Ben is a 34-year-old professional driver for Polaris New Zealand and competes in the ORANZ Off-Road Championship. In 2015, he was NZ1 overall and first in the UTV class. Ben was also the 2016 Short-Course Champion. He has been involved in national motorsport all his life, including motocross for fifteen years before a life-changing accident in 2008 left him with a spinal cord injury and forced the change back to four wheels. Ben competed in D1NZ drifting from 2003-2006 with a highlight third in New Zealand placing in the 2004 season. He began rallying in his 2005 Subaru Impreza from 2010, with the best result of 2013 Hill Climb Champion.
The Leadfoot Festival is one of his favourite events of the year and Ben and his team are grateful to be a part of it.
Ben Thomasen - 2017 Polaris Razor XP 1000 turbo
Ben is a 34-year-old professional driver for Polaris New Zealand and competes in the ORANZ Off-Road Championship. In 2015, he was NZ1 overall and first in the UTV class. Ben was also the 2016 Short-Course Champion. He has been involved in national motorsport all his life, including motocross for fifteen years before a life-changing accident in 2008 left him with a spinal cord injury and forced the change back to four wheels. Ben competed in D1NZ drifting from 2003-2006 with a highlight third in New Zealand placing in the 2004 season. He began rallying in his 2005 Subaru Impreza from 2010, with the best result of 2013 Hill Climb Champion.
The Leadfoot Festival is one of his favourite events of the year and Ben and his team are grateful to be a part of it.
2017 Polaris Razor XP 1000 turbo:
This 2017 model Polaris Razor XP 1000 turbo is powered by a Prostar 1000cc twin-cylinder turbo-charged 4 stroke engine, with a CVT transmission with 2WD or 4WD selected on the dash. In production trim it is 105hp but in the current race format the UTV is 160hp. Top speed is standard 121kph, while this race UTV clocks 150kph. It weighs about 700kg having added an extra roll cage. It is suspended by Fox Shocks.
The Polaris is currently running in the ORANZ S UTV class which is for turbo models and allows modifications, although factory engines including internals and drivelines must remain factory. Suspension, wheels, track and bolt on parts are allowed.