Women of Competitive Off-Road Racing, Part 2

Jessica McMillin
On any given SCORE race morning you might see a young woman in a driver’s suit with blonde plaits waking around the start line. She has a simile on her face and she’s cordial and nice – that is, until she gets behind the wheel of her race truck. Then it’s game on and she’s “in the zone.”

Not much intimidates Jessica. Give her any terrain in a Protruck or Trophy Truck and she can pick and choose calculated lines in a seemingly effortless fashion. She’s the third generation of McMillin’s in off-road racing, following in the footsteps of her grandfather Corky, her dad Scott and uncle Mark.

After winning the SCORE Protruck Championship in 2011, in 2012 she teamed up with her brother Andy McMillin in the #31 Trophy Truck for the SCORE San Felipe 250. In 2013 Jessica partnered with Heidi Steele to form the all-female powerhouse team in the Desert Assassins #14 Trophy Truck. In 2014 Jessica raced in her own Trophy Truck with “Turbo” Tom as her navigator, and San Felipe 250 was the first time she had ever driven the entire race in a Trophy Truck. In November 2014 for the point-to-point Baja 1000 she re-teamed up with Heidi and Steve Strobel to finish 14th.

Key Accomplishments:
2011 SCORE Toyota Milestone Winner
2011 SCORE Protruck Champion

Michelle Bruckmann
Racing since 1996, Michelle Bruckmann has raced several series during her racing career that include SCORE, BITD, SNORE and CODE, along with multiple championships as well. With her hometown in Tijuana Baja California, Mexico, and starting her racing career in CORP (which is now CODE), she had to bump her way to the top and fight the machismo mentality in Mexican culture where men have to be stronger than women. After winning a few races in Class 5 Open she started gaining respect from male competitors, and now the people of Baja cheer for her and call her “heir own.

Michelle has also competed in class 5/1600 with her father Ray Gastelem, and with her husband in a Class 12 in 2007 and 2009. In 2014 she jumped at the chance to race Trophy Truck at CODE races for Galindo Motorsports with Steven Eugenio and had and was superfast!

Key Accomplishments:
1998 CORP Class 5 Sportsman Champion
2002 CODE Class 5 Pro Champion
2005 CODE Class 5 Champion

Shelby Reid
Shelby began her career in a Class 10 car in 2006 racing with her husband. A few years later one thing led to another and she moved into Class 1 where she loves competing with (and beating) the men! Being the only woman to ever overall the points championship in Class 1, in any series, puts her in an elite category of her own.

In 2011 she did her first Baja 1000 in the 10 car and fell in love with Baja. In 2012 in the BITD series she hit another racing milestone when she finished in the top 10 for five races in a row. Fast-forward to 2015 and she finished second in Class 1 for the inaugural SCORE BajaSur 500 and is targeting to be the points champion in Class 1 for SCORE.

“My first goal is to get to the finish line,” she said. “The rest that happens is just a bonus.” She also noted that to continue to win championships you need excellent prep, so you can find her in the shop with the team helping prep the car for race day. Yes, this woman is a badass.

Key Accomplishments:
2010 MORE Class 1 Champion
2010 MORE Overall Points Champion

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