Wayne Matlock came out on top at the 2026 SCORE Baja 400, taking the UTV Overall victory in his Polaris RZR Pro R Factory and collecting the $50,000 Polaris SCORE Challenge prize.
Matlock led an all-RZR Pro R Factory sweep of the UTV Overall podium, with RZR Factory Racing’s Ethan Groom finishing second and Dallas Gonzalez Jr. taking third.
Polaris introduced the SCORE Challenge in July, putting up $50,000 for any eligible UTV racer who could beat the factory-backed RZR Factory Racing team and claim a UTV Overall victory. Matlock answered the challenge at the Baja 400, adding another major win to his off-road racing career.
“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,” said Alex Scheuerell, Polaris’ Director of Off-Road Motorsports. “We created this challenge to raise the stakes and fuel competition, and Wayne did exactly that.”
Behind Matlock, Groom started third in Pro UTV Open and battled his way to second overall. Gonzalez followed in third, completing the podium sweep for the RZR Pro R Factory.
The results also highlighted the growing presence of the RZR Pro R Factory outside of Polaris’ factory-backed team. RZR Pro R Factory machines claimed five of the top 10 finishing positions at this year’s Baja 400.
With the Baja 400 complete, RZR Factory Racing will turn its attention to the SCORE Baja 1000, scheduled for November 9-15, where the team will look to close out the 2026 SCORE season with another victory.
