Person · 2003
NRHA Hall of Fame · Inducted 2003
Linda Matthews
NRHA Executive Director · Inducted 2003
Linda Matthews served as the NRHA's Executive Director during one of the most critical transitions in the association's history — the period surrounding the move of the NRHA Futurity to Oklahoma City in 1986 and the growth of the sport from a regional Ohio-based organization into a national presence. She was the operational engine behind the scenes, managing the logistics of staging major events, building the association's staff and systems, and holding the organization together during the early years of expansion.
Career Highlights
- NRHA Executive Director — served during the Futurity's move to Oklahoma City (1986) and the critical growth years when the NRHA was building its modern operational infrastructure
- Show operations pioneer — managed the early logistics of NRHA major events, including the notorious early years when staff hauled all equipment from Ohio to Oklahoma by horse trailer for each show
- Recalled the financial challenges of the Futurity's early big purses: "In 1987 we had a hard time getting the money together to pay [the champion]. Frank and BH did not get paid for about three months."