5-hour ENERGY will sponsor Kansas Speedway’s inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series night race on May 10.

The race is officially named the 5-hour ENERGY 400 Benefiting Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF).

From May 1 through July 31, Living Essentials will donate five cents from the sale of every specially marked red, white and blue bottle of cherry-flavored 5-hour ENERGY to SOWF, a top-rated nonprofit organization that supports the military’s special operations forces and their families through college scholarships, family services, and financial stipends. The minimum guaranteed donation is $75,000.

“I’m excited to have 5-hour ENERGY join with us on our inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series night race,” Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren said.

“I’m even prouder to know that we will be honoring the military service of so many men and women and are able to recognize the commitment they have made to our country. The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides support and assistance to personnel in the U.S. Special Operations Command and I look forward to working with them and 5-hour ENERGY during our race weekend.”

Sage Karam, the 2013 Indy Lights champion, has a multi-year contract with Chip Ganassi Racing Teams as a developmental driver and will enter the 2014 Indianapolis 500 through an alliance with Dreyer & Reinbold Kingdom Racing.

Karam will drive the No. 22 Chevrolet/Dallara while attempting to qualify for the 98th Indianapolis 500.

“Sage is a unique talent that we believe is a future star of the sport,” said team owner Chip Ganassi. “Even at a young age, he has been successful at every level that he has raced at. It is nice to see his poise and tenacity on the race track as I think that will translate well to his driving at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 500. He reminds me of the two other recent young drivers that we have in our program, Kyle Larson and Dylan Kwasniewski.”

Karam competed twice with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) earlier this season in a second Prototype (P) fielded in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s (TUSC) Rolex 24 At Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. Karam was most recently part of the No. 02 driver lineup with Target Verizon IndyCar Series drivers Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan, who earned the most points from Sebring’s three segments toward the season-ending $100,000 Patrón Endurance Cup for the (P) class with a sixth-place result.

Karam started all 12 races of the 2013 Indy Lights series, winning three times on his way to claiming the 2013 Indy Lights Championship, making him the eighth driver to claim the title in their rookie season, as well as becoming the youngest Indy Lights Champion in history at 18 years old.

At age 15, he won the 2010 USF2000 Series Championship as well as the Rookie of the Year award. He entered the Star Mazda series in 2011, winning Rookie of the Year and then going on to finish third in the standings in 2012. Karam is also the first driver to compete in all levels of the Mazda Road to Indy program, where he became the only driver to win races at each level.

“I couldn’t be happier to join Chip Ganassi Racing’s Verizon IndyCar Series program,” Karam said. “It is honestly a dream come true for me and my racing career. I’ve been very fortunate to participate in a few IMSA races for Chip with the team, and I can’t wait for my first experience in the Indianapolis 500. Chip has created a fantastic organization that judges success by just one thing—winning, both races and championships. This is a very big day for me.”

Roth Motorsports has named Connecticut sprint-car driver David Gravel as the full-time driver of the Roth Enterprises No. 83 410 sprinter on the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series circuit.

Gravel replaces Tim Kaeding, who stepped out of the No. 83 entry two weeks ago to return home to California to attend to personal matters. Danny Lasoski has driven the No. 83 for Roth Motorsports the last two weeks while the team ironed out its long-term plans. Gravel had been driving the No. 59 entry owned by Tom and Sherry Leidig this season.

“We are looking forward to David Gravel coming on board and being our new driver,” said team owner Dennis Roth said. “He has done well over the last few years, and we think this is a great fit for both parties.”

The new arrangement will kick off this weekend as Gravel and his Roth Motorsports team take to the famed Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series.

“I am beyond excited for the chance to work with the entire Roth Motorsports team,” Gravel said. “They have always put a great product on the track, and I am excited to see what we can do together. I also need to thank Tom and Sherry Leidig for the opportunity they gave me this year. It is tough to leave great people, but I wish them the best.”

Gravel has competed most of the 2014 season with the World of Outlaws, and has made a few other stops as well, totalling 21 races with a feature event win (Merced, Calif., with the World of Outlaws), four top fives, 13 top 10’s and two fast time awards.

Joining Gravel and the Roth Motorsports team of Scotty Martin and Brandon Hickman on the road will be long time Crew Chief Sonny Kreitzer. During the 2013 season, Kreitzer worked with the Roth Motorsports California team and helped them get off to a great start and ultimately claim the King of the West Title.

“We are excited to have Sonny back with us,” Roth said. “He helped us a bit in 2013, and was also in the pit area during the California swing, and we are hoping he can help us continue on for the rest of the 2014 season and pick up some feature wins.”

VP Racing Fuels has announced that New England Dragway, host to the NHRA Nationals in June, has signed a long-term agreement for exclusive fuel supply at the Epping, New Hampshire facility.

“We're excited to extend our partnership with VP Racing Fuels through 2016,” said Joe Lombardo, NED Track Manager. “We strive to provide quality products for our customers and there is no doubt VP is the industry leader."
 
“We appreciate being selected again by NED and are looking forward to fueling their weekly ET Series and special events for years to come” added Jim Kelly, VP’s Eastern Regional Manager.

VP Racing Fuels is also the Official Fuel of NHRA Championship Drag Racing, Tudor United SportsCar Championship, the ACT Tour, Rally America and DIRTCar, along with Lebanon Valley Dragway, Atco Raceway, MIR, Cecil County, Thunder Road SpeedBowl, Lime Rock Park, Watkins Glen and Santa Pod Raceway in the UK, among many other series and tracks in North America and around the world.
 
More information is available online at VPRacingFuels.com.

The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) has announced one of the greatest icons in the history of motor racing will serve as grand marshal for its June 6–8 Brickyard Invitational at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).

Parnelli Jones, the winner of the 1963 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, could have won the classic several times despite only competing seven years. A sure winner in 1962 and 1967 before mechanical maladies dashed his hopes, Jones, who broke the 150 mph barrier at the great track, is revered as one of the storied Speedway’s greatest ever.

Inducted into six auto racing halls of fame, Jones is well known for amazing diversity behind the wheel. In addition to Indy cars he enjoyed tremendous success in sprint cars, midgets, off-road vehicles, sports cars and stock cars. His achievements in the glory days of Trans-Am in the early 1970’s at the wheel of a Boss 302 Mustang added to the legend of that brand.

“The Brickyard Invitational will be a great event for fans who appreciate all types of racing and cars,” Jones said. “The competition is real, and I appreciate how they are honoring the great history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

One of Jones’ duties as grand marshal will be to pace the feature race of the weekend called the “Indy Legends” Pro-Am. The SVRA is creating a return to competition for veterans of the Indianapolis 500 with a 40-minute race of American muscle cars on the Speedway’s 2.43-mile Grand Prix road course on Sunday, June 8.

The SVRA expects to attract a field of at least 24 Indianapolis 500 veterans for the competition. Among the previously announced entries are two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., 1992 Rookie-of-the Year Lyn St. James, Willy T. Ribbs, Mark Dismore, Geoff Brabham, Johnny Parsons Jr., Alex Lloyd and Rick Treadway.

The SVRA also announced three additional entries for the contest: Spike Gehlhausen, Billy Roe and John Hollansworth. Gehlhausen is a veteran of five Indianapolis 500s, finishing tenth in 1979 and starting fourth in 1980. Roe raced in 1997 and 1998 while Hollansworth made the big show in 1999.

They, along with the other Indianapolis 500 veterans for the Pro-Am, will be in 1967 to 1972 vintage Corvettes, Camaros and Mustangs of “Group 6,” with an engine displacement limit of 355 cubic inches. The professionals will be paired with amateur drivers, each taking a 20-minute stint. Five minutes will be allotted for driver change.

The “Brickyard Invitational” weekend will be the largest gathering of race cars ever assembled for competition in America. The SVRA has 11 groups of cars spanning 100 years of vintage machines, and all will be in action at IMS. The exciting array of entries include exquisite examples of select pre-war machines, classic sports cars, Formula One and Le Mans prototypes as current as 2008.

The storied 2.5-mile oval will be utilized as well with exhibition runs by a wide variety of cars including several of the crowd-favorite 1950’s-vintage Indianapolis 500 “roadsters.” Race fans can enjoy every minute of the action by taking advantage of overnight camping inside the Speedway.

The Pro-Am cars and drivers will also participate in a Fan Walk through the starting grid prior to the opening ceremonies allowing fans to see the cars up close, take photos and chat with the drivers. Driver pairings and starting positions will be determined by a lottery. Entries to this event will be limited and all entry fees will be donated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum Foundation.

For more information, visit www.ims.com.

Lucas Oil Products has signed a multi-year extension with the NHRA to remain one of the drag racing sanctioning body’s cornerstone sponsors.

The all-encompassing partnership includes series sponsorship of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, title rights sponsorship of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota, naming rights at historic Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, and designation as the Official Oil of NHRA.

The centerpiece of the extension is the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which features eight classes, 25 regional events and 44 divisional events around the country, and showcases the skills and talents of thousands of racers.

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series also is conducted at all 24 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events, with 16 showcasing the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car categories.  These NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events are featured in 16 one-hour programs, produced in high definition and broadcast on ESPN2. 

"From the very beginning, our participation in these events has given us the opportunity to interact with the very people who purchase and use our products," said Forrest Lucas, CEO of Lucas Oil Products. "The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is extremely effective in helping us achieve our goals.”

In addition, Lucas Oil will maintain its status as the Official Oil of NHRA and retain title-rights sponsorship of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn.  Lucas Oil also renewed its naming-rights sponsorship at historic Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, home of the world’s most prestigious drag race, the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.

The sponsorship includes broadcast elements, on-site display, signage, ability to utilize the NHRA official logo on products and the opportunity to conduct consumer promotions.

Tilton Engineering in Buellton, California, has announced a new partnership with Andersen Promotions and the Indy Lights Series Presented by Cooper Tires.

The five-year deal makes Tilton the official clutch supplier of the series beginning with the 2015 season. This time-frame coincides with the introduction of the new Dallara IL-15 chassis and engine package, which will be equipped with a carbon clutch from Tilton.

Kirk Skaufel, Tilton's Director of Sales and Marketing, expressed enthusiasm for the new partnership, and pointed to Tilton's ongoing participation in other steps of the Mazda Road to Indy as evidence of a promising future between the two.

"Tilton is currently involved in the Mazda Road to Indy as the official clutch supplier for the USF2000 series, and partnering with Andersen Promotions for a five-year term as the official clutch supplier for the Indy Lights Championship demonstrates Tilton’s commitment to open wheel racing."

Along with supplying clutches for the series, Tilton will provide a $250 contingency award to the "Hard Charger" of each round. The Hard Charger Award is given to the driver who advances the most positions over the course of the race.

Tilton has been awarding Hard Chargers to drivers in USF2000 since the series returned in 2010.

For more information on Tilton's new partnership with Indy Lights or Tilton products, visit tiltonracing.com/products.

* Reher-Morrison Returns: A true highlight of each year’s Performance Racing Industry Trade Show is the Engine Charity Sweepstakes, organized by Sunnen Products Co. and PRI, in which a race engine is raffled off to raise funds for the Victory Junction camp. Created in 2004 by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their son, Adam, Victory Junction is a year-round camp in Randleman, North Carolina, for children ages six to 16 with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. They do some incredible things there at the 84-acre facility, as well as through their outreach programs, where they partner with nearby hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses to bring camp-style programming to children and families throughout the year. And we’re proud to say that 100 percent of all proceeds from the annual engine giveaway are donated to Victory Junction. Last year’s event raised more than $50,000, and the grand prize—a 1200 horsepower big-block Chevrolet drag race motor built by Reher-Morrison Racing Engines—went to Richard Payne of the House of Payne in Waynesboro, Virginia. The good news is that Reher-Morrison has once again agreed to provide the engine for this year’s sweepstakes. One of our favorite parts of the PRI Show is watching a crowd form around the Engine Charity Sweepstakes booth on that final Saturday afternoon. And the fact that we’re able to give away a Reher-Morrison engine really helps build that excitement. Big thanks to David Reher for the continued support!

* New Winter Series Coming To Cocopah: After months of speculation, Cocopah Speedway recently made it official with the announcement that a new sprint car series—the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown—has been added to the 2015 schedule. Feature races will take place January 2–3 and January 9–10 at the 3/8-mile clay oval in Somerton, Arizona, about five miles southwest of Yuma. Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart, who raced at Cocopah over two nights in February 2013 and raved about the facility, was instrumental in making the Showdown a reality. “Tony talked about Cocopah Speedway being perfect for a winter sprint car series and things progressed from there,” recalled Greg Burgess, the track’s director of operations. “This is the type of event that a town should rally around and make sure that this home run turns into a grand slam.” To that end, Burgess has enlisted Tommy Estes Jr., current promoter at Dodge City Raceway, to serve as the series’ race director. And, in addition to commitments from Tony Stewart Racing, there is reported interest from Kasey Kahne Racing and Larson Marks Racing teams. Healthy purses should add to the attraction, as each night pays $12,000 to win, with total prize money for the series nearing $250,000. A calendar of non-race day events will be released in the coming months; information on driver registration and tickets also should be available shortly at www.cocopahspeedway.com.

* Save The Date: PRI invites local racing industry members and those in town for the Knoxville Nationals to join us for this year’s 4th Annual VIP Manufacturers Luncheon on Friday, August 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. As in previous years, this fun, informal gathering is open to engine builders, parts manufacturers, race teams, chassis builders, equipment retailers, distributors and all others associated with motorsports. With no formal agenda, it’s a great opportunity to sit back and relax, grab some barbecue, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow industry folks. Lunch will be provided by area favorite “The Rib Shack,” and gift bags will be handed out to those in attendance. It all takes place on the second floor of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in Knoxville, Iowa, which once again is co-hosting the event with PRI. If you’re interested in stopping by, or have any questions about the luncheon, please contact PRI’s Reed Morales at reedm@performanceracing.com. We’ll see you in Knoxville!

Honda is making a major commitment to the 2014 running of the legendary Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, as both a sponsor and race participant, with plans to field products in seven distinct race classes.

In addition, Honda will be working with the AMA and the Pikes Peak sanctioning body on improvements which will provide new levels of safety to the Motorcycle/ATV/UTV/Sidecar competitors.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. will return as the Partnering Sponsor for the 2014 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the second time the company has participated as a corporate sponsor of the legendary race event. The 92nd running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will take place on Sunday, June 29.

In addition, Honda Power Sports will be the official ATV/UTV of the event, showcasing its latest products to support the sanctioning body.

This year also represents the first time a competitor at Pikes Peak has worked with the sanctioning body to improve overall safety at the historic event. Honda has worked with the AMA and the Pikes Peak sanctioning body to implement the race-proven technology of AirFence Provided by RoadRacing World Action Fund on key corners of the course. The AirFence has been successfully used in professional motorcycle racing worldwide and promises to enhance the 92nd running of the Pikes Peak hill climb.

With support from Honda's North American R&D and motorsports companies—Honda R&D Americas, Inc. and Honda Performance Development, Inc.—the company will campaign a broad range of Honda and Acura vehicles, as well as Honda motorcycles and ATVs. Honda will showcase and field products in seven race classes, building upon the unprecedented level of involvement in 2013.

Along with vehicles developed and piloted by Honda's North American associates under the banners of Honda Performance Development (HPD) and Team-Honda Research (THR), Honda is also supporting 2011 Pikes Peak Rookie of the Year and second-place overall finisher Romain Dumas in his own entry of a Honda-powered Norma RD Limited prototype chassis in the Unlimited class.

Honda Power Equipment also will be supporting race operations, with Honda generators providing electricity and light to the pits and staging area. Honda Power Sports will further provide Honda ATV/UTV products to support the sanctioning body during race week.

Iowa Speedway has announced Edward Williams as its new director, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC).

Williams brings more than eight years of motorsports experience to his new position, spending five years at Homestead-Miami Speedway where he was most recently manager of media relations. Williams has a diverse background in motorsports, as he previously served as a communications associate for the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.
 
Williams is responsible for the management of all communications and public relations functions related to Iowa Speedway. He will report to Track President Jimmy Small and also work closely with Iowa Speedway’s marketing staff. His new position is embedded with NASCAR’s IMC team where he also will play a significant role as a liaison with additional track partners within the NASCAR industry, promoting the sport.
 
Williams is joined by two more new additions at the "Fastest Short Track on the Planet." Adam Wilhelm solidifies the sales staff as account executive, corporate sales while Drew Bentley shores up the track’s ticketing department as account executive, ticketing and group sales.
 
Bentley receives his degree in Sports Administration from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa on May 3. He will report to Christine Baker, director, ticketing and group sales.
 
Wilhelm comes to Iowa Speedway after most recently serving as client sales coordinator at Kentucky Speedway. Prior to that position, he was a corporate sales associate at Texas Motor Speedway. Wilhelm reports to Karen Baldon, director of corporate sales.
 
Additionally Trent Staley, director of entertainment and content development with NASCAR’s Los Angeles office, is on site with Iowa Speedway’s team through the spring and summer. Staley’s expertise offers additional marketing prowess for the facility and the marketplace.