Choi explains why 285 horsepower sled pulling trucks fail at pursuit

The optimization of a chase vehicle usually demands a delicate balance of torque, weight distribution, and lateral grip. In the industrial confines of the BeamNG.drive steel mill, those principles were discarded for a high-risk experiment. The mission was simple: hunt down a fleet of tiny, agile survivor cars within a strict 20-minute window. However, the choice of a 338-kilogram truck pulling style vehicle—essentially a frame built to drag heavy sleds in a straight line—turned a tactical exercise into a masterclass in managing catastrophic momentum. With 285 horsepower surging through a lightweight chassis, the vehicle was less of a hunter and more of a guided missile with a faulty navigation system.

The physics of uncontrollable power

Efficiency in speedrunning and challenge runs often hinges on minimizing unnecessary resets. Within minutes of the countdown, the inherent flaws of the sled puller became apparent. The 3-speed off-road Barstow gearbox struggled to deliver power in the tight, cluttered environment of the factory. Straight-line speed was staggering, yet every corner presented a binary choice: a successful high-speed J-turn or total steering disintegration. A light brush against a fence was enough to shatter the suspension, forcing a tactical reset that bled precious seconds from the timer. The survivors, driving micro-scale vehicles like the Ibishu Covet and Autobello Piccolina, used their superior power-to-weight ratios to dance through gaps the massive tires of the truck simply could not navigate.

Momentum meets a smoke screen climax

As the hunt neared its final phase, the challenge shifted from simple pursuit to psychological warfare and technical adaptation. The survivor Glaiska deployed a smoke screen, effectively blinding the pursuer and turning the factory floor into a gray void. In this chaos, precision was impossible. The only path to victory was through raw aggression and predictive driving. The truck’s ability to change direction in reverse became a surprise weapon, catching out Mika and Stevie as they attempted to circle the beast. The turning point arrived when the pursuer stopped trying to out-turn the agile cars and instead began utilizing the environment, using full-throttle bursts to turn the smaller vehicles into paste against the industrial walls.

Seconds left on the clock

With under a minute remaining, the hunt became a desperate scramble for points. The Ibishu Covet driven by Shadowos remained the ultimate prize—the only vehicle to remain uncaught throughout the entire ordeal. Its grip and directional changes were too refined for a truck designed to pull sleds. Despite the mechanical disadvantages, a last-second surge resulted in the capture of Stevie just as the timer hit zero. The result was a messy, high-decibel victory that proved efficiency isn't always about the cleanest run; sometimes, it's about forcing a specialized tool to perform a task it was never meant to handle through sheer persistence.

Breaking the limits of specialized machinery

This exercise highlights a critical lesson in game mechanics: specialization is a double-edged sword. The sled pulling truck represents the pinnacle of straight-line optimization, yet it is utterly fragile when subjected to the lateral loads of a high-speed chase. Mastery in BeamNG.drive requires more than just understanding how to drive; it requires an intimate knowledge of how much abuse a specific suspension geometry can take before it fails. While the Ibishu Covet escaped, the data gathered on J-turn execution and high-speed reverse maneuvering offers a blueprint for future optimizations. To dominate the game, one must be willing to fail spectacularly while pushing the limits of the unconventional.