Dakar , claiming a runner-up finish – both his and Husqvarna Motorcycles ’ best result at the tough event . The man who seems to be replacing Quintanilla on the team , Skyler Howes , has signed a threeyear contract which will see the 29-year-old first compete on Husqvarna machinery at the Sonora Rally in Mexico in early May , before lining up at round one of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship – the Rally Kazakhstan – in June . Born in California , Howes grew up competing offroad , specifically desert racing , before turning his hand to rally in 2018 . Contesting the Dakar Rally for the first time in 2019 , the American admits he underestimated the iconic event , and despite showing great pace on the tough terrain , he was forced to retire after
dislocating his shoulder . Exceptional rides in both the 2020 and 2021 races saw the Utah resident finish inside the top 10 and as leading privateer – the highlight being an impressive fifth overall at this year ’ s event . Now , looking ahead to the 2021 season , Howes will compete in a number of local North American races before focusing on the full FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship . Although he has some experience racing world championship events having previously competed in Morocco , Skyler plans on using the 2021 season to build his pace and experience on the varied terrain he ’ ll experience at each of the six championship races , while getting up to speed on his FR 450 Rally machine .
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