31
Jan 2023

2022 Baja 1000 Pro UTV NA Winner Kaden Wells will be racing the upcoming King of the Hammers desert challenge race in his all-new 2023 Polaris RZR Pro R with a combination of Baja Designs lighting kits. While racing in the desert is crucial to have a superior lighting package that not only encompasses safety, such as marking lights such as our RTL but provides superior performance, such as the LP6 with the dedicated Integrated Peripheral Technology (IPT). In this exclusive feature, we see Kaden’s all-new race car shows us how a minimalist design ethos creates an incredible platform to go race King of the Hammers. 

Fresh off a championship win at the Baja 1000 in Pro UTV NA, Kaden Wells and Risq Racing is no stranger to building race cars that perform, and the proof is in the pudding. Over the past six years racing in Baja, he had podiumed every single race he had entered, with a few overall wins in the U.S.. When it came time to develop a new race car team, Risq decided to start with a new platform and move up to the top-tier class; Pro UTV Unlimited. They got to work building an all-new 2023 Polaris RZR Pro R taking an unorthodox approach, starting with a bare chassis, not a complete car. Kaden and his team had to build the race car from the ground up utilizing Polaris parts and many custom components. The details of the finished result are nothing but extraordinary.

The Polaris RZR Pro R roll cage has been completely redesigned to maintain a lower profile, and as a result, it sits 10 inches lower than it did from the factory. Sitting on Method Race Wheels wrapped in Tensor tires, it utilizes 3.0 Fox shocks from an XP1000 and the rear 3.0 Fox shocks from a Can-Am. Because the custom aluminum paneling increases airflow Risq needed a way to channel air to the rear shock reservoir, so they developed an integrated roof scoop for that specific reason. 

Lighting is a crucial component when. it comes to off-road racing for both visibility and safety to others on the course. For Kaden’s lighting package, he opted for a lighting package that reaches a variety of Lighting Zones. Up front is the Baja Designs Polaris RZR Pro R S1 kit that replaces the factory headlamps for three S1 lights integrated into a direct-fit bracket good enough for Lighting Zone 1.

Usually, many people would run multiple Baja Designs Lp6 mounted to the bumper, but on Kaden’s RZR Pro R, just one single LP6 is more than enough to reach Lighting Zone 3 and 4 paired with an amber driving combo lens. The LP6 Pro is a 6-inch powerhouse featuring a total of 11,225 total lumens and of 200-degree spread of usable LED light thanks to the dedicated peripheral lighting of our patented Integrated Peripheral Technology (IPT). 

When racing, often more than not, corners come fast, making it vital that a lighting package includes cornering lights. That is why the Pro R has been equipped with two Baja Designs Squadron Pro lights paired with amber wide cornering lenses angled out to the side, making it perfect for Lighting Zone 2.

The last forward-facing light includes Baja Designs LP4. It is the epitome of power and functionality in a compact package. With 8,750 lumens of brightness and a 200-degree LED light spread, it illuminates its surroundings easily. The forward projection of 7,050 lumens and the additional 1,700 lumens of peripheral lighting from IPT makes this light a heavy hitter. 

Outback, this Polaris RZR Pro R rear mount radiator, and a 20-gallon fuel cell tucked right above the engine to keep the center of gravity low. Just above the rear spare tire is a Baja Designs RTL. Not only is it required for racing but it provides multiple functions as a brake light and chase light when driving through the dust, making it a necessity when racing in the dust.  

Kaden Wells and Risq Racing have built an exceptional race car for the upcoming season, and we can’t wait to see it out on the lakebed this weekend. The 2023 Polaris RZR Pro R is a unique build, starting from a bare chassis to incorporating custom components and Polaris parts to create a minimalist yet powerful platform.Â