For the people that went to Calroc's: Why did the guy in the tube rock buggy win.

1. Was it the weight of the rig?
2. Was it his driving skills?
3. It certainly wasen't big HP.

I was thinking about building a rock buggy to run events like that and ARCA. There was alot of rigs there that were way tricker i.e rear steer big motors bullet proof drive train. Just curious about what you people thought about that rig, and how well it worked. It seemed to me that it was fairly simple and well done at the same time.:rolleyes:

Owner is: Mike Schaeffer
lives: Reno or Carson City (I think)
try contacting him for details.
He did good for several reasons:
1.Power to weight ratio
2.vehicle size
3.consistency
4.course was set in his favor - narrow gates, tight turns, no boulders.
5.the rig works - turning brakes, balance, performance
6.he is a damn good driver!
7.he hit the fewest number of cones!

Bottom line, he was well prepared and got the job done.
Having the rig he does did help, but to be succesful requires a combination of driver, machine and luck - he had all 3.

500 HORS,

I was thinking the same, but you see guys with super trick rigs with big HP rear steer etc. and they couldn't get too much done. I wounder now how Mike will do at the ARCA big Rock events? I was totaly amazed when he drove it up the last climb on course in the final. That guy rocks!!! all 97 HP:eek:

This was the first comp. I've attended. It seems to me, the coarses could favor certain setups depending on how they were layed out. From a rookie spectator point of view.

Originally posted by M/C MAN
I wounder now how Mike will do at the ARCA big Rock events?

Mike finished sixth overall for the 2001 ARCA Series.

first off, Mike has 175hp, not 97hp. At least that's what he's told me in the past. With his rig only weighing in at 2300lbs, that's a kick ass power to weight ratio.

As far as ARCA goes, he is always in the top 10. He finished 6th overall in 2001.

He told me 160 HP :D:D But that's not why he won.

His buggy works very well, and it's size helped clear the narrow gates.

I think his driving style helped alot, he didn't try to put on a show, if he new he wasn't going to clear a gate it seemed he would jsut skip it and not risk getting points for stopping or backing attempting to make a gate as many others did. (Not much fun to watch, but effective)

Mike lives in Carson City, his shop is there too (Shaffer Offroad 775-885-9944).

The new rig is a little longer than the Sami he used most of the season. The new rig was built for the last ARCA comp of 2001 - he needed a longer wheelbase to make the steeper climbs.:D

I think alot of it has to do with the spotter:smokin:
But mostly the rig kicks ass........:smokin:

Originally posted by MIKE S
I think alot of it has to do with the spotter:smokin:
But mostly the the rig kicks ass........:smokin:

who is this guy??? i don't think he has a clue about it!!!!:D

Your right no clue:rasta:

Originally posted by MIKE S
Your right no clue:rasta:

HE! HE!:D

I agree that the small size realy helped for this course. Iy looked to me that he and his spotter worked well together and had a game plan. Like one other post said if they were going to hit the gate then fine unlike most of the rest where they would use 3 or 4 backups and then hit it anyway. Having run a few comps sure helped the two of them keep their cool and let the results speak for them not how many photos were taken of them.

It seems to me that a coarse like that is designed for just that tipe of rig, my opinion.

Originally posted by MIKE S
I think alot of it has to do with the spotter:smokin:
But mostly the rig kicks ass........:smokin:

Gotta ask whats the drivetrain in that thing?

I heard that it was a pumped sidekick motor and trans. It looked like 44's front and rear.

Originally posted by high5


who is this guy??? i don't think he has a clue about it!!!!:D

:rasta: Hey high5, Think about it - Mike S, from Carson City?? Yes, that is Mr. Shaffer!!:flipoff2: