Ford's Raptor Week: Lake Havasu rally draws 450-plus trucks ahead of Austin Grand Prix
Nearly 1,000 guests and more than 450 trucks turned out for Ford's third Raptor Rally in Lake Havasu, Arizona, as Daniel Ricciardo's road trip carried the Raptor story to the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin.
- Nearly 1,000
- More than 450
- Third year
- Two days
What Happened
Nearly 1,000 guests and more than 450 trucks converged on Lake Havasu, Arizona for Raptor Rally, now in its third year and, according to Ford, bigger than ever. Raptor owners, clubs and creators were joined by off-road names including Loren Healy, Brad Lovell, Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Mitch Guthrie Jr. for two days of open desert trails, Baja loops, pro driver hot laps and the first-ever Raptor Baja Sprint competition. Raptors of all shapes and sizes were welcome at the event. Leading up to the two-day gathering, multiple Raptor clubs got together to caravan over, and Loren Healy gave a preview of the ride experience participants could expect.
More than 450
Raptor Rally drew more than 450 trucks and nearly 1,000 guests to Lake Havasu, Arizona in its third year.
- Jump their own Raptor — described by Ford as the highlight for many attendees
- Hit open desert trails and Baja loops to see what their vehicles could do
- Ride along with Ford Racing driver Christopher Polvoorde in the Raptor T1+
- Meet Ford Racing pros such as Daniel Ricciardo and Christopher Polvoorde
- Compete in the first-ever Raptor Baja Sprint
- See the brand new Bronco Raptor that will compete at the 2026 Baja 1000
Ford Racing and its Raptor lineup swept the podium at this year's Rebelle Rally; Christopher Polvoorde gave Rally-goers a taste of the Raptor T1+.
Raptor Rally saw the reveal of the brand new Bronco Raptor that will be competing at the 2026 Baja 1000.
Daniel Ricciardo officially began his Raptor road trip to Austin, and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Ford Racing unveiled new Raptor-inspired racing kits.
Ford Racing and its Raptor entourage made their entrance ahead of the U.S. Grand Prix, with burgers, lassoing and extra off-roading along the way.
Ford pulled back the curtain on its newest campaign, The Raptor Origin Story, about how a wild idea became an off-road phenomenon.
Daniel Ricciardo and Rob Baird traded the desert for the highway on a road trip that ends in Austin, where Ford Racing takes center stage at the U.S. Grand Prix. Ford says Ricciardo began the Raptor road trip on Monday, October 19, and had reached the Lone Star State by Wednesday, October 21. Ahead of the Grand Prix weekend, Ford Racing and its Raptor entourage made what the company called quite the entrance. Ford is following the whole run from the Rally to the Circuit of the Americas with stories, photos and dispatches from the trail, updated as it happens.
The rally itself mixed competition with hands-on driving. Ford Racing and its Raptor lineup swept the podium at this year's Rebelle Rally, which Ford describes as the longest competitive off-road rally in the United States and the first for women. Ford Racing driver Christopher Polvoorde was on hand to give some Rally-goers a taste of the Raptor T1+, which was designed to be one of the most capable and extreme off-road race vehicles in the world. Pro racer Brad Lovell greeted participants, while Chase Gentry shared footage from his sunset drive the night before the event officially began.
Why this matters
Raptor Rally is Ford's gathering for its off-road truck owners, clubs and creators, and the third-year turnout shows how the Raptor badge pulls buyers into a community around the trucks. In the same week, Ford Racing connected that off-road identity to the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin and to a Bronco Raptor entry for the 2026 Baja 1000.
Terms in This Story
- Baja 1000
- A long-distance off-road desert race.
- Rebelle Rally
- A competitive off-road rally; Ford describes it as the longest competitive off-road rally in the United States and the first for women.
- Raptor T1+
- A Ford Racing off-road race vehicle, described by Ford as designed to be one of the most capable and extreme off-road race vehicles in the world.
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