Legendary Racer Walker Evans Passes at 86

Walker Evans, the legendary off-road racer and founder of Walker Evans shocks, has passed at 86. The man shaped off-road racing as we know it, racing the Baja 1000 before it was even called that, becoming a founding member of the NASCAR Truck Series, and founding the UTV parts department of Walker Evans shocks.

His career started in 1969 after being picked as a driver for the James Garner’s American International Racing team. Evans piloted an AMC Rambler in the inaugural Baja 500. After getting a taste for racing, Evans financed a Ford F-100 to build into a racer, stripping the interior and selling the parts to pay for it. He raced the Baja 500 the next year in that very truck and ended up winning. Half a year later, he raced the Baja 1000 and not only won his class, but took third place overall.

After a long career of racing and innovating, Evans was inducted into five different motorsports Hall of Fames: Riverside Pro Sports Hall of Fame, Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, and the SEMA Hall of Fame.

Rest in peace to one of the greatest innovators of off-road racing. Walker Evans’ contributions to the sport made it into what it is today. Keep shreddin’ dirt in the afterlife, Legend.

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