Off-Road Race Technology - Straight From The Boss Man

I know some of you are looking for the Oakley/Fox poster boy's picture and column this month, but since Randall has decided to take some time off, I thought this would be a good opportunity to let someone else give you their nickel's worth.

Having been involved in the off-road industry for nearly 15 years, I've seen a lot of changes, especially in terms of suspension technology. Off-roaders have benefited the most from race technology that has made its way to everyday trucks. Long-travel suspensions, coilover shocks, and trick articulating suspensions were born and bred on the desert racing side. This new technology has fueled the fire for a renewed interest in off-roading in general, even among the manufacturers. Just look at the new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It comes straight from the factory with Dana 44s fitted with limited slips at each end, low gearing, and decent trail rubber.

Has the off-road industry come of age? You bet. One of the best indicators, besides the health of all the off-road magazines on the market today, is the number of companies making off-road-related products. The best place to take measure of that fact is the SEMA Show, which, for us, is right around the corner. As I pen this column, we are getting set to spend a week at the Specialty Equipment Market Association's premier event of the year. With more than 1.5-million square feet of exhibit space, SEMA ranks as one of Las Vegas' largest conventions.

Ironically, while most of the products shown at the show are made for consumer use, the show is closed to the public. However, OFF-ROAD magazine will have this year's event covered like a blanket. And next month, we'll show you some of the hot 4x4s from the show along with the hottest new products for 2003. And if last year's show is any indication, this will be another banner year for the off-road industry.

So, why the resurgence in interest in the off-road market? Part of it is the American obsession with getting away from it all and doing things in the great outdoors. For climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, and hunters, off-roading is a means to an end. For many of us, the journey itself is what makes the trip because getting there is most of the fun. No matter what the motivation, the bottom line is that more and more folks are taking the time to get out and use their trucks for real world off-roading. And they are constantly in search of products to either make their truck work better in the rough or make the drive more fun.

Yes, the off-road industry has come of age. Thanks to many of the folks who will be displaying product at this year's SEMA Show, their efforts and innovations are making the sport we love that much easier to enjoy.