Raybestos Powertrain in Sullivan, Indiana, recently saluted the winner and runner-up of the Torque Converter Rebuilder’s Association Innovation Award during the TCRA 2014 seminar, hosted by Whatever It Takes Transmission, in Louisville, Kentucky.
 
In an effort to increase industry dialogue and provide a forum for sharing real-world, innovative technical, process and management information, Raybestos held the contest for TCRA members, accepting entries from technicians and business owners who had developed an innovative solution that would benefit the torque converter industry.
 
The entries were anonymously evaluated and scored by TCRA board members, resulting in cash prizes for the highest two scores.
 
Rob Hans of Norfolk Transmission in Norfolk, Nebraska, was the winner, while Stuart Miller of Certified Transmission, Mishawaka, Indiana, was named runner-up. In addition to monetary awards, both were presented with plaques honoring their innovative contributions.
 
Raybestos Powertrain also sponsored the seminar luncheon, and awarded founding members, board members and the seminar host, Whatever It Takes Transmission, with plaques of gratitude for their support and contribution to the TCRA.
 
For more information on Raybestos Powertrain, visit www.raybestospowertrain.com.

Melling Engine Parts has hired John Shellberg for the position of Purchasing/Sourcing Manager. He brings 18 years of Supply Chain/Purchasing experience working in both the OEM and Aftermarket arenas.  
 
Shellberg comes to Melling from ROUSH Industries Inc. where he was their Director of Corporate Purchasing managing all procurement which involved in several different commodities.

Shellberg's detailed understanding of Supply Chain and International sourcing will be very valuable to the organization as we continue to diversify and grow the family of Melling companies.

Six former winners and series champions representing nearly every major form of motorsports are among the drivers named to the entries filed for the 98th Running of the Indianapolis 500, scheduled for May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The former Indianapolis 500 champions entered are: Tony Kanaan and Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Helio Castroneves and Juan Pablo Montoya of Team Penske, Buddy Lazier of Lazier Partners Racing and Jacques Villeneuve of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

Castroneves is a three-time winner of the race, triumphing in 2001, 2002 and 2009. He will try to join one of the most exclusive clubs in worldwide motorsports—four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500.

Castroneves is attempting to become the fourth four-time winner of the race, joining A.J. Foyt (1961, 1964, 1967, 1977), Al Unser (1970, 1971, 1978, 1987) and Rick Mears (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991).

In addition to the six past Indianapolis 500 race winners and seven Indy car champions, 20 drivers entered have won at least one race in Indy car competition, including inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis winner Simon Pagenaud.

Verizon IndyCar Series champions entered in the race include three-time champion Dixon (2003, 2008 and 2013), Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport (2012), Kanaan (2004) and Lazier (2000). Four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais (2004-2007) also is entered in a KVSH Racing car, while Montoya (1999) and Villeneuve (1995) each claimed the CART title before embarking on Formula One careers.

Thirty-three drivers have been named to the entries filed this year. Chevrolet engines will power 15 entries, Honda 18. All entries use Dallara chassis and Firestone tires.

The 98th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled to start at noon (ET) on the historic 2.5-mile oval. It will be the first oval race of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series season. ESPN on ABC, the IMS Radio Network and XM 209 and Sirius 213 will broadcast the race live starting at 11 a.m.

Opening Day is scheduled for May 11.

Six rookies with diverse credentials are assigned to cars.

Kurt Busch won the NASCAR Cup title in 2004 and is a 25-time winner in NASCAR’s top series. Sage Karam is the reigning Indy Lights champion, while Jack Hawksworth won the 2012 Pro Mazda Championship and three Indy Lights races in 2013. Martin Plowman won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Endurance Championship crown in the P2 class in 2013, while Mikhail Aleshin and Carlos Huertas are both race winners in the Formula Renault 3.5 in Europe.

Several drivers that have advanced through the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system also are assigned to cars, including three Indy Lights champions – JR Hildebrand (2009), Josef Newgarden (2011) and Karam (2013). Other recent Indy Lights graduates on the entry list include Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, James Davison, Hawksworth, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball, Pippa Mann, Carlos Munoz, Plowman, Graham Rahal and Sebastian Saavedra.

On the IHRA schedule nearly every season since it was founded in the early 70s, the spring race at Rockingham Dragway has seen some of the most famous figures in drag racing's long and storied history turn a tire at the timeless track located in the heart of motorsports country. And now the IHRA will return to The Rock with the next chapter in the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series saga.

Serving as the fifth of 12 events on the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series calendar the weekend of May 17-18, Rockingham Dragway will host competition in five unique classes including Nitro Funny Car, Nitro Harley, Nitro Altered, Mountain Motor Pro Stock and Jet Dragster all run on the full quarter-mile. The professional classes will be joined by the IHRA's Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL as hundreds of local racers flock to the hallow grounds looking to make their own history.

This is drag racing how it is meant to be, and it all takes place May 17-18 at The Rock.

"There is no denying, Rockingham Dragway holds a special place in the hearts of IHRA racers and fans. It has hosted so many legendary figures and seen so many drag racing firsts and we are so excited to return to the track with our new brand of IHRA drag racing," said Scott Gardner, President of IHRA Motorsports. "Of all of the events on the 2014 schedule, this is without a doubt one of the most anticipated stops on the tour. There is so much history that has been made at Rockingham Dragway and we look forward to making even more May 17-18 with the return of the Spring Nationals."

This year, every lap matters as the stars of Nitro Funny Car, Nitro Harley, Nitro Altered, Mountain Motor Pro Stock and Jet Dragster push their machines to the limit in their chase for the 2014 IHRA World Championships. Qualifying will take place Saturday, May 17 followed by eliminations on Sunday, May 18.

Three nitro-powered classes will take center stage at Rockingham Dragway, joining the legendary racers of Mountain Motor Pro Stock and the thrilling Larsen Motorsports Jet Dragster team.

Among the record-setting performances in 2014 have been great showings from IHRA's Nitro Funny Car and Pro Stock classes.

One of IHRA's original classes when it was founded in the early 70s, Pro Stock returned to IHRA competition after a brief hiatus this season and has been met with overwhelming support, not to mention topping the list of record-breaking performances.

Earlier this season, John DeFlorian shattered the IHRA records in speed and elapsed time with a blistering 6.224-second pass at 226.70 miles per hour pass in San Antonio. Currently, DeFlorian sits second in the Pro Stock standings behind Oklahoma native Cary Goforth. They will be joined by Goforth's teammate Todd Hoerner, along with two-time IHRA Pro Stock world champion Pete Berner, Scott Hintz, Kevin Bealko and more.

In Nitro Funny Car, Californian Jason Rupert leads the way in the Bays and Rupert "Black Plague" '69 Camaro coming off of two Nitro Jam victories in the first three races. He is joined by "Mr. Explosive" Mark Sanders, Tim Boychuk in "Forever Forward," John Hale in the "Mike Burkhart" tribute Camaro, Mike McIntire Jr. in "McAttack," Bruce Litton in the "US Male" Vega, Ronnie Young in the world famous "Blue Max," Mike Halstead in "Candies & Hughes" and more.

Multi-time IHRA Nitro Jam champion Peter Gallen will make his 2014 debut in the "Poverty Stricken" AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car as he looks to take on the world's best in what has been outstanding competition with fields regularly pushing the limits of the nostalgia machines.

Also making history in Rockingham will be the debut of the world's only Jet Dragster championship program being contested by the four fastest women in drag racing - the Larsen Motorsports jet team. This four-car team is made up of four very talented female competitors with vastly different backgrounds. From a 19-year-old college student, to a female test pilot, a nurse and an entrepreneur who holds the operation together, the team of Elaine Larsen, Marisha Falk, Dawn Perdue and Kat Moller will compete in 300 mph, side-by-side jet-powered drag racing action.

IHRA's other nitro divisions will include Nitro Harley and Nitro Altered, two radical and extreme classes that are among the most popular in the sport.

Iconic racer and North Carolina native Jay Turner leads the 220 mph nitro-powered motorcycle class, joining points leader Randal Andras, Mike Scott, local star and new record holder Mark Cox and more.

Nitro Altered, another extreme class once banned from organized competition, will include Arizona native Ron Maroney in "Blind Faith," Las Vegas native and third generation racer Kyle Hough in "Nanook, the popular "Arizona Thunder" driven by Mike Hilsabeck, "Bullet Bob" driven by Don Blackshear and more.

In addition to all of the on-track action, the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Spring Nationals will feature an all-new and fully interactive Fan Fest pit experience. Fans can tour the pits, meet the drivers and take part in a number of fun family activities including the Larsen Motorsports Jet Technology Center, a hands-on look at the design and technology behind a jet-powered racing team, and the Hollywood Cars of the Stars featuring real cars from famous movies and television shows such as the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard, the DeLorean from Back to the Future, the Batmobile from the 1960s Batman television series and more.

In addition to the professional action, the Spring Nationals will also two full days of sportsman racing competing on the IHRA's Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by AMSOIL. Racing in the Division 9 doubleheader will take place Saturday and Sunday.

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) announced the VP Racing Fuels Front Runner Award for eligible teams competing in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge.
 
Using a points system that puts a premium on leading laps, VP Racing Fuels—the Official Fuel Supplier and a Proud Partner of IMSA—will provide a $10,000 fuel credit to the TUDOR Championship car that scores the most points from the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona through the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International on June 29. At that point, the standings reset and an additional $10,000 fuel credit is awarded to the car that leads the points from the event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on July 13 to the season-ending Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda at Road Atlanta on Oct. 4.
 
Points are awarded at each event with the car that leads the most laps in any class earning one point.

The Continental Tire Challenge follows the same points system with a $2,500 fuel credit provided to the car with the most points at the conclusion of the Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta events.
 
“With the intense level of competition in these series, we wanted this award to be a fitting tribute to the level of excellence required to lead the most laps over half a season,” said Alan Cerwick, president of VP Racing Fuels. “VP's fuels are engineered to take the lead and keep you there, so the awards are a perfect fit for us and the racers we support as the Official Fuel Supplier of IMSA."

Simona de Silvestro is targeting a place on the Formula 1 grid next season after beginning her testing program with Sauber.



The Swiss former IndyCar racer recently completed two days of running in a two-year old Sauber C31 at Ferrari's Fiorano test track.

She will test the car again for three days at Valencia at the end of June and told reporters in the Spanish Grand Prix paddock on Friday that she is focused on turning her role into a race seat for next season.



"Racing next year is the goal," de Silvestro said.

 "There's still a long road ahead, but if I do everything correctly and show good pace in the race car I don't see why not.



"The sponsors I have on the C31 are sponsors I've had since 2008 with the cleaner energy campaign.

"They've always known F1 is my ultimate goal and they're helping me try to get there."

De Silvestro, who finished second in the Houston IndyCar race for KV Racing last year, admitted she has yet to earn the Super Licence required to drive the current Sauber on grands prix weekends, but hopes to put that right in the near future.

"Yeah, I think there are possibilities," she added, when asked whether there were opportunities to drive this year's C33.

"All the goals we have set so far have been achieved, so hopefully in the near future that will happen."

De Silvestro said she had also decided to forego the chance to race in another category this season, in order to focus on her F1 commitments.



"That was the debate we were having on what to do this year," she added. 

"[But] what is difficult about F1 is understanding how everything works.



"Luckily for me I'm having quite a bit of testing in an F1 car, and right now that's more valuable than actually racing.



"It is a risk to leave my career in the US, but since I was a small girl I've always wanted this.



"It was actually a pretty easy choice because this chance only comes once in life and you have to take it.



"I don't think about not racing, I'm thinking about doing everything right and getting in the race car."

The NHRA announced it has changed the 12.90 minimum dial-in to 11.90 for the 8-9 year olds in the NHRA Summit Jr Drag Racing League, effective immediately.

“We have been evaluating the NHRA Summit Jr Drag Racing League and found this change was necessary to address the evaluation of the Jr Dragsters”, said Josh Peterson, Vice President of Racing Administration. “This is the second change we have made to the Jr Drag Racing League, last year we accepted a cost effective engine into the series, the Briggs and Stratton 206 to address rising costs in the league."

Amendments to the 2014 NHRA Jr Drag Racing League rulebook can be found on NHRARacer.com and NHRA’s Jr Dragster website.

Toyo Tires is now the official tire of SPEED Energy Formula Off-Road. As a result, all Stadium Super Trucks running in the series will compete on Toyo Open Country A/T II tires.

The series was founded by former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Robby Gordon, who is also an off-road champion and long-time Team Toyo driver. The 600-plus horsepower SST trucks tackle a serpentine race course with ramp jumps that can launch them 20 feet in the air. Speeds can reach as high as 130-mph, making for a true spectacle to excite the fans.

This marks an expanded partnership between the two organizations as Toyo Tires supported the then Stadium SUPER Trucks™ in its inaugural season last year and celebrated winning the overall championship with Gordon.

“Toyo Tires is both excited and proud to be the exclusive tire selected by Robby Gordon for the 2014 SPEED Energy Formula Off-Road series,”” said Amy Coleman, senior director of marketing, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. ““By winning the inaugural Stadium SUPER Truck championship last year, we have proven that Toyo Open Country tires are up to the task of being the spec tire of this exciting series.””

““Toyo Tires has been a partner of Formula Off-Road since its inception,”” said Gordon. “We are obviously grateful for their support, but more importantly the tires they provide our competitors are extremely reliable and fit the series perfectly. The same tires we race on the SST’s are on my personal vehicle and we race a similar tire in other off-road races including the Dakar Rally and Baja 1000. Even with the abuse we put on the Toyo Open Country tires they always perform for us, it’s great to have Toyo Tires back in the Formula Off-Road Series again for our second season.””

VP Racing Fuels has been named Official Racing Fuel and Official Small Engine Fuel of Watkins Glen International for all events with the exception of NASCAR. In addition to becoming The Glen’s official fuel supplier, VP Racing Fuels will also be the presenting sponsor of the Ferrari Challenge North America event at WGI, September 19-21, now titled “The Ferrari Challenge North America presented by VP Racing Fuels.”
 
“VP has been racing since the early 70’s and like WGI, has a rich history of precision and performance,” stated Michael Printup, President of Watkins Glen International. “We are thrilled with their partnership as presenting sponsor of our new Ferrari Challenge North America event this September. Watkins Glen race fans will love this event!”
 
The historic road course, host to past Formula 1 and CART events, will now rely on VP products to fuel their IMSA, SVRA Vintage, SCCA and on-track events according to the recently announced multi-year contract. VP’s race fuel products will be available at the track pumps for all track rental customers.
 
“As fuel supplier to the NHRA, IMSA, Rally America, DIRTcar and many others we’ve had the opportunity to work at some very well known venues in North America,” said Jim Kelly, VP’s Regional Manager for Eastern U.S. and Europe. “Fueling the Rolex 24 Hour race in Daytona Beach this year was incredible for everyone at VP, but being chosen by Watkins Glen to provide fuel service at the track where Graham Hill, Niki Lauda, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mario Andretti and so many other road racing superstars competed is especially rewarding.”

PRI announced two weeks ago that to make more booth space available for race parts manufacturers in the main Exhibit Halls, trailer companies will not have space available inside the Indiana Convention Center for the display of trailers.

To follow up, I thought I'd make a note on this blog on our thought process: We wanted to give more core exhibitors--racing and performance parts manufacturers--the opportunity for space inside the main Exhibit Halls, allowing many to move from spots in exhibit room and corridor locations last year. The goal is to retain these companies as exhibitors, and continue to provide the widest array possible of displays of hardcore racing products for attending buyers. We are also implementing new strategies to improve buyer traffic flow outside the main Exhibit Halls.

In terms of buyer traffic, the move to Indianapolis resulted in more credentials being printed up by PRI than in any other previous PRI Trade Show. It's the right location for the PRI Trade Show.

We welcome trailer companies to continue to exhibit in the PRI Trade Show, although without a full-scale product on display inside the main Exhibit Halls. Representatives of the trailer companies have been great customers and longtime supporters of the PRI Trade Show. We will continue to promote the exhibits of trailers at the PRI Trade Show, and encourage all race teams to time their hauler purchase decision with three days of shopping the Show. The goal is to strengthen the identity of the PRI Trade Show as the annual epicenter of new racing technology, and fill the exhibit aisles once again in 2014, connecting buyers to exhibitors, including trailer companies.