MERRITT OFF-ROAD RACING
I want some MORR….
Let me spoil the ending for you, I loved it, but not for the reasons I thought I would. You see, I am a fan of Trophy Trucks and Class 1 buggy’s ripping up the desert. Now, I know I was coming to see some short course racing which is (obviously) different, but I wanted the Experience of 900 horsepower Trophy Trucks Thundering by or at least some pro2 or pro4 short course trucks destroying my ear drums as they passed me. I guess I hyped it up in my head that I was going to be working Glen Helen and walking around photographing Rob MacCachren and his Rockstar Energy team. Up until this point, I have always thought you can only have fun at the biggest events.
After a quick conversation with the race organizer Rob Dufault, my mind began to change. You see what I failed to recognize at first glance is this isn’t a large association like Score Racing or The Best In Desert series. This is grass roots racing at its finest. Rob and the guys who bring their trucks out to race, aren’t currently doing this for the money and glory (although I’m sure money wouldn’t be rejected if you want to invest), they are passionate about off-Roading and having fun. I had thought I would be the automotive blogger / reporter guy who went in and asked a bunch of questions and wrote up specs on trucks and engines, but I found myself just wanting to be a fly on the wall and watch people have fun and race, and race they did.
It quickly became clear that I would enjoy this day immensely not because I got to see forty trucks ripping up the ground but because I got to see what the larger associations looked like in the beginning . It is a league of friends and frenemies that are there to enjoy a sport that costs them a lot of money and time all for the love of racing and practice. I witnessed a lot of laughter and cheers not just from the fans but from the volunteers and drivers. I witnessed people send their trucks off jumps and obstacles and watched as some broke and others helped. Although I’m sure some drivers left angry that they had broke their trucks I did not see a single frown or melt down. I only saw smiles and high fives. I can imagine the weight of organizing these events and keeping MORR going is heavy on Rob and his team, but if they keep their passion and love of Off-Road Racing at the forefront of their minds, they will keep this thing going and growing. I have become a fan of what they are building and I know there are people reading this that will be fans if they come watch. Only a little over two hours from Vancouver, it is close enough that anybody from the Valley can come for a day and watch, or race. If you have a Race truck or Tough Truck that you think could compete, contact MORR and bring it to race day. I can’t say enough how impressed I am with Rob and his group of volunteers and I can say they have a fan in me. One day is all it took for me to decide I will continue to support this group with my admission money and photos. Come experience it now so you can tell people that you were there at the beginning…
For More info visit our Off-Road events page or visit Merritt Off-Road Racing
