RACE BUILDS: MATT BURROUGHS’ #1 X3 & KADEN WELLS’ #1 RZR

On May 8, 2023

Inside the SCORE Pro Turbo and Pro NA champs’ UTVs By the staff of Dirt Wheels

In the 2022 four-race SCORE Baja championship series, Matt Burroughs clinched the Pro Forced-Induction UTV title, scoring fourth-place finishes in the San Felipe 250, Baja 400 and the Baja 1000, and ninth at the Baja 500 in his Monster Maverick X3. He was fifth in overall points behind Trophy Truck and Trophy Truck Spec 1-2s. Kaden Wells topped the Pro NA UTVs with a pair of thirds in the 250 and 500, and wins at the 400 and 1000 in his Risq Racing RZR XP 1000. The four-time champ scored 20 straight podiums in Pro NAs and switched to the Pro R for 2023. We had a chance to check out both the #2948 X3 and #1995 RZR during SCORE Contingency.

Kaden Wells clinched the 2022 SCORE Pro NA 1000 Championship with wins in the Baja 400 and 1000 and podiums in the San Felipe 250 and the 500. After four SCORE and BITD champions in XP 1000s, he switched to the Open Pros in a RZR Pro R for 2023.

Power is by Dynojet with a tune by DW Performance, and the exhaust is stock RZR. A Summers Brothers torsion bar has the links mounted on the softest setting, and travel is limited via Kartek straps to keep the OEM axles wear at full droop.

**An UMP aluminum air box and ram-air induction frees up the intake for more power, and a radiator relocate keeps mud or damaging roost out of the equation during races.**

Wells’ Polaris Factory Racing RZR XP 4 1000 is converted to a two-seat racer for better speed through the deep-desert, trophy-truck whoops of Baja. The suspension arms are OEM with weld-on gussets/skid plates for strength and protection.

KADEN WELLS’ RISQ RACING RZR XP 1000

We caught up to Dad, crew chief and mechanic Travis Wells at the 400, who told us that the family was already building Kaden’s factory Polaris Pro R. The Risq Racing XP 1000 was built in-house with Risq Racing’s weld-on frame gussets ($325 front, $325 rear), race cage, doors, roof and ball-joint cups ($200). RisqRacing.com has a full gusset kit that includes front and rear gussets and the ball-joint cups for $750. Stock RZR lower A-arms and trailing arms also get weld-on gusset/skid plates. Fox Factory remote-reservoir rear shocks and piggyback front shocks have Fox Factory springs and Vital Motion tuning, and they’re protected by SealSavers. Kartek limiting straps also protect the rear shocks. A Summers Brothers rear torsion bar was set on the softest setting for the Baja 400. Axles, carriers and hubs are stock RZR, and the build has a radiator relocate with CBR radiator and a Risq Racing oil-cooler kit ($600).

Matt Burroughs put in four consistent races to clinch the SCORE Forced-Induction Pro UTV Championship, and his fourth place in the Baja 1000 in the Alsup/Cognito #2948 Monster Maverick decided the championship at that final round.

Check out the huge aluminum 30-gallon fuel cell, wrap-around chassis/sway-bar brace, aluminum air box, and ram-air scoop (top #2948) for CVT cooling. Safeco fire extinguisher systems provide safety inside and out.

Kaden’s RZR has Simpson seats and harnesses, PCI radio comms and clean-air pumper, Juan’s window nets, a Sparco steering wheel, and Hess Motorsports 4×4 over-ride and EPS reset switches. The RZR T-bar is replaced with a mount for the Lowrance GPS, and the mount has Odi grips on uprights for the co-pilot. Race video is by Turn 2 Video. An UMP aluminum air filter, housing and ram-air intake ride behind the rear firewall and in front of the CBE radiator. Even the exhaust is stock, and the bed is filled with an Assault Industries spare-tire carrier and Savage UTV first-aid and CVT belt carriers. Tensor 32×10-15 race tires ride on Method beadlock race wheels. Assault’s Sidewinder convex mirrors ($309.95) and Baja Designs’ LP9 Pro LED on the front bumper handle rear and night vision. A Dynojet fuel tuner has a DW Performance race tune.

Burroughs’ Monster Maverick has a combination of Sparks and Evolution Powersports providing the race power, and Alsup provides the engine and intercooler cooling with relocation and large fans. A bed delete provides more room for spare axles, and Fox Factory Racing Applications Development (RAD) ESC-2 provides extra shock fluid and cooling.

MATT BURROUGHS’ #2948 MONSTER MAVERICK X3

Matt Burroughs’ Monster Maverick X3 sports Cognito 72-inch, OEM-replacement, boxed-steel trailing arms ($2,669.95); Uniball replacement, boxed upper A-arms ($1,449.95); camber-adjustable lower A-arms ($849.95); high-clearance billet radius rods; radius-rod plate ($124.95); and Boxo tool roll ($385). The Alsup build has a race cage with an extended rear bumper and enclosed spare carrier. The bed is deleted, and a larger intercooler rides upright behind the driver’s seat with a large cooling fan. Above that, an aluminum ram-air box ducts cooling air to the CVT.
To the right, an Alsup radiator relocate with larger radiator and large fan cool the Evo Powersports-tuned triple. The Evo exhaust has an extension to clear the rear box, and it’s wrapped with DEI heat insulation. The plastic Donaldson air box is replaced by an aluminum air box. Alsup also fabricated the Lowrance mount and T-bar for Zach Burroughs.

Axles are by Summers Brothers, and the hubs are ZRP, along with the ball joints. Brake calipers are J.Juan ($749.95 each), and tires are System 3 33×9.5R15 RT320s on OMF bead-lock race wheels. Shocks are Factory Fox RC2 IBP Race Series with ESC-2 finned remote reservoirs out back. Eibach’s rear sway bar is set on the stiffer setting, and the stock X3 steering box and Smart-Lok front diff are used. SealSavers shock guards protect the shafts from roost, and the CVT belt is GBoost. Assault’s Ruxak carries the tire-changing tools, and the jack is AMG. A Fuel Safe 30-gallon racing

CONTACTS:

Alsup Racing Development

13402 Blodget Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93314, (661) 487-2303 alsuprd.com

Cognito Motorsports

34935 Flyover Court Bakersfield, CA 93308, (661) 588-8085

Hess Motorsports

202 N. Mesquite St., Muenster, TX 76252, (940) 759-4597 hess-motorsports.com

Zollinger Racing Products

1723 West 2960 South, Nibley, UT 84321, (435) 753-2733 zollingerracingproducts.com, [email protected]