Ricky Brabec Crosses Over To The Dark Side
From the Top Step at Dakar to Stepping into a UTV
Story By: Kyra Sacdalan
Photos By: Jeremy Doerksen, Creative Shift Media & WESTx1000
2020 was a big year for everyone. A global crisis had just unleashed its fury, changing the trajectory of mankind for the next several years. But before that, two men changed the flight path for Americans racing Dakar. In over 40 years of competition, no man or woman hailing from the U.S. of A. had ever stood on the top step of the podium – not in Africa, South America or Saudi Arabia. But that year, Casey Currie took home the win in the Side-by-Side class, while a good ol’ boy from Hesperia, California overcame the odds on a Honda rally bike. That guy was Ricky Brabec.
For those who don’t know, Brabec has dominated the desert racing scene on a motorcycle, like Hare & Hounds in the US and SCORE series in Baja, since he was pubescent. Then, with the help of mentor (and legend) Johnny Campbell, Brabec broke into the Rally Raid scene in 2016 with something to prove – or so it seemed. Fast-forward to the award ceremonies in January of 2020, and you’ll find an all-around regular dude achieving one of the greatest titles in the off-road world at the ripe age of 29. Riding bikes has been his entire life, so you can imagine how much milk squirted out of our noses when we found out he’d been racing… UTVs!
Motorcyclists ourselves here at UTV Sports, we had to rib (and congratulate) him a bit on making the big leap into a driver’s seat. Here’s what transpired.
UTV Sports: When we first saw you driving a UTV, we thought hell hath frozen over. But with many moto stars, like yourself, crossing over to the four-wheeled side of the tracks, we probably shouldn’t be so surprised. What motivated you to hop into a UTV for the first time?
Ricky Brabec: Many moto people do take on 4 wheels, it’s just part of some riders’ journeys and it is something different for us. For me, it is not about making money. I don’t do it for a job, I simply do it to bring friends and family back together and enjoy riding in the place where it all started for me, camping with friends and family, out there for unadulterated fun in a no stress environment. It’s grassroots racing and our racing is back to how it started for everyone.
USM: Are you racing? If so, in which series?
RB: We race in a local series, as I said, a no-stress environment! We race in a series called Dp4 and it’s held in the deserts which is nostalgic for me because it is where I learned off-road racing in places like Lucerne, Barstow, and Ridgecrest. So for me and my friends, it’s close to home and easy to navigate for us.
USM: It’s no secret that you’re fast on a motorcycle. We’ve seen you turn it up a notch (when we thought there were no more notches left) when a certain rookie won a stage at the Sonora Rally in 2021… You were blazing! So, are you also that fast driving side-by-side?
RB: You know, the moto guys have a sensitive eye. We typically try to drive as smoothly as we ride two wheels because it’s our nature to dodge a lot of dangers, so we transfer these skills to four wheels, missing rocks, ditches, trying to find traction, and being a consistent rider. I enjoy driving the SxS and battling with others as it’s more of a relaxed intense racing!
USM: How have you been doing at races?
RB: We have been doing well at the races. Last season we lost the championship at the last race due to losing a rear axle. These dang cars are sensitive so we have to take these losses in stride at the end of the day, it’s just for fun! Our fans keep us going. We have some mild support for the SxS, so that’s a plus.
USM: Are HRC and JCR Honda cool with you competing in other races than rally? How do they feel about you driving a UTV across the finish line?
RB: Ideally they don’t want me racing a SxS, but I gotta keep myself busy or I willgo stir crazy. And at the end of the day, I am in a Honda talon. So either way you slice it, I am supporting Honda and it looks good because I’m not just supporting it in one way, I’m also coming at it from a 4 wheel angle to hopefully do good for that market, too.
USM: Your girlfriend, Sara Price, famously races (and wins) local desert races and rallies. Is she the one who pushed you to compete in a side-by-side?
RB: Sara has been excelling since she made the manufacturer switch and teamed up with Mitch Alsup. I saw what she was doing and wanted a little piece of it, too. It is awesome that on such a small scale, she works hard and is busy 24/7 trying to better her program. What I do with my little backyard team isn’t even half of what she does. We like to support and challenge each other. Sometimes we race each other or race together, so it keeps it fun!
USM: Have you had any UTV mishaps – roll-overs, crashes, goofy shit – on or off course?
RB: We’ve definitely had a few mishaps over the years. While racing and or trail driving, there has definitely been a rollover on the race course. I can remember one rollover during a race that was my fault / that was on my part, but no biggie we still ended up getting a place on the podium. Then, my buddy drove the same car after the race and rolled it over, so that was pretty comical!
USM: You’re the first and only American to win the renowned Dakar Rally on a motorcycle. When are you going to fly to Saudi with a UTV and win that category, as well?
RB: It’s true! I am the first American to win on a Moto. I almost went back to back, so I could do it again, but I ended with a second by 2 minutes. So, I am not done with the Dakar Rally yet. I do have plans to ride a SxS later down the road. It would be cool to ride an SxS, but there’s something else I want to do before I get a SxS deal. We will see what deals I have in store for myself in the future.
USM: In all seriousness. Are UTVs your next discipline? For instance, if you decide to stop racing rallies on a bike, is the next step to get in a side-by-side?
RB: SxS isn’t the next step , I mean if there were financial support with SxS, I would consider it, but it’s not cheap otherwise!
USM: Tell us how you really feel about UTVs. Have you always thought they were cool? (Do you, now?)
RB: SxS are ok…. Not that cool as they ruin the desert for us moto guys, but I get it, everyone has to have their own fun. My problem with them is that most of the people driving them are all about having reckless fun and don’t pay attention to what they are doing. This is when it’s bad/dangerous for everyone else who is not in a SxS.
USM: What’s the best sort of terrain to smash in a UTV?
RB: The best terrain is the open desert, this kind of terrain takes a little skill to drive a UTV and going fast on the vast expanse of the desert landscape is always fun. Switchbacks, sand washes, and technical rocky summits are always exhilarating, kicking up a cloud of dust behind you.
USM: Speaking of which, tell us a bit about your side-by-side: make, model, year, upgrades, decals, sound system.
RB: I’m driving a Honda Talon 1000r , it was specially made for the dp4 series and it is equipped with race co products to keep it straight and durable. I typically don’t even drive that car other than on race days. It has been solid, so we literally just race and oreo it.
USM: Do you ever go on weekend trips in your UTV? Rip to a far-off destination? Or only local rides?
RB: No outside trips or play driving around. Strictly business baby!
USM: Are you blasting a soundtrack when you’re out there driving ? What songs would we find on your playlist?
RB: No music either, it is usually just me and a friend in the side seat bullshiting the entire time and catching up since I don’t see my friends very much. I typically have different friends in the side seat . So, I switch it up with different friends and banter rather than music.
USM: Okay, before we wrap up , we have to know. Who’s faster: you or Sara?
RB: I mean that’s a tough question… It’s very competitive, we both say we are faster than one another. But when it comes to signing up and racing against each other, I’d say we are tied on wins and losses. She’s very talented and doesn’t give up!
