Baja Trophy Truck Drag Races Rock Bouncer, Look at Them Go

The answer to that is straightforward if you live outside of Germany. The USA's top speed limit is 85 mph (137 kph). In some countries like Bulgaria, you can even legally hit 87 mph (140 kph). And I know that Austria's government was debating whether to raise the highway speed limit to 99 mph (160) kph. So, if you don't have the luxury of a drive-as-fast-as-you-can Autobahn in Germany, you will have to stick to those numbers.

Even so, a quick car will still raise your adrenaline levels every time you floor it from a standstill to that point. I want to say that racing off-road is just as exciting as on-road. We'll have to wait 20 or more years for top speeds at the Dakar rally to reach Le Mans levels from the '90s. But that's beside the point. With a smaller top speed, you still get a lot out of jumping, sliding, and conquering the elements in your vehicle. And the two cars lined up for today's "This vs That" battle make me want to go out and try some, too. It has to be one of the most exciting challenges in this series since its debut in October 2023.

On one side, we've got Maddie Moon and her "Maditude" Rock Bouncer. This 4WD monster runs on a 7.7-liter, naturally-aspirated V8 capable of 800 horsepower. The whole thing is rather heavy, at around 5,000 lbs (2,267 kg), but it should still faire pretty well down the 1,000 ft (304 meters) section of dunes and dirt. In the other corner, you're looking at Pierce Herbst and his "Terrible" Trophy Truck.

It's quite a different machine than the Rock Bouncer, and it's easy to tell that these serve other purposes. Despite being slightly heavier, the Trophy Truck has a better horsepower-to-weight ratio. With a maximum output of around 1,000 hp, this beast can hit speeds of over 150 mph (241 kph). This thing may be accustomed to long-distance racing, but it will likely gulp up its opponent over this short course, too.

On the first run, the Rock Bouncer takes the lead immediately after the start. But it loses control of the race when they hit the first dune. And it's pretty much a home run for the Trophy Truck beyond that point. As we've seen in previous episodes, the loser gets a second chance. Even though Maddie gets to start before her opponent, there's no stopping the Baja monster from securing a double victory. I won't reveal the outcome of the third run, but it doesn't matter anyway, as this is a best two-out-of-three format.