POLARIS' RZR FACTORY RACING DRIVER BROCK HEGER DOMINATES AT KING OF THE HAMMERS® DESERT CHALLENGE FOR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR, SECURING UTV OVERALL WIN
Polaris Racers and the RZR Pro R Secured Six of the Top 10 Overall UTV Positions, with Chaden Minder Rounding out the Podium in Third Place
MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Carrying his momentum straight from another victorious Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, RZR Factory Racing's Brock Heger opened the 2026 UTV season in dominant fashion by once again conquering the King of the Hammers (KOH)® Desert Challenge. At the 7th annual Desert Challenge this past Saturday in Johnson Valley, Heger delivered a flawless performance behind the wheel of his Polaris RZR Pro R Factory to secure the overall UTV Open class victory during the Limited Race. The win marked Heger's third consecutive Desert Challenge victory, continuing his unmatched run of success at one of off-road racing's toughest proving grounds.
In addition to Heger's victory, Polaris racers in the RZR Pro R delivered a standout performance, earning two podium finishes and six top-ten results. Chaden Minder secured a third-place podium behind Heger, followed closely by Sebastian Marques in fourth and RZR Factory Racing teammate Ethan Groom in fifth in his first full-time appearance behind the wheel of the RZR Pro R Factory. Branden Sims added a ninth-place finish, with Sierra Romo rounding out the top ten.
Following an intense qualifying session, Heger lined up second, with Ethan Groom starting sixth and Joe Terrana in the orange car qualifying eighth. The four-lap race unfolded as planned, with Heger quickly charging into the lead and never looking back. He went on to deliver a dominant wire-to-wire performance, with the RZR Pro R Factory showcasing its speed and reliability over the 250-mile event to finish more than nine minutes ahead of the second overall UTV.
Behind Heger, Polaris drivers maintained a strong pace through the opening half of the race as the evolving dynamics of the event reshaped the running order in the closing stages. With his grassroots program, Chaden Minder delivered a breakthrough performance, charging to an impressive third-place UTV overall finish. After qualifying 22nd, Minder fought his way through the field, going wheel-to-wheel with the factory-backed racers. His performance highlighted the power, strength, and durability of the RZR Pro R platform, proving its ability to perform in some of the toughest conditions in off-road racing. Similarly, Polaris privateer Sebastian Marquez also had a strong showing in his RZR Pro R, landing fourth.
Behind them, Groom ran consistently inside the top three early before slipping back late, ultimately regrouping to secure a fifth-place finish. Starting 30th on the grid, Cayden MacCachren delivered one of the strongest drives of the race, charging through the field to cross the line in an unofficial third. Post-race review later adjusted the results after it was determined he had inadvertently missed a virtual checkpoint, an occurrence that affected multiple competitors, resulting in an 11th-place classification.
"It feels great to start the season with this kind of momentum," said Heger. "Coming straight from Dakar and barely getting adjusted back, then jumping into a race as demanding as King of the Hammers® makes this win so rewarding. Like we've done the past few years, we were able to qualify well, get to the front early, and then control the race, which is all you can ask for. This race is an all-out sprint through the desert and my RZR Pro R Factory performed incredibly, delivering the power that I needed while the suspension flawlessly absorbed the intense whoops and terrain of the desert. Now it's time to set our sights on the rock race this week."
"King of the Hammers always delivers drama and challenge, and this year was no exception," said Alex Scheuerell, Polaris' Director of Off-Road Motorsports. "When the dust settled, Brock drove an incredible race to bring home the trophy once again for Polaris. His ability to shift between disciplines and dominate at the highest level is truly remarkable. Beyond Brock's win, it was a standout day for Polaris and the RZR Pro R, with our drivers securing six of the top ten UTV spots overall and showing just how capable these machines are across the toughest terrain in the sport."
RZR Factory Racing still has more work to do in Johnson Valley this week, as Heger and CJ Greaves will take their skills to the UTV Hammers Championship Race Rock on Thursday, February 5 behind the wheel of modified Gen 1 RZR Pro R Factory machines that have been specifically tuned to conquer the rock-strewn terrain, including the iconic Chocolate Thunder.
To learn more, please visit Polaris.com/RZR or join the conversation and follow on Facebook sm, Instagram sm, YouTube sm and Xsm. KOH® and King of the Hammers® are registered trademarks of Hammerking Productions, Inc.
About Polaris
As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE:PII) has been defining and redefining outdoor adventure since 1954. Polaris delivers industry-shaping off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, boats, military, quadricycles, and commercial transportation vehicles, along with an expansive portfolio of parts, garments, and accessories. Its lineup includes some of the most iconic brands in powersports including the RANGER, RZR, Polaris XPEDITION, Bennington pontoons, Slingshot, and more. Headquartered in Minnesota and serving customers in nearly 100 countries, Polaris continues to set the standard for performance, quality, and unmatched service. Explore more at www.polaris.com.
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SOURCE Polaris Inc.