Seth Quintero

At only 20 years old, Seth Quintero has already broken records at some of the largest off-road races in the world. In 2022, he won 12 stages at the Dakar Rally, the highest number of stage wins in a single Dakar Rally, and in 2021, he was the youngest ever stage winner at the Dakar Rally. Seth has his sights on the 2023 Dakar Rally with Red Bull Can-Am Factory Race team. We caught up with him in San Marcos, California.  

Welcome to the Can-Am family, Seth! Tell us a little bit about yourself for those who may not know you and your racing history.

Seth: I have been racing UTVs since I was nine years old. I started out in 2014 and won the World Championship in 2015. That was really pivotal to jump-starting my career. In 2017, I went pro and I saw some success in the short-course world, but I ultimately found my stride in the desert. In 2020, I started racing some of the overseas Rally Raid events, and in 2021, I became the youngest driver to win a stage at Dakar, which I followed up in 2022 by logging the most stage wins at Dakar (12).   
 

This will be the first year that you’ll be racing in a Can-Am Maverick X3. How has the training been going so far, what has surprised you with the Can-Am Maverick X3 platform?

Seth: Training has been going really well. We have been logging LOTS of miles in the Can-Am Maverick X3. The overall ergonomics of the car are what surprised me the most. Any type of terrain that I have pushed the car into, it just adapts so quickly, which makes it really easy to drive. 

What does your race preparation routine look like?

Seth: Race preparation looks a lot different for me than a lot of other racers. Racing is such a big mental game, so for me, visualization is a huge tool, but also the ability to step back and enjoy the things in life that bring me happiness outside of racing. This is especially big when I am back home from racing.  

Being outdoors surfing, cliff , mostly. Things like snowboarding, riding a dirt bike, fi shing, hunting, jumping or anything else in between when I am out here in California.

                                                                                                  Seth Quintero

What has been your most memorable race experience, and why was it so memorable? 

Seth:  The one that has the most meaning to me has got to be the 2015 UTV World Championships, as it really set the tone for my career and opened up so many doors for me. This was the race that got me noticed , I would say , and gave me the opportunity to be introduced to the right people like Red Bull, who I signed with shortly after that race.  
 

While you’re racing, are you listening to music? If so, what are your favorite songs?  

Seth: Actually, funny enough I can’t listen to music whi beat and can get me in trouble.
 

Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us today, and all the best at Dakar 2023!