One of the shining stars of the UK economy, the British motorsport industry, has celebrated another successful year in 2013 with the Motorsport Industry Association’s (MIA) annual Business Excellence Awards. The event, which took place in Birmingham (Thursday 9 January) as part of the highly successful Autosport International Show, saw over 500 guests from across the globe come together to recognize the achievements of the industry over the last 12 months.  

The MIA Business of the Year Award was presented to Norfolk-based Caterham Group, which has demonstrated a consistent commitment to innovation and the motorsport industry.

MIA CEO Chris Aylett said, “Caterham provides us all with a superb example of British engineering innovation at its very best. While the business is perhaps best known for its iconic Caterham Seven sportscar, co-chairmen Tony Fernandes and Dato’Kamarudin Meranun have continued to lead the business and explore new markets with great dynamism."

As testament to this entrepreneurial ethos, 2013 saw the launch of a two-wheeled division, joining the Caterham F1 Team, Caterham Racing (GP2), Caterham Technology & Innovation, Caterham Composites and the Caterham Moto Racing Team, in the rapidly growing Caterham family.”

The sell-out MIA Business Excellence Awards Dinner, in association with Dell, was attended by an audience of senior executives from the international motorsport business community.

First presented in 1995, the MIA Business Excellence Awards recognize excellence at all levels within the motorsport and high performance engineering industry.

The 2013 winners, in the seven categories, were:

Service to the Industry Award supported by Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems
Ellis Clowes & Company

Teamwork Award supported by Grainger & Worrall
Pirtek Racing

Technology & Innovation supported by Ricardo
Drayson Racing Technologies

New Markets supported by Dell
Delta Motorsport

Export Achievement supported by Performance Racing Industry
GST Racing Seals

Small Business of Year – with annual sales under £5 million supported by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership
DC Electronics

Business of the Year - with annual sales exceeding £5 million supported by Xtrac
Caterham Group

Aylett concluded, “It is a huge honour for us to be in the company of winners and finalists who have once more impressed our judges, with their outstanding innovation and performance in 2013.”

The 2014 United States Modified Touring Series campaign will run a record number of events and offer record bonuses to boot.

Officials from the USMTS have announced that one driver could turn a record-breaking performance into a record-setting trip to the bank.

The four regional champions were set to earn at least $5000 while the USMTS national champion was slated to earn $20,000 at season’s end, a whopping $40,000 if one driver wins all four regions and the national crown.

However, USMTS Promoter Todd Staley announced that any driver who can win all four regions and cap that off with the USMTS National Championship will earn a $60,000 bonus for an astounding $100,000 payday.

“This is something we have wanted to do for some time now, but you have to have the support from drivers, fans and sponsors to make it work,” Staley said. “Not only are the drivers who compete in the USMTS the best of the best, but this is proof that our fans and marketing partners are the best of the best too.”

Sweeping four regions and the national title is a tall order, but other bonuses are also in place for top performers.

Any driver who can win two regional titles and the national championship will get a $20,000 bonus to make his or her take-home pay $50,000 instead of $30,000. If a driver can win three regions and come out on top after the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s National Championship, it will pay $75,000 instead of $35,000, an added bonus of $40,000.

The 16th season for the United States Modified Touring Series and quest for the 2014 USMTS National Championship kicks off at the South Texas Speedway in Corpus Christi, Feb. 6-8.

Chevy Hardcore offers performance Chevrolet content online. Its readership is in the know for everything Bowtie from tech talk to event coverage, new releases and more. Power Automedia took all the right steps to make Chevy Hardcore the industry leader and is continuing that growth with the addition of Tim King as Editor.
 
Like many car guys and gals, King grew up shadowing his father in the garage. From there his passion grew and led him down a career path that touched nearly every area of the automotive industry. Now King brings his diverse skills and devoted passion to the Chevy Hardcore readership.
 
“I’m very happy to have made the move to Power Automedia,” relayed King. “Having worked in just about every facet of the automotive industry from an auto mechanic, retail, sales, and everything in between, this really is a great fit for me. I’m able to use my knowledge and experience of cars along with my schooling.
 
“My biggest plan with the magazine is to bring great content to it. Many Chevy Hardcore readers are guys like me who are wrenching at home on the weekends, your ‘average Joe’ if you will. So we will highlight stories that everybody can relate to with meaningful, relevant and informative content.”
 
At the age of 15, King bought his first car, a 1966 Chevelle which he still owns to this day. Not only is he a gear head, but he also holds two Bachelors degrees from Cal State San Bernardino.
 
“This job is one where I can really use all my passion, expertise, schooling and contacts,” King continued. “I love this industry and am a true gear head; on the weekends I’m wrenching on cars, hanging out on forums and watching anything auto related. My love is 60/70’s Chevy muscle cars. At the end of the day though, I love all cars, just some more than others.”
 
"Being a hands-on and a diverse performance automotive enthusiast, we're very excited to have Tim King join our growing Power Automedia family,” elaborated Power Automedia Group Editor, Mike Alexander. “Joining our ranks as Editor of Chevy Hardcore, Tim brings with him years of Chevrolet expertise, having owned and built a 1966 454-powered Chevelle from the ground up in his garage. A passion for all things Chevy, Tim pilots his Chevelle in auto-cross events, track-days, and to shows across the Southwest. We're looking forward to seeing his passion grow the Chevy Hardcore brand and connect with its growing readership, which recently passed over 175,000 monthly visitors."

With the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona only a few weeks away, TRG-AMR North America announced Houston-based premium synthetic lubricant manufacturer, Royal Purple, as the team’s exclusive lubricants provider and team sponsor for the 2014 race season.
 
Following extensive vehicle performance and durability testing using Royal Purple’s products and an initial limited partnership late in 2013, the two groups worked together during the off-season to establish a permanent technical and marketing alliance for the 2014 race season.
 
Under the terms of the technical and marketing alliance, Royal Purple’s products will be used in all TRG-AMR V12 Vantage GT3’s and Vantage GT4’s competing in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, Pirelli World Challenge, Continental Tire Championship and Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of North America race series. TRG-AMR will also prominently feature Royal Purple branding on the team’s race cars, trailers and apparel. Together, the two companies will work to establish integrated marketing and social media campaigns, building brand equity and raising awareness for both TRG-AMR’s racing efforts and Royal Purple’s line of synthetic lubricants and fluids.
 
“We are all very excited to welcome on Royal Purple as our exclusive category partner and sponsor for these lubricants,” said TRG-AMR North America CEO Kevin Buckler. “Like us, they are a small boutique company that produces a tremendous product and they want to take a real chunk out of the big guys in this category and we are definitely going to help them. Their products are second to none in terms of technology and quality and we have put them through severe durability testing and they have passed with flying colors. This is going to be a tremendous partnership opportunity for both sides and we are proud to bring Royal Purple to the TUDOR paddock this year as a true corporate partner.”
 
TRG-AMR and Royal Purple’s first race as partners occurs at the 52nd annual Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, in Daytona Beach, Florida, January 25 and 26, featuring the No. 007 and No. 009 cars competing in the TUDOR USCC GTD class, and cars No. 07 and No. 09 in the GS class of the Continental Tire Sport Car Challenge.
 
“Royal Purple looks forward to its partnership with the TRG-AMR North American Aston Martin race team in 2014,” said Royal Purple Marketing Director Randy Fisher. “We affectionately identify ourselves as the performance oil that outperforms. As such, we know TRG-AMR depends on the value and effectiveness of our products to help the team remain championship-caliber competitors. Over the course of 2014 – all while racing in some of the most demanding and competitive levels of sports car endurance racing – Royal Purple’s technical experts will work closely with TRG-AMR by providing the team with advanced lubrication technology and post-race analysis of the effectiveness of our products to prove this mantra.”
 

A review of the internationally-recognised UK Motorsport Valley business cluster, launched today by Rt. Hon Michael Fallon Minister of State for Business, reported a strong ‘bounce back’ since the recessionary period of 2008 and 2009, with continuous growth every year since, to reach the highest sales level in its illustrious history.

According to the review, which was commissioned by the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) and supported by the industry, The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) , this thriving sector had, by 2012, achieved annual sales of £9 billion. This significant turnover was generated by some 4300 companies, employing 41,000 people supplying the world with world-class high-performance engineering products and motorsport services.

A high level of investment in R&D, with many firms spending more than 25 percent of their annual turnover and benefitting from R&D tax credits, was said to be vital to this success, as were the high calibre of employees, and exports, with nearly 90 percent of the companies selling overseas.

Highly valuable, international Formula One teams, supported by their outstanding UK supply chain, continue to choose Motorsport Valley as their primary location. Eight out of eleven teams did so in 2013, and this sub-set of the wider UK motorsport sector employs more than 5000 highly skilled individuals and delivers more than £2 billion each year, in revenues.

A growing number of companies reported success from offering their race-hardened capability and expertise to adjacent sectors, particularly with energy efficient, low carbon solutions. The resurgent UK automotive industry and defence too, require fast response from these innovative, R&D-based, prototype specialists. This valuable motorsport resource is unique to Britain.

Business Minister Michael Fallon said: "Our motorsport industry represents some of the best of British talent and ingenuity and it is imperative that we provide the right conditions so it continues to thrive. That is why we are investing £1 billion jointly with industry to ensure companies across the automotive sector have the support they need to develop the technologies of the future."

Chris Aylett, CEO of the MIA added: “British motorsport companies are proven world champions. Highly-publicised victories on race tracks around the world are a strong promotion for this ‘jewel in the crown’ of UK advanced engineering. At last, the expertise of these companies is being more widely recognised and valued by other industries. Every race or rally is won by the team which uses its energy resource most efficiently, and now this capability is bringing new business to this sector.”

Daniel Alvarez, a 21-year-old Late Model driver with Hammer Time Racing out of Chappells, South Carolina, traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana, in mid-December to attend the 2013 PRI Trade Show. Following is his account of what took place shortly after he arrived at the Indiana Convention Center. 

The 2013 PRI Show was the 3rd straight show I have attended. On the first day of the show, my father and I stumbled upon the RAD “Race Against Drugs” Racing Team booth, and spoke with them about their charity. RAD was there to raise awareness for their organization and promote their cause, as well as do some fundraising. They had teamed up with Mr. Brian Butler from Butler Built Seats, and were selling raffle tickets to win a custom race car seat.

I enjoyed talking with them about what they are doing because I do some similar stuff with my local track—trying to raise awareness of the dangers of Texting and Driving. At the time I didn’t have any cash to buy a ticket, but assured them I would be back when I had some to contribute to the cause. I continued on to see the show over the following days, and had a great time meeting and mingling with different vendors in the racing industry.

That Saturday, after catching some of the morning seminars, I remembered my promise to the RAD guys and quickly made the trip across the Convention Center. When I reached the RAD booth, I handed the man there $10, which was enough to buy four raffle tickets. I remember joking with the guys at the booth before I walked away, saying, “Just call me when I need to come get fitted for my seat," as I’m sure everyone else did.

Of course I did not expect to win, due to the odds, because they had sold a number of tickets. But I continued on my way to see what I could during the last few hours of the show.

Then, as I was walking around, my phone rang with an odd number. I answered it, and was excited to find out that I had just won the seat! I went straight to the RAD booth, where I was congratulated by Mr. Scott Steger (below at right), the president of RAD. He then took me (below at center) to the Butler Built booth where I met Mr. Brian Butler (below at left) himself. He personally measured me, and I got to pick any seat I wanted.

Winning the seat and supporting an incredible organization like RAD was the icing on the cake for my 2013 trip to the PRI Show. There is no doubt the seat will get a lot of use in my Late Model this coming racing season, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting PRI 2014.  

Actually, it seems like every time I go to PRI I win something really cool. At PRI 2011, I won the Skip Barber Racing School giveaway, which was awesome—three days of Formula One road course racing training at Road Atlanta. That was amazing. Take my advice: If you go to PRI, register for everything, because you just might get lucky!

The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association has announced an agreement with Simpson Performance Products for the 2014 season naming them he official driving suit of SVRA.

Additionally, HANS, now part of Simpson Performance Products, will continue as the official head & neck restraint of SVRA.

“We are pleased and honored to have Simpson Performance as a partner,” stated Tony Parella, president and CEO of SVRA. “Their long history as a leader in motorsports safety as well as their comprehensive line of products is certain to be popular with our competitors. In addition, their presence at our events will provide a new level of support for our drivers.”

Commenting on the partnership, Chuck Davies, CEO of Simpson said, “Simpson looks forward to our partnership wit the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association. Working together, sharing our knowledge, and engineering resources will lead to safer racing at SVRA events. We appreciate and support SVRA’s commitment to providing their racers with every advantage when it comes to safety.”

Andretti Autosport, one of the premier teams currently competing in international motorsport, has announced its intent to enter the 2014 Global Rallycross season. The Indianapolis-based operation will compete using Volkswagen Supercars.
 
“We are excited to confirm our intent to compete with Volkswagen in Global Rallycross events, and look forward to sharing more details at a later date,” Andretti Autosport released in a statement. A more detailed unveiling, including the team’s full 2014 lineup, will take place at the Chicago Auto Show on February 6.
 
Led by team owner and 42-time IndyCar race winner Michael Andretti, Andretti Autosport boasts four IndyCar Series championships, the most recent of which came in the 2012 season, and two Indianapolis 500 victories. Andretti Autosport  has competed in the American Le Mans Series, various steps of IndyCar’s Mazda Road to Indy ladder and is also due to compete in the FIA Formula E Championship in its inaugural season.
 
In 2013, privateer team Marklund Motorsport fielded Volkswagens in select GRC events. Five drivers, including two-time World Rally champion Carlos Sainz and two-time DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom, raced the cars.

The sale of Peoria Speedway to area businessmen Brandon Dean and Jason Plumer is now official after paperwork was completed January 7.

“We are officially the new owners of Peoria Speedway and couldn’t be happier about it”, Plumer said in an interview on Wednesday night. “Our focus now is getting the schedule ironed out before the Allen Automotive Trade Show and our meeting afterwards on January 18 at Brandon’s shop in Bellevue. Peoria Speedway has always been known as a Saturday night stock car track, so we are going to race every Saturday from April to October. If there is a rainout of our regular program on Saturday, we will try to make it up on Sunday night.
  
“Right now we have 41 events lined up, which will include demo derbies and motorcycle races”, continued Plumer. “Our goal is to turn the track into a multi-use facility, and we are looking at other events as well. This will be the 49th year of operation at the Farmington Road location and we are wanting to get it back to where it was. Our fans expect to see racing everySaturday night and that’s what we are going to give them- 5 classes of stock cars (UMP Late Models, Steel Block Late Models, UMP Modifieds, Street Stocks and Hornets). We want to restore the tradition of Peoria Speedway.”
 
Both men have racing backgrounds, with Dean owning a UMP Modiifed team for several years and Plumer competing in both the UMP Late Model and Modified class. Plumer also promoted the UMP Summernationals events at the track when it was owned by Sherrie Hamilton.
  
“Brandon and I both have local racing backgrounds and have an appreciation and respect for the history at the track”, Plumer said. “Back in the 70’s Peoria Speedway was the place to be on a Saturday night in Peoria and we want that to happen again. We know there Is a lot more competition for the entertainment dollar in Peoria now, so as we get the schedule together, we are taking all major events at Peoria into consideration.”
 
The 2014 racing schedule will be released on January 18 at the Allen Automotive Trade Show at Expo Gardens in Peoria. For more information, visit peoriaspeedway.com.

Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT), today announced the addition of John Sonnefeldt as Director of Sales and Marketing.

Joining the ACT team marks Sonnefeldt’s return to the automotive aftermarket from Marmon-Herrington Aftermarket Truck Parts. Sonnefeldt brings over 15 years of successful experience with him in the performance automotive aftermarket from legendary brands such as Auto Meter, Eaton and Holley.

ACT President, Dirk Starksen, commented on the acquisition. “John’s knowledge and experience ranging from the street performance market to professional motorsports will be a significant asset to ACT. His proven success is exactly what ACT needs as we continue to grow and expand in the Automotive Performance Aftermarket.”

“Joining a team that is both dedicated to developing great products and has a strong entrepreneurial spirit, makes this opportunity exciting,” John added, “I’m ready to accept the challenge and aid in the expansion of ACT’s global reach.”

ACT is a premier clutch manufacturer that has more than 700 different applications and more than 1300 performance clutch kits. The company’s product line features clutches and forged flywheels for the most popular vehicles in the domestic, import, European and truck markets.