Two beastly machines emerged from the mad-science realms of the UTV world last year: Can-Am’s Maverick R3 and Polaris’ RZR Pro R Factory. Minnesota outfit Polaris introduced the latter as the chosen rig for an industry-first factory-backed race team, and it won out of the gate. Team driver Brock Heger won three of the four races in the SCORE series, including the Baja 1000, driving off with the series’ Pro UTV Open Class Championship and getting Polaris the Manufacturer’s Championship. Moving into this year, a modified version of the first-gen Pro R Factory won its class at the Dakar Rally as part of Sebastien Loeb Racing, then Heger piloted the standard factory rig to victory in the Desert Race at the King of the Hammers. For this weekend’s San Felipe 250, the first race in SCORE’s 2024 schedule, Polaris introduced the second-gen RZR Pro R Factory, improved with expertise and parts from car-based motorsports.
It started with a new one-piece roll cage. Based on driver feedback, Polaris engineered a new tube-frame cell to be lighter, stiffer, stronger and roomier, then enlisted North Carolina firm Technique Chassis to build the cage — the same Technique that builds every frame for every NASCAR Cup Series car. Technique also manufactures the new, removable front and rear bumpers to make “nerfing” easier, the act of bumping a competitor in front to get them out of the way so a faster rig can pass. The Gen 2 also gets a few more lights on the front bumper, and the rear unit’s been reshaped to seat the spare wheel at a much shallower angle. When it comes time to pull that spare, engineers upgraded the mounts for it, the jack and the tool kits to stand up to race-pace repairs.
Polaris didn’t touch the mechanicals at the heart of the ProStar Fury 2.0-liter four-cylinder. A new Motec ECU oversees performance parameters, a new Motec power distribution box and switch panel expand the configuration options. ProStar power gets transferred down a new, lighter, carbon fiber and aluminum prop shaft that can endure more torque, ProStar emissions run through a new Polaris-designed muffler that maintains power while limiting volume at high revs. And a larger fuel cell from ATL extends the distance between pit stops to as much as 200 miles.
A new, returned Dynamix suspension control module works the Fox 3.0 Live Valve X2 internal bypass shocks and new, stronger, more adjustable upper control arms. Satisfying another driver request, the module offers four driving modes: Comfort, Baja Soft, Baja Medium and Baja Firm.
Stopping power in high heat and high-use situations sees a big upgrade with an Alcon racing brake system that bolts on two master cylinders and opposed-piston calipers clamping Alcon rotors. To keep the Gen 2’s weight close to that of the first-gen factory rig, Polaris used more carbon fiber body panels.
It’s not all spendy new parts, though. Polaris saying the engine, entire CVT, front and rear drive units, CV joints, lower control arms, knuckles and trailing arms come from the stock rig.
Based on early results, the Gen 2 RZR Pro R Factory maintains its stranglehold on SCORE races. At the time of writing, the unofficial San Felipe 250 results page shows factory drivers Brock Heger and Cayden MacCachren finishing first and second in-class, respectively, team driver Max Eddy, Jr. finishing fourth.
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