World Super Crawl

During the last five years, we've seen a transformation in four-wheeling that we never could have imagined. What we referred to as trick suspensions and extreme terrain in the mid-'90s is now looked upon as kids stuff.

Today, fully tube-framed rigs sporting high-tech four-link and coilover suspension technology, crawler gears, four-wheel steering, and hybrid axles have not only pushed the envelope of off-road vehicle capabilities, but the drivers of these rigs have completely redefined our definition of hard-core. So, what has it all come to and where is it going? We got a taste of rockcrawling's future at the inaugural international World Super Crawl in Farmington, New Mexico.

What was this event intended to be, you might ask? Super Crawl 2002, which was sanctioned by United Rock Crawling and Off-Road Challenge (UROC), was the Super Bowl of rock wheeling, a three-day gathering of the top competitive rockcrawlers from across the country and around the globe. It was an international who's who in extreme off-roading. From what we saw, Super Crawl was the culmination of everything that rockcrawling and rock racing have become, and quite possibly a preview of where it is going.

Over the past few years, several brands of competitive rockcrawling events have surfaced across the country. You've seen them here in the pages of 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility as we've brought you hard-rockin', in-your-face coverage of CalROCS, ProROC, EROCC, RCAA, and UROC events. These premier events have been grinding out the country's top drivers. However, there hasn't been one singular event in which the nation's top rock dogs could compete tire to tire for the nation's highest honors...until now.

Nineteen states and four countries were represented as 106 driver-spotter teams converged on Farmington's Choke Cherry canyon for the first World Super Crawl. To qualify for a slot in this inaugural event, drivers must have pulled down a Top 10 finish in one of the aforementioned qualifying events; the exception being the teams from Italy, Canada, and Iceland, some of which received special invitations. Teams also had to be fully committed to a no-holds-barred assault on 10 of the toughest obstacles we have ever seen.

Milling around the pits were the likes of '02 season champs Chris Durham, Tracy Jordan, Mike Schaffer, and legendary off-road racer Walker Evans. Icelandic off-road champs Ragnar Robertsson and Einar Emilsson, along with Guilio "Dr. G" Rebesco from Italy, were also on hand and ready to take on the field. Super Crawl itself, however, was a stand-alone event. When the green flag dropped, the title was up for grabs.

More than 15,000 spectators filed through the gates, packing the sidelines of the 10 courses. Choke Cherry Canyon, a Bureau of Land Management Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) recreation area, provided an ideal setting for an event of this magnitude. The obstacles, designed around seemingly insurmountable ledges, insane side hills, near vertical sandstone hill climbs, and frame twisting crevasses, were designed to push the limits of vehicular travel.

Rules of engagement mirrored UROC guidelines. The field was broken into two classes: Legend and Unlimited. Legend class rules stipulate that the rig must have an original-type boxed frame, some semblance of the original body, stock-type steering, and a maximum tire size of 36 inches.

As for the Unlimited class, this is where you'll find the lunatic fringe and the vehicularly demented minds of rock-buggy engineering. Basically, as the name implies, anything goes. Cutting-edge coilovers, three- and four-link suspensions, fire-breathing big-blocks, 10,000-rpm rotaries, mid-engine, 220hp VW mills, and even a six-wheel-drive, six-wheel-steering, six-passenger, Unimog-axled `03 Jeep TJ.

Following a day of registration and tech inspection, each team was required to run five obstacles on the first day of competition, then complete the final five on day two. At the end of day one, it was anyone's game in the Unlimited class as nine teams were within 50 points of each other. The Legend class was equally close. Resonating through the canyon was the sound of failing axles, U-joints, pinion gears, and engines being pushed far beyond their design limits. Thousands of fans cheered as dozens of rigs went belly up in the attempt to surmount each obstacle.

As the dust settled and the crowd dissipated on day two, First, Second, and Third Place trophies went to the teams of Amy Bulloch/Steve Bulloch, Kevin Hawkins/Jacy Chrisiansen, and Garrett Sission/Matt Sission in Legends, and Ken Shupe/Kevin "Moose" Nalley, Tracy Jordan/Jerry Watson, and Ken Blume/Jake Ahaway in the Unlimited class. Since you had to be a champ to get into Super Crawl, we've listed the Top 20 finalists in our coverage.

As competitive rockcrawling events have made their mark in the world of extreme sports, spectator numbers have increased dramatically and the aftermarket manufacturers have stepped up to the plate with major sponsorships. Randy's Ring & Pinion was on site with a full array of drivetrain products, and the racing support team for BFGoodrich Baja not only provided up-to-the-minute scores and point standings but also rolled in with a full machine shop to lend mechanical support to anyone who needed it, regardless of what type of tire they ran.

Red Bull kept the event staff, competitors, and media energized with an endless supply of cold Red Bull. Other key sponsors of the '02 World Super Crawl were Skyjacker Suspension, Red Line Oil, Advance Adapters, Yukon Gear & Axle, CMT Racing Products, Tom Woods Custom Drivelines, Allied Wheel, Master Pull, Miller Jeep, Advantage Dodge, Factory Tubular, Off-Road.com, Invictus Productions, and of course, 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility Magazine.

As we roll into the '03 season and the rockcrawling phenomena gains momentum, we can probably expect to see larger spectator numbers, increased manufacturer involvement, and larger prize money and sponsorships. As for cutting-edge suspension and vehicle technology, we can't wait to see what comes next.