Branden Sims
and Kristen Matlock Round Out Podium Finishing Second and Third
Respectively, Behind the Wheel of the Polaris RZR Pro R
MINNEAPOLIS, June 5, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- This past weekend, the Polaris Factory Racing team
took on the 55th running of the SCORE Baja 500, with
Brock Heger putting forth a
masterful performance behind the wheel of his RZR Pro R Factory,
racing unchallenged to secure the UTV Overall and UTV Open Class
victories. This marks the team's second consecutive victory over
the course of its first two races. Fellow Polaris-supported racers
Branden Sims and Kristen Matlock rounded out the podium,
finishing second and third in their race-modified RZR Pro R.
With the 473.67-mile loop style course starting and ending in
Ensenada, the day was determined
by who could come away unscathed by the grueling Baja desert terrain. When the race got
underway, Cayden MacCachren started fourth, Austin Weiland was fifth and Heger was eighth.
The three began skillfully navigating their way through the field,
quickly moving to the front where a battle ensued with Polaris
racer Wayne Matlock. By the 100-mile
mark, the three factory racers were setting an impressive pace with
Weiland in the lead physically, and Heger, who sat in third,
leading based on adjusted time. Meanwhile, MacCachren was running
fourth. By mile 195, Heger had made a pass on Matlock to move into
the physical lead and from there he began pulling away.
Solidly in control of the race, Heger put his head down and charged
forward, ultimately crossing the finish line 15-minutes ahead of
Sims. Weiland and MacCachren both navigated through the demanding
course, successfully completing the race and crossing the finish
line in ninth and 14th respectively.
"After a solid showing at the San
Felipe 250, the team came into this weekend determined to
make another statement, and that's exactly what we did," said
Alex Scheuerell, Polaris Factory
Racing Technical Director. "Brock drove incredibly smart and smooth
all day, reinforcing his status as one of the truly elite young
drivers in our sport, and we're extremely proud of the preparation,
hard work and dedication he continues to display day in and day
out."
"Taking both the overall UTV and class win at the Baja 500 is totally surreal for me," said
Heger. "I'm excited for the entire Polaris Factory Racing team. To
have come away with victories in both of our first two races is an
amazing accomplishment. My RZR Pro R Factory was absolutely
flawless today, and it's incredible to think that this machine is
only going to get better the more we test and the more we
race."
The Polaris Factory Racing team will be back in action at the
Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno on August
16-20, 2023.
To learn more, please visit Polaris.com/RZR or join the
conversation and follow on Facebook sm,
Instagram sm, YouTube sm and
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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 Polaris RANGER®,
RZR® and Polaris 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. Proudly headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100
countries across the globe. www.polaris.com
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SOURCE Polaris Inc.