Offering one of the most comprehensive racing programs in the motorsports industry, Champion Racing Oil has announced the details for its 2014 ELITE RACER Program, providing support for participants in almost every recognized sanctioned racing event in North America and Canada. 
 
Karl Dedolph, Director of Racing & Performance Products for Champion Oil, announced,  “The Champion 2014 ELITE RACER Program is an all-encompassing marketing program designed to link our racing and performance lubricant distributors directly to regional and national racers for most sanctioned racing events in North America including the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC), American Sprint Car Series (ASCS), World of Outlaws (WoO), United States Auto Club (USAC), the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) and the National Association of Diesel Motorsports (NADM).
 
“There are many other popular series such as MOWA, UMP, USCS, IRA, MLRA, NHRA, MARA, NDHRA and MARS,” added Dedolph. “Champion Racing and Performance products are the choice of champions in racing events nationwide. Champion’s new 2014 ELITE RACER Program supports race teams from dirt track to pavement, circle track to drag racing, tractor pull to diesel motorsports, etc. with special pricing, sponsor decals, product support and technical advice. Innovation and technical knowhow are at the heart of Champion’s Racing and Performance Division.”

For more information regarding the 2014 Champion ELITE RACER Program email racer@championbrands.com or the convenient on-line registration form found at http://www.championsusechampion.com  

Champion Oil develops synthetic motor oils for gasoline and diesel racing. These multi-viscosity motor oils contain high zinc and phosphorous formulas designed to deliver the correct balance of chemistry to protect high performance engines, especially those using flat tappet roller cams operating at high RPM's and requiring high-pressure valve springs.

These “purpose-built” lubricant products contain Champion’s proprietary TVS (Thermal Viscosity Stabilizer), which extends oil film capacity for better protection at high temperatures. The Champion oils also contain special lubricity modifiers to reduce friction, and unlock the full potential of any engine by providing increased compression, horsepower and torque.

VP Racing Fuels, Inc. announced that Steve LeSueur, a fixture on the NHRA national tour for over 30 years, is the newest addition to its sales team. LeSueur will be based at VP’s Regional Distribution Center in Newark, Delaware with primary responsibility for servicing the Mid-Atlantic region, where he and his family enjoyed great success for many years with their company, World Wide Racing Fuels.

“Steve and I worked side by side, me on the VP rig and Stevie on the World Wide truck, for probably 15 years on the NHRA National and Divisional level,” said Jim Kelly, VP’s Regional Manager for Eastern North America. “He’s a very well known, well respected member of the performance aftermarket business. I’ve wanted Steve as part of the VP team for some time and I’m glad the stars have finally aligned for him to join us.”

LeSueur is looking forward to getting back in contact with the many race teams, engine builders, track operators and sanctioning bodies with whom he worked during nearly 40 years of involvement in race fuels. “This opportunity with VP brings me back to my roots,” said LeSueur, whose family has been involved in East Coast racing since the early ‘50s. “I was involved in race fuels on the East Coast starting in the late ‘70s, when the idea of ‘race fuel’ was in its infancy. I’m excited to be back in a position to help racers make power and go fast.”

“In servicing customers, Steve will team with Freddie Turza from our R&D/Tech Support staff. With their expertise and the strong reputation VP has for making maximum power not just on the dyno but at the track—where it matters most—I anticipate big things from the sales team,” Kelly added.
 
Anyone wanting to connect with Steve can contact him at 302/685-3119 or steve.lesueur@vpracingfuels.com.

VP Racing Fuels is the Official Racing Fuel of NHRA Championship Drag Racing, American Le Mans, AMA Supercross, World of Outlaws Sprint Cars and Late Models, among more than 60 VP-sponsored series and sanctioning bodies.

Green Savoree St. Petersburg LLC (GSSP) announced it will join forces with Firestone for the opening race of the 2014 IndyCar Series season—the newly-titled Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations and GSSP, the promoter of the downtown waterfront event, entered a multi-year agreement as entitlement sponsor, beginning with the race on March 28-30, 2014.
 
“Firestone has been a first-rate sponsor of our event for the past nine years, and we can only express gratitude for having a partner who understands the value of our event,” said Tim Ramsberger, President of the newly christened Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “It speaks volumes about Firestone and what we have built with all of our partners in our wonderful community.”
 
General public tickets for the 2014 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will go on sale Dec. 1. All tickets will be available online at gpstpete.com or by calling 877-283-5385.
 
“Motorsports is an integral part of the Firestone brand marketing efforts and the entitlement sponsorship of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg aligns perfectly with our plans,” said Lisa Boggs, Director of Bridgestone Americas Motorsports. “Our commitment to the race is a reflection of our longstanding relationship with Green Savoree  and the terrific St. Petersburg community and fans. We are proud to have the Firestone name on this outstanding event.”
 
Firestone has been the Official Tire of the IndyCar Series since 2002 and is the only tire to compete in every event since the league’s formation in 1996. In addition to the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, which will celebrate its 10-year anniversary in March, Firestone also serves as the title sponsor for the Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway.
 
For more information on Firestone Racing, visit firestonetire.com/racing. To learn more about the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, visit gpstpete.com.

Motovicity Distribution, a leading performance aftermarket distributor, was named the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Warehouse Distributor (WD) of the Year at the 50th annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas. 
 


The award recognizes Motovicity’s “continuing efforts to perpetuate and improve upon the warehouse distributor concept of products distribution in the automotive specialty equipment industry.”  
 


It’s the first time Motovicity has received the award, having been a finalist in years past. 
 
“We’re honored and humbled to receive this recognition by SEMA and our peers in the industry,” said Motovicity CEO Dave Ziozios, who accepted the award on behalf of Motovicity. “We owe this recognition to our customers, our employees and to our brands, for giving us this great opportunity to raise the bar for the performance aftermarket industry and our customers.”
 


The award highlights a highly successful year for the Michigan-based performance aftermarket distributor that specializes in carrying the top brands for the sport compact and modern muscle car markets. To showcase its unique strengths, Motovicity unveiled an all-new booth at the 2013 SEMA Show, giving visitors a virtual tour of the key pillars of the company: purchasing, marketing, sales & service, and warehousing & shipping.
 


“The Warehouse Distributor of the Year Award is all the more special because the winner is selected by peer manufacturers in the industry. It is the highest praise for a job well done, and Motovicity Distribution is to be congratulated for their achievement in 2013,” SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting said.  
 


Founded in 2002, the company’s slogan, “Better Than Direct,” has been a driving force behind Motovicity’s efforts to provide value-added service to its customers and brands alike. In 2013, the company gave away two brand-new project cars as part of its “Ticket to Ride” promotion, which showcased 14 unique brands in product features, educational content and special marketing programs.
 


Motovicity is a leading wholesale-only warehouse distributor representing more than 150 of the top performance brands in the industry. The company has 80 employees and is known in the performance industry for its MotoReps, Motovicity’s unique group of ASE Certified sales team of performance enthusiasts.  
 


Motovicity 2013 Highlights:



· Signed more than 20 new brands in 2013, including Tokico, Wilwood, SCT, Blackworks Racing and QA1.
 


· Initiated ASE certification training and testing processes, making Motovicity among the very first performance wholesale distributors to have ASE Certified sales representatives. 
 


· Launched Ticket to Ride, one of the most ambitious WD promotions in the industry, giving away 2013 Ford Mustang GT and Scion FR-S project cars (with trunks filled with performance parts), and engaging all customer types with sponsor brands, including dealers, installers and end-users.
 


· Increased warehouse space by 57 percent to 55,000 sq. ft. and increased physical inventory by more than 40 percent, while delivering 100 percent same-day order processing for more than one year non-stop.
 


· Visited more than 250 new and existing customers across the U.S and Canada, including a multi-city HKS Pro Dealer Tour, while hosting more than two-dozen manufacturers for in-depth product and technical training sessions.
 


· Maintained 99.92 percent shipping accuracy while also streamlining return and shipping policies to improve customer satisfaction.
 


· Launched an all-new MotoBlog (www.blog.motovicity.com <http://www.blog.motovicity.com> ) and leveraged several new social media platforms to better connect brands to customers, and to educate retailers and shops on the latest industry and product advances. 


Pierre Fillon, the eighth president of the ACO, which created the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1923 and will celebrate its 82nd edition in 2014, has been given the honor of starting the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona. President Fillon will wave the starter’s flag to launch the event.

This great honor highlights the indispensable role played by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest in the merger between the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Road Racing Series in the creation of the new North American Endurance Championship named the Tudor United SportsCar Championship, the opening round of which will be the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

In June of this year, Fillon invited Jim France, Chairman of International Speedway Corporation, creator of the Grand-Am Road Racing and Vice President of NASCAR to serve as Honorary Starter for the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The ACO, which is investing all its passion in the development of endurance throughout the world, is the promoter and organizer of the FIA World Endurance Championship and was also the creator of the American Le Mans Series in 1999 with its partner, Don Panoz, the European Le Mans Series in 2004 and the Asian Le Mans series in 2013.

British sports car legend and racing commentator David Hobbs has been named as Grand Marshal for the 52nd running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Hobbs, a versatile driver, who competed in many forms of motorsports including sports cars, NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula One, took part in all the major events worldwide starting with the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, the 500 Miles of Daytona, the Indianapolis 500 Miles and the Le Mans 24 Hours. He started the Sarthe classic on 20 occasions scoring two category wins (1962: 1st in GT1.3 in a Lotus Elite and 1982, 1st in IMSA GTX in a Porsche 935) and his best overall results were 3rd in 1969 (Ford) and 3rd again in 1984 (Porsche 956). As Grand Marshal he will deliver the starting command “Drivers, start your engines,” and he joins other racing legends such as Hurley Haywood, A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Vic Elford and Brian Redman.

Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2009, Hobbs also appeared in the movie Cars 2 as announcer “David Hobbscap,” a 1963 E-Type Jaguar.

“David Hobbs’ starting command and the waving of the starter’s flag by Pierre Fillon will kick off a new era in North American sports car racing,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “The anticipation for the upcoming Rolex 24 is at an all-time high and we’re looking forward to kicking off the new season and the new championship with a historic event.”

Officials from the CARS Pro Cup Series have unveiled the 2014 series schedule that will feature 12 events at 10 different facilities.

For the first time ever in series history the state of Alabama will play host to the season opener. Montgomery Motor Speedway will host the season opener on March 22. In 2013 the series made a triumphant return to the half-mile track after a seven year absence.

The following month features the traditional Spring date at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway on April 5, before heading to one of the biggest events of the season on April 25-26 at the three-quarter-mile Memphis (Tenn.) International Raceway. The track, which previously held NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events, will welcome the Pro Cup Series for the first time.

The series will then sit idle until the series returns to Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia on June 7. Next the series visits the abrasive Myrtle beach (S.C.) Speedway surface on June 28, followed by a special July 4 doubleheader at Kingsport (Tenn.) Speedway featuring the Pro Cup Series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series late models.

Next the series returns to Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C., on July 26, followed by a return visit to Motor Mile Speedway on August 9.

The four race Championship Series, which resets the championship points standings based on seeding through the first eight events in 2014, kicks off at the familiar Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C.

Next the series makes its return to the Coastal Plains Raceway tri-oval in Jacksonville, N.C., on Sept. 20 for the first time since Bobby Gill’s win there in 2002. Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, Va., will also return to the series schedule on October 4 after a two year hiatus.

The series will then close out the season two weeks earlier compared to 2013 and crown its 2014 series champion at Hickory Motor Speedway on Oct. 4.

2014 CARS Pro Cup Series Schedule



Date – Track – Location

March 22 – Montgomery Motor Speedway – Montgomery, Ala.

April 5 – Hickory Motor Speedway – Hickory, N.C.

April 26 – Memphis Int’l Raceway – Memphis, Tenn.

June 7 – Motor Mile Speedway – Radford, Va.

June 28 – Myrtle Beach Speedway – Myrtle Beach, S.C.

July 4 – Kingsport Speedway – Kingsport, Tenn.

July 26 – Orange County Speedway – Rougemont, N.C.

Aug. 9 – Motor Mile Speedway – Radford, Va.

Sept. 6 – Southern National Motorsports Park – Kenly, N.C.

Sept. 20 – Coastal Plains Raceway – Jacksonville, N.C.

Oct. 4 – Lonesome Pine Raceway – Coeburn, Va.

Oct. 18 – Hickory Motor Speedway – Hickory, N.C.

Oakley Motorsports is joining forces with Scuderia Ferrari, the most storied team in Formula 1 history, in what can be called a dream alliance, bringing together two iconic giants of their respective industries. This historic event marks Oakley Motorsports Division’s biggest global partnership thus far and will take effect for the 2014 F1 season (with Oakley as Scuderia Ferrari’s exclusive eyewear provider).

Oakley and Ferrari will share design philosophies, technical advances, inspiration and innovation over a multi-year period. The development also completes the ‘team,’ as superstar driver, Fernando Alonso, has been an Oakley team driver for the past two Formula 1 seasons.

More details to come…

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (EGR) announced that Keith Rodden has been named crew chief for Jamie McMurray and the No. 1 Chevrolet SS.

Rodden will assume the role effective immediately to prepare for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season.

”We are very happy to get a crew chief that is the caliber of Keith,” said EGR Owner Chip Ganassi. “He brings a lot of great experience with him to our organization. We are building the foundation for what we believe will be long-term success in our NASCAR operation and Keith fits into those plans perfectly. I look forward to having him in the organization and leading the No. 1 team.”

Rodden joins EGR from Hendrick Motorsports where he was most recently in the role of lead engineer for the No. 5 Chevrolet. In his two seasons as the lead engineer on the No. 5, the team won four races and made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in both seasons. The Denver, North Carolina, native has more than 10 years of NASCAR racing experience. Rodden began his racing career as a race engineer for Andy Petree Racing. He has also worked for Evernham Motorsports, Richard Petty Motorsports and Red Bull Racing in similar positions. In 2007, Rodden served as crew chief for Kasey Kahne for multiple races while filling in for Kenny Francis.

“I am excited and appreciative for this opportunity and can’t wait to be just a small piece of an excellent team that Earnhardt Ganassi Racing is building,” said Rodden. “Chip has quality people and is also building great race cars. This team has shown that they can win races and compete at the highest level of this sport and I look forward to working with Jamie and everyone on the team as we work to prepare for the 2014 season.”

Jamie McMurray will begin his 12th full-time season in the NSCS in 2014. McMurray, the 2010 Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 Champion, has seven Sprint Cup wins, including his most recent win at Talladega Superspeedway just five weeks ago. In just over 400 career NSCS starts he has accumulated nine poles, 108 top-10 and 45 top-five finishes.

Bill Schmid has been named Vice President and Regional General Manager of TW Metals’ Northern Region, which includes Rochester, NY; Agawam, MA; Cranbury, NJ; Charleston, SC; Cincinnati, OH; Toledo, OH; Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI and Minneapolis, MN. With responsibility for all commercial and operations activities at these locations.

Schmid, a 36-year veteran with the company, has held various management positions in inventory management, quality assurance, product management and purchasing before becoming Vice President of Purchasing and Product Management, and later Vice President of several different regions. He has also led several corporate projects to a successful conclusion. Schmid is a graduate of Rutgers University.

Brian Moroney has been promoted to Regional General Manager for the company’s Southern Region which includes Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Savannah, GA and Orlando, FL. In addition, Moroney will also be responsible for TW Metal’s sales effort in South America and Mexico.

Moroney is a 29-year veteran of TW Metals and opened the company’s Savannah facility in 1986 where he was Branch Manager. He later moved to TW Metals in Atlanta where he had responsibility for both of the Georgia locations. Moroney attended Brookdale College in Lincroft, NJ.

TW Metals is a global leader in the distribution and processing of specialty metals, offering extrusions, fittings, pipe, tube, rod/bar, sheet, and plate in stainless, aluminum, nickel, titanium, alloy, and carbon steel. For more information on TW Metals, visit www.twmetals.com.

NASCAR and 5.11 Tactical announced at the NASCAR Fuel for Business Council Meeting in Miami a multi-year partnership that will designate the California-based company as the Official Tactical Apparel & Gear Supplier of NASCAR. As part of the new official partnership, 5.11 Tactical, a leader in tactical apparel and gear design, will produce high-performance uniforms for officials in NASCAR’s national series, as well as its touring and weekly series.
 
Throughout the 10-month race season, NASCAR officials are challenged with one of the most physically demanding roles in the sport. The new uniforms will be designed to stand up to rigorous racing conditions, adapt to changing climates, and provide the durability and flexibility that are critical to perform the most strenuous of job functions in the garage. Images of the new uniforms are expected to be released in early 2014.    
 
5.11 Tactical will provide officials’ uniforms for NASCAR’s three national series, its four U.S.-based touring series, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1, and NASCAR-sanctioned tracks in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
 
“The hard-working men and women that are tasked with officiating nearly 200 NASCAR-sanctioned races each year should be outfitted with uniforms that ensure optimum performance and comfort,” said Jim O’Connell, NASCAR chief sales officer. “5.11 Tactical has proven to be a leader in developing tactical apparel. We are proud to add yet another brand to our family of Official Partners this year.”
 
5.11 Tactical is the seventh company to officially partner with NASCAR in 2013. Official Partners that have entered the sport this year span across the technology, green, and automotive sectors, and include: Eaton Corporation, FDP (Duralast Brakes), HP, Liberty Tire Recycling, Prevost, and Sherwin-Williams. 
 
5.11 Tactical will feature the NASCAR bar mark across its multiple digital channels including its corporate website and will display its purpose-built tactical apparel and gear at-track each weekend. 5.11 Tactical is currently developing a new NASCAR apparel line that is expected to be available in 2014.
 
“5.11 Tactical is proud to partner with NASCAR and we look forward to developing innovative gear that can help benefit the sport,” said Bob Neapole, 5.11 Tactical chief revenue officer. “Similar to NASCAR, our customer base is extremely brand-loyal. Having the opportunity to display the high-performance qualities of our purpose-built gear under the arduous conditions at-track each weekend will be highly beneficial to the broader 5.11 community.”
 
As part of this partnership, 5.11 Tactical joins the NASCAR Fuel for Business Council, which brings together an exclusive group of more than 60 Official NASCAR Partners four times per year to buy and sell products and services from one another. This exclusive business-to-business environment offers unique opportunities for many FORTUNE 500 companies to bypass the time and layers of corporate coordination that may exist to construct customized deals that help address specific business needs.