The stock digital gauge will be used to monitor engine vital signs, but there will possibly be additional gauges for oil & temperature warning lights

A good GPS unit is a must to navigate the open desert race courses. We are installing a 7 inch HD Lowrance system.  We also need to mount the radio communication system, the weatherproof switches with manual reset circuit breakers and helmet air system. The stock gauge cluster from Polaris is the best way to monitor the motor vitals. But we may install some additional oil and temp warning lights that will help get our attention in the event of an issue.

Engine mods will mostly consist of an HMF exhaust that is designed to open up the airflow resulting in increased horsepower and torque. Also the HMF pipes are made of aluminum and weigh considerably less than the stock muffler.

We added a nice looking full dual exhaust system from HMF that adds 4+ horsepower & 2+ lbs of torque. In addition, the dual HMF exhaust system is lighter than stock

The stock air intake is a good design and should work very well for normal use, but the plastic filter and plenum boxes might break at the mounts when subjected to abuse. We don’t want to take any chances so will be installing an aluminum system that will filter the intake air just as well as the stock design but should hold up better to the jolts, twists and harsh impacts that are a part of off road racing.

We are sure that there are some internal changes that we can make such as cams piston and head work that we can do to increase the power output. But for now we are going to run the stock set up and enjoy the reliability that Polaris built into its engines.  

A larger CBR radiator with a built in oil cooler was added to the Polaris RZR XP 1000 SxS & was mounted to the rear window for better airflow

Pushing hard for long periods of time in sometimes very hot desert temperatures requires an overbuilt radiator. We will be running a CBR radiator with a built in oil cooler mounted in the back window to protect it and give it the best air flow possible.

As for the suspension, we are talking with several different aftermarket companies trying to determine which long travel kit or reinforced a-arm set up is going to improve the performance on the race course. In the open desert races where the UTVs are required to drive in the ruts that have been made by 6000lb trucks on 40 inch tires with a 95 inch track width. Needless to say, things can get a little dicey.

There is no question that in those situations a longer arm kit giving you a wider track width helps the UTVs to run a straighter line instead of bouncing from one rut to the next.  When it comes to short course we want to be nimble and be able to make the tight corners, so the stock setup is looking like it just might do the trick.

Although the stock a-arms shock mounting tabs are strong we added weld washers & gussets to be even stronger

In the past, the stock a-arms used a cross tube and ran a single long bolt through a single mount location on each side of the arm where it connected to the chassis.
 The Polaris RZR XP 1000 uses two separate mounting locations with short bolts and double shear points making the mounting locations much stronger.   They also used thicker material and better designed mounting tabs to fasten the arms. Even though we think the factory set up will hold, we are going to play it safe and add weld washers and gussets to the tabs.

The 2014 Polaris RZR XP 1000 SxS features Walker Evans shocks that features 16" of travel in the front & 18" of travel in the rear

Shocks and springs are determined by the mounting points, arm length, leverage, over all travel and final weight of the machine. Since we are still uncertain on the suspension set up, we will wait to see the aftermarket arm designs to select the right shocks. However, we believe that if we stick with the stock suspension the Walker Evens shocks should handle the job just fine.

Wheels and tires take the most noticeable abuse of all of the parts of a racing UTV.  In the desert we need to add ground clearance to deal with the ruts, rocks and huge whoops. A 30 inch tire is the biggest tire allowed by the current race rules.  Many teams have experimented and found that it is hard to beat a light truck tire on a 15 inch beadlock wheel. We choose the OMF Beadlock wheels for their dependability and great value. We are going to be running the Growler from Pitbull Tires as a tried and true though as can be desert tire. Protected with Monster Seal puncture sealant we know we should have not tire failures.  We have had a long history of running Pitbull Tires on our desert race truck and have even finished an entire season of races without a single flat. 

The first races for the RaceQuest Polaris RZR 1000 will be in Las Vegas at the WORCS short course race held at Buffalo Bills Casino Resort on Saturday Oct. 12 2013 and also The Best In The Desert , Blue Water Challenge held in Parker Arizona on Saturday and Sunday Oct.12 and 13 2013. Feel free to come by the pits and check out the new 2014 Polaris RZR XP 1000.