American Horsepower Takes Center Stage as RZR Factory Racing and Sebastien Loeb Racing Successfully Defend Dakar With Historic 2025 Victory by Heger and Eddy Jr.
MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 17, 2025 -- RZR Factory Racing and Sébastien Loeb Racing (SLR) returned to the winner's circle at the 47th edition of the Dakar Rally, as rookie driver Brock Heger and navigator Max Eddy Jr., surgically dissected the Rally's 12 grueling stages enroute to a dominant victory in the Side-by-Side (SSV) class. In an extraordinary debut performance, the all-American duo led the field of 39 competitors from 15 different countries in the SSV class over the course of 10 consecutive stages, maintaining a two-hour margin for the majority of the Rally.
Heger's triumph comes less than two months after he captured the 2024 SCORE Baja 1000 and the 2024 SCORE Series Championship. This unprecedented run not only underscores the unmatched performance and durability of the RZR Pro R Factory machine, but cements Heger's place as desert racing's most dominant side-by-side driver. His rookie win at Dakar also etches his name in off-road racing history as one of only four other competitors to win in their rookie debut.
"Dakar is the pinnacle of our sport and winning this Championship is truly a dream come true," said Heger. "Max's experience and pinpoint navigation allowed me to focus solely on our pace and optimizing the condition of our vehicle, and the RZR Pro R Factory was virtually flawless for the entire 12 stages. Earning this historic victory with my close friend is something truly special, but to win Dakar after winning the Baja 1000 - that's something I could have never imagined."
The Championship formula for the American duo was calculated consistency and control throughout the intense two week event, earning one stage win (plus the Prologue), nine podium finishes, and top five finishes in all but one of the Rally's 12 stages. The remarkable performance was a testament to the precision engineering of the RZR Pro R Factory, which provided the duo with unparalleled reliability, power, and agility to tackle the Dakar Rally's grueling terrain. When it was all said and done, the duo completed the grueling 4,815-mile (7,749 km) race in 59 hours, 13 minutes and 11 seconds, finishing more than two hours ahead of their closest competitor. Ultimately, the duo outdueled teammates Xavier de Soultrait and Martin Bonnet, the defending 2024 SSV champions, who maintained a position of no worse than second overall, up until the Rally's second to last stage, where a mechanical issue forced them to withdraw from the stage and finish the Rally 21st overall.
Heger made a strong debut in the Prologue, securing first place and gaining a 19-second advantage over his nearest competitor to begin stage one. The rally opened with one of its toughest challenges during stage one, as Heger's onboard roadbook malfunctioned. Despite this setback, the team secured a third-place finish, setting the stage for a resilient comeback. In stage two, Heger and Eddy responded with a dominating performance, winning the stage and climbing to second overall, trailing only teammate Xavier de Soultrait. Stage three presented a grueling route through jagged rocky trails and expansive, wind-swept sandy stretches, where the RZR Pro R Factory's robust suspension and handling delivered another third-place finish, narrowing the gap to eight minutes and 39 seconds behind the leader. Leaving Al Henakiyah in stage four, the team navigated a treacherous mix of towering dunes and high-speed, open plains, securing third place and taking the overall lead for the first time. Stage five's brutal terrain challenged the drivers with sharp, technical turns and steep elevation changes, but the RZR Pro R Factory's advanced capabilities allowed Heger to extend his lead to an impressive 1 hour, 17 minutes, and 30 seconds before the rest day.
After a critical rest day to recover and prepare, the competition resumed with stage six, where Heger delivered another podium finish despite losing ten minutes of his overall lead due to the relentless, rocky climbs and wide, exposed sandy plateaus. The RZR Pro R Factory's rugged durability proved essential as the rally moved deeper into the vast, unforgiving desert during stages seven and eight, featuring soft, shifting dunes and expansive, arid plateaus. Heger maintained consistency with two second-place finishes, extending his lead to 1 hour, 41 minutes, and 49 seconds. In stage nine, a seven-minute penalty slightly dented the team's momentum but didn't prevent a second-place finish, just 1 minute and 11 seconds behind the stage winner. Stage ten featured towering dunes, razor-sharp ridgelines, and perilous descents, where the RZR Pro R Factory's precise handling helped Heger finish just off the podium in fourth, solidifying an unassailable 1 hour, 49 minutes, and 53 seconds lead over teammate Xavier de Soultrait. In the penultimate stage, Heger continued his steady and consistent performance, securing fourth in class and maintaining his lead heading into the final 37-mile (60km) special stage.
"Starting the 2025 season with our second consecutive Dakar Rally win, following our success at the Baja 1000, is a monumental achievement for Polaris and Sébastien Loeb Racing," said Alex Scheuerell, RZR Factory Racing Technical Director. "I think back to when we were developing the RZR Pro R Factory and establishing our factory program, and our ambitions were to be dominant and win the most important off-road races in the world. To see these ambitions come to fruition is incredibly gratifying and a testament to not only the incredible capabilities of the RZR Pro R, but to the dedication and expertise of everyone at Polaris who's been a part of this program."
Designed for unmatched performance, the race-ready RZR Pro R Factory combines power, durability, and precision handling, making it a formidable force in the toughest motorsport event on the planet. Featuring a high-strength, lightweight chassis built to FIA SSV Class standards, a race-tuned ProStar Fury 2.0L engine, and FOX® Factory Race ESC EVO 3.0 Internal Bypass shocks, the RZR Pro R Factory proved its mettle by enduring the brutal, nearly 5,000-mile course across Saudi Arabia's relentless desert terrain. Though specifically modified for international rally racing, the RZR Pro R Factory maintained key stock RZR Pro R components such as the engine, driveline, and suspension, showcasing the true durability of the platform — the very same components available to consumers on dealership floors. This ability to withstand the harshest conditions, mile after mile, played a crucial role in securing victory, demonstrating the vehicle's unparalleled endurance and reliability under extreme pressure.
With back-to-back victories, the Sébastien Loeb Racing team has solidified its place at the pinnacle of Dakar Rally competition. In addition to Polaris' remarkable success, SLR teammate Xavier de Soultrait, also driving a RZR Pro R Factory, finished the demanding 12-stage event in 21st. His performance was highlighted by a dominant victory in the first stage, along with six top-five finishes and several additional top-10 results that kept him in strong contention throughout the rally. Meanwhile, Florent Vayassade delivered a strong showing, and played a critical role in the team's overall success. Together, these performances highlight the exceptional strength and unity of the Polaris and SLR teams, underscoring their dominance in one of the toughest motorsport events in the world.
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About Polaris
As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and services that have invited people to discover the joy of being outdoors since our founding in 1954. Polaris' high-quality product line-up includes the RANGER, RZR and Polaris XPEDITION and GENERAL side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman all-terrain off-road vehicles; military and commercial off-road vehicles; snowmobiles; Indian Motorcycle mid-size and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot moto-roadsters; Aixam quadricycles; Goupil electric vehicles; and pontoon and deck boats, including industry-leading Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a robust portfolio of parts, garments, and accessories. Headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves nearly 100 countries across the globe. www.polaris.com
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