Automotive Hall of Fame – Mark Stahl – Baja 1000

Mark Stahl began his career in 1968 at 16, racing stock cars at El Cajon Speedway, where he won 10 main events between 1968 and 1974. During the same period, Mark competed in the desert on a motorcycle where he quickly racked up six wins in District 38 and a 4th place finish in the 1976 Baja 1000. In 1977, Mark was leading the Parker 400 on his motorcycle when the transmission seized, threw him over the handlebars and he broke his collarbone. Soon after, Mark and his first off-road sponsor decided to build his now famous, single-seat Chenowth 1000 and a Championship Class One career was born.

Mark went on to win three Baja 1000 ironman awards, including two overall victories in 1978, 1980 and a Class One win in 1981, all solo. At the pinnacle of his off-road career in 1981, Mark built his first NASCAR stock car and began a 20 year career in NASCAR and ARCA as a team owner, driver and race engine builder. He began in the Winston West Series garnering three top 10 finishes and 12th in points in 1982. He went on to race a limited schedule in the Winston Cup, where his best finish was 16th at Darlington and he won the 2nd Round fast qualifier award at 204.096 mph in the last unrestricted race at Talladega in 1987.

Mark finished his career in Arca with numerous top five finishes at Daytona, Talledega, Charlotte, Atlanta and Pocono. In 2001, Mark retired from stock car racing and moved back home to San Diego to be close to the deserts of the Southwest and of course, Baja 1000 where he won 1st place in the Baja Challenge Class and 36th overall. In 2011, he had the opportunity to race his now restored 1977 Chenowth 1000 in the NORRA Mexican 1000 and the team won their class. Mark had so much fun racing NORRA he began searching fro a vintage vehicle of his own to restore. Within months he found the 1978 BF Goodrich/Fillmore Ford and has been competing in the NORRA Mexican 1000 with family and friends ever since.