Ford Racing Dominates Baja 1000 With Dual Raptor Victories

Nick Cavanaugh @Car_Sick_Nick
Nov 16
2 min read

Celebrating 15 Years of Desert Dominance with Unmatched Capability

The Baja 1000 is legendary for its punishing terrain and unpredictable weather, and this year was no exception. In one of the most challenging editions in recent memory, Ford Racing proved why the Raptor nameplate remains the benchmark for factory-built off-road capability. The F-150 Raptor roared to victory in the Stock Full Size class, while the Bronco Raptor conquered the Stock Mid Size class, delivering a commanding performance that underscores 15 years of Raptor heritage.

This milestone year celebrates the Raptor’s evolution from a bold desert-inspired experiment to a proven family of off-road champions. Despite severe weather that forced course changes and tested every team’s endurance, Ford’s Raptors powered through all 700 miles with confidence and composure.

Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Racing, summed it up perfectly: “Winning both stock classes at the Baja 1000 during the 15th year of Raptor is the ultimate validation of what these vehicles stand for. Raptor was born in the desert, and every year we engineer, test, and race with that legacy in mind.”

F-150 Raptor Rules Stock Full Size

Team 8135 piloted the brand-new 3.5L F-150 Raptor through rutted terrain and storm-soaked washes with precision. Drivers Brad Lovell, Adam Lovell, Austin Robison, Byam Lovell, Jason Scherer, and Jason Berger executed a flawless game plan, proving the truck’s toughness in its first Baja competition.

“We build these trucks to be amazingly tough,” said Brad Lovell. “We played it smooth, stayed patient, and the F-150 Raptor killed it.” Scherer added, “This truck made every single inch of that track with no issues and gave us three class wins in a row down here.”

Bronco Raptor Conquers Stock Mid Size

Ford’s momentum continued as the Bronco Raptor battled through Baja’s night and Saturday storm to claim victory. Drivers Loren Healy, Eric Davis, Vaughn Gittin Jr., Jeremy Dickinson, Bailey Campbell, and Bryan Crofts showcased Bronco’s desert-bred DNA, echoing Rod Hall’s historic 1969 Baja win.

“What an unbelievable experience,” said Gittin Jr. “Baja threw everything at us, and our Bronco Raptor endured every mile. Ford Racing winning both classes is a huge testament to the passion and engineering behind these vehicles.”

Fifteen Years of Raptor

This dual triumph reinforces Ford’s commitment to applying racing insights to production Raptors. From the pioneering 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor to today’s global lineup of Bronco, Ranger, and F-150 Raptors, Baja remains the ultimate proving ground. This year’s effort was Ford’s largest desert program ever, with four race trucks, 70 team members, and over 20,000 miles of testing and pre-running.

Fifteen years ago, Raptor was introduced to bring race-proven capability to everyday drivers. In 2025, Baja returned the favor — proving those very vehicles in the environment where they were born.