Winning The Baja 400: Off-Roading With Christopher Polvoorde

Our guy in the #94 OPTIMA Batteries Ford Raptor Trophy Truck Spec has done it again! Earlier this year, the young off-road sensation Christopher Polvoorde won his first SCORE-International race during the 2022 Baja San Felipe 250. He backed up that run with a 4th place finish at the Baja 500 in June. Polvoorde was then leading the Trophy Truck Spec championship. Now he has won the Baja 400, and extended that points margin. 

Winning The Baja 400: Off-Roading With Christopher Polvoorde

This second win of the year was done in spectacular fashion with a top 10 overall finishing time. 

That means Polvoorde’s “unlimited truck with a stock sealed engine” beat out all other 4-wheeled vehicles besides nine other unlimited class high-horse powered Trophy Trucks. Christopher’s total time on course was 8 hours, 26 minutes, and 5 seconds for an average speed of 46.69 miles per hour. 

Winning The Baja 400: Off-Roading With Christopher Polvoorde

“It was a long day. It was a tough one, for sure. But we are here in one piece,” Polvoorde commented at the finish line. “We got a flat right off the start that put us behind right away. But we put our heads down, caught (Ryan) Hancock, and sat in his dust from Race Mile 250 to the finish. The dust was crazy. We got up to his bumper a couple of times, but at the end, it got really technical, and we couldn’t keep pushing through the dust. Overall, it was super good. It set us up well for the SCORE Baja 1000.” 

Critical to Christopher Polvoorde’s race success are his long term partners. Optima BatteriesFord Performance, STEEl-IT, Toyo Tires, Kicker Audio, Rigid Industries, VP Racing Fuels, and Fox Factory.

2022 Score Season Finishes

  • 1st – Trophy Truck Spec | 2022 Score San Felipe 250 – Finished #11 Overall In 04:53:34 Hours
  • 4th – Trophy Truck Spec | 2022  Score Baja 500 – Finished #17 Overall In 10:42:47 Hours
  • 1st – Trophy Truck Spec | 2022 Score Baja 400 – Finished #10 Overall In 08:26:05 Hours

Winning The Baja 400: Off-Roading With Christopher Polvoorde

The 2022 Baja 400 course was a treacherous 393.82-mile journey through various Northern Baja routes. A seasonal hurricane had sent wet stormy conditions throughout the area causing major flooding prior to the race start. There were 25 Trophy Truck Spec vehicles that started the race and only 17 that finished. Out of the 197 total competitors, there were 136 official entries completing the event for a surprising 69 percent finishing rate.

Last year, Polvoorde qualified first at this event for his division. That was an impressive start for his first time racing the Mason Motorsport machine in Mexico. This year, Christopher was second fastest in Trophy Truck Spec qualifying behind Pierce Herbst. This put him in a great starting position for the event and helped pave in the victory. 

Winning The Baja 400: Off-Roading With Christopher Polvoorde

Another Big Baja Win For Polvoorde in 2022!

You might recall Off Road Xtreme reporting on Polvoorde other big Baja win, the SCORE San Felipe 250. He has really got a great program going this year and it all started with the first win of the year at the Toyo Tires Desert Challenge. Keep up to date or catch up in the Off-Roading With Christopher Polvoorde series by clicking here.

Winning The San Felipe 250: Off-Roading With Christopher Polvoorde

The real race preparation started months ago after the Baja 500. The #94 OPTIMA Batteries Ford Raptor had a complete strip-down race prep back at the home shop in Hemet, California. Polvoorde’s Crew Chief, Jimmy Davidson, leads the program with meticulous attention to detail. 

Best friend and side-kick to Christopher Polvoorde is Bryce Romine who plays a crucial role in all aspects of the race program.

Vehicle Specifications: #94 OPTIMA Batteries Ford Raptor Trophy Truck Spec

Make: Ford
Model: Raptor
Engine Builder:
Turn Key Powertrain
Chassis: Mason Motorsports
Transmission: Rancho Drivetrain Engineering

Winning The Baja 400: Off-Roading With Christopher Polvoorde
When it comes time to get boots on the ground, Polvoorde and his team spend countless hours doing homework. The name of the game is prerunning, and mapping out each and every detail. Plan A is worked out, but there are multiple contingencies with Plan B and Plan C on paper and built into the program. 

Christopher offers up a glimpse of what goes into preparing for a race with his video blogging efforts posted up on the Youtube channel.

2022 Baja 400 Prerunning Vlog Day 1

Hurricane Hits Baja While Prerunning The Baja 400! Day 2

Finding Secret Lines Prerunning The Baja 400! Day 3

Baja 400 Prerunning Day 4 Vlog | Christopher Polvoorde

Baja 400 Win Race Day Vlog | Christopher Polvoorde

Winning The Baja 400: Off-Roading With Christopher Polvoorde

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Micah Anderson

Micah is a 20 year authority in the off-road industry with extensive experience founded on marketing, events, and racing. Professionally skilled in all things creative, Micah is passionate about faith, freedom, and anything powered by adventure.
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