Face-Off: SCG Dares Elon Musk’s Cybertruck To Baja 1000 Race

Is the Tesla Cybertruck really off-road worthy? Not according to Jim Glickenhaus, owner of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG), a high-performance car builder who creates some of the most exciting vehicles on the planet.

News outlets and automotive-enthusiast publications from top to bottom have lauded Elon Musk’s Tesla Cybertruck. However, when the owner of a performance car builder such as SCG with class wins in the 2019 and 2020 Baja 1000 off-road race says, “it wouldn’t have a chance,” we tend to take notice.

SCG is responsible for building competition vehicles that have won, placed, and finished racing events on the track and in the dirt. These include eight seasons of endurance racing at the Nürburgring circuit, nine 24-hour race finishes, an FIA World Championship Cup in Alternative Energies First Overall, and two Class 2 Production Car Class wins in the Baja 1000 with the SCG Boot.

The SCG Boot is a modern high-performance homage to the original Steve McQueen-driven Baja Boot built by Vic Hickey. It won many off-road races in the late 1960s and mid-1970s. The modern-day SCG Boot features a chromoly tube chassis, composite body, 6.2-liter V8 cranking out 460 horsepower, four-wheel independent suspension system with 19 inches of travel, and front and rear ARB air-actuated locking differentials. A quick check of the Tesla Cybertruck tech specs seems sparse by comparison.

So why throw down the gauntlet? The Baja 1000 was chosen because it’s the toughest endurance race in the world. The issue at heart, according to managing director (and Jim’s son) Jesse Glickenhaus, are Musk’s remarks that electric battery technology is superior to hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cell technology is something Glickenhaus sees as a cleaner choice for his vehicle builds and for all motor vehicles in the future.

Glickenhaus believes electric vehicles such as the Tesla Cybertruck can’t compete effectively against hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the extreme conditions of endurance racing. He is prepared to prove it. Has Musk accepted Glickenhaus’ challenge to race in the 2023 Baja 1000 against a hydrogen-powered SCG Boot? Not as of this report. But if he does, Off Road Xtreme will be there to tell you all about it!