The price of entry into desert racing just got a little cheaper. Tuff Stuff 4x4 is developing a Jeep Wrangler designed for intense desert racing for under $50,000.
The firm says its desert racing Jeep will be the cheapest of its kind ever built to withstand the rigors of SCORE International and Best in the Desert racing in the Jeepspeed series.
Jeepspeed, divided into three classes, serves as something of a training ground for desert racing and it was inspired by a Toyota-only series at the Dakar Rally. Rules for the classes are tight, but they allow for lightly-modified Jeep vehicles like the Cherokee and Wrangler to compete.
Some drivers have already been signed up to compete with the Jeep Wrangler racer this season. They include Brett Maister, Mike Barnette, and Matt Lovell, all of whom are highly experienced desert racers.
The Jeep comes loaded with kit:
- Poison Spyder bumpers and Jeep armor
- PRP seat belts and race seats; auto meter gages
- Yukon Gear and Axle 5:14 gears and axles
- MaxTrans Custom Built Turbo 400 transmission
- LQ4 engine built by Pacific Fab
- King Shocks suspension (2.5-inch coil over with 3.5-in bypass)
- 37-in General Tires
- Fiberwerx front dash and center console
- Ruff Stuff front and rear axles, arms and suspension kits
- Tuff Stuff LED lights
- Winches and recovery products
- Linex interior
- Pegasus off-road hoses and fittings
- Airaid air intake system
- MLR Raceworks/Matt Lovell cage
The initial build will make its racing debut later this season, although an exact venue hasn't yet been announced. It's a decidedly grassroots effort at the opposite end of the spectrum of the recently-announced, factory-supported F-150 Raptor Best in the Desert race truck from Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F].
Unfortunately, photos of the new Jeep Wrangler race truck are yet to be released.
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