Pushing the Limits: California man's journey from family farm to off-road racing champion

CBS News

05-06-2025

Brock Heger has spent most of his life driving tractors on his family's farm in California. Now, he's one of the world's top off-road racers, exploding onto the off-road racing scene.
Heger, 25, recently won the Dakar Rally, a grueling, nearly 5,000 mile race through the Saudi Arabian desert. He won in just over 59 hours, crediting his endurance to growing up on his family's farm in Southern California's Imperial Valley.
While a tractor's top speed caps around 20 mph, Heger's Polaris RZR vehicle rips through the desert at 118 mph.
"Having the ability to drive a tractor for 20 hours, being able to work long hours, was good preparation," Heger told CBS News transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave.
How Heger became an off-road racing champion
Heger started racing at 6 years old. He won his first championship by 12. He exploded onto the off-road racing scene and has won six consecutive major events.
"I love pressure," he said. "I love trying to do things that, you know, people might think is hard or crazy to do. I've been able to have a really good run in off road racing. And with that comes, you know, nice red target on my back."
In January, he was a last-minute entrant to what could arguably be called the World Cup of off-road racing at the Dakar Rally.
He crossed the finish line on his 25th birthday.
"It was definitely surreal," he said.
Joe Heger, Brock's father, is his son's biggest fan.
"When he was younger, he used to tear a lot of stuff up. I used to tell him, slower, sometimes faster. It makes you more humble, and it makes you take care of your equipment. Teaches you how to respect, wake up everyday, go to work and and enjoy what you do," Jon Heger said.