SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – TORC: The Off-Road Championship presented by AMSOIL will add official UTV PRO racing classes to three of its exciting championship weekends this season.

UTV racers will join the TORC Series this year for championship stops in Elk River, Minnesota, July 16-17, Bark River, Michigan, July 30-31, and Crandon, Wisconsin, September 2-4. The TORC PRO UTV series plans to expand the schedule in 2017, bringing UTV racers into the entire championship calendar.

“UTV racing is the best feeder class we can possibly have for short course off-road truck racing and it’s an ideal fit for us as we grow the TORC Series,” said Dave Swanwick, co-founder of MSI TORC, the company that acquired ownership of the premier off-road racing series at the beginning of this year. “We’re excited to offer our fans another thrilling type of racing during three of our national championship stops this season. It’s so much fun to watch.”

The TORC Series will offer two classes of UTV competition: UTV PRO, a 1,000 cc stock class, and the UTV PRO Modified, which allows for factory installed superchargers and turbochargers, a modified wheel base, and an upgraded clutch. It’s a formula that promises action-packed, competitive racing for teams and fans alike.

“Competing in UTV PRO or UTV PRO Modified is a great stepping stone for drivers who want to get started in dirt racing,” said Ben Nelson, series director. “We’re seeing a lot of interest from young drivers as well as crossover competitors who want to explore another racing discipline — especially from action sports athletes who have backgrounds in top-level snowmobile and motocross competition.”

Series organizers promise to bring UTV racing to the next level, with exciting course designs and a solid live HD digital broadcast package for the new UTV PRO and UTV PRO Modifieds, as well as inclusion on TORC Series television shows airing on FS2.

Double defending champion CJ Greaves, who won both the PRO 4WD and PRO 2WD classes of TORC Series racing for Monster Energy Drink and Toyota in 2015, is one driver who plans to add UTV racing to his championship schedule.

“They’ll definitely teach you line choice and how to get a car rotated,” said Greaves, who plans to race UTVs in the TORC Series this season. “They’re a little tipsy, and they’ll keep on your toes — it’s almost like driving a small PRO Light. If you can drive one of those, then you should be able to get into a PRO truck and not be out in left field.”

Andrew Carlson, who drives in the TORC Series Atturo Tire PRO Light class, has his roots in UTV and snocross competition, and says he learned a lot from racing the smaller, lighter vehicles that prepared him for success in his truck.

“They’re some of the only vehicles that can handle the same kinds of terrain the trucks can do, but they’re at a more affordable level,” said Carlson, who spent six years racing UTVs before getting into his TORC Series truck. “It’s a cheaper way to get seat time. When I can’t get out and drive my truck, I’m in my UTV.”

The focus this season is on exciting Midwest locations, starting with the Twin Cities Takedown TORC Series weekend July 16 and 17 at the ERX Motor Park, continuing to Throwdown in the U.P. at Bark River International Raceway July 30 and 31, and concluding with Keys to the Big House at the legendary Crandon International Off-Road Raceway September 2-4. The three-stop UTV PRO series provides accessible national championship level competition for UTV racers across the country who are currently campaigning one-off events or regional competitions. A prize purse pays out all the way down to 10th place at every race.