTV out front. The event was well attended and had some fun trails with 700 feet of elevation changes as riders went straight up hill, turned and came straight back down 12 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
RACING RETURNS
SUPERCROSS In March, stadiums on the 2020 Supercross circuit fell silent. Eli Tomac and Ken Roczen were locked in a tight points battle for the season championship. Just three points separated the two veteran riders. Things were just heating up for the Eastern Regional 250 class. The lockdown felt longer than an offseason to some. Other riders took advantage of the time to heal from injuries. With gyms and training centers closed, riders had to find creative ways to stay in shape. Those lucky enough to have test tracks on their properties passed the time by riding as much as possible. Rumors began to swirl of a return
to competition. Utah’s Rice-Eccles stadium was selected to finish out the season with all remaining rounds. Things would be drastically different. Masks, sanitizing and social distancing would be the normal requirement. Something big was missing. No fans would be allowed in the stadium. Teams would also have to limit their crew. The rounds are being finished out in just a few weeks’ time with televised events being held Wednesdays and Sundays leading up to the championship. Riders wont’ get much time to rest between rounds, but at least racing is back.
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COVER STORY
SNORE Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts was also given the green light to go racing. The series held the Skull Rush 250 in the small town of Caliente, Nevada at the end of May. Caliente is located 180 miles north of Las Vegas. The town has just over 1,100 residents and is always a popular stop for the SNORE racing series. The course winds along creek crossings and a picturesque mountainside. The town’s trees keep much of the area cool amid the scorching Nevada heat. To comply with social distancing and sanitization guidelines, all registration activities were held outdoors, instead of the normal indoor locations that are known for becoming crowded. The SNORE
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Skull Rush 250 saw roughly 100 entries. Racers just itching to get behind the wheel and hammer-down!
GREENLIGHTS CONTINUE Several other series have been given the greenlight to race throughout June. M.O.R.E. will host an event in Lucerne Valley. Best in the Desert returns with the Silver State 300 in Alamo, Nevada on June 27th. We will have full Silver State 300 coverage in the July issue of DirtsportsWorld Magazine and a weekend recap online at www.DirtsportsWorld.com
MASTERPIECE OF METAL
ON POINT PRO-LITE Dillon Pointon’s Championship Off-Road Contender.
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f you look up “on point” via the web dictionary, you get an informal meaning of “extremely good, attractive or stylish.” All words that describe Dillon Pointon’s new Pro Lite race truck. The truck was built by Mike Vanden Heuvel at Flying Dutchman Off-Road. Built as a Lucas Oil spec chassis, Vanden Heuvel paid attention to every detail on the truck. Vanden Heuvel had been waiting for the opportunity to build the perfect race truck. He was rumored to have spent hours in his Wisconsin shop cutting and notching every tube, getting the measurements just right. Colorado native Dillon Pointon plans on competing with the Pro Lite truck in the newly formed Championship Off-Road Series in the Mid-West this year. Pointon has plenty of racing experience, starting out at a young age in shifter karts, mini-cup cars on the asphalt and dirt bikes. He made his entry into short-course, racing Pro Stock UTVs. Pointon moved up to the ProLite class last year, learning everything he could. Mike Vanden Heuvel was his spotter. It wouldn’t be long before the two began discussing a new Pro-Lite build.
MASTERPIECE OF METAL
The body is a FiberwerX Chevy Mold.
Tucked under the hood is a Lucas Oil Production LS3 Engine connected to a Motec management system. 18 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
ON POINT PRO-LITE
An ATD TH400 transmission system keeps the truck in gear and moving forward. Currie was selected for the rear end along with a Mark Williams Ford 9” third member. The spec chassis is 100% custom Tig welded. All of the tubes were precision measured, meticulously cut and carefully notched.
The truck sits on Kenda’s recently released Klever M/T tires. DOT tires are required for the Pro-Lite class. Pointon runs Ultra Wheels X-Treme beadlock wheels. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM |19
MASTERPIECE OF METAL
Pointon’s Pro-Lite has FOX shocks with Eibach’s signature red springs. A Howe steering system gives Pointon the control he needs on the track. The Motec system keeps him informed on everything that is happening with the truck. The cockpit of the truck was built to fit Pointon perfectly. If the driver is comfortable behind the wheel, he can focus on the task of winning races.
BUILD SHEET Vehicle: 2020 OnPoint Racing Pro Lite Builder: Mike Vanden Heuvel (Flying Dutchman Off-Road) Power Train: Lucas Oil Production Engine LS3 Drive Train: Automatic Transmission Design TH400 Brakes: Wilwood Disc Brakes Suspension: Fox Shocks Steering: Howe Performance Steering Exterior: FiberwerX Chevy Body
Dual fans and one on top keep the radiator cool under extreme track conditions. 20 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
Interior: ISP Safety Seat, Impact Safety Restraints, Motec Digital Dash
RACING SCIENCE
IV HYDRATION Staying Hydrated During the Race
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY: JULIE PIERCE
When most people think of IV’s, they think of the hospital and people recovering from a serious illness or injury. However, IV therapy is now being used as the most effective way for athletes to achieve maximum performance. Racers, much like professional athletes such as long distance runners or cyclists, are under continuous physical stress. One way to reduce that stress is by properly hydrating your muscles prior to race day. Every racer intends to prehydrate, however the reality of race life is that it has a crazy, demanding schedule that does When IV fluids are delivered directly into not allow for proper hydration. A typical the bloodstream, the fluids are completely racers week is spent traveling, pre-running, absorbed in your cells. Your cells receive hours in a tech and contingency line in the instant access to medication, vitamins, and brutal heat, followed by the driver’s meeting that usually go well into the evening. You try electrolytes because they do not have to wait to get as much sleep as possible that night, but to be absorbed by the stomach. before you know it it’s time to race and all that The practice of using IVs for racers to achieve maximum hydration is highly effective when you have time for is a quick 12-ounce bottle administered 12 - 24 hours prior to racing. of water. That 12-ounce bottle of water is not enough energy or hydration for you to perform This allows the fluid to penetrate the cells and be stored for use later on. When an IV at your peak best for the most physically demanding race of your life that usually infusion is utilized before an event it extends peak physical performance by ensuring your lasts for hours. It also does not provide the critical elements/nutrients your body needs to muscles have the nutrients necessary to sustain their activity. Some of the most important function at peak performance. nutrients for athletic performance include IV hydration is a procedure that’s been used vitamin C, glutathione, zinc, magnesium, and in hospitals for generations; in fact NFL B vitamins. Glutamine supplementation has also been shown to improve the immunity of teams have done this for decades before a game. This tried and true method of hydration long-distance athletes and reduce post-race exhaustion. is known as an IV drip. IV hydration What exactly is dehydration? Dehydration propels fluids and nutrients directly into the bloodstream for faster, more effective results! happens when you lose more fluid than you DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM |21
IV HYDRATION
consume. Most people think that the purpose of hydration is to prevent dehydration or to replenish electrolyte stores that may be lost via sweat. Although both of those are true, the fundamental goal of hydration is to deliver oxygen to working muscles. Hydration and the fluid you consume are a way of helping your muscles breathe, which in turn gives them the energy they need to perform. While water does fundamentally provide your body with fluid, it does not truly hydrate you. Unlike camels, humans don’t have the ability to store up vast quantities of fluid for use later on. When you drink water, it enters your stomach and is then processed by your kidneys which convert the fluid to urine and it goes right back out of your body. However, when you hydrate with an IV the fluids are stored in your cells for use at a later time and the need to urinate is greatly reduced, which is a huge benefit to every racer! Learn more about IV Hydrationfinishlineivhydration.com
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STORY OF THE SUNKEN SHREDDER Words and Photos By: Jake Headlee
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here are some built-up vehicles out there that are so incredibly nice, that you would never know that at one point, they had been seriously thrashed or almost destroyed. In some cases, fully submerged in a lake, like Anthony Cully’s 2009 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ. Anthony went looking for a truck to build and got his hands a Silverado that would later be lovingly named Sunken Shredder, from a gentleman that bought it from an auction house. The truck had gone to auction because the original owner was launching his boat into a freshwater lake in Northern California, when the whole package went straight into the water.
Before the watery mishap, the truck had been built by Mazzulla Off-road, a Southern California based performance products manufacturer. All the goodies made it appealing to a builder and Anthony was all-in. Immense time and care were taken to replace all the wiring, every light bulb inside and out and even rebuilding the engine. Over the course of the next two years, Anthony polished the once soggy truck to the performance play toy of his dreams. At the core of the pre-runner is a Mazzulla long travel front suspension system, boasting 10inch travel on Fox 2.5-inch coilovers, paired with matching 10-inch travel 2.5-inch triple bypass shocks. The hubs are Mazzulla’s DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM |23
SUNKEN SHREDDER
Above: A series of events on what was likely a really bad day for the original purchaser, became a great off-road rig for Anthony.
Above: Mazzulla’s long travel system was on the truck before it took a swim. The powder-coating was Mazzulla’s 2-inch 4140 heat treated snouts with redone but otherwise, the parts held aircraft grade aluminum hub body and 5/8-inch up fine.
wheel studs. So the back end can keep up with the front, Deaver Spring’s G85 leaf springs are suspended by custom Mazzulla hangers and shackles. Fox was again enlisted for 18-inch 3.0-inch triple bypass shocks. Transferring power to the wheels is a Currie Enterprises Fabricated 9-inch rear differential assembly loaded with 40-spline axle shafts and a Strange Engineering 3rd member with a spool and 4.57 ratio gear set. Traction hits the ground via 37x13.50x17 Toyo Open Country M/T tires wrapped around custom powder-coated KMC Enduro Beadlock wheels. A custom bed cage was built by Mazzulla to hold two full size spare tires, as well as provide long travel shock mounts and a place for the CBR Performance Products A custom bed cage and rear bumper system was Transmission Cooler. fabricated to support the upper shock mounts, two spare tires and a CBR Transmission cooler.
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FEATURE BUILD
To give the tires plenty of room, Fiberworxs read bedsides and one-piece front end were fitted and paint matched.
Fiberworx was sourced for wide clearance bedsides and a one-piece fiberglass hood. Under the hood is a full custom engine cage that surrounds the 5.3L V8 engine. When Anthony rebuilt the motor, he had it bored out, bumping the displacement up to 383 cubic inches. He also added an aFE Power air intake, custom headers and a Y-pipe that feed a 3-inch exhaust system with a Black Widow Exhaust Widow Maker 10 muffler. The front and rear bumpers were custom built specifically for the Sunken Shredder, including the aluminum skidplate. Lighting up the trails and campsites are a pair of Black Knight 52-inch curved LED light bars up front with a pair of KC HiLites Flex Dual lights out back. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM |25
SUNKEN SHREDDER Left: The interior of the truck is mostly stock. Anthony did add an Alpine 7-inch head unit with wireless Apple Car Play, JL Audio amps, subs and speakers and a handheld race radio mount. Photo Credit: Anthony Cully
For a truck that has seen the bottom of a lake in its life, Sunken Shredder sure does clean up nicely.
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Q&A
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he inaugural season for the Championship Off-Road racing seres is just a few weeks away. The new series takes over short course racing in the midwest. Carl Schubitzke is President of the ISOC racng organization that will run the new series. We were able to catch up with him and ask a few questions about Championship Off-Road and the their future plans. Tell us about yourself? Who are you? Where do you come from? What have you done before? I grew up in Minnesota and my father was a World Champion in snowmobile racing so I grew up in racing. I raced my entire life both motocross and snowmobiles. I was able to become professional in both disciplines and had a good career. At the end of my career I went to school and received a degree in marketing. After owning a couple businesses, I started working for a company named ISOC and still am currently to this day. Under the ISOC umbrella we have a successful snowmobile series and we also produce television for jet ski racing, softball, over the road trucking, rallycross, and a few other projects. That is a very short overview, but we are involved with a lot of different things, but racing has always been our passion. Who are the key players on your team? It is made up of a lot of people. Generally speaking, we have approximately 90-100 staff at some events and each person plays a role. I honestly view everyone as key. Every position is important and its takes a good team to make great things happen. What was your motivation for getting involved
in the off-road series? We are always looking to expand and event management is in our wheel house. We have a lot of great partners with our winter series and feel the summer series was a great opportunity. The Off-Road industry is one we have been paying close attention to because of our current partner relationships. Most of them work with us during the winter and are involved with racing during the summer. The off-road series is also one we are passionate. Everyone I know owns a truck, snowmobile, SxS, motorcycle, etc. and we all love racing so it was easy to get motivated. How do you plan to grow racing in the Midwest? We want to apply a lot of the same principles that has made our other series successful. That starts with treating the racers with respect and realizing it doesn’t happen without them. We also pride our selves in making great opportunities for our partners. We want to give it our all and do what is best for the racers, sponsors, venues, and spectators. If we grow great, but I just want to do a great job for the people that are here currently. Everyone I meet is very passionate about off-road racing and I think that is awesome. I want to have them DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM |27
CHAMPIONSHIP OFF-ROAD
enjoy it even more by bringing more things to the table. What are some of the biggest challenges with bringing a new series to the Midwest? There is always going to be challenges and those challenges would be a long list. I think first and foremost is to navigate through this current pandemic. How do we race and what precautions we take is what we are currently working on. What changes can we see? I think the big changes you will see is organization and communication. We want to glorify these racers and showcase them to the world. We want to make stars out of them because they are. They are extremely talented and the sport is super exciting. Standing trackside when the PRO4’s come by is amazing. We just want to highlight everything about this sport to the best of our ability. Can two short course series survive? I think so. There are series all over the United States with all sorts of disciplines. It is simple supply and demand. As long as there is enough racers, there will be two series, three or even four. I just think rather than trying to compete, everyone should just work together on getting people into racing. There is a lot this world has to offer individuals, and I want people to enjoy motorsport racing. What are your long-term plans for racing in the Midwest? We look to grow and expand. We have goals set for 3-5 years out, but all of our focus is on the present. We want to make a good first impression and do a great job right out of the gate so we can achieve those long term goals. Racing organizations have been bought and sold in the Midwest multiple times, not lasting more than a few years, What do you say to people who have doubts about a new series starting up? I understand their doubts and I would have the same. For us it is a little bit different. All of our eggs are not just in this basket. We have 28| DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
other series and projects that will help our new adventure. We are not starting from ground zero. We want to be conservative and realize we have a tough road ahead. I’m not a risky person so we are not going to make decisions emotionally. We just need to stick with what we know and what has worked in the past. Are there plans to work with west coast series directors to make a single rule book? We are trying to currently. Our tech director is the tech director for the west coast series. Again, I would always want to work together than work against anyone. Will we see future tracks built in new areas? Yes and no. We do want to expand to new areas, but I don’t know when that will be. We have already had discussions for new events as soon as next season, but again I want the focus to be on the present. I want to do the best possible job for our current partners/venues and then make decisions based on those results. What can racers expect for the opening rounds? That a good question. I think the biggest thing that would make me happy is them feeling respected and that we listen to them. I was once a racer and letting them know we are on the same team is something I want to instill in this community. We are here for them. Tell us if we are doing something wrong and we will try to fix it if we can. We need to work everyone and provide them a great series that they are proud to be a part of. At the end of the day they are spending the money to come racing with us and I just hope that they enjoy the experience. That experience keeps them coming back and getting more people involved. My family has always been involved with some form of racing and those are my best memory’s so our goals are to build that in future generations. Off-road racing is great and there is amazing people within it, so I consider myself lucky to be a part of it.
TECH
the story behind
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johnny joints
he TJ Wrangler was a game changer for the off-road world. The mainstream vehicle with a multi-link and coil suspension on live axles front and rear tore through the off-road world like a wildfire. The suspension system allowed users to have the strength and articulation of solid axles coupled with the smoother ride and road manners of coil springs. Though the flex and movement were still limiting. The OEM bushings would fight the movement, every step of the way. By swapping the control arms with unit that spherical rod ends, the flex would go up but ride quality would go down. There was no vibration dampening to the metal on metal designs of existing joints. Then John Currie decided to tackle the issue head on. Over the last 20+ years, the Johnny Joint has gone through an evolution. The first ideas of the new joint is a style that is often still used today. A urethane bushing with soft shoulders and a hard center. “We were playing with that style and we just weren’t
Words: Jake Headlee Photos: Courtesy Rockjock 4x4
achieving what we wanted to achieve.” John Currie, President of RockJock 4x4. “We weren’t getting the unrestricted movement. I remember one day on my way into work I thought, why don’t we make a joint that works like a Heim joint except the outside race is made of urethane?” The design shift made all the difference. The urethane would give the center ball the cushion it needs for road vibrations while allowing it to rotate and pivot much more freely. As time went on, the joints evolved from machined urethane in machine tubing with a fine thread stud welded to it to forged casings with grease fittings, a smooth heattreated center ball with custom molded urethane bushings. “We were consistently working to improve the joints.” Explained John. “As time went on, we would identify places to improve, like boring the inside of the joint for a better fit, moving away from most of the joints using a greaseable bolt and have the fitting directly on the outside shell. Also, the urethane we DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 29
TECH use is proprietary.” “One of the things that makes the Johnny Joint different than many of the joints out on the market is that the Johnny Joint is put together with a lot of preload.” John went on to say. “And that’s why we use kind of a softer durometer urethane. When you first put them together, they are super tights. Once the urethane takes a set like any other rubber does, the joint will loosen up and it never gets sloppy. It never gets to the point where it is flopping around in there.” The RockJock 4x4 Johnny Joints aren’t just a bunch of hype with cool marketing, either. One two of their company Jeep JKs, the joints have pre-run the length of the Baja 1000 multiple times, ran the Rubicon and Moab trails more times than can be remembered and have over 70,000 highway miles on theme with no failures. These things are built to last. The articulation of the Johnny Joint is industry leading. Not only can the smooth hardened ball rotate 360 degrees inside the forged steel body, they can articulate up to 42 degrees without tearing the bushing. Far more than the typical 30 degrees many of the competitor joints get. Maintenance is a breeze with quick and short shots of performance moly grease to the built-in fitting and should the need arise, they are fully rebuildable using tools designed and built by RockJock 4x4. The Johnny Joint has many sizes and has found its way to many applications. RockJock 4x4has built specialized joints specifically for many of them. “For each application, we’ve actually modified the Johnny Joint. Like on the Trac Bar that doesn’t need as much articulation but needs to be more ridged, we use a one-piece bushing and the body is a little bit narrower.” John added that they also have a 3-inch joint that is used for larger trucks, including the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) military tactical vehicle. Some of the joints have even made their way into hot rod components. When asked about the limitations of the, John didn’t hesitate. “The main issue we see is if the bracket the Johnny Joint is going into 30| DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
isn’t the right width. If the bracket sides are having to squeeze together to tighten, the ball ends may not get enough contact with the bracket and crack at the edges.” In these cases, the joint needs to be swapped for one the right dimension or a washer needs to be added to fill the space and provide a better contact surface. John also explained how they have found that the Johnny Joint isn’t meant for every situation. “In our 4500 car that we built for the EMC class at KOH, the joints work great. But when we tried them in our 4400 car [Ultra4’s Unlimited Class], they just wouldn’t last and we had to go back to Heim joints. Part of that is because of the size joint the chassis was built for. If there was more room to fit the large 3-inch joint, things may be different. We have also found that is a joint is too close to the exhaust, the bushing would just melt.” Top name suspension companies, other than RockJock 4x4, use Johnny Joints in their systems. They recognize the extreme durability and superior ride quality and instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, companies like Art Morrison Enterprises, Clayton Off Road, Core 4x4, Savvy Off Road and many more embrace it. For more information on Johnny Joints by RockJock 4x4 by John Currie, head to RockJock4x4.com.
THE STORY BEHIND JOHNNY JOINTS
RockJock 4x4 control arms are tough as nails, with a large part of that being the reliable Johnny Joint on each end.
Johnny Joints are great at all ends of suspension control arms. The adjustable ends allow for the vehicle’s alignment to be fine-tuned.
Johnny Joints find their way on to many different vehicles, including desert race trucks used in NOORA and Baja 1000 races.
The internals of the Johnny Joint have been finely crafted from quality materials to produce a durable and lost lasting components.
The duck walk articulation is where the Johnny Joint can shine. The control arms have more freedom to pivot on their side, helping the tires to have better contact with the terrain.
The Savvy 88 Car is most likely the most winningest EMC car in the history of KOH. Built by John Currie for Savvy Off-Road, it has gotten top three finishes piloted by John, John’s son, Jesse Combs and Dan Fresh. It is loaded with Johnny Joints and even uses them as engine mounts, transmission mounts and a Lowrance dash mount. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM |31
CHAPPY’S PIT STOP
LIFE REVOLUTION PT2: LIVING WITH NO FEAR & WORSHIP ALL-OUT! Words: Steve Hanson Photos: Bink Design
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n the last pit stop I talked about how a life revolution starts with being joyful always; pray continually; and giving thanks in all circumstances. A life revolution is a transformed life, a changed life one that reflects Christ’s glory and is transformed into his likeness. The next step in our transformation is to live with no fear and worship all out. What happens when we are joyful, communicating with God continually and giving Him thanks? We are given freedom that allows us to worship all-out without fear. All our days, our lives become a testimony of worship. Living this life to the full is an example of living a free life and not letting fearful moments hold us back. We got to be believers that do not let fear keep us from living our relationship with Christ full-throttle. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” –Franklin Delano Roosevelt Fear can paralyze us, stopping us dead in our tracks. Fear can make us run and imagine things that 32 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
are not even true. Fear can cause us to quit our race early, pull back when we could twist the wrist and go harder. It is the same fear that deceived the army of Israel when facing the Philistines and their giant Goliath. 1 SAMUEL 17:8-11 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. “Saul and all his army were dismayed and terrified.” What pitiful words to describe an army. Satan’s goal is to neutralize every one of us with fear so we cannot live the life Christ
has for us. When we are afraid, we take our focus off God and our focus becomes the obstacle facing us. My driving coach told me to always look where you want to end up. Use the same principle and keep your focus on your Savior and not the obstacles Satan has put in your pathway. When we are afraid we obsess on the object of our fear; the difficult and painful moments. When we are afraid we become self-centered and defensive. When we are afraid we lash out in anger and isolate ourselves in shame. When we are afraid we become self-focused rather than God-focused and we become vulnerable to Goliath-sized attacks. Weakened by fear, we become susceptible to temptation and deception and we lose the spiritual battle. Don’t let fear get between you and your worship. Transform your lives, have a life revolution in 2020 and worship all-out! Follow @rfc_dirtsportministry
CALENDAR
UPCOMING 2020 EVENTS JUNE M.O.R.E. McKenzies 300- Lucerne Valley, CA June 6th Best In The Desert Silver State 300- Alamo, NV June 25th-27th Lucas Oil Regional Off Road Series- Glen Helen Raceway- San Bernardino, CA June 27th-28th
JULY Championship Off-Road- ERX Motorpark- Elk River, Minnesota July 10th-11th M.O.R.E. Freedom Cup- Glen Helen Raceway- San Bernardino, CA July 17th-18th Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series- Wild West Motorsports Park- Reno, NV July 24th-27th SNORE KC HiLites Midnight Special- Jean, NV July 24th-25th Championship Off-Road- Dirt City MotorplexLena, Wisconsin July 25th-26th Have an event for our Calendar? Send us an email: dirtsports@dirtsportsworld.com DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 33
