Wayne Matlock won the 2026 SCORE Baja 400 UTV Overall and Pro UTV Open in his No. 1871 Polaris RZR Pro R Factory, defeating Polaris’ four-car factory team and collecting the $50,000 Polaris SCORE Challenge.
Matlock completed SCORE’s official 423.42-mile course in 9 hours, 54 minutes and 28 seconds. RZR Factory Racing’s Ethan Groom finished second among the UTVs, while Dallas Gonzalez completed an all-Polaris RZR Pro R Factory UTV Overall podium.
The result answered the biggest question surrounding the seventh SCORE Baja 400: an eligible independent racer could beat the official RZR Factory Racing lineup, win UTV Overall and take Polaris’ $50,000 prize—even while racing a Polaris.
2026 SCORE Baja 400 UTV Overall Results
| Position | Driver | Vehicle | Class | Official Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne Matlock – No. 1871 | Polaris RZR Pro R Factory | Pro UTV Open | 9:54:28 |
| 2 | Ethan Groom – No. 1874 | Polaris RZR Pro R Factory | Pro UTV Open | 10:09:40 |
| 3 | Dallas Gonzalez – No. 1851 | Polaris RZR Pro R | Pro UTV Open | 10:20:39 |
Matlock finished 15 minutes and 12 seconds ahead of Groom on corrected time. Gonzalez followed 26 minutes and 11 seconds behind Matlock.
The three UTV leaders also placed 16th, 17th and 20th, respectively, in SCORE’s combined overall standings for trucks, cars and UTVs.
Wayne Matlock
Matlock Overcomes a Broken Axle to Win
Matlock’s victory was anything but trouble-free. The Matlock Racing team had to stop and replace a broken axle near Ejido Uruapan before continuing toward the finish in Ensenada.
Despite the delay, Matlock recorded the fastest corrected time of the UTV field. It was his first SCORE Baja 400 victory and added another major accomplishment to the former SCORE ATV champion’s extensive desert-racing career.
The course delivered the variety that makes Baja racing so difficult, including fast roads, rocky mountain terrain, pine forests, stream crossings, coastal sections, silt and changing weather conditions.
Wayne Matlock Claims the $50,000 Polaris SCORE Challenge
Polaris announced the $50,000 Polaris SCORE Challenge before the Baja 400. An eligible UTV racer had to accomplish two things to collect the prize:
- Defeat all four official RZR Factory Racing entries.
- Win the Baja 400 UTV Overall on corrected time.
Matlock accomplished both. His No. 1871 Matlock Racing entry finished ahead of the official RZR Factory Racing vehicles and every other UTV class on corrected time.
The challenge produced an unusual but successful outcome for Polaris. The company paid an independent Polaris racer $50,000 for defeating its factory team, while RZR Pro R Factory race vehicles still swept the UTV Overall podium.
Matlock was not originally the independent Polaris driver receiving the most attention before the race. Baja 500 UTV Overall winner Branden Sims had confirmed directly to UTVGuide.net that he was eligible for the prize despite driving a RZR Pro R Factory. In the end, it was Matlock who met the requirements and became the first winner of the Polaris SCORE Challenge.
Polaris Sweeps the Baja 400 UTV Podium
Ethan Groom delivered the best result for the official RZR Factory Racing team, finishing second in Pro UTV Open and UTV Overall. Groom reported that brake problems cost his team approximately 15 minutes during the race, but he recovered to secure the runner-up position.
Dallas Gonzalez finished third to complete the all-RZR Pro R Factory podium. According to Polaris, RZR Pro R Factory race vehicles ultimately secured five of the first 10 positions in the UTV results.
The result demonstrates how widely the purpose-built RZR Pro R Factory platform has spread beyond Polaris’ four official factory entries. Independent teams including Matlock Racing and Gonzalez are now using the same basic race platform to compete for SCORE UTV Overall victories.
For more on the development and racing history of the platform, see our Polaris RZR Factory Racing history.
What Happened to the Official RZR Factory Racing Team?
Polaris entered four primary factory-backed teams:
- Brock Heger – No. 1896
- Cayden MacCachren – No. 1821
- Ethan Groom – No. 1874
- Joe Terrana and Rodrigo Ampudia Jr. – No. 1898
Groom led the official team with his second-place UTV Overall finish.
Brock Heger moved from 10th in the Pro UTV Open starting order to first on the road and built a substantial physical lead. His race changed when he encountered a truck stuck in a busy silt section near the coast. Heger diverted around the obstruction because he believed it was the safest option, but SCORE’s post-race quote sheet listed him eighth in class following the resulting penalty.
Heger entered the Baja 400 leading the SCORE Pro UTV Open championship after delivering RZR Factory Racing its first Vegas to Reno victory only weeks earlier.
Kaden Wells Wins His Third Straight Pro UTV FI Race
Kaden Wells continued his undefeated 2026 SCORE season in Pro UTV Forced Induction, winning the class in his No. 2935 Can-Am Maverick R.
Wells has now won Pro UTV FI at the SCORE San Felipe 250, Baja 500 and Baja 400. He completed much of the Baja 400 without a functioning GPS after an electrical problem affected both the original unit and a replacement installed during the race.
The lack of navigation created additional problems in traffic, including a delay near Ojos Negros when Wells had to find a route around a truck stuck on a hill. He nevertheless reached the finish and maintained his perfect class record through the first three rounds of the championship.
Phil Blurton Wins Pro UTV Stock
Phil Blurton won Pro UTV Stock in the No. 3938 entry. Blurton started near the back of the class, worked his way forward and then had to recover again after stopping to replace shocks at Valle de la Trinidad.
Blurton described the course as a difficult combination of speed, silt, rocks and changing conditions. The victory came in his first SCORE appearance in the Pro UTV Stock category after previously competing in forced-induction UTV classes.
2026 Baja 400 UTV Class Winners
- Pro UTV Open and UTV Overall: Wayne Matlock, No. 1871 Polaris RZR Pro R Factory
- Pro UTV Forced Induction: Kaden Wells, No. 2935 Can-Am Maverick R
- Pro UTV Stock: Phil Blurton, No. 3938
2026 SCORE Baja 400 at a Glance
- Race: 7th SCORE Baja 400
- Location: Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
- Race date: September 12, 2026
- Official course distance: 423.42 miles
- Start and finish: Boulevard Costero, Ensenada
- Championship round: Round 3 of the 2026 SCORE World Desert Championship
- Total starters: 164
- Official finishers: 102
- Finishing rate: 62 percent
The international field included racers from 23 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland and Spain.
No Pro UTV Ultimate Debut for the RZR Pro R Boost
The Baja 400 was the first SCORE event offering the new Pro UTV Ultimate class, which was created for next-generation vehicles such as the 2027 Polaris RZR Pro R Boost.
However, the final Baja 400 field did not produce the anticipated SCORE racing debut for the 275-horsepower Pro R Boost. The established Pro UTV Open, Forced Induction and Stock categories remained the focus of the UTV competition.
What’s Next: The 2026 SCORE Baja 1000
The final round of the 2026 SCORE World Desert Championship will be the 59th SCORE Baja 1000, scheduled for November 9–15 in San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur.
For the first time, the Baja 1000 will be held entirely within the state of Baja California Sur. SCORE expects more than 220 teams from 18 countries for the season finale.
RZR Factory Racing will arrive looking to answer Matlock’s Baja 400 victory, while Kaden Wells will attempt to complete an undefeated Pro UTV FI season. Wayne Matlock will also carry new momentum after becoming the first racer to win the $50,000 Polaris SCORE Challenge.
Official information and complete results are available from SCORE International.
