Dakar or Bust! Talking Rally Raid with Polaris Factory Racing's Brock Heger

Brock Heger, a rising star in the world of off-road racing, has established himself as a formidable competitor across various disciplines. With a background steeped in motocross and a transition to UTVs, Brock has amassed an impressive number of wins and championships. His journey, marked by resilience and a relentless pursuit of excellence, has led him to the pinnacle of off-road racing.

Now, as he prepares for Brock's debut at the 2025 Dakar Rally as part of the Polaris Factory Racing Team, Brock is set to take on one of the most challenging multi-day cross-country events in the world. Representing both Polaris and the USA, he is eager to tackle the diverse terrain and grueling conditions that Dakar presents, all while aiming for the ultimate victory on the global stage. (If you want to listen to a cool interview, check out our Podcast episode with Heger...)

Mad Media: What is your first memory of off-roading?

Brock Heger: My first memory of off-roading is growing up in the desert—that’s all I did. So my first memory is just family time, going out to the desert for New Year's, Christmas, Thanksgiving, stuff like that, and riding my motorcycle, a CRF 50. No training wheels—my dad said I didn't get those, so he just let me rip without them. I've spent a lot of my lifetime riding motorcycles.

As UTVs came onto the scene, they became my new thing. I started out racing Mini Dwarfs, which is circle track stuff at that age. My neighbor at the time, Quentin Tucker, who rode with me at the beginning of my desert career, was racing Trophy Karts on a short course. Seeing his car roll in and out, I kept telling my parents I wanted to race my motorcycle, but they shut that down.

So, when I turned seven, I got a Trophy Kart for my birthday. I played around with it but couldn't race in the Lucas Off Road Series until I was eight. Once I started, I raced Trophy Karts—junior one, junior two, mod karts throughout the years—and then moved on to Pro Lite for a long time. In 2017, I got into a ten-car, which is when my desert racing career took off.

MM: What's your relationship like with your dad?

BH: He comes to all the races with me, supports me, and in my at-home life too. I work on a farm, driving a tractor when I'm not driving a race car, and he's my boss. So I spend a lot of time with him—he supports everything I do. He's always there to scrape mud, clean the car, or wrench on anything if he has to. I know he raced before my time, with a five-car and a Pro Truck, but now he's happy watching me take over the racing while he supports me.

MM: Do you know how many races you've won?

BH: I don’t know the exact number. With short courses and desert racing, there have been a lot of races over the years. It's probably well into the hundreds, maybe close to 200. There are a lot of championships too, but I don't have an exact count. I've had a long career with many good races and some bad ones too. Overall, it's been a very successful journey, and I just want to keep adding wins and successes.

MM: Where does winning the Mint 400 rank among all your wins?

BH: Winning the Mint was cool. Growing up, I always heard about the Mint 400 as the gnarliest race in the States. The first year I entered with the ten-car, I ended up winning. The second year, I was leading on the second lap when I tangled with a UTV, rolled, and lost all communication. I eventually got the car back on its wheels, lost some time, but kept pushing. My roof was torn off, and my prep guy, Jake Velasco, taped "Haul Ass" on it. That was one of my most special wins—pushing through adversity to get my second Mint win, followed by a win in the 6100 truck the next year. It was a big jump, but we had a lot of success.

MM: Who are the racers you look up to?

BH: Rob MacCachren. I've watched him race my entire life. When I was doing short course, he was too, and now in desert racing, he's still out there. He comes from a background of not having a lot of money but still going out there and doing well, earning his spots. I’ve always looked up to him and wanted to put in the work to be the best I can. With Caden on the team and being closer to Rob, it’s cool to hear his racing stories and be around someone I've always admired.

MM: Who would you say is your mentor in racing or life?

BH: Jake Velasco. He's a phenomenal prep guy and has always been there to help me get my car ready. He’s dedicated and hardworking, and I’ve always looked up to that. He’s always been there to give me something really good to race, and I appreciate his support.

MM: Out of all the categories or classes you've raced, what's been your favorite?

BH: It’s tough to say. I’ve raced a lot of classes, and the spec truck was very competitive and fun, but I think UTVs are really fun nowadays. They’re very competitive, and it's a limited vehicle, so it’s not like a truck where you can just mash it all day. Pushing the boundaries with UTVs is cool. Since the SCI team and Polaris Factory Racing started, the UTV game has gotten really fast, and it's great to be a part of it and show everyone how capable these cars are in a stock platform, with just a few additional parts.

MM: So, at 13, you raced Stadium Super Trucks. What was that like?

BH: It was wild. At that time, the fastest thing I’d driven was a mod kart. It was kind of random how it happened. I remember trying to sit in the truck, and my dad and Robbie were like, “We're racing this thing.” They couldn't move the seat far enough forward, so I stacked pillows everywhere. I wasn’t even sitting in the seat, so every corner I went around, I was falling out. It was fun, but I didn’t do all that great—I could barely see over the hood. I’ve always told myself that one day I want to go back and try to run with the SST crowd.

MM: What's your favorite race fuel to eat before and during a competition?

BH: I don’t eat during a competition, which is probably bad, but down in Mexico, I eat a Bimbo Vanillo every morning. In the States, it’s usually a six-pack of donuts. So, yeah, I eat pretty poorly before races, but it’s become a routine.

MM: Do you have a get-pumped playlist before you start the race?

BH: My first year with the Polaris Factory Racing Team, I started playing music during the races. My playlist has a good variety—it’s one of my girlfriend's, so you can imagine what a girl’s playlist looks like with all the variety. So, yeah, me and my co-driver listen to some chick music and try to go win races.

MM: What's your go-to training routine ahead of a big race?

BH: I don’t really have a fitness routine, to be honest. I drive a tractor two or three miles an hour down the field and bounce around constantly, so I’ve got that going. I like to ride motorcycles, too. Dakar is different, though—it’s a lifetime opportunity that not a lot of people get. That’s my next big thing.

MM: Tell us about your team—who helps you get to the starting line and reach the finish?

BH: The Polaris Factory Racing Team is huge—there are so many talented people involved. My team principal, Travis Clark, and Craig Scanlan are huge supporters, and there’s Ryan Thomas, Adam, Johnny, all the mechanics, and everyone at Polaris—the engineers, Alex, Reed. It’s a massive team effort, and I’m thankful to be part of it.

MM: What are your goals for the Unlimited Off-Road Racing Series?

BH: Hopefully, we can get there one day. We tried last year, but it didn’t work out. In the future, we want to go race there. It meant a lot to me to race short course and be part of Polaris Factory Racing. At first, I was questionable about it—I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hang up everything I’d worked for to drive with the RZR. But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to be part of something that could go down in history as one of the greatest things in UTV off-road racing. That’s why I show up to every race, trying to win and have success, to show how capable the team is.

MM: Your third-place finish at the Baja 1000 garnered you the 2023 SCORE UTV Pro Open Class Series Championship. What was it like taking home that title during the first season with Polaris Factory Racing?

BH: Taking home the championship last year was huge. It was our first year with the team, and I had a bumpy San Felipe run, so I wasn’t sure how the rest of the year would play out. But we ended up winning the 500, the 400, and getting third at the Baja 1000. Winning the championship was just icing on the cake. This year started a bit bumpy, but it’s cool to run the number one plate, and hopefully, we can keep that red plate within the team.

MM: With Dakar in 2025, what's something you want to experience in Saudi Arabia, and what's something you're not looking forward to?

BH: I want to experience standing on the podium with a number one medal on my chest. That’s what I want. I haven’t pinpointed what I’m not looking forward to yet, but I think the whole experience will be something I’ll remember forever. Probably going to struggle finding donuts, though. I might just bring a suitcase full of them and sacrifice some clothes for it.

MM: Had you followed Rally Raid throughout your life or career? When did you first learn about Dakar?

BH: I never followed it to a great extent, but when Mitch Guthrie, Seth Quintero, and AJ Jones—who I’ve raced with—went there and had success, I started paying more attention. Seeing guys I know compete in Dakar made me interested in the race. Now that I’m preparing for it, I’m diving deeper into the history and what it takes to succeed there.

MM: How are you preparing for Dakar 2025, given that it’s such a different challenge compared to what you’ve done before?

BH: Preparation for Dakar is completely different from what I'm used to. The race is much longer, and the terrain is diverse. I’m working on getting as much seat time as possible, studying the navigation, and preparing myself mentally and physically for the endurance aspect. It’s a learning curve, but I’m excited about the challenge and am doing everything I can to be ready.

MM: What does it mean to you to represent Polaris and the USA on the global stage?

BH: It’s a huge honor. Polaris is an American company, and representing them on the global stage is a big deal. I’m proud to be part of this team and to carry the American flag in such a prestigious event. It’s a lot of responsibility, but I’m ready to give it everything I’ve got and make everyone proud.

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