The Sonora Rally will have its own scoring class for women from the 2027 edition. The organiser presented the “Chingona Class” on 30 October 2026 in an Instagram post on the official account @sonorarally. According to the organisers, the reason is that three women have already entered the rally, which takes place from 11 to 14 February 2027 in San Luis Río Colorado in the Mexican state of Sonora.
Same course, separate classification
The name takes up a Mexican slang expression. In the post, the organiser describes “Chingona” as a strong, independent and confident woman who is up for any adventure. In sporting terms, nothing is meant to change for the participants: “Same dunes. Same roadbooks. Same challenges.”, the post says (translated from the English). The class is intended to give women who line up for the race additional recognition. It is explicitly aimed at female riders on motorcycles and in UTVs.
No rulebook for the new class is available yet. Open questions include whether motorcycles and UTVs will be scored separately and whether the Chingona classification applies in addition to placement in the existing classes. The Sonora Rally classes page does not yet list the women’s class and announces updates for 2027. For motorcycles, it currently lists the classes Enduro Moto (production bikes up to 525 cubic centimetres), Thumper Moto (over 525 cubic centimetres, such as adventure bikes) and Pro Moto (450s to FIM and Dakar specification).
By its own account, more than half of the Sonora Rally organising team is female. The post does not say who the three women already entered are or which vehicle categories they will compete in.
New format for 2027
The 2027 edition runs in a modified format. According to a press release from the organiser, published by Cycle News and Motorcycle.com among others, the 2027 Sonora Rally is a three-day rally raid with a single bivouac in the San Luis Río Colorado region, just south of the US border. The organisers aim to reduce effort and costs for participants.
The Sonora Rally describes itself as the only official “Road to Dakar” event in North America. For motorcycle riders, according to the press release, an eligible participant who finishes the 2027 rally receives six points towards Dakar qualification for 2028. The organiser attaches a condition to this statement.
According to the organiser, entries have been open since 15 October 2026, with special conditions for the first 20 entries. Beforehand, the Sonora Rally offers navigation training from 4 to 6 December 2026; according to the rally’s website, the Navigation School is sold out.
Sources and image credits
- Sonora Rally (@sonorarally): Instagram post on the Chingona Class, 30 October 2026: instagram.com/p/DfIS3jZAbtg
- Sonora Rally: website: sonorarally.com
- Sonora Rally: Classes: sonorarally.com/classes
- Cycle News: “2027 Sonora Rally Scheduled for February 11–14”, 11 October 2026: cyclenews.com
- Motorcycle.com: “Sonora Rally Evolves for 2027 with Three-Day Format And Rally Schools”, 8 October 2026: motorcycle.com
- Photo 1: motorcycle rider with number 31 jumping over a dune; rights holder Sonora Rally (press photo), photographer not named; original source: Motorcycle.com, published on 8 October 2026; archive image.
- Photo 2: motorcycle rider in the dunes with a fountain of sand; rights holder Sonora Rally (press photo), photographer not named; original source: Motorcycle.com, published on 8 October 2026; archive image.