In a historic first for American off-road racing, Ford Racing will campaign the revolutionary Ford Raptor T1+ at the 2026 Casey Folks Vegas to Reno.
The machine will be piloted by Mitch Guthrie Jr. and co-driven by Kellon Walch. Built by Ford Racing and M-Sport to conquer the world’s toughest rally-raid events, including the Dakar Rally, the Raptor T1+ has never before competed in a major American desert race.
The challenge is monumental. Stretching more than 500 miles across Nevada’s unforgiving desert terrain, Vegas to Reno is the longest point-to-point off-road race in the United States and one of the most demanding tests of endurance, reliability, and speed in motorsports.
For the Ford Raptor T1+, the event will represent uncharted territory. While the purpose-built rally-raid machine has proven its capabilities on the world stage, including the Dakar Rally, the 2026 Vegas to Reno will mark the longest continuous competitive stage the vehicle has ever attempted.
Fresh off a Vegas to Reno victory in 2025 and a successful Dakar campaign with Ford Racing, Guthrie and Walch will look to make history once again by taking one of the most advanced rally-raid vehicles built into the heart of American desert racing.
The Ford Raptor T1+ vehicle is a purpose-built rally-raid race truck developed by Ford Racing and M-Sport. Designed specifically to conquer the grueling Dakar Rally, the T1+ uses a custom T45 steel spaceframe chassis, a 5.0L Coyote-based V8, and advanced long-travel suspension. Built as the pinnacle of Ford’s off-road racing efforts, the Raptor T1+ competes in the top-tier T1 class of the World Rally-Raid Championship and the Dakar Rally. Elite drivers like Carlos Sainz Sr., Nani Roma, Mattias Ekström, and Mitch Guthrie pilot the factory trucks.
“Having the Ford Raptor T1+ come over and race with us is an incredible opportunity to connect the world of rally-raid racing with American desert racing,” said Matt Martelli, CEO of Unlimited Off-Road Racing. “The technologies, vehicles, and talent competing on the global stage continue to push the sport forward, and bringing a vehicle of this caliber to Vegas to Reno highlights the worldwide appeal of off-road racing. It’s something that is long overdue, and we hope this is just the beginning of welcoming more international teams and entries to compete in America’s premier desert races in the years ahead.”
“We are excited to bring the Ford Raptor T1+ to Vegas to Reno and help connect the worlds of rally-raid racing and American desert racing,” said Kristen Goslawski, North American Off-Road Motorsports Supervisor, Ford Racing. “Ford competes off-road on some of the most challenging terrain around the world, and we welcome opportunities to showcase our vehicles across different racing disciplines. Vegas to Reno is one of the most iconic desert races in North America, and it will be exciting to see the Ford Raptor T1+ take on this legendary challenge and demonstrate its capabilities in a completely new environment.”
The 30th Anniversary Casey Folks Vegas to Reno — “The Other Way” — marks a historic first for the legendary desert race as competitors tackle the longest off-road race in the United States in reverse direction for the very first time.
The event begins August 13–16 in the heart of downtown Reno with a massive Off-Road Festival surrounding the host J Resort before racers head south across more than 500+ miles of rugged Nevada desert terrain toward the finish in Las Vegas. Celebrating three decades of Vegas to Reno history, the event will bring together top racers, manufacturers, industry leaders, and thousands of fans for one of the most anticipated races in desert off-road history.
