From the Desert to Chicago: A Big Month for the Rebelle!
February 20th, 2026
Course Running Kicked Off This Month
This month, we officially kick off course running, alongside our friends at TOTAL CHAOS Fabrication, as we begin scouting and shaping what will become the 2026 Rebelle Rally route.
While the course itself remains confidential (for good reason), we can tell you this: we’ve got some incredible locations, new surprises, and a few twists in the works that we can’t wait to reveal.
What goes into course running is equal parts planning, problem-solving, and pure fieldwork. It’s where the route starts to come alive, and where the magic begins.
Stay tuned. The desert is calling!
What Is Course Running, Exactly?
Laying out a course can take 25 to 40 days of driving per rally, not including the countless hours spent on maps and mentally visualizing it.
It starts with the “line on the ground,” as Jimmy Lewis, Course Director, calls it. Then the magic happens, creating the secret sauce of challenge that brings it all together.
From enduro to checkpoint challenges, the assortment of green, blue, and black diamond checkpoints, the separation of groups, and the high-scoring X checkpoints, every detail is intentional. Emily Miller, Founder and Director, describes the competition as a “moving chess game” because it combines so many elements, including the challenge of strategic thinking.
Miller and Lewis work hard to make it visually compelling and fun to drive, while keeping tight reins on anyone seeing the complete course. At the same time, Chrissie Beavis, Director of Scoring and Head Rally Judge, ensures the scoring and competition components are ready to go for nine days of competition.
Course running is not just building a route. It is creating nine days of decisions, risk, and reward. October cannot come soon enough!
In case you missed it, our next How to Rebelle Presented by Pennzoil session is coming up March 18, 2026 at 5 PM PST.
The topic: Competition Deep Dive — Format, Vehicles & Prep.
Rebelle staff and experienced competitors will be joining the conversation to share insight, tips, and what really matters when it’s time to show up and compete.
Save your spot and join us live. We can’t wait to see you there!
From the Rebelle Community
A few quick highlights we’re loving this month:
- Rebelle in the wild: The 2025 Bone Stock award-winning Jeep Gladiator (and 2025 Winning 4×4) popped up at the Chicago Auto Show — and we loved getting DM’d photos from the community. Still dusty, still badged, still looking like it had stories to tell.
- New start line: Trinitē Road Rally, from the team behind Rebelle Rally, officially launched — debuting May 2026. We can’t wait to welcome the community to the next chapter, and we’re pretty sure we’ll be cheering on more than a few Rebelles at the start! Want to learn more about the inaugural edition? Read the press release here.
- On the move: Rebelle alumni Bailey Campbell and Amber Slawson were back behind the wheel this month at King of the Hammers, one of the toughest off-road races in the U.S. — showing up, sending it, and reminding us Rebelles don’t stop when the rally ends.
Catch Us at the SEMA Women’s Leadership Forum
The SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) Women’s Leadership Forum returns March 3–5, 2026 at Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn in San Diego, CA, bringing together professionals from across the automotive aftermarket for three days of leadership development, connection, and transformation.
Rebelle Rally Founder Emily Miller and three-time competitor Kirstin Backes will be featured as keynote speakers. Joining them are fellow Rebelle competitors Cora Jokinen, Katherine Abraham, and Kathryn Reinhardt, who will also participate alongside other industry leaders, leading workshops, hosting roundtables, and contributing to panel discussions throughout the forum.
Emily Miller Honored with the Chicago Auto Show Automotive Ally Award
We’re happy to share that Rebelle Rally Founder Emily Miller has been named the 2026 Chicago Auto Show Automotive Ally Award recipient.
The award was announced on Friday, February 6, during the Chicago Auto Show Media Preview, and is presented as part of the show’s What Drives Her program.
The Automotive Ally Award recognizes individuals who consistently show up for others through advocacy, mentorship, education, and support, helping create new opportunities as others build their careers in the automotive industry.
In the announcement, organizers shared that “Emily’s influence extends far beyond her work as the founder of the Rebelle Rally,” and highlighted how she has helped women across the automotive field “change their career paths…and speak up with confidence in boardrooms and decision-making spaces.”
Her nominations also emphasized the way she has supported women in pursuing technical and leadership roles, asking for promotions they once hesitated to seek, and stepping confidently into decision-making spaces. Emily was also recognized for a mentorship style that blends high expectations with genuine care, and for being a catalyst for pivotal career shifts.
Congratulations, Emily. This one feels especially meaningful, and we’re happy to celebrate it with you. And thank you to Scotty Reiss and the team at A Girl’s Guide to Cars for partnering with the What Drives Her program, and to the Chicago Auto Show!
February is the perfect time to do a quick gear reset. Lay everything out, replace what’s missing, and make sure the basics are easy to grab fast: gloves, headlamp, tire gauge, first aid, and recovery gear. Re-pack with intention so you’re not digging for essentials when conditions change. Simple habit, big payoff. #LongMayWeDrive
Pennzoil wants to put money back in your pocket! Buy 10 quarts of qualifying Pennzoil Ultra Platinum™, Pennzoil Platinum®, or Pennzoil® Full Synthetic motor oil product at valid participating locations between February 1 and August 31 and get up to a $30 Virtual Prepaid Card. Must submit by September 15, 2026.
Ends 8/31/2026. At participating locations only. Reward varies by product. Terms and restrictions apply. See details at pennzoil.com/rewards.
Parting Shot
“Doing the Rebelle is not necessarily fun. What’s fun is having DONE the Rebelle.” — Competitor Emme Hall
Photo Credit: Ernesto Araiza of Baja Authentic