Lori Rothmuller and Sarah Tooth were recently named the first recipients of the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) Wendi Allen Scholarship.

The Wendi Allen Scholarship Fund provides support to promising young women Solo competitors, offering free entries to Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Tour events, a set of tires for The Tire Rack Solo National Championships from BFGoodrich Tires, and $1500 in cash to be used for event expenses throughout the year.

The scholarship was conceived and funded by the family of Wendi Allen, an eight-time National Champion who competed with her husband, Mark. Allen was a fixture at the National Championships from 1994 until 2005, when sidelined while pregnant with twin daughters Cassidy and Caitlin (now competing in the Formula Junior class). Allen competed every year at the Solo National Championships through 2012 before concentrating her strength on her current, long-time battle with cancer.

Rothmuller and Tooth were selected by a committee of successful female drivers, chaired by Tara Johns and including Beth McClure-Strelnieks, Denise Cashmore, Shelly Monfort, and Patty Tunnell. Responsible for selecting two scholarship winners each season, the group has claimed 31 National Championships, in total, and is recognized as leaders on and off the course.

The support for these recipients is not limited to financial backing, however, as the program seeks to offer driver training, mentoring and event logistic assistance as well. For the Allen family, it is a way to ensure that the legacy Allen most wishes to leave in the sport is maintained.

Rothmuller, 21, is a University of California, Davis student who heads the Davis Motorsports Club focusing on student participation in amateur motorsports, especially SCCA Solo. Not only a participant, Rothmuller draws other college students to the sport with her efforts. In her only previous visit to The Tire Rack Solo National Championships in 2011, Rothmuller finished fifth in B Street Prepared Ladies.

Tooth migrated from Alberta, Canada to Houston, Texas two years ago to attend Rice University as a grad student, getting involved in the Houston Region events and regularly recruiting new SCCA members to events. A quick study, Tooth finished second in the Street Touring FWD Ladies class in her 2013 debut at the Tire Rack Solo National Championships. The scholarship package will be a sure boost to her early success.

More information on Allen can be found at http://www.solomatters.com/wendi-allen-driven-to-make-a-difference-for-female-racers.

More information on the SCCA Solo Program, including the Wendi Allen Scholarship Fund, can be found at SCCA.com.

Jeff Tutino has been added as the Director of Business Development for Hotchkis Performance East in Mooresville, North Carolina, which aims to continue the growth of its East Coast presence and drive continued new business with consumers and racing organizations.


“He brings a wealth of sales and product knowledge from the racing and performance aftermarket business and will be concentrating on Hotchkis Performance East’s business development and Hotchkis Sport Suspension sales,"  said Hotchkis President John Hotchkis, Jr. "We have a team of terrific fabricators and craftsman at HPE, and Jeff will be pursuing business opportunities in the specialty fabrication, suspension installation, and high-end restoration and vehicle improvement categories.”



Tutino’s 25-year career in the automotive aftermarket and racing industry started in the mid-1990s when he and his family moved to North Carolina to pursue his passion of racing and performance.

Working as an independent contractor, Jeff took on the sales and marketing efforts of two companies, Tanner Racing Products and FLUIDYNE Racing Products, where, within three seasons, Tutino had positioned both Tanner and FLUIDYNE to dominate the three professional categories of NASCAR.

Tutino later joined FLUIDYNE High Performance as its National Brand Manager, before heading over to C&R Racing in 2005 to help build its drivetrain and cooling technology business, and eventually introduced C&R’s racing products to the street performance market.



Tutino will be working with Hotchkis Performance East Vice President Kevin Bryde and President John Hotchkis, Jr. to identify and bid new business opportunities, including complete customer car builds, component fabrication, and specialized material welding for both retail and wholesale customers, as well as high-end automotive repair and performance product installations.

The 2014 WISSOTA National Awards Banquet will be moved back one week and will be held at the River's Edge Convention Center in downtown St. Cloud, Minnesota, on Saturday, November 15, 2014.

In the past, the banquet has always been held on the second Saturday of November, but that has also led to conflicts with other seasonal events, such as the opening of deer hunting season in Minnesota.

The staff at the Kelly Inn has already begun contacting those who had already made WISSOTA Banquet weekend reservations to make sure the reservations were updated. If you made early hotel reservations at any of the St. Cloud hotels for the Banquet weekend, you are encouraged to contact the hotel and adjust your reservation dates.

All racers, families, crew members and fans are invited to attend the WISSOTA National Awards Banquet, an annual gala which will celebrate the 2014 season and feature the 2014 national champions in all six WISSOTA divisions. The banquet will follow the WISSOTA Expo, which will be held across the hall in the convention center both Friday and Saturday, November 14-15.

The National Awards Banquet will kick off with a reception time from 5-6 p.m. Dinner follows at 6, then the awards ceremony will take place after dinner. To finish the night, there is music and dancing from 9 until midnight.

Tickets will be available starting in October. To order, call Callie at the WISSOTA office at 320/275-9922.

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) today announced modifications to some of its competition procedures and an investment in new technology to assist officials in race control beginning with the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Tequila Patrón Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach, Calif. on April 12.
 
“The first two events of the new IMSA and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship have generated many positives and successes,” said IMSA President and Chief Operating Officer Scott Atherton. “Full fields of world-class cars, teams and drivers, incredible competition in all four classes, impressive digital, social media and other business metrics, and, most importantly, record-breaking crowds of sports car racing fans at both the Daytona and Sebring events. In addition, Scot Elkins and his technical staff should take a bow for achieving remarkable performance balance within all classes, especially with the P2 and DP cars.”

“However, there also have been some notable situations related to our competition procedures that unfortunately have partially overshadowed these positive aspects of our debut. We are committed to rectifying these areas in order to conduct the most professional, fair, consistent and entertaining form of professional racing with industry benchmark personnel, equipment and practices.”
 
Changes coming to IMSA Race Control include the following:
 
· Enforcement of an IMSA rule requiring the display of the car’s number on its in-car cameras.

· Upgraded video review equipment to high definition (HD).

· A new system for cross-checking cars and drivers involved in on-track incidents.

· Addition of a third driver advisor to work alongside the IMSA Race Director and two driver advisors to assist with evaluating responsibility in incidents and other on-track situations.
 
IMSA also is adjusting its full-course caution procedures to maximize green-flag running time. Changes to the procedures, which will be confirmed by IMSA Rule Book bulletins, are as follows:
 
· At events where there is only one prototype class in a race, the pits will be opened for that class when the field is packed up and while GT cars are still performing the Pass-Around procedure. This change will expedite the full-course caution process by a full lap.

· The “Lap-Down Wave-By” procedure – which provides a strategic opportunity for cars a lap or more behind to gain a lap back by staying on course while leaders make pit stops – will be more limited in its application. There will be no Lap-Down Wave-By in races less than two hours and 30 minutes in length. For races between two-and-a-half hours through six hours, the Lap-Down Wave-By will be used only once in any 90-minute period after 60 minutes from the start of a race. No Lap-Down Wave-By will be used in the last 30 minutes of a race.

· Efforts also will be made to use “Debris Yellows” where a situation is likely to involve the simple removal of debris or the flat-tow of a stopped car to a safe location. A Debris Yellow includes the Pass-Around procedure, but the pits remain closed until the race is restarted.

Beginning with the Tire Rack SCCA Dixie Championship Tour, top finishers in the Tire Rack SCCA Solo program can take home contingency cash and prizes from a host of companies.
 
Prizes are available for class winners at Championship and Match Tour events and for class and challenge winners at Tire Rack ProSolo events.
 
Mazda, the Official Car of SCCA, will offer $300 payouts for event class winners in all three formats of competition. Second-place class finishers will be eligible to earn $175. ProSolo Super, Ladies and Bonus Challenge winners will earn $400 for a win and $250 for second-place finish. Year-end ProSolo points leaders, in-class, will get a $1000 bonus, with second getting $600 and third receiving $300. The payout schedule for any challenge year-end points will be $600, $400 and $200 to the top three, respectively.
 
MINI USA will be offering cash prizes to eligible participants in the three formats of competition. Class winners can claim a $250 prize, while second and third can get $100 and $50, respectively. The ProSolo year-end points winner in each class can also get a $1000 payday.
 
Honda Performance Development, Toyota/TRD, Scion Racing and Subaru of America will offer awards to ProSolo competitors driving their cars. A win in a Toyota or Scion will equal $200. A year-end Class or Challenge Championship will be worth $1000. Additionally, Scion FR-S drivers finishing second in class will be eligible to receive $100. Honda will reward class podium finishers with $100, $50 and $25 prizes, respectively. A $200 reward is also up for grabs for a Honda driver who wins the year-end class or challenge title. Subaru will award class winners $150, with second getting $100 and third eligible for $50.
 
Like the auto manufacturers, tire makers are throwing their support behind all three Tire Rack SCCA National Solo programs.
 
BFGoodrich Tires, the Official Street Tire of SCCA, will be offering prizes in the form of tires. First place finishers in ProSolo Super and Ladies Challenges, as well as class winners in any of the three divisions, will be eligible to redeem two tires. Second place finishers in each of those categories can claim one tire. In addition, ProSolo year-end point leaders in class can be awarded four tires, with second getting two tires. The top finishers in year-end ProSolo challenge points will also be awarded four tires, provided they meet the program’s requirements.
 
Hoosier Racing Tire’s program is identical to that of BFGoodrich Tires for National Tour and ProSolo class event wins. Upping the ante for the ProSolo Finale, Hoosier Racing Tire will give class and challenge winners four tires, with two going to second place. In addition, four tires will be doled out to the ProSolo year-end Class Champion and Super Challenge Champion who meet the program’s requirements.
 
Kumho Tires will award ProSolo class and challenge winners, in addition to class and Match Tour Shootout winners, $300 in product credit. Second place will get a $200 credit, with third eligible to get a $150 credit. In addition, Kumho Tires will be awarding four tires for a ProSolo year-end class or challenge points title. Street and Street Touring class winners will get a bump in the form of a $600 product credit from Kumho Tires, regardless of event format, with second-place getting a $400 credit and third-place receiving $300.
 
Hankook Tires will also be providing contingency payouts in 2014, but has not released the details of the program. Those prizes will be announced at a later date.
 
Hawk Performance, the Official Brake Products of SCCA, will award certificates to the top three eligible finishers in each class at Championship and Match Tour events. Winners will get $100 certificates, with second and third getting certificates worth $50 and $25, respectively.
 
Each contingency opportunity requires pre-registration. Details and instructions to register for each of these programs are available at http://www.scca.com/solo/content.cfm?cid=44518.
 
With The Tire Rack Dixie Championship Tour in the books, the next event on the National Solo calendar is Round One of The Tire Rack SCCA ProSolo Championship, March 22-23, at Arkansas Aeroplex, in Blytheville, Ark.
 
More information on Tire Rack SCCA Solo can be found at www.scca.com/solo.

Rollie Beale, Gus Hoffman, Jud Larson and Eddie Sachs emerged the winners in USAC’s recent social media poll to complete the 2014 list of inductees into the USAC Hall of Fame.

The four inductees received the most votes from a select list of 16 candidates and will join eight previously announced inductees in the ceremony, which accompanies USAC’s May 17 “Hall of Fame Classic” Silver Crown Championship race at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Ind.

Previously announced inductees are George Bignotti, Don Branson, Larry Dickson, Norm Nelson, Don Smith, Bob Stroud, Rodger Ward and Bob Wente.

Beale won USAC’s prestigious national sprint car championship in 1973 and scored 32 victories during his illustrious career. One of the most respected drivers in USAC history, Beale retired in 1977 and joined the USAC officiating crew, eventually becoming chief steward for both the Silver Crown and national sprint car series for many years.


He passed away at the age of 84 this February.

Hoffman was the patriarch of the famed Hoffman Auto Racing/Dynamics, Inc. family from Ohio who have amassed an all-time USAC sprint car record 83 national wins, dating back to Jim Hemmings’ victory at the Salem (Ind.) Speedway in 1961. They own nine USAC national sprint titles, coming in 1989-1992-1993-1996-1997-1999-2002-2004 and 2008. Fondly referred to as “old timer,” Gus’ USAC victories actually started in 1957 when Don Branson won a Midwest race at New Bremen, Ohio.

Larson excelled in both national championship cars and sprint cars before meeting an untimely end in a 1966 sprint car accident at Reading, Pa. He claimed 15 USAC sprint car victories and added seven wins in the Championship cars. In 1964 he finished second to Don Branson in the 1964 USAC national sprint car standings.

Sachs was revered by participants and fans alike. Prior to perishing in a crash during the 1964 Indianapolis 500, Sachs excelled on the high-banked ovals in the sprint cars, winning 10 races in the 1950s, including the 100-lap 1957 “Joe James/Pat O’Connor Classic” at Salem, Ind.

In championship cars he posted wins at Atlanta, Ga., in 1956, Langhorne, Pa., and the Hoosier Hundred at Indianapolis, Ind., in 1957, Syracuse, N.Y., in 1959 and four races at Trenton, N.J., in 1959, 1960 and 1961.

Very versatile, he also won a couple of 200-mile USAC Stock Cars races at the famed Milwaukee Mile in 1961. He nearly won the 1961 Indianapolis 500, finishing second to A.J. Foyt. He also won four USAC Midget races.

Bell Racing USA and the National Dirt Racing League have announced that Bell will be offering NDRL competitors the Bell Helmets Fast Time Award for the balance of the 2014 season.

Along with their pre-existing season-long commitment, Bell will now provide a gift certificate to the driver who turns in the fastest lap during NDRL Keyser Manufacturing Time Trials.

“We are so very pleased to be able to add to what our competitors can win at each of our events. We know that it takes everything they have to get to and from these races and anytime we can give them something else that helps them along we are thrilled to do it. Bell has been a great partner to us already and we are excited that they wanted to be more involved with our program,” said NDRL Marketing Director Jason Babyak.

“This was a great opportunity for Bell to gain even more exposure with the NDRL. Several of the drivers that are running the NDRL series are using our helmets and we want to support those guys as well as introduce new customers to our quality products. So this is a great program for us. We are excited to be involved with the entire NDRL organization and we look forward to a strong relationship in years to come,” said Bell Racing’s Toby Hallett.

“Bell makes a high quality product that we are proud to represent and promote through the National Dirt Racing League. Those guys are always on the cutting edge of safety technology and they don’t rest on their laurels. They keep trying to innovate and get better. And that is the kind of people and companies we need when it comes to driver safety products. I am very pleased to have them on board presenting our fast time award,” said NDRL Series Director Kelley Carlton.

When you think about it, sponsorships are more important in auto racing than any other professional sport. In baseball, football, soccer, hockey, golf, etc., individual players often have endorsement deals, but they don’t need them to compete in their sport. Racers very much depend on their sponsors to compete, even at the top levels.

Here’s a quote from the United States Auto Club FF2000 Media Guide: “As a marketing vehicle, auto racing is a proven winner. No sport attracts more corporate sponsorship dollars.”

As a result, racers are very adamant about keeping their sponsors happy, and it’s a big part of the sport—a detail that many might not think much about, like myself.

When I recently went to Fontana, California, for the Auto Club 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race, I was talking to some of the folks at Oakely, who outfits Clint Bowyer and other NASCAR racers. For this race, Bowyer had a new look, sporting the colors of PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil, which are mainly blue and black, as opposed to his usual sponsor colors of red and yellow for 5-hour Energy.

As we were standing in the garage area, Bowyer walked up to us with a smile jokingly pointing at his shoes. His racing suit was black with blue accents, but his racing shoes were black with red and yellow seams. Apparently he didn’t have his new shoes yet with blue seams so he was giving the guys at Oakely a hard time about it. It was all in good fun.

Obviously blue seams on his shoes weren’t a big deal, and I doubt anyone even noticed. However, Bowyer also left his driving gloves back at the shop on accident, so the only ones he had were red and yellow. He had to make an emergency call to Oakley to get him black and blue gloves out to the track that day, even just for practice.

I wondered why it was such a big deal that his gloves didn’t match his suit, and, of course, it all has to do with his sponsorships. Anything that could be visible to the fans needs to line up with the racer’s sponsors. That just goes to show how crucial that partnership is between the racer and the sponsor—both sides are looking to benefit from the deal, so they both need to go above and beyond to honor the agreement.

It should also be noted that there is no other sport like auto racing that provides the corporate sponsor with so many different ways to merchandise and market its racing association, including on the driver’s gloves.

The role of the sponsors in auto racing has long been recognized as a major and necessary component of the sport.

When the Christmas Trees flash green at zMAX Dragway for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, four 8,000-horsepower nitro machines will power down the dragstrip in one of the most incredible spectacles in all of motorsports.

But to have success at one of the most unique and thrilling races in the sport, the goal for the drivers is to make it seem as though they’re the only ones out there.

“The cool thing is you don’t notice how different it is if you’re the car out in front and that’s the goal: to not even notice a difference,” said Top Fuel standout Spencer Massey. “You watch all these lights show up, you stage it up, hit the gas and feel the thunder.”

Without question, the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, now in its fifth year, presents one of the most powerful sights and sounds on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit. It marks the fifth of 24 events during the 2014 season and takes place April 11-13 at Bruton Smith’s famed “Bellagio of Drag Strips.”

The world’s top racers will once again try to stay out in front at the one-of-a-kind thrill show at the world’s only four-lane, all-concrete drag strip. Massey (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (PSM) were last year’s winners of the event that will once again be televised on ESPN2.

Massey has enjoyed immense success at the Four-Wide Nationals and will be after his third straight win during the event, which would be the most for any NHRA driver. As for preparing for the race and the unique challenges it provides, Massey harkens back to his early days of racing.

“I always think it goes back to driving bracket cars, seeing the staging lights and not letting anything throw you off,” Massey said. “So much of it is staying focused and not letting it mess with you. Going back to the very first time, I had a feel for it and had a grip on it. You just have to try to make it simple and that’s when you have success. When you overcomplicate it, that’s when you mess up. When I get up there, everything goes into automatic mode.”

Hagan, the 2011 Funny Car world champion, broke through for his first Four-Wide victory a year ago and the track and event has always been special for him. He became the first driver to break into the three-second zone in Funny Car at the 2012 fall race at zMAX Dragway and marveled about the energy and atmosphere surrounding the Four-Wide event.
 
“To be able to put a Wally on your trophy case that says you won the Four-Wide race, that’s huge,” Hagan said. “It’s just a cool event and I’m excited to drop the hammer there again. You never know what’s going to happen. It’s super loud and super-fast. I love that place.”

But with more than 30,000-horsepower running at once, there’s bound to be distractions. Hagan said he is in constant communication with his crew chief leading up to a run, helping make him aware of what light he needs to be looking at and every other variable involved in a race of the magnitude of the Four-Wide.

There’s also the matter of facing a highly competitive field that includes defending champion and current points leader John Force, who won the inaugural Four-Wide Nationals in 2010, and other former event winners Robert Hight and Jack Beckman, as well as championship contenders Ron Capps, Courtney Force, Del Worsham, Cruz Pedregon, Bob Tasca III and Alexis DeJoria.

“It definitely gets you out of your element and out of your comfort zone with that much going on,” Hagan said. “You have to adapt to the situation and really concentrate and stay on your toes. A lot of times when you’re racing against one driver you know their tendencies, but when it’s three other drivers it’s a lot more difficult. You have to put the blinders on and just focus. There’s a lot going on, but it’s awesome for us.”

The Pro Stock Motorcycle class returned to action at the Four-Wide Nationals a year ago and it was immediately an event Arana Jr. circled on the calendar. As the reigning champion he takes plenty of confidence into the race, but will be challenged by the likes of defending world champion Matt Smith, who won the inaugural Four-Wide race in the class, as well as his father, Hector Arana, Eddie Krawiec, Andrew Hines, Michael Ray and Steve Johnson, a past winner at zMAX who won the first bike event of the season in Gainesville.

"I was really glad they brought it back last year because I love that track,” Arana Jr. said. “It's a beautiful, prestigious track to go to, and when you go there, you really feel like you're a part of something because of how immaculate the track is. The fact that I was able to win that race, that was also really awesome.

“You really have to be on your game and stay focused. Another tough part is you have one shot at each lane, and then you have to know which lane you want for Sunday. You've got to be close so you'll have a shot at each lane."

Jeg Coughlin, the 2013 world champion, and his Mopar teammate Allen Johnson, who raced to back-to-back wins at Phoenix and Gainesville, have started the season strong in their new Dodge Darts. Johnson, the 2012 world champion, has never won at zMAX Dragway, while other standouts competing for their first victory at the Four-Wide Nationals include recent Las Vegas winner and new series points leader Erica Enders-Stevens, Vincent Nobile, V Gaines, Jason Line, Dave Connolly and Shane Gray.

Coughlin was part of the group invited to break ground on the drag strip and make the first pass when the track was completed, forging a special relationship with the facility. But that doesn’t make winning the Four-Wide event any easier.

“You need a different mindset and strategy when you're racing three other cars,” Coughlin said. “There are ways you can be eliminated that are almost accidental so there's a premium on focus, especially when you pull up there to make a run. I do try to sneak up there and watch the bikes and if I can, I’ll watch the first few (groups) of Pro Stock cars as well. That's enough for me to remember. It's a big deal to have a presence like this in Charlotte and I definitely feel lucky to have won here."

In a thrilling Top Fuel final last season, Massey defeated Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tony Schumacher, eventual 2013 Top Fuel world champ Shawn Langdon and Brandon Bernstein. Massey will face tough competition as he goes for the three-peat and hold off the likes of Antron Brown, points leader Doug Kalitta, Steve Torrence, Winternationals winner Khalid alBalooshi and Phoenix runner-up Brittany Force.

Knowing the fanfare involved with a race that draws so much attention, a third victory at the Four-Wide Nationals would mean just as much as the first one.

“It’s an honor to have so much success at a track that has much so prestige,” Massey said. “It’s something that’s hard to do and being able to experience it is awesome. It’s definitely cool to have it on the resume.”

As always, fans will have the chance to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet.  Fans are provided with direct access to the teams, allowing them to watch the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and enjoy cherished face time with their favorite NHRA drivers.

Fans also will want to visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

Mello Yello Series qualifying begins Friday, April 11, with sessions at 1:15 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, April 12, at 1:15 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 13.

Be a part of the action all weekend with a 3-Day Pass to the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals starting at $99.  Tickets for children 13 and under are free with any paid adult ticket; to purchase general admission or reserved seats please visit www.zMAXDragway.com or call the box office at (800) 455-FANS (3267).

“The Dave Despain Show” will debut April 25 at 8 p.m. on MAVTV.

MAVTV has ordered 26 episodes of “The Dave Despain Show.” The 30-minute format gives the veteran interviewer the opportunity to sit with racing legends, current superstars and rising stars.

Debuting with NHRA superstar John Force, guests this season include Clint Bowyer, Cory Kruseman, Dennis Anderson, Bobby Unser, Scott Bloomquist, Kyle Larson, Jeremy McGrath, Parnelli Jones, Ivan Stewart, Antron Brown, Forrest Lucas, and Dan Gurney.

Bob Patison, President of MAVTV, knows Despain as a respected motor sports journalist, and a giant asset to the fast-rising MAVTV channel.

“’The Dave Despain Show’ will be a flagship series for MAVTV,” Patison said. “Dave is one of the most respected names in motor sports journalism. He can now draw stories and memories from guests in a longer format that will definitely surprise and entertain MAVTV viewers.”

“MAVTV provided a format where I can really talk to people one-on-one and learn some of the behind-the-scenes truths,” Despain said. “It has been one of the coolest experiences yet and some of the stories are amazing. The quality and variety of guests is staggering, and the interviews reveal stories that even I haven’t heard in over 40 years of covering racing. The end result is deeply satisfying and I’m sure the viewers are going to love it.”