Honda Ridgeline takes on Baja 1000

by Honda | November 19, 2024

• Honda Off-Road Racing Team contests for overall Baja honors after scoring multiple Class 7 victories in previous seasons

•Perseveres after multiple issues to finish 17th in Trophy Truck

The Honda Off-Road Racing Team returned to Baja California this weekend, with the Honda Baja Ridgeline team persevering after multiple issues to finish 17th in a field of 35 Trophy Trucks.

The Baja Ridgeline was unique in the category as the only turbocharged V6 entry in Trophy Truck, with the rest of the field powered by large displacement, normally aspirated V8s.

Attrition was high in this year's 'Loop Race' event, which started and finished in Ensenada, as more than a third (103) of the 282 starters failed to complete the 864.13-mile route.

Race organizer SCORE required the Ridgeline to start from the rear of the field as the team did not take part in the previous Baja 400 in September.

Starting and finishing driver Ethan Ebert steadily worked his way through slower traffic on the dusty and technical opening segments of the 483-mile loop course. Multiple issues delayed the team several times throughout the event, but they were able each time to continue on, with Ebert crossing the finish line with a time of 28:26:31.

Quote

Jeff Proctor (team owner Honda Off-Road Racing Team) on this year's Baja 1000: 'I feel like I say this every year – Baja is extremely tough, it's not for the faint of heart. We battled out there. We had a great Honda truck at the start, but then we had a throttle position sensor issue. We were able to overcome that, swapping it out in the field. We kept battling, but kept having setbacks and setbacks.

'But it really showed the heart of this team. We never gave up. There are a lot of teams, when things don't go their way and they're not in contention, they just put it on the trailer. But we owe it to all of our partners and sponsors to give it our best shot and bring the Honda Baja Ridgeline home to the finish line – and that's what we did. We just wouldn't allow Baja to beat us.'

Fast Facts

•Prior to running for the overall victory this year in the premier Trophy Truck category, the Honda Ridgeline Baja Race Truck had four previous Class 7 wins (for V6-powered trucks) in the Baja 1000 and five class wins in the Baja 500. In addition to the nine class victories, the Ridgeline also twice finished second in the Baja 1000, and third once in the '500'.

•The Honda Off-Road Racing program began in 2015 with a class win in the Baja 1000. The Honda Baja Ridgeline has gone on to record 17 class victories in 40 races.

Next

This weekend's BFGoodrich SCORE Baja 1000 was the final race of 2024 for the Honda Off-Road Racing Team.

Photo credit: Honda
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