Skoda Motorsport has officially joined the R5 family with the announcement that the International Automobile Federation (FIA) has approved homologation for the new Skoda Fabia rally car. The Czech manufacturer is hoping that the new Fabia R5 can carry on the success enjoyed by it’s predecessor the Fabia S2000.

The new car has been 15 months in development and has been piloted by some of Skoda’s most successful drivers including Esapekka Lappi, Freddy Loix and Jan Kopecky. The car comprises of a 1.6 liter turbo charged engine with a 5-speed sequential gearbox, which have been put through their paces over 10,000 kilometers of testing.

“We are happy that we now have the homologation from the International Automobile Federation FIA under our belt,” said ŠKODA Motorsport Director Michal Hrabánek. “The development of our new rally hope was a tiring process and a major challenge for the entire team at ŠKODA Motorsport, to whom I would like to say a big thank you. With the new ŠKODA Fabia R5, we want to follow on from the success we have enjoyed in recent years with speed and reliability on the rally routes of this world. Following the successful homologation, we can now initiate the next phase of the Fabia R5 project.”

The Skoda Fabia R5 has some big shoes to fill after the s2000 model was driven to the drivers and manufacturers title on the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship last season while also finding success in the FIA European Rally Championship also.

McLeod is backing former Formula D Champion Daijiro Yoshihara and the Falken Tire/Turn 14 BRZ team.

McLeod products have long been used by drifters from world champions to grass roots competitors. The McLeod Drag Mag and Mag Force are designed to give drivers durability and performance in small 8-inch diameter package.

“It’s impossible to be competitive and successful in a race season without sponsors who not only stand beside you to support your confidence,” said Yoshihara, “but also with products that deliver and perform to the highest level.”

McLeod’s joining the Daijiro Yoshihara and the Falken Tire/Turn 14 BRZ team coincides with the release of McLeod’s new Supremacy clutch systems and flywheels for Sport Compact and European cars.

“I am so pleased that McLeod is joining a team with such a winning tradition,” said Paul Lee, NHRA Funny Car Driver and McLeod Racing owner. “McLeod has been bringing championship quality clutches to all forms of racing for over 44 years. We are proud to continue that tradition with Dai.“

McLeod’s new Supremacy lineup, along with all of its products, is available to order now.

Nearly 100 cars from some of motorsports’ biggest names will populate the Pacific Northwest’s newest racing attraction, the World of Speed museum, which opens April 24 in Wilsonville, Oregon.

The museum will hold a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting featuring racing celebrities including Herm Petersen, Rob Bruins, Clare Sanders, “Jungle Pam” Hardy, Dave Hough, Danny Thompson, Gary Bockman and Reb Wickersham. It will open at 11 a.m. on April 24 and close at 5 p.m. Normal business hours thereafter will be 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Admission costs $10 for adults, $8.50 for seniors 63 and older or students with valid identification and $5 for children 6-10 years old.

World of Speed, a nonprofit organization designed to preserve racing history and educate the public on its importance, will also have several major exhibits to showcase upon its opening:

• Daytona Banking: The Daytona International Speedway tri-oval is 2.5 miles long with a 31-degree banking in the turns and 18-degree banking at the start/finish line. The tri-oval shape was revolutionary when conceived in 1957, as it greatly improved sight lines for fans.

The World of Speed Daytona display is a 15-foot-tall, 44-foot-wide exhibit with the exact inclines of the original speedway, and features four vehicles from legendary NASCAR drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Jim Vandiver’s 1974 Dodge Charger, Terry Labonte’s 1988 Chevy Monte Carlo and Cale Yarborough’s 1979 Oldsmobile 442. This exhibit also includes race suits and other memorabilia from more than two dozen NASCAR drivers, including Richard Petty, Tiny Lund, Tim Richmond and Jeff Gordon.

• ZERO to 1000 mph: World of Speed’s ZERO TO 1000 mph exhibit showcases the history of the land speed record. On display with the ZERO TO 1000 mph exhibit will be the Triumph Castrol Rocket model and, for a limited time, the actual two-wheel motorcycle that seeks to break the 400 mph and FIM motorcycle land speed record. Alongside the exhibit will be cars from Mickey Thompson’s fleet, including his original Assault 1 and Attempt, and tributes to his Pontiac Catalina and two-cylinder dragster with the original engine.

• Wall of Sound: The Wall of Sound exhibit explores the fascination with both cars and music, from the first rock ‘n’ roll song, Jackie Brenston and Ike Turner’s Rocket 88 of 1951, through ZZ Top’s 1980s hits. Auto-related record albums and guitars are featured, as well as an expansive display of contemporary radios, TVs, in-car record players, tape decks and CD players.

• Motorcycles: Sponsored by Triumph Motorcycles, World of Speed’s motorcycle display was designed to replicate the original board tracks popular during the 1920s and 1930s. The first display, which will rotate every nine months, will celebrate Clackamas’ famous Sidewinders club.

• Simulators: World of Speed is home to three race car simulators: a 1962 Lotus Formula Racing Simulator, Adrian Fernandez’s 1995 Lola Indy Car and Johnny Benson’s 1998 NASCAR Ford Taurus. The simulators will be used for entertainment, educational and fundraising purposes.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace will come out of retirement to compete during the off-road truck racing event at the upcoming X Games in Austin, Texas, on June 4-7.

Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and a winner of 55 Sprint Cup races, retired following the 2005 NASCAR season. This will be the first time Wallace has ever driven an off-road racing truck. His truck will carry sponsorship from Jimmy John’s.

The off-road truck racing competition will feature identically-prepared 600-horsepower trucks, all leased from NASCAR and IndyCar veteran Robby Gordon. Gordon is the co-owner of the Formula Off-Road Series, which last weekend raced on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.

The trucks reach speeds up to 120 mph and hit man-made ramps at multiple locations throughout the course. The Baja-style race trucks will negotiate the seven-turn course made of both dirt and asphalt.

Next weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway has been renamed the Food City 500 In Support of Steve Byrnes and Stand Up to Cancer.

Byrnes, co-host of NASCAR Race Hub and the play-by-play announcer for NASCAR Camping World Truck races, is on a medical leave of absence while he undergoes treatment for head-and-neck cancer. He has been a part of Fox Sports’ NASCAR broadcast team since 2001.

“The support I have received from my teammates at FOX Sports, drivers, team members, track officials, NASCAR and the fans has been overwhelming,” Byrnes said.  “So many families are affected by cancer, and to play a small part in raising awareness is an honor to me.”

Drivers have shown their support in various ways. Casey Mears had Byrnes’ name across the visor of his helmet at Martinsville Speedway. Red Horse Racing also has had Byrnes’ name on the side of its Camping World Trucks. Elliott Sadler is showing his support by having Byrnes’ name on the passenger side of his Xfinity car this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

IndyCar has mandated structural upgrades to strengthen designated Honda and Chevrolet bodywork components in advance of this weekend’s inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana at NOLA Motorsports Park.

The modifications include the addition of components that will improve the overall strength of the bodywork for both manufacturer entries. The components have been re-designed by each manufacturer, respectively, and approved by IndyCar for implementation for the balance of this season.

“We applaud both Honda and Chevrolet for their efforts to implement these changes,” IndyCar president of competition and operations Derrick Walker said. “With a quick turnaround from St. Petersburg, our partners were very diligent in making these enhancements in time for this weekend’s event. We will continue this collaboration and expect additional improvements in the future.”

The structural upgrades were implemented to minimize the amount of damage to bodywork components in the event of car-to-car contact, which will benefit teams, manufacturers and Verizon IndyCar Series fans.

“IndyCar delivers a quality racing product and we will always be proactive to implement changes that benefit our fans,” Walker continued. “These upgrades are a good first step that will make immediate improvements to the race this weekend at NOLA Motorsports Park.”

Honda Performance Development has updated the front-wing end plate and rear wheel guards, which consists of bonded-in-place panels. Chevrolet has added a flange at the base of the upper wing (the "stalk" as it's been called).

With five of 12 events completed in the 2015 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge season, 20 teams have earned their way to the Dual Championship roster. The teams continue to pull out amazing performances at each stop, besting times from last year and increasing the level of competition at each Engine Challenge.

The 2015 season got off to a fast start at the Race and Performance Expo in St. Charles, Illinois. Thirty-four teams competed over two days with eight teams qualifying for the Engine Challenge Finals. Lockport High School had two teams qualify. Team Nitrous Express qualified with a time of 31:47, finishing eighth overall and Team Hedman Hedders came in third with a time of 27:26. South Elgin High School’s Be Cool Team came in seventh with a time of 31:41. Team Dee Zee of Joliet Central High School finished in 28:55 to earn sixth place at the Expo and qualify for the Finals. Fremd High School’s Thermo-Tec Team, led by Illinois State Teacher of the Year Steven Elza, finished second, completing their engine rebuild in just 26:09. Belvidere High School nearly stole the show with three teams qualifying for the Engine Challenge Finals. The all-girl Team Edelbrock came in fifth with a time of 28:49. Just ahead of them was Team Fel-Pro who finished their rebuild in 27:59. Setting the standard for other teams this year was Team Taylor Cable, who finished in just 25:57, coming in first overall at the Race and Performance Expo Engine Challenge.

At the Zephyrhills Auto Fest held February 22 in Zephyrhills, Florida, Team ARP (Peach County High School) and Team Magnaflow (Thomas County Central High School) both posted times that allowed them to qualify for the Dual Championship Finals later this year at the SEMA Show and the PRI Show. Team ARP completed their performance engine rebuild in just 17:35. Team Magnaflow’s 23:23 time was also competitive amongst Hot Rodders of Tomorrow teams.

John Rickerson is the instructor for Team ARP and was pleased that his team could place first in this event. But even more than that, Rickerson sees the long-term value of the Hot Rodders program: “Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has provided a way for my students to further their education. The scholarship opportunities are the driving force behind their determination to succeed. They are really excited about going to the SEMA Show and seeing the cars and celebrities. It has opened many doors for the team and they have been able to showcase their talent in many arenas.”

On February 28 and March 1, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow visited the famed Atlanta Motor Speedway to host the third Engine Challenge competition of 2015. There, two more teams qualified for the Dual Championship. Both from Forsyth Central High School, Team Howard Cams and Team Hypertech represented their hometown of Cummings, Georgia, finishing 28:28 and 20:06 respectively.

From there, the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow tour moved north to the P&E Distributor’s CTA Expo held in Hendersonville, Tennessee, March 7. Once again, Forsyth Central High School was the top team of the meet. Team Hypertech bested their Atlanta time by two seconds. Team Howard Cams also bested their time, coming in at 27:59. In their first appearances of 2015, Bolton and Sequoyah High Schools were ready for battle. Two teams from Sequoyah qualified: Team Flowmaster (29:37) and Team Motive Gear (26:03). Two of Bolton High School’s teams placed third and fourth overall in the event, also qualifying for the Dual Championship. Team Fragola finished their rebuild in just 23:50, while Team Derale followed closely behind at 25:03

From March 20–22, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow visited the Texas Motor Speedway at the Goodguys Lone Star Nationals where five more teams completed engine rebuilds in less than 35 minutes, qualifying them for the Dual Championship. Team Weld Racing from Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center came in first at the meet with a time of just 22 minutes. Tulsa Technology Center had three teams qualify. Team Mr. Gasket made it in with a time of 27:31. Not far behind them was Team DEI with a time of 32:16, and last to qualify from TTC was Team Vibrant who completed their rebuild in 34:10. Also earning their Dual Championship spot was Team Allstar Performance from Jacksonville High School with the time of 34:56.

The next Engine Challenge will be held April 10–12 at the Goodguys Del Mar Nationals in Del Mar, California. Follow all the action of Hot Rodders of Tomorrow on Facebook and visit their website.

Chile is pulling out of the 2016 Dakar Rally over flash floods that have hit the northern, desert region of the South American country.

The Chilean sports ministry said this week it would not spend about $7 million to host legs of the three-week rally, with the money being better used for rebuilding areas devastated by the flooding.

Sports minister Natalia Riffo said the decision was taken after consulting with Dakar Rally organizers. She said the "door was open" to rejoining the rally in 2017.

The government plans to spend about $1.5 billion to rebuild the area.

The rally this January covered legs in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. It was not immediately clear how the rally would be re-routed next year to skip Chile.

The rally has been run in South America since 2009, moving from Africa because of security problems.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation, Inc./Hall of Fame Museum has announced three new directors in an expansion of its Board of Directors and a new executive director on its leadership team.

The newest additions to the Board of Directors are Robert Dyson, Kirk Hendrix, and Fred J. Nation.

Dyson is a retired American sports car racing driver and is a current team owner. An avid participant in the annual Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he lives in Millbrook, New York. Dyson engages in a wide range of business interests and responsibilities as the chairman and CEO of The Dyson-Kissner-Moran Corp., a privately owned, diversified holding company founded in 1954. He also owns and manages a diverse array of private investments, and was the founder and owner of a regional radio broadcasting group of radio stations in the Hudson Valley of upstate New York. Dyson has carried on his family’s philanthropy through the work of the Dyson Foundation, of which he has served as president since 2000.

Kirk Hendrix is President and CEO of AAA Hoosier Motor Club, a position he has held since March 2013, overseeing operations of multiple entities which include AAA membership, insurance, and travel operations. Prior to AAA, Hendrix spent 10 years as President and Chief Executive Officer of the 500 Festival, which produces and promotes 50 annual events and programs in celebration of the Indianapolis 500. Building up to his work with the 500 Festival, he was CEO of several events-related organizations in Detroit, Las Vegas, and Southern California. Hendrix started his career in collegiate athletics, in which he held a variety of executive posts during his 15 year tenure.

Fred Nation is a retired executive and active community volunteer in Terre Haute, Indiana. He has an extensive background in public relations, communications, and journalism, and most recently served as Executive Vice President, Communications, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp., where he had served for 15 years from 1997-2011. From 1989-97, Nation worked as press secretary and executive assistant to Indiana Governor Evan Bayh. Prior to that he was a partner in the Terre Haute firm of Graphic Edition (now Miller-White), building upon his experience in public relations for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and journalism as editor and general manager of the Terre Haute Spectator, a weekly magazine.

Current Board members round out the breadth and depth of expertise on the Foundation’s Board with their extensive backgrounds in motorsports management, team ownership, driving, nonprofit governance, energy, vintage passenger cars, law, insurance, for-profit management, finance, banking, auditing and accounting.

In addition to expanding its governing Board, the Foundation has added senior staff leadership by appointing Elizabeth (Betsy) Smith as its Executive Director. With a background of almost 15 years of business transactional, insurance, non-profit, and securities law as a partner at Ice Miller LLP in Indianapolis, and almost 13 years of fundraising experience as the Director of Philanthropy of the Indiana Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, she brings non-profit management, fundraising, and legal expertise to the Foundation.

Smith joins Ellen Bireley, Museum Director and a Museum employee for more than 20 years, in taking steps to capitalize on the Museum's extensive and valuable collections to educate the public about Indiana's motorsports and automotive histories.

Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada will once again sanction WISSOTA Late Models weekly during its 2015 racing season.

Castrol has run a WISSOTA-type Late Model regularly over the past several seasons, and with the new title sponsor PolyDome on board for WISSOTA, the speedway has once again sought to sanction its headline division with WISSOTA.

The facility last sanctioned WISSOTA Late Models in 2009, when Edmonton’s Dave Smith was crowned as the track champion. WISSOTA Late Models will compete in upwards of a dozen events that dot the 2015 Castrol Raceway schedule.

Castrol Raceway annually hosts over 200 races including nationally recognized events: IHRA MOPAR Rocky Mountain Nitro Jam Nationals, Parts Canada MOPAR CSBK Championship, Monster Truck Throw Down, and the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. 

In addition to the quarter mile IHRA-sanctioned drag strip, 3/8 mile clay oval track and 10-acre Pro Motocross Track, a brand new 2.7 km FIA sanctioned paved road course opened at the raceway in 2013.

For more information, visit www.CastrolRaceway.com or contact Kimberly Reeves at 780/699-9534.