By: Kristin Shaw
Kristin Shaw
CAPTION: Savannah Theisen, left, and Nicole McKinnon prepare to take on the Rebelle Rally.
Spanning roughly 1,500 miles across three states, the Rebelle Rally off-road competition is a grueling test for both vehicles and competitors alike. Each team of two brings camping gear for nearly two weeks, their own navigation elements, and—just in case—recovery tools for extraction in case they get stuck.
The Rebelle Rally is not a race for speed but precision driving and navigation with a healthy dose of teamwork, problem solving and decision-making thrown in. By focusing on navigation and smart driving as opposed to horsepower, stock vehicles of many types can compete for the podium.
This year, two General Motors employees will compete in the Rebelle Rally. Nicole McKinnon, program manager for offroad racing, is teaming up with Savannah Theisen, vehicle software and integration lead, to tackle the 2026 challenge. Starting next week in a rally-tested Colorado ZR2 Bison, McKinnon will be the primary driver and Theisen the primary navigator, but they are comfortable switching roles as necessary.
Teamwork built on a mutual commitment to staying positive
McKinnon and Theisen started talking at an event for women working at GM, and the two bonded immediately. They have known each other tangentially through their years at GM, and McKinnon and Theisen soon discovered a common interest: they both keep chickens. McKinnon, who first competed in the event in 2024, invited Theisen to be her Rebelle Rally teammate. Then they named themselves the Milford Offroad Chicks after their workplace, passion for driving in the dirt, and love for their feathered friends.
“One of the main things I was looking for when I was trying to choose a partner was someone who has a great outlook,” McKinnon says. “You’re within five feet of each other all day, and teaming with someone with a good attitude is important. Even in daily life and work life, you don’t have the time or energy to spend on negativity. You can’t be mopey or linger on mistakes.”
Each day starts with the sharp clang of a cowbell at 5 a.m., and the competitors have plotted out their course for the day as the sun peeks above the horizon. Then begins the strategy game of figuring out how to collect as many points as possible. It takes an inordinate amount of patience, focus, and determination.
CAPTION: Team 125’s ZR2 Bison at a training day in California.
The ZR2 Bison is ready for long days in the desert
Founder Emily Miller created the all-women Rebelle Rally with the viewpoint that even stock vehicles can compete for the podium. While some vehicles add lift kits and larger tires, the rules are clear: vehicles must be currently in production, and a model similar to the race vehicle must be available for purchase by the public within 180 days of the event. No custom trophy trucks allowed.
Each vehicle must have a minimum of two tow points: one at the front of the vehicle and one at the rear, and 37-inch tires are the maximum size and must be available to the general public through standard dealers or normal Internet retail stores. Aftermarket suspensions may be permitted.
The Milford Offroad Chicks’ Colorado ZR2 Bison is equipped largely with GM and Chevrolet Performance accessories, by choice. The truck is an American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) collaboration built for extreme off-road use. Key equipment includes AEV heavy-duty winch-capable front bumper, larger fender flares, 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, 35-inch MT tires, boron-steel skid plates, rocker protection, and front and rear Multimatic Jounce Control Dampers.
“Our goal is to demonstrate that a largely dealer-accessible, warranty-backed GM vehicle can successfully compete in a demanding off-road event,” McKinnon says. “The Bison is such a rugged workhorse of a truck, and it can handle anything we throw at it.”
A test of mental and physical fortitude for truck and teammates
During the rally, all participants are required to seal up their phones and disable any other GPS-ready devices. All navigation is done with paper maps, compasses and rulers, and teams pursue 20-30 checkpoints per day. Some are clearly marked with large flags, but more difficult checkpoints aren’t marked at all; teams must click in with a special device that logs the exact longitude and latitude. Missing the target by more than the allowed radius results in loss of points.
McKinnon is looking forward to pushing the truck even further than its last outing in 2024—she says it has more to give—and Theisen is preparing for an epic adventure.
“I’m excited to be out in the wilderness for eight days,” Theisen says. “I’m not one to think about what could go wrong, but how we can make things go right. We’re going to focus on communication, and in situations when it’s intense or we’re lost, we just need to collect ourselves.”
Follow along with Team 125 on Instagram and catch the live action at rebellerally.com/home/live/
Spanning roughly 1,500 miles across three states, the Rebelle Rally off-road competition is a grueling test for both vehicles and competitors alike. Each team of two brings camping gear for nearly two weeks, their own navigation elements, and—just in case—recovery tools for extraction in case they get stuck.
The Rebelle Rally is not a race for speed but precision driving and navigation with a healthy dose of teamwork, problem solving and decision-making thrown in. By focusing on navigation and smart driving as opposed to horsepower, stock vehicles of many types can compete for the podium.
This year, two General Motors employees will compete in the Rebelle Rally. Nicole McKinnon, program manager for offroad racing, is teaming up with Savannah Theisen, vehicle software and integration lead, to tackle the 2026 challenge. Starting next week in a rally-tested Colorado ZR2 Bison, McKinnon will be the primary driver and Theisen the primary navigator, but they are comfortable switching roles as necessary.
Teamwork built on a mutual commitment to staying positive
McKinnon and Theisen started talking at an event for women working at GM, and the two bonded immediately. They have known each other tangentially through their years at GM, and McKinnon and Theisen soon discovered a common interest: they both keep chickens. McKinnon, who first competed in the event in 2024, invited Theisen to be her Rebelle Rally teammate. Then they named themselves the Milford Offroad Chicks after their workplace, passion for driving in the dirt, and love for their feathered friends.
“One of the main things I was looking for when I was trying to choose a partner was someone who has a great outlook,” McKinnon says. “You’re within five feet of each other all day, and teaming with someone with a good attitude is important. Even in daily life and work life, you don’t have the time or energy to spend on negativity. You can’t be mopey or linger on mistakes.”
Each day starts with the sharp clang of a cowbell at 5 a.m., and the competitors have plotted out their course for the day as the sun peeks above the horizon. Then begins the strategy game of figuring out how to collect as many points as possible. It takes an inordinate amount of patience, focus, and determination.
The ZR2 Bison is ready for long days in the desert
Founder Emily Miller created the all-women Rebelle Rally with the viewpoint that even stock vehicles can compete for the podium. While some vehicles add lift kits and larger tires, the rules are clear: vehicles must be currently in production, and a model similar to the race vehicle must be available for purchase by the public within 180 days of the event. No custom trophy trucks allowed.
Each vehicle must have a minimum of two tow points: one at the front of the vehicle and one at the rear, and 37-inch tires are the maximum size and must be available to the general public through standard dealers or normal Internet retail stores. Aftermarket suspensions may be permitted.
The Milford Offroad Chicks’ Colorado ZR2 Bison is equipped largely with GM and Chevrolet Performance accessories, by choice. The truck is an American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) collaboration built for extreme off-road use. Key equipment includes AEV heavy-duty winch-capable front bumper, larger fender flares, 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, 35-inch MT tires, boron-steel skid plates, rocker protection, and front and rear Multimatic Jounce Control Dampers.
“Our goal is to demonstrate that a largely dealer-accessible, warranty-backed GM vehicle can successfully compete in a demanding off-road event,” McKinnon says. “The Bison is such a rugged workhorse of a truck, and it can handle anything we throw at it.”
A test of mental and physical fortitude for truck and teammates
During the rally, all participants are required to seal up their phones and disable any other GPS-ready devices. All navigation is done with paper maps, compasses and rulers, and teams pursue 20-30 checkpoints per day. Some are clearly marked with large flags, but more difficult checkpoints aren’t marked at all; teams must click in with a special device that logs the exact longitude and latitude. Missing the target by more than the allowed radius results in loss of points.
McKinnon is looking forward to pushing the truck even further than its last outing in 2024—she says it has more to give—and Theisen is preparing for an epic adventure.
“I’m excited to be out in the wilderness for eight days,” Theisen says. “I’m not one to think about what could go wrong, but how we can make things go right. We’re going to focus on communication, and in situations when it’s intense or we’re lost, we just need to collect ourselves.”
Follow along with Team 125 on Instagram and catch the live action at rebellerally.com/home/live/