A next-generation Ranger Raptor race-prepared for the mid-sized stock class completed the 2022 SCORE-International Baja 1000 in 26 hours, 21 minutes and 39 seconds finishing first amongst stock class vehicles.

A global Ford Performance effort, the next-gen Ranger Raptor was prepared in Australia by Kelly Racing before being flown to the U.S. for final testing and development with Ford Performance, Lovell Racing and Huseman Engineering. From start to racing, the project was completed in just 10 weeks.

Competing at Baja was both a return to the event for the Ranger nameplate and a motorsport debut for the next-gen Ranger Raptor. It was also an off-road motorsport debut for Shell’s Low Carbon Fuel which fueled the next-gen Ranger Raptor throughout.

The race team, managed by Baja legend Curt Leduc, had four driver/co-driver pairings: Brad and Byam Lovell (Lovell Racing), Jason Hutter and Paul Blangstead (Fire Guys Racing), Loren Healy and Eric Davis (Fun-Haver Off-Road), with ARB’s Andy and Danny Brown the pairing that brought the truck across the finish line in 83rd overall from a starting field of 276 vehicles.

“We sent a genuinely stock vehicle to the Baja 1000 with the confidence, from testing, that we had a strong package. That said, Baja is the toughest, continuous off-road race in the world, and we made it through without even getting a flat tyre. We had no unplanned pit stops and once we finished, we drove it back to California. To me, that’s Built Ford tough,” said Justin Capicchiano, Ford Performance and SVE Manager, Australia.

Watch the next-gen Ranger Raptor competing at the Baja 1000.