Ford Performance is set to enter and compete in the 56th SCORE Baja 1000, one of the most grueling off-road races on the planet, with two of its most capable stock-based race vehicles –– Bronco Raptor and F-150 Raptor R.
“The Baja 1000 is one of the most difficult off-road endurance races on the planet, making it as much a competition as it is a development and learning proving ground for us,” said Mark Rushbrook, Ford Performance, global director of Motorsports. “Racing Bronco Raptor and F-150 Raptor R in the Baja 1000 will help Ford continue to learn from and improve both vehicles under the most extreme conditions.”
This year’s SCORE Baja 1000 will start in La Paz, near the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, and run approximately 1,300 miles north to Ensenada, Mexico. This year’s point-to-point race format will be the 25th Peninsula run in race history, with the course being its longest between La Paz and Ensenada. While the race is in its 56th edition, SCORE International is celebrating 50 years of desert racing by starting the race in La Paz for the first time in the event’s history.
The two Ford entries will compete in separate stock race classes, with Bronco Raptor entering Stock Mid-Size and F-150 Raptor running in Stock Full. Both race prepped rigs will follow the Baja 1000 sportsman route, set at just under 1,200 miles total driving distance.
Stock Raptors Modified to Race
Both vehicles maintain near stock setups, with special modifications made for racing performance and safety that meet class regulations established by SCORE.
The 2024 F-150 Raptor R includes new FOX Dual Live Valve shocks modified with custom internal valving and race-tailored front and rear coil springs designed to tackle Baja Mexico’s challenging terrain. The Baja 1000 F-150 Raptor R is powered by a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 of more than 700 horsepower, paired with and 10-speed transmission. With the exception of slight modifications to the intake system, the powerful combination is one offered to customers in the production model.
The 2024 Bronco Raptor uses modified FOX Live Valve shocks with custom internal valves designed for the Baja 1000 and paired with bone stock front and rear coil springs. The Bronco Raptor features a 418 horsepower 3.0-liter EcoBoost engine and 10-speed transmission.
Both Raptor vehicles also have custom front and rear bumpers plus all required safety equipment, including a safety cage and fuel cells. They also include custom high intensity LED lighting for night running and custom Method Wheels for both trucks.
“There’s tech transfer that’s happening here side by side between the Ford Performance racing and Ford Performance vehicle engineering teams, so lessons learned in the Baja 1000 can be passed down to help make better Raptor vehicles in the future,” said Brian Novak, Ford Performance off-road racing supervisor.
Bronco Baja Heritage
In this year’s edition, the Bronco Raptor will be piloted by 2022 SCORE Baja 1000 winners Brad Lovell and Jason Hutter, along with veteran off-road racer Bailey Campbell, who recently completed the Rebelle Rally in a Mustang Mach-E Rally.
“This year’s Baja 1000 is anticipated to be the most grueling race that we have faced, and that is why we are here –– to test ourselves against the greatest challenges,” Lovell said. “The opportunity to show the world what the Bronco Raptor is capable of in the most grueling circumstances possible is certainly an exclamation point on my six-year involvement with design and testing of the Bronco.”
F-150 Raptor R Return
The F-150 Raptor is the third generation F-150 Raptor to run at the Baja 1000 with Ultra4 Racing Class 4600 National Champion and King of the Hammers Champion Loren Healy, plus three-time King of the Hammers Champion Jason Scherer and John Williams all taking turns driving.
“The next generation Ford Raptor products are again redefining what factory vehicles are capable of off-road,” Lovell said. “I personally have been waiting to show the world what these vehicles are capable of and now is our chance.”
“You can say the average customer isn’t going to take their vehicle and enter it in the Baja 1000, but if you look at the things that happen in this race, you might repeat some of what happens there on a trail elsewhere,” said Rushbrook. “Knowing that we can take these vehicles and prepare them to stand up to the Baja 1000 is important to off-road enthusiast customers and can help us improve them for future customers.”
Official Truck and SUV of the Baja 1000
Ford is also the Official Truck and SUV of SCORE-International Off-Road Racing and lead sponsor of the SCORE World Desert Challenge Series, which includes the SCORE Baja 1000 race. The partnership underscores Ford’s commitment to off-road motorsports and serves as a platform to develop and connect with off-road enthusiasts.
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