With Tavo Vildósola unable to race the Baja 400 due to his neck injury, Andy McMillin will use his #21 in the race. This ensures the number will be able to qualify at the Baja 1000, whether with Vildósola if he manages to recover in time or McMillin in his own truck.

Given the severity of Vildósola’s injury, so substantial that he explicitly credited the HANS device with saving his life when he rolled in June’s Baja Nevada, chances are that he will not be cleared to race the 1000 in November. Still, he does hope to be at the race “in some capacity” like supporting his dad Gus’ TT Legends entry.

If he is allowed to race the 1000, McMillin’s Baja 400 run will ensure the #21 remains eligible for qualifying rather than starting all the way at the back. Should Vildósola be back, McMillin would share the #7 at the 1000 with Menzies.

Despite the shared number, the McMillin truck is fielded by Menzies Motorsports rather than Vildósola Racing. McMillin will drive the new Gen-2 Mason truck in the 400, while teammate Bryce Menzies stays in the regular Gen-1 truck.

“The theories were getting really good,” Vildósola quipped about rumors that McMillin would race the red-and-white Vildósola truck as opposed to his Red Bull blue-and-white.

Although usually rivals, Vildósola is friends with Menzies and McMillin. The trio teamed up to race the Baja 1000 together in 2023, where they won the overall in Menzies’ #7.

Featured image credit: Art Eugenio / Red Bull Content Pool