Title photo by Amanda Bolin
The Ford Bronco has a long history of off-road racing wins, going back to the 1960’s and the infancy of off-road racing. With the launch of the 2025 Stroppe edition Bronco, along with Bill Stroppe’s initiation into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America has helped to rekindle some of the fantastic, almost unbelievable stories from those early days of racing. I have really enjoyed learning about all this history, as well as being able to see and touch and even talk to some of those people and vehicles from those past glory days. I feel like my connection to all things Stroppe is because of that new edition Bronco, learning about it has brought the past to the present and I can’t wait to see that new trim on the streets and trails very soon.
Photo by Amanda Bolin
Rod Hall: An Incredible Record That Still Stands Today
So, it’s time for another Stroppe story, one that links that past to today. One of the most iconic chapters of Bronco racing lore, and one you are probably familiar with, is Rod Hall’s overall win at the 1969 Baja 1000 in a Bill Stroppe-prepped Bronco, a record that holds today. Just to be clear, he and his co-driver Larry Minor beat everybody, including the motorcycles by a full 10 minutes. What readers may not be aware of though, is just how many Baja races Rod Hall competed in. Up until the year 2017, at nearly 80 years of age, Rod had competed in 50 consecutive Baja 1000 races, and he won the inaugural NORRA Mexican 1000 rally in 1967 (it’s now the Baja 1000). Although he didn’t always compete in a Bronco, it was his love of that old Stroppe that got him back in it for two NORRA races, in 2015 and 2016 with his granddaughter Shelby.
Photo by Amanda Bolin
Now, let’s tie that heritage and pedigree into today’s NORRA race, which starts April 26th in Ensenada and travels all the way down to San Jose del Cabo, finishing on May 1st. In this year’s race, Rod Hall’s granddaughter, Shelby Hall, will be piloting a Bronco Desert Racer (D.R.) sponsored by Liberty Firearms Institute (LFI), that boasts a very Stroppe inspired livery, even utilizing Rod's winning race number 56 into their number #8056. Shelby will be the first privateer to race a Bronco D.R., although a Ford sponsored D.R. has performed well in the past at NORRA.
Photo by Amanda Bolin
Adding to the connection, both the original Stroppe Bronco that carried Rod Hall to victory and the Bronco D.R. that Shelby Hall will race are owned or on loan by avid collector and off-road enthusiast Wayne Schmeeckle. Wayne has kindly opened up his private collection more than once to allow access to these incredible vehicles.
Photo by Amanda Bolin
Shelby Hall: Racing into the Future with the Bronco D.R.
Shelby Hall has long been a competitor in off-road racing. She has competed in events such as the Rebelle Rally, the Baja 1000, and the Mint 400, as well as NORRA’s Mexican 1000, following in her grandfather’s tire tracks. This year, she is set to race as part of her new racing team SHO (Shelby Hall Off-Road) in that Bronco D.R. with co-driver Brady Melin. They are entrant #8056, competing in the Heavy Metal class. Mark that down so you can follow along on their progress during the race.
I’ve competed with and against Shelby in multiple Rebelle Rally’s and now we are both part of the Ford Performance sponsored teams. We both captured silver this past year for Ford, she with co-driver Rori Lewis in a Bronco Raptor in the 4x4 class and me with co-driver Kathryn Reinhardt in the X-Cross class in a Bronco Sport Sasquatch. Shelby is driven to win, and it’ll be fun following her, as well as other Bronco teams, during this year’s NORRA. I’ll have another article outlining who to cheer for and how to follow just before the race.
Connecting the Stroppes
The connection between the Bronco D.R. and the Stroppe Bronco goes beyond just performance—it’s deeply personal. The Bronco D.R. that Shelby will race, as I mentioned, is owned by Wayne Schmeeckle, who also has on loan the original Stroppe Bronco that Rod Hall drove to victory in 1969. Although there is some controversy on which Bronco was that 1969 victor, Wayne has both in his collection so there’s no doubt he has it. Schmeeckle, a well-known Bronco collector and enthusiast, is preserving both the past and future of the Hall’s off-road racing legacy.
By racing the Bronco D.R. in the upcoming NORRA 1000, Shelby is not only honoring her grandfather but showcasing how far the Bronco platform has evolved—from the Stroppe Broncos of the 1960s to the factory-built race machines of today with the distinctive red, white, and blue livery that won so many races fifty years ago. Good luck!
Photo by Amanda Bolin
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