UROC bowing out of rock crawling!

[Lance]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: UROC 2007 ProNationals
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:31:17 -0600
From: Ranch Pratt <ranch@uroc.com>
To: <ranch@uroc.com>


As many of you know UROC introduced a new form of rock motorsport at the Off Road Expo in Pomona known as Rockcross ™. The sport is a form of racing that is unique in that it pits teams against each other in head to head competition. The reviews and excitement from the introduction have been somewhat staggering and all of the UROC sponsors save for two have chosen to put their efforts and energy into Rockcross™ instead of the rockcrawling efforts of the past.

We have just received word that a few key rockcrawling sponsors have recently made strategic changes in their marketing plans for 2007. The results of these changes have had a dramatic affect on their ability to support off road. This includes, among other things, rockcrawling, and while we are disappointed to hear this news, we certainly understand and express appreciation to them for their efforts in rockcrawling and helping it become a true motorsport over the past seven years.

These changes clearly have a profound affect on UROC and force us to make some logical choices. Choices that we know will have an overall positive affect on teams around the country. We have weighed in with sponsors and taken a close look at the sport. We have reviewed where the sport has come from, where it is going, the relationship to industry as well as the identification with and relationship to the recreational sport that it derives from. After weighing all aspects, we have chosen to cancel the 2007 UROC Pro National effective immediately. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause teams preparing for the season and recognize the proximity of this announcement to the first event.

At UROC, we feel that UROC RockCross™ has a very bright future and addresses many of the concerns that rockcrawling has inherent to its natural format. It has the great aspects of rockcrawling but is not encumbered by the difficulty of understanding. It has short moto's that are exciting and action packed. It has a unique format in that teams are head to head and side by side. Everyone understands a green flag and a checkered flag and fans can get instant gratification with seeing a great battle and ultimately a winner of that battle. They don’t have to wait for scores or compare times. It is full on motor sports competition the way it was meant to be, multiple competitors on the same course with only one finish line. And while we are saddened by the changes with rockcrawling, we are excited about the future of RockCross™ and the many upcoming announcements regarding Rockcross™ and the synergy that it is building.

Should you have questions or concerns feel free to contact me via email at ranch@uroc.com, or by phone at 801-815-0088.

[DSI]

WOW... guess i got lot's of time to finish the motor swap now....

[beerisgood]

Wow. So are they immediately stopping or finishing out this year?

[wilburburns]

Originally Posted by beerisgood

Wow. So are they immediately stopping or finishing out this year?

The 2007 UROC Season has not started, therefore there is nothing to finish up for this year. So, to more bluntly answer your question, they are stopping immediately.

Cliff

[RedBullJeep]

Originally Posted by Lance

...we have chosen to cancel the 2007 UROC Pro National effective immediately.

There's your answer...

[DSI]

Originally Posted by beerisgood

Wow. So are they immediately stopping or finishing out this year?

After weighing all aspects, we have chosen to cancel the 2007 UROC Pro National effective immediately. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause teams preparing for the season and recognize the proximity of this announcement to the first event

sounds like they're done before it starts...

[DetR6oit]

Originally Posted by beerisgood

Wow. So are they immediately stopping or finishing out this year?

if you read it it says
"we have chosen to cancel the 2007 UROC Pro National effective immediately."

[a2b]

does anyone else compare rock cross to swamp buggy racing which lasted a few years in the late 80's.

[camo]

swamp buggy racing IS cool

[TONY K]

paging big Rich....please step up to the microphone.......

[rockcrawln]

Anyone have any idea if they are talking about something like motocross or monster truck racing where it is done in arenas and other large venues? Or are they still going to have the events at the "usual" locations?

[lt1wrangler]

Wow, can't wait to call my sponsors and let them know that my season just changed dramatically, sorry for not coming thru for them. I don't think I'll be supporting anything with UROC's name on it.

[JPGUY]

Originally Posted by lt1wrangler

Wow, can't wait to call my sponsors and let them know that my season just changed dramatically, sorry for not coming thru for them. I don't think I'll be supporting anything with UROC's name on it.

Yea that's gotta suck for a lot of you UROC guy's!!!! Nice of them to give you all that notice!!! It seems UROC is really good at screwing competitors over. I really don't see a need for them when we have bodies like WEROCK and XRRA that actually care about and support the competitors.

Call the new RockCross series whatever you want, it's still UROC and you can't polish a turd. I'll stick to XRRA

[SuperRanger]

While UROC might not have been able to accomodate every rockcrawler and sponsor, I greatly appreciate thier investment of time and money in the sport. While the hype around racing is great, I hope others will continue with the vision of COMPETITIVE ROCKCRAWLING. I always had fun at UROC events and would rather be in Phoenix on May 12th than eating the price of an airline ticket.

As a team, and a sport, I think we learned a lot from UROC. I am, as I am sure others are, dissapointed with this news and wish UROC success in Rockcross.

Now if I could just add 4 events to the calender....

[alwayssmiling67]

After seeing all of the reactions of excitement coming from the fans at WEROCK's Hannibal event this weekend, I can't see Rockcrawling going away.

And if you need another venue to satisfy your sponsors RROCK has a 4 event series
$2000 in additional series money available for each class.
www.rrock.us
First event of the season is April 28th & 29th ...and it comes with a free party!

[Big Rich]

Originally Posted by TONY K

paging big Rich....please step up to the microphone.......

I just did:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...80#post6707780





.

[pure-adrenaline]

So was it becase of sponsors or no competitors? I got a call just last week asking if I was competing. I told them no....XRRA for our team.

[jbcruiser]

Wow...I am completely beside myself...who saw this coming

[Tim Florian]

What I'd like to know is, what's gonna happen to the Pheonix and Salt Lake man made courses. I was really looking forward to competing on those courses.

I think it would be awesome if We-Rock could hold events in both places in the future.

[wickedmag]

We all saw this one comming! I gues We all will be redoing are calander!!

[TJMagoo]

Originally Posted by JPGUY

It seems UROC is really good at screwing competitors over. I really don't see a need for them when we have bodies like WEROCK and XRRA that actually care about and support the competitors.

Which is why I made the switch to run all WeRock this year.

Originally Posted by pure-adrenaline

So was it becase of sponsors or no competitors?

Exactly what I was thinking too.

[CrossedUp]

WOW!

We also got a call last week-asking if we were competing this year. They wanted $425 for the series fee that consisted of two one day events. Then you had to pay $475 for each one day event. NOT COOL

I do still greatly appreciate our experiences with UROC in the past. We plan on running
Rock Racing despite the recent news.

From what I hear XRRA is FULL and is not excepting NEW Teams. IS THIS TRUE?

Thanks to W.E Rock for stepping up, and making Rock Crawling a Great Sport.

[zachv]

I may not have all of the information, but is Ranch not the most screwed up, disorganized, disloyal, and overall lamest business owner EVER?? Really, a few weeks before their season starts they announce their sanctioning body is defunct. How can he sleep after telling people they were going to have a season, have those people commit to his company, and put the sponsorship situation in a more shaky light than it already is?? I almost think he is worse for our industry than Bob Hazel at this point...

[jbcruiser]

Originally Posted by CrossedUp

WOW!

We also got a call last week-asking if we were competing this year. They wanted $425 for the series fee that consisted of two one day events. Then you had to pay $475 for each one day event. NOT COOL

I do still greatly appreciate our experiences with UROC in the past. We plan on running
Rock Racing despite the recent news.

From what I hear XRRA is FULL and is not excepting NEW Teams. IS THIS TRUE?

Thanks to W.E Rock for stepping up, and making Rock Crawling a Great Sport.

XRRA is full.
I really hope that people do not support UROC with Rock Cross. They really just screwed a bunch of good people.

[MUCHADO]

Originally Posted by jbcruiser

XRRA is full.
I really hope that people do not support UROC with Rock Cross. They really just screwed a bunch of good people.

I wonder how former UROC teams are going to deal with not being able to fufill their obligaitons to sponsors this year