Mike Pearlman, ORMHOF Class of 2024

Mike Pearlman – Industry

Son of Hall of Fame legacy inductee and ORMHOF founder Ed Pearlman, Mike is perhaps best known for the resurrection of the original National Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA) that his father established in 1967. Mike announced the return of NORRA in 2009, only to have the event shift from a Rally to a relief effort as Hurricane Jimena ravaged the peninsula, leaving thousands homeless and without food or clean water.

It's been smoother sailing for NORRA since then, with the organization providing enthusiasts of vintage off-road a place to gather, reminisce, and make new memories as they travel down the Baja Peninsula in rally stage style at the NORRA Mexican 500 and Mexican 1000. Mike made sure that NORRA lived up to its billing as the “Happiest Race on Earth”  with well-organized rallies highlighted by parties and events at nearly every stop.  The NORRA Mexican 1000 cumulates in an incredible beachfront awards ceremony and party on the beach in Cabo San Lucas, complete with fireworks.

The modern era of NORRA brought back by Mike Pearlman created a resurgence of interest in vintage off-road vehicles. Mike developed the first rule book for vintage off-road vehicles, which is still in use.  Mike added a “Baja Safari” adventure class to NORRA, providing a fun and safe way for new participants to enjoy the NORRA experience. Recently, due to health issues, Mike has handed the reins of NORRA over to ORMHOF inductee Robby Gordon.

Mike has lived off-road his entire life.  In fact, he is widely credited with coming up with the term “off-road”, and he still owns – and drives – the Land Cruiser his father Ed bought brand new in 1966 to try and break the record and be the fastest down the Baja peninsula. With a fresh V8 engine and a set of Armstrong farm implement tires purchased from Dick Cepek, the Land Cruiser was transformed into “El Toro Verde”, the Green Bull. Mike’s dad set off down the Baja Peninsula in the Land Cruiser with Cepek as co-driver. The duo had plenty of time to think on the run, coming up with the idea for Dick Cepek’s off-road business, and plans for the first Baja 1000.

"They needed a rule-book," Mike said. "They called the organizer of the National Road Race Association (NRRA) for help, and those guys said they ought to come up with a name first." Several names were proposed like Dirt Road Racing and Fire Road Racing, but it was Mike who said to his dad, “They aren't racing on roads, they are racing off the road.” Ed replied ok, let's call it off road racing. We’ll add an “O” for “Off”. That's how the name off road racing was created, and the National Off Road Racing Association (NORRA) was born. NORRA ran the Mexican 1000 in Baja until it was briefly taken over by a local promotor in 1973, then became the Mickey Thompson-run SCORE Baja 1000 in 1975.

Mike had a front row seat for the development of the sport of off-road. He took part in the early record runs and competed in the 1968 NORRA Mexican 1000 in a Meyers Manx. He attended and staffed every early-era NORRA event and was the first official NORRA photographer starting with the inaugural event in 1967.  Mike also competed in the Pike’s Peak Hill Climb on a vintage Triumph, earning four trophies over the years.

“Without Mike and his father off-road might never have existed,” wrote ORMHOF inductees Lynn Chenowth, and Johnny Johnson (who has since passed away), “We are grateful for Mike’s lifelong commitment to off-road.”

The ORMHOF Class of 2024, Ken Block, Marlin Czajkowski, Johnny Greaves, Jimmy Lewis, Rod Millen, Jon Nelson, Mike Pearlman, John Rettie, Jimmy Smith, Pete Sohren, Scott Steinberger, and Evelyn Tallman-Duceshi, will be inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame on November 3, the Sunday before The SEMA Show, at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Tickets are now on sale for Off-Road's Biggest Night of the Year, the 2024 ORMHOF Induction & Awards Gala. A special room rate is available for Gala attendees at the South Point. 

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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, video, and now audio, 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. 

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