No phones. No GPS. No off-road modifications whatsoever.
That’s what the X Elles, a Lexus-supported team taking on the all-women Rebelle Rally faced this year, as they took on some of North America’s most challenging terrain. Rachelle Croft and Taylor Pawley piloted a bone stock 2019 Lexus GX 460 to victory, beating 37 competitors across the eight-day competition.
The Rebelle Rally is the U.S.’ first women’s off-road rally, and takes place over 1,440 miles. The competition sees teams take on grueling terrain throughout the deserts of Nevada and California. “The rally definitely showcased the capabilities of Lexus,” said Emily Miller, the Rebelle Rally’s organizer. “It handled every type of terrain, from rocks, ruts, steep climbs and descents, to America’s biggest dunes with ease. It is truly impressive to see a bone stock GX take the overall win.”
Rachelle Croft drove the GX over the competition, and the Montana native works on the Expedition Overland series with her husband Clay. Co-driver Taylor Pawley, an Oregonian, is the co-founder of Women Overlanding the World and a two-time Rebelle Rally competitor. Of the experience, Croft said it’s “one of the hardest things I’ve done…This rally pushes you out of your comfort zone to show you what you are capable of with a group of women cheering and helping each other along the way.”
It’s not just 4×4 SUVs
While the X Elles won the 4×4 class against a range of stock and modified SUVs, that isn’t the only competitive class in the Rebelle Rally. There’s also a crossover class, which saw the entry of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, among other more mainstream models. Team Jeeves, comprised of driver Rebecca Donaghe and Emme Hall, took the class standings by storm in their Cullinan. They amassed a total of 1,368 poinds out of a possible 1,500. That’s far ahead of their competitiors and nearly on par with overall winners Croft and Pawley.
Check out the full results over on the Rebelle Rally website. Stay tuned to TFLoffroad.com for more news, views and real-world reviews!
