XRRA Rock Racing 2008 Championship Jellico TN

Adam Carter is a strong competitor in the Series and he's not afraid to thrash his buggy to stay on top. He caught some big air in Attica. He ended up earning Second Place in the Eastern Division for the season and then went on to earn a Third Place finish at the Nationals.

Adam Carter is a strong competitor in the Series and he's not afraid to thrash his buggy t

If you're not familiar with the Xtreme Rock Racing Association (XRRA), you may be looking at these photos thinking that this type of racing looks, well, extreme. You'd be correct. It's what you'd get if you could throw traditional rockcrawling, Tough Truck racing, and desert racing into a blender. The result would be bold, tangy, and refreshing. Stick a little umbrella in it and enjoy.

In the big scheme of things XRRA rock racing is a young pup. After all, it's only been around for about four years. Make no mistake though; this kid is wise beyond his years. XRRA was the first rock-racing sanctioning body and it sprung up from an event in 2003 at the Avalanche Ranch in Colorado. It quickly gained momentum and formally launched as the XRRA in 2004 at Area BFE in Utah. Within a year it had gone international. Today there is an Eastern and Western Division Series with a National Final. In addition, there are licensing agreements for XRRA races in Germany and Mexico. There is also a plan underway for a future race in Israel.

One of the top finishers of the weekend was Brian Shirley in his V-8-powered rig. There isn't much that slows him down. Shirley went on to earn a Ninth Place finish at the National Final.
One of the top finishers of the weekend was Brian Shirley in his V-8-powered rig. There is
Drew Goldie's rig is one of a couple of righthand-drive machines we saw. In XRRA racing, two competitors race at the same time on two different tracks. They are not racing each other, just the clock.
Drew Goldie's rig is one of a couple of righthand-drive machines we saw. In XRRA racing, t
As you can imagine, blasting through a rock garden at speed requires a stoutly built rig, otherwise the run will end abruptly with grenaded parts. Ken Blume's Jeep-bodied rig is built ultra-stout and it carried him through all of the races and helped him earn a Fourth Place overall finish.
As you can imagine, blasting through a rock garden at speed requires a stoutly built rig,

The brain behind the organization is Mike Weaver. Weaver and his wife Jodi are the folks who actually took the leap and put up the cash to make XRRA happen. Mike has a history in rockcrawling and four-wheeling in general. His idea of melding many facets of wheeling into a timed competition came to him after a whirlwind trail thrash in Moab where he covered a number of trails in a very short amount of time. The result of his vision is this incredible off-highway competition. Weaver notes; "It [XRRA rock racing] is probably the most exciting short-course off-road racing that you're going to find out there. The action is 100 percent all the time."

We recently had the opportunity to travel to the Badlands Off Road Park in Attica, Indiana, for the Eastern Division Final. This was the last race of the four-race Eastern Division Series of '08. The top finishers from this race traveled to the National Final in Jellico, Tennessee, to meet the top finishers of the four-race Western Division Series. We arrived at the Badlands in early afternoon the day before the event to find only a handful of teams present but the entire course completely constructed, clearly marked, and ready to go. That's impressive planning. It became really clear really fast that the XRRA runs a tight ship. We soon learned that another interesting facet of the XRRA is that the whole vibe of the event is more like a family get-together than a hard-core competition event.

The XRRA goes out of its way to ensure that spectators have a great view of all the insane action while staying safe. Food and restroom facilities are always available. If you're interested in attending one of these races go to www.rockrace.com for more information. By the time you read this, the XRRA should have its 2009 schedule posted. If you want to race in this Series, the XRRA website contains all of the rules and regulations for competitors.

Stan Haynes earned a middle-of-the-pack finish. The majority of rigs in the XRRA use six-cylinder engines, though some are powered by four and eight cylinders.
Stan Haynes earned a middle-of-the-pack finish. The majority of rigs in the XRRA use six-c
One of Wyatt Pemberton's runs didn't exactly go as planned when a high-speed turn ended in a high-speed roll.
One of Wyatt Pemberton's runs didn't exactly go as planned when a high-speed turn ended in
Even with the truck on its side he didn't give up and he spent a little while trying to drive the rig back on its wheels. He almost had it, but eventually ran out of time.
Even with the truck on its side he didn't give up and he spent a little while trying to dr

The thing about XRRA rock racing is that you can't slow down if you want to win. This includes downhill sections. Each team ran the course two times and then two times in the other direction. Here Mike Hullfish aims for a tight turn on his way to the finish line.
The thing about XRRA rock racing is that you can't slow down if you want to win. This incl
The XRRA Eastern Final at the Badlands utilized the most brutal terrain that the quarry area had to offer. This is the same quarry we used for our Real Truck Club Challenge Obstacle Course competition. Here you can see all the competitors staged prior to the start of competition.
The XRRA Eastern Final at the Badlands utilized the most brutal terrain that the quarry ar
Kim Sears had some good runs and showed some good action. The main jump had a tendency to kick the rear of the vehicles up if speeds weren't fast enough, which is what happened to Sears in this image. Sears went on to the Nationals and earned 15th Place for the season.
Kim Sears had some good runs and showed some good action. The main jump had a tendency to

Most of the vehicles, but not all, in XRRA competition are custom-made. Maximum approach and departure angles and bulletproof drivetrains are mandatory building criteria.
Most of the vehicles, but not all, in XRRA competition are custom-made. Maximum approach a
Most of the competition rigs are custom-built and they have to handle every discipline of off-highway travel well. One minute they're crawling boulders and the next they're catching big air.
Most of the competition rigs are custom-built and they have to handle every discipline of
In addition to the overall brutal terrain, the course contained small obstacles specially designed to keep the drivers on their toes. Here Chris May jumps a hill on his way into a tight lefthand turn. May had a decent weekend earning a Fifth Place finish.
In addition to the overall brutal terrain, the course contained small obstacles specially

One thing you don't want to have to do is fight to get up a hill because that wastes time. The trick is to hit the hills with plenty of momentum and just hang on tight.

One thing you don't want to have to do is fight to get up a hill because that wastes time.

The Top Five finishers of the '08 Eastern Division Final
1 Tony Reitdorf
2 Brian Shirley
3 Rusty Bray
4 Ken Blume
5 Chris May

Band Of Parents
The XRRA is actively involved in supporting the Band of Parents. Band of Parents is an organization that is dedicated to helping find a cure for neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer of the sympathetic nervous system that affects approximately 650 children in the U.S. every year. XRRA is a strong supporter of this organization and there is at least one competitor in the Series that donates his winnings to this worthwhile cause. More information on this organization and their battle to end this cancer can be found at www.bandofparents.org.