These Are the Wildest Off-Road Races You've Never Heard Of

Photo: Ford

If you’re a motorsport enthusiast, chances are you’ll have heard of the Dakar Rally or Baja 1000, even if you mostly follow big races or the famous racing series that run on asphalt. There’s less of a chance you’ll have heard of the Breslau Rally or French Truck Cross, however, and we’re here to change that.

Just like the Grand Prix races of Formula 1 or the endurance test of Le Mans, the Dakar and Baja loom large in the world of motorsport because they are grueling events that try athlete and machine alike. But unlike F1 or Le Mans, Dakar and Baja take place in unforgiving environments far from civilization and its comforts.

That’s not to say road racing is easy, but off-road competitions make it seem like there’s more at stake given the literal wastelands they traverse and extreme vehicles they require. Dakar and Baja just happen to be two of the better known events, but there are many others worthy of the spotlight. So, here are a few of those other off-road competitions you’ve probably never heard of: