Racing has classes for types of drivers ,contrary to your thinking Zags. There are race courses and types of racing with a range of dificulty level.
"Little obsticle courses" as you call them would get alot of suv drivers out and into learning there vehicles better and they support the sport , how you ask? Well they buy the brush guards at $500 a piece and the big tube light bars and bumpers the the 4x4 retailers make their money on. Winches on jeeps that never see off road,33" tires on a explorer that drives the freeway.
Come on you see that just like me they support the biz,we or i should say you hard core rock crawlers with a dedicated vehicle give them something to shoot for. they want the appearance of off road but can't afford the the expensive stuff we put on ourselves ,or most of the work is done ourselves keeping costs down.
And yes you could build a great rig for $20k and compete with the big boys because driving ability it a major role in this sport. But what about the guys who don't have $20k to put into a rig? I have less than 8k in mine and go plenty of places,i am limited by ifs still because of costs and kids in college prevent me from adding more things.
Don't you think a sportmans class of people who have some mods but not an all out tube chassis with fenders bolted on to similate a toyota want to compete too? I do..but i cant run over those rocks the guys with 40" or 38" tires do ,and with ifs and 35" I am limited to travel but hey if they made a course similar and yet passable like some of the trails we see it would attract more people for sure. More people means mor emoney in purses and deeper down the line as well.
Just think there is an oppertunity to open up the Rock Crawler Sport with extra classes thats all,you have a huge market of off roaders out there get them to the events where an almost stock vehicle climbs over rocks goes up a hill and flexes overs a some small boulders and the will be hooked. Driving a vehicle in 4l ow off road over rocks trails in the mud is a great feeling of freedom and adventure. Yes we have "Clubs" for that but we can also give those clubs a chance to compete.
Besides who da thunka Suzuki would beat any toyota...lol
