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| UROC - Competition for Continued Access | Short Cuts | ||||
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By: Bart Jacobs - 10/2001
UROC
If you think you have a good rock crawling rig and want to measure your ability, but don't have deep pockets or the financial support of a major sponsor, here's your chance. UROC (Utah Rockcrawling and Off-Road Competition) is the ideal place to test your skills. Don't get me wrong, this isn't for the faint of heart or for those that fear body damage, but it is an avenue for getting extreme and pushing your rig to its limits.
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| Dirty Dan pleases the crowds... Photos by Invictus Productions |
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One incredible plus about UROC, and big feather in the organizer's hat, is that the proceeds go toward the fight for rights and multiple use access of public lands.
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| Invictus Productions |
UROC is the brainchild of ARCA competitor Craig Stumph, who hails from Delta, Utah. After listening to many fellow wheelers discuss the level of competition at ARCA (American Rock Crawlers Association) and WRCC (Warn Rock Crawling Championships), Craig decided to share the experience and make available a competition for those that didn't have the means or support to follow the national circuits. UROC rules are basically the same as ARCA rules but have a few variations thrown in to keep things interesting. One such difference is the 'spotter rides rule,' where if the team successfully completes the obstacle with the spotter inside the vehicle, the team earns five negative points.
To make UROC happen, Craig teamed up with Dave Berling, President of the Color Country 4 Wheelers in Cedar City, Utah, and Lehi Smith with the High Country 4x4 Club in Vernal, Utah to come up with two world class rock crawling venues. Organizing any event of this magnitude takes hundreds of hours of planning, organization, and phenomenal support and manpower from volunteers and the local clubs. The UROC plan was to host two one-day competitions, one in Cedar City and the other in Vernal, then take the top twenty from those to compete in the Finals on the Saturday of the the second event. To throw another twist in it, the top eight from each event, regardless of their final combined score, automatically qualify, in order of series points, then the next four spots in the final go to the top series point holders after the original sixteen.
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| Invictus Productions |
Friday's qualifying round took its toll on many rigs -- in fact, it was obvious which competitors made it through the notorious Obstacle 5 by the scrapes and dents on the drivers sides of the vehicles. Strategy also became an important factor in the series. Ranch Pratt, organizer of the ARCA events, was a top 8 finisher in the Cedar City UROC, and elected not to run the qualifying round on Friday in Vernal, knowing he had a guaranteed spot in Saturday's Finals. Creighton King, also a top 8 finisher in Cedar, decided to run on Friday and blew a ring gear in his rear end. He wasn't able to repair the axle in time to compete in the finals on Saturday.
The UROC Finals on Saturday brought out approximately 4000 spectators to cheer for the competitors. All competitors' points were set to zero to level the playing field. Most of the obstacles had insanely steep climbs and enough off-camber action to roll a few rigs. To add even more flavor to the event, Obstacle 7 was a timed run up a loose dirt hill, with no run allowed to build momentum -- competitors started on the hill, in the loose stuff. This was the tiebreaker obstacle, if two competitors had the same score, the fastest time would win.
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| Brandon Gillen drove to a First Place position in the finals. Invictus Productions |
Don't be misled into thinking this event was less of a challenge than other competitions. The obstacles for Friday's qualifying round and Saturday's Finals were all world class and extreme, and the competitors were hard-core, experienced wheelers. Seven of the top eight finishers in the Finals had ties to ARCA teams. Brandon Gillen emerged on top of the UROC Finals list, switching driver/spotter places with ARCA (driver) team member, Ken Shupe. Terry Howe, finished second with spotter Sean Lazelle, is usually the spotter for ARCA competitor Curt Hildebrand, who managed to finish fourth in UROC with the help of Mark Shughart. Todd Little of Saint George, with spotter Don Sheeron, finished third, and was the only team in the top 8 without ARCA ties. Yours truly managed to pull out fifth place with the help of Braden Kemp, after debuting our first wheeling together ever in Friday's qualifying.
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| Bart Jacobs and Braden Kemp team up for a Fifth Place finish. Photos by Invictus Productions |
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All in all, it was a great weekend of extreme four-wheeling and the crowds were entertained. Craig is already working on plans for next year's events and suggests that more twists and rule changes are on the horizon. If this year is an indicator of things to come, bring it on, or as Craig would say, Hammer Down.
Click here for more pictures from the UROC series.
| Contacts | Related Links |
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Utah Rockcrawling and Off-Road Challenge Craig Stumph 648 E. Bristlecone Delta Utah 84624 (435) 864-3199 craigst@hubwest.com |
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