The American Off-Road Racing Championship’s continued commitment to the future stars of off-road racing was on full display on Friday morning, as the 2026 Parker 400 Youth Races saw dozens of top young talents take to the course for their season opener. When all was said and done, Cash Martinez took top honors in the Youth 1000 race after missing out on the podium last year, while just one of the six Youth classes produced a repeat winner from 2025.
The action started with a combined race for the four Youth 170, 200, and 250 divisions, with Youth 250 racer Kyson Christensen coming out on top over Cade Finley for the class and overall wins by just 16.032 seconds. Christensen, Finley, and Youth 170 Open winner Slater Sperry were the only racers to manage 11 laps of the course in the 25-lap timed race.
Coming in just behind the three of them were the entire Youth 170 Production podium of Johnny Savino Jr., Danger Cerrone, and Maisyn Atteberry, who were separated by under 90 seconds at the finish line. Shortly behind them, Jack Gillaspy earned his first of two wins on the day, successfully defending his win from last year in Youth 200.
Up next was the Youth 1000 race, which saw its own closely matched battle for the win with Martinez defeating Landon Morrow by just under 35 seconds. Brixton Wirt, last year’s Youth 170 Open winner, rounded out the podium, while Kevin Braun and Samuel Gibbs completed the top five. Gillaspy rounded out the winners on the day in Youth 570 as Finley scored his second podium of the day as well.
2026 Parker 400 Youth Race results were as follows:
Youth 1000
- Y1021 Cash Martinez, 1 lap, 36:03.788
- Y1088 Landon Morrow, 1 lap, 36:38.368
- Y1067 Brixton Wirt, 1 lap, 40:21.009
Youth 570
- Y502 Jack Gillaspy, 14 laps, 26:00.400
- Y569 Cade Finley, 12 laps, 25:09.784
Youth 250/200/170 Class Winners
- Youth 250: #Y215 Kyson Christensen, 11 laps, 27:21.432
- Youth 200: #L279 Jack Gillaspy, 10 laps, 27:30.213
- Youth 170 Open: #Y024 Slater Sperry, 11 laps, 32:24.099
- Youth 170 Production: #Y140 Johnny Savino Jr., 10 laps, 25:34.570
Live timing, tracking, and unofficial results can be found all weekend at TheParker400.com.
Details regarding racer registration, sponsorship packages, exhibitor vending, spectator tickets, camping, and parking passes for the American Off-Road Racing Championship are live on americanoffroadracingchampionship.com.
About the American Off-Road Racing Championship:
The American Off-Road Racing Championship (AORC) is the premier desert off-road racing league in North America, created through the unification of Best in the Desert (BITD) and Unlimited Off-Road Racing (UNLTD). Best in the Desert, founded in 1984 by legendary racer Casey Folks, is the longest-running and most respected off-road racing series in the U.S., with a legacy that includes iconic events like Vegas to Reno, the Silver State 300, the Parker 425, and the Laughlin Desert Classic. Unlimited Off-Road Racing, established by the Martelli Brothers in 2023, produces world-class events such as The Mint 400, The California 300, and The Parker 400. UNLTD is recognized for its focus on innovation, storytelling, and large-scale racer participation, with events known for high car counts, challenging courses, pre-running, and family-friendly fan experiences near major markets.
Together under the AORC banner, BITD and UNLTD preserve the heritage of desert racing while building its future—offering racers, sponsors, and fans a unified championship built on clarity, consistency, and world-class competition.
