Wayne Matlock Wins SCORE Baja 400 UTV Overall in Polaris RZR Pro R Factory, Claims $50,000 Challenge
Wayne Matlock drove a Polaris RZR Pro R Factory to the UTV Overall win at the 7th SCORE Baja 400, becoming the first racer to claim Polaris' $50,000 SCORE Challenge prize.
- $50,000
- 7th
- 5 of 10
- November 9-15
What Happened
Polaris swept the UTV Overall podium at the 7th SCORE Baja 400 this past weekend, with Wayne Matlock piloting his Polaris RZR Pro R Factory to the UTV Overall win and claiming Polaris' $50,000 SCORE Challenge prize purse. RZR Factory Racing Team driver Ethan Groom finished second, having started third in Pro UTV Open and battled throughout the day, while Dallas Gonzalez took third to complete an all-RZR Pro R Factory podium sweep. Polaris said the result showcases the performance, durability and depth of its purpose-built race platform.
- 1st – Wayne Matlock, Polaris RZR Pro R Factory (UTV Overall winner, first to claim the $50,000 Polaris SCORE Challenge)
- 2nd – Ethan Groom, RZR Factory Racing Team (started third in Pro UTV Open)
- 3rd – Dallas Gonzalez, also in a RZR Pro R Factory
$50,000
Offered to any eligible UTV racer who could defeat the RZR Factory Racing team and capture the UTV Overall victory; Matlock is the first to claim it.
“Wayne put together an incredible race, and we couldn't think of a more deserving competitor to be the first to claim the Polaris SCORE Challenge. We created this challenge to raise the stakes and fuel competition, and Wayne did exactly that. To see him earn the victory and the $50,000 prize aboard a RZR Pro R Factory, while Ethan and Dallas completed an all-RZR Pro R Factory podium, speaks volumes about the strength of this vehicle and the racers who continue to push it to its limits.”
The podium sweep underscores the growing presence of the RZR Pro R Factory race vehicle across off-road racing, extending well beyond Polaris' factory-backed RZR Factory Racing team. The vehicle is developed from the same platform that has powered RZR Factory Racing to victories across the sport's most demanding desert races, and it is increasingly being chosen by independent racers looking to compete at the front of the field. That adoption was on display at this year's Baja 400, where RZR Pro R Factory machines secured five of the top ten finishing positions.
Polaris announces the SCORE Challenge, offering $50,000 to any eligible UTV racer who defeats the RZR Factory Racing team and captures the UTV Overall victory, to raise the level of competition in the UTV Pro class.
Wayne Matlock wins the UTV Overall at the 7th SCORE Baja 400 in a Polaris RZR Pro R Factory and becomes the first racer to claim the $50,000 SCORE Challenge prize.
The Polaris RZR Factory Racing team returns to action at the Baja 1000, aiming to finish the SCORE season with a win in what the source calls arguably the toughest off-road race in the world.
Previously from Polaris Inc.
Polaris announced the SCORE Challenge in July 2026, putting $50,000 on the line for any UTV racer who could beat the four RZR Factory Racing vehicles and win the UTV Overall at the SCORE Baja 400. The team arrived at Baja 400 after a milestone result earlier in the season: in August, Brock Heger drove the No. T96 RZR Pro R Factory to the UTV Overall win at the 2026 Vegas-to-Reno, the team's first victory there in its history.
- Polaris RZR Factory Racing Puts $50,000 on the Line with the SCORE Challenge
- Polaris RZR Factory Racing Wins Vegas-to-Reno for the First Time in Team History
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Polaris Inc.'s official releases.
Why this matters
Polaris created the SCORE Challenge to raise the level of competition in the UTV Pro class by paying $50,000 to any eligible racer who could beat its RZR Factory Racing team. Matlock proved the prize was winnable, but the all-RZR Pro R Factory podium and five of the top ten finishing positions show independent racers are choosing Polaris' purpose-built race vehicle to run at the front.
Terms in This Story
- UTV
- Utility terrain vehicle, a side-by-side off-road machine with a steering wheel and seats; the vehicle class the RZR competes in.
- SCORE
- The sanctioning organization behind the Baja desert racing series, including the Baja 400 and Baja 1000.
- Pro UTV Open
- The SCORE UTV racing class Groom was competing in, where he started third.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.