Congratulations to Lobsam Yee, Recipient of the 2024 Louis Unser Never Give Up Award

Lobsam Yee will receive the 2024 Louis Unser Never Give Up Award presented by Riviera Racing from the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame.  Lobsam will be honored at Off-Road's Biggest Night of the Year, the ORMHOF Induction & Awards Gala, on Sunday, November 3 at the South Point in Las Vegas. 

Tickets to the Gala are sold out but there is a waiting list.  The Gala will also be streamed live from Las Vegas. The ORMHOF Walk of Fame presented by Toyota and Silent Auction presented by SCORE International with host Charlene Bower will be live from 5 to 7 pm on the ORMHOF Facebook page. Facebook Live is presented by Ultra Wheel. The Induction & Awards Ceremony from 7 to 10 pm will stream live on the ORMHOF YouTube channel, presented by PCI Race Radios.  Both live events will be available for replay. Gala attendees and online viewers can also register to bid on items in ORMHOF's popular online auction. See the Quick Links at the bottom of this article for links to the Gala Ticket waiting list, auction details, Facebook, and YouTube.

Lobsam Yee

The Louis Unser Never Give Up Award is presented each year to an individual who demonstrates a pursuit of excellence in the face of adversity. Louis Unser relentlessly fought through health issues to persevere in his passion for engine building. Like Louis, Lobsam has exemplified a 'Never Give Up' attitude in life and his off-road career.

 Lobsam, a 47-year-old father of four, was injured twelve years ago while out testing a truck. As a result of the accident, he lost his right hand and suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the chest down.

Before the injury, Lobsam raced the SCORE series for seventeen years without missing a race, winning at least one race each season.  Through determination and perseverance, Lobsam has been able to return to off-road racing, participating in four NORRA events, and winning the 2024 SCORE San Felipe 250 and Baja 400 in Class 10. 

"Off-road and my family are what keep me motivated. Off-road is the only sport that I can practice without remembering that I'm paralyzed. My off-road career is one of my greatest achievements in life." -- Lobsam Yee

In addition to racing, Lobsam runs the Yee's Motorsports race shop. He is the team owner and crew chief for his kids, who also race.  In 2022, Lobsam's kids posted, "Ten years ago our dad, Lobsam, suffered an accident that would change how our family would live our lives. Over the years he has given us the ability to continue chasing our dreams in racing, academics, and life in general. We are blessed to have him chasing us around Baja, giving us tips, and listening to the countless stories that he has to share."

Lobsam told ORMHOF that he would like to thank his partners, BFGoodrich Tires and Slime. "They have always been with us," he said.

The 2024 Louis Unser Never Give Up Award is presented by Riviera Racing

ORMHOF 2024 Gala Quick Links

• 2024 ORMHOF Gala Ticket Waiting List
• Coming Soon: 2024 ORMHOF Gala Auction - Closes Sunday, November 3 at 10 pm (or 5 minutes after last bid on item)
• ORMHOF Facebook page - Watch live Sunday, November 3, from 5 to 7 pm Pacific, or catch the replay
• ORMHOF YouTube channel - Watch live Sunday, November 3 from 7 to 10 pm Pacific, or catch the replay

About the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame

The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame was established in 1978 by racing promoter and NORRA founder Ed Pearlman to recognize and honor those individuals and organizations whose lifelong contributions to off-road motorsports have set a standard for others to follow. In 1995, legendary off-road racer Rod Hall became ORMHOF chairman, a position he held for more than twenty years, before selecting current chairman Mark McMillin as his successor.

The mission of the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame is to educate and inspire present and future generations of the off-road community by celebrating the achievements of those who came before.  Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees represent excellence and achievement in many areas of off-road, including advocacy, journalism, industry, rock sports, desert racing, short course, and rally.  

ORMHOF maintains a collection of vintage off-road vehicles that are displayed at museums around the country, as well as an extensive online archive of print, images, audio, and videos, with more content added as funds become available.  The Hall of Fame Off-Road Registry invites clubs, organizations, events, businesses, and individuals with fifty years or more of history in off-road to apply for Hall of Fame heritage status in the official archives of the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame. 

The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame is funded through donations, individual memberships, and industry partners. A 501c non-profit organization, ORMHOF has earned a GuideStar Non-Profit Gold Seal of Transparency for 2024.

ORMHOF is guided by an all-volunteer board of leaders in the off-road community, including chairman Mark McMillin and board members Frank ‘Butch’ Arciero Jr, Jim Bramham, Frank DeAngelo, Bud Feldkamp, Jeff Furrier, Josh Hall, Bob Ham, Gary Haugley, Nate Hunt, Rich Klein, Emily Miller, Rafael Navarro III, Fardad Niknam, Bonnie Vessels, and Rory Ward.

We invite you to browse the ORMHOF online collections of print, images, audio, and video, and to learn more about how to join, partner, or donate. It's all online at ormhof.org.

The Hall of Fame of the Off-Road Industry. Legends Live at ormhof.org.

Posted October 2024. Photo courtesy of Lobsam Yee.