In tandem with the Road to Dakar, the Sonora Rally has created the Dreams of Dakar for bike riders. Reserved for riders with no prior Dakar Rally experience, the class’ winner will have $10,000 of their 2026 or 2027 Dakar entry fee paid off by Sonora officials, provided they have been accepted by the ASO.

The Sonora Rally is the only race not on the World Rally-Raid Championship with a Road to Dakar challenge, though it used to be on the calendar in 2023.

All four non-Dakar W2RC rounds offer the RtD, which provides free registration to the program winner in an SSV (Ultimate for the South African Safari Rally). RtD bike finishers, regardless of finishing position, earn points that bolster their credentials and improve their chances of being accepted for Dakar but do not guarantee entry.

Completing Sonora as an RtD rider will earn 12 points, the same payout as all of the other W2RC races except for the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal.

With the Dreams of Dakar, Sonora riders will also get some relief in paying for Dakar. For the 2025 race, the entry fee was €20,000 (USD$20,664.36) in total, spread across three deadlines.

“Motorcycles are now eligible to apply for the new Sonora Rally Dreams of Dakar class,” reads a press release. “Win the Dreams of Dakar class, and upon your acceptance by ASO into Dakar 2026 or 2027, the Sonora Rally Organization will pay $10,000 toward the entry fee, giving this first-time privateer a solid chance to roll up to the starting line. But it’s up to them to make it to the finish… Full details and rules to follow!”

The 2025 Sonora Rally will take place on March 16–21.