Michael Lee brought a new 2025 Polaris RZR Pro R to our shop in Hurricane, Utah, with a deadline. He and his co-driver Chris were headed to Johnson Valley for King of the Hammers, where the same car would have to handle fast desert sections and slow, technical rock. UTV Pros handled most of the fabrication, and the team wrapped up the build less than a week before departure.
From a production Pro R to a race car
Michael started with the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter Pro R rated at 225 horsepower. Our work centered on the cage, front bumper, spare-tire carrier and aluminum fabrication. That meant fitting the parts that define the car’s layout early, then working around the cockpit, spare and race equipment as the build came together.
The aluminum work is easiest to see in the cockpit, where the floor panels and center console take shape around the race interior. The build also used a Lonestar Racing firewall, seat mounts and 35-gallon fuel cell. At the back, the carrier gave the spare a dedicated place on the car.
Suspension, tires and race equipment
The suspension paired FOX Factory Race IBP 3.0 shocks with Shock Therapy springs and limit straps, L&W Fab trailing arms and DRT Motorsports high-clearance radius rods. Michael ran 35-inch MRT Rocky RX tires. At an event that mixes open desert with rock ledges, tire size, suspension setup and the weight of the loaded car all factor into how the package works together.
If you’re planning a similar setup, browse our Polaris RZR Pro R suspension upgrades.
- Protection and recovery — UTV Pros cage and front bumper, SuperATV skid plate and winch, and 5zero3designs window nets.
- Communications and electrical — Rugged Radios M1 radio, 5100 intercom and helmet-air pumper, Switch Works Alpha 12 and Infinite Offroad LED lighting.
- Cooling and tuning — Triton Engineering radiator and Pandemyk Performance ECU tuning.
- Controls and finishing — DRT Motorsports steering wheel, quick release and shifter, with a Union Graphics wrap.
Planning your own radio and intercom setup? Browse our UTV communications collection for radios, intercoms, headsets, and mounting hardware.
Watch the first Sand Hollow shakedown
Before heading to Johnson Valley, Michael and Chris took the finished Pro R to Sand Hollow. Jon Crowley of UTVGuide.net caught up with them on the rocks and filmed the car on its first outing.
Watch the shakedown on YouTube.
For the complete parts list and more fabrication and action photos, read the full King of the Hammers Pro R build feature on UTVGuide.net.
Planning your own build? Browse Polaris RZR Pro R parts and accessories or explore our custom fabrication and race prep in Hurricane, Utah.