Jay Dickens, owner of Jay Dickens Racing Engines in Aberdeen, Mississippi, has signed on for an interactive seminar at the 2014 PRI Trade Show titled, “Running A Successful Race Engine Business.”

The seminar takes place from 8–9 a.m. on Saturday, December 13, in Room 239 of the Indiana Convention Center. There is no charge for Trade Show attendees or exhibitors.

One of the top engine builders in today’s dirt late model market, Jay Dickens has been turning out countless race-, track- and series-winning engines from his shop since the early 1990s. But it doesn’t stop there—JDRE’s customer base ranges from Dirt Late Model competitors to drag racers to competitors in NASCAR’s major series.

JDRE offers a full range of racing products and components from various vendors, and annually ships 125 to 150 new and rebuilt engines to customers in virtually every state, as well as Canada and Australia.

Dickens will open the doors to his thriving race engine business and reveal the keys to maintaining a successful operation. Attendees will learn how Dickens manages his 6000-square-foot shop, how he promotes the business, how he’s cultivated partnerships and business opportunities, and much more.

The seminar will feature an interview-style presentation with Dickens and PRI Editor Dan Schechner, followed by a Q&A session with audience members. Indeed, attendees are encouraged to ask questions and participate in the discussion.

“Having someone like Jay Dickens on hand to share his strategies for success in business is a real privilege for us,” said Schechner. “JDRE’s list of on-track accomplishments is almost unmatched in our industry—certainly in the realm of modern Dirt Late Model racing. We can’t wait for Jay to pull back the curtains on his business and deliver some invaluable advice for fellow race engine builders at PRI!”

The 2014 PRI Trade Show takes place December 11–13, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. For more information or to register, visit www.pri2014.com or call 949/499-5413.

Allison Melangton joined Hulman Motorsports as senior vice president of events on Friday.

Melangton, currently president of the Indiana Sports Corporation, will be responsible for overall production of major events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including those during the Month of May, the Indianapolis 500, the Brickyard 400, and Verizon IndyCar Series special events, such as the pre-season kickoff and post-season celebration parties.

“The Indiana Sports Corporation has been pivotal to the growth of Indianapolis, as well as the entire state, for decades and Allison’s contributions to that effort have been enormous,” said Hulman & Co. Chief Executive Officer Mark Miles. “Staging major events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is much more complex than may be apparent. Allison is the best event organizer in the country. We will be very fortunate to have her working with our leadership team to ensure that we meet our aggressive goals for further enhancing the prestige and growth of our events.”

“For more than 20 years, Indiana Sports Corp has been a huge part of my life – professionally and personally,” said Melangton. “At this point in my life, I have decided to make a professional change. My time at the Sports Corp and with the Super Bowl Host Committee has allowed me to work alongside the most talented people in our industry on many of the world’s largest sporting events. I’ll leave Indiana Sports Corp with friendships that will last a lifetime and memories I’ll always cherish. I love all that Indiana Sports Corp does in the community and globally to use sports as a vehicle to enhance quality of life and drive economic impact. At the same time, I’m excited for the opportunity to join Mark Miles and their talented team in executing events at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway and for IndyCar.”

As the president of the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee, Melangton led what is widely regarded as the most successfully organized Super Bowl in the NFL’s history and one that changed the way the NFL approaches fan involvement. It drew more than 1 million people to downtown Indianapolis, attracted more than 8,000 volunteers, and led to a $154 million investment in the city’s Near Eastside through the Legacy Project.

“Allison is the rare individual who combines keen creative vision and peerless operational expertise,” said Frank Supovitz, president of Fast Traffic Events & Entertainment, who worked closely with Melangton as the NFL’s lead executive for Super Bowl XLVI. “Her collaborative leadership style will rally the organization to achieve greater success in providing a world-class fan experience in both substance and service.”

Melangton was honored with a “Sagamore of the Wabash” by Indiana Governor and Hulman & Co. board member Mitch Daniels in 2012, and recognized as a “Living Legend” by the Indiana Historical Society in 2014. Sports Business Journal, the nation’s industry-leading publication, named Melangton as a recipient of its “Game Changer” Award in 2012.

Melangton serves on the board of directors for OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc., Visit Indy, Arts Council of Indianapolis, and Indy Chamber.

She will transition to Hulman Motorsports in October and become part of the company’s leadership team.

Marcos Ambrose is leaving NASCAR and the United States, but he plans to have a strong connection to one of American racing's top names.

Team Penske announced Sunday after winning the Chase for the Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland Speedway with Brad Keselowski that it is forming a partnership with Dick Johnson Racing of Australia to run Ambrose in the V8 Supercars Championship series in Australia next season.

"We believe in building our businesses through racing and our success on the track," team owner Roger Penske said. "With our new business ventures in Australia, it makes sense to showcase our brands through the V8 Supercars Championship and the opportunity to work with DJR and Marcos Ambrose convinced us to go forward."

Ambrose won the V8 Supercars title in 2003 and 2004, establishing a winning reputation that earned him notice in NASCAR circles. He will drive Ford Falcons for the Johnson team.

"This is a great opportunity to return home to a place that I love, in a series where I've experienced a lot of success," Ambrose said. "It will be an honor to race for two motorsport legends in Roger Penske and Dick Johnson."

Richard Petty Motorsports announced Saturday that Ambrose, who has raced in NASCAR since 2006, would not return to the Sprint Cup Series in RPM Fords next year. Ambrose, a native of Australia, said Saturday he would return to his home country but didn't reveal his racing plans.

"Today's not the day to talk about my racing future," Ambrose said Saturday. "I just feel like personally, this is the right choice for myself and my family to call it a day here in the U.S., and move on to the next chapter."

Penske has more than 400 race wins and 26 national championships, while Johnson has totaled 80 victories and seven Australian Touring Car-V8 Supercars titles.

General Motors has invested heavily in its Corvette Daytona Prototype platform since the car made its debut in 2012, but it's unclear whether GM will maintain its presence in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship's Prototype category when DPs are phased out at the end of 2016.

GM's Corvette DP, which earned the final Grand-Am Rolex Series DP championship in 2013 and currently leads the TUDOR Championship Prototype standings, has become synonymous with the DP formula. Yet with tubeframe DPs set to be replaced by carbon-fiber P2 coupes in 2017, GM Racing is facing a decision whether to make a new investment in Prototype for 2017, or shift its road racing focus entirely towards GT racing.

"We're curious as to where it's all going to go, and it's still fairly unclear where things are headed," GM Racing Director Mark Kent told RACER. "We'll have representatives at the upcoming [2017] meeting in Paris to see what's happening."

Other than acknowledging the 2017 P2 will be a closed-top car, few decisions have been made by the ACO, FIA and IMSA regarding its next-generation chassis and engine regulations.

For a manufacturer heavily invested in DP—one where custom bodies like the Corvette silhouette are featured—Kent says similar DP-style branding and road-relevant engines need to be included in the new formula.

"I think the beauty of the Corvette Daytona Prototype is there's relevance in not only how it looks, but also the powertrain," he added. "There is a V8 Corvette, which the Corvette DP is modeled after, and that link works quite well for us. The question we have is what the future holds.

"Will it be a car that is aesthetically production relevant, or will it have a production relevant powertrain, and offer us an avenue to explore something different there if we choose? Until we understand what the new car is going to offer, we really don't know what our participation will be right now."

The ability to use custom bodywork for the 2017 P2 car would seem to be a requirement for GM Racing to continue its Prototype program.

"Having a car that does not allow us enough production relevance with the bodywork would be a drawback," said Kent. "When you look at the current Corvette DP, it's got a Corvette shape, a Corvette greenhouse, it's got Corvette fenders and taillights. If the new car has a roofline that doesn't look like anything we produce, or doesn't allow us to make the front and back look like a production car, that is a step back from where we are today and could potentially diminish our interest in participating in that class."

There's no rush for Kent to decide on GM Racing's future in Prototypes, but he does expect to have a clearer indication sometime soon.

"We're going to have to wait to see what comes out of this next meeting—what the vision is—and if it makes sense to unify or if it makes sense to look at another alternative," he confirmed.

An outstanding panel of presenters headlined by legendary racing promoter, car owner, agent and attorney Cary Agajanian is being assembled for the 3rd annual Race Track Business Conference at the 2014 PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis.

Agajanian, one of the most respected and celebrated names in motorsports today, will assess the current landscape of racing through a unique perspective gleaned from decades of experience across nearly all forms and levels of the sport, said Tim Frost, publisher of National Speedway Directory. The daylong event organized by NSD takes place Wednesday, December 10, at the Indiana Convention Center, site of the 27th annual PRI Show.   

“The RTBC-2014 will continue the dialogue for motorsports professionals away from the track. From facility management to performance research and development to safety to venue utilization to sponsorship to media, we expect to present a wide variety of sessions,” said Frost.

Joining Agajanian as expert presenters will be industry leaders from across the world of racing, including:

• Lisa Noble – president, SCCA
• Tony Parella – president, SVRA
• Jason Rittenberry – president, IHRA
• Ken Ungar – president, US Sports Advisors
• Jordan Bressler – president, TSMGI
• John Warniak – vice president, SEMA
• Jim Downing – developer/president, HANS/Lanier Raceplex
• Lyn St. James – president, Lyn St. James Racing
• Herb Fishel – president, Business of Speed
• Andrew Craig – president, The Craig Company
• Vicky O’Conner – president, ProMotion Agency

“Tim Frost has done a great job providing a venue where race track owners and operators can get a ‘big picture’ view of the state of the sport,” said John Kilroy, producer of the PRI Trade Show. “The lineup of featured speakers for the Race Track Business Conference 2014 is outstanding.”

A titan among motorsports professionals, Agajanian is the managing director of Agajanian, McFall, Weiss, Tetreault, Crist, LLP in Los Angeles, California. He is also the president of Motorsports Management International (MMI) in Mooresville, North Carolina. He is a founding member of the National Board of Sprint Car Promoters, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Motor Racing Panel. He is a past recipient of the Auto Racing Promoter of the Year and the TRAC Star award by The Racing Attorneys Conference.

The abovementioned speakers and agenda items are tentative and subject to change.

The cost to attend the RTBC-2014 is $250, which includes lunch and admission to the PRI Trade Show. Additional information is available at www.racetrackbusinessconference.com or by contacting Tim Frost at twfrost@speedwaysonline.com or 847/853-0294.

Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has published the calendar for the 2015 world championship following a meeting of its World Motor Sport Council in Beijing on Thursday.

It features 20 rounds, including the return of Mexico in November. The Mexican race will take place at the same venue which staged the country’s last Grand Prix in 1992—Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

The expanded calendar means the 2015 season will finish one week later than in 2014, with the Abu Dhabi finale taking place on the final weekend in November.

2015 Formula One World Championship Schedule

Date – Track – Location

March 15 – Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit – Melbourne, Australia

March 29 – Sepang Int’l Circuit – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

April 5 – Bahrain Int’l Circuit – Sakhir, Bahrain

April 19 – Shanghai Int’l Circuit – Shanghai, China

May 10 – Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – Barcelona, Spain

May 24 – Circuit de Monaco – Monte Carlo, Monaco

June 7 – Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – Montreal, Quebec

June 21 – Red Bull Ring – Spielberg, Austria

July 5 – Silverstone Circuit – Silverstone, England

July 19 – Nurburgring – Nurburg, Germany

July 26 – Hungaroring – Budapest, Hungary

Aug. 23 – Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps – Francorchamps, Belgium

Sept. 6 – Italy Autodromo Nazionale Monza – Monza, Italy

Sept. 20 – Marina Bay Street Circuit – Marina Bay, Singapore

Sept. 27 – Suzuka Circuit – Suzuka, Japan

Oct. 11 – Sochi Autodrom – Sochi, Russia

Oct. 25 – Circuit of the Americas – Austin, Texas

Nov. 1 – Mexico Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez – Mexico City, Mexico

Nov. 15 – Brazil Autódromo José Carlos Pace – Sao Paulo, Brazil

Nov. 29 – Yas Marina Circuit – Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

The Augusta International Raceway Preservation Society will hold its 11th annual Hall of Fame induction banquet and racing reunion this weekend at Diamond Lakes Community Center.

According to the society’s booklet, “Nominees must exemplify the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical and moral character.” They also must have participated in some form at the former speedway.

Six current and former members of the society have met those criteria and will be honored.

James “Slowboy” Bozeman, Robert Hoffman, Bill Oswald, Richard Luther, Jimmy Martin and Fred Lorenzen will receive the club’s highest honor for their accomplishments on and off 
the track.

Bozeman is the 1966 Georgia Hobby car champion. Hoffman won the track’s championship in 1968 before finishing third in the Georgia 1969 Sportsman Class. Oswald raced at I-20 speedway and was track champion in 1989. Luther had an impressive three-year career. Martin built, restored and raced many cars during his career, and he also had a streak of winning 13 consecutive races. “Fearless Freddie” Lorenzen remains the only NASCAR driver to win 20 races in his first 100 starts.

Doors open at 6 p.m. Friday for the induction ceremony. Admission is $20.

Harvey Tollison. the preservation society’s president, said the event is another way the organization tries to make sure that Augusta’s racing history can still be observed by future generations.

“We’re working hard to preserve the rich racing legacy that is Augusta racing,” Tollison said. “Our goal is to make sure we honor those who have had a lasting imprint on the way the sport is viewed here.”

On Saturday, a reunion and car show will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, contact Tollison at (706) 829-6825.

The Association Forum of Chicagoland and USAE weekly newspaper announced the 2014 class of Forty Under 40 Awards Honorees.

The Forty Under 40 Awards recognizes 40 up-and-coming association or nonprofit professionals who are under the age of 40, demonstrate high potential for success in leadership roles and exhibit a strong commitment to the association management profession.

The 40 honorees will be recognized and celebrated in several ways:

• Profiles and interviews will be published in a special Forty Under 40 Awards section of USAE newspaper on Nov. 20;
• A Forty Under 40 Awards reception will be held on Dec. 15 at the Ivy Boutique Hotel, Chicago* where the honorees will receive their recognitions and have the opportunity to network with established association leaders as well as top executives from Ivy Boutique Hotel, IMN Solutions and Team San Jose; and
• During Association Forum's Holiday Showcase 2014 luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Chicago* on Dec. 16.

2014 Forty Under 40 Awards Honorees

Christel Anderson, MA

Director, Clinical Informatics

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society

Jeremy Barewin, MA

Vice President, Marketing and Community Engagement

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Julie Belloli

Manager, Member Engagement

Management Association

Nicole Bradle, MA, CMP, CAE

Director, Member and Council Relations

American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Stefanie Brown

Vice President, Education and Conferences

American Wind Energy Association

JoAnn Coleman, MPA, CAE

Manager, Volunteer Leadership Development

American Health Information Management Association

Rebecca DeVivo, MPH, MSW

Chief Professional Education Officer

American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Thomas Foley, CAE

Sr. Director, Member Services & Business Development

Professional Convention Management Association

Laura Giroux, MA

Membership Director

United Nations Association of the USA, United Nations Foundation

Kisha Gresham, CMP
Vice President, Events & Education

Association of Energy Services Professionals

Bruce Hammond

Senior Manager, Corporate Marketing & Communications

Association Management Center

Paul Hanscom, MA, CAE

VP of Marketing & Business Development

Ewald Consulting

Colleen Harper, MPA, CAE

Director of Membership and Marketing

American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition

Bryan Harrison, PMP, CSC

Senior Manager, Networks

Specialty Equipment Market Association

Nicolette (Nikki) Haton

Senior Specialist, Governance and Operations

American Society for Healthcare Risk Management

Tenee Hawkins

Sr. Director of Communications and Marketing

American Kidney Fund

LaTosha Holden, MSIMC

Director of Member Services & Marketing

Arthroscopy Association of North America

Andrea Holovach, CAE

Regions, Sections and Student Chapters Manager

Society of Petroleum Engineers

Erika Joyce, CAE

Assistant Director of Member Services

American College of Healthcare Executives

Laurie Kulikosky, CAE

Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives

American Society of Transplant Surgeons

Thomas Martin, PhD, MBA

Director

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society

Michelle Mills, MNM, CAE

President & CEO

Commercial Brokers Association

Megan Mitchell

Sr. Associate Director, Membership & Conference Programming

Alzheimer's Association

Claire Moore, MBA

Chief Operating Officer

International Carwash Association

Brad Neal

Chief Financial Officer

Academy of General Dentistry

Lindsey Nelson

Executive Director, Development

NAMA Foundation, National Automatic Merchandising Association

Benjamin Rabe, CEM

Senior Manager

SmithBucklin

Jeff Rundle, CAE

Director of Chapter Services & General Counsel

Beta Theta Pi Fraternity

Joseph Sapp, CAE

Executive Director

Talley Management Group, Inc.

Amy Sherwood, CAE

Senior Operations Manager

Association Management Center

Jaclyn Stacy

Associate Director of External Relations

Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago

Tiffany Tauscheck

Vice President of Marketing & Development

Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau

Alison Teitelbaum, MS, MPH

Senior Associate

The Coulter Companies

Adam Thocher, CAE

Director, Member Services

Association for Healthcare Philanthropy

Rachel Travis, MS

Senior Manager, Member Engagement & Strategy

American Health Information Management Association

Debbie Trueblood, MSW, IOM, CAE

Executive Director

Illinois Park and Recreation Association

Ryan Tucholski, RCE, CAE

Chief Executive Officer

West Volusia Realtors Association

Erin Volland, MPA, CAE

Society Liaison Manager

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Mary Wheatley

Executive Director, Foundation

American College of Rheumatology

Shane Yates, CAE, CMP

Executive Director

Ohio Society of Association Executives

For years, PRI would work to entice the noted Los Angeles Times motorsports reporter Shav Glick to write about the PRI Trade Show, and as part of the story, the industry side of the sport of auto racing. We would take Shav out to lunch at one of his favorite restaurants. We even flew him to the PRI Trade Show to participate in Smokey Yunick’s Industry Roundtable panel discussion one year. Shav was a great guy, and we loved hearing his stories, such as the era in Los Angeles when you would just naturally take a date to the midget race at Gilmore Stadium. However, when we’d pop the question about writing about the PRI Trade Show, Shav would tell us that he writes “about people, not parts.” We may have been disappointed with the answer, but there is no diminishing Shav’s power as a writer and all the good his stories did for the sport.

To this day, I think of Shav’s answer when I encounter extraordinary people in auto racing. The people who race are often amazing. In this column, I’d like to share one story. This one involves The King. Richard Petty was the featured guest speaker at last year’s Grand Opening Breakfast, interviewed onstage by MAVTV reporter Dave Despain and oval track master Ken Schrader. I have never heard the thousands in the Breakfast so quiet as when Petty talked. Great fun.

When the Breakfast was over, a lot of people stayed to try to talk to Petty, or get an autograph. One of the Petty’s colleagues whispered to me that Petty may need some help getting to his next event, which was very soon in the Ford Racing exhibit. I offered to help, thinking I could find a quick route through the kitchen area behind the stage. I found an open door, and asked one of the wait staff to make sure it stayed open because I was going to bring Richard Petty through the backstage kitchen area to get him to his next event. I next walked on stage and told Richard that he should come with me, and that I had a shortcut to get to the trade show floor. He immediately announced to the small crowd in front of the stage, “I’ve got to head over to the Ford booth now. I’ll see you all over there!” It was a pleasant shock that Richard did not announce he was leaving, but instead announced where they could all catch up again. Wow, I thought. I had heard about Richard Petty’s connection to his fans, and I was seeing it in action.

When I opened the door to the backstage kitchen area, I found it was lined up with folks on the wait staff and cooks for the Breakfast. As we walked down the corridor, Petty saw they were waiting for him, and looked each person in the eyes, and greeted them. “Hi...Hello....How are you doing?...Good to see you....” He shook hands with several as he walked. It was real. He was smiling, happy and engaging. Right and left, people would say with great respect in their voices, “Hello, Mr. Petty.” And Petty would answer them. On stage or behind stage, Richard Petty is Richard Petty, and he is The King. More than a celebrity. He’s someone who’s earned his rightful place in history, and a person from whom we all could learn a lot. I’ll never forget it. And I often share this story with non-racing folks I meet to try to explain the ‘people’ side of the sport. It always brings big smiles because even non-racers love to see that there are Richard Petty’s in the world.

Like he does on quarter to half-mile dirt tracks around the west coast, Damion Gardner put on a big show and impressed everyone when he walked away from the Bonneville Salt Flats with a dazzling top speed of 211.5884 MPH in a sprint car.

After arriving at Bonneville on Sunday, the champion racer from Concord, California methodically put on a clinic on how to go fast on the famous stretch of Utah salt.  While there, he made a total of six passes and the last four were all at speeds of over 200-MPH.  No other driver in history has driven a sprint car at anywhere near Gardner’s recorded Bonneville speeds.

A late night Sunday thrash by the “Green Demon” team saw them welding to repair a broken left rear torsion link bar started the march towards 200-MPH.  After a first pass at 194-MPH on Monday, Gardner, who is known around the racing world as “The Demon,” reeled off a pass at 202-MPH and then another at 205.  However, what he did on Tuesday shocked everyone.

Nobody in their wildest dreams—except maybe Gardner—would have thought that his first pass on Tuesday would be over 6-MPH faster than Monday’s 205, but that is just what he did.  He amazed everyone and fulfilled the second part of his dream.  When he first went to Bonneville in 2013 he had two goals. One was to become the “World’s Fastest Sprint Car Driver” and the other was to go 200-MPH.  He accomplished the first, but he had to wait 13-months to get the second. And, in typical Gardner style, when it came about, he did it with flash.

What is next for Gardner?  Will there be more at Bonneville?  If yes, is 220-MPH a thought? Stay tuned and within in the next few days he will be supplying those answers.

Everything, including the historical 205-MPH pass is being shot for an exciting documentary titled, “The World’s Fastest Sprint Car.”  The made for TV production is being written, directed and produced by Surf N’ Sprint and will be shot by the award winning racing specialists from LoudPedal Productions.  Click on the following line to ride along with “The Demon” on his historical 211-MPH run: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH_4EneW2Fc&list=UUuaxfAugSI-ByjFsyLD0K6g

Gardner would like to thank the following for making this enormous task possible: Surf N’ Sprint, Frankland Rearends, J. Milano Co., Shaver Engines, Lucas Oil, ARP, FK Rod Ends, Weld Wheels, Yak Graphics, Schoenfeld, Waterman, Simpson, Willwood, Kinsler Fuel Injection, Advanced Racing Suspension, Maxwell Industries, Victory Race Cars, Beast Chassis, Maas Powdercoat, Kenny’s Components, Santamauro Racing, Lee Power Steering, Butler Built Seats, Schroeder, Brown & Miller, Champion Spark Plugs, System 1, Barne’s Systems, Eibach, TSR, Indy Race Parts, MPD, Beaver Stripes, K&N, Jessel, Comp Cams, Donovan, Seals It, LoudPedal Productions, KMD Racing.