ZUKIWORLD
CHALLENGE |
Genuine
Desert Hi-Speed Race Drew Enthusiasts From Miles Away. |
Editor: Eric Bewley
Photo: J.
Hutchison, G. Fuller, Images By You |
Starvation Ridge
Raceway, WA - On a track that is famous and
normally used for long distance motorcycle racing, several brave souls
brought there 4-wheeled machines to race in an inaugural event. Many
unknowns faced the competitors and most that arrived were up to the
challenge. The newly-formed ZUKIWORLD Challenge was a single class of
racing that helped to fill the race weekend. There were several groups
and different types of desert racing vehicles from many types of course
disciplines there to race. From Trophy Trucks, Pro Trucks, Baja winning
side-by-sides, trick buggies, barrel racing Jeeps, to weekend warriors,
there was something for everyone out there for the weekend.
The idea of creating some sort of
competition for Suzuki vehicle owners has been kicked around our
offices, campfires, and trail rides for years. We have tried to dabble
our feet in the water a few other times with a rock crawling competition
and a couple different types of rallies. It has always seemed that there
is a lot of interest in attending competitions like this but there is
less enthusiasm for participating. With low participant numbers and high
insurance rates, the recipe for putting on a good Suzuki only event is
nearly impossible to bake. However, if we had a chance to 'marry'
what ever event we were doing to a larger activity, we could make that
fly. So when I got approached by Dave Cappell of Invincible Racing about
participating in a desert race right in our own Pacific Northwest
backyard, I couldn't resist. All we needed now was a specification
defining a class, some safety rules, a date and place to race, and
participants. Simple...
We had announced that we were going to
hold this event early in January of this year which gave about 6
months for someone to build a vehicle and get ready for the
race. This seemed like a long time but for us and I think some
of the other teams was no where near the time we needed to get a
vehicle ready.
We received word from six teams that they
definitely were going to be there and had probable maybes from
three more teams. On race day, however, only three teams had
shown up for battle. Team Two Dogs Ink from Washington State,
consisting of Driver Jay Fallenstein and his son Brody as
co-driver. Team Zukspeed from California State, consisting of
co-driver's Jason Hutchison and Kevin Dodd. Team ZUKIWORLD from
Oregon State, consisting of driver Eric Bewley (that's me
folks!) and co-driver Sara Bewley which had to sit this race out
because there was no time to put in a second seat and safety
gear.
It seems that no matter how many people
show up as long as there is more than one team, a race will
break out. ...and that is just what happened. A full fledged
race-it-hard, scramble in the pits, fix this and then strategy
that, go. go! GO! event happened right there in the middle of
Washington on a grassy patch of land far from civilization.
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Pre-race tech inspection was held
the morning of the race. Racers were subjected to the safety rules
for their vehicles and had to show their personal protective gear
to the officials before they were cleared to race.
The tech inspection area was the first time
that we had gotten a chance to look at the competitors' race
vehicles. It was really cool to see the different approaches we
all took to tackle this race. Team Zukspeed had done many subtle
tweaks to their rig such as moving the body back two inches on the
frame. Team Two Dogs Ink was the only team running 4wd components
and had completely removed their top was using just the cage.
Another interesting note was that Team Zukspeed was running a
newly available Bilstein strut specifically made for Sidekicks and
Trackers. This strut is way more substantial than any other we've
seen in the past and we look forward to trying a set of them some
day soon. Team ZUKIWORLD had built a completely scratch built
front end with upper and lower a-arms and had found an old
Spidertrax Thorax to get some gearing back.
Once we had all passed tech and sniffed
around each other's rigs, the talking began. I don't know if it's
genetic or what but it seems that when you get some guys around
and their about to go into "battle" there is always a
bit of trash talking involved. Of course, since we were and are
all still friends the talk was only moderately edgy.
Next was a driver's meeting held
by the land owner Scott and we drew for our starting positions. We,
the ZUKIWORLD Challenge, were racing the same time as three classes
of side-by-sides were racing so the starting order had our group in
the middle between stock side-by-sides and the Modified side-by-sides.
It was thought that we would be somewhere in the middle range on
speed and performance with the side-by-sides and I think that is
probably about right as there was passing by us and by them as the
race went on. |
As the race began, the teams tried to settle
into their rhythm and get into a pace that would get them to finish
and then finish well. Pre-race banter had all of the teams saying that
they were just going to take it easy and drive it conservatively
because that would be the way to win.
Prophetic this may have been but we will never
know because all three teams hit the course hard and drove fast and
possibly a bit reckless as the adrenaline began pumping through the
veins.
The course was very interesting. Having been a
motorcycle venue for many years, the site was well developed and the
crew that ran the operation new what they were doing but as a course
for trucks and buggies, it seemed a bit too tight and had a few more
turns than we think most would have liked. We suspect there were
something like fifty to sixty turns in the ten mile loop. This made it
difficult to really wring it out and get hauling and definitely
favored experienced quality drivers which was evidenced by equal lap
times by very unequal vehicles.
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As the race progressed, Team ZUKIWORLD had
the first major failure and was out of the race after only one and a half
laps. The vehicle's engine control module died and there was no donors within
site. This early retirement was difficult to swallow because it was a part of
the vehicle that was not modified, is usually bulletproof, and is almost
impossible to repair in the field. What a drag... Anyway, it's off to take a
shower and watch the rest of the race.
 
The race was still on and team Zukspeed
and Team Two Dogs Ink were going at each other hard. The first fix
opportunity was when Zukspeed's power steering lost it's fluid and had to
continually be topped off as the race progressed. I know that there wasn't
that much power steering fluid available so I'm not quite sure what they
were dumping into the reservoir towards the end.
There was quite a bit of back and forth
passing between the side-by-sides and our class but by all
accounts the racing was clean and no one had there feelings hurt
too bad.
Team Two Dogs Ink was driving hard and there
had been at least one or two leadership changes in the first
couple of laps. After lap two of the race, the Two Dogs Ink
co-pilot had had enough pounding and volunteered to help the pit
crew for the rest of the race.
Break and then fix seemed to be the order of
the day as something simple would get smacked or whacked and then
fixed or ignored until it got worse. I know that I personally ran
over someone's exhaust system on my second partial lap but no one
claimed it as theirs. Maybe it was a James Bond style booby trap
to get us? Hmmm, maybe not.
Team Two Dogs Ink had some strut tower
issues as you can see from the picture on the right but continued
to push on toward the finish.
Team Zukspeed had a brake line failure which
ended up using all of their brake fluid and left them with only
partial front brakes. In a later statement Hutch of team Zukspeed
stated that this only made them faster and that they didn't need
them stinking brakes.
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Towards the 3 hour mark of the race
news came over the radio that team Two Dogs Ink had rolled their vehicle
in one of the tight chicane areas of the track. Thankfully, the safety
gear protected driver Jay and he was uninjured but unfortunately, his race
day was over. Now, all team Zukspeed had to do was finish another lap and
they would win.
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But in a long distance race like this
nothing is that easy. Team Zukspeed was made aware as they came through
the checkpoint that all they needed to two was finish and they would
win. After a quick driver's change and a drink of water, they were off
to finish their "victory lap" if you will.
The four hour mark came and past and there was no
sign of team Zukspeed. We tried to communicate with course officials and
media with our two-way radios and at first heard nothing and then we got
word that the team had broken a rear wheel off of the vehicle and they
were trying to get it fixed.
Time passes with no word. All of the other
side-by-side racers finally make it in and I get a phone call on my cell
phone. It's Dave Cappell, an acting course marshal, asking me if I would
lend some bolts off of my vehicle to team Zukspeed so they could finish.
Of course I said yes and he said good because he already had them and
was headed out to the course to fix them up for a finish.
As Scott the land owner was preparing to hand out
the awards and award money to the side-by-side racer's a hour after the
race had finished. Team Zukspeed made their appearance and clinched
first place in the Inaugural ZUKIWORLD Challenge. Hutch and Kevin from
team Zukspeed were ecstatic to win and immediately began to celebrate.
Second place winner Jay from Team Two Dogs Ink was equally excited in
their win. While Team ZUKIWORLD accepted their 3rd place podium finish
with a bit of melancholy sadness in the thoughts of what may have been
if we could have taken the fight to the other teams.
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ZUKIWORLD Challenge will
continue and we will be adding events and want to encourage you to build a
race Suzuki to join us for some of the most fun and excitement you'll ever
have in a Suzuki 4x4.
ZUKIWORLD
Challenge Community Forum Link
ZUKIWORLD
Challenge Community Forum Link
http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/index.php?board=42.0
RULES
AND REGULATIONS FOR VEHICLE BUILD
GENERAL
SAFETY RULES
DISCUSSION
THREAD FOR THIS ARTICLE - COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
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By You.
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