At this year’s grueling 57th BFGoodrich SCORE Baja 500, the Honda Baja Passport Trophy Truck stormed its way to a 2nd-place finish in the 2WD class—and 11th overall—against a field stacked with big-horsepower, AWD monsters. It’s a breakthrough moment not just for the team, but for what many saw as an unconventional build from Honda.

And it all started with a historic pole position.

Ethan Ebert Makes History At 19 In The Passport Trophy Truck

At just 19 years old, Ethan Ebert piloted the V6-powered Honda Passport Trophy Truck to Honda’s first-ever off-road unlimited pole, laying down a time nearly 8 seconds faster than the next 2WD competitor. That pole win earned him a 10th overall start—gold in a race where getting buried in dust can ruin your entire day.

From the jump, Ebert and navigator Gatlan Haddon stayed glued to the AWD leaders, defying expectations as the only SUV-bodied, V6-powered truck in a sea of V8 beasts.

Fast Stops, High Elevations, and Mountain Moves

The Passport’s pace wasn’t its only strong suit—pit work was flawless. A quick brake fix at mile 74 took just 30 seconds, and the first full pit at mile 134 saw a driver swap, 75 gallons of fuel, and fresh tires, all done in under a minute.

Richard Glaszczak and Brandon Wells took over for the mountain stage, battling elevation gains up to 5,500 feet and gnarly terrain. Even after a mid-course tire change, they managed to climb into the lead with a bold move down the backside of the mountain.

The next 100 miles were a gritty fight in the mud, the two leaders swapping positions as the course wound along the Pacific Coast. At mile 308, Ebert and Haddon jumped back in for the final charge.

A Hard-Fought Finish and a Team Effort

Baja isn’t Baja without a little heartbreak. A second flat and a malfunctioning impact gun slowed the team, forcing them to wrench the lug nuts off with a breaker bar—with fans jumping in to help. Despite the delay, Ebert charged hard in the final stretch to reclaim lost time and lock in a solid second-place finish in class with a time of 9:47:25.

The run proved what many in the off-road world have been wondering: Can a V6-powered SUV run with the Trophy Truck elite? Honda just answered that question loud and clear.

A New Chapter For Honda In Baja

Throughout the weekend, the Honda Passport drew huge crowd support, turning heads with its unique build and relentless performance. This wasn’t just another desert truck—it was a symbol of what’s possible when you bring innovation, guts, and serious race prep to the world’s toughest off-road stage.

What’s Next For The Honda Racing Team?

The Honda Off-Road Racing Team will wrap the 2025 SCORE season at the legendary Baja 1000, November 10–16. You can bet they’ll be hunting for one thing: that top step on the podium.

Until then, the message is clear: Don’t sleep on the Passport.