ON THE TRACK | 2022 Red Bull Sand Scramble

Red Bull Sand Scramble returned to the Imperial Sand Dunes of Glamis, Calif. for the second straight year, welcoming 96 racers to compete in Southern California’s off-road haven, a drastic increase from the inaugural race in 2021. The picturesque sandscape played host to thrilling side-by-side racing, featuring tight battles throughout the full day of racing.

The event featured two classes: the SXS Pro for experienced drivers and the SXS Sportsman for amateur off-road enthusiasts. Three heat races consisting of three laps on a 2.8-mile course started the day and the top eight finishers from each heat automatically qualified for the main event. Eight more racers from last chance qualifiers were added to the main event lineup which featured a field of 32 SXSs in each class in a five-lap final. With a total race time of 16:27:69, Southern Californian Corbin Leaverton won the SXS Pro category and took home a $5,000 Polaris voucher. Billy Slade won the Sportsman class with a total time of 18:38:55, earning a BFGoodrich tires voucher.

Leaverton, who returned to Red Bull Sand Scramble seeking victory after earning third place in 2021, took the holeshot from the starting line and spent the first three laps of the final race extending his lead on the pack. Bradbury toggled between second and third place the first half of the race before he pulled ahead in solid second.

The adrenaline was pumping as the gap started to close in on Leaverton as Bradbury had his sights set on racing to first in the final laps. With less than a lap to go in what was the ultimate chase to first place, Bradbury overtook Leaverton for just a few seconds for the first time in the race. In a head-to-head battle between the two drivers up to the finish line, it was Leaverton who inched ahead of Bradbury to secure first place.

“There’s nothing like this race,” said Leaverton. “I race every type of off-road race you can race, and nothing compares to Red Bull Sand Scramble. There’s nothing like it. I’ve grown up my whole life coming to these dunes racing with buddies and everyone always thinks ‘man, it would be fun to have a real race out here’ and Red Bull makes it happen.”

Drivers and spectators alike were treated to yet another challenging and exciting course in the Imperial Sand Dunes. The local drivers familiar with the landscape and terrain put their bravery and skill on full display, attempting creative lines and daring passes. The perimeter of the course was packed with fans and the local off-road community, from Sunset Hill and over to the Hugh T. Osborne Lookout Park.

“I’ve never done an event like this,” said Slade. “This event was amazing, being able to come out here and enjoy the time with a ton of fast drivers was a really good experience. Red Bull put on a great event, from the pre-event drivers meeting to the actual event today, it was awesome.”

Red Bull Junior Off-Road Team driver Seth Quintero and Mia Chapman competed in the Pro class final. Chapman finished 16th after starting on the second row in the 32-UTV final. Quintero started the race in dead last and quickly fought his way to third place before suffering a rear flat forcing him to retire early from the final. Quintero now sets his sights on his highly anticipated return to the Dakar Rally on December 31 in Saudi Arabia.

Red Bull Sand Scramble is the sixth and final round of a multi-stop original collection of SXS races in the Red Bull Scramble Series, which featured both amateur and professional racers. Spanning every corner of the continental U.S., no single race is the same as each boasts many unique elements, but all include exhilarating racecourses and thrilling competition.