2025 Dunhuang Cross-Country Endurance Race

Chairman Wei Jianjun personally drove the production version of the Haval H9 diesel model to participate in the Dunhuang off-road endurance race. It was simply an extremely intense and hardcore endeavor. After all, in this fast-paced era, seeing a 61-year-old automotive industry tycoon working so hard to test and validate the product is truly inspiring.

The “Chinese Dacala” of the Dunhuang Rally

The Dunhuang Off-road Endurance Race (officially known as the 2025 China Automobile Off-road Rally Championship Jintai Station Race and the 6th Dunhuang Off-road Endurance Race) is a national A-level event certified by the China Automobile and Motorcycle Association. It is hailed as “China’s Dakar Rally” because it simulates the extreme challenges of the Dakar Rally. The race kicked off on September 13, 2025, in Jintai County, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province. The total distance exceeds 1,000 kilometers, and the course includes harsh terrains such as riverbeds, deserts, and sand dunes. It is divided into a 10-kilometer qualifying stage and three special stages (SS1, SS2, SS3). This is no joke: extreme weather, complex road conditions, and long periods of high-intensity driving make it extremely dangerous. A slight mistake could result in a vehicle rollover or failure to escape.

On September 15th, the SS2 stage “North Gobi to Wuli River Loop Section” was indeed as you described – a “racers’ graveyard”. It was reported that over 20 professional modified cars (those “monster” level racing cars worth millions) in the T1 category failed to complete this stage! The front-running four-wheel drive heavy vehicles created deep ditches on the track, while the following cars frequently ground to a halt or got stuck. Every inch of progress felt like torture. Mr. Wei and his navigator, Yan Ke (57 years old, nicknamed the “centenarian duo” by netizens) drove the Haval H9 diesel version, operating multiple high-intensity self-rescue and escape maneuvers in this environment. Eventually, they persisted until the end in the T2 production category (where the core three components must be the same as those of a production car and cannot be significantly modified), and completed the race. This car was basically the original factory version sold in 4S stores, relying entirely on its inherent performance and driving skills to overcome the challenges.

Wei Jianjun’s “Hardcore” Story

Wei Jianjun, 61 years old, is the chairman of Great Wall Motors. He has long been recognized within the industry as a “veteran”. He holds a racing license and an A2 semi-trailer truck license. Even recently, he personally drove a Great Wall heavy truck for a test drive. For this competition, he officially announced at the Chengdu Auto Show on August 29th: “In 2025, I will personally participate in the endurance race in Dunhuang.” This is not a spur-of-the-moment decision; it is his consistent style – Great Wall Motors has always been engaged in “using competitions to fund vehicles”, from the Tarmac Rally to the Dunhuang Endurance Race, all for verifying the reliability of the products under real extreme conditions. The track data and technical feedback are directly applied to the optimization of the production vehicles, such as the off-road durability of the Hafer H9.

Why are you working so hard? As you said, it’s not about showing off skills, but rather a dedication to technology and a love for cars. In an era that values “quick and efficient” achievements, this spirit of craftsmanship is extremely rare. This time, Great Wall sent three major brands – Haval, Great Wall Truck, and Weiqiao – to participate in the event. General Wei even personally led the team, which greatly increased the publicity of the competition and brought the off-road culture from a niche to a mainstream trend. Netizens were all in a state of shock: A CEO of a car company stepping down to participate in a rally race is the first of its kind in the history of Chinese automobiles, carrying implications of promoting the industry from “following others” to “leading the way”.

Why is it worthy of being praised?

• The persuasiveness of product verification: More hardcore than any advertisement. Driving their own production vehicles to challenge the “graveyard” stage and still completing the race – this not only proves the strength of the Haval H9 (the diesel version has outstanding durability in the Gobi desert), but also shows the sincerity of Great Wall. Imagine those millions of modified vehicles having broken down, while the original factory vehicles managed to break through – what a precious data!
• The declaration of spirit: In the current chaotic situation of the automotive industry network (with the six departments just cracking down on false advertising), General Wei’s actions are a “down-to-earth” declaration. The Chinese automotive industry needs this kind of hands-on craftsmanship spirit, and the off-road journey will never cease. It is not just a race, but also cultural output: Let the world see the confidence and底气 of Chinese brands.

Let’s give a huge thumbs-up to Mr. Wei and his tough spirit! This is not just marketing; it’s also a manifestation of unwavering passion.