Toby Price has been disqualified from the San Felipe 250, but the bigger story now is the fallout that followed. The Australian off-road star has denied allegations of sabotage, his navigator has resigned, and a team built on high expectations is suddenly facing serious questions just one round into the 2026 SCORE International Off-Road Championship.
The controversy erupted after SCORE International confirmed that Price and his navigator Brent Bauman were disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct during pre-running near Race Mile 52. The Competition Review Board (CRB), made up of active and retired racers, concluded that both were responsible after reviewing submitted evidence.
Although officials did not initially spell out the full details, the allegations quickly became clear. Price and Bauman were accused of placing rocks on sections of the course — a claim that, if true, raises major safety concerns in a sport already defined by risk.
Price has strongly denied those claims.
“The video that is circulating does not provide evidence of me placing any rocks,” Price said in a detailed response. “The witness statement does not provide evidence of me making any rock placement.”
He added that the only interaction shown in the footage involved him responding to a bystander and clearing a new racing line, not interfering with the course.
Despite pushing back on the evidence, Price stopped short of escalating the dispute further. Instead, he accepted the ruling as final.
“That being said, the CRB has made its decision and I am obviously treating this as final and respect the process,” he said.
That acceptance, however, has not prevented the situation from escalating around him.
Navigator resignation deepens crisis
Less than 24 hours after the disqualification was confirmed, Brent Bauman resigned from Team Australia. Team owner Paul Weel accepted the resignation immediately, stating it followed both the CRB findings and preliminary results from an internal team investigation.
The timing of the resignation has added weight to the controversy. While Price continues to deny wrongdoing, Bauman’s exit has intensified scrutiny on the team and its internal dynamics.
Weel made it clear that he was not present during the incident and had no knowledge of the alleged conduct at the time, stressing that he was “hours away” from the location. Still, he emphasized that the standards of the team would not change.
“The safety of every competitor on the race course is very important to me,” Weel said. “I don’t condone any of the conduct that has been alleged.”
Price also publicly defended Weel, stating the team owner should not be portrayed negatively given his lack of involvement.
But even with those clarifications, the situation has already shifted from a single incident to a broader team crisis.
Career pause signals bigger impact
Perhaps the most telling development came from Price himself. In the wake of the decision and growing public pressure, he announced he would step away from desert racing for the foreseeable future.
“The past couple of days have been the toughest of my career, which spans over 20 years,” Price said.
“I will be taking some time off from desert racing and I don’t take this decision lightly given the significant damage.”
For a driver of Price’s stature, that kind of statement carries serious weight. This is not a routine break between events — it is a response to a moment that has shaken both his reputation and his immediate future in the sport.
Price also hinted at uncertainty around his return, saying he would reassess his position with the team and whether he would compete again in the series anytime soon.
That leaves a major question hanging over Team Australia, which was formed by Price and Weel to compete at the highest level of off-road racing. What began as a long-term project now faces an unexpected test early in its journey.
The sporting side of the story has almost been overshadowed. Price had qualified 31st overall and finished eighth in class, 17th outright, before being removed from the results entirely. Luke McMillin ultimately claimed victory in the event.
Yet the results sheet is no longer the focus.
This situation has instead become a case study in how quickly a racing controversy can escalate. Footage circulated online, allegations spread, and within days the outcome included a disqualification, a resignation, and a career pause.
Price acknowledged that reality himself, referencing not just the official ruling but also public perception.
He said he believed a higher standard of proof should have been required but accepted both the decision and the “court of public opinion.”
That dual acceptance reflects the modern reality of motorsport controversies. Decisions are no longer judged solely by governing bodies — they are debated, analyzed, and amplified in real time by fans and media alike.
For now, Price’s future remains uncertain. What is clear is that one of Australia’s most decorated off-road racers has stepped away at a critical moment, insisting on his innocence while accepting the consequences of a decision that has already reshaped his season.
Further updates and official statements from the championship can be followed via SCORE International.
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