Walker Evans, “The Legend,” passed away on August 2, 2025, at the age of 86. He was born on December 3, 1938, in Cedar Lake, Michigan. His large, gifted hands seemed to be made for building things. It was no surprise to anyone that he became a building contractor.
In 1969, he was picked as a driver for actor James Garner’s American International Racers team, which fielded a fleet of AMC Ramblers in the inaugural Baja 500. Evans finished a respectable fifth in the sedan class. Somewhere in the wilds of Baja California, he was bitten by the racing bug.
Walker financed a Ford F-100 to build into a racer with the help of Bill Stroppe. To make the first couple of payments on the pickup, Walker stripped everything out of the truck and sold the parts back to the dealer’s parts manager.
He returned to the Baja 500 in 1970 and promptly won the two-wheel-drive truck class. Five months later, at the Mexican 1000 (later known as the Baja 1000), he not only won his class again but finished third overall in 17 hours and 44 minutes.
During his time with Bill Stroppe, Walker became friends with Parnelli Jones. When Parnelli built his own team in 1975, he hired Walker to drive his Chevrolet Silverado. Just like with his F-100, Walker amassed an impressive number of wins in that Chevy.
In 1978, Walker inked a deal with Dodge and Goodyear to drive in Class 8—a move that would cement his status as “The Legend.”
Everything about Walker became iconic, from the multi-colored slanted stripes streaking across the cab of his Dodge trucks to his signature cowboy hat and boots. Evans was known for his fierce competitiveness on the track and his gentlemanly demeanor off it. He always had time for his fans, young and old.
Walker was among the founding members of NASCAR’s Truck Series, driving in the series’ early years himself. He continued to operate the race team, eventually naming Brendan Gaughan as driver.
Walker Evans and Randy Anderson founded the UTV parts arm of Walker Evans Racing. His contributions to the UTV industry earned him a place in the 2022 SEMA Hall of Fame. Their advancements in shock absorber technology for UTVs and snowmobiles smoothed the ride for racers and recreational users alike—much like his collection of industry-shaping wheels.
Mere numbers can’t do his career justice, but here are a few of them:
- 142 Major Off-Road Racing Victories
- 21 Off-Road Racing Championships
- Inducted into five halls of fame: Riverside Pro Sports Hall of Fame, Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, and the aforementioned SEMA Hall of Fame.
Here’s what you won’t find in the record books: In the 1980s, Bill Stroppe was determined to build a health clinic in the Baja town of Rancho Santa Inés. Walker was not just a donor of money and equipment but also of time—helping build the clinic himself.
He was a fixture on trips before and after races to various orphanages on the Baja Peninsula, giving rides to the kids and leaving behind a fistful of cash for the administrators.
Walker Evans was one of a kind—and the world is better for his being here.
