Wendy Collins, of Woodbine, Maryland, is listed on the website for Meathead Racing -- her husband Mike’s Mazda MX-5 Cup multicar race team -- as an important member of the crew: “As the wife of a race-car driver and team owner, she is frequently found cooking food, supplying drinks to thirsty drivers, chasing children and welcoming the families of other drivers. In her spare time, Wendy is the mother of four wonderful children … (and) vice president of Humphrey Rich Construction Group, Inc.” Earlier this week, according to a release issued by the U.S. Attorney for the state of Maryland, “Wendy Collins, 46 of Woodbine, pleaded guilty Friday, March 24 to wire fraud, in connection with a scheme in which she stole more than $4.5 million from her employer,” described only as “a national construction company with projects throughout the United States.” Humphrey Rich’s website lists multiple construction projects, mostly hotels and banks, ranging from the Hilton New Orleans to the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C. The website no longer lists Wendy Collins as its secretary and vice president. The release said that between April 2012 and September 2016, Collins helped herself to the construction company’s money, including unauthorized withdrawals from the petty cash account. The release says she used $3,814,578.17 in the company’s funds to pay credit card bills for herself, family members and others. Aside from expenses that included a bill for more than $90,000 from Del Frisco’s steak house, Collins used company credit cards to buy a Porsche 911 Carrera, a Porsche Macan GTS, a Mercedes-Benz G550, a Mazda CX-3, as well as a Mazda MX-5 race car, a Haulmark trailer and a Dodge Ram truck. “As part of her plea agreement, Collins will be required to forfeit the vehicles and pay a money judgment of at least $4,273,749.83,” the release says. “Collins faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis has scheduled sentencing for June 26 at 10 a.m.” Seemingly, this could put her husband, Mike Collins, in an uncomfortable position. Collins, a respected and familiar figure in the Mazda MX-5 Cup paddock, was named president of SCCA Pro Racing on Aug. 22, 2016, replacing former IndyCar and IMSA team owner Derrick Walker, who resigned. In the announcement from the SCCA, the sports-car association said that Collins “is the founder and managing partner of Meathead Racing, one of the largest amateur motorsports teams in the United States,” owning and operating multiple cars for a variety of race drivers, including himself. SCCA Pro Racing Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sports Car Club of America, Inc., “a 65,000-member organization dedicated to motorsports,” says the organization. “SCCA Pro Racing provides full-service organization, operation and sanctioning for numerous professional racing series such as Trans Am and the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda.” This adds to what has already been a turbulent year for the SCCA. In August of last year, shortly before Walker quit, the SCCA accepted the resignation of Lisa Noble, who had been president of the association since October 2013. By most accounts, Noble’s resignation was not entirely voluntary and created some controversy among the membership. They are still looking for a new president. Also, the Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup series, which Mike Collins’ Meathead Racing competes in, replaced the SCCA with IndyCar as its sanctioning body. And USAC became the sanctioning body for the Pirelli World Challenge series, a job the SCCA had handled since the PWC began 26 years ago. Shortly after those two series ended their relationship with the SCCA, it announced that it would continue to sanction the Trans Am Series through 2042.

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