DRIVEN To Win
- Updated: May 8, 2014
One of the best kept secrets in the UTV Racing world is Driven Racing Oil. For those that have heard of Driven, they probably immediately think of NASCAR and not UTV’s. Driven is not a “national brand” that can be found on the local auto parts store shelf, it is a high performance oil that looks to protect and deliver a performance advantage. Perhaps this paragraph from the Driven website says everything: “Driven Racing Oil, born from Joe Gibbs Racing, is formulated specifically for all-out race and high performance engines. What makes our products different? In simple terms, our products are unique because we always put the “Motor ahead of the Molecule”. While other oil companies are in love with chemistry and have no real world understanding of how the products are actually used, Driven keeps things in the proper order. The oil is for the motor, not the other way around. Our product development team looks at the motor and how it is used; then we design application specific products using a “zero compromise” approach that delivers a measurable performance advantage.”
I have been fortunate enough to work with Driven, helping with some of their UTV Research and Development (R&D). I can honestly say this is one of the best products I have ever worked with and by far the best oil I have ever used. Recently, I was able to sit down with Travis Pollock of Driven and ask him a few questions.
What is your position with Driven?
I run the day to day operations plus help our sales team out when needed.
Can you tell us about the history of Driven Racing Oil and what makes it special?
Driven Racing Oil was born from Joe Gibbs Racing when they started having a bunch of cam failures. Most people don’t realize that standard oils have changed and don’t meet the needs of a high performance engines. This is where we come in and try to give the best protection plus performance on the market.
I know you have a Polaris RZR 1000 and ride often, so you understand the performance needs of the UTV market. What made Driven decide to get involved in the off road market?
We got involved because everyone wants to have the best protection for their investment, plus wants there machine to perform at the highest level possible.
Currently, Driven has an engine oil and rear transmission lubricant for the UTV market and I know you are working on a front gear case lubricant as well. Can you tell us about each these products and when we can expect to see the front diff oil on the market?
Our engine oil is XP7 which the UTV engine really responded well to. We also have our STF which is for the rear transmission. We have noticed better shifting and less noise from this product. We are still testing the front diff oil and hopefully will have it ready to go in a couple of months.
Driven also has other products that are great. I know I absolutely love the Speed Clean and Race Wax. You also have carb defender, grease, and a coolant system protectant among other products that the UTV industry could use. Care to comment on these or any other products that I have not covered?
The Speed Cleaner works great after you have washed the machine and it still has those spots you missed. I know with my machine after I am done washing it and it has dried, I spray it down and just let it dry. Race wax works great on the decals and helps get the dirt of easier after a ride or race. I use Carb Defender in my gas all the time. I know a lot of people run the higher octane in their machines, because of how bad the Ethanol has got in fuel. The Carb Defender solves that plus great to use on any small engine motors with carburetors. We are currently working on an aerosol spray to help keep dirt from sticking to the machine. This stuff will also shine faded plastic and paint. We also recommend using our BR40 on any new engine. The most critical phase of an engine’s life starts at the beginning. Our BR products basically put a film on the parts of the engines to build an extra layer of protection between moving parts. This product also helps with ring seal.
A little birdie told me that Driven recently did some dyno testing with their engine oil on the RZR 1000 and the numbers were very impressive. Would you care to elaborate?
How’d you hear about that? We did take a XP1000 to the chassis dyno to do some testing. We ran OEM and some other high performance oil against our products. We made 1.75 max HP better. We also found that our oil after max power (around 45 mph) did not drop off like the others. We stayed about 3 HP better and gained about 1.5 mph before hitting the chip. In a machine that only puts about 80-90 HP to the ground that is bigger gains then us making 5 HP in a Nascar engine.
WOW! Talk about cheap HP. Considering the protection benefits Driven provides, it would seem like a no brainer that this is the best oil to use. Are there any negatives or reasons why someone wouldn’t want to use Driven?
Man I really don’t know of any negative reason why you wouldn’t. I explain it this way. I grew up racing all my life and you always heard of snake oil or why this oil is better than others. I never believed any of this information and always just ran the normal stuff. Once I started working for Nascar teams and Driven I have learned a lot and seen a lot. There is a big difference in the oil you need for a normal vehicle compared to a high performance vehicle. Most of these normal oils just give you the bare minimum where we work hard to give you the best oil we can for your application.
Since Driven isn’t on the typical auto parts store shelf and even most local shops, where can you get it?
Right now in the Power sport market you can get the product from Double E Racing, SXS Performance, or Holz Racing. We have a dealer look up on our website www.DriveRacingOil.com and you can also order from the website.
Thank you for your time. Do you have any parting words?
We are always here to help with any question or to help solve problems.
