At the 2023 San Felipe 250, Can-Am’s Rodrigo Ampudia spoiled the debut of what was then Polaris Factory Racing by beating them to win the UTV overall. Three years later, he’s joined their ranks.

RZR Factory Racing announced Tuesday that he will share the #1898 Polaris RZR Pro R Factory with Joe Terrana starting with June’s Baja 500.

While only Rodrigo is racing for the team, the Polaris partnership extends to the rest of the family like his father Rodrigo Sr. and brothers Aaron and Alan. As part of the deal, the #1898’s livery has changed from orange to hot pink, the same color used on Alan’s Trophy Truck as a tribute to their mother’s battle with breast cancer. Papas&Beer, a bar and club owned by the family in Ensenada, will also host an event the night before the Baja 500, a watch party on race day, and a team debrief and celebration afterward.

“I’m happy to be a part of the team,” commented Ampudia at a media availability that included 131 Off-Road on Tuesday. “I’m happy to be racing with Joe and hopefully we’re a good match. I’m sure we will be.”

Fittingly, Terrana was also a Can-Am driver before joining Polaris starting with last year’s Baja 1000. Terrana in turn noted Tuesday that the Maverick versus the RZR are “two completely different platforms”, and feels the latter is a “complete game changer in what do and what [the team] does is way more than the previous car.” He finished second for UTVs at the SCORE season opener in San Felipe in March as part of a Polaris 1–2–3–4–5.

Racing a Maverick in Pro UTV Forced Induction, Ampudia was the top UTV outright in the 2023 San Felipe 250 and 2024 Baja 400. He switched to Pro UTV Open—the same category that RZR Factory Racing competes in—for 2025. His best finish that year was eighth in class at the Baja 400 and 65th overall, while also supporting Alan in his successful SCORE Trophy Truck championship defense.

Besides his achievements, SCORE racing exclusively in Baja made the Ensenada native and local favorite even more of a fitting addition. Ampudia is the team’s first Mexican driver on a roster solely of Americans.

“I’ve had my eye on him since Day 1,” RZR principal Travis Clarke stated. “He’s always someone we wanted to have join the program if the opportunity presented itself, and this opportunity presented itself this year. The whole family is now ambassadors for Polaris.

“We try hard to cultivate our relationship with the locals. Without their support, we couldn’t be racing down there. We always want to be good stewards and ambassadors of the sport and have good outreach and relationships with them and with the Ampudia family who are very active and charitable. In Mexico, we hope to achieve even more outreach and engagement with the community down there, that’s part of our plan. One of the things we want to do to help try and give back and make Polaris synonymous with Mexico is have good relationships with the locals.”

After growing up watching his father Rob race against Ampudia in Pro 2 trucks in the 2000s, Cayden MacCachren thought it was “funny” to have him as a teammate now.

“I hope I can learn Spanish from him,” MacCachren quipped. “I’ve been going to Baja for six years and I still don’t know a word of it.”

The Baja 500 will be the team’s second race with their new chassis. Shakedown will take place on Wednesday before going to Mexico for pre-running, which opened last Saturday for all competitors. Racing is on June 6.

While Terrana, MacCachren, Brock Heger, and Ethan Groom are focused on contending for another win, Ampudia is more grounded about his approach for the 500 as the newcomer in a vehicle he’s still fairly unfamiliar with: “Follow Joe’s lead and get it to the finish line.”

“It feels like a real race car,” Ampudia said of the RZR. “It’s definitely a race-built-specific machine. I haven’t had a lot of seat time on it, but hopefuilly tomorrow I can get some time in the test to get used to it.

“Even though I haven’t had a chance to drive the race car, this is definitely a move in the right direction for me.”

Featured image credit: Polaris Off-Road Vehicles