The Dakar Rally’s changed quite a bit from when Nathan Rafferty raced it for the first and only time in 2019. Ironically, one thing that’s stayed the same is that it takes place in one country.

Seven years after racing the Dakar Rally in Peru, Rafferty will head back to the now-Saudi event in 2026.

“Have heard Saudi Arabia is lovely in January,” Rafferty quipped after getting his acceptance letter on Friday, a day before celebrating his 54th birthday.

Rafferty was the first American to complete the Africa Eco Race when he won the Veteran category and finished sixth overall in 2018. He found himself in Peru for the Dakar Rally the following year, where he placed 50th overall and eighth in G2.2.

He’s competed in rallies since 2012. The Utah native is a regular at the Sonora Rally, competing when it was both an independent race and under the World Rally-Raid Championship banner in 2023. Rafferty had made his W2RC debut at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, where he won the Veteran Trophy.

Other W2RC action included the 2024 Desafío Ruta 40 (15th in Rally2) and May’s South African Safari Rally. At the latter, a race that he described as having “more navigation than any event I’ve been to,” he placed 18th in Rally2 and second among Veteran Trophy riders. His best stage finish was a 13th on the final day.

Outside of racing, he is the president and CEO of Ski Utah, a nonprofit to promote skiing and snowboarding in his home state. Even with Dakar as the near-future big one on his calendar, Rafferty figures to be busy prepping Utah for the 2034 Winter Olympics as well.

As they always have, BAS World KTM Racing Team will field his bike.

Featured image credit: Irina Petrichei / Edophoto / DPPI / ASO