MAVTV, the rapidly growing independently owned motorsports network, recently announced the addition of 34 new NCTC member cable systems since January 1, 2014. This brings the total number of NCTC members carrying MAVTV to 108.
 
Recent NCTC member launches include Atlantic Broadband, Service Electric Cablevision and Vyve Broadband. These launches are in addition to the recent announcement of a signing of multiplatform/multiyear carriage agreements with Verizon FiOS.
 
"The Network's rapid growth in affiliate carriage this year has been gratifying," said Bob Patison, President of MAVTV. "Our programming is resonating with viewers, and distributors are starting to appreciate the value of the network."
 
"MAVTV is already available throughout the USA with most of the major distributors, including DIRECTV, DISH Network, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Cablevision, CenturyLink, Charter and Verizon," added Patison. "But the added growth of NCTC, NRTC and NTTC members is very encouraging as we expand our motorsports and automotive programming within America's heartland.

"Coinciding with the expansion of our distribution is the addition of exciting new programming, including 'The Dave Despain Show,' 'SPEED SPORT' and 'SPEED SPORT Magazine,' hosted by Ralph Sheheen in partnership with National Speed Sport News," he added.
 
Owned and operated by Lucas Oil Products, MAVTV is a television network with its roots deep in the automotive world, featuring an unparalleled lineup of motorsports events and exclusive automotive reality shows. For more, visit www.mavtv.com.

Each year FAST offers several XFI 101 Training Courses that provide an in-depth, one-day crash course on tuning and setting up FAST XFI and XFI 2.0 Fuel Injection Systems utilizing C-Com software.

Two more classroom training sessions have been announced for the late summer and early fall season.

The first class is slated to take place on August 16 at Ryan's Performance in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The second course will be held at the COMP Cams and FAST R&D Center in Memphis, Tennessee, on September 20.

Each class is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature an in-depth discussion about each sensor and actuator, with emphasis on interaction between students and instructors.

For more information, click here.

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization that hosts “Engine Challenges” across the country in which high school teams compete against each other in complete engine rebuilds, recently wrapped up its sixth regular season.

HROT, a powerful tool in shaping the next generation of car enthusiasts, has impacted over 3114 students, encouraging their automotive passion and skill.

"Growing up in this industry in a family business in the 1970s, I have been disappointed by the lack of the ‘next generation’ getting excited about our industry,” said John DeBlaso, Vice President of Purchasing for AAM. “Of course there is much more to occupy young folks' attentions today than we had 30-40 years ago. The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow program is just what we need to help promote our industry and fuel a passion for the next generation of ‘car guys and gals.' If you have not witnessed one of these events, do it, to see the passion and the teamwork there."
 
In 2014, 10 events across the country featured 110 teams—including three all-female teams—made up of 770 students. These teams compete during the regular season to reach the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Championship.

In an inaugural dual championship format, qualifying teams will face off at one of the two top industry trade shows, SEMA or PRI. The top two teams from SEMA will take on the top two teams from PRI in the finale to crown the 2014 Engine Challenge Champion.

Zane Clark, SEMA Director of Education, believes that the dual championship format will bring out the best in Engine Challenge competition: “The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge is a great program fueled by the young men and woman that compete in it. The dual championship will be great for the competition. This is their moment, their Super Bowl. 

"The new format of having the SEMA Show Champions compete again at the PRI Show against their Champs will be very exciting and showcase the tremendous skills of the these young builders, while offering a rewarding end to their hard work and dedication.”
 
In order to qualify for the dual championship, teams must perform a complete engine rebuild in under 35 minutes including penalties. Over 29 teams have qualified for championship competition. Top-qualifying Team Derale was from Forsyth Central High School in Cumming, Ga. They completed their rebuild in an incredible 19 minutes and 10 seconds at the Georgia Event in Atlanta, Ga. Just behind them at 19:27, Team Fel-Pro from Peach County High School made their qualifying run at the CTA Expo in Hendersonville, Tenn.

Both of these teams have chosen to compete at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, December 11-13, in Indianapolis, Ind.

Team Proform (East Ridge High School), Team Moroso (Thomas County Central High School), and Team Autometer (Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center) round out the top five of qualifying teams. Each of these teams will compete at the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show, November 3-7, in Las Vegas, Nev.

One of the three female teams, Team Royal Purple, completed their rebuild in 27 minutes and 10 seconds and will compete in the championship at the SEMA Show.
 
Coach Jim LaFevers, who coached the 2013 National Championship Team, reflected on the competition growth: “Who would have thought that the level of competition just a short six years ago would have ever been this tight or this competitive. Six years ago, 47 minutes wins the national title. Today you don't even qualify unless you are in the low 30s. And, for National Title hopes you better be in the low 20s or high teens because seconds will separate the top eight teams."
 
For more information, visit www.hotroddersoftomorrow.com.

Bank of America and Hendrick Motorsports have extended their relationship through 2015 with a new agreement that will for the first time include presenting sponsorship of the official website and mobile application of the 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions.

Now presented by Bank of America, HendrickMotorsports.com features news, photography, video and other behind-the-scenes content focusing on Hendrick Motorsports teams, drivers and personnel. Bank of America is the first presenting sponsor of the website, which will undergo a redesign in 2015.

In addition, Bank of America and Hendrick Motorsports will continue to collaborate on community-based initiatives including the bank’s successful Express Your Thanks campaign, which supports transitional programming for service members and veterans. Other initiatives include a recent partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to host a Memorial Day weekend “Hiring Our Heroes” military career fair at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“Aside from the clear sponsorship value, the community impact we’ve been able to have with our partners at Hendrick Motorsports has been incredible,” said Charles Greenstein, senior vice president and global sponsorship marketing executive for Bank of America. “This is particularly true when it comes to supporting past and present members of the military, a major area of focus for us.”

Bank of America, which has been an associate sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports since 2008, will continue to utilize Sprint Cup Series drivers Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in marketing and advertising material.

“The Bank of America team has built a very smart, targeted program around our sport,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “We share a passion for many of the same causes and have worked extremely well together over the years. Even as goals have changed, they have identified new ways to activate and seen terrific return. It’s an excellent fit, and we’re proud to continue the relationship.”

Hendrick Motorsports has invested heavily in its digital platform in recent years. In 2013, the team opened a new studio to bolster its in-house video production capabilities and launched the Digital Dashboard social media command center. It also has added dedicated personnel and forged partnerships that support digital efforts with state-of-the-art equipment and advanced analytics. The free Hendrick Motorsports mobile application debuted in July 2012.

Yokohama Tire Corp. announced recently that it will move its Western Region Distribution center from its 380,000-square-foot warehouse facility in Fullerton, California, to a newly constructed 658,000-square-foot facility in Chino, California, about 22 miles away.

The move is expected to be completed late this year.

“In addition to infrastructure advantages, we will be breaking ground with new processes for servicing our customers, filling orders, and distributing inventory throughout our four distribution centers in the country,"  said Tom Masuguchi, YTC’s chief strategy officer. "The new facility will be the cornerstone of the future of our U.S. distribution network.”

The new Western Region Distribution Center, located at 16388 Fern Avenue in the county of San Bernardino, is designed to hold tires at more than twice the capacity of the existing warehouse and bring together both full-time and contract labor. It will be used to distribute Yokohama’s products consisting of passenger car/truck, commercial truck and OTR (Off-the-Road) tires.

For more information, visit www.yokohamatire.com.

Holley Performance is proud to announce a new partnership with the NCM (National Corvette Museum) Motorsports Park, and is sponsoring the Park’s Control Tower and Event Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky.


 
“It is only fitting that two great American motorsport brands like Corvette and Holley unite with our sponsorship of the NCM Motorsports Park,” said Trevor Wiggins, Holley VP of Sales. “This track is going to secure Bowling Green’s identity as a motorsports town and we’re proud to be a part of it.”



The two-level Holley Control Tower and Event Center will feature 6300 square feet on each level (12,600 total in building) including 1800 square feet of meeting and classroom space, lobby/retail area, restrooms, catering kitchen, reception office, administrative offices, race control room, storage and more. The second level will feature a 2100 square foot open-air viewing deck, available for private events. A Winners’ Circle Podium is slated for the paddock side of the building, and the overall design of the Holley Control Tower and Event Center mimics that of the Museum. 



Holley has been in Bowling Green since 1951, and has been an important part of the Bowling Green economy, currently employing over 250 people at its Russellville Road facility. The company’s industry leading products include electronic fuel injection systems, carburetors, exhaust systems, and many other products for high performance street and racing applications. Holley has powered every NASCAR team since the 1960s with products made in Bowling Green including their current EFI throttle body. 



“We have been talking to Holley since we first announced that we were building a Motorsports Park and they were as excited as we were,” said Mitch Wright, General Manager of the NCM Motorsports Park. “Those conversations grew into something bigger and we are thrilled to have them on board.”


Construction on the Holley Control Tower and Event Center is planned for 2015.


On Friday, July 18, QA1, a manufacturer of performance shocks, suspension components and rod ends, welcomed more than 100 cars and 250 people to its Lakeville, Minnesota, facility for its 3rd annual Open House and Cruise to Car Craft Summer Nationals.

The sounds of classic rock music and the rumble of muscle cars could be heard at QA1 as crowds of car enthusiasts gathered to show off their cars, tour QA1's manufacturing facilities and enjoy breakfast provided by Kwik Trip. Participants gained an inside look at daily operations and watched as shocks were built and fabricated components were cut and welded. The QA1 grounds were covered with Mustangs, Camaros, Pontiacs, Corvettes, Chevy S-10 pickups and everything in between.

“It’s exciting to see this many cars and enthusiasts at our facilities,” said Melissa Scoles, QA1 President. “This is a great opportunity to open our doors and show people the amount of focus we put on manufacturing quality products for our customers.”   

Visitors also had the chance to win prizes from Optima Batteries, JEGS Racing, Summit Racing Equipment, Wizards Products and Holiday gas stations. Joe Harvey of Farmington, MN was the lucky winner of the grand prize of four QA1 double adjustable Stocker Star shocks.

The gathering of 100+ cars then cruised to the Minnesota state fairgrounds where participants gained VIP preferred entrance to Car Craft Summer Nationals, a national car show bringing together more than 5,500 muscle cars and 32,000 spectators. The QA1 Open House and Cruise was a great lead-in to a weekend full of muscle cars, burnouts and the QA1 Autocross at Car Craft Summer Nationals.  

Visit QA1’s Facebook page to see photos from the event at www.facebook.com/QA1motorsports.

Mexico is set to host a round of the 2015 Formula One World Championship, Formula One group CEO Bernie Ecclestone confirmed.

The race, the first Grand Prix to be held in Mexico for more than two decades, will be run at the 4.421-kilometre Mexico City circuit.

“I’m happy to announce we’ve concluded an agreement to have a race in 2015,” said Ecclestone. “Don’t miss this race.”

Mexico City first hosted F1 racing in 1963 and was a permanent fixture for the next seven years. It then returned to the calendar in 1986 and hosted a further six Grands Prix, the last of which was won by Williams’ Nigel Mansell in 1992.

Tavo Hellmund, who helped bring the United States Grand Prix to Austin and is a co-founding partner of the 2015 Formula 1 Gran Premio de Mexico, said he was delighted that negotiations had proved successful.

“Ever since Bernie and I began working on a race at Austin, it’s been a dream of mine to help Formula One return to Mexico,” said Hellmund.

“This announcement has therefore been years in the making, but we’ve gradually been able to assemble all the right pieces. I’m absolutely delighted.”

Lewis Hamilton says he and the Mercedes Formula One team want to extend his contract beyond next year, although they have yet to hold formal talks about a new deal.

"We haven't sat down yet but the team knows that I would like to push to continue and they've made it clear they'd like to do the same," Hamilton said on Thursday at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

A win on Sunday would give Hamilton three straight victories and five overall on the Hungaroring circuit, exceeding Michael Schumacher's four wins.

Hamilton said he felt "not 100 percent, but close" after crashing in qualifying due to a brake failure at last week's German GP, a race in which he surged to third place after starting 20th.

"I've recovered quite a lot from the last race, and this weekend is going to be no problem," Hamilton said.

He has five wins this season, and lies 14 points behind championship leader and teammate Nico Rosberg.

He said he would not let the mechanical failure in Hockenheim haunt him in Hungary.

"As a racing driver you have to have 100 percent confidence in your car and your team," he said. "Even though I had that issue ... you can never have doubt in the car, safety-wise particularly, or that will hold you back massively."

Rosberg recently signed his own contract extension with the German outfit. He said he enjoys racing on the slow and winding Hungarian track despite his poor recent results here.

"It's like Monaco, a street circuit, but in a permanent track," Rosberg said. "It's really challenging to get that perfect lap because of all the turns and bumps. It's an awesome track."

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel said that though the slower circuit could help his Red Bull team, Mercedes seemed unbeatable this season.

"If everything goes normal and being realistic, it's difficult to beat Mercedes because they are so much quicker than everyone else," Vettel said.

The German driver said he was impressed by the recent results obtained by Valtteri Bottas of Williams, who has made the podium in the last three races with one third and two second-place finishes.

"Williams has definitely made a step" since the Austrian GP in June, Vettel said: "They're very competitive down the straights the whole season, but they got a lot more competitive on the corners."

Mercedes has won nine of the 10 races so far.

"They could have a nice Saturday afternoon" at the nearby waterpark "and still win the race on Sunday," said Vettel, sixth in the championship.

Two practice sessions will be held on Friday and one on Saturday morning before the afternoon qualifying.

Rally America, Inc. announced its calendar for the upcoming 2015 Rally America National Championship season.

The Rally America National Championship, sanctioned by Rally America, Inc., is the premiere performance rally series in the United States supported by top manufactures, such as Subaru of America, Inc., Honda Performance, Scion and Ford Racing, with many of North America’s best rally drivers competing.

“We have worked really hard to assemble this schedule as early as possible to give our partners and teams time to prepare for next season,” said Bill Fogg, Sr., CEO of Rally America. “Our event organizers are top notch. Giving them stability in our championship allows them to secure sponsorship to support their growing programs.”

The 2015 schedule returns Rally America’s most successful rally events operated by local committees with decades of rally experience. The Championship begins with the traditional Sno*Drift Rally on Jan. 30-31, 2015 in Atlanta, Mich., the only dedicated snow rally on the calendar.

The Olympus Rally located in Olympia, Wash. is back to national prominence on May 16-17, 2015 after a two-year hiatus.

The Championship will once again conclude at the “oldest, meanest and toughest” stage rally race at the Lake Superior Performance Rally in Houghton, Mich. on Oct. 16-17, 2015.

Date – Location
Jan. 30-31 – Atlanta, Mich.
Feb. 27-28 – Salem, Mo.
May 1-3 – Portland, Ore.
May 16-17 – Olympia, Wash.
June 5-7 – Wellsboro, Pa.
July 17-18 – Newry, Maine
Aug. 27-29 – Detroit Lakes, Minn.
Oct. 16-17 – Houghton, Mich.