Can-Am is proud to announce that factory racer Dustin Jones made racing history last weekend at the 2023 Silver State 300 Best In The Desert race, driving the all-new Can-Am Maverick R. For the first time ever, a UTV has won a desert racing overall, beating every other vehicle on the course.
Dustin’s incredible win also included the UTV overall win and UTV Turbo Pro class win, marking a successful racing debut for the Can-Am Maverick R platform. Can-Am racers swept the podium in the UTV overall and the UTV Turbo Pro class, Vito Ranuio clinching second in his Maverick X3, with Phil Blurton in tow in his new Maverick R, who finished third. The Can-Am Maverick R and Maverick X3 platforms earned two wins and six podiums in their respective classes, occupying seven of the Top 10 overall positions as well.
“I’ve had so much success in the Can-Am Maverick X3 platform over the last several years, so it means a lot to me that Can-Am has allowed me to be one of two racers to have the opportunity to debut the all-new Maverick R to the racing world. Our Maverick R handled flawlessly. From the start to the finish, we put this vehicle to the test and it passed with flying colors,” said Dustin Jones, Can-Am Factory Racer. “I’m really pumped to be able to line up with the Maverick R at some more big races to finish off the year.”
“We couldn’t be happier to see the success Dustin and Phil have had here with the all-new Can-Am Maverick R, as well as the remarkable performances of Vito Ranuio, Mitchell Alsup, and Cody Bradbury with the time tested Maverick X3,” said Sandy Scullion, President, Powersports Group at BRP. “We built the Maverick R to be the best, the new performance leader. This weekend’s win proves we hit the mark perfectly.”
The 285-mile point-to-point race course saw racers start and finish just outside of Alamo, NV, traversing across the desert countryside of Lincoln County. The highly contested UTV Turbo Proclass was bound to be action packed with names like Phil Blurton, Dustin Jones, and Vito Ranuio among many others lining up to compete for the win.
The UTV Turbo Pro class race saw multiple battles and lead changes throughout the day. Vito Ranuio and Dustin Jones would both control the physical lead at different times over the course of the race. Ultimately, it would be Dustin Jones that would secure the race overall win, along with the UTV overall win and UTV Turbo Pro class win with a finishing time of 5:11:39.222, beating all other vehicles on the race course for the day. Vito Ranuio was second in class and second overall with a finishing time of 5:14:34.301. Wrapping up the class podium sweep in third was Phil Blurton, with a finishing time of 5:15:39.314, securing third overall and the UTV overall podium sweep.
Cody Bradbury lined up to challenge for the win in the UTV Trophy Unlimited class. Bradbury would start sixth, behind several of his competitors, but fought his way through the field throughout the day to make his way to the front. When he crossed the checkered flag, Bradbury secured third in the UTV Trophy Unlimited class and sixth overall with a finishing time of 5:25.04.119.
Mitchell Alsup took home the win in the UTV Super Stock Turbo class, charging hard throughout the day and finishing the race in 5:32:46.805, and securing eighth overall.
The Can-Am Factory Racing Team athletes will be back in action at Laughlin, NV on October 12-15. To learn more about the complete lineup of Can-Am Off-Road vehicles, visit Can-Am’s website.
