Rancho Motorsports is on a sponsorship rampage this year. The company has significantly expanded its sponsorship presence in a variety of competitive motorsports fields. Veteran Rancho driver Scott Douglas will lead off the Championship Off Road Racing (CORR) Lucas Oil Racing Series in Pro 4 and Pro 2 Ford F-150 race trucks, along with new Team Rancho driver Mike Oberg, who will compete in Pro 2 in a Chevrolet race truck. Rancho is the primary sponsor of Douglas' Pro 2 truck and associate sponsor of his new Pro 4 truck. The company is associate sponsor of Oberg's Pro 2 Chevy and also sponsors CORR Stock truck driver Don Demeny. Other race series that will benefit from Rancho's, as well as sister company, Dynomax's, participation are the 2006 Pro Arena/Tough Truck, Extreme Rock Racing Association (XRRA), and World Extreme Rock Crawling Championship Series (W.E. ROCK). Rancho is the "Official Suspension Brand" of XRRA and the W.E. ROCK series. Lionel Easler pilots a Rancho-sponsored Chevy S-10 and Jason Makuck a Ford Ranger in the Pro Arena/Tough Truck events, while Rob Bonney competes in his Rancho-sponsored rock buggy in the rockcrawling events. Rancho will also campaign two advanced-technology Rancho rock buggies at more than 20 rockcrawling events throughout the year and will also have its product demonstration trailer on hand at nearly 40 leading off-road jamborees and trail events.
'07 Toyota Fj To Use Bridgestone Dueler
The all-new Toyota FJ Cruiser will be equipped with P265/70R17 Bridgestone Dueler H/T 840 tires from the factory. The Dueler H/T 840 is part of the Dueler light truck tire line, which is designed for SUV and light truck owners who desire an aggressive tread with acceptable highway manners. The tires feature a computer-designed all-season tread for wet-weather traction and a quiet ride, extra deep treads for extended tire life, and a rounded casing profile for a smooth ride. The tire also carries an S speed rating and a UTQG rating of 300 for treadwear, a B for traction, and a B for temperature.
Bfgoodrich Outstanding Trails
BFGoodrich Tires, Tread Lightly!, and the United Four Wheel Drive Association (UFWDA) have joined forces to launch the Outstanding Trails program. The joint effort is designed to promote some of the best off-road trails in the country and is dedicated to the responsible use and preservation of these off-road trails. BFGoodrich and its partners will also aid in the conservation process. The Outstanding Trails program recognizes five of the best trails in North America, each selected for its uniqueness, type of terrain, and enthusiast following. After a careful nomination process held in collaboration with Tread Lightly! and UFWDA, BFGoodrich selected five trails to receive the Outstanding Trail accolade. The trails selected include: Black Bear Pass near Ouray, Colorado; Pyeatt Draw in Payson, Arizona; Hell's Revenge in Moab; the historic Naches Pass/Longmire Wagon Train in Naches, Washington; and Trail #4 at Upper Tellico OHV area in North Carolina. The program series began in May and runs through October and includes several events held at designated trails to highlight the uniqueness of each location and educate off-road enthusiasts on the responsible use of these and other trails. BFG Tires will also present a grant to a selected off-road club to help with the costs associated with trail preservation. For more information, check out: www.bfgoodrichtires.com.
Cal Access Expo 2006
After finding success with its Access for All Expo held in 2004, Californians for Public Access Inc. is launching its 1st Annual Cal Access Expo October 21 and 22, 2006, to further raise funds to defend public land use on the legal front and celebrate outdoor recreational interests. The event will feature Top Fuel sand drags as part of the Fall Sand Nationals presented by CA4WDC, as well as a rockcrawling competition put on by CalRocs. A vehicle show 'n' shine, exhibitors, food vendors, kids' games, and a raffle will also be offered. For more information about the event, check out: www.calaccess.net.
'07 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Four-Door
Pretty much every Jeep fan we know has been eagerly awaiting the release of the heavily rumored Wrangler four-door, and Jeep finally made the announcement that it will be a reality for the '07 model year. The '07 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited was unveiled at the New York Auto Show in the spring of 2006 and will arrive in U.S. Jeep dealerships in fall 2006. Aside from its longer 116-inch wheelbase and four-door configuration, the new Wrangler model will share the majority of its components with the standard-body '07 Wrangler including a 3.8L OHV V-6 engine with 205 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque (a diesel engine will be offered outside North America), a six-speed manual or four-speed auto trans, enhanced Dana 30 front and Dana 44 rear axles, and a Command-Trac NV241, part-time two-speed transfer case with a 2.72:1 Low range. A Rubicon model will also be produced and will feature front and rear Dana 44s equipped with lockers and a Rock-Trac NV241 'case with a 4.0:1 Low range. A five-link, solid-axle suspension configuration will also be employed.
All of the four doors on the Wrangler Unlimited are front-hinged, with inside and outside latches and windows that travel all the way down. The new 60/40 split rear seat can accommodate three passengers and provides 33 inches of front-to-rear couple distance and 37.2 inches of legroom. When the seat is folded down, a total of 102.9 cubic feet of interior space is created; 46.4 cubic feet of cargo space is provided with the seats in the upright position. The vehicle offers an approach angle of 44.4 degrees, a breakover angle of 20.8 degrees, and a best-in-class departure angle of 40.5 degrees. The Wrangler Unlimited also features a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds and an optional towing package that includes a 4.10 axle ratio, a Class III trailer hitch, and two front towhooks.
Interior amenities will be the same as those offered in the standard-model '07 Wrangler. The exterior, however, will exhibit a slightly different appearance with its exposed B-pillars and larger sport bar, drawing much of its look from earlier Jeep concepts such as the '97 Jeep Dakar, '04 Jeep Rescue, and '05 Jeep Gladiator. The new, three-piece, modular hardtop, dubbed the "Freedom Top," will also offer a unique look with its removable panels that create multiple, open-air driving options. The '07 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is being built at the Chrysler Group's Toledo assembly plant in Toledo, Ohio.