Teardown in Tennessee: Ultra4 Racing at AOP July 24th/25th

Hardline Crawlers - Rock Bouncer Builds, Tech & Off-Road Trail Talk

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Was there Wednesday through Sunday. Helped several teams get their areas setup and helped AOP Staff with some of the checkin process. Still did a fair amount of trail riding Thursday and Friday evening/night.

Was a huge racer turnout and nearly all the racers I talked to enjoyed the race course as it was setup. Some of the wide IFS cars didn't enjoy some of the switchbacks and "narrow" course, but the course was way wider than it was Thursday night when we "preran" it.

Talking with Ultra4 staff, they plan to come back to AOP next year, but it will probably not be in July.

Many thanks to all of the racers, pit crew, race support, Ultra4 staff, media members, Livestream crew, and AOP staff (especially @Pumpkin) for all of their work coming out to race, marking the course, adjusting the course, recovery, and countless hours spent before and after the races.

Here is a link to the "official" results by class:
https://www.ultra4racing.com/2020-4wp-tear-down-tennessee-official-results
Here is a link to the Livestream for each class:
https://www.youtube.com/c/Ultra4RacingAction/videos
All things considered, it was a successful race/event despite the heat and the only thing I'd change (other than the temperature) was to have a couple of dedicated spectator areas in the grass infield and maybe a couple of more in the woods. I know logistically that is another thing to have to juggle, but just throwing that out there.

Will add pictures later.
 
ridered3 said:
All things considered, it was a successful race/event despite the heat and the only thing I'd change (other than the temperature) was to have a couple of dedicated spectator areas in the grass infield and maybe a couple of more in the woods. I know logistically that is another thing to have to juggle, but just throwing that out there.

Will add pictures later.
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If I had known no one was going to run 64 during any class, I would have set up spectators on the hill top above and between 64 and 65. Will look into that next year. Also going to figure out better area for the field and go fast (for the new rock garden). Possibly also making it longer and a lot tougher Joker line.
 
As a spectator - What we were able to see was awesome. We settled at the start line and a had decent view of cars starting and then coming out of the woods but, then they let the winners park their cars there in the front and we lost our view for the final race. I'm not *****ing, I'm just making a statement, even if nothing changed I will most likely be there again next year but, it would be awesome to more obstacles if possible. I know the racers don't like it but, spectators want to see carnage.

An idea - where the Nitto tire semi was sitting there's already a hillside there. One could cut ledges into it and make it a natural seating area.
 
Trailabite said:
As a spectator - What we were able to see was awesome. We settled at the start line and a had decent view of cars starting and then coming out of the woods but, then they let the winners park their cars there in the front and we lost our view for the final race. I'm not *****ing, I'm just making a statement, even if nothing changed I will most likely be there again next year but, it would be awesome to more obstacles if possible. I know the racers don't like it but, spectators want to see carnage.

An idea - where the Nitto tire semi was sitting there's already a hillside there. One could cut ledges into it and make it a natural seating area.
Click to expand...
We must have been approx 10 ft apart from each other... We were in the ez up tent right next to the start line. We thought we'd lost our view also whenever they started the race. But once all the racers took off, everyone moved their cars and we could see again.
 
Pumpkin said:
If I had known no one was going to run 64 during any class, I would have set up spectators on the hill top above and between 64 and 65. Will look into that next year. Also going to figure out better area for the field and go fast (for the new rock garden). Possibly also making it longer and a lot tougher Joker line.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good plan all around!
 
The Luke said:
We must have been approx 10 ft apart from each other... We were in the ez up tent right next to the start line. We thought we'd lost our view also whenever they started the race. But once all the racers took off, everyone moved their cars and we could see again.
Click to expand...

Well crap, You all offered to let me and my wife get under your tent when the rain came lol.
 
we moved around a lot, it was a LOT cooler up in the woods than down in the field. Just the nature of woods racing that you're not going to see much.

Next time I'll pre-plan a little more, learn the course and park a bit, and hike through the woods to watch some of the harder rock sections.
 
TBItoy said:
we moved around a lot, it was a LOT cooler up in the woods than down in the field. Just the nature of woods racing that you're not going to see much.

Next time I'll pre-plan a little more, learn the course and park a bit, and hike through the woods to watch some of the harder rock sections.
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Get with me next year. If you don't mind a short hike through the trees, I can get you to some other spots. but a lot of that just depends on the course. I'm hoping to add some new stuff before next year.
 
Pumpkin said:
Get with me next year. If you don't mind a short hike through the trees, I can get you to some other spots. but a lot of that just depends on the course. I'm hoping to add some new stuff before next year.
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Sounds good, I had just never been riding at the park before, so until we ran the race course after the race, I had no idea what was where.

I did think it was kinda funny that we ran into several people out on the trails after the race that were kinda pissy that the trails were so difficult and so far from the parking lot :p like what did you expect? to drag your toy hauler right up the race course to your broken down rig and load it up?
 
dwa2469 said:
What did you think of it overall Nick
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I was jonesing for a real crawler. We got there about 8am and headed over into the 50s. I didn't pay attention that the black trails are the hard ones :D... The canam on 32s did pretty good though.

The diversity of the types of rocks and terrain in such a small area is very cool. I bet it gets brutal when it's wet.
 
TBItoy said:
I was jonesing for a real crawler. We got there about 8am and headed over into the 50s. I didn't pay attention that the black trails are the hard ones :D... The canam on 32s did pretty good though.

The diversity of the types of rocks and terrain in such a small area is very cool. I bet it gets brutal when it's wet.
Click to expand...
If you liked that side , you will love the side they raced down. Lots of crawler trails over there.
 
TBItoy said:
we moved around a lot, it was a LOT cooler up in the woods than down in the field. Just the nature of woods racing that you're not going to see much.

Next time I'll pre-plan a little more, learn the course and park a bit, and hike through the woods to watch some of the harder rock sections.
Click to expand...
I got a great idea. Why dont you get you a rig again and we will ride up in the woods and watch.
 
extremetownie said:
I got a great idea. Why dont you get you a rig again and we will ride up in the woods and watch.
Click to expand...

Hell if I had a rig and opportunity, I'd have probably went somewhere else and went riding hahaha

I'll get another rig whenever we get the house built (which is what I've been saying for 2 years...)
 
Trailabite said:
Well crap, You all offered to let me and my wife get under your tent when the rain came lol.
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Yea that sounds about right. Haha I was actually back at camp when the rain come in. I took my boy back to take a nap, and I posted up under the awning at the camper with a couple cold ones. Haha
 
The Luke said:
We must have been approx 10 ft apart from each other... We were in the ez up tent right next to the start line. We thought we'd lost our view also whenever they started the race. But once all the racers took off, everyone moved their cars and we could see again.
Click to expand...

We were right there next to you most of the afternoon as well.

It sure was hot as a mother, until the rain came and cooled it down a little, but I had a blast. Watching the 4500/4600/4800 cars was really cool but the 4400 cars are just insane...so damn fast.

I will go back again next year if Ultra4 comes back to AOP, it was definitely a fun time. I hope either AOP or Ultra4, whoever is in charge of spectator areas, will consider some better set up areas for viewing.
 
tcDawg said:
We were right there next to you most of the afternoon as well.

It sure was hot as a mother, until the rain came and cooled it down a little, but I had a blast. Watching the 4500/4600/4800 cars was really cool but the 4400 cars are just insane...so damn fast.

I will go back again next year if Ultra4 comes back to AOP, it was definitely a fun time. I hope either AOP or Ultra4, whoever is in charge of spectator areas, will consider some better set up areas for viewing.
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Well hell.
I had SO many people holler at me that I have no clue who most of them were. It doesn’t help I’m the worlds worst about remembering faces/names.
 
tcDawg said:
We were right there next to you most of the afternoon as well.

It sure was hot as a mother, until the rain came and cooled it down a little, but I had a blast. Watching the 4500/4600/4800 cars was really cool but the 4400 cars are just insane...so damn fast.

I will go back again next year if Ultra4 comes back to AOP, it was definitely a fun time. I hope either AOP or Ultra4, whoever is in charge of spectator areas, will consider some better set up areas for viewing.
Click to expand...

I put a face with screen name for you when we got back home on Sunday.

As for spectator areas, they are all going to work on that for future the races. This years racer turnout was way bigger than expected thanks to Corona so all of pit row was taken up instead of having some spectator viewing areas. The Nitto truck parked at the short course didn't help any either.

Dedicated spectator areas in the wooded portion of the course is tough (with the exception of the bounty hill areas) since they are always one big rain away from having to change course either pre-race or bypasses during the race. Either way, it is something they are going to work on going forward.
 
ridered3 said:
I put a face with screen name for you when we got back home on Sunday.

As for spectator areas, they are all going to work on that for future the races. This years racer turnout was way bigger than expected thanks to Corona so all of pit row was taken up instead of having some spectator viewing areas. The Nitto truck parked at the short course didn't help any either.

Dedicated spectator areas in the wooded portion of the course is tough (with the exception of the bounty hill areas) since they are always one big rain away from having to change course either pre-race or bypasses during the race. Either way, it is something they are going to work on going forward.
Click to expand...
If I had known no one was going to run trail 64 this year. We would have blocked it off and let people on the hill between 64 and 65. and yes I feel the Nitto trailer should have been off the fence to allow spectators in that corner. another spot would have been if you had ran 90 until it came into 3. They drove right passed that. Some were probably hauling ass right there on trail 3.
 
Pumpkin said:
If I had known no one was going to run trail 64 this year. We would have blocked it off and let people on the hill between 64 and 65. and yes I feel the Nitto trailer should have been off the fence to allow spectators in that corner. another spot would have been if you had ran 90 until it came into 3. They drove right passed that. Some were probably hauling ass right there on trail 3.
Click to expand...

No problem on your part at all. It's hard to figure out spectator spots for an endurance race either way. Watching from the Start line worked good enough for us this year. Will continue to make improvements for the race with each passing year

Here is a race recap put together by Driving Line:
https://www.drivingline.com/articles/ultra4-2020-tear-down-in-tennessee/
Race recap with 70+ pictures put together by Race-Dezert:
https://www.race-dezert.com/home/2020-ultra4-tear-down-in-tennessee-194898.html
 
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