Bronco Raptor and F-150 Raptor Win Baja 1000

Spanning almost 1,200 miles up the Baja Mexico peninsula, the course for the 2023 SCORE Baja 1000 Presented by K&N was something to see. For the event’s 56th year, the terrain was loaded with sandy beaches, thick silt beds, dangerous rock fields, and other challenging obstacles that would make even experienced racers sweat. In spite of the odds, however, Ford made a splash at the Baja 1000 with the Bronco Raptor and the F-150 Raptor taking home victories in the mid-size and full-size stock classes.

“Ford is a family company with not only a goal to win, but to also further develop our street Raptors for customers around the world to enjoy,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “The Baja 1000 not only served as a testament to all the hard work from people on the ground and those in Dearborn, Mich., but this event also emphasizes our continued global commitment to the sport and making better products for our customers.”

This year’s Baja 1000 was important for the Bronco Raptor and the F-150 Raptor to prove their mettle in, particularly after their Raptor sibling, the Ranger Raptor, took home a 2022 win. This race was about title retention for Ford as much as it was about desert endurance, but after a run that included poor weather and other challenges, the Bronco Raptor finished with a time of 40:37:47.820 and the F-150 Raptor with 41:44:45.634.

“We are so proud to be able to get these trucks across the finish line,” said Brian Novak, Ford Performance off-road racing supervisor. “Baja is one of the most difficult races in the world, and that is why we use it as a proving ground for our technology. The team is proud to show again this year how capable the Raptors really are.”

“Winning the Baja 1000 in the Raptor R will go down as one of my favorite victories in my racing career,” said Loren Healy, F-150 Raptor R racer. “The amount of work that went into the race efforts for both the truck and the Bronco Raptor are absolutely mind blowing. Somewhere around 100 people came together as a family and made magic, getting both these stock production vehicles to win their classes in the second longest Baja 1000 ever. It truly is an honor to be a small part of this epic, history-making team.”

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