Ricky Brabec will once again try his hand at four-wheeled racing later this month at the Vegas to Reno. Unlike his previous driving stints, which were in UTVs, he’ll be racing a Class 1500 car for the first time.

Brabec is a three-time V2R winner on a bike, taking victory in 2014, 2017, and 2020. In 2024, he returned to the event sharing a Honda CRF450 with his W2RC teammate and twice V2R champ Skyler Howes; Brabec led the bike overall on his stint but retired after Howes crashed and fractured his vertebrae.

Howes is not entered for 2025, so Brabec decided to try out driving instead.

While Brabec is obviously known for his motorcycle exploits like the aforementioned V2R crowns and two Dakar Rally victories, he’s dabbled in being a race driver since 2020. Racing a Honda Talon UTV, he made his four-wheel competition debut in DP4 Racing.

In 2022, he shared a Talon with Jamie Campbell for the Vegas to Reno. They finished 47th overall and 15th in UTV Trophy Unlimited.

At the 2024 Mint 400, Brabec did double duty by running the Limited Race in a Talon that he split with Howes followed by the Motorcycle Race with Campbell’s nephew Preston. He and Howes won their class in the former, then claimed the latter’s overall with the younger Campbell. Brabec and Preston also topped this year’s Mint Motorcycle Race.

The Vegas to Reno will take place on August 15.

In his main discipline, Brabec is tied for second in the W2RC RallyGP standings. He finished fifth at the Dakar Rally followed by second in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and third at the South African Safari Rally. With the next race in Portugal not until September, he has the summer to himself to spend doing races like the V2R.

Featured image credit: Matteo Gebbia / Edophoto / DPPI / ASO