Recent years have presented us with an explosion of interest in the UTV market, and new vehicle introduction and aftermarket support have blossomed rapidly. As one would expect, the race sanction organizations have also come to task to include this new breed of four-wheel fun in their competition classes. SCORE International currently runs the Sportsman UTV Class and Best In The Desert offers Pro and Sportsman UTV classes in their race schedules.
Flagstaff, Arizona resident Mark Lindsay got the racing bug when his friend John Crowley suggested they start competing on quads a few years back. That bit of dabbling in the desert race world soon led to both of them building UTV class racers. Mark's side-by-side you see here is a 2008 Polaris RZR and is currently the only UTV to ever finish the Score Baja 500 race.
He entered the 2007 Baja 1000 as his first race. The team, Team Afraidium, had prerun 900 miles before the race, but as chance would have it they broke in the race at mile 105 due to engine failure. A rubber throttle body boot had separated from the intake and allowed dirt to enter and disable the engine. An air box upgrade would soon help to cure that problem.
They went back to work preparing and tuning the car for future races, and the hard work paid off. In late spring of 2008, Mark drove across the Baja 500 finish line to win the SCORE Sportsman UTV class and celebrate as the only UTV to finish the race.
Mark's Polaris retains a stock RZR 800 motor and transmission, but other drivetrain parts have been upgraded for the rough desert environment it must tackle. Gorilla axles are combined with a FST Motorsports suspension and King coilover shocks. FST in Phoenix, Arizona also did extensive cage and other fabrication work to turn the showroom stock RZR into a race capable rig.
Mark told us that the build and racing of his Polaris has been a great learning experience. The question we have to ask is....what does it take to finish a long distance desert race in a UTV?
As the sole UTV finisher in the Baja 500, Mark summed it up with a popular quote: "Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity". He first concentrated on choosing his build parts by picking what he thought were the best upgrade products in the market and combined those with pre-race practice and careful upfront race preparation.
He credits having a good support team along the race course to help him maintain the car and offer confident encouragement. It goes without saying that driving skill plays a huge part in the task. However, Mark is quick to point out that a successful race result is the result of more than just the driver. It's the team supporting the vehicle in the race that truly allows the win.
Looking back, Mark also muses that there are a multitude of decisions made during the race that can lead to either advancement or trouble. It looks like his sum of decisions for the Baja 500 were more positive, allowing him that overall victory!
 The FST Motorsports-built...  The FST Motorsports-built cage is comprised mainly of 1.5" x .120" wall chromoly tubing. FST also fabricated the yellow side body panels and metal roof. Maier Manufacturing hood, fenders and flares finish off the body and provide extra coverage over the tire tread. |  King Suspension shocks keep...  King Suspension shocks keep each corner properly supported and damped. The reservoir shocks use dual-rate springs and attach to FST fabricated A-arms. Travel is just under 15 inches at each wheel. |  This view gives you an idea...  This view gives you an idea of how the rear of the cage is tied into the rear suspension mounts. Mark uses an HMF exhaust header that exits over the rear mounts. Underneath the car you'll find a full-length aluminum belly pan. |
 The long travel FST kit provides...  The long travel FST kit provides greater travel and increases the trackwidth by about 12 inches over stock for better high speed and cornering stability. Wheelbase has also been increased by about 4 inches. |  FST also built the new upper...  FST also built the new upper shock mounts and other structural members to complete the chassis upgrade. Tucked under the driver side near the engine sits a F2 Racing Cleaner Air Box. This unique design utilizes the air that blows from the clutch system and turns it into a siphon vacuum that helps pull dirt and dust from inside the air box. This keeps the stock paper element cleaner longer which is a huge benefit when running distance races. The F2 Racing box, unlike the stock air box, mounts to the engine and moves with the engine to prevent rubber intake boot separation that put them as DNF in the Baja 1000. |  Up front you'll also find...  Up front you'll also find FST-built arms, and all four corners have been upgraded with Gorilla long travel axles that terminate into FST wheel hubs to add strength and reliability to the drivetrain. |
 A 15-gallon ATL fuel cell...  A 15-gallon ATL fuel cell is mounted behind the seats and provides the go-juice to the motor. You can also see the Airaid pre-filter that is routed up high for the best chance at gulping clean air for the engine. |  The interior is simple and...  The interior is simple and business-like. The stock Polaris gauge cluster is supplemented with a PLX Devices air-fuel gauge to monitor fuel induction. Other race additions include a Lowrance GPS unit, PCI intercom, and ICOM radio for communications. |  For occupant safety and comfort,...  For occupant safety and comfort, BS Sand suspension seats were installed and Crow 5-point harnesses keep everyone strapped in. Safety nets shroud both sides of the cage and a single Parker Pumper mounted under the dash supplies fresh air to the race helmets of driver and passenger. |
 The aft end of the cage cradles...  The aft end of the cage cradles a spare wheel and tire. Maxxis Bighorn 26x9R12 tires are mounted to stock steel wheels that have been beadlocked with aluminum OMF rings. Stuffed inside each tire are 12 Tire Balls to greatly improve flat resistance and keep the tires inflated for the long desert distances. |  A box wing at the top of the...  A box wing at the top of the cage houses the requisite safety lighting for the rear of the racer. |  One would hope to stay off...  One would hope to stay off the larger rocks on the race course but rocker panel sliders provide additional rigidity to the chassis and additional protection from rocky terrain when needed. |
 When nighttime falls, dark...  When nighttime falls, dark routes are illuminated with a quad set of Vision HID lamps. | | |