This October, Ford Performance is heading back into the desert for the 2025 Rebelle Rally, the premier women’s off-road navigational rally raid in the United States. The 8-day event, held October 8–18, will once again test endurance, precision, and strategy across some of the most rugged terrain in the West. And for the 10th edition of the rally, Ford Performance is fielding a full lineup of Raptors—celebrating 15 years of Raptor heritage in style.
Team 199: Melissa Clark & Kathryn Reinhardt – Bronco Raptor
This year, I (Melissa Clark) am thrilled to be back at the Rebelle Rally alongside my trusted navigator, Kathryn Reinhardt, as Team 199, Built Wild. After four years competing in the X-Cross class with a Bronco Sport with three golds and one silver finish, I’ll be stepping up into the 4x4 class in a 2025 Bronco Raptor under the Bone Stock designation for Ford Performance Racing. This move requires a team number change (no longer Team 200) to align with our new class of competition.
While my love for the Bronco Sport and the X-Cross class will always remain, the opportunity to run a Bronco Raptor is a dream come true. The transition means new considerations, such as adjusting to the size and width of the Raptor and planning for potential trail repairs, like handling a 37-inch tire change in the middle of the desert (yes, we have a plan). But with Kathryn and I both having Bronco Raptors in our families, we’ve already been getting seat time and training in Johnson Valley and Ridgecrest, California, where the rigs have proven themselves to be nothing short of world-class.
While this move may be somewhat of a surprise, we are no strangers to competing in this class. This is Kathryn’s 3rd time in the 4x4 class and 4th Rebelle overall, while it’s my 10th Rebelle Rally and 6th year in 4x4. In those years, I’ve finished in the Top 10 five times with a silver podium finish in 2019. We know we are up for the challenge and together, our strategy remains the same as always: manage time wisely, move efficiently between checkpoints, and keep momentum on our side. The Raptor gives us the ability to get there even faster.
The Ford Performance Raptor Lineup
We won’t be alone. Ford Performance is fielding an all-Raptor roster this year, three Bronco Raptors and two Ranger Raptors, with a talented group of drivers and navigators, all rally veterans.
- Team 150 – Shelby Hall & Rori Lewis, Bronco Raptor
- Team 188 – Laura Wanlass & Penny Dale, Bronco Raptor
- Team 167 – Bailey Campbell & Sedona Blinson (10-year veteran like me), Ranger Raptor
- Team 131 – Karisa Haydon & Trista Smith, Ranger Raptor
While there won’t be a Ford Performance–backed Bronco Sport in 2025, fans of the beloved Sport can still cheer on a rookie privateer team representing the X-Cross class. This is only the 2nd time a Bronco Sport privateer team has entered the event but a testament to the durability and functionality of this smaller, yet totally capable Bronco.
The Challenge Ahead
The Rebelle Rally isn’t about speed, it’s about precision, strategy, and endurance. Starting with tech inspections in Mammoth, California, and finishing in Needles, California, teams will tackle a secret course that spans deserts, mountains, and dunes. Using only maps and compasses, teams must navigate from checkpoint to checkpoint, camping out each night at base or marathon camps with only the gear they bring along. Most years bring intensely cold and hot temperatures, ranging from below freezing to over 100 degrees, testing woman and machine.
Points are earned for successful navigation in capturing checkpoints of varying difficulty, and the team with the highest score in each class at the end of the 8 stages takes home the trophy, daily stage winners are also awarded with medals.
As Ford Performance celebrates 15 years of Raptor, there’s no better event than the Rebelle Rally to showcase the capability, durability, and spirit of these trucks. And as competitors, we couldn’t be more excited, or honored, to carry that legacy into the desert this fall.
To learn more and follow the action live during the rally, visit RebelleRally.com.
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