Segway, McCleerey taking Super Villain from the desert to the rocks

Segway is taking the Super Villain beyond high-speed desert environments and into a different discipline — the KOH 4900 Class rock race, marking a new chapter for the platform as it takes on one of the toughest and most demanding off-road races.

The Super Villain has driven thousands of race miles on desert terrain, competing in high-profile races such as the 500-mile Vegas-to-Reno and Silver State 300. Segway says the jump into rock racing represents a major step in the development of the Super Villain platform and one of its most demanding tests to date.

“KOH has always been about pushing machines beyond what most people believe they can handle,” says Gabriel Cruz, marketing director of Segway Powersports.

Segway’s KOH debut comes with a new partnership with Mark McCleerey and Turn’d Up Racing. The manufacturer says it will continue to use competition as a proving ground rather than simply a showcase.

McCleerey and Turn’d Up Racing bring specialized rock-racing experience to the program as Segway Powersports continues to expand the environments in which the Super Villain is tested and developed.

“KOH is a different animal,” says McCleerey. “You can have all the horsepower in the world, but once you get into the rocks, the entire machine has to work.”