Aug 15, 2022

Red Bull Stone Scramble with Mia Chapman

The Red Bull Scramble Series is a collection of Side by Side (SXS) Off Road races for Amateur and Professional racers alike. The Red Bull Stone Scramble takes place in the remote wilds of Northeast Tennessee located in the Heart of Appalachia — offering a gripping custom-built off-road course featuring backcountry woods and mountainous terrain.

The race features two competitive classes, the SXS Pro for more experienced racers and SXS Sportsman for amateur off-road enthusiasts. Among the many incredible racers on woodland course is 19-year-old Mia Chapman, and her specifically modified Polaris RZR RS1.

Considered a phenomenon of the sport, Mia has clinched seven championships and stood on greater than 120 podiums in an already distinguished short-track racing profession, primarily racing within the desert. These desert races of over 500 miles are propelling off-road racer Mia Chapman to new heights.

“The Tennessee racing community is unlike anything I’ve experienced,” stated Mia Chapman. “Everyone is so nice and supportive. Tennessee is completely different and a totally new challenge compared to the desert. There are a ton of trees, slippery rocks, and even the mud is unlike any place I’ve been.”

Chapman is one of an increasing number of women who have taken to this type of off-road racing. Mia is clearly enormously appreciative of her father’s position in racing. Joe Chapman sees a deeper worth in it for his daughter. “Simply being on this course in the present day, coping with the rain, there’s some type of life lesson to take from in the present day. That is the way in which I take a look at all the pieces.”

Red Bull racer Mia Chapman put up a tough fight despite finishing 8th in the SXS Pro Class.

Chapman’s Transition to Desert Racing

Mia’s transition from a short-course race, which is complete in a matter of minutes, to a SXS desert race, where races regularly last 5-plus hours and hundreds of miles, have posed challenges that are not for the faint of heart.

In 2020, Mia finished three of the four events in her inaugural desert campaign, taking 20th at her first race, the Best in the Desert Parker 250, and ninth at the UTV World Championship.

“The desert is a totally different animal, and I did a lot of big races with 50-plus other drivers that normally you wouldn’t go into right away, because they are so brutal and long,” Mia stated. “So, I felt really good about finishing most of my races, which was the goal. Then to add the Top 10 result was huge.”

Mia trains constantly to meet the physical demands of the sport and credits her family with helping to keep her feet on the ground and her head in the game. She added, “Whenever we go to races, it’s family and friend involvement – that’s one of the best parts about our team. Having my family there with their support takes away some of the stress.”

As for her future, Mia will continue to train for and race SXS desert races full time with the goal of finding her pace that’s efficient, but faster. She’d love to win a UTV Desert Championship one day, and, she states, “Overall I just want to keep improving and get into as much as I possibly can.”