Jean Todt, president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), has announced that the car number 17 will be retired from the FIA Formula One World Championship in honor of Jules Bianchi.

F-1 car numbers are now personally chosen by each driver and Bianchi had selected to race the No. 17 before he was injured in an accident during the Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuki Circuit. He died of his injuries July 18 at a hospital in France, nine months after the incident in Japan.

As a result, the number 17 can no longer be used for a car competing in the FIA Formula One World Championship.

A northeast Kansas man is hoping an ambitious crowdfunding effort will help him buy a Topeka race track with an uncertain future.

Dan Canady, a Holton dirt track racer, has started a GoFundMe crowdfunding effort to raise between $5 million and $10 million to buy Heartland Park Topeka. Canady is soliciting donations in an effort to see how many people would be interested in investing in the park.

"I don't want the park in the wrong hands, and we can't just let something like that sit there," he said.

Canady, 34, plans to use the money he raises to negotiate with track operator Raymond Irwin and Jayhawk Racing LLC.

"I've been thinking about this for months and talked to a lot of racers who said they'd be interested in donating," Canady said.

Heartland Park Topeka opened in 1989 and became one of the NHRA's most popular drag racing venues in the 1990s, serving as the site of two major events. Recently, however, Heartland Park Topeka has had only one NHRA event each year. After the race track's finances took a turn for the worse in recent years, the city proposed to buy Heartland Park and expand a sales tax district that would have paid off bonds related to the track.

But Topeka's governing body voted against the plan.

Canady, who also manages an auto parts stores, says if another deal is finalized before he raises the money, he'll return the money to donors. And, if that isn't possible, he will donate the money to a charity that cares for wounded race car drivers.

CoreFirst Bank & Trust has loaned Irwin and Jayhawk Racing LLC millions of dollars since he began managing the track in 2003. Between $1.5 million and $2.1 million is still owed to the bank. Kurt Kuta, president and CEO of CoreFirst, said there's considerable interest in the park.

"It's looking positive the park will remain a racing venue," he said.

* RCR's Royal Treatment. Ever wondered what a primary sponsorship for one of NASCAR’s premier Sprint Cup teams gets you? If you work at Dow, it could mean a trip to the annual Goodwood Festival Of Speed in West Sussex, England, to rub fenders with scores of legendary and modern-day race cars and drivers. This summer’s bucket list adventure for a select group of Dow personnel was arranged by officials from Richard Childress Racing, whose No. 3 Chevrolet SS currently driven by Austin Dillon—and emblazoned with the multinational corporation’s unmistakable red diamond logo—was piloted by 2000 Cup Champion Bobby Labonte on its timed ascent up the 1.16-mile hill climb circuit. We had the chance to sit down with Danny Lawrence, trackside manager for ECR Engines, at RCR/ECR headquarters in Welcome, North Carolina, beforehand to discuss the partnership. “Richard Childress Racing is proud to be associated with the Goodwood Festival of Speed because it allows us to partner with world class brands such as Dow, and to provide unique business opportunities and give race fans from around the world a motorsports experience of a lifetime,” he told us. Lawrence went on to explain that the company’s participation at Goodwood allows it to promote NASCAR on a truly international stage. The ambassador-ship, he said, isn’t taken lightly. “It’s such a good feeling to go over there and be welcomed like we are,” he added. “To see the history and see the champions—it makes me proud to know these people really want us there."

* Rock-Solid Reception. Once again, dozens of Charlotte-area racing professionals joined those in town for the Coca-Cola 600 for a festive evening to network and re-connect over food and drinks at Red Rocks Café in Huntersville, North Carolina. PRI’s annual VIP Reception played host to more than 150 guests, including representatives from Automotive Specialists Racing Engines, Carolina Racing Supply, CV Products, Heintz Performance, MAVTV, Motovicity Distribution, NASCAR, Roush Yates, XRP and many more, as well as a handful of professional drivers and race teams. Amid the revelry, a highlight of the evening was the presentation of an oversized check for more than $52,000 to the Victory Junction children's charity, all of which was raised through the Sunnen Engine Charity Sweepstakes at the 2014 PRI Trade Show. To help raise funds, a Reher-Morrison 583ci big block Chevrolet drag race engine was raffled off as the grand prize; that engine went to Richard Ageton of Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 2004 by the Petty Family, Victory Junction is a year-round camping facility in Randleman, North Carolina, for children ages six to 16 with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses. It was established in honor of the late Adam Petty, himself a promising young driver and the first fourth-generation racer in NASCAR history. For more information on Victory Junction, go to www.victoryjunction.org. And a far-reaching “thank you” to all of those who gave generously in support of this outstanding cause, as well as to our industry friends and colleagues for joining us at Red Rocks. We’ll see you again real soon!  

* Speedy Returns. Each year the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) honors excellence in motorsports journalism through a national competition encompassing various categories of coverage. Winners are announced and celebrated at a breakfast ceremony in Speedway, Indiana, just ahead of the Indianapolis 500. And this year we were thrilled to learn that PRI contributor Louise Ann Noeth, aka “LandSpeed Louise,” finished atop the podium for Newspaper Feature Writing (“Women In Drag Racing: Hear Them Roar,” The New York Times) and Magazine Feature Writing (“A Century Of Speed,” Society Of Automotive Historians Journal), in addition to scoring a runner-up medal for Photography–Print Action (“Push-Started To Glory,” Custom Car Magazine). We couldn’t be prouder. Well done, Louise!    

Kahn Media Inc. announced that long-time public relations team leader and automotive industry veteran Jon Barrett has been named Vice President. The appointment took effect July 1, and paves the way for Barrett to lead the company’s rapidly growing automotive public relations and digital marketing teams as the firm continues to expand in the automotive, motorsports, motorcycle, tactical and action sports markets.



“Over the past three years Jon has proven to be an organized and intelligent leader with a firm grasp on the creative and technical aspects of modern marketing and public relations,” said Kahn Media founder and president Dan Kahn. “We have experienced unprecedented growth over the past year, and after moving into a new headquarters in Ventura County and expanding our operation beyond public relations and digital marketing to include studio photography, brand journalism, video production and SEO/SEM services, Jon stepped up as a strategic leader. His background in data and digital technology will serve us well as our business evolves to cover a diverse range of digital marketing services.”



Kahn Media’s creative team will continue to be led by Creative Director Franco Gutierrez, who has been with the company for over five years. Gutierrez will spearhead the expansion of the company’s art capabilities beyond website development, video production and graphic design into immersive digital marketing, studio photography and top-shelf brand development.



In other staffing news, long-time motorcycle racer, instructor, and marketer Jason Thompson has been hired as an account executive handling MotoAmerica, the official AMA/FIM sanctioned national road racing series in the United States.



Recent business developments include the opening of Kahn Media’s new in-house product photography studio, which offers full Aces and Pies and Amazon compliant product photography.

Part-time Verizon IndyCar Series competitor Jay Howard has formed Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development program, which will prepare drivers, who are currently racing karts, to someday race professionally.

The team will debut in two weeks time at the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) Fikse Pro Tour SummerNationals event at the New Castle Motorsports Park (NCMP) facility in New Castle, Indiana, with a four-driver development program.

“My team is really focused on developing the driver and preparing them for cars,” said Howard, who resides a short one-hour drive from the New Castle facility. “I’m going to train these kids the way I was trained while driving at the IndyCar level and prepare them for their future in motorsports.”

Howard hopes to draw upon his 28 years of motorsports experience to give young drivers the skills necessary for a successful career in both karting and the world of car racing. The program will continue throughout the remainder of the 2015 season and onward into 2016.

“Because we’re focusing on driver development, we’re not tied to specific manufacturers,” said Howard, a veteran of 12 Verizon IndyCar Series starts. “The drivers on this team can use any kart, any engine and any tuner they choose—we’re really trying to offer something different, a team for competitors who want to take their careers to the next level.”

Brad Keselowski, along with brothers Austin and Ty Dillon, are on the preliminary entry list for the 1-800-Car-Cash Mud Summer Classic NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, which takes place next Wednesday at Eldora Speedway.

Keselowski, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, is the first past champion from NASCAR’s top series to partake in the event and will drive the No. 29 Cooper Standard Ford for the team he owns. He will team with Tyler Reddick, who was the youngest driver ever to start at Eldora’s World 100 Dirt Late Model race in 2012 at age 16. Reddick will drive the No. 19 Draw Tite Ford.

Brothers Austin and Ty Dillon will return to the track where they have both shown speed since first tackling it in Dirt Late Models.

Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 31 DOW Chevrolet, won the inaugural 1-800-Car-Cash Mud Summer Classic in 2013 and was the 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion and the 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion.

Ty Dillon, driver of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet, has three Camping World Truck Series wins, and has contended for the win each of the first two years.

Two-time Eldora starter Ken Schrader will drive the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Toyota. He started on the pole at Eldora in 2013 and has four Sprint Cup Series wins.

Bobby Pierce, the 2015 UMP DIRTCar Late Model Summernationals Champion, will drive the No. 63 RPM Services, INC/Roofix, Inc. Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 54 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports is a USAC Champion, World of Outlaws winner and will compete at Eldora in the 32nd annual Kings Royal this weekend.

Chad Boat, son of 1998 Indianapolis 500 Pole Sitter Billy Boat and another talented dirt racer, will drive the No. 15, Corvette Parts/Pristine Auctions Chevrolet.

In addition, Camping World Truck Series stars Matt Crafton, Erik Jones, Johnny Sauter, Timothy Peters, John Hunter Nemechek and Cole Custer are all entered for the 150-lap event contested in 60-50-40 lap segments. As is dirt track tradition, the starting field is set by five qualifying heat races.

Kansas racing legends Mike Peters, Jon Johnson and Garry Lee Maier will headline the 2015 High Banks Hall of Fame class of inductees.

The Hall of Fame and Museum has honored 15 previous groups in their annual ceremony, which includes drivers, owners, mechanics, media and volunteers.

This year’s group of 10 honorees include chassis builder Frank Kurtis, Kansas City racer George Binnie, famed Indianapolis 500 driver Tony Bettenhausen, racer and chassis builder Bob East, the acclaimed Nance racing family, racer and promoter Tommie Estes, Jr., and the youngest USAC member, rookie-of-the-year, and Champion Jeff Gordon.

Peters is from Wichita, Kansas, while Johnson and Maier have their racing roots in Western Kansas. Each one has claimed at least one win at the prestigious Hutchinson Nationals, been a champion of a national touring series, and stood in victory lane at the Belleville High Banks.

The 2015 Induction Ceremony will be held on Saturday, July 25, at the Republic County High School in Belleville, Kansas. A free-will donation meal will start the festivities at noon. The program to honor the Inductees will follow. This year’s edition runs in conjunction with the 2015 Belleville Vintage Nationals, July 25-26, featuring restored race cars and racers of all ages. For more info, contact the museum at 785-527-2526.

Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick’s dominating year on the race track earned him the ESPY for ‘Best Driver’ last night at the 23rd annual ESPY Awards show presented by ESPN.

Harvick triumphed over 2015 Indianapolis 500 champion Juan Pablo Montoya, 2014 IndyCar champion Will Power, 2014 Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton and 2014 NHRA Pro Stock champion Erica Enders.

Last season, Harvick posted five victories, six runner-up finishes and 14 top-five finishes en route to his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, clinched in walk-off fashion in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Harvick also set six track qualifying records and earned a series-best eight poles.

This year, Harvick will return to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup having won a pair of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, in Las Vegas and Phoenix. He is currently leading in the series points standings.

Harvick’s career includes 90 wins across NASCAR’s top three series—the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Now in his 13th year, Harvick joins a list of stock car drivers who have won the title of ‘Best Driver’ since the awards began in 1993. Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Bobby Labonte and Dale Jarrett have also taken home the ESPY award in previous years.

The FIA WMSC has approved the calendar for the second season of the FIA Formula E Championship. It is made up of 11 races, hosted in 10 cities, with London exceptionally hosting two races, as was the case in the inaugural season.

The second edition of the FIA series for single-seaters powered completely by electricity will get underway on Saturday October 17 this year in Beijing and will end in London, having travelled to at least nine different countries on three continents. Compared to last season, the main novelty is the appearance on the calendar of the Paris ePrix on April 23, which will take place on a circuit built up around the architectural complex of Les Invalides. The venue for the fifth round is still to be decided, while the absence of the Monaco ePrix is due to an alternation of dates with the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, which takes place only on even-numbered years.

“We are pleased to confirm that the second season will again feature 11 ePrix,” commented Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E. “It’s an important sign of stability and it consolidates the presence of the Championship in the panoply of major global motorsport events run under the aegis of the FIA.”

“Over the past few months, we have received many indications of interest from numerous cities from all over the world, which is another confirmation of the extraordinary reception that Formula E has received all over the world during its first season,” added Agag. “We have chosen to keep the number of races the same, with the aim of planting even more solid roots in the cities which trusted in us right from the start. We have added one of the world’s most important capitals and an amazing city, Paris, which will be one of the highlights of the season. As for the location of the fifth round, the one on 19th March, we are working to maintain the same geographic allocation of races: the aim is to have a fourth ePrix on the American continent. The first season only ended a short time ago in the fantastic setting of Battersea Park in London and already we cannot wait to get the new season underway with FIA, the teams and our partners.”

2015/16 FIA Formula E Championship – Calendar:

Round, Date, Country, ePrix

1, October 17 2015, China, Beijing

2, November 7 2015, Malaysia, Putrajaya

3, December 19 2015, Uruguay**, Punta del Este**

4, February 6 2016, Argentina**, Buenos Aires**

5, March 19 2016, TBD, TBD

6, April 2 2016, USA, Long Beach

7, April 23 2016, France, Paris

8, May 21 2016, Germany, Berlin

9, June 4 2016, Russia, Moscow

10, Date TBD, United Kingdom, London

11, Date TBD, United Kingdom, London


* All events remain subject to FIA track homologation
** TBC

Before the opening round in Beijing, Formula E will be on track at Donington Park (UK) in August, for three test sessions of two days duration each (10th and 11th, 17th and 18th, 24th and 25th) which will be open to media representative and the public. It will be the first opportunity to see cars go head to head from the 10 teams that have entered the second edition of the championship, which is now also open to technological competition between various powertrain constructors.

Indianapolis-based Hurco Companies Inc. (Nasdaq: HURC) has announced the acquisition of two manufacturing companies. In filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said the deals have a combined value of $19.8 million.

Hurco said part of the more than $13 million acquisition of Milltronics Manufacturing Co. includes changing the Minnesota-based company's corporate name to Milltronics USA Inc. Milltronics designs and produces computer numeric control operated milling, machining and lathing technology.

The Hurco Manufacturing Ltd. subsidiary purchase of Taiwanese manufacturer Takumi Machinery Co. Ltd. is valued at $6.5 million. The acquisition is set to close by the end of the month. Takumi designs and manufactures CNC machines and sells to customers in Taiwan, China and Europe.

Hurco President Gregory Volovic said, "We believe these acquisitions will assist in our efforts to expand our global platform, particularly in strategic markets such as China and Latin America, and to achieve manufacturing cost reductions from economies of scale and manufacturing efficiencies."