The world of Off Road Racing

Photo Credit: Mike Peffers Photography

It's all about speed!

Off Road racing is a form of motorsport racing set on rough terrain in a forest or farm venue sometimes with purpose-built jumps for short course tracks.

There are two types of off-road racing - short track stadium-style sprint events, and longer “open course” endurance races of up to 500 km at forest and farm venues.

Off Road racing is about speed and rough tracks, with Short Track courses including purpose-built jumps and other challenges such as Woodhill and the Manukau International Off-Road Stadium.

Enduro races are based around a circuit, with the course being extended out into the surrounding farmland or forestry, but many are run on a temporary course set up specifically for the event. The isolation of these events sees a weekend tent city appear for the weekend.

Most competitors race in both types of events, and the National Championship Series is made up of a combination of both.

Entrants are divided into classes ranging from big V8-powered buggies and trucks to four-cylinder buggies and modified production 4WDs and Utes.

Between these two extremes sit the smaller built buggies such as UTVs, which with their greater balance and nimbleness regularly take the honours away from their bigger, more fancied opposition.

Photo Credit: Mike Peffers Photography

Join the Off-Racing World

If you are already an avid fan of off-roading, perhaps you own a UTV, a quad, a motorcycle, or a truck, there’s a good chance you may want to take that next step and start racing. Well then, you’ve come to the right place!

Off-road racing is one of the most exciting forms of competition racing on earth. The challenges are immense and so are the rewards and the sense of satisfaction one experiences for taking on some of the toughest off-road adventures in the world.

Whether it’s competing for an overall or class win or just the tremendous sense of accomplishment one gets for crossing the finish line of a long and grueling event, there is no other form of competition quite like off-road racing.

Go to a Competition

The best place to start is by attending an off-road racing competition. That way you will see the action up close and see how races operate.

You’ll get to see how drivers and co-drivers interact with their pit crews, how the race officials and volunteers keep the event running smoothly and safely, and how scoring works.

It will help you understand what is necessary to transfer your mindset from a weekend warrior mentality into a racing mentality.

Check out the ORANZ website for more information and upcoming events.

Photo Credit: Mike Peffers Photography

Go to a Competition

The best place to start is by attending an off-road racing competition. That way you will see the action up close and see how races operate.

You’ll get to see how drivers and co-drivers interact with their pit crews, how the race officials and volunteers keep the event running smoothly and safely, and how scoring works.

It will help you understand what is necessary to transfer your mindset from a weekend warrior mentality into a racing mentality.

Check out the ORANZ website for more information and upcoming events.

Do you want to build your own car?

The team at Shores NZ Fabrication has the expertise and experience to help you get started.

Tim started competitively racing off-road buggies in 2015 and has a long history of co-driver racing internationally and nationally. His C30 Challenger earned him many trophies, including the North Island Championship 1st overall trophy in 2019.

​He built his Class 1 buggy "Joe" and has loved the process of building "Joe" from frame to a race-ready car. When he is not racing (which is not often as he loves being on the track), you will find him on the track helping other drivers out or marshalling the event.