The Short-course Off-road Drivers Association (usually abbreviated as SODA) was an off-road racing sanctioning body in the United States.
SODA began as a Midwestern United States off-road racing series in the early 1970s. The series was televised in the 1980s and 1990s. Series races appeared tape delayed on ESPN/ESPN2 (often during in the winter months). Most races were held in Wisconsin but a few were held in Michigan. The crown jewel of the series was the off-road championship event held at the Crandon International Off-Road Raceway - the "home of the world championship off-road race".
The vehicles used were primarily Trophy trucks, buggies (which were based on the original Volkswagen Beetle called Baja Bug), and a few stock cars. All vehicles had heavily modified suspension.
Most drivers from SODA moved to CORR (Championship Off-Road Racing) after the 1997 season, which basically ended SODA's existence. A greatly diminished series continued on for at least a few years afterwards.
In 1997, Sierra Entertainment released a SODA-themed racing video game called SODA Off-Road Racing.
Class 1-1600, 1600 cc engine buggies with driver onlyClass 2-1600, 1600 cc engine buggies with driver plus co-pilot (Sometimes run with class 1-1600)Class 3, 4-wheel-drive Short Wheelbase vehicles (Jeep CJ, Ford Bronco, etc.)Class 4, 4-wheel-drive full-size trucksClass 5-1600, buggies with driver onlyClass 6 Modified passenger cars, and later 2wd SUV'sClass 7s, 2-wheel-drive four-cylinder trucksClass 8, 2-wheel-drive full-size trucksClass 8s 2-wheel-drive full-size trucks (nearly stock vehicles, with restrictor plate V8 engines)Class 9, Modified Buggies with up to 1914 cc Air-cooled engines, or 1600 cc engines water-cooled*Class 11, Stock 1600 cc engine buggies with driver onlyClass 12, Stock 1600 cc engine buggies with driver plus co-pilot (Sometimes run with Class 11)*Class 13, 2-wheel-drive full-sized trucks with more restrictions than Class 8Heavy Metal, combined race with Class 3, Class 4 and Class 8 trucksSODA Light A small single-seat short-wheelbase buggy with a small CC snowmobile engineMany tracks held races:
Bark River Off-road Raceway, Bark River, MichiganCrandon International Off-Road Raceway, Crandon, WisconsinIonia Fairgrounds Speedway, Ionia, MichiganI-96 Speedway, Lake Odessa, MichiganLanglade County Speedway, Antigo, WisconsinLake Geneva Raceway, Lake Geneva, WisconsinLuxemburg Speedway, Luxemburg, WisconsinRedBud MX, Buchanan, MichiganRoad America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin held a single event inside the paved road course in 1996Sunnyview Expo Center, Oshkosh, WisconsinMemorial Total Off-Road Rally, Dresser, WisconsinScott DouglasWalker Evans - 1994 and 1995 Class 4 (2WD) Series championJack Flannery, 7-time series championBrendan Gaughan - NASCAR driver (1995 Class 13 champion, 1996 Class 8 champion)Johnny GreavesChad HordJimmie JohnsonJeff KincaidCurt LeDucRob MacCachren, 1995 Class 4 championEarl Erickson, 1986 Class 3 Champion