In my opinion changing the rules within race seasons, or rewriting the rules to accommodate whats best for the factory teams or the latest and greatest release by the manufactures will kill this class.
I appreciate the factory backed teams, I have huge respect for all you guys, and racing against you makes it even more fun, but who is going to want to throw 50K (or probably a lot more) plus 4 months of build time and a lot of hard work at a new race car only to race it once (if their lucky) and find out it just became obsolete. A new car every season is out of reach for most teams, Major updates every 6 months to stay competitive...not realistic.
The rules should stand as they are for an entire season at a minimum. The OEM mid season releases need to wait to race at least until the next season. A 2016 Car should not race until the 2016 Season.
The Pro turbo cars that started this season should be able to finish it. (or that would be changing the rules mid season). As for the guys who are building (or have already built) 2016 model year cars….. you have your set up for next year. Anything new and improved, released after the start of the current race season, should not race until the following season.
Competition and innovation by the OEMs have brought us a long way with UTVs. I wouldn't be interested in this class if we were still averaging 25mph. I would like to see the improvement and innovation continue to filter down to the start line, but it's got to be at a more reasonable pace. Otherwise the meat of this class—The Privateer—will find some place else to race or head back to the dunes.
If the new turbo Polaris motor and drive train are everything Polaris is touting it to be, any 2015 or older XP just became obsolete. Its not just the HP its the whole drive train. HP doesn’t win desert races but it helps….In this class stopping for a belt change can loose you the race, or having to back off the throttle on the dry lake bed to keep the belt temp down can loose you the race too. I think you may be able to get the new power train without the turbo? Hope so.
I really like the new rule (for the 2016 season). It allows a motor/drive train swap to the new and improved as long as it still fits the chassis. This breathes a little life back into our race program. The new turbo drive train will fit our car…..I imagine it will cost almost as much as another car to buy all the upgraded parts, and the fab to make it fit. Still its a lot less than a whole new build, but here's another thought…...
What happens in 6 months when Polaris or Can Am or whoever ups the HP another 20-30-40 or more HP. With a few minor updates to their turbo car the manufacture easily ups the power and momentarily wins the HP race for the next 3-6 months until the new Polaris, Can Am, Yamaha or whatever else with another 20-30-40 more HP shows up. This is awesome for them, but according to the rules as they are we can't modify the motor, ECU, Injectors, Turbo and so on with a production turbo motor…..so every 6 months you buy a new factory motor, wiring harness, ecu, throttle body, turbo, exhaust, injectors, and so on to match the latest and greatest? Good chance the factory guys get handed these parts the second they're available. Even if a privateer has the cash to buy the parts can they even get them fast enough to stay competitive?
Honestly the possibilities of the upgrade race start to look a little ridiculous.
Keep Model year equipment in the same race year, along with older equipment that still meets the current race years rules.
As far as turbos go…. I would vote any car not naturally aspirated be moved to the Unlimited class starting next season. Or make turbos legal for everyone and open up the ecu rule….honestly in my opinion that concept dilutes the idea of a Pro (Production) class….The unlimited class is already in place if you want a turbo you can have it. I'd say let Unlimited run up to 33'' tires too, lets grow the Unlimited Class along with the Pro Class.
It's been said before, but forced induction is a can of worms for the Pro Production Class. The majority of the cars in the class are N/A. All theses cars will only get more obsolete if the factory turbo cars are mixed in, and it will happen fast. In half a season factory turbo cars added 35% more power right off the showroom floor. They could easily add another 35% by the start of next season. 120 hp didn't sound that scary, 144….. worse but maybe we can still keep up…. 35% more =194 Hp…..a naturally aspirated car wont have a chance.
Put the factory turbos in the Unlimited class and let them rip...let racers find the limits of the factory turbo cars, lets see how fast the UTV class can go.