'It's going to be a beast': Off-road racer Casey Currie on how he built his 700-hp Jeep

Casey Currie has been racing his entire life. In less than two weeks, he will test his Jeep's -- and his own -- limits at the Norra 1000, a famous race that takes place every spring in Mexico's Baja Peninsula.

This is no ordinary Jeep, of course. It's a heavily modified Wrangler that can cut through the desert at speeds up to 130 mph. Currie, along with Jeep mechanics, installed a 707 horsepower Hellcat crate V8 engine under the hood and rebuilt the chassis and suspension, allowing "this beast" to withstand punishing dusty and arid conditions over several days. The "Striker" Wrangler concept could help Currie win the Norra 1000, one of two off-road races that are still on his racing bucket list.

Currie, a 2020 Dakar Rally winner, has traveled the world, competing in UTVs, trucks, Jeeps and motorcycles. His passion for off-roading and extreme competition now extends to his two sons, who have caught the Currie racing fervor.

The professional racer caught up with ABC News before the Norra 1000, opening up about his successful career, how he survives these demanding off-road courses and what every future rally driver should know.

The interview below has been edited for clarity.

Q: How are you preparing for the Norra 1000 and how does it compare to the Dakar Rally?

A: The Norra 1000 is actually similar [to the Dakar Rally] in some aspects. It's a five-day rally and we race 250 miles a day. Some days are shorter, some days are a little bit longer. The Norra 1000 is a speed race. You've got to drive fast to win it. It's a fantastic race down the Baja Peninsula. In the past, we've had some success there.

Dakar is 12, 13 days. We're driving about 400 to 500 miles a day. It's brutal. I would say that's a little bit tougher — we're in a country that's super foreign, with terrain that's really undriven, meaning every where we go is where people never drive. So everything is super unknown and every corner is a blind corner.

I've never actually raced [the Norra] in a Jeep like a Striker, so it's going to be super exciting to go there and truly showcase the Hellcat [engine] and performance of what we built as a team. It's going to be a fun adventure.

Q: Have you ever had any close-calls in these races where you had to bow out or come close to exiting the race?

A: That happens all the time. We have almost tipped off cliffs, almost slid off a huge embankment, or getting stuck in crazy sand or silt that we dug for hours trying to get out of.

Q: What's your advice to fans who want to start careers in off-roading?

A: For myself, getting involved on a mechanic level. Being part of a team. It's a lot of long days and lot long nights and traveling ... it's a lot of driving and being away from home. If you're down for that, that's the start.

Q: Off-roading is certainly not easy and not for the faint of heart. How can people become more comfortable with it?

A: The biggest way is just driving. Taking the time and going out and living the adventure life. You don't need to go to Mexico, you don't need to go to the countries, there are so many amazing places in America. For myself, having a Wrangler is the perfect vehicle to just drive these desolate roads. Challenge yourself with some of the extreme terrain -- like rock crawling -- and driving through places like Death Valley.

Q: Let's talk about this Striker concept with a 707 horsepower Hellcat V8. What makes this concept unique and how did you create a bespoke chassis and suspension system?

A: The Striker is based off a Jeep Wrangler. We made an independent front suspension. All Jeep Wranglers come with a straight axle front end so that is very unique in itself. Then to top it off we put in over 700 hp with that big engine. It's really fast.

The independent front suspension gives it that high speed capability. In the rear, it's got 30 inches of rear wheel travel, so it is designed to go over 100 mph and go over 200 to 300 foot whoops. It's going to be a beast. The concept team at Jeep did a phenomenal job creating this unique body -- it's extreme, it's tough. But it has so much style and flair as well.

The vehicle is designed to climb the aggressive trails ... it is four-wheel drive. We could put it in low range. It would drive the trails in Moab. It's just a little bit tougher in terms of power and the independent front suspension would make it not as easy as a normal Jeep Wrangler. Overall it's a great vehicle that can do it all.

Q: You've been racing for a long time. How do you keep pushing your limits?

A: Pushing my limits is building vehicles that are not the norm. It's being out there changing things, looking at the future of vehicles, trying to figure out things like putting an independent front suspension on a Jeep Wrangler. I love the challenges that are not the norm. It's easy to go build a race truck. To build a purpose-built vehicle is fun and challenging and it brings a lot of different people together.

I'm a third generation Jeep Wrangler owner. We build a lot of products for Jeep Wranglers. Getting to work with the team in the last year has been fun. There are some great people inside of Jeep. There is so much passion in the brand right now.

Q: Do your children ask to come with you on these races?

A: My boys are 10 and 12. And all they want to do is race. And all they want to do is be with dad. I love showing them everywhere I go. When they don't have school, we love to travel. It's the same thing I did with my dad and grandfather. We truly love being outdoors.

Q: What are your personal goals for this year?

A: For racing we want to win the Norra 1000. We're going to Crandon, which is a big off-road event. We're going to race there. We're going to the Norra 500 in October and race there. I just bought a Ram 3500. We're going to put a camper on it and our goal is to start sightseeing more. I have traveled the world with my racing and have been very blessed. But now I want to reset and start seeing more of what this country has to offer.

There are no plans as of today for competition in Dakar next year. Winning it in 2020 was the goal we had in mind. My plan wasn't to keep being a rally racer. It was just once of those bucket list items. No American ever had ever won it. We wanted to be the first and we checked the box.

I love to compete in Mexico. I love races like the Norra. I love competing at King of the Hammers. I have won the UTV class, but I have never [been No. 1] in the big race -- that's my big event I am going to keep figuring out.

Q: You've raced motorcycles, trucks and buggies, Jeeps -- what's your favorite type of racing?

A: So right now the ultimate vehicle I have is called the "Trophy Jeep." It's an 1,100 hp purpose-built race vehicle. It has some characteristics of a Jeep. But it's a complete two chassis. It's designed to go 130 miles per hour and it's designed to go super fast in the rocks and in the desert. It's very unique. That is my ultimate, crazy, wild vehicle.

Q: What is the toughest race you have competed in?

A: Dakar is by far the hardest race in the world. I have done almost every event, from racing in Brazil, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, mainland Mexico, Baja Mexico, all over the U.S. Racing for 13 days straight is unreal. To drive 6,000 miles ... you're not allowed to have a team help you drive. Every mile is driven by me. My co-driver is super important. You need to have a perfect 13 days and that's hard to do. Nothing is going to compete with Dakar.

Q: How do you keep your spirits up when things are not going well in these foreign terrains?

A: It's having a positive attitude, it's always focusing on the bigger goal which is getting to the finish line. And truly it's the people around you. I focus a lot on who is around me. You've got to have the right group of people to make sure your day is going to be good every day. And on the bad days, you gotta have people to pick you up.