After six arduous days of fighting, the revolutionaries descended upon San José del Cabo like the French at the Bastille and the Bolsheviks at the Winter Palace. With no opposition in sight, Brent Fox and his entourage stood atop the world and raised the (checkered) flag. The 6100 Revolution has succeeded.
For Fox, it was a time of redemption after his efforts were upended one year ago. With power now in his hands, he turned toward the throne (his Sparco seat) and sat down as his loyalists bestowed upon him a crown and his new title: the King of Baja.
Not literally, of course, but that is the name of what he got.
Ahead of the 2026 Mexican 1000, NORRA introduced the King of Baja Challenge that offered a tiered purse depending on how many 6100 trucks signed up. 16 entered meant $70,000 in prize money for the winner.
Although 6100 trucks usually aren’t as fast as their Unlimited Truck counterparts, Fox led a top five overall sweep for the class. He, Ryan Arciero, and Craig McCarthy battled for the lead all race long until the lattermost’s #48 fell back due to a water pump failrue on the penultimate day. McCarthy, the 2025 NORRA 500 winner, still salvaged a third-place finish ahead of Max Gordon.
Arciero trailed Fox by just 4:14 going into the final day, but couldn’t pass him on either of Thursday’s Selective Sections. Instead, Fox increased the gap to 7:10.
“You try not to get too high or too low during a six-day rally like this,” Fox stated. “Every day brings something different: flat tires, mechanical issues, good stages, bad stages. It really becomes about managing your emotions, trusting your team, and making sure the truck is strong enough to survive 1,400 miles of Baja.”
Gordon racked up the most stage wins, including going three-for-three on Wednesday, but some early snags meant he had to claw his way back from outside the top ten. EJ Herbst rounded out the top five, and it very well could’ve been a 1–2–3–4–5–6 for the 6100s if not for Chip Griffith’s Unlimited Truck.
Griffith and Rhys Millen led after the first day before dropping, culminating in their truck bursting into flames as they crossed the Stage 6 finish. Still, they won their class and had 15 minutes on Zak Langley to keep the 6100s from occupying the top six, or even top seven including Danny Brown. Manlio Diaz also notched a stage win for the 6100s, finishing eighth in class.
Fox enjoyed his breakthrough after a transmission failure took him out of the 2025 Mexican 1000 overall, winning 6100 but having to settle for fourth outright. Mark Post, that race’s runner-up and the highest finisher from last year to return (winner Dave Mason Jr. is recovering from injuries sustained earlier in the spring), won the Historic Truck and Truggy class with three overall special victories; Larry Ragland, despite announcing his retirement after the 2024 1000, also spent time behind the wheel of Post’s Black Diamond truck at the ripe age of 82.
The Gordons alternated between the #7 truck and #77 UTV, with Max driving one while Robby was in the other and vice versa. The idea seemed to work well as both contended for their respective class wins, but the #77 was subsequently disqualified for being towed across the finish. A hearing with the Competition Review Board reduced the infraction to a two-hour penalty, relegating the #77 from second to fourth in Evolution Pro SxS Forced Induction.
Guy Yocom and Bruno Pinillos also won specials. Yoocm retired due to a mechanical failure halfway, while Pinillos’ 1978 Datsun 280Z was second in Legend Cars. The latter pulled his brother Sergio’s Ultra4 Jeep to the finish, though the latter was still classified as a DNF.
While PJ Jones won SxS FI, the Matlocks were the top UTV overall in tenth. Kristen and her husband Wayne shared driving duties, staying out of trouble and holding off Augie Renezeder. Amy Lerner was tenth and the final Evolution Unlimited Buggy driver in her return to the Mexican 1000 a decade after covering it for her documentary One More Win.
Chris Greenwood’s 1972 Ford Bronco, sporting the Johnny Lightning livery made famous by Parnelli Jones and Al Unser, ran into some early snags. The carburetor and rear axle seals broke on the first day, then the left-front spindle and radius arm snapped the next day followed by a broken leaf spring. The final stretch was far smoother as he finished 123rd overall as the sole Legend 4×4 entry.
“It’s never easy to make San José del Cabo after 1,300 race miles in a 50+-year-old Bronco, but with this team and the help from our Caballo Del Diablo friends, there’s never a doubt,” Greenwood said. “This old Bronco is so tough, it’s unbelievable.”
Caballo Del Diablo fielded a 1968 Bronco nicknamed “Devil Horse”. Boyd Jaynes won Pioneer 4×4 with it after Eric Olson’s 1973 Bronco bowed out.
Hap Kellogg had the oldest car in the field with a 1957 Volkswagen that was converted into a Class 5 car, with which he comfortably won Vintage Class 5 Classic. The oldest bike, meanwhile, was second in Vintage and the penultimate two-wheel finisher: Gille Leenknegt took part on a 1966 Triumph TR6 Trophy.
A vintage flat track racer, Leenknegt even showed up with an old-school open-faced helmet and goggles rather than the full headgear everyone else rocked. The race began on a sour note with a roadbook wiring failure on the first day that forced him to retire already, then he spent much of Day 2 swapping out the ignition. Things didn’t get any easier when he crashed in Stage 4, destroying the Triumph’s roadbook, bending the frame, and bruising his hip. Even as he had to scroll by hand, he still completed the stage sixth overall.
Leenknegt ultimately made it home 14th of the 15 finishers. Steve Montana repeated in Vintage on his 1984 Honda XR500R.
17 bikes were present, which quickly raised concerns of whether they’d return for future NORRA events. For comparison, outside of the non-competition Moto Uno class, the 2025 Mexican 1000 had 24 motorcycles. Moto director Jimmy Lewis has been open about trying to revitalize NORRA bike racing, especially for last year’s NORRA 500 as the first edition with them since 2021 to the point where a quota was set in order to be guaranteed to race.
Lewis called out those who balked at signing up, proclaiming that “while you pound the keys and think you know it all, 17 riders are doing it. Please ask them about it. And dream on! Search out the Thierry Sabine quote (I’m not going to give it to you) and think about life.”
The Dakar Rally founder famously called his race a “challenge for those who go, a dream for those who stay behind.”
Colton Udall, racing a 2005 Honda CRF450X, battled with Silk Way Rally regular Ilya Shcheglov for the bike victory. Shcheglov, who was leading last summer’s SWR back home in Russia until he crashed, came up short again in his Baja debut but was glad to make the finish and try something different.
“The navigation was very interesting and sometimes very difficult for me because everything was completely new,” Shcheglov offered. “The course was beautiful, and I really enjoyed the race and the experience overall. Racing in the United States and Mexico has always been a dream of mine. I found information about the rally online and decided I wanted to come experience Baja for myself.”
Udall, on the other hand, is a decorated veteran of Baja who’s experienced it in both desert racing and rally formats.
“What’s really special about NORRA is the type of racing we get to do down here in Baja,” Udall commented. “After 15 years of racing other events and beating my body up in the rough stuff, I’ve really come to appreciate the smooth, technical rally-style courses. It’s a completely different skillset. It’s not just surviving impacts and hammering through whoops, it’s about flow, line choice, looking ahead through the corners, and linking everything together smoothly. That’s the kind of riding I really love.”
Willem Avenant can certainly attest to the race’s rally nature. Besides overseeing the Baja Rally, the Dakar Rally alumnus took part alongside Sonora Rally director Darren Skilton in Glickenhaus’ SCG 008.
The desert pushed the SCG 008 to its limits over and over again. The serpentine belt broke on the first day because it was wired incorrectly, then the car lost its rear brakes. Skilton and Avenant continued anyway, but the increased reliance on the front brakes caused so much stress until it snapped the left-front wheel off on the final day. They managed to get it fixed and reach the finish at night, second in Evolution Rally Car.
“It was a crazy, crazy race and I learned so much,” said Avenant. “Darren is a truly phenomenal driver, and when the car was working, she went very well. We worked well together.
“This was supposed to be a test to see if it’s worth developing the car further for Dakar. That decision is in the owners’ hands now.”
Stage winners
| Stage | Cars | Total Time | Bikes | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | SS1: James Griffith III SS2: James Griffith III SS3: Mark Post | SS1: 58:41 SS2: 51:21 SS3: 51:44 | Colton Udall | 4:23:31 |
| Stage 2 | SS1: Brent Fox SS2: Max Gordon SS3: Guy Yocom | SS1: 1:08:58 SS2: 1:06:30 SS3: 51:33 | Colton Udall | 2:50:02 |
| Stage 3 | SS1: Brent Fox SS2: Mark Post SS3: Bruno Pinillos | SS1: 1:35:50 SS2: 1:22:21 SS3: 42:44 | Ilya Shcheglov | 4:42:01 |
| Stage 4 | SS1: Mark Post SS2: Max Gordon | SS1: 51:57 SS2: 2:02:42 | Colton Udall | 4:47:55.0 |
| Stage 5 | SS1: Max Gordon SS2: Max Gordon SS3: Max Gordon | SS1: 1:08:41 SS2: 51:22 SS3: 1:10:21 | Colton Udall | 4:41:27 |
| Stage 6 | SS1: Manlio Diaz SS2: Max Gordon | SS1: 54:36 SS2: 1:54:21 | SS1: Colton Udall SS2: Colton Udall | SS1: 1:09:22 SS2: 2:09:56 |
Class winners
Cars
| Class | Overall | Number | Driver of Record | Vehicle | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger 4×4 | 127 | 727 | Fred Shelly | 1983 Toyota SR5 | 41:40:29 |
| Challenger Truck | 104 | 759 | Travis DuTemple | 1987 Toyota Pickup | 31:01:26 |
| Evolution 6100 | 1 | 282 | Brent Fox | 2023 1Nine Industries Trophy Truck Spec | 19:25:24 |
| Evolution Class 10 | 19 | 1017 | Eduardo Laguna | 2015 Full Potential C10 | 21:25:15 |
| Evolution Class 11 | 115 | 1199 | Tom Unke | 1969 Volkswagen Beetle Trophy Vocho | 34:13:44 |
| Evolution Class 7100 | 90 | 7127 | H. Scott Phipps | 1996 Ford Ranger | 28:10:17 |
| Evolution Heavy Metal | 46 | 1453 | Clinton Pierce | 1995 Ford Ranger | 24:16:06 |
| Evolution Pre-Runner Buggy | 71 | 444 | Allan Lindsay | 2007 Penhall Quatro Diablo | 26:21:58 |
| Evolution Pre-Runner Truck | 28 | 1934 | Scott Kiger | 2022 TSCO Pre-Runner | 22:28:47 |
| Evolution Pro SxS | 10 | 7154 | Kristen Matlock | 2026 Polaris RZR Pro R | 20:31:44 |
| Evolution Pro SxS Forced Induction | 31 | 980 | PJ Jones | 2024 Can-Am Maverick R | 22:49:00 |
| Evolution Pro SxS Naturally Aspirated | 82 | 285 | Taz Harvey | 2021 Honda Talon | 27:31:29 |
| Evolution Rally Car | 59 | 15 | Matt Carricaburu | 2008 M&T Mid-Engine | 25:27:39 |
| Evolution Showroom Stock Late Model | 62 | 773 | Brad Lovell | 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor | 25:28:23 |
| Evolution Sportsman Stock SxS | 40 | 178 | Berlio Prieto | 2024 Can-Am Maverick R | 23:33:41 |
| Evolution TrophyLite / 3000 | DNF | N/A | No Finishers | N/A | DNF |
| Evolution Ultra 4×4 | 97 | 4837 | Jeremy Jones | 2018 Trent Fabrication Top Shelf | 29:24:33 |
| Evolution Unlimited Buggy | 9 | 156 | Greg DiStefano | 1997 Jimco 2000 | 20:29:09 |
| Evolution Unlimited Truck | 6 | 7667 | James “Chip” Griffith III | 2006 Frankenherbst Johnny Cash C10 Special | 20:04:57 |
| Historic Buggy | 120 | 172 | Drew Norman | 1996 Jimco Class 1 | 35:25:20 |
| Historic Truck and Truggy | 16 | 3 | Mark Post | 1992 Ford F-150 | 35:25:20 |
| Legend 4×4 | 122 | 35 | Chris Greenwood | 1972 Ford Bronco | 36:34:43 |
| Legend Buggy | 125 | 116 | Gordon Lewis | 1976 Funco SS2 | 36:59:02 |
| Legend Car | 98 | 504 | Rich Minga | 1981 Volkswagen ’62 Buggy | 29:24:37 |
| Pioneer 4×4 | 108 | 26 | Boyd Jaynes | 1968 Ford Bronco | 31:56:18 |
| Pioneer Buggy | 93 | 305 | Mack Johnson | 1972 Funco SS1 | 28:45:05 |
| Vintage 4-Cylinder Buggy | 112 | 1548 | Paul Hackett | 2005 Crumco Class 5 Baja Bug | 32:37:09 |
| Vintage 4-Cylinder Truck | 129 | 468 | Jose Julio Santibanez | 1986 Toyota 4Runner | 42:10:54 |
| Vintage 6-Cylinder Buggy | 61 | 911 | Barrett Smith | 1985 Mirage 6 | 25:28:03 |
| Vintage 6-Cylinder Truck | 126 | 38 | Bobby Frazee | 2005 Toyota Tacoma | 38:51:31 |
| Vintage Class 1/2-1600 | 107 | 1669 | Mark Winston | 2005 Volkswagen Custom | 31:34:52 |
| Vintage Class 12 | DNF | N/A | No Finishers | N/A | DNF |
| Vintage Class 5 Classic | 51 | 521 | Hap Kellogg | 1957 Volkswagen Class 5 Unlimited | 24:26:46 |
| Vintage Class 5-1600 | 100 | 555 | Tomas Fernandez | 1980 Volkswagen 5-1600 | 30:40:21 |
| Vintage Class 9 | 118 | 985 | Pablo Jauregui | 2000 Gaby Fab 950 | 34:42:35 |
| Vintage Military Vehicle | DNF | N/A | No Finishers | N/A | DNF |
| Vintage Open Buggy | 34 | 108 | Gilberto Rodriguez | 1988 Chenowth Magnum | 22:52:21 |
| Vintage Open Truck with 4×4 | 35 | 303 | Dave Sykes | 1966 Ford Bronco | 23:11:27 |
| Vintage Open Truck with Rear Leafs | DNF | N/A | No Finishers | N/A | DNF |
| Vintage Short Wheelbase 4×4 | 109 | 49 | Randy Ludwig | 1967 Ford Bronco | 31:59:06 |
| Vintage Stock Production Car | 110 | 959 | Jeff Gamroth | 1989 Porsche 911 | 32:28:52 |
Bikes
| Class | Overall | Number | Rider of Record | Vehicle | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50+ | 5 | 411 | Evin McNeill | 2026 Honda CRF450X | 33:32:26 |
| 60+ | 7 | 5 | Cary West | 2021 Husqvarna FE 501 | 36:48:25 |
| Amateur Rally | 8 | 11 | Joe Jackson | 2024 Kove 450 Rally | 37:05:03 |
| Pro Rally | 1 | 1000 | Colton Udall | 2005 Honda CRF450X | 24:10:56 |
| Vintage | 12 | 722 | Steve Montana | 1984 Honda XR500R | 46:47:37 |
Featured image credit: TracksidePhoto
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