NASCAR and Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) announced a historic agreement that will make Comcast’s XFINITY brand the title sponsor of what is now known as the NASCAR Nationwide Series through 2024. The 10-year term matches the longest single agreement around title sponsorship of any NASCAR national series in history, and is the longest entitlement sponsorship agreement in this series’ history.
 
Beginning January 1, 2015, the property will be known as the NASCAR XFINITY Series. XFINITY will become only the third title sponsor in series history following Anheuser-Busch (26 years) and Nationwide Insurance (seven years). The agreement also makes XFINITY an Official NASCAR Partner in the multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) and broadband ISP categories.
 
The announcement was made during an event at the NASCAR Hall of Fame—where the sport’s history is celebrated every day—and was the first series entitlement sponsorship ever announced at the venue.
 
XFINITY is Comcast’s residential service brand and is the nation’s largest video and high-speed Internet provider. The company has increased Internet speeds for existing customers 13 times in 12 years and recently introduced XFINITY on the X1 Entertainment Operating System. The company also offers XFINITY On Demand, the most robust video on demand platform in the world. Comcast serves business and residential customers in 39 states and Washington, D.C.
 
“We’re proud to welcome XFINITY to the NASCAR community as title sponsor of the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the next decade,” said Brian France, NASCAR Chairman & CEO. “NASCAR and XFINITY are each leader brands with much in common. Both are focused on innovation and have products built for speed. Together, we will work to take this series to new heights and elevate one of the most unique and powerful partnerships in all of sports.”
 
What will soon be known as the NASCAR XFINITY Series is the property where names are made and is like nothing else in major pro sports. It features some of the most talented young drivers regularly competing side-by-side against NASCAR’s biggest and brightest stars.
 
“Technology lives at the heart of NASCAR, just as it does for XFINITY,” said Dave Watson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Comcast Cable. “NASCAR provides an exciting environment in which to showcase our video and Internet products and we look forward to further enhancing the fan experience at home, at the track and on the go for years to come.”
 
XFINITY is among the premier sponsors in sports today and a robust sponsorship activation program is part of the new agreement with NASCAR, with aggressive planning already underway.
 
Comcast’s involvement with NASCAR is expanding rapidly. In addition to the NASCAR XFINITY Series announced today, Comcast’s NBC Sports unit will begin broadcasting NASCAR race events in July 2015.
 
After a successful seven-year run as series entitlement sponsor, Nationwide Insurance pivoted its marketing programs to become a NASCAR team sponsor next season. Nationwide also is the official auto, home, life and business insurance partner of NASCAR.
 
The NASCAR Nationwide Series will make its return to Richmond International Raceway for the Virginia529 College Savings 250 on September 5, and will be aired on ESPN2. The first race of the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season, and of the new partnership, will be during Daytona Speedweeks on February 21, 2015, at the famed Daytona International Speedway.

The dates for the 2015 SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Daytona International Speedway have been moved up a week to avoid a conflict with the season-ending IMSA race at Road Atlanta.

The 2015 SCCA Runoffs will begin with a test weekend, Sept. 17-20, and run through Sunday, Sept. 27.

The change moves the full calendar one week earlier than what was announced in May 2014.

“The event at Road Atlanta is an important one for our workers, drivers, teams and officials, so we worked with the staff at Daytona International Speedway to get the event moved as soon as we could,” Terry Ozment, SCCA Vice President, Club Racing, said. “Both events are important and there was no reason to compete head to head. Even though we’re more than a year out, we wanted to spread the word as early as possible to minimize any inconveniences with the change.”

The official running of the 2015 event will now be Monday, Sept. 21 through Sunday, Sept. 27. Preceding the event, the Central Florida Region SCCA will host test days from Sept. 17–20. Parking, registration, and pre-event tech inspections will be good from test days through the length of the event for those who participate. Test day registration will be available as an option when registering for the Runoffs in 2015.

As the 2014 NMCA Flowmaster Drag Racing Series season nears completion, with the World Finals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis ready to go on October 9-12, NMCA is already planning for 2015.

NMCA announces the addition of Top Sportsman to the list of classes for next year, as the sanctioning body enters its 23rd year of competition. The class line-up will also include the recently introduced Chevrolet Performance (CP) Stock class utilizing the new Chevrolet Performance DR525 sealed engine. This class has already proven to be extremely popular with racers, with several new cars already nearing completion for exhibition at the NMCA Finals this coming October.
 
The Top Sportsman category features fast door-slammers using nitrous, turbo, and supercharged combinations to achieve times in the low six- and seven-second zones with speeds in the 200 mph range. The racers qualify on a ladder and use a dial-in for eliminations. Long-hailed as a breeding ground to the Pro Modified ranks, the category will compete at all NMCA races in 2015. Competing for an NMCA Championship, Top Sportsman Champions and Top Ten in points will be crowned at the season-ending banquet in Indianapolis during the PRI show.
          
"I am thrilled with the addition of Top Sportsman to NMCA.  We talked to a lot of Top Sportsman racers over the last year and all indications point to a success from the moment we open the gates at Bradenton Motorsports Park in March 2015," said Rollie Miller, National Event Director. "The tight competition makes the racing fun and the high-level of racecars that make up the category fit right in at NMCA-fast, fun, and great racing."
 
Racers can find the 2015 Top Sportsman Rules at the following link: http://www.nmcadigital.com/cat/rules_purses/docs/nmca/2015/2015-top-sportsman-prelim.pdf
 
The entire 2015 NMCA class line-up will include:
    •    Pro Mod
    •    Radial Wars
    •    Street Outlaw
    •    Nitrous Pro Street
    •    Xtreme Street
    •    N/A 10.5
    •    Top Sportsman
    •    Chevrolet Performance Stock
    •    Nostalgia Super Stock
    •    Nostalgia Muscle Car
    •    Open Comp
    •    True Street

Knoxville Raceway has released its 2015 schedule of events, which is listed below and subject to change.

Date: Event

April 11: Practice night

April 18: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series Seaso Opener plus 305s KCCS #1 — Pella Motors Race For Your School Night/Lion's Club Night

April 25: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #2 plus 305s KCCS #2

May 2: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #3 plus 305s

May 9: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #4 plus 305s and Dirt Trucks

May 16: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #5 plus 305s — Knoxville McKay Insurance/Allied Insurance Night

May 23: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #6 plus 305s — Pizza Hut/Slideways Night

May 30: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #7 plus 305s — Pella Corp & JDRF are Racing to a Cure for Diabetes Night, National Sprint CAr Hall Of Fame and Induction Banquet

June 6: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #8 plus 305s

June 13: Mediacom Shootout World of Outlaws Sprint Cars plus 360s KCCS #9

June 20: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #10 plus 305s

June 25: Nostalgia at Knoxville

June 27: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series Mid Season Championships plus 305s — Farm Bureau Night KCCS #11, Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame Induction Banquet

July 4: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #12 — Marion County Cattlemen, Corn and Soybean Growers Night 360 Twin Features Night

July 10: Marion County Fair Entertainment — TBD in concert

July 11: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #13, Town Crier 410 Twin Features, Fill the Stands for Hospice Night

July 14: Marion County Fair Entertainment — Full Blown Rodeo

July 16: Harris Clash

July 18: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #15 plus 305s — HyVee Night, Marion County Fair

July 25: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #16 plus 305s — 3M Night

August 1: Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #17 410s & 360s — Candi's Flowers Night

August 6: 25th Annual Arnold Motor Supply 360 Knoxville Nationals

August 7: 25th Annual Arnold Motor Supply 360 Knoxville Nationals

August 8: 25th Annual Arnold Motor Supply 360 Knoxville Nationals

August 9: Knoxvilel Championship Cup Series Capitani Classic 410s KCCS #18

August 12: 55th Annual FVP Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey's General Store — RacingJunk.com Qualifying

August 13: 55th Annual FVP Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey's General Store — Lucas Oil Qualifying

August 14: 55th Annual FVP Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey's General Store — SPEED SPORT World Challenge

August 15: 55th Annual FVP Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey's General Store

August 29: *Lucas Oil Knoxville Championship Cup Series #19 Finals — Walmart Night

August 30: Knoxville Enduro

September 18: Monster Jam

September 19: Monster Jam

October 1: 12th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey's General Store

October 2: 12th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey's General Store

October 3: 12th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey's General Store

*September 5 rain date for finals

Haas F1 Team, which will make its debut in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 2016, has selected Scuderia Ferrari as its technical partner.
 
Scuderia Ferrari, the most successful team in the history of Formula One with 16 constructors titles and 15 driver championships, will provide Haas F1 Team its power unit, gearbox and overall technical support. The multi-year agreement forms a strong collaboration between the two organizations that will allow Haas F1 Team to be competitive in its inaugural season and in the years following.
 
“There is no team in Formula One more accomplished than Scuderia Ferrari, and no team with more history. They’ve been a part of Formula One from the beginning, and now they’ll be a part of Haas F1 Team’s beginning,” said Haas F1 Team Chairman Gene Haas. “Formula One is the pinnacle of motorsports. It showcases the latest technology and is the most competitive form of racing in the world. Aligning Haas F1 Team with such a tenured and successful company in Scuderia Ferrari provides our team with the greatest opportunity for success in 2016 and beyond.”
 
“We’re delighted to announce this important strategic partnership with Haas F1 Team and to welcome an American player as a new entrant in Formula 1,” said Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Marco Mattiacci. “A few months ago we joined forces with Gene Haas on a commercial level and this is the natural next step of our growing relationship. While our objective is to reinforce our power unit development program for all our customer teams, we believe this new partnership has the potential to evolve beyond the traditional role of supplying our power unit and all related technical services. The United States continues to be one of the most important markets for Ferrari and it offers many interesting opportunities. We look forward to supporting Haas F1 Team in its efforts to become a competitive player on the Formula 1 grid.”
 
The power unit consists of the engine, the motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K), the motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H), the energy store (ES), turbocharger (TC) and control electronics (CE). The gearbox, or transmission, has eight forward gears, which are operated by the driver via paddles affixed to the back of the steering wheel.
 
“These are exciting times for everyone at Haas F1 Team and we are honored to have a partner in Scuderia Ferrari supporting our efforts,” said Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner. “When it comes to Formula One, no one matches Scuderia Ferrari’s knowledge, technical expertise and sheer determination. We understand there is some heavy lifting ahead of us, but know that with their technical support, we will develop a team of talented people at an exceptional pace so that we’re ready to race competitively in 2016. We are focused on the future and look forward to what’s ahead for Haas F1 Team.”
 

After 46 years at the helm of the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Bob Bondurant aims for the next level. For Bondurant, that’s the global market.

Eyes on expansion, Bondurant has added an experienced international strategist to his power team, appointing Phil Neri as senior vice-president. Neri joins the management group of Bob Bondurant (chief executive officer), Pat Bondurant (president) and Darren Law (chief operations officer).

Neri brings a wealth of experience, most recently as vice-president of sales and marketing at Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, an Arizona business that provides products and services to collector car owners, collectors and automotive enthusiasts worldwide. Responsible for the company’s sponsorship, business development, marketing, merchandising and licensing programs, Neri was instrumental in the company’s evolution and growth.

During Neri’s eight-year stint, Barrett-Jackson’s sponsorship and vendor revenues increased 55 percent. The company’s overall revenue, including car sales, reached a record $175 million in fiscal year 2014. Neri attracted 12 new sponsors to Barrett-Jackson and helped develop strategic partnerships with Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Bridgestone Tire, Meguiars, Mother’s, Cessna and Shelby Automobiles. He extended the Barrett-Jackson brand to car insurance, paint, waxes and polishes, restoration products, garage cabinets and battery chargers.

Previously, Neri reorganized and revitalized marketing efforts for companies including the Dial Corporation (revenue growth 10 percent) and Home Fragrance Holdings (corporate revenue increased $10 million in three years). He is ready to do the same for the Bondurant School.

“Phil Neri is the perfect candidate to lead our global growth in several areas, in licensing rights and in particular the demand of Bondurant School franchise inquiries,” Bob Bondurant said. “We have witnessed Phil’s incredible talent at transforming a local brand that had potential into a success for the world stage. We have Bondurant teed up for him to knock this one out of the park!”

“I am honored and humbled to be brought into Bondurant to help Bob and Pat grow the business,” Neri said. “Bondurant is a prestigious organization, world-class, with superior customer service. To be included as part of this recognition is not what I am accustomed to. I’m not used to making the news; I’m more familiar with building the business below the radar screen with a high degree of success. My intention is to do that with the great team at Bondurant.

“I’ve always looked up to Bob and what he’s been able to do with the school. The passion, the professionalism, the enthusiasm and the attitude that the folks have here make the school unique. It’s team-focused; it’s a team environment. I’m ecstatic about being here! The opportunity to work at such an iconic company is exhilarating.”

Turner Scott Motorsports announced today that it has taken the regrettable but necessary steps to layoff 18 employees company-wide as a result of ending operations of the No. 30 NCWTS team and in order to remain competitive throughout the remainder of the 2014 season.
 
"The decision to lay-off any employee is painful and we realize the affects it has on their lives," said Harry Scott, Jr., whose investment firm is a co-owner of TSM. "However, the decisions made by TSM today are necessary and the responsible steps for all of TSM to ensure our commitment to our employees, partners and fans to be as competitive as possible."
 
The company notified employees this afternoon and will do all it can to help those affected to find new roles in the industry.

The Grand Prix of Houston has been dropped from the IndyCar schedule for 2015.

IndyCar ran a doubleheader race at the NRG Park track the past two years, but IndyCar president Mark Miles said Friday that scheduling conflicts prompted the change. Houston's departure from the schedule likely opens a June date for an IndyCar race in Toronto.

"We look forward to a continued relationship with (race promoter) Mi-Jack Promotions and will always keep our options open when it comes to an important market like Houston," Miles said.

The Grand Prix of Houston also was on the IndyCar schedule from 1998-01 and 2006-07. Mi-Jack Promotions president Michael T. Lanigan was disappointed to lose the event, but didn't want to run another race in the heat of a Texas summer after disappointing attendance this year.

"As we learned this year, the weather in June is not ideal for our fans, so we discussed many options for 2015," Lanigan said. "Ultimately, we were unable to find a date that was agreeable."

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, a former Formula 1 track located 50 miles northeast of Toronto, is hoping to land an IndyCar race next season. IndyCar can't run its usual Toronto street circuit race at Exhibition Place next year due to the Pan American Games in the city.

Carlos Huertas and Simon Pagenaud won the back-to-back Houston races this year, but the Grand Prix's two years also featured Dario Franchitti's horrific crash in 2013.

The four-time IndyCar series champion was seriously injured at the temporary Houston track in 2013, forcing his retirement from racing.

Franchitti's car flew into a fence, hurting 13 spectators and a series official. Franchitti's doctors advised him to quit his sport after he was left with a fractured spine, a broken ankle and a concussion.

Houston's departure is the latest news in the gradual revelation of IndyCar's 2015 schedule. This week, the circuit announced an April 12 date for the inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana.

Readers of Performance Racing Industry rank the monthly B2B magazine as by far the most useful publication available for sourcing performance racing products, according to a comprehensive new survey of PRI subscribers.

The report, conducted by survey research company Readex Research, also found that PRI magazine provides advertisers with highly effective opportunities to convey their message through various distribution channels across the professional and grassroots racing marketplace.

“Racing businesses essentially partner with race teams. That’s the exact relationship PRI magazine works each month to have with our readers, and the Readex Research Study verifies that it’s happening,” said John Kilroy, publisher of PRI magazine. “When it comes to advertising, there is no other vehicle—in digital or print—that provides this powerful audience with this level of engagement.”

Commissioned over a two-week period in June 2014, PRI’s Readex survey asked nearly 1100 racing retailers, engine builders and warehouse distributors a series of questions about PRI’s magazine and website in an effort to learn more about their reading habits and follow-up actions. The results reinforced PRI’s standing as a trusted, well-written, and easy-to-read resource for motorsports professionals.     

The typical PRI subscriber reads every issue of the magazine and spends an average of one hour each month reviewing its content, including editorial and advertisements, according to Readex. These readers overwhelmingly consider PRI a credible source of information (93 percent), a good reference tool (90 percent), technically accurate (85 percent) and a good tool for sourcing products (85 percent).

In fact, when presented with a list of 10 racing publications, readers selected PRI magazine by a more than 6 to 1 margin as their most useful source of performance racing products—PRI was named to the top spot by 57 percent of readers; the next highest vote-getter received 9 percent.    

“We’re proud to hear once more that PRI continues to serve as such an effective business tool for its readers,” added Kilroy. “The digital world has its place, and emailing customers has value for racing product marketers, but nothing beats this magazine for new leads and growing market share.”

As a marketing vehicle, PRI magazine gained high marks for the opportunities and exposure it provides to its advertisers. More than 80 percent of readers reported that information in either PRI’s articles or advertisements (or both) prompted them to take action in the last 12 months.

In addition, nearly all subscribers hold onto a typical issue of PRI for almost 11 months, illustrating its usefulness as a year-round resource for racing professionals. What’s more, PRI’s subscribers actually triple the publication’s reach, as four out of five share their copy of PRI with at least two other readers.

Other notable findings: Among eight different sources, including print and digital, PRI subscribers most commonly selected print magazines as their top source of race product information; 80 percent of PRI subscribers are company owners, presidents or executives; and virtually all PRI subscribers (97 percent) are involved in their organization’s purchasing decisions.

Founded in 1986, Performance Racing Industry magazine is widely recognized as “The Voice of the Racing Marketplace.” Over the years it has served tens of thousands of racing entrepreneurs as their key source for industry trends, merchandising ideas, new products, business strategies and more.

For more information on PRI, visit www.performanceracing.com or call 949/499-5413.

MAVTV issued a release during the Verizon IndyCar Series’ weekend at Auto Club Speedway confirming a two-year title sponsorship extension of the race through 2016.

Owned and operated by Forrest Lucas’ Lucas Oil Products, MAVTV has served as the Fontana, California, race’s title sponsor (MAVTV 500) since the track returned to the schedule in 2012.

“MAVTV anchors its entertainment in motorsports, and we do a lot throughout the year to bolster support for many forms of racing around this great country,” said MAVTV president Bob Patison in the release. “MAVTV is headquartered in Corona, Calif., only a few miles from the magnificent Auto Club Speedway. We feel it’s almost a responsibility for us to support a premier track and event in our own backyard that features one of the top professional racing series in America.”

While this release was issued, INDYCAR has not issued a release of its own confirming the return to ACS.

A date for the IndyCar race weekend in 2015 has not been determined; selected races have been announced for the 2015 schedule, but Auto Club Speedway is not yet one of them.

Although Auto Club has hosted the last race of the season each of the last three years, it’s had a different date each year. It ran September 15, 2012, October 19, 2013 and just now, August 30, 2014.