Kevin Benavides’ four-wheel journey begins this weekend when he competes at the Rally Raid San Juan, driving the #234 Can-Am Maverick X3 in the T3.1 class for HV Racing. Cholito Acedo will serve as his navigator.

Benavides is a two-time Dakar Rally bike champion who hung up his riding helmet in June. Despite retiring from motorcycles, he was open to switching to cars to continue his career in rallies. It is a common career trajectory for riders, one that’s also been done by fellow Dakar winners Toby Price and Sam Sunderland in the past year. Incidentally, the 2024 Rally Raid San Juan’s UTV class was won by two-time Dakar Quad winner Manuel Andújar in his four-wheel debut (albeit as a navigator).

Throughout July, Benavides began testing side-by-sides with Ferioli Racing Team and Sisterna Rally Raid Team.

Benavides won the Dakar Rally in 2021 and 2023, but his career since the latter has been plagued by injuries that sidelined him for much of that year and the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championships. This year’s Dakar in January was his final race on two wheels, but it ended halfway since he felt he wasn’t fully able to continue.

Rally Raid San Juan is the fifth and sixth round of the 2025 Campeonato Argentino de Rally Raid (CaNav). His younger brother Luciano, who’s still a bike rider, is also taking part.

Featured image credit: Kin Marcin / Red Bull Content Pool