The Dakar Rally is the culmination 14 days of intense off-road racing across Saudi Arabia. Spanning nearly 5,000 Miles, through some of the most challenging terrain on earth, it has become one of the most formidable races in the world of Motorsports. Winning the Dakar Rally places drivers alongside the best in the world. Winning it two years in a row cements a driver's legacy. Brock Heger of the Polaris Factory Race Team has performed such a feat.
Winning 6 of the 14 stages, Heger and his navigator Max Eddy Jr. finished a full hour ahead of the next finisher in the SSV class aboard their Polaris RZR PRO R. Heger is no stranger to podiums as he is hot off his 2025 SCORE Series overall championship season.
Brock’s back-to-back victory is significant in other regards. Prior to 2026, Semi-Active suspension systems were prohibited at Dakar. The Polaris Factory Racing team has utilized FOX’s Semi-Active Live Valve system abord their vehicles at other races for years, but when racing Dakar, they revert to standard shocks for racing compliance. 2026 is the first year that Semi-Active suspension was permitted at Dakar Rally and it did not disappoint.
A quick refresher; Live Valve is a Semi-Active suspension system that adapts dampers to the terrain ahead for optimal control and performance. There are a few key components to the system: Dampers, Sensors, and an Algorithm. The sensors send inputs to a central computer, the algorithm takes those inputs and decides what the dampers should be doing. This all happens within a fraction of a second. For more information on Live Valve, click here!
FORD CONTINUES TO PUSH WITH RAPTOR
For the second year in a row, FORD has fielded their proven Raptor Platform at Dakar. 4 cars took start this year, piloted by Mitch Guthrie, Carlos Sainz, Nani Roma, and Mattias Ekstrom.
Guthrie saw early successes with multiple stage wins. But after engine trouble during Stage 9 put him 1 hour behind the leaders, his fate was sealed and finished 12th in the T1+ class. Despite navigation problems, a crash, and more than a few close calls, Roma and Ekstrom maintained a consistent pace through the back half of the rally finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively. Carlos Sainz finished in 5th place, 28 minutes behind the leader.
The Dakar Rally never disappoints. Full of action and drama. After the two weeks of nail biting racing, FOX athletes amassed an impressive victory tally:
- 15 Stage Wins
- 35 Stage Podiums
- 3 Stage Podium Sweeps
- 4 Overall Category Podiums
- 1 Overall Category Win
Dakar is just the tip of the iceberg, FOX athletes will continue to push the potential of their vehicles in races across the globe this year.
Photos:
- @fraymedia
- @fordracing
