Off-road driver, advocate, sponsor, host

Few have done as much to sustain and support off-road racing as South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa owner Michael Gaughan. As a driver, he raced a successful Class 2 buggy throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s and won the NORRA Mexican 1000 vintage race in 2012. But it was his sponsorship of off-road teams and events that distinguished his career. Over the years, he sponsored top operations including Walker Evans Racing, John Gaughan Racing, Butch and Pat Dean Racing, Brian Collins Racing and Evan Evans Racing. Over the years too, Gaughan has hosted the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at his hotel in Las Vegas. His passion for the sport extended to his son Brendan who he supported to three SNORE Class 10 championships (1991, 1992, 1993), the 1995 SODA Class 13 title and two NASCAR Winston West Series championships (2000, 2001) and 2002 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors. Gaughan was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2015.