McAnally Hilgemann Racing

McAnally Hilgemann Racing Bio

McAnally Hilgemann Racing is a professional American stock car racing team founded in 1990 and based in Roseville, California, with operations in Statesville, North Carolina. The organization is owned by Bill McAnally alongside Mike Curb and William Hilgemann and is widely known for a long-term partnership with NAPA and a focus on driver development across regional and national touring series.

Early Life and Background

Bill McAnally established the operation that became McAnally Hilgemann Racing by racing late model cars at All American Speedway and securing early sponsorship from NAPA. That relationship began in 1990 when McAnally won the Whelen All-American Series late model division at All American Speedway while running as a driver and team owner.

In the 1990s the team incrementally expanded its schedule and capabilities, moving from local late model events into the regional touring ranks of what became the ARCA Menards Series West. McAnally balanced building the team with other work early on, and over time the organization grew into one of the most successful owner operations in NASCAR touring series history.

Path to MotorSports

McAnally Hilgemann Racing advanced through the ladder by concentrating on the ARCA Menards Series West, where the team established its flagship No. 16 entry and cultivated young talent. The organization produced multiple series champions through the late 1990s and 2000s, using success at the regional level to build credibility and attract drivers, sponsors and technical partnerships.

As success accumulated in the ARCA Menards Series West, the team expanded its program into national competition, launching a Craftsman Truck Series effort that allowed McAnally Hilgemann Racing to operate year-round at higher levels. Strategic alliances, sponsorship continuity with NAPA and later manufacturer alignment strengthened the squad’s path from regional dominance to a regular presence in national NASCAR touring competition.

McAnally Hilgemann Racing Career

Early Career (1990–2000)

The team began with Bill McAnally as driver and owner in the early 1990s and quickly established a record of competitiveness at All American Speedway and on the regional touring circuit. By the end of the decade McAnally had guided the organization to its first major touring championship when Sean Woodside delivered a series title in 1999.

Following that success, McAnally opened opportunities for other drivers such as Brendan Gaughan, who won back-to-back championships in 2000 and 2001 while the organization also began running part-time entries in national-level Truck Series competition. Those early titles laid the groundwork for a program that would remain a dominant force in the ARCA Menards Series West.

ARCA Menards Series West Breakthrough (1999–2010)

The team’s breakthrough at the regional level came with consecutive championships and sustained top-tier results, producing multiple drivers’ championships across the 2000s. Eric Holmes captured two titles for the organization in 2008 and 2010, reinforcing the team’s reputation for identifying and developing championship-caliber drivers.

Throughout this era McAnally Hilgemann Racing fielded a number of entries and rotated promising young drivers through its program, recording numerous race victories and poles while expanding its technical and logistical capabilities. The consistent title contention strengthened long-term sponsor relationships and positioned the team to scale up to more frequent national starts.

Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2000–2023)

McAnally-entered Truck Series efforts began in earnest in 2000 and developed into a full-time Craftsman Truck Series operation two decades later. The team returned to the Truck grid in the late 2010s and established a multi-truck stable, attracting experienced and rising drivers including Derek Kraus, Christian Eckes and Tyler Ankrum for key seasons.

Christian Eckes’ 2023 season in the No. 19 yielded multiple wins at Atlanta, Darlington and Kansas and demonstrated the team’s ability to translate regional success to national victory lanes. The Truck Series program continued to contend, with lineup changes and strategic signings aimed at sustaining competitive form in playoff runs and marquee events.

Current Team Era (2020–Present)

In January 2020 the organization announced a partnership with William Hilgemann, creating McAnally Hilgemann Racing as the ownership group expanded and committed to a full-time Truck Series effort. The team switched to Chevrolet in 2022 and entered a technical alliance with GMS Racing, aligning its manufacturer operations and technical resources.

By the mid-2020s McAnally Hilgemann Racing fielded multiple full-time trucks and ARCA West entries while continuing to cultivate young talent. The program has continued long-term sponsorship ties with NAPA, and it remains active across the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series West with a mix of veteran and developing drivers.

Driving Style and Strengths

The team’s strengths are rooted in driver development, setup consistency across short ovals and road courses, and the ability to prepare competitive equipment for both regional and national series. Longstanding crew and technical partnerships, and a history of adapting chassis and race strategies to diverse track types, allow McAnally Hilgemann Racing to compete for wins and championships while advancing young drivers’ careers.

Notable Events and Milestones

McAnally Hilgemann Racing maintains a record of sustained success in regional touring competition, including a long-term sponsorship relationship with NAPA and a documented history of championships dating from regional late model titles through multiple ARCA Menards Series West crowns. The organization has recorded historic moments such as Hailie Deegan’s early series milestones and fielding veteran competitors at notable road-course events.

McAnally Hilgemann Racing Career Wins

The organization’s on-track résumé includes well over one hundred race victories across regional and national touring series. McAnally Hilgemann Racing’s success is concentrated in the ARCA Menards Series West but includes wins and poles in the Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series East as well.

ARCA Menards Series West Highlights

McAnally Hilgemann Racing’s ARCA Menards Series West program accounts for the majority of its wins and drivers’ championships, including more than one hundred race victories and multiple season crowns won with drivers such as Sean Woodside, Brendan Gaughan, Eric Holmes, Chris Eggleston and Todd Gilliland. The No. 16 car has served as the team’s flagship in many championship efforts and remains central to its regional program.

Other Wins & Perfromances

The team has also recorded victories and pole positions in national touring and developmental series, including race wins and playoff appearances in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and multiple wins in ARCA Menards Series East events. Across its history the operation has logged a broad set of top-five and top-ten results that underpin its championship totals.

McAnally Hilgemann Racing Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Bill McAnally founded the team and remains a central figure in ownership and operations, joined in ownership by Mike Curb and William Hilgemann. The team’s lineage traces from late model roots in California to a multi-car operation that has produced numerous champions and professional drivers through structured development programs.

Personal Life

The organization maintains public headquarters in Roseville, California while operating additional facilities in Statesville, North Carolina to support national series logistics. Beyond ownership details and public team operations, personnel and personal-family details are not presented here unless publicly documented by the organization.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season saw McAnally Hilgemann Racing continue a multi-truck strategy in the Craftsman Truck Series, including high-profile driver assignments and at least one race victory in the season’s marquee events. Daniel Hemric joined the No. 19 truck for 2025 and recorded a season-opening top-ten at Daytona and a milestone win at Martinsville, marking a notable national victory for the team that year.

Also in 2025 Jack Wood moved into a full-time role in the No. 91 truck, and the organization balanced rookies and veterans across its Truck and ARCA West programs to pursue both immediate results and ongoing driver development. The season reinforced McAnally Hilgemann Racing’s dual focus on competitive performance and preparing drivers for higher levels of NASCAR competition.