Brock Heger is on a historic tear as the current UTV titleholders at the Baja 1000, Dakar Rally, and King of the Hammers. Can he add the Mint 400 to his already massive trophy case?

On Friday, RZR Factory Racing will enter the Mint 400 for the first time with a four-car effort. Heger is undoubtedly the star of the quartet while Cayden MacCachren and Max Eddy Jr. remain in their usual rides. The fourth orange car, however, will be piloted by Ethan Groom in his debut as a driver for the team.

The 18-year-old Groom is a Polaris-affiliated driver and navigator, having called the shots for Heger in SCORE. The tandem won the 2023 SCORE Pro UTV Open title together before Heger brought in Justin Wilson for 2024. For the Baja 1000, he shared the RZR with Branden Sims and finished runner-up to Heger.

At the 2024 Mint, Groom teamed up with Larry Heidler and finished sixth in UTV Pro Open. He also competes in Best In The Desert, placing third in last year’s UTV Pro NA championship.

RZR Factory Racing’s fourth car is being fielded for multiple drivers throughout 2025 as a “tryout season” to see who is worthy of the full-time gig in 2026. Dylan Schmoke, who was team boss Craig Scanlon’s co-driver in 2024, finished tenth at King of the Hammers’ Toyo Tires Desert Challenge in the orange RZR.

“Groom, who has been a co-driver for Heger on multiple occasions and also races his own RZR, now has a pivotal opportunity to showcase his abilities among the elite lineup of RZR Factory Racing drivers,” reads a statement from Polaris. “This moment marks a significant milestone in his career as he looks to make a lasting impression at one of the most prestigious off-road races in the world.”

MacCachren is no stranger to the Mint, having raced it in a truck alongside his father Rob. The father/son duo won the 2021 Mint’s Unlimited Race.

Eddy and Heger won the Dakar Rally together, the former serving as navigator.

The team will be doing the Limited Race on Friday, March 7, competing in the UTV Pro Open class. Polaris won the 2024 edition with Ronnie Anderson, who will be gunning for his second straight.