McAnally–Hilgemann Racing Overview
McAnally–Hilgemann Racing (MHR), also known as Bill McAnally Racing (BMR), is an American professional stock car racing team that competes nationally in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and runs a wide program in ARCA competition. The organization is based in Roseville, California, with operational presence in Statesville, North Carolina, and fields Chevrolet Silverados in national truck competition.
The team is owned by Bill McAnally along with partners Mike Curb and William Hilgemann. MHR traces its identity to long-term sponsorship ties and a strong development pipeline through regional touring series, and it emphasizes driver development alongside its national Truck Series program.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Bill McAnally began racing late-model cars at All American Speedway in 1990 and secured sponsorship from NAPA, which remained tied to the organization. That early relationship helped McAnally establish a stable operating foundation and scale the team from local late-model competition into regional touring series.
Through the 1990s McAnally expanded into the ARCA Menards Series West (then NASCAR Winston West), gradually increasing starts and building a professional shop, personnel base and sponsorship portfolio. The early business model combined hands-on team ownership with a focus on recruiting young talent and securing long-term partners to support growth.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
McAnally’s program moved progressively from regional racing into national series competition. The team recorded its first sustained regional success in the late 1990s and opened its Craftsman Truck Series operation around 2000. That expansion followed the team’s early West Series championships and allowed McAnally to offer a pathway for drivers from regional series to NASCAR national events.
Partnerships and strategic hires followed the team’s expansion. In 2020 McAnally announced a formal partnership with William Hilgemann to form McAnally–Hilgemann Racing, further professionalizing the organization’s ownership structure and supporting a fuller Truck Series commitment.
McAnally–Hilgemann Racing Competitive Journey
Over three decades the team developed as a driver-development powerhouse on the West regional tour while growing a presence in the national Craftsman Truck Series. The organization balanced regional championship runs with incremental Truck Series expansion, using ARCA and West-series programs as foundational development assets.
Early Seasons and Development (1990s–2004)
Bill McAnally’s driving debut in 1990 and subsequent moves into the West series through the early 1990s established the team’s base. McAnally ran full schedules by the mid-1990s and secured early wins and steady top-ten championship finishes. A breakthrough came in 1999 when Sean Woodside won the West series opener and the team claimed its first regional championship that season.
The turn of the millennium saw BMR translate regional momentum into further success. Brendan Gaughan won back-to-back West-series titles in 2000 and 2001 while McAnally expanded operations and began fielding entries in the Craftsman Truck Series as the organization matured.
Breakthrough in ARCA Menards Series West (1999–Present)
McAnally’s program established sustained dominance in the ARCA Menards Series West. The team captured multiple championships across two decades, with title-winning drivers including Sean Woodside, Brendan Gaughan, Eric Holmes, Chris Eggleston and Todd Gilliland. The organization’s record at the West-series level reflects a long-term focus on developing young drivers and preparing them for higher levels of NASCAR competition.
Across the West tour the team amassed the largest portion of its wins, building a reputation for consistent performance on short ovals and road courses in the western United States. That record became a core pillar of the team’s identity and recruiting pitch when expanding into national series.
Breakthrough in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2000s–Present)
MHR’s Craftsman Truck Series program evolved from occasional starts to a full-time national effort. The team reopened a Truck Series operation in 2018–2019 and committed to a full-time schedule in 2020. Since then the Truck program grew through manufacturer alignment and driver hires, including high-profile signings and multiple race wins in the 2020s.
Christian Eckes drove for the organization in 2023 and 2024, delivering multiple wins and claiming the 2024 regular-season championship. The team recorded additional Truck Series victories across 2024 and into 2025, and made consistent playoff appearances as it consolidated its national program.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2022–Present)
In 2022 McAnally–Hilgemann Racing switched to Chevrolet and formed a technical alliance with GMS Racing to strengthen its national competitiveness. The manufacturer and technical partnership supported development of the Truck Series operation while reinforcing the team’s ARCA and West-series programs.
By 2025 the organization fields multiple Craftsman Truck Series entries and maintains an extensive ARCA Menards Series West presence. Driver lineup moves announced for 2025 include Tyler Ankrum in the No. 18 truck, Daniel Hemric signed to the No. 19 truck, Jack Wood confirmed to run the No. 91 full-time, and Connor Mosack announced for the No. 81. The 2025 season included Truck Series victories such as Tyler Ankrum’s win at Rockingham and Daniel Hemric’s Martinsville victory.
Engineering Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
MHR’s engineering approach emphasizes manufacturer partnership and technical alliances to accelerate competitiveness at the national level while leveraging its ARCA West program as a testbed for young drivers and engineering solutions. The team’s structure places a premium on continuity of sponsorship, chassis preparation and driver development.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Key moments include the team’s first West-series championship in 1999, Brendan Gaughan’s back-to-back West titles in 2000–2001, multiple West championships with Eric Holmes, Chris Eggleston and Todd Gilliland, and the formal McAnally–Hilgemann ownership partnership announced in 2020. In recent years, national Truck Series wins and playoff appearances marked the program’s maturation on the NASCAR stage.
McAnally–Hilgemann Racing Achievements and Results
McAnally–Hilgemann Racing’s verified accomplishments span regional dominance and growing national success. According to the team record, the organization has accumulated 119 race victories across sanctioned series and has captured 12 drivers’ championships overall, with the bulk of those titles earned in the ARCA Menards Series West.
Cup Series Achievements
The organization’s involvement in top-level Cup competition has been limited. McAnally and the organization have no Nextel Cup Series wins or championships on record, and Cup activity has been occasional rather than a primary focus for the team.
Craftsman Truck Series Achievements
At the Truck Series level the team has recorded multiple wins and has become a regular playoff contender in recent seasons. The team is credited with 10 Craftsman Truck Series race victories overall. Highlights in the 2020s include Christian Eckes’ multi-win campaigns, a 2024 regular-season championship run, and notable 2025 victories by team drivers that underscored the program’s competitive growth.
ARCA Menards Series West and Development Program Success
The team’s most extensive record of success is in the ARCA Menards Series West, where it has amassed 100 race victories and 11 series championships spanning 1999 through 2021. That record underlines McAnally’s long-term role as a leading development platform in western regional stock car racing and a launch point for drivers advancing to national NASCAR series.
