ANDERSON, Ind. — The 2026 season of the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour will feature a determined contender in the rookie-of-the-year battle.
Olivia Shelbo prepares for her first full-time campaign on one of the premier pavement sprint car tours. With resilience, patience and a strong racing foundation behind her, Shelbo enters the season focused on growth, consistency and making her mark against some of the best drivers in short-track racing.
Shelbo’s journey has already been shaped by perseverance. She made two starts during the 2024 season, where the team faced early adversity. Her debut season was met with challenges, including engine problems at Anderson Speedway, followed by a serious wreck during practice at Toledo Speedway.
Despite the setbacks, those two races provided critical learning opportunities and further fueled her determination to return stronger and more prepared.
Olivia and her father, Kevin Shelbo, dedicated the season to rebuilding a brand-new racecar from the ground up. It is an achievement that marked a major milestone for the entire team. Kevin also contested five races in the car during the 2025 season, helping to develop the program, gather data and prepare the equipment for Olivia’s return to competition.
Throughout the process, the Shelbo family was surrounded by support from the pavement sprint car community, with teams and competitors stepping up to help along the way. Olivia and her team are especially grateful for the encouragement and support shown by Aaron Pierce, Kevin Besecker, and Brad Larsen, along with many others who made them feel supported.
The 2026 season represents a fresh start and a new chapter in Shelbo’s racing career. With a full schedule planned and a renewed focus on performance and consistency, her goal is clear: contend for the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour Rookie of the Year title.
With lessons learned from early challenges and a year of preparation behind the scenes, she enters 2026 more focused and more motivated than ever.
“We are heading into this year with the goal to finish races and have fun,” Shelbo said. “I didn’t get an opportunity to do that in 2024. By being able to finish races, we will be able to learn the car and make positive adjustments.”
Her journey from adversity to opportunity makes her rookie-of-the-year campaign one of the most compelling storylines of the season, as she looks to turn hard-earned experience into success on the track.
