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Reno, NV - May 19, 2006: On Monday, April 16th, 2006, the voting committee for the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame gathered to consider 2006 nominations for inductees into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHOF). A group of 17 voting committee members consisting of previous inductees and representatives from the Four-Wheeling Community, Off-Road Racing Organizations, Rally Racing Sanctioning Groups, Motorcycle Manufacturing and Off-Road Aftermarket Industries met for the entire day and ultimately voted to induct five (5) new members to ORMHOF's Class of 2006. Clark Collins: One of two inductees in the Pioneer: Advocate category, Pocatello, Idaho's Clark Collins was an avid trail rider, joining the Idaho Trail Machine Association (ITMA) in the early eighties. In 1986 Clark was honored as the ITMA's 'Trailbike Rider of the Year' and served as that groups president several times. It was in this capacity that Clark met with Idaho Governor, John Evans, to enlist his assistance in opposing the increasing closure of public lands to off-highway users. Evans told Clark that he and his friends were "politically insignificant". Although the comment took Clark by surprise, it made him realize that the off-road community had to do something to become more politically active. In 1987 Clark co-founded the Blue Ribbon Coalition and served as the BRC's Executive Director from 1988 until his retirement in January of 2006. During that time the BRC has grown to include over 1100 member organizations and businesses nationwide representing approximately 600,000 off-roaders. The group successfully opposed Governor Evan's campaign for Senator in 1988 and has been instrumental in supporting important legislation to keep off-highway areas accessible to OHV use. Sal Fish:
In the Competition: Off-Road Racing category, our next inductee to the ORMHOF class of 2006 is Sal Fish, President and CEO of SCORE International. After a stint in the family automotive business, Fish took a job selling advertising at Petersen Publishing Company in 1966. In the space of a few years, he worked his way into an executive role at Petersen and in 1974, shortly after the late Mickey Thompson founded SCORE International, Thompson brought Fish on board to take over the operations of the new sanctioning body. Fish brought innovation to SCORE, organizing class rules, implementing safety procedures, and transforming the 'Baja 1000' into one of the most recognized motorsports events in the world today. In 1985 Fish brought unity to the sport when SCORE formed a combined series with Walt Lott and High Desert Racing Association (HDRA). Fish later teamed up with CFO, Ted Johnson to purchase SCORE International from Thompson in 1986 and HDRA in 1993. There is little doubt that Sal Fish is the architect of off-road racing as we know it today. Bob Ham:
Our second inductee to the Pioneer: Advocate category is San Felipe, Mexico resident, Bob Ham. A lobbyist and off-roader, Ham has served virtually every segment of the sport for years with uncommon effectiveness. Passing the time with Ham on the Malecon, in San Felipe, enjoying a glass of Chablis and a fine cigar, it's easy to forget how much this man has accomplished over the years. Ham was the cofounder of the California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA) in 1969 and in 1983 created the Off Road Vehicle Legislative Coalition that united all California off-road organizations into a single lobbying effort. Ham worked with Interior Secretary, James Watt's staff to successfully re-establish the Barstow to Vegas motorcycle race and has finished the 'Baja 1000' on three separate occasions as a Driver of Record. Ham has worked as a lobbyist for the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), The Specialty Vehicle Industry Council (SVIA) and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation among many others. He created the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission through a bill that he wrote in 1982. He changed the OHV Special fund to a "Trust Fund" in 1993 which put a stop to the legislature misappropriating money from OHV funds to balance state budgets. Later he contacted an attorney to force the state to return funds previously taken from the OHV fund which resulted in the return of 30 million dollars to the OHV program. The next time you fire up that race car, motorcycle, ATV, RV or 4WD, remember that Bob Ham is one of those special people whose life-long efforts have made it possible for you to enjoy our wilderness areas. Macey L. "Corky" McMillin:
The second inductee in the Competition: Off-Road Racing category is Macey L. "Corky" McMillin known simply as "Corky". Corky moved from Missouri to Chula Vista when he was 14 and started a small construction company in Bonita, California in 1960, with his wife, Vonnie looking after the accounting duties. While McMillin was busy building houses, he loved taking his family to the Imperial Sand Dunes on the weekends. As sons Mark and Scott got older, McMillin decided that they would try their hand at off-road racing. His first venture into a competitive event came at the 1976 'Baja 1000' with his son, Mark. Although the father-son team did not finish that first race, Corky kept after it and his first win came in the 1979 'Baja 1000'. McMillin went on to win many more races including the 'Baja 500', 'Baja 1000', 'Parker 400', 'San Felipe 250 and 'Fireworks 250', most of them multiple times. Over the years McMillin won three SCORE Points Championships and on two occasions won overall titles at both the 'San Felipe 250' and the 'Baja 500'. As the McMillin Companies continued to prosper, Corky expanded into different markets, eventually becoming one of the largest private developers in the country. Always a firm believer in the importance of supporting off-road racing, The McMillin Companies have been event sponsors at Best in the Desert and SCORE races, earning SCORE's Entry Sponsor of the Year award in 2005. Since 2001 The McMillin Companies have also been title sponsor of the Superstition Series, a local series of off-road races held in Plaster City, East of San Diego. Corky McMillin once said, "The best thing we have isn't our money in the bank, it's our reputation." He was the elder statesman of off-road racing. Corky passed away from heart failure on September 22, 2005 at the age of 76. His passing leaves a void in the heart of off-road motorsports which cannot be filled. We are honored to induct him into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame! Ivan "Ironman" Stewart:
The third inductee in the Competition: Off-Road Racing category, Ivan "Ironman" Stewart is a legend in off-road racing. Stewart has won 82 major desert and short-course races and ten Points Championships. He has won the 'Baja 500' a record 17 times, the 'Mint 400 eight times, the 'Parker 400' four times, three 'Baja 1000's and four SCORE World Championships. Stewart's career began in 1973 at the Ensenada 300. He was scheduled to co-drive in a Class 2 buggy with Bill Hrynko, but Hrynko suffered a broken leg prior to the event. Mechanic Earl Stah took the second seat and Stewart drove the entire race to victory. In the next ten years, the Ironman went on to win 26 races in buggies and trucks and was voted SCORE's Driver of the Year four different times. In 1983 Stewart was tapped by Cal Wells at Precision Preparation Inc. (PPI) to drive Toyota factory sponsored trucks in the Desert and Stadium events. Stewart and several other teammates played an important role in Toyota's dominance during the 12 year history of the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG) stadium series. Along with Stewart's three Driver's Championships, the Ironman also holds the record for all-time MTEG wins with 17. In addition to his on-track career, Stewart is the founder of the Protruck Racing Organization (PRO). A "spec" racing series with identical chassis, the Protrucks race as a special class at various events, including the Best in the Desert Racing Association, the SCORE series and Pike's Peak. To date Protruck has built 45 trucks in it's ten year history. The 2006 ORMHOF Induction ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, located in Gallery Four of the National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection) in Reno, Nevada on Saturday, August 26.
For Information Contact:
George R. Thompson ORMHOF Board Secretary
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