Qualifying for the 2025 Baja 400 went down today at Rancho Grijalva outside Ojos Negros — and the desert showed no mercy. The 3.3-mile qualifier tore through silt, rock, and dust, setting the stage for what’s shaping up to be a brutal race week.

Top Dogs on the Grid

• Toby Price laid down the fastest lap — 3:56.625 — and claimed pole in the Trophy Truck class. results.score-international.com+1

• Hot on his heels was Alan Ampudia, grabbing 2nd with a solid 4:02.989. results.score-international.com

• Rounding out the top 3: Christopher Polvoorde posted 4:03.219 to secure 3rd on the grid. results.score-international.com

  
  

The rest of the field wasn’t far behind. Tight margins, razor-thin gaps — classic Baja.

The Scene at Rancho Grijalva

The qualifier drew a stacked field: Class 1 cars, TT Legends, TT Spec, 2WD, and AWD Trophy Trucks — all mixed together for a single qualifying order. race-deZert+1

Dust and silt kicked up early and often, making each lap a challenge. For many crews, it was a last chance to shake out the bugs, check suspension setups, and dial in the tires before the 427-mile desert gauntlet fires off.

What This Means for Race Day

Starting up front matters in Baja — and today’s qualifiers earned themselves a real shot at clean runs and early control of the race.

For front-row starters like Price, Ampudia, and Polvoorde: they’ve got the advantage. But in a race this long, a good start is just the beginning. Reliability, strategy, and grit will decide the winners.

For everyone else: the dust’s up, the sun’s hot, and the desert doesn’t care about your lap times. Keep your eyes sharp — race day doesn’t forgive mistakes.

Whether you’re riding in the front, clawing your way up from the pack, or nursing a wild card — the Baja 400 is coming. Qualifying just laid the cards on the table.

Stay tuned. The dust hasn’t settled yet.