Team OTSFF/MOTUL’s Adam Fitza took the 2020 UTV World Championship by storm – October 7th thru 11th at Lake Havasu City in Arizona – claiming
fifth place in the main event on Saturday. Fitza started in 28th position in a field of 48 UTV Rally class entries. Starting positions were determined by the time and date of registration as opposed to the usual qualifying runs. Based on that protocol the drivers started in pairs, side-by-side, with Fitza grabbing the holeshot when it was time for the green flag. From there, he systematically sliced- and-diced his way through the pack to connect with the frontrunners in his lightning quick Polaris RZR XP Turbo. For the first two of four laps on the specially designed 29-mile course, Fitza was accompanied by Drew Robinson in the co-driver’s seat. Fitza’s wife Kelsey took over from Robinson on lap three for a ride to the finish line she won’t soon forget. With no dust for the first five miles or so, Fitza poured on the gas and started catching and passing some of the vehicles that had started ahead of him. At Race Mile 9, however, a multi-vehicle crash had blocked the way ahead and Team OTSFF/MOTUL found themselves having to wait until the wreckage was cleared. This resulted in the loss of a valuable ten minutes on the clock. Undaunted, Fitza and Robinson took up where they left off and settled into a racing groove and quick-pit-strategies that would translate into a very noteworthy fifth place finish.
Before the actual championship race on Saturday, Fitza was busy taking care of pre-race business. He took some time on Tuesday to reconnoiter the course, taking notes and determining what lines would be the best to take in the heat of battle. On Wednesday he took part in a sanctioned Poker Run, just to get the feel of the Polaris RZR on the desert terrain.
On Thursday, tech inspection day, the race vehicle was on view at team sponsor VISION Wheel’s display booth, where it was inspected by officials. The OTSFF/MOTUL UTV passed with flying colors. Fitza, who is known for building race trucks, was pleasantly surprised he got everything right with the UTV, as he didn’t quite know what to expect. Friday was spent watching other people race and hanging with fellow competitors. Saturday morning came early, with a 5:00 AM wake-up call. At 7:15 AM Fitza and Robinson were on the start line ready to get their race underway.
“Everything worked beyond my expectations. We had no major issues, no flats, no bent wheels. Nothing. Everything held up well. The Polaris Ranger is a phenomenal machine. It took everything that was thrown at it in stride. And by that I mean the vehicle took a lot of abuse while handling beautifully on what was probably the rockiest, roughest course I’ve ever seen. There were some high-speed sections but mostly it was very technical and difficult,” Fitza said. “Big rocks, big drop-offs, lots of sand washes, etcetera. But I loved it and had major fun doing this event. It was great actually. We got through it and finished top-five. Our aim, as always, was first and foremost to finish the race and from there see what we can come up with at the checkered flag. It was a good day for us.”
This weekend Fitza will be in attendance at the Sand Sports Super Show in Scottsdale, Arizona, October 17-18. The team’s 6100 Spec Trophy Truck and the Polaris RZR UTV will be on display in the MOTUL Lubricants booth. The Sand Sports Super Show is an annual American trade show and consumer expo – launched in 1998 – where thousands of sand sports fans gather to experience the latest products and industry innovations.
Team OTSFF/MOTUL would like to thank all the individuals and contributing sponsors for their invaluable support to help make our participation in the 2020 UTV World Championship possible. If you happen to be in the Scottsdale, AZ area this weekend, please drop by the MOTUL booth at the Sand Sports Sup Shows and say hello.