RED BULL HIGH DESERT SCRAMBLE RETURNS TO THE UTAH DESERT, DRAWING 54 OFF-ROAD COMPETITORS FOR SXS RACING EVENT
May 23, 2023
Off Road Racer Staff
Corbin Leaverton wins SXS Pro Race and Devin Smith Takes First in SXS Sportsman Race at Sand Mountain Campground
Nephi, Utah (May 21, 2023) - The Utah desert welcomed more than 50 professional and recreational racers to the unforgiving sand dunes, hills, and spider trees for the second consecutive Red Bull High Desert Scramble. The single-lined, technical, four- mile course pushed drivers’ skills to the max offering unique opportunities to rip through the desert like never before. Little Sahara played host to 54 racers and over 20,000 spectators, who gathered in the desert to celebrate their passion for side-by- side racing over UTV Invasion weekend, complete with drag racing and wheelie competitions. The race featured two classes: the SXS Pro for the more experienced racers and the SXS Sportsman for amateur off-road enthusiasts. The SXS Pro class comprised of 18 racers, while the SXS Sportsman class totaled 36 racers. With an impressive time of 24:52:34, Corbin Leaverton from Nuevo, California won the SXS Pro class, winning a $5,000USD CanAm voucher. Devin Smith, from San Diego, California won the SXS Sportsman race, with a time of 28:18:05, taking home a $1,500 BFGoodrich tire voucher.
Competitors lined up in rows of six to compete from a dead engine start for four laps through dusty terrain under the scorching desert sun. This mostly single-track course made the starting point key to coming out on top. The track was lined with bushes throughout the course leaving very little room for error, pushing racers to strive for perfection.
Smith placed second at Red Bull High Desert Scramble last year and returned to the 2023 competition for another shot at claiming his victory. Smith succeeded as he stood atop the podium this weekend waving his first place trophy. Smith says, “This year I just had a little bit more riding under his belt and there weren’t as many straight-aways which benefited me since my side-by-side doesn’t have a turbo, and I could use the corners a little bit better to get out ahead of everybody.” This is Smith’s first-ever 1st place podium at a competition and he plans to compete again at Red Bull Sand Scramble in Glamis, California in December for another shot at redemption.
Leaverton had a family battle on the race track, beating out his uncle, Cody Bradbury for the first place podium. Leaverton and Bradbury have both advanced in the standings of the Red Bull Scramble Series National Championship and are presently tied for P1. Leaverton, 22 years old, got the holeshot in the heat and main event and held onto it, while Bradbury chased closely behind him for the remainder of the race. Leaverton says, “I guess I have a thing for the sand dunes”, having won the Red Bull Sand Scramble in Glamis in 2022 and now Red Bull High Desert Scramble in 2023. Bradbury says, “It was fun out there today. You always want to come out on top, but if I have to lose to anyone, it might as well be family.”
Red Bull Driver Mia Chapman put up a tough fight finishing sixth in the SXS Pro Class with a time of 28:21:67. Chapman was particularly excited to compete in Red Bull High Desert Scramble because she was eager to have a second go at it after a tough performance due to vehicle issues last year. “It was an absolute blast racing in the Red Bull High Desert Scramble. This year’s track layout was more technical than it was last year, which I really enjoyed. It made the race more challenging and you definitely had to be more mindful when it came to passing and not making mistakes to run with the front runners,” says Chapman.
Chapman competes at a number of Scramble Series races across the country. She says, “The competition in each class was more stacked and competitive compared to last year. It was awesome to see the race and series grow so much; it makes it more challenging but more rewarding when you do well racing against some fast racers.”
TOP FINISHERS:
SXS PRO CLASS 1. Corbin Leaverton – 24:52:34 2. Cody Bradbury – 25:14:26 3. Riley Snow – 27:18:54 SXS SPORTSMAN CLASS
1. Devin Smith – 28:18:05
2. Kevin O’Donnell – 28:25:60
3. Matt Tychsen – 29:20:88
RED BULL SCRAMBLE SERIES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Red Bull High Desert Scramble was the fifth stop in the Red Bull Scramble Series National Championship. As a result, racers Corbin Leaverton and Cody Bradbury are currently tied for P1 in the Pro Class Overall leaderboard, both with 275 points. Red Bull Racer Mia Chapman follows closely in P3, trailing just 31 points behind the leaders. Grayden Bloxham continues to hold the top position in the Sportsman Class, maintaining his lead with 342 points. This is despite his recent overall finish of P4. You can find the full Red Bull Scramble Series Leaderboard by visiting https://www.redbull.com/us-en/event-series/scramble-series/series-scoring.
The remaining 2023 schedule features two unique locations:
● June 24, Red Bull Solstice Scramble in Anchorage, Ala. (NEW)
● Dec. 9, Red Bull Sand Scramble in Glamis, Calif.
The series is proudly supported by BFGoodrich Tires, Can-Am, KMC Wheels and Wolverine Boots.