Class 1 and TORC

[RL Detroit]

Whould anyone be intrested in a class 1 type series at the TORC races? I think it would be awesome!

 

[ace_photo]

Whould anyone be intrested in a class 1 type series at the TORC races? I think it would be awesome!

Thats what Pro Buggies are... A class 1 would be/look slow and clumsy out there..

 

[Pro-Lite Brian]

I've always wondered why the top buggy class doesn't have the Pro-Light engine package? Then it would give guys a way to climb the ladder from class to class, and end up in a Pro class. Yes, I know the Superbuggy class is "Pro", but we all know it's the top buggy class and treated like a Sportsman class...

 

[Kartman]

A class 1 would be/look slow and clumsy out there..

Like any chassis built for the desert. Leave short course to purpose built short course chassis.

 

[raceengineprep]

From my standpoint, pro-buggies are just as exciting as pro-lite. Pro-Buggies are just as quick and turn lap times compared to any pro-lite or any pro 2 trucks at some tracks. I don't know why they don't get any respect as the trucks do. I'm looking forward to the race at the end of Loors race to see how we match up. Pro-Buggy class, as far as i'm concerned, is a stepping stone straight to pro 2. Pro-Buggies should be taken seriously. Just one opinion.

 

[RL Detroit]

I was not knocking the Pro buggy class I just thougt it would be cool if TORC would add a class 1 type buggy. I believe it would be awesome. It would take some of the positive aspects of Pro Buggy but with more HP

FYI - I agree pro buggy do offer some of the best racing out their

 

[ace_photo]

I was not knocking the Pro buggy class I just thougt it would be cool if TORC would add a class 1 type buggy. I believe it would be awesome. It would take some of the positive aspects of Pro Buggy but with more HP

FYI - I agree pro buggy do offer some of the best racing out their

I think you may have missed my point, Pro Buggies = Class 1. A Pro buggy would seriously run circles around a class 1 dezert car.

As far as Pro Buggies vs. Pro Lite it's my opinion that they are equal and i would love to see them up against each other. The only thing is a Pro Lite is a truck and much more marketable. Generally people understand trucks because it's a truck and not a "dunebuggy" which is why they don't get any TV time. I know we all know the difference but the rest of the world is a different story..

Plus a truck is a rolling billboard with tons of ad space compared to a buggy..

 

[Hesco]

I think you may have missed my point, Pro Buggies = Class 1. A Pro buggy would seriously run circles around a class 1 dezert car.

As far as Pro Buggies vs. Pro Lite it's my opinion that they are equal and i would love to see them up against each other. The only thing is a Pro Lite is a truck and much more marketable. Generally people understand trucks because it's a truck and not a "dunebuggy" which is why they don't get any TV time. I know we all know the difference but the rest of the world is a different story..

Plus a truck is a rolling billboard with tons of ad space compared to a buggy..

There in lies the catch. Anyone can go buy a truck and drive it down the street. Buggies are still, well, not marketable.

Side note - we used to run unlimited (East Coast Class 1 (unlimited) and Class 9 (same car, 1650cc motor). When Marty Reid took over from SODA, the unlimited Buggy class was eliminated. We heard that he did not want any buggies turning faster lap times than his "PRO" trucks (you can thank Pat Dean for that - for turning the fastest lap at Crandon that year in his unlimited buggy). As stated, lap times are still comparable to PL even with limited cc's. It's that weight to HP thing.

 

[Steve_Naughton]

From my standpoint, pro-buggies are just as exciting as pro-lite. Pro-Buggies are just as quick and turn lap times compared to any pro-lite or any pro 2 trucks at some tracks. I don't know why they don't get any respect as the trucks do.

I want to know why Pro 2's don't get as much respect as women's figure skating or professional bowling.

 

[Steve_Naughton]

Pro-Buggies are just as quick and turn lap times compared to any pro-lite or any pro 2 trucks at some tracks. I don't know why they don't get any respect as the trucks do.

It's the DRIVER that makes the difference. If the top 25 drivers in shortcourse all decided to race the pro-buggy class (Greaves, Renezeder, Rob Mac, Robby Gordon, Jeff Kincaid, RJ, etc.) Pro buggy would then be the elite top level class regardless of horsepower and someone would probably want to publicize that. It's the drivers that makes the difference.

 

[DIRTALLIANCE]

"It's the DRIVER that makes the difference. If the top 25 drivers in shortcourse all decided to race the pro-buggy class (Greaves, Renezeder, Rob Mac, Robby Gordon, Jeff Kincaid, RJ, etc.) then someone would probably want to publicize that. Pro buggy would then be the elite top level class regardless of horsepower. It's the driver that makes the difference."


I disagree...

I believe it is the vehicle that people care about, unless you have a driver that is known outside of this tiny offroad bubble (ie: Brian Deegan, Rick Johnson, Mike Metzger, Carey Hart, etc)

Not to knock the drivers you mentioned, as they are legends in the offroad world, But to Mainstream America - I don't believe anyone knows or cares about them... But with the mainstream sponsors they are getting (Makita, Rockstar, Monster, etc.) along with the new exposure opportunities (Carson Daly, Chelsea Lately, ABC, Espn, etc.) I'm sure that will change as this scene grows...

As far as Buggy vs. Trucks - While I'm sure driving a buggy would be a BLAST, As a spectator, the trucks just look cooler and as was previously mentioned - More people can relate to them as opposed to "dune buggys"


My .02 Sorry for the thread hi jack.

 

[HotRod82]

Remember back in the SODA days they had an unlimited buggy class where the top guys ran big turbo motors, They were so much faster than the trucks they did away with the class to please the sponsors. Chevy didnt like the idea of an old pipe buggy smoking their 250K pro 2. The first time I was at Crandon, I couldn't believe how many guys ran unlimited then changed motors and ran class 10. Diehard racers for sure.

 

[ragracin]

Robby Gordon raced against the buggies at Crandon with his class 8 (pro2) truck, was that the unlimited class you speak of ? I was young but I remember waiting for buggies to come around turn one and here comes Robby in a truck leading this pack of buggies. I am sorry if this is a little off the subject but just thought it was interesting.

 

[Steve_Naughton]

Not to knock the drivers you mentioned, as they are legends in the offroad world, But to Mainstream America - I don't believe anyone knows or cares about them... But with the mainstream sponsors they are getting (Makita, Rockstar, Monster, etc.) along with the new exposure opportunities (Carson Daly, Chelsea Lately, ABC, Espn, etc.) I'm sure that will change as this scene grows...

Who's getting the mainstream sponsors (Makita, Rockstar, Monster, etc.)? And why are they getting them?

The question the person asked was why buggies don't get the same respect as trucks (Not why doesn't mainstream America know shortcourse) And the reason that buggies don't get the same respect as trucks is because of the drivers (drivers such as Greaves, Renezeder, LeDuc's, Kincaid, Gordon, RJ, etc..)

And speaking of gaining mainstream awareness, one of the things that will help towards gaining mainstream awareness is to get all of the top drivers competing against each other in the same class, not spread out across 5 classes.

 

[3D of 3DCS]

And speaking of gaining mainstream awareness, one of the things that will help towards gaining mainstream awareness is to get all of the top drivers competing against each other in the same class, not spread out across 5 classes.

I wish everybody else saw it the same way you do, Steve.

 

[BoothPacific Films]

And speaking of gaining mainstream awareness, one of the things that will help towards gaining mainstream awareness is to get all of the top drivers competing against each other in the same class, not spread out across 5 classes.

i agree and would like to see it.

having two top classes ( pro-2 and pro-4 ) is a bit strange to me as a fan. i know that's the way it's always been but i'd like to see all the guys racing each other. it seems like in the past more drivers would do both.

 

[RL Detroit]

Remember back in the SODA days they had an unlimited buggy class where the top guys ran big turbo motors, They were so much faster than the trucks they did away with the class to please the sponsors. Chevy didnt like the idea of an old pipe buggy smoking their 250K pro 2. The first time I was at Crandon, I couldn't believe how many guys ran unlimited then changed motors and ran class 10. Diehard racers for sure.

Now that make since - I really was having issue with the pro buggy = class 1 thing

 

[philsmike]

Steve,
Some the names you mention came from the buggy world. Renezeder,Greaves,Gordon all were in buggies in the early part of their careers. The world of fenders and doors pays better because the consumer can better relate.

Heck I remember in the mid 70's Jack Flannery bought a buggy to race with the fast guys of the times. But eventually the fender and door money won out and suddenly the technology was applied to the truck classes to make the vehicles much faster.

Suspension and drivelines were designed differently and suddenly the trucks were as fast as they sounded.

 

[Steve_Naughton]

Steve, Some the names you mention came from the buggy world. Renezeder,Greaves,Gordon all were in buggies in the early part of their careers.

Whelchel and Hord raced buggies too. And now they all race trucks.

CORR founder Jim Conway came up with the idea for PL, P2, P4. His objective was to organize a model similar to Nascar's craftsman truck, busch and winston cup series. But in reality shortcourse P2/P4 are two competing top levels.

 

[Aflac]

V-8 Buggy Class would be off the hook. I know Pat Dean still has his and he wants to race it. Stop making so many truck classes a bring back the unlimited buggy.