The NBC Sports Network and Rally America, Inc. have reached an agreement to bring eight episodes of the 2014 Rally America National Championship to NBC viewers.

Each one-hour show will be jointly produced by Rally America and Rage Productions and will showcase each of the National Championship events. In addition to top quality action sports coverage, episodes will feature personal stories of national and regional competitors as they battle to overcome obstacles in their race to the podium.

“I think it’s awesome that Rally America and NBC Sports have come together this season,” said Ken Block of Hoonigan Racing Division. “Bringing stage rally in America to TV is a huge step forward not only for the sport but for the fans as well. I’m stoked that family and friends will now have an easier time watching me compete in the sport that I love.”

NBC Sports has quickly moved into the forefront of motorsports coverage having recently signed a 10-year contract with NASCAR beginning in 2015. NBC Sports Network is also quickly adding various other motorsports programming opportunities rounding out their already impressive lineup.

Rally America continues to attract top driving talent and extreme sports icons such as last year’s Rally America Champion David Higgins along with Ken Block, Travis Pastrana, Antoine L’Estage and a large group of up and coming competitors in every class.

“I’m very excited about the return of Travis Pastrana to the Rally America National Championship,” said Bill Fogg, President of Rally America, Inc. “I think Travis will add to the excitement that David, Ken and Antoine have been delivering to our fans. We have talent coming out of the woodwork in all rally classes and I see more than just these four bringing top notch race excitement to our viewers during the 2014 season.”

“This is great news for the Championship at just the right time,” added Subaru Rally Team USA’s David Higgins. “Getting on NBC will not only get our sport out to those who can’t make it to the events, but will also find new fans who may not have experienced one of the best forms of motorsports there is.”

NHRA officials announced that Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. has signed a multi-year agreement to be the official car of NHRA, beginning with the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

“Since 2002, Toyota has been an integral part of NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing at the league, title-rights, and team level,” said Gary Darcy, NHRA senior vice president of sales and marketing. “Toyota’s expansion of its sponsorship with NHRA reaffirms the return-on-investment for our sponsors and the accessibility to our fans that only NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events can deliver.”

Since introducing the Celica-bodied Funny Car in 2002, Toyota has significantly expanded its role with the world’s largest motorsports organization. Currently, Toyota sponsors three Top Fuel teams and four Funny Car teams.

This partnership participation is with Cruz Pedregon Racing, Tony Pedregon Racing, Kalitta Motorsports and Head Racing in the Funny Car class, while Al-Anabi Racing, Don Schumacher Racing and Morgan Lucas Racing will field Top Fuel dragsters.

Toyota-supported teams have gone to the winner’s circle 82 times, with 70 of those in Top Fuel competition. Last year, Shawn Langdon captured the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel world championship, following in the footsteps of fellow Toyota-sponsored drivers Antron Brown, who claimed the crown in 2012, Del Worsham in 2011 and Larry Dixon in 2010. In addition, Cruz Pedregon drove a Toyota Camry to the 2008 Funny Car title.

In addition to its status as the official car of NHRA, Toyota extended its title-rights sponsorship of the Toyota NHRA Summernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J. (May 29-June 1), and continues their entitlement of the NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Oct. 30-Nov. 2.)

“We’re looking forward to growing our already successful relationship with the NHRA,” said Les Unger, Toyota national motorsports manager. “The official vehicle sponsorship will provide Toyota with a cost-effective opportunity to work hand-in-hand with our local dealerships at some great venues. The NHRA has a very loyal fan-base and this presents a great opportunity to promote our latest product line in at-track vehicle displays.”

As the official car of NHRA, Toyota will have a yearlong presence on-site at NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events and on ESPN2 broadcasts. On-site, Toyota will receive trackside signage, jumbotron spots, and bannering rights. At selected events, Toyota will have an expanded presence as part of NHRA’s Nitro Alley, where thousands of fans flock during the course of the race weekend to experience a wide-ranging variety of interactive displays. Toyota will receive inventory on the ESPN2 telecasts as well as in-show sponsored features.

Toyota also will be a part of the 2014 NHRA Sweepstakes and will provide the all-new 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited as the grand prize. The 2014 NHRA Sweepstakes will launch on Feb. 6 and run through Dec. 5, 2014. Fans can start signing up on NHRA.com or at the NHRA Sweepstakes display in Nitro Alley during the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona starting Feb. 6. NHRA Sweepstakes Official Rules are available at NHRA.com.

For the past two years, PRI Trade Show attendees have extracted valuable information from one of the nation's leading experts on small business management and accounting.

Tom Shay of Profits Plus in St. Petersburg, Florida, is a fourth generation small business owner and manager with more than three decades of experience as a successful independent retailer. He has authored 12 books on small business management and a college textbook on small business accounting. He has also produced hundreds of articles on management for over 75 business publications worldwide.

And beginning in 2012, he has provided selections from his highly acclaimed seminar series, tailored specifically for motorsports professionals, on the final morning of the PRI Show. They are full of sound advice and solid takeaways, and on both occasions, attendees have remained seated well after the presentation is over in order to speak with Mr. Shay one-on-one, and collect additional tips and guidance. Simply put, his seminars have become can't-miss strategy sessions for small business owners.

As a result of his growing popularity within the industry, we decided to bring Mr. Shay on board as a regular contributor to PRI's monthly lineup of online-only articles, which can be found here.

His debut online-only column, "Racing Businesses Plan For Inventory Fluctuations," explains how small business owners and managers can plan ahead to avoid carrying excess product in the off-season and not enough during the race season.

Indeed, Mr. Shay will be appearing in this space multiple times throughout the year. But he will also be joined by several other business columnists—authorities on retail sales, marketing, management, branding and more—who have agreed to share their knowledge and expertise for PRI's online readership.

Please enjoy Mr. Shay's column, feel free to visit his website for additional information, and check back here each month for all-new entries from our outstanding group of online contributors.

The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and IRG Sports + Entertainment announced the return of IHRA national event drag racing to a national television audience. In an exclusive deal with leading automotive network MAV TV, the entire 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series will air in a special 13-week series on MAV TV.

MAV TV, with its unparalleled line-up of motorsports events and exclusive automotive reality shows, will air all 12 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series events and a special season in review episode in a unique, character-driven show that will focus on equal parts behind the scenes stories, car and driver profiles and on-track racing. The show will air in the fourth-quarter of the 2014 season.

“We are very excited to partner with the leading provider of motorsports entertainment in MAV TV to bring our incredible series to a national television audience,” said Jason Rittenberry, CFE, President and Chief Executive Officer of IRG. “IHRA is a unique brand with incredible classes and exciting characters and now we are adding true competition back to the series for the first time in many years. We look forward to showing the world what the new IHRA is all about and giving our fans a chance to follow the series all across North America.”

The IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series (NJDRS) will be unlike anything drag racing fans have experienced before. Focusing primarily on character-driven entertainment, the NJDRS will showcase specific drivers, classes and cars in a unique blend of on-track racing and behind the scenes stories. With its roots in reality storytelling, fans will get up-close-and-personal with the stars of the IHRA’s professional drag racing series and all of the drama that is associated with championship motorsports.

“When we entered into talks in regards to a television broadcast, we felt it was very important that we focus on the entertainment aspect of what we do. The racing element is one part, but we want to show the world that this sport is so much more than just cars going down the track,” said Scott Gardner, President of IHRA Motorsports. “The IHRA is so rich with incredible people, personalities and behind the scenes stories and we want to share these incredible people and stories with the world.

“Ultimately this is not just a traditional drag racing recap show. This is something innovative and exciting that will give fans a behind the scenes look at our series in a setting that you won’t find anywhere else. This is the way drag racing is meant to be experienced.”

Video coverage will be provided by Masters Entertainment Group based in Nashville, Tennessee. Masters Entertainment Group has provided award-winning programming for over 20 years for dozens of broadcast partners, including previous coverage of IHRA events. Now IHRA and Masters Entertainment will once again partner to present the 2014 season in a brand new form.

“Masters Entertainment has a long history with IHRA Motorsports and bringing their events to a national television audience. We are all very excited to once again partner with the IHRA in 2014 and bring their incredible series back to the forefront with MAV TV,” said Butch McCall, Executive Vice President of Masters Entertainment.

The 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series will include a unique mix of classes and competition not found anywhere else in the sport. From historical cars and legendary drivers to cutting edge drag racing technology, the NJDRS has something for motorsports fans of all ages. Classic Nitro Funny Cars and Nitro Altereds mixed with the incredible talents of Nitro Harley, Mountain Motor Pro Stock and the sports only Jet Dragster championship contested by the fastest girls in drag racing, the IHRA looks to continue to provide an exciting blend of entertainment and competition.

IHRA last aired on national television in 2009 on SPEED channel and now the IHRA returns to homes with this brand new series. In addition to the initial run of the 13-week series, fans will also enjoy additional airings of the brand new show throughout the latter half of 2014.

For more information on the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series visit www.ihra.com and for more information on MAV TV visit www.mavtv.com.

Motovicity Distribution, a leading performance automotive parts distributor and exclusive North American HKS wholesale distributor, was recognized for the second consecutive year as the top volume global distributor for 2013 by HKS President Hiroyuki Hasegawa at the company’s annual Premium Day.

The award was presented to Motovicity Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brian Lounsberry during the annual HKS event, which ran from January 25-28, with additional events and product training sessions held at the company’s headquarters in Fujinomiya, Japan.

“Motovicity has a long history with HKS that we are very proud of,” Lounsberry said. “Since becoming HKS’s exclusive North American distributor in 2011, we have worked tirelessly to support the brand throughout the US and Canada, and we couldn’t be more proud to be recognized as the top global distributor for the second year in a row.”

The annual HKS Premium Day event was the company’s largest to-date, drawing thousands of visitors from around the world and offering enthusiasts a glimpse into the iconic performance company few ever see. This year, HKS not only revealed its latest automotive performance products, but also flexed its aircraft, heavy duty industrial and civil engineering product muscles.

New products on display included HKS’s new Hipermax coilover applications, forced induction kits and the latest HKS exhaust technologies. Select attendees were also given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to personally experience new HKS products during test drives at Fuji Speedway in HKS’s Nissan R-35 GT-R, a drift-spec Lexus IS 300, and in an HKS-prepared Scion FR-S.

Motovicity staff, along with North American HKS Pro Dealers, also track-tested both pre-production and current HKS engine and suspension combinations on popular sport compact platforms, including the Subaru/Scion BRZ/FR-S platforms, and on a Nissan R-35 GTR outfitted with HKS’s new transmission components.  

“On the surface, competing products can often appear similar, but after touring HKS’s campus I understand why they are the benchmark for many in the industry. They have achieved something I rarely see – the perfect balance of artistry and automation,” Lounsberry said. “Seeing craftsman TIG welding exhaust systems and CNC machines producing perfect turbo impellers, I was inspired by the care HKS puts into the design, development, testing and production of their entire product line.”

National Association of Diesel Motorsports (shortened to DIESEL Motorsports 2 years ago) is in its 8th year of providing sanctioned diesel sled pulling, and drag racing events across the United States.

DIESEL Motorsports has grown quickly with events now all over the country. Many state and regional clubs/associations and diesel promoters are putting diesel events in many different rural towns. All of the past organizations now let diesel trucks participate but many still do not have classes for the trucks.

Many of DM's 60-plus events are the affiliate events that local and state clubs host throughout the country.

Flowmaster Performance Exhaust returns as the VIP Title sponsor this year among many others who have been with us for many years.

DM 2014 Schedule:

March 7/8 Texas Diesel Spring Break
drags, pull, dyno, ShowNshine, tractors, trucks, semis
Denton, TX

April 26 Outdoor Expo
Sled pull, Dyno, ShowNShine and Outdoor Expo Show
Heber City, UT

June 19 EFILive Powertour
Multiple Locations to Muncie, IN

June 20/21 Haisley Machine Thunder in Muncie
Drags,Pull, Dyno, ShowNshine
Friday Night 21 Muncie Dragway
Saturday 22 Gaston Lion’s Fairground
Muncie, IN

July 17 EFILive Powertour
Multiple Locations to Bloomsburg, PA

July 19 East Coast Diesel Nationals
Drags, Pull, Dyno, ShowNshine
Numidia Dragway
Numidia, PA

August 2  West Coast Shootout
Spokane Raceway/Drag Racing
Spokane, WA

Aug 15/16   Industrial Injection’s Rocky Mountain Diesel Shootout
Drags,  Dyno, ShowNshine, Sled Pull
Friday night drags at Rocky Mountain Raceway
Saturday activities at Heber City/Wasatch County Fairgrounds
Salt Lake City/Heber City, UT

September 26, 27
Buckeye Diesel Blast
Drags, pull, dyno, ShowNshine, tractors, trucks, semis
Dragway 42
West Salem, OH

Check the website for updates.

Lincoln Electric has announced a partnership for 2014 with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series and the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, signaling a commitment by the welding products company to a passion shared by more than a million fans.

"There are more than 800 dirt tracks in the United States and Lincoln Electric is very excited to partner with the premier dirt racing sanction in the World of Outlaws," said Mickey Holmes, Manager, Sports Marketing. "The fans are extremely passionate and loyal to their drivers and sponsors. We are thrilled to get the 'Lincoln Welders' brand in front of these passionate fans."

Lincoln Electric will be known as the Official Welder of the World of Outlaws.

"Lincoln Electric is the industry leader and the brand you think of when it comes to all things welding," World of Outlaws CMO Ben Geisler said. "Our racers and fans will be happy with the program Lincoln Electric and the World of Outlaws have put in place for 2014."

Lincoln Electric designs, develops and manufactures arc welding products, robotic arc-welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, and has a leading global position in the brazing and soldering alloys market.

"Safety is everyone's top priority and welding certainly plays a critical role in the safety of drivers and fans," Holmes said. "We look forward to not only providing the teams with the best equipment and consumables, but also proper welding techniques and procedures to produce a quality weld."

The third annual Skip Barber Racing School IndyCar Academy will take place December 15–17 at Sebring (Florida) International Raceway.

The purpose of the Skip Barber IndyCar Academy is to provide drivers with no racing experience, and of all ages, with the opportunity to test themselves against some excellent drivers.

“A big reason I came out for this competition was to prove that an old guy like me could come out here and still be competitive against very talented guys who were a lot younger than me.” said Eric Sidebotham, 47, who placed fourth in last year’s competition.

Eligibility for the Skip Barber Racing School IndyCar Academy is simple: graduate from one Skip Barber 3-Day Formula Car Racing School and 2-Day Advanced Racing School. Individuals must be nominated for the academy by a Skip Barber Racing School instructor and meet the following criteria:

• No Car Racing Experience (Including club, pro, historic and non-SBRS sanctioned shootouts)

• No Outdoor Karting Experience

From the talented pool of applicants, only 33 are chosen to compete in the annual Skip Barber IndyCar Academy. For an entry fee, the participants receive multiple on-track sessions, sponsorship instruction, driver preparation knowledge and feedback from Skip Barber Racing School instructors throughout the three-day event.

“To be honest, this is an amazing opportunity for people who have never raced,” said Bruce MacInnes, a longtime Skip Barber Racing School instructor. “When I started racing, there was nothing like this, now Skip Barber Racing School has become a venue for the best guys in America."

The event is an intense competition that rewards consistent speed and punishes mistakes. The grand prize is a fully sponsored entry in the 2015 Skip Barber Summer Series presented by Mazda.

Competing in the Skip Barber Race Series presented by Mazda makes it possible to have a shot at the year-end Skip Barber Race Series Championship Shootout and a chance for sponsored advancement down the Mazda Road to Indy: USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights series.

In addition to the Skip Barber IndyCar Academy, Skip Barber Racing School also provides two other paths for drivers to enter the Mazda Road to Indy.

• For karters, Skip Barber Racing School conducts the Skip Barber Racing School Karts to Cars Shootout currently scheduled for October. It allows karters to move from karts to Formula Skip Barber 2000 race cars. The winner of the karting shootout will win a fully sponsored entry in either the summer or winter Skip Barber Racing Series.

• For individuals with prior racing experience, Skip Barber Racing School offers an arrive-and-drive regional race series. Competing in the Skip Barber Race Series presented by Mazda makes it possible to have a shot at the year-end Skip Barber Race Series Champion Shootout and a chance for sponsored advancement down the Mazda Road to Indy.

The Mint 400 has announced its addition to the Red Bull Signature Series.

The 2014 Mint 400 will be held Saturday, March 15 in Las Vegas, and the Red Bull Signature Series two-hour broadcast of the race is set to air on NBC Sunday, July 6 at 2 p.m. Eastern.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of the Red Bull Signature Series, and to showcase the spectacle of off-road racing at the Mint 400 to the biggest audience in the history of the sport,” said Mint 400 CEO Matt Martelli. “The Mint 400 is the oldest and most challenging off-road race in America—and it’s a perfect fit for the Red Bull Signature Series.”

"This is an incredible milestone for the sport of off-road racing,” said Joshua Martelli, COO of The Mint 400. “In addition to the over 60,000 spectators at the event itself, we now get to share The Mint 400 with over 110 million homes in the U.S. The broadcast will allow fans nationwide to experience the exciting battles that take place between the top off-road racers on the planet. That has been our goal from day one, to make the Mint 400 into the Super Bowl of off-road racing.”

Mad Media will return in 2014 as the production team behind The Mint 400 broadcast for the fifth consecutive year. They are best known for producing the first three Gymkhana films, and most recently the “XP1K” project for new Red Bull Signature Series sponsor Polaris RZR. In addition, they also produced coverage of the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing IndyCar team already bolstered its engineering staff when it announced Bill Pappas would join the team last fall.

It’s added to that personnel enhancement with confirmation John Dick, like Pappas, is also coming over to RLL from Dale Coyne Racing.

Dick will take over as RLL’s Head of Research and Development, replacing Gerry Hughes, who was reassigned midway through 2013. Hughes returns to England after two years in America with the RLL squad.

Dick, who has over 37 years of racing experience, was the race engineer for Team Rahal driver Max Papis in 2001, and the combination produced two wins and one pole. With Coyne last year, Dick engineered the No. 18 Honda, which won Detroit Race 1 with Mike Conway.

“It’s great to have John back with the team,” team co-owner Bobby Rahal said in a release. “His experience and knowledge is a great compliment to the existing staff we have assembled with race engineers Bill Pappas and Eddie Jones. John is a key element to our plan to expand our technical department and will oversee testing and development.”

Pappas and Jones will continue to engineer RLL’s two Honda-powered cars, the second of which still does not have a confirmed driver.