Dakar rally
dakar 2023
3rd overall
Becoming the 5th American to ever finish on the overall podium of the Dakar Rally is the greatest accomplishment of my career. Not only finishing 3rd but fighting the entire race for seconds between Kevin Benavides, Toby Price and myself. Going into the final day with only 1 minute separating all 3 of us, the closest finish in the Dakar history. I’m extremely proud of this result but know that it’s possible to clean some things up and return to the next Dakar with more knowledge to reach the top step!
dakar 2021
5th overall
1st privateer
Going into Dakar 2021 I was proud of my previous finish of 9th but confident that with the right tools I could do better.
The BAS Dakar team gave me an incredible platform as a privateer and helped me achieve some really great things. Good stage finishes, even taking the overall lead at one point, and finishing in the top 5 of the biggest race in the world. Each stage had its challenges and I lost some valuable time with a few mistakes. But I’m very proud of my effort and the result. Most of all, I’m thankful because getting here would not have even been possible without the help of some amazing people. The amount of fund raising and sponsorship that it took to get to the starting line was tremendous, and a huge task to achieve but we made it. This effort and the result, gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to be picked up on a factory team. Now I’m able to return to the Dakar to try and improve my result and put an American on the top step of the podium and give Husqvarna a win!
dakar 2020
9th overall
1st privateer
Amateur “rally 2” winner
Dakar 2020 was a hell of a ride, I came into it straight off of an injury. Not many know this but I broke my C6 vertebrae in my neck 3 1/2 months before the start of Dakar. I had my C5, 6 and 7 all fused together in surgery. After 3 months of recovery, I had 1 week of training and riding before flying out to Saudi Arabia to the start of Dakar 2020. To say I was out of shape is an understatement. BUT I didn’t let that get in the way of the main goal, riding every mile as fast as I can. There was adversity, riding a totally stock bike for one, and 2 pivot bolt failures, which caused a big crash, which broke all the motor mounts, and the frame. But thanks to KTM and my service crew, the bike was prepped for each day and I made it to the finish. I lost close to 2 hours of time from that but I was able to stay inside the top 10 and finish my goal, of finishing. The stock bike was also at a 20 mph disadvantage, which was a huge deal. I’m proud of my 9th place overall, and grateful that I got to go in the first place. But I’m confident that with the experience I have now, that (with your help) we can keep USA on the podium!
An enduring challenge
The adventure began back in 1977, when Thierry Sabine got lost on his motorbike in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice Rally. Saved from the sands in extremis, he returned to France still in thrall to this landscape and promising himself he would share his fascination with as many people as possible. He proceeded to come up with a route starting in Europe, continuing to Algiers and crossing Agadez before eventually finishing at Dakar. The founder coined a motto for his inspiration: "A challenge for those who go. A dream for those who stay behind." Courtesy of his great conviction and that modicum of madness peculiar to all great ideas, the plan quickly became a reality. Since then, the Paris-Dakar, a unique event sparked by the spirit of adventure, open to all riders and carrying a message of friendship between all men, has never failed to challenge, surprise and excite. Over the course of almost thirty years, it has generated innumerable sporting and human stories.