As one of off-road racing’s icons, Walker Evan’s contributions to the sport go well beyond his many race wins. People like Evan’s business partner Randy Anderson, NASCAR racer Brendan Gaughan, engine builder Kevin Kroyer, and racers such as Rod Hall, Kurt LeDuc, Rob MacCachren, Evan Evans, and many others, all got their start working for the man in the white cowboy hat.

Evans began racing motorcycles, winning desert and short-course races. His introduction into Baja racing came when John Crain and actor James Garner had built AMC Ramblers for the 1969 Baja 500, and allowed Evans to drive. “I finished in third and was hooked on off-road racing,” said Evans. “From my motorcycle experience I could read the terrain, and was also a pretty good mechanic. It all fit together.”

Walker drove for Bill Stroppe, and Parnelli Jones, but eventually built his own Class 8 vehicles before working with Dodge and winning the 1979 SCORE Baja 1000, making him the first driver in off-road racing history to win the race overall in a Class 8 truck. His efforts led to a relationship with Dodge and in vehicle design and driving capabilities, changed the face of SCORE and off-road racing to this day, leading the way to the modern SCORE Trophy Truck.