Casey Currie Interview & Feature - Off-Road Features

Corr Pro Lite Nissan Frontier Action Shot

Young gun Casey Currie has visited just about every corner of the off-road world. He's gone fast: Casey has spent time sharing driving duties with his father Ray behind the wheel of their bright yellow JeepSpeed Cherokee. He's assaulted the Glamis dunes in a sandrail and raced pro Supermoto on a lime green Kawasaki KXF. He's gone slow, too, as a rockcrawling competition spotter for Kevin Hawkins. "I have a well-rounded background in the off-road world," he comments.

Corr Pro Lite Nissan Frontier Ray Casey Currie

Although Casey has spent lots of time in the wide-open desert, his most recent focus turned toward the closed courses of Championship Off Road Racing (CORR). As a driver for Art Schmitt Racing, Casey has campaigned in CORR's Pro Lite division behind the wheel of a Nissan Frontier. His varied off-road background gives him a unique perspective. "In short-course, there's no excuse for a bad race or a bad move. If you make a mistake, you don't have time to make up for it. Desert racing is all about endurance, and there's no aspect of endurance in CORR."

Driving in both the desert and on CORR's closed courses has also hammered home the demanding, precise nature of short-course driving. "Any CORR racer could go out and win a desert race. Most desert drivers, with the exception of guys like Jerry Whelchel, couldn't go out and win a CORR race."

Strong words? Absolutely, but they're spoken by someone who's seen both ends of the racing spectrum. Casey has found a way to carry over his racing credentials into the business spectrum. In addition to running a full CORR schedule, he owns two businesses. The first, Active Motosport, is a purveyor of accessories and performance parts for dirt bikes, street bikes, quads, and UTVs. The second, Moto 247, is "a social networking website for moto sports fanatics."

Corr Pro Lite Nissan Frontier Remove Skin

To illustrate the differences between the Frontier on your local Nissan dealer's lot and the one Casey campaigns in CORR...

To illustrate the differences between the Frontier on your local Nissan dealer's lot and t

CORR's Pro Lite division is sometimes used as a stepping stone by drivers who ultimately want to go head-to-head in CORR's big-boy Pro 2 and Pro 4 fullsize classes. Casey's end game is a bit different and hearkens back to the days of the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Grand Prix Series, which toured U.S. stadiums for nearly two decades. Casey's hoping for stadium racing's resurgence. "I'd like to someday race in front of 100,000 fans, and that will happen in the stadiums. Pro 2 and Pro 4 trucks are amazing, but they need more room to run than you can find in a stadium. Pro Lite is the only type of truck that will make it back into the stadiums."

Pro Lite also has a big youth factor. "Being a young gun, a Pro Lite fits my age group better. It helps me relate better to my own Y generation. I can talk to someone and say, 'Hey, I drive a Nissan Frontier,' and that person will probably say, 'Yeah, me too!'"

Corr Pro Lite Nissan Frontier Casey Currie

Ray and Casey Currie turned a few dozen Dzus quick-release tabs.

Casey's first season on the CORR Pro Lite circuit was a series of ups and downs, ending in a solid top-10 slot after 16 fast and furious rounds held in Chula Vista, California; Bark River, Michigan; and Crandon, Wisconsin. "My highlight was getting on the podium in Chula Vista using an all-terrain Nitto Terra Grappler tire. That hasn't been done by anyone for the past three years. My worst moment was when I crashed at Bark River and the safety crew flipped me onto my roof and dragged me while upside down. Hot oil was running down my legs. It was awful."

If you have a chance to experience a CORR race, keep your eyes peeled for Casey Currie. He's the fast young gun with an eye on the stadiums.

Stripped of its skins, the hardcore nature of Casey's truck is readily apparent. Like its bigger Pro 2 brother, Pro Lite trucks are built based on spec drawings available from CORR. Pro 4 is the only CORR class that doesn't confine builders to a specific blueprint.
Stripped of its skins, the hardcore nature of Casey's truck is readily apparent. Like its
After unbolting the passenger-side V-bar in the windshield area (or more correctly, a "front opening" since CORR trucks don't use windshields), the motor can be extracted. The 2.5-liter's block and cylinder head are production items massaged to produce competition-level horsepower.
After unbolting the passenger-side V-bar in the windshield area (or more correctly, a "fro
Mounting location and position for the Electromotive ignition control box turned out to be crucial, as the box failed when mounted vertically. Heat and vibration are the box's enemies. This horizontal mounting position, with its constant airflow and insulated rubber mounting studs, has proven to be the ticket.
Mounting location and position for the Electromotive ignition control box turned out to be

It was no surprise to see a Currie 9-inch rearend in a Currie truck. The Pro Lite uses a Track 9 housing with chrome-moly axletubes. To ensure reliable weld quality and a jewel-like appearance, the housing and its attendant bracketry were fused together with expertly performed TIG welds.
It was no surprise to see a Currie 9-inch rearend in a Currie truck. The Pro Lite uses a T
A Currie full-float setup combines with 5/8-inch wheel studs and Wilwood disc brakes for durability, light weight, and race-level performance.
A Currie full-float setup combines with 5/8-inch wheel studs and Wilwood disc brakes for d
Inside the dropout centersection, you'll find a full spool intertwined with 35-spline axleshafts. Ring-and-pinion ratios vary between 4.56 and 5.29 depending on track location and track conditions. The tranny features additional gear reduction by using a 1.6:1 Fourth-gear ratio in place of the more conventional 1:1.
Inside the dropout centersection, you'll find a full spool intertwined with 35-spline axle

Textbook-quality TIG welds are everywhere on this chassis. Had the fiberglass skins stayed in place, we never would have been treated to this view.
Textbook-quality TIG welds are everywhere on this chassis. Had the fiberglass skins stayed
This truck was originally run by CORR veteran Art Schmitt. As delivered to Casey, the Howe steering rack had a 2.8:1 ratio. "It drove me nuts. I had to turn the wheel like crazy around the corners," comments Casey. "When we asked Howe for a 1:1-ratio rack, they were kind of surprised. Howe had no trouble building the rack; they just hadn't been asked to use that ratio before." The new rack makes for ultraquick steering, and Casey can steer lock-to-lock with less than one full turn of the wheel.
This truck was originally run by CORR veteran Art Schmitt. As delivered to Casey, the Howe
The front suspension is also built to CORR specs. Travel is specified at no more than 12 inches. Camber gain can be adjusted as needed by repositioning the upper control arms in one of three available positions.
The front suspension is also built to CORR specs. Travel is specified at no more than 12 i

Rear suspension is specified at no more than 14 inches, so a single coilover mounted directly to the axle works just fine. The dual-rate springs seem to be stacked upside down, with the lighter coil on the bottom. Ray Currie explains: "When combined, these springs yield a rate of 100 pounds. As soon as the slider hits the stop, the upper spring is no longer active, and the lower spring has a rate of 140 pounds." A Speedway Engineering sway bar keeps body roll in check.
Rear suspension is specified at no more than 14 inches, so a single coilover mounted direc
No codrivers here! The G-Force four-speed takes the place normally reserved for a passenger. That blue-knobbed lever activates the rear brakes only, which brings the nose down when activated mid-flight. Motocross racers also use this trick to control airborne attitude.
No codrivers here! The G-Force four-speed takes the place normally reserved for a passenge