The 58th running of the SCORE Baja 1000 reminded everyone once again why Baja is the ultimate proving ground, not just for racers, but for the machines they pilot. This year’s 854-mile loop course, starting and ending in Ensenada, delivered everything Baja is famous for: endless silt, bottomless mud, hidden ruts, jagged rock, rain and more rain, and the kind of chaos only Baja can create.
Out of 168 teams that officially started the race, only 92 reached the finish line within the allotted 36 hours. Baja was relentless, but Ford showed up for the challenge.
Stock Full-Size – Team 8135
Brad Lovell Takes 1st in Class and finishes 60th Overall!
Leading Ford’s charge was Brad Lovell, piloting the Stock Full-Size F-150 Raptor to an incredible 1st in class and 60th overall finish. Once again, Lovell and the Raptor platform demonstrated why people say Raptor DNA was created for Baja, or maybe Baja created the Raptor?
Despite the punishing terrain, the Raptor not only performed, it endured. Silt beds, mud traps, embedded rocks, and the ever-present threat of mechanical attrition couldn’t stop Lovell’s steady pace and consistent driving. The 8135-team proved exactly what Ford has been designing for: Baja durability straight off the production line.
Driver: Brad Lovell, Jason Scherer, Austin Robinson
Co-Drivers: Adam Lovell, Byam Lovell, Jason Berger
Raptor R – Team 8152
Jason Hutter & Paul Blangsted Fight Through 2WD Miles
Nearby, the Raptor R was also receiving urgent attention. The truck developed significant rotational noise, forcing driver Jason Hutter to navigate extremely difficult terrain in 2WD for several punishing miles. Along with co-driver Paul Blangsted, the team pushed through adversity that would have knocked many competitors out completely.
Although the Raptor R ultimately finished beyond the 36-hour cutoff, they still crossed the finish line, an achievement in its own right given what the truck endured.
Drivers: John Williams, Jason Hutter, Boyd Jaynes
Co-Drivers: Paul Blangsted, Roger Lovell, Nate Williams
Stock Mid-Size – Team 766
Bronco Raptor Finishes 1st in Class and 80th Overall
Ford’s mid-size victory came through Team 766, the Bronco Raptor driven by an all-star trio:
Drivers: Vaughn Gittin Jr., Loren Healy, and bringing home was Bailey Campbell
Co-Drivers: Jeremy Dickenson, Eric Davis, and Brian Crofts
The Bronco Raptor secured 1st in class and 80th overall, despite mechanical setbacks that would have sidelined lesser efforts. Around race mile 80, we happened to be onsite and watched the team swap a front differential in a makeshift pit area on the side of the course.
It was a testament to both the Bronco’s toughness and the professionalism of the Ford support crews, calm, fast, and fiercely focused under pressure.
Ranger Raptor – Team 773
A Hard Hit, Heavy Damage, and a Determined Finish
The Ranger Raptor faced its own early-race battle. Around race mile 19, the truck dropped a wheel violently into a rut, causing major front-end damage and resulting in significant delays while waiting for parts and repairs. Later, at the same impromptu pit where the Bronco Raptor and Raptor R were serviced, the Ranger stopped to have brakes bled and additional repairs made.
Despite the setback and the time lost, the Ranger Raptor team still pushed onward and ultimately crossed the finish, also just outside the official time window, but absolutely within the spirit of Baja.
Drivers: Romain Dumas, Bailey Cole, Wayne Israelsen
Co-Drivers: JT Taylor, Amy Mildwaters, Luis Estrada
A Massive Achievement as All Ford Teams Find the Finish Line
What must be underscored is this: every Ford team finished the Baja 1000.
Not all finished within the 36-hour official window, but they all crossed the finish line. In a year where fewer than 55% of starters completed the race within the allotted time, Ford’s showing is a major testament to both the teams and the trucks.
Baja is never just team versus team. It is team and machine versus Baja itself.
A Story of Grit: RJ Zanon and the Class 3 Bronco
A Bronco Nation Favorite Proves What Determination Really Means
One of the most compelling stories we’ve followed this year is the journey of RJ Zanon and his 2-door Class 3 Bronco. Competing against a three-vehicle field, including a team with deep Baja experience and a highly modified Bronco, RJ and his volunteer crew of mostly Bronco owners brought passion, heart, and relentless determination to the desert.
RJ finished 1st in class but heartbreakingly missed the official cutoff by just 8 minutes and 36 seconds. Although there is still an inquiry in place, it appears like as of now, those results are standing.
Still, he finished the entire 854-mile course.
He earned his finishing medals and Class 3 winning trophy.
And he drove every single mile himself.
What unfolded along the course was incredible to witness: a volunteer team working like a professional race program, staying positive, adapting, and supporting RJ every step of the way. It was so cool to keep opening the SCORE tracking app and connecting to his live stream and see that he was still moving along the course.
RJ, you and your team are everything we celebrate at Bronco Nation. Heart, perseverance, community, and love for the adventure. We couldn’t be prouder, and we can’t wait to see what adventures you tackle in your future, because, if you can beat Baja, you can do almost anything. Kudos to his two navigators, one our good buddy Austin Gillis, who jumped in early on the second day and stuck it out with RJ.
Baja 1000, 2025: Another Proving Ground Completed
For Ford, this year’s Baja 1000 was a showcase of capability, from full-size to mid-size, from stock classes to amazing privateer efforts. Every vehicle and every driver met Baja head-on and conquered it in their own way.
Lovell’s class win, Team 766’s Bronco Raptor victory, the gritty finishes of the Ranger Raptor and Raptor R teams, and RJ Zanon’s remarkable run all reinforce a core truth:
Baja doesn’t just test trucks, it defines them.
And in 2025, Ford passed that test with grit, engineering, heart, and a community that shows up to support its own every mile of the way.
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