BorgWarner announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Remy International, Inc., a global producer of rotating electrical components.

With key technologies and operations in 10 countries on five different continents, Remy is positioned to benefit from global growth. As of December 31, 2014, the company employed 6600 people and, for the fiscal year, it generated sales of $1.2 billion.

Under terms of the agreement, BorgWarner will acquire each of the outstanding shares of Remy for $29.50 in cash, which indicates an enterprise value of Remy of approximately $1.2 billion.

BorgWarner has identified purchasing efficiencies, redundant public company expenses, other cost synergies and numerous opportunities to accelerate growth through the combined business. The transaction is expected to be accretive to earnings in the first year.

Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has released the provisional schedule for next year’s world championship, with 21 rounds listed, including the inaugural race in Baku, Azerbaijan, in July.

The 2016 season is set to kick off later than usual, with the Australian opener on April 3, while Russia’s Sochi race moves forward from its current October slot to May 1. Malaysia shifts to the latter end of the year, back to back with Singapore, while Germany returns in July after its 2015 absence. The campaign is due to conclude in Abu Dhabi on November 27.

The provisional calendar in full:



April 3 - Australia

April 10 - China

April 24 - Bahrain

May 1 - Sochi

May 15 - Spain

May 29 - Monaco

June 12 - Canada

June 26 - UK

July 3 - Austria

July 17 - Baku

July 31 - Germany

August 7 - Hungary

August 28 - Belgium

September 4 - Italy

September 18 - Singapore

September 25 - Malaysia

October 9 - Japan

October 23 - USA (Austin)

October 30 - Mexico

November 13 - Brazil

November 27 - Abu Dhabi

Strakka Racing will develop a new LMP1 car for the team to run in the Privateers’ category of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship.

The car, the first to be designed in-house by the British team, will be built at its recently expanded facilities at Silverstone, to compete in the growing LMP1 Privateers’ category of the championship. The new car will draw upon advances in 3D printing and additive manufacturing that Strakka Racing has pioneered to shorten manufacturing lead times and reduce project costs, both of which are part of Strakka’s long-term business goals.

“The 2017 LMP2 regulation changes that restrict the number of chassis manufacturers meant we had to evaluate our current business strategy and seriously look at projects that would enable us to draw on the experiences we have from our LMP2 car,” says team principal Dan Walmsley. “After evaluating all the options, the LMP1 Privateers’ category now offers the best arena to create our own car, which we will use to showcase our growing knowledge of new design and manufacturing processes to build a cost effective car in the shortest timeframe."

Strakka Racing will now start work on defining the architecture, including selecting an engine partner. To accelerate development in time for a 2017 launch, the team’s 2015 S103 chassis will become a development mule for the new LMP1 car, and hence the team will run a recently acquired Gibson in 2015 specification in the remainder of this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship.

The team plans to test the Gibson in late July ahead of the next round of the FIA World Endurance Championship at Nürburgring.

NHRA announced that Terry Blount, an award-winning sports journalist, author and broadcast commentator, who has covered every major motorsports event as well as Super Bowls, World Series and NCAA Final Fours, among others, has been named vice president of public relations and communications.

In his new role with NHRA, Blount will lead and create the strategic direction for corporate communications, media relations and public relations for the world’s largest motorsports sanctioning body. He will begin his position on July 30 and will report to Gary Darcy, NHRA senior vice president of sales and marketing.

“Terry has a great passion for NHRA Drag Racing and his background as a world class sports journalist is second to none,” said Peter Clifford, NHRA president. “Terry is the consummate professional and has tremendous relationships with the national media as well as many high-level executives throughout the motorsports community. He is positioned well to lead our efforts to enhance and expand our current communications and public relations initiatives and drive increased awareness and attention to the sport.”

During the last decade as a popular sports columnist at ESPN.com, Blount covered national motorsports for seven years and spent the last three years covering the Seattle Seahawks. As the main beat writer for the Seahawks he also served as a television commentator for ESPN’s family of networks. Showing his ultimate versatility, he recently covered the 2015 U.S. Open golf championship at Chambers Bay in Washington.

Blount has vast knowledge of NHRA Drag Racing and covered the sport extensively during the last three decades as a senior columnist for ESPN.com and as a motorsports writer for several major daily newspapers in Texas.

“I have a true love of the NHRA and I can’t wait to get started on this new chapter of my career,” Blount said. “This sport provides an intensity that can’t be matched and I am eager to begin the process of communicating my enthusiasm and excitement for NHRA’s unique brand of 300 mile per hour entertainment to media outlets around the globe.”

Prior to working at ESPN, Blount held sports writing jobs at several major newspapers, including the Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle and Houston Post. In 2009 he published his first book, The Blount Report: NASCAR’s Overrated and Underrated.

Blount is one of only three members of the media wing of the Texas Motorsports Hall Fame. He was inducted in 2011 when Richard Petty and John Force entered the Hall. He is a past recipient of the Hearst Newspapers Citation of Writing Excellence as well as a recipient of the Excellence in Journalism Award from the Houston Press Club.

Blount holds a bachelor’s degree in Radio/TV Communications from the University of Houston. He will reside in Southern California.

MAVTV Motorsports Network is expanding its availability to race fans throughout the south with the signing of a carriage agreement with Suddenlink Communications.
 
MAVTV joins NFL RedZone, Fantasy Sports Network, Fight Network, Universal Sports, One World Sports, Outside TV and World Fishing Network as part of Suddenlink's "Sports Plus" channel lineup. Suddenlink is the seventh largest cable operator in the United States, supporting the information, communication and entertainment demands of more than 1.5 million residential and commercial customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and elsewhere. The agreement includes MAVTV's HD signal, along with VOD and TV Everywhere rights.
 
"MAVTV's motorsports programming is the perfect addition to round out our 'Sports Plus' package," said Kathy Payne, SVP and Chief Programming Officer for Suddenlink.

Added MAVTV President, Bob Patison, "With the millions of race fans across their customer base, Suddenlink is a great fit for us. No other network offers the depth and variety of motorsports programming and we are sure to offer something of interest for every race fan."
 
MAVTV is a television network with its roots deep in the automotive world. MAVTV offers viewers prestigious racing events across all genres of motorsports, including drag boats, sprint boats, pro pulling, international rally racing, motorcycle road racing, drifting, dirt track racing, ice racing, sprint cars, off-road and everything in between.  
 
MAVTV is also currently available on DirecTV, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, Charter, Bright House, Cablevision, Google Fiber, and many others.
 

Hooker Headers is offering a chance to win the Hooker Headers Blackheart Mustang, a 2015 Mustang GTI with over 435 horsepower and 400 ld. ft of torque.

The Mustang features a set of Hooker Blackheart premium 304 stainless steel long tube headers mated to a full stainless three-inch Hooker Blackheart exhaust system. An Airaid cold air intake will allow this pony to breathe while a Trinity T1000 Diablosport tuner unlocks the added power from the intake and exhaust. NOS is developing an application-specific nitrous kit for the Mustang's 5.0 liter Coyote power-plant, putting more power on tap if installed.

Modifications to the interior of the car will remain at a minimum. Shift throws are shorter and more direct with the short shifter kit from MGW, and the car achieves a lower stance and increased handling attributes with a set of Eibach lowering springs.

The winner of the Hooker Blackheart Mustang Giveaway (and a guest) will be flown to the Holley Performance Products headquarters in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to take delivery of the car and will be treated to a parade lap around the new 3.15-mile NCM Motorsports Park road course. Five 2nd place winners will each receive a $1000 gift certificate toward the purchase of any products from the Holley portfolio of brands. Fifty 3rd place winners will receive a Hooker Blackheart t-shirt. Fifty 4th place winners will receive a Hooker Blackheart hat. Fifty 5th place winners will receive a NOS Nitrous Oxide Systems t-shirt and sixty 6th place winners will receive a Diablosport t-shirt. Winners will be drawn randomly on or about May 16, 2016.

To see more details and enter to win, visit https://www.holley.com/blog/post/hooker_blackheart_2015_mustang_giveaway/?utm_source=Holley+Media+List&utm_campaign=4a48171aa3-Gearhead_News_June6_29_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ae492f1fdc-4a48171aa3-264031518

V8 Supercars officials have released the first draft of the Gen2 regulations that will allow alternative engine configurations for 2017, and expect V8s to remain the primary power.

The series announced late last year that engine regulations would be opened up in the rules revamp. The 2017 package remains rooted in the current "Car of the Future" uniform chassis spec under which Nissan, Volvo and the Erebus Mercedes have joined archrivals Holden and Ford in the field.

"The race car must be rear-wheel drive and accurately reflect the look of the road car, retaining the essential DNA of the sport," said a V8s statement. "All cars will use the existing Car of the Future chassis and control components, and be subject to current engine and aero parity rules.

"The regulations state the model must have a minimum production volume of 5000 cars of the same body shape worldwide. It must be powered by an engine configuration, be that 4, 6, or 8 cylinder (or other) that does not exceed the Supercars accumulated engine power output and weighted average."

Series CEO James Warburton said allowing more engine freedom while retaining the current power outputs and other core components of the rules package safeguarded the championship's future.

"We made it clear when we announced the Gen2 strategy that there will be no compromise in power, competition or technical parity," Warburton said. "The category in 2017 will be exactly what it is now. Fast, loud and fiercely competitive. This opens the same garage door a little wider and future-proofs the sport.

"As has been the case with Nissan, Volvo and Mercedes we have proven beyond doubt these core ingredients can be transferred from one make to another."

Ford announced just before the Gen2 plan was announced last year that it would end its factory involvement in V8 Supercars next year. The marque's presence in the 25-car field is already down to five Falcons, while Holden is numerically dominant with 12 entries.

Four factory Nissans, Erebus's pair of Mercedes and the two Garry Rogers Motorsport-run Polestar Volvos complete the present field.

After eight months’ work and a two-month selection process, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), have chosen the four constructors who will supply chassis for the cars that will compete in the Le Mans Prototypes 2 category in ACO- and FIA-governed series and the Prototype class of the IMSA-sanctioned TUDOR United SportsCar Championship beginning in 2017, when the category’s new regulations come into force.

The four constructors are: Dallara (Italy-United States), Onroak Automotive (France), Oreca (France-United States) and the joint-venture Riley Tech/Multimatic (USA, Canada and the United Kingdom), subject to validation of the regulations by the World Motor Sport Council on July 10.

On June 11, 2015 the main guidelines of the 2017 LM P2 regulations were unveiled during the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s press conference. The aim of these regulations is to ensure long-term success for this category thanks to a reduction in costs, the guarantee of stability in the regulations and the intention to bring the performance of the cars in the category closer to those of the current LM P1s. They will be applicable in the Le Mans 24 Hours, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Asian Le Mans Series (Asian LMS), the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

In ACO- and FIA-governed series, LM P2 cars will be powered by a single engine manufacturer to be selected this September.

In the TUDOR Championship, Prototypes will be powered by engines from a variety of manufacturers and the chassis will include manufacturer-specific styling elements. Announcements on participating manufacturers will be made as programs are confirmed.

The target horsepower for cars in all series is approximately 600bhp, and an Adjustment of Performance process will be used to ensure competitive balance. The ACO, FIA and IMSA also will select a single electronics supplier for all cars this September.

TUDOR Championship Prototype teams will be eligible to use the same engines and chassis they race with in the United States at the Le Mans 24 Hours and in ELMS events, providing they utilize the constructor-specific bodywork as used in all championships outside North America. Likewise, all LM P2 teams will be eligible to race in all TUDOR Championship events using the same chassis and engine configuration they use in their home championship.

The first provision to achieve the stated objectives and make these LM P2 regulations viable and workable was to select four chassis constructors including at least one from North America.

The tender was launched on May 13, 2015 and closed on June 10. The selection committee, which included three representatives from the ACO, IMSA and the FIA, has drawn up the list of the four constructors selected.

They were selected according to the following criteria:

Experience and reputation;

Industrial and engineering capacity, management of the supply chain;

Financial situation;

Investment devoted to the program;

Quality of the service to clientele;

Constructors based in Europe and the United States with an undertaking to provide quality backup in Asia and throughout the world;

Quality of the project and the car;

Provisions of the project aimed at reducing running costs and the annual budget of the entrants.

The Dallara, Onroak Automotive, Oreca and Riley Tech/Multimatic teams now will join the technical working group jointly managed by the ACO, the FIA and IMSA to define the final details of the regulations. One of the main objectives of this working group is to optimize all of the parameters to ensure the most economically viable set of rules for the teams.

The final set of provisions of the LM P2 regulations will be adopted by the World Motor Sport Council in December of this year, and the timetable will respect the following five stages:

January 1, 2016: validation of the safety structures/monocoque;

April 1, 2016: validation of the bodywork and the mechanical components;

June 1, 2016: validation of the crash test;

Sept. 1, 2016: presentation of the draft homologation sheet;

From Dec. 1-15, 2016: inspection and final validation of the car;

The cars must be homologated by, and available for use in January 2017 for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the first race at which the new TUDOR Championship Prototype/LM P2 category regulations will be applied.

“The process we followed with our partners at the ACO and the FIA to select these four chassis constructors was unprecedented in its level of professionalism and collaboration among three major governing bodies in international motorsport. It was the most thorough and detailed selection process we’ve ever seen in the sport,” said Scott Atherton, president of IMSA. “Arriving at this decision was not easy, as there were many qualified candidates, but it represents a key landmark as we chart the future of the sport in the United States and abroad. However, this is only the beginning. There are many other important stops along the way before we have the honor of debuting the new Prototype at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2017, but this process confirmed a good result and is a major step forward.”

On July 23–25, the Best of the Best dirt modified drivers will converge on the Deer Creek Speedway for the fifth annual World Modified Dirt Track Championship presented by Red Tail Tackle.

Race fans will witness a complete program of qualifying and main events for the USMTS Modifieds each day, with Saturday’s show featuring an “alphabet soup” of main events as drivers try to claw their way into the big dance.

Drivers will qualify on Thursday and Friday through time trials in groups of five cars with a green-white-checkered format. The top six qualifiers from each group of 12 will be inverted for that group’s heat race. Heat races will take the top 12 in passing points to that night’s “A” Main with the remainder going to one of that night’s “B” Mains.

Points will be awarded for time trials, heat races, “B” Mains and the “A” Main each night on Thursday and Friday, and each driver’s total combined points for the first two days will determine the main event line-ups on Saturday.

The highest overall points earner during the first two days will earn the pole for Saturday’s “A” Main and so on for the top 12 points-earners, with 14 additional drivers qualifying through Saturday’s “B” Main to create a 26-car starting grid.

Saturday will feature an “alphabet soup” of main events and last-chance races with the 13th-highest points-earner from the first two days on the pole of the “B” Main and the lowest points earner starting last in the lowest feature race.

But unlike the last four years, Saturday’s main event will have a new twist this year.

Saturday’s WMDTC Championship “A” Main will be divided into two segments. The first segment will be 25 laps and pay a minimum of $5000 to win and $500 to start. After the first segment, competitors will have a maximum of ten minutes to make any needed changes to the race car.

The second segment will be 40 laps, start heads-up by the finishing order of the first segment and pay a minimum of $10,000 to win and $1000 to start.

Two-time defending USMTS National Champion is also the defending champion of the World Modified Dirt Track Championship presented by Red Tail Tackle. Jason Hughes conquered the 2014 event while Ryan Gustin blistered the field in 2012. The inaugural event in 2011 went to Brad Waits.

The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced that the popular Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational will return to "The Racing Capital of the World" in 2016. It will mark the third time the SVRA will host hundreds of racers in a multi-day format that uses both the IMS 2.434-mile road course and the track's storied 2.5-mile oval. The specific date of the 2016 event will be confirmed in coming weeks.

"Coming off what I saw as a highly successful race meet earlier this month we are riding a wave of momentum," said SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella. "So many people have contacted me about plans for next year I thought it was important to confirm with race fans and our participants alike that we will be back in 2016. All I can say is stay tuned because more information will follow."

"We see a lot of upside with the Brickyard Invitational," said IMS President Doug Boles. "We look forward to strengthening our relationship with SVRA so we can grow this event each year. We understand how important it is to some of our most enthusiastic Speedway fans and with the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race next year we have a lot to celebrate."

The centerpiece of the three-day racing event is the "Indy Legends" Celebrity Pro-Am which this year featured 33 veteran drivers of the Indianapolis 500. The timed 50-minute race of American muscle cars on the Speedway's 2.434-mile road course used 1963 to 1972 vintage 355 cubic inch Corvettes, Camaros and Mustangs of the "Group 6" SVRA class. The professionals were paired with amateur drivers, splitting stints at the wheel at their discretion.
Bob Lazier, father of 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier and himself a starter in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, won this year's Pro-Am with co-driver Jim Caudle in the latter's 1969 Corvette. Lazier heartily endorses both the Pro-Am and the entire race weekend.

"Tony is a man of vision," Lazier says. "He has created more than a race meet. He has created an experience, a wonderful atmosphere where legendary drivers, mechanics, owners, crews and fans are so relaxed they have the time to mingle. They celebrate with each other and there is so much to do and see."

The 2015 Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational, which will continue to grow in 2016, offered a variety of features including:

• Eleven groups of racecars spanning 100 years of vintage machines competing on both the IMS road course and oval. Next year the field, composed of select pre-war machines, classic sports cars, Formula 1 and Le Mans prototypes will include racecars as recent as 2010.


• The previously mentioned "Indy Legends" Charity Pro-Am included a pit lane fan walk just prior to the race, creating unique opportunities for conversations, pictures and autographs with some of auto racing's biggest names.


• The Jaguar "Arrive and Drive" where anyone with a license could test drive the latest Jaguar models all supervised by former 24 Hours of Le Mans champion and Indianapolis 500 veteran Davy Jones.


• The Jaguar hospitality pavilion open to all visitors.


• The Motostalgia auction of some of the finest select collector automobiles from around the world.


• The "Shine and Show" car show where car guys and gals displayed their pride and joy machines while competing for recognition awards and enjoying fellowship.


• Garage Area displays of some of the most legendary cars of the Indianapolis 500 such as the 1950's vintage roadsters, the first generation rear engine cars and even a car that competed in the first Indianapolis 500.


• A Saturday evening concert by the iconic rock band, "Blood Sweat and Tears."


• The awarding of the A.J. Watson and Sir Jack Brabham Trophies for the best examples of Indianapolis "roadsters" and Brabham race cars. Best of Show and Pre-War trophies were presented as well as the winning machines were on display in the Pagoda Plaza Saturday night.


• Overnight camping packages allowing fans to spend every minute of their weekend at IMS – and witness the stunning sight of the famous Pagoda lit up after dark.