Acura Motorsports today announced that the new 2015 Acura TLX GT will make its Pirelli World Challenge competition debut at the May 30-June 1 Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix double-header race weekend.

To be campaigned by long time Acura Motorsports partner RealTime Racing, the new TLX GT will move Acura into the top category of the Pirelli World Challenge, facing competition that includes the Audi R8 LMS, Cadillac CTS-V, Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge Viper, Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes SLS, Nissan GTR, Porsche 911 and Ferrari 458.

“The competition in the 2014 Pirelli World Challenge is incredible, but Acura has never shied away from strong competition, in the marketplace or on the race track,” said Art St. Cyr, President of Honda Performance Development and Vice President, Product Planning and Logistics, American Honda. "The 2015 Acura TLX is a true luxury sport sedan, so it is fitting that the car be raced against several of its natural competitors, and even some up-market brands, in the Pirelli World Challenge.”

Developed from the production Acura TLX by HPD, the racing arm of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., the Acura TLX GT Race Car will feature HPD chassis and aerodynamic performance parts approved for Pirelli World Challenge competition, and will be powered by a direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V6 engine, developed by HPD from the normally aspirated, production TLX luxury sport sedan. It will utilize all-wheel drive, as found in Acura’s SH-AWD system.

RealTime Racing, the most successful team in Pirelli World Challenge history, will initially field a single Acura TLX GT for owner/driver Peter Cunningham, with a second car to be added at a later date.

RTR has raced and won with both Honda and Acura products for more than two decades. Since entering the Sports Car Club of America Pro Racing-sanctioned World Challenge series in 1993, RTR has scored a record 85 race victories on its way to 14 Manufacturers’ Championships and 14 Drivers’ Championships.

“In our 27 years of racing Hondas and Acuras, we have developed a clear understanding of what it takes to win races and championships,” RTR team principal Cunningham said. “In 2014, the Pirelli World Challenge GT class looks to be more competitive and diverse than at any time in the history of the series, and we look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. We will be working hard to develop the new TLX GT into a winning package. That’s what we love to do.”

One of the largest and most prestigious off-road race events in America, The General Tire Mint 400, presented by Polaris, announced that they have received a five-year permit from the Bureau of Land Management to operate the iconic race and festivities through 2019.

The announcement comes after three years of successful partnership between Mint 400 owners Matt and Joshua Martelli, Mint 400 Race Director Casey Folks and his team from the Best In The Desert “The American Off-Road Racing Series”, and the Southern Nevada District Office of the BLM.

“We’re thrilled we have secured a five-year permit to run The Mint 400 here in Las Vegas,” commented Mint 400 COO Joshua Martelli. “We have worked very hard with Casey and his team, and the great folks at the BLM to demonstrate responsible, safe, and eco-friendly use of this region for off-road racing, and today that work has paid off tremendously. As we look to the future, we remain committed to being excellent land stewards, while making history annually, as the biggest off-road event in North America.”

Since its resurrection in 2008, and purchase by the Martelli Brothers in 2011, The Mint 400 has enjoyed (uninterrupted) national television coverage by their off-road production group Mad Media. The marketing prowess of the same team that produced Ken Blocks first three gymkhana films has grown The Mint into a national flagship event for the entire off-road industry, and the marquee race for the Best in the Desert Championship series. This year the Mint joins the Red Bull Signature Series as one of their premiere events, and will be broadcast on NBC Sunday July 6th, at 2p.m. Eastern to over 110 million homes nationwide.

“When Josh and I were kids we were captivated anytime off-road racing came on TV. We never dreamt we would end up owning a piece of American off-road racing history…but here we are! This is another important milestone for The Mint. With this permit, and the continued support of the entire Las Vegas business community, we are now able to secure both endemic and non-endemic multi-year sponsorship deals that will really help us leverage even more exposure for our industry and sport,” commented Mint 400 CEO Matt Martelli.

To help meet the demand for teenagers wanting to drive fast, the NHRA announced a new racing program for 13-16-year-olds that combines racing and car safety.

NHRA Youth Racing will give teenage boys and girls the opportunity to race against their peers in full-bodied street vehicles with an adult co-driver as their teammate.

Competitors will go through an orientation/licensing procedure on an eighth-mile dragstrip in their vehicles, which must meet program requirements. Approved vehicles must be registered, insured, street-legal vehicles with mufflers and street tires and limited to 10 seconds and slower.

“This is an inexpensive program but, best of all, it’s a way for families to use drag racing as a learning tool and a conduit for family bonding,” said Josh Peterson, NHRA vice president of racing administration.

All of NHRA’s member tracks are eligible to conduct NHRA Youth Racing activities at their tracks. Those interested in competing should contact a member track by using the Member Track Locator at NHRA.com. Program rules can be found at NHRARacer.com.

NHRA Youth Racing is the latest program in NHRA’s youth racing segment that also includes the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA and the NHRA Summit Racing Series.

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti will drive the pace car in the 98th running of the Indy 500 in May.

Franchitti was forced to retire in November from injuries suffered in an October IndyCar race at Houston. The four-time series champion won the Indy 500 in 2007, 2010 and 2012.

"It is a tremendous honor for me to be asked to drive the pace car for the Indianapolis 500," said Franchitti. "As a historian of motorsport and as a three-time winner of this great race, I will appreciate every minute of getting to pace the field. Although I won't be competing in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, this will be as close as one person can get to the action."

Franchitti will pace the field in the May 25 race in a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28. It's the eighth time a Camaro has served as the pace car, and the 25th time a Chevrolet has paced the race.

"He is a true champion who has earned the respect and admiration of competitors and race fans alike," said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports. "It will be very special to have Dario lead the field to the green flag at Indianapolis Motor Speedway."

Franchitti's appearance as the pace car driver signifies a huge shift in Franchitti's career. He's moved into a driver development role with Chip Ganassi Racing, which switched to Chevrolet for the 2014 IndyCar season.

Chevrolet has a long history with Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series.

Chevrolet was founded in 1911, the year of the inaugural 500-mile race, and the Chevrolet brothers - company co-founder Louis, Arthur and Gaston - all competed in early Indy 500 races. Arthur Chevrolet competed in the 1911 race and Gaston Chevrolet won it in 1920.

"We are excited to see Dario Franchitti back at the Brickyard, where he has had a very successful driving career," said Doug Boles, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "Not only will his appearance in the Camaro Z/28 pace car thrill race fans, it underscores Chevrolet's important place in the past, present and future of the Indianapolis 500."

Roger Penske’s proficiency for finding Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway has earned him a spot in Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Penske, who will be the 16th member inducted, will be honored April 3 during the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Gala benefiting Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter held at Texas Motor Speedway during the Duck Commander 500 NASCAR weekend.

Penske’s induction is all part of an evening that recognizes some of the most outstanding individuals in motorsports. Along with Roger Penske, other honorees include four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti, 2014 Daytona 500 champion and NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., defending Duck Commander 500 and O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 winner Kyle Busch and 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher.

A winner of a combined 12 races at Texas Motor Speedway as a team owner—including a record seven in the Verizon IndyCar Series – Penske remains the only owner with victories in both NASCAR and IndyCar at Texas Motor Speedway. His success at Texas Motor Speedway is all part of his illustrious 48-year career as team owner of Team Penske that has produced 23 motorsports national championships, including 12 in Indy car racing.

Penske joins a mix of accomplished drivers and innovative motorsports leaders to be inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame since its inception in 2003. He joins previous inductees A.J. Foyt (2003), Johnny Rutherford (’03), Terry Labonte (’04), Lee Shepherd (’04), Kenny Bernstein (’05), Jim Hall (’05), Eddie Hill (’06), Mark Martin (’07), Jim McElreath (’07), Bobby Labonte (’08), Bruton Smith (’08), Joe Gibbs (’09), John Force (’10), Lanny Edwards (’11) and Jack Roush (’12).

Franchitti, who announced this off-season his retirement from open-wheel racing after an illustrious 16-year career in open-wheel racing that includes time in both CART and the Verizon IndyCar Series, will be honored with the Bruton Smith Legend Award. Franchitti remains one of the all-time great Indy car drivers, tallying 31 victories during his career and is one of 10 drivers with three wins in the Indianapolis 500.

Earnhardt has continued his outpouring of support for Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter and his efforts to help children in North Texas have earned him the Maj. General Thomas Sadler Award.

The “BBQ Pit Stop with Dale Jr.” which was one of Speedway Children’s Charities’ most successful vents of the year, allowed members of Junior Nation to enjoy an evening with the superstar driver and helped raise more than $38,000 for the organization.

Busch, who once again etched his name into the Texas Motor Speedway record books, will be awarded the Texas Motor Speedway Racer of the Year. He became the first driver to sweep both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races in the same weekend with his victories in the NRA 500 and O’Reilly Auto Parts 300, respectively. The Nationwide Series win makes Busch the NNS wins leader at Texas with six victories.

Buescher, a native of nearby Plano, will return to his hometown track to accept the Texas Motor Speedway Sportsmanship Award. Buescher’s efforts to help in the cleanup process following the tornadoes that devastated Moore, Okla., epitomized the ideals of sportsmanship. Taking full advantage of his off week, Buescher and his wife, Kris, visited the town and helped move mountains of debris and cleared off foundation slabs. The destruction hit close to home for Buescher, whose brother lives in nearby Oklahoma City.

The waiting game might be ending soon for potential Formula 1 team owner Gene Haas.

Haas, who says he has satisfied all requests from the FIA, could have an answer this week as to whether he will receive an F1 license or not.

"There's paperwork that goes back and forth," Haas said. "They asked for it and we submitted it. I would hope they make a decision in the next week or so but it's a big business and they have their agendas.

"It's not like any individual makes a decision there. They get together in a group and they look at the package and they make their decision, but ultimately I think it has to go to Mr. Ecclestone [Bernie, president and CEO of Formula One Management]."

One of those "agendas" is a minimum of a two-year commitment to F1. Ecclestone isn't looking for an organization that simply wants to dip its toe in the water or run a partial season. Haas has read the stories that insist Formula 1 wants Haas Formula, the suggested name for the his team, or one of the other parties interested in becoming a prospective F1 operation, to salvage an existing entity. Considering the discrepancy between the top teams in Formula 1 and the less-funded operations, Haas understands that "it makes sense" for the sanctioning body to consider that option. It's a strategy that worked supremely for Dietrich Mateschitz in November 2004 when he purchased Jaguar and flipped it into Red Bull Racing for 2006. By the end of 2010, Red Bull had won its first world championship, and backed it up with consecutive titles over the next three years.

Haas, however, would prefer to start with a clean slate.

"To me, that method goes against having an American team," Haas said. "When I talked to Mr. Ecclestone back in November, he kind of saw my point of view but who knows what the latest thoughts by the FIA are?

"When you look back through history, when the number of teams threatens to drop below 10, they seem very interested in adding teams. When they get up to 11 or 12, they become less interested in adding teams. Right now they have 11, so they're right in that middle territory between whether they should add a team or whether they should wait."

Despite the FIA asking for "an expression of interest" for a 12th team in December, Haas said his inquiries for an F1 license "over the last couple of years" may have expedited the process, but observes: "There's not like a specific way of doing it. They kind of play it by ear. But the longer [the wait] goes on, the less likely we could do it in 2015. We should have made that decision a month ago but it just hasn't happened."

Haas's group has done its due diligence, visiting Ferrari last month and going to Dallara, too. However, that's just two pieces of a bigger puzzle. The human element still needs to be addressed and time is of the essence. The last time an American group, USF1, attempted to compete in Formula 1, it never came close to reaching the grid. Ken Anderson, the former technical director for Haas' CNC Racing (the predecessor of Haas's current NASCAR organization, Stewart-Haas Racing), was a principal in that project.

However, with his existing resources as well as Haas Automation's regional headquarters in Brussels and Shanghai, Gene Haas logistically has an advantage that the USF1 team lacked. Nonetheless ultimately, the intention is to have Haas Formula be completely centered in the U.S.

"We're going to be flexible in terms of whatever we have to do to get to the races, because that's what it's about," Haas said. "You have to show up to the races. You have to have a car that's competitive. That would be the number one goal. Whether we did that in Belgium or somewhere else, I don't know. But the goal is, within the next few years, we would have everything based out of Kannapolis (N.C.) as far as the engineering is concerned but have a drivetrain partner, kind of similar to what we do in Cup racing – have outside suppliers supply us what we need and engineer what we need in Kannapolis.

"We have a wind tunnel (Wind Shear) that we would immediately convert over to a scale model. It would probably take 12-18 months to do that. So if we went for 2015, we would have to use the services of Dallara to supply aero for us."

Speedway Children's Charities has teamed up with zMAX Dragway to put together three once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for fans during the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals April 11-13. Fans who bid on the online auction can win the chance to fly in a warbird for the pre-race flyover, a two-seat ride along, or even get the chance to hang out with legendary NHRA driver and 16-time Funny Car champion John Force. Each experience offers a unique opportunity and will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Bids can be placed anytime online at charlotte.speedwaycharitites.org until April 11, at 12 p.m.

All three experiences will offer an amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that fans can only find at one place, zMAX Dragway, the only four-lane, all-concrete drag strip in the world.

Ever wanted to be part of the pre-race experience? Fans can bid on the pre-race flyover experience to ride along in a warbird during the pre-race flyover ceremonies on Sunday, April 13. Or if fans prefer to stay on the ground, they can bid on the two-seat dragster ride along. This experience allows one fan to ride in a two-seat dragster down the Bellagio of drag strips during the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

If that isn't enough action, then fans can bid to win the ultimate NHRA racing experience with racing legend John Force. This top-notch experience includes a speed-filled schedule for not just one, but four fans at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. It includes VIP suite passes/race tickets and a tour of zMAX Dragway led by 16-time champion Funny Car John Force. The tour includes many special perks including a visit to the ESPN interview area, a visit to the exclusive President's Suite, rooftop access to the tower and more. It doesn't stop there, as this experience also includes four NHRA/Mello Yello prize packs, four passes to sit in the Mello Yello Pit Box at the start line and four passes to ride trackside in the Mello Yello Express.

"We are so excited to offer three incredible VIP experiences in our online auction this year," says Lisa Starnes, director of the Charlotte Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities. "This is a chance for fans to get to do something that they'll never forget. And the best part is that all the money goes to helping children in need in the Charlotte community. Last year we were fortunate to be able to support 55 charities. There are so many more needs we hope to be able to reach this year, and the funds we raise through these VIP auctions will help us meet that goal."

For more information on Speedway Children's Charities and the Once in a Lifetime Experience Auction visit www.charlotte.speedwaycharities.org or call 704-455-4426.

For more information or to purchase tickets to the fifth annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway April 11-13, visit www.zmaxdragway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS (3267).

Weekend passes for all three days of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals begin at just $99. Children 13 and under are admitted for free every day of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. Every ticket is a pit pass, allowing fans to observe and interact with their favorite drivers and teams, as well as check out Nitro Alley and a midway featuring displays, vendors and a kids' play area.

Tickets and camping are still available for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 11-13 at zMAX Dragway, by calling the Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) and online at www.zmaxdragway.com.

Recently, PRI got to spend the day at Irwindale Speedway, our local paved short track, for an exceptional event hosted by Motovicity Distribution. The Madison Heights, Michigan-based company had come to Southern California (in late winter… good call) for the culmination of its big Ticket To Ride promotion.

In a nutshell, Motovicity conducted a months-long campaign beginning in February 2013—a sort of limited-time loyalty program—in which performance parts retailers and speed shops could enter for a chance to win one of two grand prizes: a 2013 Scion FR-S and a 2013 Ford Mustang GT, along with assorted performance products. The winners were announced in October. John Malapetsas, owner of Performance and Styling of Manchester, Connecticut, took home the Mustang GT, and Jeremy Blackwell of SpeedForSale in Alpharetta, Georgia, won the FR-S.

Once outfitted, the cars were taken to Irwindale and put through a battery of tests and evaluations—the Performance Shootout—to gauge their responses to new parts and setups. Motovicity enlisted Formula Drift drivers Michael Essa and Tyler McQuarrie for the analytics, which covered braking and acceleration, as well as skidpad and road coarse duels, before a collection of local media and stakeholders.

When asked about Motovicity’s goals for the program, Brett Kinsfather explained, “We wanted to showcase our abilities to serve the modern muscle and sport compact markets. We figured this was a way to move sales and grow some of these brands—to get people familiar with the brands in these two markets. And for our customers, it was the opportunity to win a car and show off the capabilities of their shop.”

Meantime, digital partner MotoIQ worked with Motovicity to document the builds and develop testing criteria. And manufacturers AEM, Eibach, Exedy, Sparco, Vibrant and Whiteline, among others, provided parts and support.

In fact, at times it felt more like a gathering of friends than business associates. “It’s true—Motovicity really operates like a sales extension of every manufacturer,” added Tom Phan of Whiteline. “That’s why they have the loyalty they do.”

NASCAR is planning on making significant engine package changes in 2015 to extend the life of Sprint Cup powerplants and reduce horsepower. And along with engine changes, there likely will be aerodynamic and tire changes for the Cup cars in 2015 as well.

That's the word from NASCAR Vice President of Competition and Racing Development Robin Pemberton. In an exclusive interview with FOXSports.com Saturday morning at Auto Club Speedway, Pemberton said the sanctioning body has had four meetings so far with representatives from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota and race teams about how to implement those changes. No consensus has been reached yet, according to Pemberton, but discussions are ongoing in advance of making the changes for next year.

Although Pemberton declined to specify how many horsepower NASCAR is looking to cut, sources familiar with the discussions said the reduction would be in the neighborhood of 75 to 100 horsepower. Currently, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series engines make about 860-900 horsepower at most tracks.

Pemberton said the decision to look at reducing engine power is not specifically geared toward trying to improve the quality of racing.

"It's as much getting more use out of engines as it is (reducing) horsepower," Pemberton told FOXSports.com. "They kind of feed off of each other. There's no guarantee horsepower may or may not do anything for the quality of racing, but it will allow us to do other things."

Discussions are still in the early stages, Pemberton said, but given the fact that there are so few engine suppliers now, they will need plenty of lead-time to make changes for next year.

As with the development of the Generation-6 car, the new engine package discussion is a highly collaborative effort.

"From our perspective, the healthy thing about this is that NASCAR is working not only with the manufacturers, but all of the engine builders," said David Wilson, president and general manager of TRD, U.S.A., Toyota's racing arm in the United States. "And we have had a dialog with NASCAR for some time. Just the process itself is absolutely correct. It's refreshing. We feel as stakeholders in the sport, we have a voice."

Among the options being discussed are reduction in engine displacement and changes to throttle body size.

Sources familiar with the discussions say that Chevrolet and Toyota are pushing for a reduction to 5.0-liter engines, while the Ford camp is pushing for the use of tapered spacers, such as are used in the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series engines.

Pemberton said any change in the engine package likely would necessitate other changes as well.

"It's some about economics, and there are some who think that if you knocked a little bit of horsepower out, it could put you in a position to make the racing better," said Pemberton. "But there's a lot of things that go into it. There's the mechanical grip and the tire grip and the aerodynamic grip and engine horsepower. Every one thing you change, you have to adjust everything around it to make it right. There's some sort of balance in there. So, if you do a horsepower change, there's a better than not chance that you will have to adjust aerodynamics, and that may give you the ability to adjust tires. So it's a three-legged stool. You just have to work on them all."

"It's never as easy as fixing one thing without something else changing," added TRD's Wilson. "It's a complicated dynamic no matter how you look at it."

Pemberton said advances in performance have dramatically boosted horsepower in recent years.

"It's not fully appreciated the fact that we've had the same engine for basically 25 or 30 years and it's at 850 or 860 horsepower, where it used to be 500," Pemberton said. "And we are at the same race tracks where we used to run 160 (miles per hour) we're now qualifying at 190 and running 213 going into the corners. There's been a lot of engineering and gains made across the board. Goodyear ... we have the same tire patch as when we started.

"There's been a lot of development over the years to put on good racing," said Pemberton. "And there's a belief that we need to take a set and at least kind of start over a little bit."

Reaction to the move has generally been positive.

"If it truly does potentially help the racing and then help durability on the back end, I think it's not a bad thing to do," said Pat Suhy, NASCAR Group Manager for Chevrolet Racing. "It's probably going to be a fairly extensive change, a bigger change than first imagined. As you talk to the engine builders, it impacts everything from the oil pan to the intake manifold to the exhaust headers. I'm in favor of change when it can make things better, so I'm hopeful that it can actually make things better."

"We are actively involved with NASCAR on strategic competition and business considerations and support NASCAR's efforts to work with the manufacturers to continually evolve the sport," said Jamie Allison, Director, Ford Racing.

Brazilian officials have announced the return of IndyCar to the country next season, saying Friday that a race will held in the capital of Brasilia.

The federal district government released a statement saying the Autodromo Nelson Piquet will host the race from 2015 to 2019. The deal with local race promoters was signed at an event in Sao Paulo.

IndyCar confirmed it is "exploring a return to Brazil and is in discussions with event organizers in Brasilia," but added there was "still a lot of work to be done" before the race can be officially added to the 2015 schedule.

"Brazil has a real history in Indy car racing and we would like to re-establish a championship race there as early as 2015," said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Co., the parent company of IndyCar. "We are engaged in ongoing discussions toward this goal and hope suitable arrangements can be finalized soon."

Miles added that IndyCar was "encouraged by the efforts" from the local government and local promoters.

IndyCar raced in Sao Paulo from 2010 until last year, but local promoters were not able to secure the event in 2014 because of financial problems. The CART series was in Brazil from 1996-2000 with a race on an oval track in Rio de Janeiro. The race in Sao Paulo was held on a street course.

"I'm very happy to find out that our return to the calendar is secured," three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves said in a statement. "It will be great to race in Brasilia and I can't wait for that to happen. Several challenges kept Brazil from hosting the race in 2014, but that's life. Sometimes we need a step backward to come back stronger."

Castroneves said in his statement that the new event is scheduled for March 8.

The circuit layout for the race at the Nelson Piquet track was not immediately announced. It has a 12-turn, 5.5-kilometer (3.4-mile) anti-clockwise layout for most of the races there.

Federal District Gov. Agnelo Queiroz said the government will ensure all needed improvements are made at the track ahead of next year's race.

The Autodromo Nelson Piquet is also expected to host a MotoGP race in 2015.