When Can-Am introduced the Maverick R, most of the attention centered on its class-leading performance. The 240-horsepower turbocharged Rotax three-cylinder engine, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), and advanced all-wheel-drive system represented one of the biggest technological leaps the UTV industry had seen in years.
Now, that same drivetrain is finding a new home beyond traditional side-by-side competition.
The new STRYKER RX1 EVO is a purpose-built American Rally Association (ARA) race car designed specifically for stage rally competition. Three RX1 EVOs are scheduled to make their competition debut at Rally Colorado, where they’ll be driven by Cole Powelson (Drive STRYKER), Lucy Block (Block Family Racing), and Dave Carapetyan (Rally Ready). Rather than simply modifying a production UTV, STRYKER has developed a purpose-built rally platform around the proven mechanical foundation of the Can-Am Maverick R X rc.
Unlike a modified production UTV, the RX1 EVO combines a custom STRYKER chassis with the proven mechanical foundation of the Can-Am Maverick R X rc, creating a vehicle engineered specifically for rally racing.
STRYKER RX1 EVO
Built for Rally From the Ground Up
Stage rally presents very different challenges than desert racing.
Rather than competing on wide-open courses, rally cars tackle narrow forest roads, mountain passes, and gravel stages where precision, durability, and driver confidence are just as important as outright speed. American Rally Association regulations also require safety features that aren’t found on production side-by-sides.
According to STRYKER, the RX1 EVO features:
- Fully enclosed cockpit
- Custom STRYKER chassis
- Turbocharged three-cylinder engine
- Seven-speed dual-clutch transmission
- All-wheel drive
- Anti-lag
- Launch control
One of the most revealing descriptions of the project came from STRYKER itself:
“We took all the great things Can-Am was already doing and just made it a little bit more race specific for rally.”
That philosophy is evident throughout the vehicle.
Rather than redesigning every mechanical system, STRYKER chose to retain much of what already made the Maverick R one of the most technologically advanced production UTVs on the market.
Starting With the Maverick R X rc
In a behind-the-scenes video, STRYKER explains that the RX1 EVO begins with the Can-Am Maverick R X rc.
The company then builds a purpose-designed rally chassis around the vehicle’s powertrain and suspension while adding the safety equipment required for ARA competition, including a fully enclosed cockpit, aluminum doors, additional side-impact protection, and an integrated roll cage.
That approach speaks volumes about the Maverick R platform itself.
Professional race car engineers had countless engine and drivetrain combinations available, yet STRYKER selected Can-Am’s Rotax turbocharged triple, seven-speed DCT, and suspension package as the foundation for its rally program.
While STRYKER has referenced both 240- and 250-horsepower figures in early announcements, the emphasis appears to be on reliability, drivability, and stage-rally durability rather than chasing maximum horsepower.
A Collaboration of Performance Leaders
The RX1 EVO also highlights how several respected names in the UTV performance industry are contributing to the project.
At the center is Cole Powelson, founder of STRYKER, SIERRA Cars, and LYFE Motorsports. Rather than simply modifying an existing UTV, Powelson designed a purpose-built rally platform around the Maverick R’s proven mechanical components.
Suspension development comes from Shock Therapy, which has engineered custom shocks and billet radius rods specifically for the STRYKER platform. While Shock Therapy has spent years refining suspension systems for production UTVs, the RX1 EVO demonstrates how that expertise is now being applied to purpose-built race cars.
The result is a vehicle that blends proven production components with specialized engineering developed specifically for professional rally competition.
STRYKER RX1 EVO
Three Cars, Three Teams
Rather than debuting with a single prototype, STRYKER will field three RX1 EVOs at Rally Colorado, giving the new platform an immediate test in American Rally Association competition.
The entries include:
- No. 223 – Cole Powelson (Drive STRYKER)
- No. 430 – Lucy Block (Block Family Racing)
- No. 725 – Dave Carapetyan (Rally Ready)
By placing the RX1 EVO in the hands of three different teams, STRYKER will gain valuable feedback across a variety of driving styles and competition conditions as it continues developing the platform.
Their participation underscores that this isn’t simply a concept vehicle or demonstration project—it’s a purpose-built race program entering one of the premier events on the American Rally Association calendar.
STRYKER Rogue Maverick
More Than One STRYKER
Although the RX1 EVO is making headlines ahead of Rally Colorado, it isn’t STRYKER’s only project.
The company’s flagship Rogue Maverick, developed for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, pushes the concept even further with a clean-sheet chassis and a 500-horsepower, 400 lb-ft compound-turbocharged Rotax engine developed in partnership with Evolution Powersports.
While the Rogue Maverick represents STRYKER’s ultimate performance platform, the RX1 EVO takes a different approach. By utilizing much of the production Maverick R X rc drivetrain and suspension, it demonstrates that Can-Am’s factory engineering already provides a strong foundation for professional motorsports.
Together, the two vehicles showcase the versatility of the Maverick R platform across very different forms of racing.
A New Direction for the Maverick R
For decades, the UTV industry has borrowed technology from the automotive world.
The Maverick R reversed that trend.
Its turbocharged Rotax engine, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and sophisticated all-wheel-drive system created a platform that race car engineers now see as more than a production side-by-side drivetrain.
The STRYKER RX1 EVO is one of the first examples of that evolution.
Rather than adapting an automotive engine or transmission, STRYKER built a purpose-designed rally car around technology developed for a production UTV.
Whether the RX1 EVO proves successful at Rally Colorado remains to be seen, but its debut already highlights something significant: the Can-Am Maverick R is beginning to influence off-road motorsports in ways few production side-by-sides ever have.
All eyes will now be on Rally Colorado, where the RX1 EVO will face its first real test. Whether the results produce podium finishes or valuable development data, the event marks an important milestone—not only for STRYKER, but also for the Can-Am Maverick R platform that serves as its foundation.
