SCORE Trophy Truck mainstay Mike Walser has passed away after a long fight with cancer.

“My hero, big brother, and mentor lost his battle with cancer today,” his brother and navigator Rod stated on Wednesday. “I’d give anything to race with him again.”

Walser dealt with colon cancer for years, and retired from full-time racing after 2024 to focus on his battle. His final start was that year’s season-ending Baja 1000, where he bowed out with an oil pump failure.

The Comfort, Texas native had raced in SCORE since 2019. He scored his first overall podium at the 2022 San Felipe 250.

2023 would be a renaissance year for Walser Racing. He narrowly missed out on the Baja 500 win, finishing second to Bryce Menzies by just seven minutes, then placed third at the Baja 1000. Walser shared his #89 truck with Christopher Polvoorde at the latter.

Polvoorde, who was then a TT Spec driver, credits Walser with taking a chance on him by giving him a full-fledged Trophy Truck.

“Forever grateful for the opportunities he gave me,” Polvoorde commented. “The Walser family is second to none.”

Featured image credit: Walser Racing