Theresa Contreras

Forging a legacy of speed, style, and empowerment, Theresa Contreras is a designer, builder, and driver using the desert as a her proving ground. For over two decades, she has left her mark on automotive design and fabrication—and today, she steps into the driver’s seat to affirm the machines and teams she helps build. As Co-Founder & CEO of BAJA FORGED and non-profit Real Deal Revolution, Theresa merges craftsmanship with leadership, expanding opportunity in skilled trades and motorsports. A PPG Top Gun painter and recipient of multiple Ford Design awards and Ford Product Excellence honors as well as SEMA Business Woman of the Year, she brings award-winning precision into everything she does. She co-drove with Jessi Combs at King of the Hammers and raced the 50th Anniversary of the Mint 400—using competition not just to race, but to test, refine, and elevate. Currently developing her 1968 Ford Bronco race program, and elevating the next generation through hands-on experience.