AMERICAN HORSEPOWER PREVAILS AGAIN AT THE 2026 DAKAR RALLY AS BROCK HEGER AND MAX EDDY JR. SCORE BACK-TO-BACK WINS, DELIVERING POLARIS' THIRD STRAIGHT SSV VICTORY

LOEB FrayMédia Motorsport - RZR Factory Racing Defend Dakar with Race-Ready Polaris RZR Pro R Rally, Engineered to Meet New FIA Regulations While Delivering Unmatched Power, Durability & Precision Handling

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- After covering nearly 5,000 kilometers (3,045 miles) across 13 grueling stages, Polaris' RZR Factory Racing program, in partnership with LOEB FrayMédia Motorsport (LFM), again dominated the Side-by-Side (SSV) class with a third consecutive overall victory at the 48th running of the 2026 Dakar Rally. In their second showing at the event, the all-American duo of Brock Heger and navigator Max Eddy Jr. returned to the Saudi Arabian desert and once again delivered a masterclass in precision and endurance, earning their second consecutive class win behind the wheel of the dominant Polaris RZR Pro R Rally race machine, designed to meet the new FIA rule changes.

Widely regarded as the most demanding race in the world, this year's Dakar saw Heger and Eddy lead nearly the entire 13-stage event, ultimately claiming victory by over an hour. In only his second showing at the event, Heger once again delivered a historic performance, securing an unprecedented six stage victories, including the prologue. In addition, Heger finished on the podium two more times, earned two additional top-five results, and only finished outside the top five just four times throughout the entire event. Adding to Polaris' remarkable performance, SLR teammate and 2024 SSV champion Xavier de Soultrait, also piloting a RZR Pro R Rally, rounded out the podium with a third-place overall finish.

"Coming back to Dakar for my second year and being able to win again is absolutely incredible, and I could not be more grateful for Polaris, LFM and our entire crew," said Brock Heger. "This race pushes you in every possible way, and to come out on top again is something I'm really proud of. Max and I work seamlessly together. His navigation was spot on from start to finish, and that trust and communication between us made all the difference over two demanding weeks. The RZR Pro R Rally performed flawlessly every single day. It's a machine that's truly unmatched, and it just keeps getting better and better. Having a vehicle you can trust completely at Dakar is everything, and Polaris delivered exactly that."

Heger made an immediate statement for the second consecutive year by winning the prologue, securing a critical advantage heading into Stage 1. When the competition officially kicked off, teammate Xavier de Soultrait showcased his experience as the reigning 2024 Dakar winner, driving flawlessly to claim the Stage 1 victory and take the early overall lead. De Soultrait continued his strong run in Stage 2 with a second-place finish, while Heger placed fifth, maintaining De Soultrait's advantage in the standings. From Stage 3 onward, Heger and Eddy shifted into command, capturing back-to-back stage wins to seize the overall lead. From that point forward, the duo never looked back, methodically guiding their Polaris RZR Pro R Rally through the unforgiving Saudi Arabian desert. Heger went on to claim additional stage victories in Stages 8, 10, and 11, while adding a third-place finish in Stage 5 and a fourth-place result in Stage 7, cementing a commanding and consistent performance from start to finish.

The standout performance underscored the precision engineering of the Polaris RZR Pro R Rally, which delivered the reliability, power, and agility required to conquer Dakar's treacherous terrain. When the dust settled, Heger and Eddy completed the marathon rally in 55 hours, 11 minutes, and 56 seconds, more than four hours faster than last year's winning time.

With new FIA regulations in place for the SSV class, Polaris engineered the RZR Pro R Rally to meet stringent homologation requirements while preserving the race-winning performance and durability that define the platform. Built around a largely stock-based chassis and bodywork, the vehicle retains key production RZR Pro R components, including the engine, driveline, and suspension, highlighting the inherent strength of the consumer platform. Enhanced suspension control and precise handling allow the RZR Pro R Rally to conquer the harshest terrain mile after mile, delivering the reliability, endurance, and performance required to secure victory in the world's most demanding rally conditions.

"To kick off the new year with a third consecutive Dakar Rally victory is truly an incredible achievement for both Polaris and Loeb FrayMedia Motorsport," said Alex Scheuerell, Polaris' Director of Off-Road Motorsports. "This partnership has been the recipe for dominance at Dakar, and to come away victorious again is incredibly rewarding. Because of the new rule changes in the SSV class, the team spent countless days and nights over the past year refining and evolving our platform. Seeing Brock and Max deliver another virtually flawless performance, along with Xavier securing a third-place finish on the podium, is a true testament to that hard work. They overcame some of the most intense conditions imaginable, and I can't thank everyone at Polaris and LFM enough for the dedication and effort that made this victory possible."

In addition to Heger's victory and De Soultrait's third-place finish, the crew of Johan Kristoffersson and navigator Ola Fløene delivered a strong performance behind the wheel of the RZR Pro R Factory T4, finishing eighth overall in Kristoffersson's first Dakar Rally appearance. The duo recorded three podium stage finishes along with an additional top-five result. Florent Vayssade's rally was highlighted by a second-place finish in Stage 2, while young driver Gonçalo Guerreiro and navigator Maykel Justo put together an impressive and consistent run, earning one stage victory, two podium finishes, and three additional top-five stage results before being forced to retire following Stage 8 after a collision with another racer.

Collectively, these performances showcased the depth, strength, and unity of the Polaris and Loeb FrayMédia Motorsports, reinforcing their dominance at one of the most demanding motorsport events in the world.

To learn more, please visit Polaris.com/RZR or join the conversation and follow on Facebook ^sm, Instagram ^sm, YouTube ^sm and X^sm. To follow the Loeb FrayMédia Motorsports team, check them out on Instagram ^sm.

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 RANGER, RZR and Polaris XPEDITION and 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. Headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves nearly 100 countries across the globe. www.polaris.com

SOURCE Polaris Inc.