SLR Honda Continues its Rule of the Baja 1000

• Record 18 Baja 1000 wins for Honda's CRF450X
• Top 16 overall motorcycle-class finishers were all Honda-mounted
• Raceco Honda/Pedder Racing tops Pro UTV N.A. class in Talon 1000R

Putting an exclamation point on what has been an incredible SCORE International Desert Championship, SLR Honda collected the Pro Moto Unlimited win in the Baja 1000 this weekend. The victory capped an undefeated season for the team, earning them the 1X plate for 2026. It was the seventh win for SLR Honda in the legendary event, including the last two in a row.

This year's 854-mile Pro loop course started in Ensenada and followed the Pacific Coast south to San Quintin before crossing the Baja Peninsula and following the Gulf Coast north, then crossing back over to finish in Ensenada. SLR Honda's Tyler Lynn left the start line at midnight on Thursday night and proceeded to put in a Herculean effort over the next nine hours, building a lead of 18 minutes while riding the first 450 miles (including six hours at night)! David Kamo took over and rode to mile 630, and Carter Klein then rode the final 224 miles, finishing with a winning time of 17 hours, 55 minutes, 39 seconds-over two-and-a-half hours ahead of the second-place squad (Hero Racing-another Honda-mounted effort and last year's SCORE champion).

"Everything was very smooth this year-a little bit of rain, but nothing too bad," said SLR Honda Team Owner Mark Samuels, who himself was a part of seven Baja 1000-winning teams as a rider before 2024 saw him elect to focus on managing the effort. "In the past, Justin Morgan and I had some great success, and last year was the first time with the younger, up-and-coming guys. That was a big learning year for them and the team, and this time, it was really special to see them put it all together and dominate. They did an awesome job, and I think they're in a good place to have more success."

Due in part to the taxing load that the grueling event puts on machinery, Honda's well-deserved reputation for reliability has made it the brand of choice south of the border. That trend was cemented this year, with Red Riders taking the top 16 positions in the motorcycle classes' provisional overall results! SLR's latest victory extended a pair of records for Honda over the course of the Baja 1000's 58-year history: most overall motorcycle wins by a manufacturer (34) and most overall motorcycle wins by a model (18, for the CRF450X).

"Over nearly five decades, Honda has become synonymous with winning in the Baja 1000, and SLR continues to confirm that status," said Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing and Advertising at American Honda. "More than most races, this event demands not only speed and talent, but also careful planning and sound judgement, as well as race-machine reliability. From everyone at Honda, congratulations and thank you to Mark and the entire SLR team for continuing to showcase the capabilities of our products."

Other motorcycle classes that were topped by Honda-mounted teams included Pro Moto 30 (led by Jason Alosi), Pro Moto 40 (Shane Esposito), Pro Moto 50 (Mike Prunty), Pro Moto Limited (Ana Rivas), Pro Moto Ironman (Larry Serna) and Sportsman Moto (Arnaldo Casteneda).

Honda also enjoyed success in four-wheel racing, with RaceCo Honda/Pedder Racing drivers Ricardo Torres, Chris Arreaza, Mikey Sandoval and Corey Susag topping the Pro UTV N.A. division in their Talon 1000R side-by-side for the second year in a row. In addition, Honda ATV riders won several classes, including Pro Quad (Faelly Lopez), Sportsman Quad (Gabriel Vasquez) and Pro Quad Ironman (Aaron Kosins).

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About Honda PowersportsHonda began motorcycle sales in America in 1959, and today offers a full range of Honda motorcycles, scooters, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and side-by-sides in the U.S. Innovative technology always has been a Honda trademark, showcasing pioneering engine and chassis design that has set the standard for excellence for more than 65 years. Honda also has announced plans for battery-electric powersports products. Honda Powersports products have been built in America for 45 years, and today, all Honda side-by-sides and ATVs are made in America at Honda manufacturing plants in Timmonsville, SC, and Swepsonville, NC, using domestic and globally made parts. Learn more at https://powersports.honda.com.

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