TREC (Trail Racing Endurance) Racing - Badlands

[Jim Oaks]

The Badlands Off-Road Park is hosting TREC (Trail Racing Endurance Circuit) Racing again for 2010.

There is a website for it at http://www.trecwithus.com/, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of activity there.

The link for the Badlands Off-Road Park is: http://www.badlandsoffroad.com.

TREC is Trail Racing Endurance Circuit a.k.a. FOOT TO THE FLOOR - AVOID THAT TREE - FLY THROUGH THE AIR - KEEP IT ON AT LEAST TWO WHEELS RACE!

TREC transforms the average Saturday trail ride (traveling less than five miles per hour) to a race over the mountains, through the woods and across the awesome dunes of Badlands Off Road Park at redline speeds!

TREC is about endurance not the difficulty of an obstacle. A 12+ mile course has been designed at the Badlands Off Road Park in Attica, IN. This course will encompass everything a normal slow trail ride has such as rocks, hills, mud, sand etc. but now speed has been incorporated into the competition! The Badlands has the unique ability to offer a small scale desert-style race and dense woods that will maximize the thrill and offer even more excitement!

TREC will have four evening races at The Badlands Off-Road Park. The races will last approximately two hours and take place after the Park closes. TREC will have multiple vehicles at one time starting in staged starts and racers will have two classes to choose from to accommodate different vehicles.

As Fall approaches the races will drive into the moonlight and the fourth and final event of the season will include the most exhilarating element – darkness!

TREC will be open to adapted full body trail vehicles and buggy type vehicles with an affordable entry fee. Specific information on classes and registration can soon be found on www.TRECwithus.com.

Here are the classes:

2.1 Classes
2.1.1 TREC categorizes vehicles into the following classes:
2.1.1.1 Class A
2.1.1.1.1 Class A is intended for the most progressive four wheel drive vehicles in use today. Restrictions
on this class are intended to keep the vehicles of automotive type and design.
2.1.1.2 Class B
2.1.1.3.1 Class B is intended to resemble OEM four wheel drive vehicles modified using readily available
bolt-on aftermarket parts. Restrictions on this class are intended to keep the vehicles to two seat, front
engine, full frame and full body vehicles.
2.1.1.4 Class C
2.1.1.4.1 Class C is intended to resemble and keep vehicles as close to stock as possible and still be safe
to race
2.1.1.5 Exhibition
2.1.1.5.1 Any vehicle not meeting the restrictions outlined in the Class A, B or C will be considered by
TREC for inclusion in an exhibition only class that is not included in event or series points, purses or​

trophies. Exhibition class competitors must adhere to all safety and scoring rules.

The TREC rules are here:

http://www.badlandsoffroad.com/images/badlandsoffroad/trec_2010_rules.pdf

'Class C' will allow Ranger/Bronco II owners to run with Factory Ranger axles and use up a 5-inch aftermarket suspension kit. No extended radius arms. Brackets have to be in the OEM position.

'Class B' would allow you to use other axles and extended radius arms, but you could find yourself up against someone with 1-ton axles & a V-8.

Also, class B & C is limited to 35-inch tires.

Here is a tentative schedule for 2010:

April 10, 2010
May 15, 2010
June 5, 2010
Sept 11, 2010
Oct 3, 2010 UMC (confirmed date)

Here is a video I found on YouTube:





Please let us know if anyone plans on competing in one of these events.

 

[Jim Oaks]

It would be fun to run TRS-2 in this, but the 6-inch suspension and Explorer disc brake 8.8 would probably stick me in Class B running against V-8's and 1-ton axles.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

That does look like a blast. Other than that is a long way from me.

I could run class C with my ranger (5" of suspension lift and stock length arms) I would just need 35's.

 

[Bray D]

Our crew will be there April 10

No one from our group will be competing, this time around anyways.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I'm moving around the first week of April. I'll probably wait and go May 15th.

 

[Bray D]

We may make our way back over there for that one too, never know. Just depends on everyone's schedule and the status of their rigs I guess.

 

[Jim Oaks]

No one from our group will be competing, this time around anyways.

What about in the future??

 

[Bray D]

There hasn't been any real serious talk about anyone competing, but our 'unofficial club president' used to compete in the modified tough truck class at offroad jambos in multiple states (Armbrust Racing). He doesn't have anything to race at the moment, but I wouldn't be surprised if he comes up with something in the future.

 

[jeremycbenson]

ill do it. if the allow stock trucks to enter the races??

 

[Burnside]

I had some interest in this a bit ago. I did some reading and watched lots of video. I had considered it but the rules make all of my hardware useless. 1" too tall of suspension, 1" too tall of tire, and extended radius arms... This race seems like you'd be best to buy a stocker 4.0 ranger, put some 31's on it and get on it. I would expect that would be quite a step back for most anyone who has been in this hobby for sometime. So to have a truck that competes well in a class, it wouldn't perform that well much else offroad other than the TREC race, ie. makes ground clearance and gearing a non-issue- in fact a detriment. It sounds like the current guy who owns on the 'C' class has a v8 grand cherokee and 32's. I will be checking it out this saturday.

 

[94Rangeron37s]

was there and watched the race deffinitly looking into putting a rig together for this just have to find the right one, have the drive line already 4.0 5 speed and a 1354 tcase just have to find a ranger to put it in..

 

[Bray D]

Yeah, I think a LOT of people had gears turnin in their head's haha. I think it'd be a blast to compete, but I'd only be fooling myself if I thought I'd build/try to find something to race.

 

[Bray D]

Next race is May 15th! I'll be there, anyone else comin over for the weekend?

 

[Jim Oaks]

Vanessa switched her schedule so we can go to the June 5th race.

 

[Bray D]

Good deal Jim. We'll be there again if everything pans out as planned.

The race Saturday was pretty good. They changed the course a little bit, so you can see the vehicles two times during one of their laps. It made for more action, and less down time for the spectators. They also had a guy with a megaphone explaining the different vehicles as they passed, what class they were in, what the class restrictions were, the current positions of the racers, etc. It helped quite a bit.

They're starting to get the hang of it.