Audit Uncovers Over $200,000 in Misspent Funds at Alabama’s Motor Sports Hall of Fame

The report released Friday by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts covered a five-year period ending September 30, 2024, and paints a troubling picture of how the commission’s finances were handled. Chief Examiner Rachel Riddle has ordered the organization’s former account manager to repay $236,610 in improperly spent funds. According to the report, none of that money has been repaid to date, and the case has been referred to the Alabama attorney general for further review.

The audit wasn’t the only eyebrow-raising report released that day. Examiners also revealed that Greene County Sheriff Jonathan Benison allegedly spent $5 million from the county’s bingo fund on unauthorized expenses and has been ordered to repay those funds as well.

A Hall of Fame With a Financial Black Eye

The Motor Sports Hall of Fame Commission oversees the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame, a museum located near Talladega Superspeedway, one of the most storied racetracks in the country. The commission consists of a seven-member executive committee and an executive director who manages daily operations.

Former state senator Gerald Dial, who serves as chairman of the commission, admitted he personally made the decision to hire the account manager named in the audit calling it, in hindsight, “a bad decision.”

“She came highly recommended,” Dial told reporters. “But we’re now working hard to correct the issues with the help of our new executive director, Adam Stocks, who officially began on October 1.”

A Breakdown in Financial Oversight

The audit report found that the commission failed to maintain even basic financial safeguards. One employee identified as the former accounts manager was given unchecked authority over both incoming and outgoing funds. Without any independent oversight, the lack of internal controls opened the door for misuse.

The findings detail an array of questionable expenditures, including:

$74,751 paid to creditors not associated with the commission.

$40,053 directed to the account manager’s own family.

$24,768 spent on unrelated vendors and individuals.

$22,525 in checks written to cash or withdrawn outright.

$16,697 in personal checks written directly to the former accounts manager.

$12,714 in retail purchases.

$5,428 used to pay personal power bills.

The report also alleges that the account manager overpaid herself by $26,240, in addition to failing to deposit $13,370 in cash from museum tours and gift shop sales funds that remain unaccounted for.

Cleaning Up the Track

The commission, now under new leadership, says it is implementing stricter financial protocols and new checks and balances to prevent similar issues in the future. “We’re focused on transparency, accountability, and restoring public trust,” Dial said.

Still, the revelations serve as a cautionary tale for state-run institutions across Alabama, a reminder that even organizations dedicated to preserving history can find themselves in the wrong kind of spotlight when oversight breaks down.