2018 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Power Wagon – Video
For the second consecutive year, Ram has won the Bone Stock Award in the Rebelle Rally.
Team 4 Corners’ Nena Barlow (Sedona, Arizona) and Chris Mayne (Chaville, France) – who were supported by Ram Truck – finished second overall driving a 2017 Ram Power Wagon.
“The terrain and the competition was much tougher this year,” said Barlow. “The Power Wagon ate up the terrain with ease, giving us more time and energy to focus on our navigation challenges.
“The HEMI® power enabled us to be the only ones to make it to the top of the famous Oldsmobile Hill at Glamis, and the Ram Power Wagon’s ground clearance, sway bar disconnect and lockers allowed us to fish her through the infamous sharp rocks and steep hills of Johnson Valley. Her winch came in handy to rescue a competitor that slid off the trail. She is an unwavering force with the assets to do anything you need a truck to do, and then a whole bunch of crazy fun stuff!”
Barlow was the third-place finisher in 2016, piloting a Ram 1500 Rebel in the inaugural running of the event.
After leading the early stages of the event, Team 4 Corners narrowly missed the overall win this year by just two points – 1175 to 1177. The event covered more than 750 miles over seven days from Lake Tahoe, Nevada, to California’s Imperial Sand Dunes.
This all-women event is organized by veteran off-road racer and trainer Emily Miller. Miller was the first U.S. woman to score a podium finish in the long-running Gazelle Rally in Morocco.
“Our goal is a world-class competition and event that truly tests the capability and durability of the entire team – driver, navigator and vehicle,” said Miller. “Team 4 Corners was professional, effective and encouraging to competitors, proving themselves as a powerful trio, while earning the respect of the entire field.
“The rally is not for race cars, but a true test of stock trucks, SUVs and CUVs. We designed the Bone Stock Class to showcase the capability of unmodified vehicles, and in a strong field of entries, the Ram Power Wagon proved to be an incredible, durable truck.”
Out of the 36 two-woman teams, only 11 trucks and SUVs were eligible for the Bone Stock Award. The Bone Stock Award is presented to the team that places highest in a vehicle that is exactly as delivered from the factory. The only allowable change is different tires, but even those are limited to the factory sizing. Team 4 Corners completed the event with the Power Wagon’s original 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires.
The Rebelle Rally is an off-road driving and navigation competition. It differs from a traditional race where speed is a priority to finish as quickly as possible. By contrast, the Rebelle Rally is about precision. Precise navigation and precise driving. There is no GPS, no pre-running and you don’t need a highly modified vehicle to be successful at the Rebelle Rally.
“My vision was to create an event that rewards intelligence, proper planning and attention to detail,” added event founder Miller.
Over seven days, teams comprised of two women (one driver, one navigator) use maps, compasses and road books to navigate to multiple checkpoints (CPs) in a prescribed amount of time. Some CPs are visibly marked by a flag and course worker (Green CPs), while others are marked by a small flag or PVC pipe (Blue CPs). Black CPs offer the greatest challenge, with no visible reference on the ground. Teams check in at each CP with their tracker, and the closer they are to the exact Black CP location the more points they receive.
Barlow has more than 20 years of experience in the 4WD industry. She is the owner and operator of Barlow Adventures, a Jeep® rental and 4WD training company, and certified by the International 4WD Trainers Association. Though considered well known in the 4WD world, the 2016 Rebelle Rally was her first competitive off-road event.
Mayne is a rally veteran on multiple continents, with last year’s inaugural Rebelle Rally under her belt, as well as 12 Rallye de Gazelles in Morocco and 2010 winner of the Rallye de Princesses in France.