Shelby Hall, granddaughter of off-road racing legend Rod Hall, has announced the formation of her first independent race team set to compete in the upcoming National Off Road Racing Association (NORRA) Mexican 1000. This milestone marks a significant new chapter in the Hall family's storied racing legacy while paying homage to the iconic partnership between Ford Bronco and the legendary Bill Stroppe. Enhancing the historic significance, Hall's team will make history as the first independent team to debut and compete with the Bronco DR.

The NORRA Mexican 1000 is an off-road race that begins in Ensenada, Mexico, and ends in San José del Cabo, Mexico.

"Racing is in my blood," said Hall. "It's an incredible feeling to launch my own team while carrying forward the traditions my grandfather established. The Mexican 1000 is where so much of our family history was written, and I'm honored to continue that legacy on these same challenging Baja trails."

Rod Hall's influence on off-road racing is legendary. With an unprecedented 25 class wins at the Baja 1000 and numerous victories throughout a career spanning five decades, he established himself as one of the most successful and consistent competitors in the sport's history. His remarkable record includes an unbroken streak of competing in 50 consecutive Baja competitions.

In 2015 and 2016, Shelby and her grandfather competed in the Mexican 1000, in his restored 1968 Ford Bronco. They made it to the podium with a second-in-class trophy in both 2015 and 2016. The Bronco was originally a Stroppe creation that won the Mexican 1000 and its class.

Racing under the banner of Shelby Hall Off-Road and backed by LFI in Colorado, the team will feature Shelby Hall and Brady Melin competing in a Bronco DR with the iconic Stroppe Livery. 
 

Image courtesy of Shelby Hall Off-Road (SHO)

Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA) and Bosch have announced registration is open for the third annual "Electrify Your Career in Motorsports" program, which is open to women looking to learn more about the wide range of career opportunities in motorsports; are curious about how other women get their start in racing; and are looking to learn more about engineering or the strategy behind teams and organizations they compete.

The two-day events include a career workshop, garage tours and networking opportunities and are scheduled to coincide with race weekends:

• IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship of Monterey at Laguna Seca, May 9-11, 2025.
• Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR), August 22-25, 2025.
• Lonestar Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas, September 5-7, 2025.
   

Learn more and register at womeninmotorsportsna.com/bosch-2025.

Cory Kruseman has been named the director of the United States Auto Club (USAC) West Coast operations, taking on a pivotal role in overseeing all of USAC's racing endeavors throughout the western United States, in addition to handling special projects.

Kruseman, a native of Ventura, California, aims to bridge the gap between racers, race tracks, sponsors and the sport of racing itself in his new role. He brings decades of experience in the sport. As a driver, his decorated career resulted in him being a 2023 inductee into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. As a car owner, he operates a sprint car driving school, and his own team has won numerous events on the West Coast.

"I just want to be somebody who can help bring everyone together and figure out what it's going to take to help the sport thrive into the future," Kruseman explained. "There's a lot of competition out here on the West Coast, and I think this is the right time to do everything we can to keep auto racing flourishing."

For more details, visit the USAC announcement here.

David "Dave" Qualls, an employee of SB International (SBI) has passed away, the company confirmed via a Facebook post.

"Born in Exeter, California, David Qualls lived a life full of passion, laughter and unwavering devotion to his family, faith and community. His journey began working at his father’s business, Lonnie’s Auto Parts, in California’s Central Valley, where he developed a love for the aftermarket automotive industry," the company said in a statement announcing his passing. "Over the years, Dave built a respected career working at Hastings Piston Rings, UEM Pistons, Don Gross Warehouse and most recently SBI, leaving behind a legacy of knowledge and friendships in the industry he loved."

For more on Qualls' life and career, read the full post here.

Image courtesy of SBI

T.J. Bailey, a veteran drag-racing promoter, starter and track-prep specialist at Texas Motorplex, has passed away after sustaining injuries during a severe weather event at the facility in Ennis, Texas, according to published reports. He was 42.

"The Texas Motorplex family is devastated by the loss of T.J. Bailey—an incredible leader, friend, mentor and the heart of our track-prep team," track officials said in a statement. "TJ’s passion for the sport was unmatched, and his dedication to creating the best racing surface in the world set the standard for excellence."

The track has established a fund to support Bailey's family.

For more information, click here.

Photo courtesy of TX2K and Texas Motorplex

Trailer-Alarms.com is celebrating its 20th year in business in 2025.

The company—based in New Braunfels, Texas—has been providing reliable security systems to protect trailers and cargo from theft since it was established in 2004.

To commemorate the milestone, the company is sponsoring Oklahoma-based micro-sprint driver Ashley Afdahl. It has also developed an all-new trailer security system, the G2, which it is introducing as part of the anniversary.

"For two decades, we've been at the forefront of trailer security, continually innovating to meet the needs of our customers," said Lyle Clark, owner of Trailer-Alarms.com. "It's been an incredible journey, and we couldn't have done it without the support of our loyal customers and partners. We're especially excited to celebrate this anniversary alongside Ashley Afdahl, whose passion and drive reflect the same values we uphold as a company."

For more information, visit trailer-alarms.com.

Mustang Advanced Engineering (MAE) is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2025, the Twinsburg, Ohio-based company announced.

While custom chassis dynamometer systems have always been a large part of its business, MAE has added a wide variety of products and has gained industry-leading expertise in nearly all types of dynamometer test benches including AC and eddy current engine dynamometer systems, transmission test benches, tow dynamometers and custom test benches of all types and sizes.

The current MAE product range includes engine test cells, transmission test cells, custom chassis dynamometers, production and in-process test systems, containerized test cells and complete powertrain test cells.

For more information, visit mustangae.com.

The International Drag Racing Hall of Fame welcomed 10 new inductees on March 6 during a ceremony at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center in Gainesville, Florida, ahead of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

Pro Stock Motorcycle legends Terry Vance and Byron Hines, past Top Fuel and Funny Car world champion Gary Scelzi, longtime nitro team owner and driver Jim Head, former racer and race track owner Charlie Allen, drag racing pioneers Jay Howell and Gary Dyer and NHRA National Dragster Editor Phil Burgess. Race track owner/operator Debbie Bader and Summit Racing Equipment's Paul Sergi will also be honored alongside the Class of 2025 inductees into the Hall of Fame, which was established in 1991 by drag racing legend Don Garlits.

Cindy Gibbs, daughter of longtime NHRA Competition Director Steve Gibbs, presented Allen, a lifelong friend, for induction in an emotional introduction followed by the sons of Howell, who passed away late last year, not long after learning of his induction. Jack Beckman was the presenter to the Howell family.

Beckman also introduced Burgess to the stage shortly after Bill Bader Jr. honored Debbie Bader, his late father's wife, who was honored with the Pat Garlits Memorial Award.

Chad Head introduced his famous father, Jim, who recounted his many experiments over the year and they were followed by Dyer, who spoke about his long career.

The evening concluded with Scelzi, who was introduced by 2024 NHRA Funny Car world champ Austin Prock, a longtime family friend of the Scelzis.

For more information, visit nhra.com.
 

Photos by Alex Owens/Auto Imagery, courtesy of NHRA

The United States Department of Treasury recently announced that the agency will not "enforce any penalties or fines associated with the beneficial ownership information reporting rule under the existing regulatory deadlines, but it will further not enforce any penalties or fines against United States citizens or domestic reporting companies or their beneficial owners after the forthcoming rule changes take effect either."  

The Treasury Department's executive action is noteworthy and a win for small businesses that would have been required to file beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports with the department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) by March 21, 2025. On February 18, FinCEN issued a notice that reset the filing deadline for most companies to file BOI reports in response to a court ruling from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.  However, the filing requirement is now moot.  

Moving forward, the Treasury Department plans to issue a proposed rulemaking that will narrow the scope of the regulation to limit BOI reporting requirements to foreign companies only.  

For more information, contact Eric Snyder, PRI and SEMA's senior director of federal government affairs, at erics@sema.org. 

The Cadillac Formula 1 Team has received official approval from the FIA and Formula 1 to join the World Championship grid in 2026.

Backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors (GM), the team will operate out of facilities in Indianapolis, Indiana; Charlotte, North Carolina; Warren, Michigan; and Silverstone, England.

The announcement follows confirmation that long-time motorsports and Formula 1 team executive Graeme Lowdon will serve as team principal of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team and industry veteran Russ O'Blenes has been named CEO of TWG GM Performance Power Units, a new company that will put Cadillac on the future path to being a full-works team building Formula 1 chassis and power units.

For more information, visit twgmotorsports.com.

Image courtesy of Cadillac, TWG Motorsports