Factory-backed racing teams are nothing new in the off-road world. One of the best known and ultimately successful was Ford’s Rough Riders, which competed from 1991 to 1995. The team featured the most talented drivers, including names like Dan Smith, Dave Ashley, Rob MacCachren, Manny Esquerra , Paul Simon and more. They had the latest and greatest equipment and were backed by the might (and wallets) of Ford Motor Company and BFGoodrich. The team accumulated a seemingly countless number of victories in its short time of existence. Since then, there have been a few other factory off-road efforts, but none to the same degree as the Rough Riders.
Now, Polaris Off-Road is revitalizing the concept by bringing the world’s first factory side-by-side racing equipment.
Meet the race team
Behind the wheel of the trio of Polaris RZR Pro R Factory race vehicles are three of the best and brightest up-and-coming racers in the industry: Austin Weiland, Brock Heger and Cayden MacCachren. Although they are all in their early twenties, all of these runners have extensive track records. Aside from the drivers, the team is headed by principals Craig Scanlon and Travis Clarke, who formed SCI and serve as the management arm of the Polaris Factory Racing team. The list is truly a who’s who of off-road veterans. General Manager Ryan Thomas has five Baja 1000 titles, Crew Chief Johnny Nelson has been voted SCORE Mechanic of the Year multiple times, and COO Adam Arsenault is a 20-year Marine Corps veteran. years and former owner of Broadsword Racing, an active team. -service armies, veterans and rescuers. To say the deck is stacked would be a bit of an understatement.
Weiland started racing go-karts at an early age and then moved to mid-ovals before entering short-course off-road. He has most recently competed in the Production Turbo UTV class with wins in the 2021 Vegas to Reno, 2022 King of the Hammers Desert Challenge and 2022 SCORE Baja 400, 500 and 1,000 race events.
Brock Heger has excelled in almost every type of race he has tried, with over 100 wins and 200 podiums to his name. Lately, Heger has found himself competing in short course Pro-Lite and production UTV classes in the Champ Off-Road Series, claiming championships in both. He also competes full-time in the SCORE Trophy Truck Spec class.
Rounding out the team is Cayden MacCachren. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Cayden is the son of former Rough Rider and off-road racing legend Rob MacCachren. In just four years of competition, Cayden has collected four year-end championship titles along with multiple race wins at various levels of the sport.
A RZR Pro RA unlike anything else
The basics of the custom Polaris RZR Pro R Factory are shared with those found on dealer lots, but of course the Pro R Factory is built from the ground up with a purpose in mind. Polaris ditched the factory chassis and blowout frame in favor of a custom tubular chassis constructed from 4130 chromoly steel. Heavy-duty bumpers are integrated into the chassis along with a full front-to-rear anti-skid liner. The chassis is certified as FIA T4 class compliant along with the SCORE, Best in the Desert, Rally Raid racing series.
Suspension mounting points and geometry remain the same as factory, and the vehicle retains the impressive 3.0-inch Fox Live Valve X2 internal bypass shocks and the race-tuned Dynamix DV system used on the consumption The Fox Live Valve X2 system has the ability to independently adjust both rebound and compression damping independently at each corner. The tires are 35-inch tall BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR2s designed specifically for UTV applications. These are mounted on 15-inch Method Race wheels with Bead Grip technology. While not a true beadlock wheel, Method’s Bead Grip is designed to hold nearly as well without all the added weight and complication of a true beadlock.
Inside, the RZR Pro R Factory features improved racing-specific ergonomics. These start with Sparco racing seats, harnesses and steering wheel. The driver and co-pilot control the vehicle with the 7-inch Polaris Ride Command system and maintain course with a Lowrance GPS. Communication both in and out of the cabin was dialed in by PCI experts. Lighting is handled by Rigid Industries.
Powering the Polaris RZR Pro R Factory is the company’s 2.0-liter ProStar Fury four-cylinder engine. In RZR Pro R consumer models, this engine produces a best-in-class 225 horsepower. Engineers were mum when we asked about the race version’s power output, but we can safely assume it’s increased. They noted that the vehicle uses larger rear-mounted radiators to keep the engine cool along with a complete set of Polaris Lubricants PS-4 Extreme engine oil and lubricants. The vehicle is also equipped with lighter weight, a race-tuned gearbox and carbon fiber prop axles. Free weight was also not available.
The RZR Pro R Factory is equipped with all the necessary tools, parts and spare parts that any top-level off-road racing vehicle in the wild would need. And the custom carbon fiber body looks killer.
Riding the RZR Pro R Factory
We were invited out of Johnson Valley, California, basically in the middle of nowhere, for a chance to spend some time in the fresh morning air with the new Polaris RZR Pro R Factory race vehicles and their riders. After a quick walk and deep dive into the tech, we grabbed our helmets and got into the right seat for a quick (and we mean quick) ride. With the Sparco five-point harness snug and Cayden MacCachren behind the wheel, we headed out into the desert. It immediately hit and sent us flying with a modest jump. The landing was best described as buttery smooth. From there, it was the most viscerally exciting step I’ve ever had in a side-by-side.
It’s truly amazing what a racing vehicle can do in the hands of a professional driver. We flew at 70 mph over the roughest terrain imaginable. Massive desert screams were no match for the Pro R’s Fox shocks and massive platform wheel travel. The 35-inch BFGoodrich race tires provided exceptional traction, even when flying sideways over sand and loose rocks. The racing engine and exhaust make a glorious noise, but the PCI intercom system still allowed for clear communication inside the car. Outward visibility was fantastic and the Sparco seats were incredibly comfortable. Our only real complaint was that the ride was too short.
You can do this too (a little)
The most amazing part of our brief experience with the RZR Pro R Factory race car was the fact that you can (almost) do the same thing with a consumer vehicle. The Polaris RZR Pro R comes from the factory with the same powerful engine, long-travel suspension, Fox shocks and electronic controls as the race version. We did a quick 15-mile warm-up blast on a stock RZR Pro R before jumping into the race vehicle and were very impressed. We loved the instant torque of the engine and gearbox, and the wild suspension is simply amazing. We were able to comfortably push the RZR Pro R quickly over rougher terrain than we could have imagined. The only real limitation was our driving ability; in the hands of a pro, we could easily see the factory Pro R flying down the trails almost as fast as the race model. It’s an impressive machine.
Where can we see the Polaris RZR race team in action?
As of press time, the Polaris Factory Racing team is preparing to compete in the full 2023 SCORE International series, starting with the San Felipe 250 in late March. After the start of the season, the team will race the SCORE Baja 400 in May, the Baja 500 in September and the Baja 1000 in November. He also plans to compete in the Best in the Desert Vegas event in Reno in August.
