2026 Sonora Rally | SS3, Day 3
· Yahoo Sports
Day Three of the 2026 Sonora Rally pushed competitors from Caborca to La Salina across the longest and most demanding stage of the week. With 265 kilometers of dunes, desert, and coastal terrain, racers faced a relentless test of endurance, navigation, and survival. We'll continue sharing daily updates as the rally unfolds. Stay tuned.
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Stage Three Left a Salty Aftertaste
The Longest Stretch of the Sonora Rally, This Special Aimed Racers Towards La Salina
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Stage 3 of the Sonora Rally expanded into the heart of the event, pushing racers from Caborca toward La Salina across the longest and most demanding day of the week. As competitors made their way toward the start, the desert offered a quiet warning-plentiful bones of eroded animals appeared in their peripheral vision, a chilling reminder that things die here, and purpose-built motos and UTVs are no exception. From the first kilometers, the stage unfolded as a complete cross-section of Sonora's terrain, combining dunes, open desert, coastal influence, and technical navigation into a single, relentless test.
Flat terrain that seemed endless still carried surprises. At one point, a vulture lifted off with a snake carcass in its grasp-a fleeting but stark reminder of the environment surrounding the course. As the 265 kilometers ticked away, bellowing engine noises hit the dunes, pinging like a submarine's sonar underwater and making it difficult to place where another competitor was swooping in from. It wasn't the kind of day you could overpower-it had to be managed.
At the front, results reflected that balance. In Pro Moto, Adolfo Alonso (#2) claimed the Stage 3 win with a time of 4:42:59, followed closely by Ciaran Naran (#21) and Kyle McCoy (#1). In the Auto category, Jorge Cano and Abelardo Ruanova (#202) delivered a strong performance to take the fastest time in the UTV classes, continuing their steady push. But Stage 3 was less about outright pace and more about survival.
The length of the stage inevitably took its toll. Gary Payne and Phil Ashworth (#201) were forced into an early halt with electrical issues, only for the team to roll up their sleeves, make repairs, and plan their return for tomorrow. Steven Brink and Kevin Omo (#203) needed some old-school bush mechanic know-how to repair a bashed front end. For Christophe Suberville (#23), a major mechanical failure deep in the course brought his day to a halt. Yet, ever the rally racer, he pushed his bike across the finish and all the way up to the timing control to confirm his result.
For others, the challenges were more subtle but no less costly. Mike Johnson (#8) suffered some fatigue from his rear brake. Meanwhile, Tim Goss (#11) had an on-course incident where his head collided with the rally comp, breaking the screen. In the end, both his noggin and the computer still worked, though he lost time riding cautiously with an inflated airbag until he could replace the canister.
Through it all, navigation remained remarkably sharp. Despite the complex set of rally-specific hieroglyphs, competitors largely stayed on course. Within that tightening field, the Dakar Dreams competition has begun to crystallize. Adolfo Alonso (#2) leads the Stage 3 standings, followed by Alexis Raoux (#16) and Ryan Nariño (#5), with Armando Alonso Morales (#6) and Timur Urakov (#15) still firmly within reach. With $10,000 in Dakar entry support on the line, consistency is beginning to outweigh outright speed.
As the final kilometers approached, working Sonora's tightrope just so, the terrain opened toward the coast. A monstrous tailbone, courtesy of a long-dead whale, greeted Sonora's daring drivers and riders as they zeroed in on the finish-a fitting landmark for a stage that had asked for everything.
As the sun set over Golfo de Santa Clara, the longest day of Sonora Rally 2026 came to a close. Superb steak, pork, cooked vegetables, and authentic Rally Blonde beer ensured a savory night for all in the Sonora clan, while an evening bonfire added flavor to the driver's meeting. The field had been stretched and tested, but not broken. Tomorrow brings an early start, with temperatures expected to hit 80 degrees Fahrenheit by 8:00 a.m. And with the heat comes even less room for error.
For updates, news, and race reports throughout the rally, follow Sonora Rally on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Commentary and race coverage will also be shared through the Chasing Waypoints Podcast, with content available on YouTube.
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