A True Underdog Story as Robert Loire takes home his first Pro Turbo Side-By-Side victory in front of a hometown crowd at Elk River Motor Park.
In every form of racing there are a few top athletes who are favorites to land on the podium every time they take to the track. These racers often have big corporate sponsorships, the best equipment, and a large team of people supporting their full-time racing effort. And then there are the privateers, a dedicated and diehard group of racers who fund their racing themselves and have a crew of friends and family. Without question, it is the privateer that fans find themselves rooting the hardest for one they hear their story.
Every now and then, one of these underdogs, the “everyman” if you will, pulls off what seems like the impossible and takes the top spot on the podium away from the favorites. That is exactly what happened at the 2022 Amsoil Championship Off-Road ERX Off-Road National event at the ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Minnesota.
Robert Loire, a full-time Polaris engineer and part-time side-by-side racer, took the win in the Pro Turbo SxS division at ERX. Underscoring this victory is the fact that Polaris’ headquarters are just 30 minutes down the road in Medina, Minnesota. Loire bested Polaris factory-backed racers Ronnie Anderson and Andrew Carlson, as well as Can Am driver Kyle Cheney. Cheney is regarded as one of the best side-by-side drivers in the world, which made for exciting racing as underdog Loire spent most of the race holding off Cheney’s relentless attacks for the front position.
“I usually try to amp myself up and envision being in the lead,” said Loire. “I’m not going to lie though; it is a pretty nerve-wracking time to be surrounded with all of the top talent that is in the Pro Turbo class this season.”
When queried how his background as an engineer helps with race prep, Loire replied, “For the most part the race prep is fairly standard, but I try to focus on the top items that will either win or lose a race and make sure all those items are the best they can be. Being an engineer does have its drawbacks at times too as I tend to overthink stuff at times.
Loire’s underdog victory serves as a unique story which can inspire legions of everyday SXS owners to go for glory – even when it’s least expected. Who hasn’t imagined what it would be like to be capable of going head-to-head against the greatest in the game? Robert Loire always has, and now, he didn’t just go head-to-head against the best, he beat them. But to do that week in and week out, time behind the wheel needs to be a priority and often times that is just not reality.
“Between juggling a fulltime job, spending time with my wife and daughter, and prepping the RZR, I usually don’t get any seat time besides the practice/qualifying session the day before race day,” said Loire. “Racing isn’t just about one thing, it’s the whole package. The thrill, competitiveness, learning new things with your team, working through problems, building relationships, and making memories. Having the ability to make your dream a reality and getting the chance to put it up against the best in the industry is what I love most. A win is just icing on the cake.”
Knowing that, it makes a win like this even sweeter. But what happens at the Polaris office Monday morning after a race win? Is there a celebration?
“Ha-ha I wish!” laughed Loire. “I guess I need to find out where my cake is. In all seriousness, it was such an awesome feeling walking into work on Monday being congratulated by so many of your colleges.
The 2022 Amsoil Championship Off-Road race series is just over halfway complete, and we’re looking forward now more than ever to watching what Loire, and all of the underdogs, will do next. Racing continues at Bark River International Raceway in Bark River, Minnesota, on August 13 and 14. The 2022 season wraps up at Crandon International Raceway in Crandon, Wisconsin, on September 2 and 3.
