Ford Raptors, Toyota Tundras, and Chevrolet Silverados in the dunes? You’d be forgiven for thinking that this gang of trucks is in Nevada or New Mexico, but you’d be wrong. Around 8,000 miles wrong, in fact, because this group of enthusiasts is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

There will be no supercars here, though, because we’re deep in the desert with a group known as UAE Prerunners, founded by Scottish-born Cameron Dearie – or Cam for short.

BUILDING A PRERUNNERS COMMUNITY

“I realized there weren’t any Prerunner Instagram pages based out of the UAE,” Cam recalls. “So I created UAE Prerunners to post pictures of my truck, and to hunt any other Prerunners out there.”

Cam’s truck, a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado GMT900 single cab, is one of the more heavily modified, off-road-biased in the bunch. “It’s got a built 5.3-liter engine and transmission, Dirt King long-travel suspension kit up front and bed cage in the rear, King Shocks’ racing shocks all round and custom forged carbon fiber fenders and bedsides, to name a few things.”

Considering Dubai’s expanse of desert and the local off-roading culture, it didn’t take long to build up a network of like-minded people, all interested in his flavor of dune-bashing. “Everyone in the scene here has a different background, culture, and tastes. But I think that inspires a lot of creativity.”

SOFT RED SAND, FIRM LIGHT SAND

What really sets Cam and the guys apart is the way they tackle the desert. Where the locals are either out for a gentle drive or trying to hit max speed up and down the cliff faces, these guys are out hitting whoops and getting air over jumps. Just look at Saadi, and his rear-wheel drive converted Ford F150 Raptor SuperCab.

They put on quite a show, and you could see that the other visitors—at least the less experienced ones—were taken by surprise at the sight of three-tonne trucks coming over crests with all four wheels in the air. That may not be unique to Dubai, but there’s something about the desert in the Middle East that is unlike anywhere else in the world.

“You can be driving on bright red, ultra soft sand one second, then you’ll find yourself in quite firm, light-colored sand the next,” shared Cam. There are seashells in the sand, even though we’re about 30km away from the coast (almost 19 miles), and you can stumble into one of the largest and tallest dune systems in the world in Liwa.”

It’s almost like being in a video game lobby, with rows of Toyota Land Cruisers and Nissan Patrols parked up, spectating the action. Paragliders jump off the top of the cliff known as Pink Rock, while sand rails race one another up and down. Families with children in four-door buggies, teenagers on quad bikes, it’s all surreal.

From a Western perspective, everything going on around you all at once is a bit of a sensory overload. Where the culture differs is that this is a normal affair in the UAE; people have been exploring the desert for generations. To us, this is a group of guys working hard to enjoy their hobby. To them, this is a normal Sunday, in the trucks they’ll drive to work on Monday.

CLOSER TO HOME

Prerunners don’t have to go across the globe to find their people. Take southern California for example, which boasts numerous offroading spots; undeniably the iconic Glamis Sand Dunes being one, with its miles of impressive sand dunes.

At Turn 14 Distribution, modifying trucks is our jam. We’ve participated in a number of off-roading events in areas like the Mojave National Preserve and Johnson Valley—for King of the Hammer (KOH), helping participants maximize their trucks for the best experience, tailored to that terrain. We’ve also hosted races right here in the U.S. like the SCORE International Series and Casey Folks Vegas To Reno!

LEARN MORE

Rooted in high-performance aftermarket parts, our truck line card includes names you trust for suspension and components styles needed for long travel and prerunner vehicles, including Camburg, King Shocks, Fox, RockJock, Eibach, to name a few.

Whether you’re prepping a prerunner, a truck for camping, or simply upgrading a daily, we’ve got the parts and service you need to get the most out of your vehicle—or those of your customers’.

We’ll be at the 26th Annual Off-Road Expo in Costa Mesa, CA October 4 and 5th, so come by and talk to our team of experts!