In a recent Q&A with eKartingnews.com, Dave Klaus, the director of Briggs & Stratton Racing, discussed the new Briggs Weekly Racing Series Presented by RLV. The series, which is designed to keep tabs on local drivers around the country, rewards both them and their tracks for support of the new Briggs Local Option 206 crate motor program as well as the new Weekly Racing Series. The program also features more than $50,000 in prizes.

According to Klaus, the program "provides a way for racers to compete locally but still see where they stacked up beyond their local track. I think that the new program has a lot of racers really excited. Tracks are excited as well, because this program will help publicize their facility and they will each have the opportunity to purchase a $700 inverter generator at a subsidized price, below our cost, to giveaway at banquet time. It’s a win-win and about having fun while providing us a way to give back to tracks."

He went on to explain that the Weekly Racing Series program is free for racers and tracks. "Tracks just need to meet some basic criteria and commit to sending us data within 10 days of a Weekly Racing Series event at their track to maintain a part of our ‘Top Track’ award and to be eligible for a reduced-price inverter at the end of the year," he said.

In terms of the point system, accounting for tracks with large class entries versus a track just starting the class, Klaus noted that racer points are based on a seven-kart average, so tracks with 30 WSR racers and those with seven are scored with parity.

Klaus intends to expand this program in the future to include dirt tracks, but as for including junior classes, state laws vary. "For example, when it comes to the definition of 'amateur,' we want to thoroughly understand the legal landscape so that a young racer's future isn't jeopardized over winning a generator. The risk is simply too great," he explained.

The cut-off date for clubs and tracks to register for this program is April 10.

"A racer simply needs to contact their track and have their club president or board member go to www.BriggsWRS.com. The program is spelled out in detail, including the minimal requirements, which most sprint tracks currently running our program already meet," Klaus said about getting involved. "A track waiver is available online along with options on submitting it to us. Once the form is received, we will review and respond with a confirmation email if everything is in order."

For the complete Q&A with David Klaus, please visit www.eKartingnews.com.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials plan to install 1560 additional feet of SAFER barriers at the 2.5-mile facility before on-track activities commence in May for the Indianapolis 500.

IMS, which was the first to install the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction system in 2002, will add protection, track president Doug Boles said, around sections of a curved wall that serves as an emergency vehicle entrance point on the backstretch and in the short chute, to the drivers' left, between Turns 3 and 4.

"We are obviously different than the other mile-and-a half or two-mile ovals with the (low) banking and our angles," Boles said. "We're so tight to begin with, the likelihood of getting into those (unprotected areas) is really slim and getting into one with any significant speed is even slimmer. But we decided that the best thing to do was to add (SAFER) to those two locations."

Townsend Bell's race car slid to a stop in the vicinity of the future backstretch modification after slamming the wall outside of Turn 2 in the final laps of the Indianapolis 500 last year.

"On drivers' left, the exit of Turn 2 is probably more likely for an IndyCar incident," Boles said. "That's one where you're likely to see it in an IndyCar situation than a NASCAR situation."

The first major race at IMS is the May 9 Grand Prix of Indianapolis, which utilizes the facility's road course. The 2015 Indy 500 is two weeks later on May 24. NASCAR stages its Brickyard 400 race at the track on July 26.

The upgrades, Boles said, had been planned before but expedited in the wake of Kyle Busch sustaining a compound fracture of the right leg and breaking left foot while slamming into an uncushioned concrete wall at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener in February. NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., which owns DIS, were contrite after the incident, with track president Joie Chitwood III vowing to ring the rest of the uncovered walls at the 2.5-mile track in SAFER barriers.

Numerous other tracks responded with stop gap applications of tire barriers and pledges to reassess their safety preparedness.

Construction is underway on the additions at IMS, Boles said. The facility currently utilizes around 9000 feet of SAFER barriers, he said.

''The Kyle Busch accident just caused us to take a look at it in February instead of looking at it in the fall," Boles said. "We actually went out and looked at it in the snow and looked through the facility and decided to go through with it shortly after the accident."

The 2015 National Speedway Directory, which is now on sale, lists a total of more than 1300 auto racing facilities.

It is the most comprehensive publication of active tracks in the United States and Canada available anywhere. This book lists detailed information on oval tracks, dragstrips and road courses. The phone numbers, addresses, exact directions, nights of operation and type of racing are included in the 592-page paperback book.

Listings for approximately 300 sanctions, 60 racing publications, and 70 racing related museums, pushes the total to more than 1730 motorsports-related listings. The 2015 schedules for more than 175 racing series with 3000 events are also included.

The new edition is essential for planning vacations and race outings. Race fans and industry professionals can depend on the National Speedway Directory for the most accurate and updated directory of race tracks in North America.

The price for one copy is $15 (includes postage) or two copies for $25.

The CARS Tour for super late model and late model stock car racers has created a tremendous off season buzz in the southeast racing scene, and Aluminum Racing Products (AR Bodies) will be on board with awards for all CARS Tour competitors.

AR Bodies will award product discount certificates to the fifth place finisher in every super late model and late model stock car feature. Season ending awards include a complete “A” package body for the 2015 late model stock car titlist and a $1000 product discount certificate for the 2015 super late model champion.

When the first tech line forms at Southern National Motorsports Park for the X-1R – USA Performance Products 300 on March 28, the CARS Tour tech team will utilize a complete set of body templates provided by AR Bodies.

“The CARS Tour is bringing together the two most popular top flight short track racing divisions in the southeast; it’s a bold new concept that is sure to be a big hit with racers and race fans alike. As a company we are proud to support the series and it’s competitors,” said AR Bodies President Jerry Criswell.

The Stand 21 Safety Foundation will bring new topics and speakers to its 4th annual Racing Goes Safer seminar at the Toyota Grand Prix at Long Beach, on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m.–noon. Open only to drivers, crew, officials, medical staff, and others in the racing industry, it will cover the most current of safety topics, as well as present a keynote by a to-be-announced, racing champion.


As always, the focus of the Foundation is on motorsport safety education, and providing information that's practical, and easy to apply. The goal is for everyone to leave with this newly acquired information, on which they can immediately act to improve their personal safety, or that of their racing teams or drivers. To enable that, the Foundation brings in internationally-respected motorsports safety experts, with their broad experience and impartial knowledge.

Yves Morizot, President of the Stand 21 Safety Foundation, said, "Having dedicated the last forty plus years to developing better safety equipment, I saw the need to bring the knowledge of racing safety experts down to the participants at all levels, and in all forms of racing. I have to thank Jim Michaelian, (President/CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach) for his ongoing support and encouragement for us to continue providing this safety seminar during this legendary race weekend."
 
The seminar will address issues such as driver heat stress in race cars, which is becoming more recognized as a serious problem. Dr. Edward Potkanowicz, of Ohio Northern University, will provide the basics of heat stress impact on drivers during his talk entitled "The Heat of Competition." Additionally, he will be offering suggestions on how the driver can better prepare for the challenge in the cockpit as the summer months approach.


Safety experts are also recognizing that what is worn under the driver's suit can not only be critical in delaying the hazards of fire, and impact a driver's body temperature, but that it may create its own dangers as well. Mike Hurst, Technical Manager at the SFI Foundation, the organization which issues and administers standards for the quality assurance of specialty performance and racing equipment, will discuss what can happen with unwise undergarment choices, and limitations now being considered for use of synthetic materials.


Distracted driving can be a hazard on the race track as well as on the highway. How to keep better focused on the task at hand? Dr. Jacques Dallaire of Performance Prime will explain how mindset can improve one's track success while helping avoid certain dangers.


As the new Snell SA2015 specification helmets reach the market later this year, racers will be asking what is different about these helmets, and how are they designed to protect them better?  Ed Becker, the Executive Director and Chief Engineer of the Snell Memorial Foundation, the organization dedicated to research, education, testing and development of helmet safety standards, will explain what drivers need to know about SA2015, plus info on testing and helmet advancements in general.


And what about safe removal of a helmet in emergencies, when no one else is around? Martin Christensen, noted off road racer, will talk about this and other unique safety issues in the desolate desert racing environment.

These topics and more will be covered at the Racing Goes Safer session. Plus, there will be time included for questions and answers.


Admission to the Seminar will be free; however, attendees must be members of the racing community, and must register ahead of time.

Because the event will be held at the Long Beach Convention Center, which is within the temporary circuit facility, attendees must have access to the track on Saturday. Those without track credentials or a ticket can purchase a general admission ticket for Saturday, at half price, through the Stand 21 Safety Foundation website.


All of those interested in attending the seminar (whether they need to purchase a ticket or not) need to register by April 10 by going to www.racinggoessafer.org and clicking on Seminar Registration.


With the understanding of improved motorsports safety ever evolving, this seminar is guaranteed to bring you the latest information, by the people who are at the forefront of that knowledge.

After a full track evaluation by NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation (ISC), Martinsville Speedway will add to its existing barrier system in advance of the STP 500 weekend March 27-29.

Tire pack barriers will be installed on the inside wall at the end of the backstretch, prior to the entrance of pit road.

“We are committed to the continued safety of the drivers and our fans,” said Clay Campbell, Martinsville Speedway President. “We will continue to collaborate with ISC and NASCAR for additional safety enhancements deemed necessary.”

ESPN Player will bring fans across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (excluding the UK, France, Italy and South Africa) live and on-demand coverage of the Verizon IndyCar Series season as a new channel on the digital subscription service.

The first race of the Verizon IndyCar Series will be held on March 29 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The race schedule includes challenging, technical road and street courses, short ovals and superspeedways that are sure to provide another gripping campaign of competitive racing. The showpiece event on the race calendar, the world renowned Indianapolis 500, is also part of the package available for racing fans across the EMEA region.

Last year, Will Power of Team Penske earned his first Verizon IndyCar Series championship in a memorable season which featured a record-equaling 11 different race winners. French driver Simon Pagenaud, Brazilian Helio Castroneves and New Zealander Scott Dixon are amongst the pack who will hope to challenge Power again this year. Other drivers include former F-1 stars Juan Pablo Montoya, Sebastien Bourdais and Takuma Sato. The champion of the Verizon IndyCar Series has been decided by the outcome of the final race for the past nine seasons – viewers can expect it to be just as tight this year. ESPN Player users can enjoy comprehensive coverage of all 16 races.

“The Verizon IndyCar Series is a fantastic addition to the portfolio of sports content available to fans across the region,” said Charly Classen, vice president and general manager, ESPN – Europe, Middle East and Africa. “ESPN Player embodies our ethos of serving sports fans anytime, anywhere by providing extensive coverage live and on-demand, on multiple devices. 2015 will be a great year of sport as we look to deliver fans more content than ever before on ESPN Player.”

“ESPN Player is a positive step forward to both the digital and international distribution of Verizon IndyCar Series events,” said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Company, the parent of INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “The increase in both live and on-demand coverage will be valuable in showcasing the INDYCAR brand and the excitement of our on-track product to fans across the world.”

Subscribers will also be able to take advantage of ESPN Player’s on-demand service to watch all the qualifying action before tuning in to watch the resulting race live. There will also be on-demand coverage of Indy Lights, the developmental racing series which has been known to play host to exciting talent staking a claim to make the step up to the Verizon IndyCar Series. Fans can also catch up on all previous races with comprehensive highlight packages available on demand.

The channel is one of several new additions to the ESPN Player platform, which is now offering sports fans across the EMEA region more content than ever before. ESPN Player is available on Mac, PC, iPad, LG and Samsung Smart TVs, with high quality streaming on all devices.

Packages include an INDYCAR race pass, INDYCAR Month pass and INDYCAR Season pass.

On Monday morning, Daytona International Speedway began to remove the backstretch grandstand as part of the Daytona Rising redevelopment project. The full removal process will be completed later this year.

By moving all seating to the frontstretch, all attendees will now have the opportunity to enjoy a full race day experience including pre-race ceremonies, pit road action and the facility’s new amenities. Beginning in January 2016, Daytona Int’l Speedway will feature approximately 101,000 permanent, wider and more comfortable seats.

Daytona Rising is a $400 million reimagining of the iconic track. Five expanded and redesigned entrances, or “injectors,” will lead fans to a series of escalators and elevators, transporting them to three different concourse levels. Each level features spacious social areas, or “neighborhoods,” along the nearly mile-long frontstretch.

NASCAR’s in-house PR team took home the trophy for In-House PR Team of the Year at the PRWeek Awards. Last year, it was the runner up in the category.

The 46-member department was cited for its work on 1500 NASCAR-sanctioned events and more than 20 business units, including broadcasting, digital, and green innovation.

The team also oversaw steady increases in social media growth, with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube all seeing significant jumps in use.

Honorable Mention went to Big Machine Label Group’s three-person comms team.

INDYCAR announced an increase of $250,000 to its Leaders Circle program, which raises the total annual payment for eligible Verizon IndyCar Series entrants to $1.25 million.

A total of 21 entrants are entered in the Leaders Circle program for the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season.

“INDYCAR is invested in the continued support of its teams,” said Derrick Walker, INDYCAR President of Competition and Operations. “The Leaders Circle program rewards INDYCAR teams for full-season participation and helps each of them with an additional source of funding. The program is also an asset to our promoters as it guarantees over 20 cars at each Verizon IndyCar Series event. As INDYCAR continues to grow we’re excited about opportunities like this that are beneficial to the teams that compete in our series.”

The Leaders Circle program was established in 2002 to provide incentives to teams that participate full time in the Verizon IndyCar Series. Each Leaders Circle member is assured a minimum of $1.25 million if the entrant successfully qualifies for all of the 16 Verizon IndyCar Series events in 2015, including the 99th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. Twenty-one entrants were selected based on final 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series final entrant points.

All Leaders Circle entrants will continue to compete for bonuses that will now be paid to the top-12 finishers—an increase of two positions compared to 2014—at each Verizon IndyCar Series race aside from the Indianapolis 500. Non-Leaders Circle entrants also will compete for payouts awarded to the top-three finishers in each race excluding the Indianapolis 500.

The Verizon IndyCar Series driver champion and championship entrant again will share a $1 million bonus, with second through 10th in the standings sharing bonuses totaling $320,000. The recipient of the Verizon IndyCar Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year award will receive a $50,000 bonus.

Contingency awards will continue to be presented at all Verizon IndyCar Series events.