Built to Win: Why Off-Road Champ Dustin Jones Trusts Rocky Ridge

If there’s one thing Dustin “Battle Axe” Jones doesn’t do, it’s take the easy road. From Muay Thai fighting to ripping across the desert in race-tuned UTV, the Louisiana native has built his life around going full throttle. Dustin’s off-road career is built on blue-collar roots, busted knuckles, and relentless work ethic.

Recently, Jones joined the Fox Factory media team on a photoshoot as an ambassador for Rocky Ridge trucks, and we sat down with him to not only talk about his racing career, but also his first impressions of these custom trucks. 

So, how does someone get a name like “Battle Axe?” Before his time breaking records and slinging dirt, Dustin spent his time professionally training in the Muay Thai discipline in MMA cage fighting. He was well known for “head kicks,” which evolved into the nickname “Battle Axe” Jones. 

That nickname has carried on into his racing career, accurately portraying his racing style but instead of an axe, he’s laying down the hammer on the desert trails. Growing up in rural Louisiana, Dustin was raised in a blue-collar family with an early knack for tinkering with broken four-wheelers.

“I would go buy them for like $200, but my dad had taught me how to work on things. So, I'd bring them home, work on them, get them fixed, get them to run,” Dustin reflected. “I would do all my schoolwork as fast as I could and then go ride the rest of the day.” That natural fascination with all things mechanical lead Dustin to go out riding sometimes 8 hours a day.

He had no clue that would lead to him racing and riding professionally, as well as pursuing a degree in engineering. Later, he would open a powersports business called S3 Power Sports and build race cars for other people and himself.

While starting a business is a feat in itself, Dustin and the team have several race wins under their belt. If Dustin were to highlight his proudest moment, it would be the Mint 400. For those not in the know, the Mint 400 is one of the oldest, most prestigious off-road races in America. This race could be compared to the Baja in Mexico with the same level of adrenaline and motorsport types represented.

“You know, the first time we won it, we had no idea what we did,” Dustin reflected. “How statistically unlikely it was for some boys from Louisiana in their third desert race ever, built their own car, did all their own planning...we had no idea what we were doing.”

Despite their challenges, the S3 Power Sports team went on to win the Mint 400, and then two more times after. “The second time was a pretty big deal, and we recognized the magnitude of it, "said Dustin. “You know, you kind of feel like it's a fluke. There's a lot of good, fast racers out there. We had a hard day and somehow still won the race, but it's when we won the third time that it was like the most monumental moment for me to where that was the biggest win, what I consider the biggest win of my career.”

The third win put Dustin Jones’s team on the history books for the first UTV team to win the Mint 400 three times, and only UTV team to win it back-to-back seasons.

Dustin’s expertise in what works off-road hasn’t gone unnoticed. With a history of teaming up with FOX for suspension and shock tuning support, he received an opportunity to become an ambassador for Rocky Ridge trucks. Shock tuning is a major part of his racing program, especially since the desert events cover hundreds of miles in the roughest terrain imaginable.

“Suspension is free speed,” Dustin explains. “You know, you can have the fastest motor, you can have the coolest race car, you can have the best. But if you don't have good suspension, you're not going to be fast.” 

That shared commitment to suspension performance made the partnership with Rocky Ridge trucks a natural fit.

When Dustin first got behind the wheel of a Rocky Ridge truck, it felt like stepping into something he’d build himself. He told us he had just purchased a half-ton Dodge and was researching suspension and tire upgrades. When he saw the Rocky Ridge version of the same truck, the parts list was almost identical to what he’d been considering.

“I’m an off-road racer. I use my trucks - I hunt out of them, I pull trailers, I go off-roading,” Dustin said. “These aren’t hack-job trucks. They drive better than my stock truck.”

He noted how the lifted truck world has changed, and how enthusiasts no longer have to settle for a 6-inch lift and terrible ride quality. With years of racing under his belt, Jones has become a suspension perfectionist that puts emphasis on a balance of ride quality and performance.

“I don’t want any tire rub whenever I go full lock and full tuck. Like I want the thing to be set up properly,” he said. “Those are the things that stand out to me because it rides good, it drives good, and it runs really good. They’re set up correctly. Everything works like its OEM factory.”

When it comes to his trucks, Dustin would expect the same level of performance and quality he gets out of his race car builds, and it’s clear that Rocky Ridge trucks are ready to deliver on that promise.

When it comes to off-road racing, or anything racing for that matter, everyone starts somewhere. For new blood looking for competition, Jones says it's best to start where you are.

“Find a local race series that you can go sign up for,” he said. “Start at the entry level. You don't have to start at the top. Have the experience, make sure it's something you enjoy, and then there's infinite possibilities to grow in that.”

With the rise of social media, there’s no shortage of groups, event pages and resources out there to quench the thirst of the budding adrenaline junkie looking for more. For many racing enthusiasts, off-road or otherwise, it’s not necessarily about the race or winning a big purse. For them, it’s about the camaraderie shared.

“If there's anything I've learned about racing, it's not about the payout at all," said Dustin. “There is no money to be made in racing. But there's one thing that I've heard that I really stick by - I chase ‘M and M’s’...that's memories and money.”

To keep up with more of Dustin’s adventures, give him a follow-on Instagram,  TikTok,  Facebook, and his YouTube channel  S3 Power Sports.  

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