Inside the Baja 400-winning, Glazzkraft Fab-built Maverick X3 By the staff of Dirt Wheels

GLAZZKRAFT FAB MAVERICK X3 – Marc Burnett won the 2014 and 2017 SCORE International Pro Turbo UTV championships, and he has been racing Baja for decades, first on bikes and then in Trophy Trucks. Burnett knows Baja so well that he helps SCORE mark the racecourses, and he started a new race build for 2023 in late 2022. Marc had Glazzkraft Industries build his newest “Monster Maverick.” Glazzkraft is most famous for its fiberglass sport UTV body kits and carbon fiber body panels, but Glazzkraft also fabricates race builds, so they got the nod for Burnett’s new Monster Mav.

GLAZZKRAFT FAB MAVERICK X3

Starting with a 2023 Can-Am Maverick X3 X rs Turbo RR, Glazzkraft (GK) Fab built a tubular race chassis that eliminates the X3’s bolt-on front end, heavily gussets the front diff enclosure and shock tower, and extends to form a push-bar front bumper. The GK race cage is triangulated for strength with anti-intrusion bars and extends rearward to surround and protect a Pyrotech 32-gallon aluminum fuel cell, but the trickest part of the GK race frame is the two billet-aluminum rear shock mounts that extend from the top cage tube to the bottom cage tube. The I-beam rear shock mounts are super stout, and GK Fab welded braces to the cage tubes to make sure the top rear shock mounts were solid.

The chassis also has tubes to brace the door skins, and mounts for the relocated radiator and fans, EVP intercooler, oil cooler, fuel cell and twin dry-brake mounts, Fox external DSC shock reservoirs, Rigid lights, Safecraft fire extinguisher and engine compartment safety system, spare tire and jack, spare axles, roof, S&B Particle Separator, CVT cooling ducts, GK carbon-fiber dash, navigator grab bar, and the Lowrance GPS units. Burnett has long had a swiveling roof light-bar mount, and this build even has an electronic ram adjuster so the lights can be angled up or down faster to see on hilly terrain. Marc runs more light than anybody; he runs 13 Rigid D-XL square LED pods, plus two 10-inch E-Series Pro light bars on the front bumper and A-Series accessory lights in the cab and under the fenders.

All of the OEM X3 body panels were replaced by Glazzkraft carbon fiber dash, fenders, hood and hood scoop. Glazzkraft’s X3 carbon fiber dash is $698–$1,099, and the carbon fiber X3 hood is $424.99, while a fiberglass X3 body kit is $3,250. The race roof and doors are steel with Dzus fasteners. Marc even has cameras in the wheel-wells so he and navigator Simon can keep eyes on the suspension.

GLAZZKRAFT FAB MAVERICK X3 – COMPLETING THE MONSTER MAV BUILD

Marc runs Alsup Racing Development tubular A-arms and trailing arms on his race builds and pre-runners alike. Shocks are Factory Fox 2.5 DSC Podiums, and the rears get the Fox external DSC remote reservoirs. The shocks get Fox Factory tuning, Eibach springs and ORW limit straps with Sandcraft strap mounts. Front and rear sway bars are replaced by Summers Brothers torsion bars with mounts and links, and Burnett runs the stiffer settings. Zollinger Racing Products billet-aluminum knuckles replace the OEM knuckles, and ARD radius rods and tie-rods have FK rod ends. Shaved 255/95R15 ITP Coyote tires ride on OMF beadlock wheels. The shoulders are rounded for less side bite and setting up drifts, and each tire loses 5 pounds of weight. Sandcraft’s X3 steering stabilizer bolted to the X3 steering rack, and the OEM X3 brakes are replaced by J.Juan Racing four-piston (titanium!) forged and CNC’d 7075 T6 aluminum calipers ($750 each) and oversized rotors. The whole J. Juan X3 big-brake kit is $4,195, and they’re now owned by Brembo. 

The next-level build upgrades to a Fortin Racing D30 Class 10-based front diff, and a sprag clutch that replaces the drive-shaft carrier bearing freewheels when he stabs the brakes so he doesn’t blow the diff. The diff case is billet aluminum with a D30 ring and pinion. Fortin axles are 300m steel that are shot-peened and straightened, and they must be used with Fortin FNP 2.0 CV joints. The axles are wrapped with electrical tape for protection from roost. Burnett runs KWI CVT primary and secondary clutches with Gates belts, and a Razorback temperature gauge monitors belt temps. The transmission got cryoheat treatment. Evolution Powersports boosts power with its Stage 2 X3 tune, and the race exhaust is by Bocla. The OEM Donaldson airbox gets a Uni foam filter, and a Larue auxiliary alternator provides power for all of the race lights, PCI Race Radio/intercom and air pumper, Lowrance GPS units, cameras, and monitors.

Inside the cabin is full race with Simpson Monster Mav seats and harnesses, and the seats have electronic-adjustment bases. The GK center console and carbon dash contain the X3 instruments and switches, radios, and controls for all of the electronics, and the shifter has an Assault knob and gate plate. The steering wheel is an MPI with quick-connect hub and plate mount for the PCI PTT button. An Aim MXU data logger sits atop the carbon fiber console, and all of the cage tubes inside the cockpit are padded with foam secured by zip-ties. Door bags are stuffed with energy bars, snacks, tire-patch kits and rags, and all spaces behind and under the seats are stuffed with first-aid kits, tools, spares, and snacks. A Chicago Pneumatic impact and OPS screw jack quickly lift the X3 for tire changes. On race days, energy bars and snacks are taped under the roof and inside the door skins.

GLAZZKRAFT FAB MAVERICK X3 – BURNETT’S BAJA 400 COMEBACK

Few can do a new race build and immediately start winning with it; multiple problems saw the trick X3 finish 20th at the 2023 San Felipe 250 and DNF the 500. That put him back to 13th in Pro Turbo points heading into the 400, and he was on a mission to battle back into the points race. The team pre-ran the whole Baja 400 on Monday through Wednesday. Marc dedicated Thursday to mapping the Uruapan section and finding lines around every bottleneck area while still hitting every Virtual Check Point (VCP). This section had huge hills with gorges in between, as Hurricane Hilary ravaged the area with heavy rain and flooding. But, it was dry and dusty by race time, with Burnett anticipating lots of deep silt and stranded 2WD trucks and buggies.

Friday is dedicated for pre-running the start from Ensenada to Ojos (outbound only), and the course would take the same section back to the finish. They pre-ran in a Max X3 and then did it in the race car. All was good except a clicking front CV, so that was torn down, checked, re-greased and reassembled. The team made final preparations, hydrated and had the team meeting. Saturday morning, chase trucks and the box van went out to their assigned locations, and Burnett went to Finishline IV Hydration, owned by Clint Boyer and his wife, for hydration treatment. Burnett would be starting near the front but behind Pro Turbo points leader and Monster Mav teammate Matt Burroughs. Hitting the dirt on the outskirts of Ensenada, Burnett saw Burroughs sidelined with electrical problems, so he knew it was his race to win. Marc and Simon raced hard the entire 384.66 miles and won the Pro Turbos by almost 17 minutes.

The win moved Burnett up to eighth in Pro Turbo points, two positions and six points behind Burroughs (who DNF’d the 400), and Jason Murray (C-A) took over the points lead. With the Baja 1000 starting in La Paz and being 1,311 grueling miles of racing, much more points will be awarded, so the two Monster Mavs of Burroughs and Burnett have a long-shot chance at the championship.

GLAZZKRAFT FAB MAVERICK X3 CONTACT INFO:

Alsup Racing Development 13402 Blodget Ave. Bakersfield, CA 93314 (661) 487-2303 www.alsuprd.com

Fortin Racing, Inc. 9422 Bond Avenue El Cajon, CA 92021 (619) 449-3633 www.fortinracing.com

Glazzkraft Industries (619) 488-4594 (800) 277-2280 www.glazzkraftindustries.com [email protected] [email protected] 

J.Juan Headquarters Poligono Industrial Cami Ral C/Miquel Servet, 21-23 08850 Gava’ Barcelona, Spain +34 93 633 59 59, www.jjuan.es