Union, SC (2/25/2018) – Polaris RZR Factory Racing driver, John Barnes debuted a brand new Polaris RZR Turbo during the Big Buck GNCC in Union, SC. Though a belt issue slowed him, he finished the race and is looking forward to the next round.
Turbocharging is allowed for the first time this year in the GNCC Series Pro XC1 UTV class and Barnes took full advantage. Though his team got the car finished just in time after testing different components, he entered the woods third at the start and had a competitive run.
“The belt was just getting hot and blew. We had to pull off to change it,” said Barnes. “We finished the race a lap down, but we did finish. Most everyone had issues. All the top guys had problems. We had a good opportunity, but we just have to work on the clutching a little bit before the next race.”
Like many of the top competitors running the turbos, Barnes’ new Polaris did have some teething problems.
However, he is certain his team is ahead of the curve with just some minor changes needed before the next race in two weeks. In the end, the car was fast, so everything else can be easily addressed.
“The car was extremely fast, we had a good run, but we had a belt problem”, said Barnes. “We will make necessary adjustments and be ready to run up front.”
One of those changes will be in the tires. Though he was running the ultra-competitive STI Roctane, Barnes said he might need a little more tire to cope with the extra horsepower.
“The Rocktane 26-inch tires are always my go-to choice,” said Barnes. “STI makes the best overall tire in the industry. I might try the 27-inch or 28-inch tires for the next race. The turbo has a lot of power for the smaller tire.”
Barnes is already at work tweaking his competitive new RZR and will be back in action as GNCC heads to Florida for the Big Boar GNCC March 10-11.
