Joie Chitwood III, president of Daytona International Speedway, will be the honorary chairman of the 26th Annual Motorsports Hall of Fame of America’s Induction Ceremony to take place August 6 at The Fillmore Theater in Detroit.

Chitwood has been president of International Speedway Corporation’s (ISC) flagship motorsports facility since August 2010.  He oversees all speedway activities including event entertainment, fan amenities and ticket sales. Chitwood is also a member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America’s Board of Trustees. His grandfather, historic open-wheel race car driver and legendary showman Joie Chitwood, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.

“As the head of one of our sport’s premier facilities and a member of a motorsport dynasty, we are proud to have Joie Chitwood serve as our honorary chairman this year,” says Ron Watson, president of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. “He is one of the most respected motorsports executives in the country.  Joie’s participation marks the beginning of a dynamic partnership between the Daytona International Speedway and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America."  

In January, it was announced that the Hall of Fame will be relocating to the grounds of the 'World Center of Racing' by 2016.

“I’m honored to serve as the honorary chairman for the upcoming induction ceremony,” Chitwood said.  “The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a special place for me both personally and professionally. I had the privilege of having my father and son with me during my grandfather’s induction in 2010.  In addition, many of the inductees have strong connections to the ‘World Center of Racing’ and this iconic racing venue is going to be a fitting home to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America beginning in 2016.”

Beginning at age five, Chitwood was an integral part of his family’s entertainment business, the well-known Chitwood Thrill Show.  After graduating from the University of Florida with degrees in business administration and finance and later earning an MBA from the University of South Florida, he embarked on a career in motorsports facility management.

He was vice president and general manager of Raceway Associates, LLC, which oversaw construction of the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., from 1999-2002. His next stop was senior vice president of business affairs, then president and chief operating officer of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), overseeing daily operations for IMS as well as the Brickyard Crossing Inn and Brickyard Crossing Golf Course.

Chitwood joined Daytona Beach-based ISC as vice president of business operations before taking over the reins of the speedway.

Tickets for the induction ceremony can be purchased by calling 1-248-349-RACE (7223).

The Motorsports Museum & Hall of Fame is operated by the Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame of America Foundation Inc.

VP Racing Fuels announced TAC Energy has come aboard as a partner in VP’s retail brand program. An independent fuel wholesalers, TAC Energy has agreed to supply fuel to VP-branded retail stores in the Dallas/Ft. Worth and East Texas areas. As a major supplier, TAC will represent a key strategic component of VP’s value proposition as a source of unbranded supply, according to Alan Cerwick, President of VP Racing Fuels.
 
“We’re always seeking organic growth so it made perfect sense to help fuel VP’s strategy for success by offering a lower cost of supply,” said Derrick Maynard, Sales Manager for TAC Energy.  “We see tremendous benefits in VP’s program for their retailers.  With a lower cost of supply, coupled with additional revenue streams from VP’s fuel additives—both packaged and blended inline at the pump -- and additional savings in credit card processing fees, VP’s brand program offers compelling advantages for its brand partners.”
 
“Among performance enthusiasts, VP Racing Fuels has an unmatched reputation for power and reliability,” said Cerwick. “As we look for unbranded wholesale fuel providers, we intend to maintain the same high standards so TAC Energy became an obvious choice.  TAC Energy is a reliable supplier of unbranded fuels with a deep passion for their brand, quality and customer service, and we’re happy to have them become part of Team VP.”

Officials at Talladega Superspeedway, one of NASCAR’s biggest, baddest and most competitive tracks, announced that the back straightaway will forever be known as “The Alabama Gang Superstretch”, paying tribute to the original members—racing legends Bobby and Donnie Allison, and Red Farmer, all of whom have played a significant role in the track’s history and are today huge supporters of the 2.66-mile venue.
 
For this weekend’s Aaron’s Dream Weekend at Talladega, The Alabama Gang Superstretch name will be displayed in huge, block lettering midway down the outside retaining wall of the backstretch, which measures over 4000 feet. The monumental, new addition to the track will “stretch” more than 200 feet.
 
The trio will serve in “official” capacities during what will be a busy and exciting Saturday at the track. The Allisons will serve as the Grand Marshal’s for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 ARCA race, while Farmer will be the Honorary Starter from atop the flag stand. The ARCA race kicks off a full day of activity which also includes the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series all-new Coors Light “Knockout” group qualifying for the Aaron’s 499, plus the Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series event.
 
“No honor is too big for The Alabama Gang,” says Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. “What we are doing in naming The Alabama Gang Superstretch is unprecedented in our sport. During our events, from TV cameras and still photography, fans will be able to see this accolade for some of our favorite people in the world. The gang has meant so much to NASCAR, Talladega Superspeedway and the state of Alabama, and this is just a small token of our appreciation.”
 
“This place is special,” said Bobby of the speedway. “We (The Alabama Gang) have always felt like we were a part of it.”
 
“When you won Talladega, there was something extra special about it,” added Donnie. “It was a huge deal to us, our family and friends.”
 
“We made each other the best we could be since we raced against each other in the early years,” quipped Farmer of he and the Allisons. “We liked racing against each other, and Talladega was the ultimate place to race.”
 
Hailing from Florida, Farmer and the Allison brothers saw opportunities in Alabama, so they settled in Hueytown, Alabama. In the early 1960s, they gained notoriety through success on short tracks in cities like Huntsville, Birmingham and Montgomery. Naturally, when William H.G. France built the biggest and fastest speedway in the country in nearby Talladega, the hometown boys were going to take to the track. And as a result, devoted local fans turned out.
 
The legendary trio galvanized the local race fans in the 1960s and 70s, giving many a primary reason to devotedly attend races at Talladega—just to lend their cheers of support for their hometown heroes as they defended their turf. Their world eventually grew to include another Alabama racer Neil Bonnett, and years later, Bobby’s sons Davey and Clifford.
 
Hearing loud cheers from the stands, The Alabama Gang didn’t disappoint. While having success in NASCAR’s top division with 10 career triumphs, Donnie collected two victories at Talladega. Bobby, the 1983 Sprint Cup Series Champion and winner of 84 career races, would visit Talladega’s Victory Lane on four occasions. Bonnett, an 18-time Cup winner, was a one-time victor at Talladega. Farmer, a mainstay in the ARCA Series, claimed two wins at Talladega. Clifford posted a top-10 ARCA finish in 1992, and Davey ranks second only to Dale Earnhardt Sr. in total Talladega wins with eight. They include three NASCAR Sprint Cup (of his career total 19 Cup wins), four ARCA and one IROC triumph. Davey is one of only eight drivers to post their first career Sprint Cup win at Talladega.
 
The Alabama Gang is also represented atop The Alabama Gang Superstretch. From the exit of turn two to the entrance of turn three, fans now have additional RV options from which to view all races at Talladega Superspeedway. They include Allison Motorhome Ridge, Farmer Motorhome Overlook and Bonnett Corporate Motorhome Summit. For information on options, fans can call the Talladega Superspeedway ticket office at 1-877-Go2-Dega.
 
The Alabama Gang continues to live on today with a new generation of racers. The torch of the Allison legacy is passed from Donnie and Bobby to their grandsons Justin and Robbie. Justin Allison, with the help from his grandfather Donnie, has recently emerged on the racing scene in the ARCA Racing Series. Justin competed in the season-opening event at Daytona and was in the top-10 before being involved in an accident that broke out in front of him. He will compete in this weekend’s International Motorsports Hall of Fame ARCA race at Talladega. Robbie Allison, grandson of Bobby and son of Davey, now lives in Mooresville, NC and is competing in Legends and Late Model cars, as well as Pro Champion Karts. Both Justin and Robbie have high aspirations.
 
Another Alabama native, Grant Enfinger from Fairhope, has dominated the ARCA Series thus far in 2014, becoming only the second driver in series history to capture the checkered flag in the first three races of the season.
 
Interestingly enough, since Talladega Superspeedway opened in 1969, there have been more than 50 drivers from the state of Alabama to compete at the most competitive facility in the world, and all can say they are a part of “The Alabama Gang.”
 
Some of the Alabama drivers that tasted success in either ARCA or NASCAR include: Darrell Wallace Jr. (first African-American driver to win a race in one of NASCAR’s premier divisions); Steve Grissom (1993 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champ and winner of 11 NNS races), Rick Crawford (5-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series winner), Cale Gale (1-time NCWTS/1-time ARCA winner), Gary Bradberry (3-time ARCA winner), Mickey Gibbs (3-time ARCA winner), Billy Thomas (5-time ARCA winner) and Dave Mader III (1-time ARCA winner). Hut Stricklin, Donnie Allison’s son-in-law, enjoyed success as well with a career best runner up finish in Darlington Raceway’s 1996 Southern 500. Johnny Ray, who lives down the street from the track, competed in three ARCA races and one Cup race at Talladega, but is best known for giving Dale Earnhardt Sr. one of his early rides in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
 
The track was also excited to have former crew chief Larry McReynolds, a Birmingham native, who helped Davey Allison to several wins, on hand at today’s event. Bonnett’s widow Susan Bonnett Northcutt and Liz Allison Hackett and Krista Allison, widow and daughter of Davey Allison, respectively, joined in on Wednesday’s ceremonies, as well. The Gang is all here…..and lives on through the drivers of today and The Alabama Gang Superstretch at Talladega Superspeedway!
 
For a variety of ticket packages for the Aaron’s Dream Weekend, log onto www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA. NASCAR returns to Talladega Superspeedway in 2014 with the Aaron’s Dream Weekend, which is set for May 2-4. The NASCAR Nationwide Series and ARCA Racing Series will take to the track on Saturday, May 3 while NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series machines take the green flag on Sunday, May 4.

Reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Tony Kanaan turned the ceremonial first lap of the new 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, but he was quickly was joined by 24 other eager Verizon IndyCar Series drivers during an open test.

It didn’t faze the drivers that they were crossing the yard of bricks on the front straight in a clockwise direction.

“Driving the car it doesn’t feel strange because you’re focused on hitting your marks. But every time I’m on pit lane and looking at the cars going out it just doesn’t look right,” said Ryan Briscoe, who was second quickest overall at 1 minute, 9.6558 seconds in the No. 8 NTT Data Chevy for Ganassi Racing. “It’s just a lot of fun to drive and fun to be learning a new track.”

Five hours of track time provided drivers and teams an opportunity to get a baseline for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis practice sessions May 8, when lap times will be considerably more crucial. The three rounds of qualifications are May 9 and the standing start for the 82-lap race is at 3:43 p.m. on May 10.

Less than 24 hours later is the initial practice for the 98th Indianapolis 500—in a counter-clockwise direction on the 2.5-mile oval.

Reigning series champion Scott Dixon jumped to the top of the time chart on the last of his 46 laps in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevy at 1:09.5969, while Simon Pagenaud was third (1:09.7544) in the No. 77 Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports Honda. Three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves (1:10.0209) was fourth in the No. 3 Verizon Team Penske Chevy, and Ryan Hunter-Reay (1:10.0237) was fifth in the No. 28 DHL Honda for Andretti Autosport.

The top 19 cars were separated by less than a second.

In the second year of the PRI Trade Show's return to Indianapolis, trailer companies will not have space available inside the Indiana Convention Center for the display of their trailers. This change is designed to make more booth space available for racing parts manufacturers inside the main Exhibit Halls of the Indiana Convention Center.
 
"As we look ahead to laying out the 2014 PRI Trade Show floor plan next month, we saw a definite need to free up more space in the main Exhibit Halls for racing parts manufacturers," said John Kilroy, producer of the PRI Trade Show. Last year, there were over 300 racing companies displaying their products outside the main Exhibit Halls, in meeting rooms and lobby areas. "Essentially, the trailers as products are too big for display inside the jam-packed main Exhibit Halls, where there is huge demand for booth space. We are working to accommodate the exhibit requests for the largest number of racing parts manufacturers."
 
Lucas Oil Stadium is not available for exhibits due to an Indianapolis Colts game the week of the PRI Trade Show. The NFL schedule was announced Wednesday night, April 23.
 
"The return of the PRI Trade Show to Indianapolis was a huge success in number of buyers and number of exhibiting race companies, but it also brought new challenges," continued Kilroy. "The main Exhibit Halls are very different in size, configuration and access. They're not well suited for the space required for the display of trailers during the PRI Trade Show."
 
Trailer companies will still have access to the buyer traffic inside the main Exhibit Halls with an exhibit presence, such as 10x10 or 10x20-foot exhibit space. However, there will not be space available for the trailer.
 
Exterior space around the Indiana Convention Center has been reserved by the PRI Trade Show for those trailer companies who wish to have a trailer nearby to complete a sales presentation. Trailer companies must reserve booths inside the PRI Trade Show in order to reserve space for a trailer outside the Convention Center.

NHRA Pro Stock driver Erica Enders-Stevens took a hometown victory last weekend at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals in Houston.

In the NHRA, the fact that she's a female just doesn’t seem like a big deal.

 But it’s worth talking about, because her win makes 99 pro victories for women drivers in the NHRA. That’s especially impressive since the wins only began in 1976, with Top Fuel driver Shirley Muldowney, a pioneer not only in drag racing but in motorsports in general. Muldowney is responsible for 18 of those 99 wins. Enders-Stevens now has eight victories.

Here are the top 10 women drivers per number of victories:
1. Angelle Sampey, Pro Stock Motorcycle, 41 (first at Reading 1996, last at Houston 2007). 2. Shirley Muldowney, Top Fuel, 18 (first at Columbus 1976, last at Phoenix 1989) 3. Erica Enders-Stevens, Pro Stock, 8 (first at Chicago 2012, last at Houston 2014). 4. Karen Stoffer, Pro Stock Motorcycle, 6 (first at Houston 2004, last at Denver 2011). 5. Melanie Troxel, Top Fuel-Funny Car, 5 (first at Pomona 1 2006, TF, last at Bristol 2008, FC) 6. Shelly Payne, Top Fuel, 4 (first at Reading 1993, last at Seattle 1996). (Tie) Lori Johns, Top Fuel, 4 (first at Pomona 1 1990, last at Memphis 1991). (Tie) Ashley Force Hood, Funny Car, 4 (first at Atlanta 2008, last at Indianapolis 2010) 9. Courtney Force, Funny Car, 3 (first at Seattle 2012, last at Epping 2013) 10. Alexis DeJoria, Funny Car 2 (first at Phoenix 2014, last at Las Vegas 1 2014).

The 100th victory could easily come at the next race, the Summit NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta on May 16-18. So far, Brittany Force and Leah Pritchett are entered in Top Fuel; Alexis DeJoria and Courtney Force are entered in Funny Car; Enders-Stevens is entered in Pro Stock, and in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Angie Smith, Elvira Karlsson and Katie Sullivan are on the list. That’s a lot, for two reasons—everybody wants a shot at being number 100, and the Pro Stock Motorcycles only race at select events.

So where does this leave NASCAR? Still looking for its first female winner in one of the three top touring series. And is this a good place to mention that the last and only IndyCar victory for Danica Patrick was six years ago this month? She’s now in NASCAR, of course, and doesn’t appear to be close to a victory there.

In fairness, drag racing has long attracted women as competitors in a way that no other motorsports series has. Bottom line, the NHRA is one win away from proving not only that women can get the job done behind the wheel not once, but 100 times.

The potential for a single-stage shootout to decide overall positions on World Rally Championship rounds is under discussion again, with a decision expected in September.

The plan to radically revise the format of WRC rounds, first talked about 12 months ago, was a centerpoint of the meeting between manufacturers and the WRC Promoter firm last week. The need for change to the final day of rallies is one of the areas where the two parties are completely aligned.

"This is an open discussion at the moment," said WRC Promoter chief Oliver Ciesla, "but the intention is to increase the drama and increase the attractiveness of this decisive final moment of each rally – and to develop a 'media moment' which leads us to a new level of audience.

"We are talking with all stakeholders in order to find out how that format will be developed to fulfill the needs of what the WRC is; the needs of the audience to create more drama and to make it fair in the eyes of the sporting participants."

NO CHANGES BEFORE 2015

Ciesla said change would not be coming before the start of next season.

"The intention is to change for next year," he said. "This is a creative process to find the solution. We are taking input from all sides and we then try to convert it and amalgamate it into the current format for implementation next year. We do not expect these changes to come before Monte Carlo 2015.

"All proposals have to be made for September's World Motor Sport Council meeting. After that meeting, we could be in a position to make some amendments public. And, for some of the rallies early in 2015, changes could come at too short notice, so there would be a transition period."

Volkswagen's Jost Capito was one of the original architects of the plan and remains committed to it.

"For the general public, we are still in favor of the proposal we put forward of two long days of the rally followed by a Sunday with a final shootout with the top 10 fighting out their positions on one stage, where they can win or lose only one position," he said. "This could be put in a one-hour television program, which everybody would understand and is exciting for everybody involved.

"It's also very important for the manufacturers that this kind of program could be understood by those people who are not the hardcore rally fans – this would help to bring them into our sport."

Formula 1's leading figures are adamant that a three-year cost cutting plan discussed in the F1 Strategy Group is the best way to sort out the sport's budget problems.

While the Strategy Group's decision to abandon plans for a cost cap has caused controversy, F1's bigger outfits are unmoved by the unease.

Instead, they think that their schedule of changes being discussed from next season until 2017, detailed below, will do exactly what is needed to bring the sport's finances under control.

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said: "I was for a cost cap actually, but we realized that some of the other big teams wouldn't go down that way, or couldn't follow that way.

"Ferrari is a good example because they have everything in one entity and it's difficult for them to have everything screened.

"It doesn't make sense to go against two or three of the big teams just for the sake of the principal of a cost cap, so I think it's worth following up in a way everybody can do.

"This is why going through the sporting or technical regulations is probably the right way to go. We've seen in the past that it worked."

Wolff said the fundamental aim of dramatically reducing F1 costs remained intact.

"We are working to find the best tools, getting together to find the best way forward," he said.

"We are definitely for a cost cap, we are for a ceiling.

"We are not running away in a spending war between the top teams, and we are also for a glide slope downwards so we can reduce the gap between the smaller teams and the larger teams."

The ideas that are up for discussion during Thursday's meeting are:

2015

Tire blanket ban

Fuel system simplification

Brake duct simplification

Front wing simplification

Gearbox usage flow brought in line with engine life

Increase in curfew

Ban on front and rear interconnected suspension

2016

Standard front impact structure

Standard rear impact structure

Standard final drive system

Standard steering rack

2017

FIA standard active suspension

Move to 18-inch wheel rims

A host of distinguished “Honorary” officials were named for this weekend’s Aaron’s Dream Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, May 2-4.
 
Grand Marshals for the Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, which gets the green flag on Saturday at 2 p.m., will be four representatives from the Wounded Warriors Project. The quartet will give the command, “Drivers, Start Your Engines!” They include:
 
· Army Sergeant Chad Shadle from Naples, FL
· Army Sergeant Joe Washam from Justin, TX
· Army Staff Sergeant Erick Millette from Jacksonville, FL
· Army Specialist Logan Hathorn from Petal, MS
 
The Honorary Starter for the Aaron’s 312 will be Peter Torres from East Hampton, CT, who was the winner of the Aaron’s Weekend of Your Dreams Sweepstakes. He will wave the green flag atop the start-finish line to get the race underway.
 
Other Honorary Officials for the weekend include:
 
· Original Alabama Gang members Bobby & Donnie Allison serving as the Grand Marshals for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 ARCA Racing Series event
· Red Farmer, another original member of the Alabama Gang, serving as Honorary Starter and dropping the green flag for the ARCA race
· SSG Michael Scarlett of the Army Material Command Band, Redstone Arsenal, AL, performing the National Anthem and “God Bless America” on Saturday
· The Arsenal Brass Quintet, Army Material Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL performing the National Anthem prior to Sunday’s Aaron’s 499
· Alabama Raceway Ministries’ Reverend John Whaley (ARCA International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200), Reverend Billy Dickey (Aaron’s 312) and Reverend Mark Stokes (Aaron’s 499) giving invocations for each race
· Major Johnny “JT” Taylor from Redstone Arsenal, AL presenting the new “Freedom Trophy”  to the Aaron’s 499 winner
· Governor Robert Bentley serving as the Grand Marshal for the Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and Auburn University Head Football Coach Gus Malzahn serving as the race’s “Honorary Pace Car Driver”
 
Some of the most competitive racing in NASCAR combined with a mix of southern hospitality returns to Talladega Superspeedway May 2-4 for the Aaron’s Dream Weekend.  Secure your tickets at www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or by calling 877-Go2-DEGA.

In the LM GTE Pro category there have been three withdrawals, all Aston Martins: nos 89 (LM GTE Pro, Aston Martin Racing), 87 (LM GTE Am, Craft Racing) and 96 (LM GTE Am, Aston Martin Racing).

They will be replaced by two Porsche 911 GT3 RSRs, no. 76 (IMSA Performance Matmut, nominated driver Raymond Narac) and no. 79 (Prospeed Compétition, nominated driver Xavier Maassen).

As there are no reserves left in LM GTE, the no. 50 Larbre Compétition Morgan-Judd (nominated driver Jacques Nicolet), the first LM P reserve, has been incorporated into the LM P2 category.

In the LM P category, Millénium Racing is unable to confirm its initial entry of two Oreca 03-Nissans (nos 22 and 23). As a result they have been replaced by the no. 42 Zytek Z11SN-Nissan (Caterham Racing, nominated driver Chris Dyson) and the no. 29 Morgan-Nissan (Pegasus Racing, nominated driver Julien Shell). Although the Signatech-Alpine team was second on the list of LM P reserves it decided not to honour its entry, the no. 30 Alpine A450-Nissan.

There are no entrants left on the reserve lists for the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours. Fifty-six cars will be at the start of the 82nd event on June 14.

The breakdown of the field for the Le Mans 24 Hours is as follows: 10 LM P1 (7 LM P1 Hybrids and 3 LM P1 Lights), 18 LM P2s, 9 LM GTE Pros, 18 LM GTE Ams and 1 CDNT (the vehicle in the 56th garage), in other words: 29 prototypes and 27 GTs.

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest is publishing the list of participants in the Le Mans 24-Hours test day on June 1, 2014. The no. 79 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (Prospeed Compétition) will not be present. On the other hand, AF Corse has entered an additional Ferrari 458 Italia. This car whose nominated driver is Duncan Cameron will have the number 55.

Thus, 56 cars will take to the track for this general rehearsal for the Le Mans 24 Hours: 10 LM P1s, 18 LM P2s, 9 LM GTE Pros, 18 LM GTE Ams and 1 CDNT.