Monster Energy racers Austin Jones, Rodrigo Ampudia team up for Baja 1000

Before becoming one of the top American SSV rally raiders, Austin Jones made his name as a Trophy Truck driver competing in SCORE International, winning the Baja 1000 in 2018 and 2019. On 15–20 November, he will return to the legendary desert race in the comfort of his primary discipline as he pilots the #2985 Can-Am in the Pro UTV Forced Induction class. Rodrigo Ampudia, a fellow Monster Energy racer, will be his team-mate for the race.

After supporting his father Jesse’s Trophy Truck programme, Austin won the 2018 Baja 1000 Trophy Truck Spec class alongside Bryce Swaim; the duo also claimed that year’s Baja 500 to secure the SCORE TT Spec overall title. The following year, Jones became the Driver of Record for his own TT Spec and won twice at the San Felipe 250 and Baja 1000.

Looking to expand his horizons, Jones entered global rally raid with Can-Am Factory South Racing. He made his Dakar Rally début in 2020, where he finished eighth in the SSV (T4) class. After winning two stages and placing runner-up at the 2021 edition, he went on to secure the final FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies T4 championship. Jones’ momentum carried over into 2022 as the World Cup was reformed into the World Rally-Raid Championship, becoming the second American to win the SSV category at Dakar and placing third in the W2RC T4 standings.

Despite his racing mostly being outside North America nowadays, he returned to SCORE for the Baja 400 in September but did not finish.

While Jones has been breaking out on the international stage, Ampudia has been a household name in SCORE Pro UTV FI as the class’ inaugural winner at the 2019 Baja 400. His 2022 began with a seventeenth in class at San Felipe before retiring from the 500, while he helped his younger brother Alan‘s #10 Trophy Truck entry at the 400. Alan will also form an alliance of his own for the 1000 as he shares his #10 TT with Tavo Vildósola.

Rodrigo won the 2017 Baja 1000 on the #21L team of Gus Vildósola, followed by the 2019 race in support of younger siblings Alan and Aaron Ampudia.

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