A Maverick R Drivetrain Just Went Rally Racing: Meet the STRYKER RX1 EVO
A Utah builder took the guts of Can-Am's Maverick R and wrapped a purpose-built rally car around them, and three of the machines are set to make their stage debut at Rally Colorado.
Key takeaways
- STRYKER built a purpose-made rally car, the RX1 EVO, around the mechanical guts of Can-Am's production Maverick R X rc.
- Three RX1 EVOs are entered for the car's competition debut at Rally Colorado under the American Rally Association banner.
- The platform runs a turbocharged three-cylinder Rotax engine, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and all-wheel drive lifted straight from the Maverick R.
- STRYKER prices the turnkey platform at roughly $135,000, about half the cost of a comparable Rally2 car, with cheaper upkeep too.
Figures drawn from reporting by UTV Guide, DirtFish, and GearJunkie on STRYKER's Can-Am Maverick R-based rally platform.
A Desert-Bred Drivetrain Heads to Stage Rally
Off-road fans who've watched the Can-Am Maverick R tear through Baja silt beds and Vegas to Reno whoops are about to see that same platform show up somewhere unexpected: stage rally. A Utah-based outfit called STRYKER has built a purpose-made rally car around the Maverick R's mechanical guts, and three of them are set to make their competition debut at Rally Colorado this summer under the American Rally Association banner.
The RX1 EVO isn't a modified side-by-side with a cage bolted on top. STRYKER built its own tubular chassis around the Maverick R X rc's engine, transmission, and running gear, then wrapped it in a fully enclosed cockpit with aluminum doors, an integrated roll cage, and extra side-impact protection built for trees and ditches instead of open desert.
Straight From the Maverick R Parts Bin
Pop the hood and the RX1 EVO reads like a Maverick R spec sheet. The car runs the same turbocharged three-cylinder Rotax engine, tuned to roughly 250 horsepower, paired with the stock seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive system Can-Am ships in its production Maverick R X rc. Custom suspension work from Shock Therapy, including radius rods and shocks built specifically for the STRYKER chassis, adapts that drivetrain to rally-specific hits and landings.
STRYKER founder Cole Powelson, who also runs SIERRA Cars and LYFE Motorsports, has framed the build around reliability and drivability rather than chasing outright peak power. He's said early testing already has the car running times close to a class above its price point, with the team expecting to land 'right there with Rally2 cars.'
A Cheaper Way Into Top-Level Rally
Rally2 cars, the class just below the WRC's top tier, routinely cost well beyond double the STRYKER's roughly $135,000 base price, and they're far pricier to maintain and repair between events. STRYKER pitches its Rogue Maverick platform at closer to a third of that upkeep cost, with a sportsman-tuned 180 horsepower mode available for teams easing into the car before running it wide open.
The American Rally Association carved out a dedicated one-make class for the platform, which held its first points event at June's Southern Ohio Forest Rally ahead of the RX1 EVO variant's arrival at Rally Colorado. Drivers Cole Powelson, Lucy Block of Block Family Racing, and Dave Carapetyan of Rally Ready are running the three debut entries.
What It Means for the Off-Road Crowd
For fans who live and breathe desert racing, this is worth watching for reasons beyond rally itself. A UTV drivetrain proving durable enough to survive stage rally abuse is a strong endorsement of what Can-Am is building into its production Maverick R, the same machine already turning up in UTV fields at Vegas to Reno and the Mint 400.
It also hints the line between desert racing hardware and stage rally hardware keeps getting blurrier, with shared engines, transmissions, and suspension philosophy crossing over in both directions. Keep an eye on how the RX1 EVO holds up on its debut weekend, and follow the action as more of these cross-pollinated builds start showing up in the pits at desert races closer to home.
What to Know About the STRYKER RX1 EVO
Here's the rundown on the new platform and its debut weekend.
- The car itself: A purpose-built rally chassis wrapped around Can-Am Maverick R mechanicals, not a modified UTV.
- The engine: A turbocharged three-cylinder Rotax engine pulled from the Maverick R platform, tuned to around 250 horsepower.
- The drivetrain: Seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive, both stock Maverick R components.
- The debut: Three RX1 EVOs are entered for the car's competition debut at Rally Colorado.
- The drivers: Cole Powelson, Lucy Block, and Dave Carapetyan are piloting the three debut entries.
- The price tag: STRYKER's Rogue Maverick platform starts around $135,000, roughly half a comparable Rally2 car.
- The sportsman mode: A detuned 180 horsepower setting lets teams ease into the platform before running full power.
- The class: The American Rally Association created a dedicated STRYKER one-make class, launched at June's Southern Ohio Forest Rally.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the STRYKER RX1 EVO?
It's a purpose-built stage rally car developed by Utah-based STRYKER, using the engine, transmission, and all-wheel drive system from Can-Am's production Maverick R X rc side-by-side wrapped in a custom rally chassis.
Is the RX1 EVO just a modified Can-Am Maverick R?
No. STRYKER built its own tubular chassis and fully enclosed rally-spec cockpit around the Maverick R's mechanical components rather than caging up an existing UTV.
How much does a STRYKER platform cost?
STRYKER prices the turnkey Rogue Maverick platform at roughly $135,000, which the company says runs about half the cost of a comparable Rally2 car with cheaper upkeep to match.
Where does the RX1 EVO make its competition debut?
Three RX1 EVOs are entered at Rally Colorado, an American Rally Association event, with drivers Cole Powelson, Lucy Block, and Dave Carapetyan behind the wheel.