Polaris RZR Pro R (SxS race)

History

Side-by-sides went from ranch tools to racing's fastest-growing category in a decade, and Polaris' RZR line led the charge. The Pro R of 2022 marked the class' maturity: a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four (the ProStar Fury, 225 hp stock) replacing fragile turbo twins, a chassis with 29 inches of travel, and factory-supported race variants developed with teams like Polaris Factory Racing for the SCORE Baja races, Best in the Desert and the W2RC's SSV/Challenger categories.

The results legitimized the discipline: Pro R-based cars have won the UTV classes of the Baja 1000 and Mint 400, taken King of the Hammers UTV crowns, and — in Xtremeplus/Sébastien Loeb Racing-adjacent builds — collected Dakar SSV-era class stage wins and championships as the category evolved into Challenger. Polaris' RZR Factory Racing programme mirrors car racing's customer model: spec parts, contingency money, and a genuine path from showroom to Dakar.

For buyers the class is refreshingly honest: race Pro Rs are built from production platforms by known shops (Jagged X, Polaris Factory partners), priced like serious club racing rather than prototypes, and supported by the industry's largest parts network.

Palmarès

King of the Hammers UTV class winners; Baja 1000 and Baja 500 Pro UTV victories; Mint 400 UTV wins; BITD championship titles; Dakar Challenger/SSV-class stage wins and top finishes as the category matured — the deepest trophy haul of any production SxS platform.