Richard Childress Racing has hired Mike Coughlan as the team’s new Technical Director, effective immediately. Coughlan, a native of Surrey, England, brings to RCR more than two decades of motorsports experience, with a heavy concentration and success in Formula One.

During his 15 years in F1, Coughlan was a chief designer with teams such as Arrows, Benetton, Ferrari, McLaren and Williams; earning more than 20 victories. He has also served as a chief engineer and technical director with several teams. Coughlan also has prior NASCAR experience, having worked with Michael Waltrip Racing in late 2010 and early 2011 before returning to his F1 roots.

The addition of Coughlan greatly adds depth to the RCR competition organization. That area will now be managed with two major approaches and perspectives: race operations and engineering. Mark McArdle, who joined RCR full-time in August 2013, will continue in his role as Director of Race Operations, with Coughlan now serving as Technical Director. Both will report to Dr. Eric Warren, RCR’s Director of Competition.

“I have known Mike Coughlan for many years and have a tremendous amount of respect for both his personal skills as an engineer and as a leader of people,” Dr. Warren said. “He is a tremendous talent and has a rare combination of experience in leading teams and development programs in Formula 1, along with prior experience and exposure to NASCAR. To be successful in any form of racing, you have to push hard to find performance gains and his experience will strengthen RCR with regards to our competition.”

Coughlan is looking forward to applying his combined experience, success and knowledge with his new role.

“This is a great opportunity for me to become involved with a team like Richard Childress Racing,” Coughlan said. “This is one of the great teams in NASCAR and their commitment to winning is second-to-none.

“I feel with the increased technical focus of the Sprint Cup Series and the direction that the sport is moving, it makes a perfect fit for me. I look forward to helping Eric Warren, and the rest of the team, in bringing more success to the organization through the next few years.”

SEMA, the trade association representing the $31.32 billion specialty automotive industry, honored some of its most respected and influential people at a gala dinner during the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

More than 3000 industry luminaries and business owners gathered at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)’s annual SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet for a night of celebration and entertainment that included American Idol winner, Taylor Hicks.

Mike Kunzman of Mike Kunzman and Associates won the 2013 SEMA Rep Agency of the Year Award and MOTOVICITY (Dave Ziozios, CEO) was named 2013 SEMA WD of the Year. Both awards recognize outstanding commitment to the industry and a high level of involvement with SEMA committees, task forces, councils or board of directors participation.

CTEK Group announced today the acquisition of the Inelco Group’s battery charging business. The deal became effective on November 1, 2013, and was announced today at the 2013 SEMA Show.

CTEK develops, markets and sells lead acid and lithium ion battery chargers.  CTEK introduced the first switch-mode technology based battery charger in the world and is currently the global market leader. The acquisition of the battery charging business from Inelco A/S will strengthen CTEK Group’s business and increase its competitiveness mainly within the professional and industrial segments.

Inelco Group consists of the Danish company Inelco A/S and the Polish company Inelco Polska SP. Z.o.o. The company has 30 employees.

“CTEK Group looks forward to cooperating with Inelco Group’s customers and suppliers to help expand the business,” said Jon Lind, CEO, CTEK Group.

As the North American branch of the company, CTEK Power, Inc. is an industry leader in the North American market for smart battery technology. CTEK manufactures a complete range of new generation high-quality, reliable battery chargers and accessories for private and professional use that are effective, user friendly and above all safe to use.  CTEK has become the most trusted name in battery charging.

For more information about CTEK charging systems, phone 330-963-0981, email info@smartercharger.com, or visit www.smartercharger.com.  
 

Following four years of success and growth, the Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of Great Britain will become a support series to the British GT Championship in 2014.

The series also welcomes Michelin on-board as technical partner and exclusive tire provider at each of the seven rounds.

The GT4 Challenge of Great Britain sees drivers competing head-to-head in identical V8-powered Aston Martin Vantage GT4s. The series will now run alongside four rounds of the British GT Championship, which Aston Martin Racing partner team Beechdean AMR won this year.

“The British GT Championship is the highest level of GT racing in the UK and one of the top national championships in the world, so having the GT4 Challenge of Great Britain as a support race shows the level of professionalism of our one-make series,” said John Gaw, team principal at Aston Martin Racing. “Aston Martin Racing started with the GT4 and it continues to be at the heart of everything we do. Its excellent reliability, driveability and competitive running costs make it ideal for gentlemen drivers looking to start a racing career or just to have some fun. The recent improvements to the aero have put it right at the front of the GT4 pack and this was demonstrated at the last round of the British GT Championship when Richie Stanaway and Harry Whale finished second in their first race together.”

The GT4 Challenge of Great Britain takes pride in offering a highly competitive race for more experienced drivers as well as accommodating novice and less experienced drivers and helping to develop race craft on and off the track.

The format of the races vary from 60 to 100 minutes with two drivers per car and a mandatory pit stop at every race. The schedule is compact and ‘arrive and drive’ packages are available.

The program involves an initial assessment and training in a specially developed GT race car simulator. Once the basic skills have been mastered, drivers will take an Aston Martin Vantage GT4 onto a UK race circuit with expert tuition from an Aston Martin Racing instructor, who will coach them to pass the ARDS test and gain a National B race licence. Finally, entrants take part in an Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of Great Britain test day and race.

As well as taking in the Oulton Park, Rockingham, Silverstone GP and Donington Park rounds of the 2014 British GT Championship, the series will once again visit the Aston Martin Festival of Brands Hatch.

PEAK Antifreeze has entered into a multi-year agreement with TORC—The Off Road Championship Series—to become the exclusive antifreeze partner beginning in 2014.

The partnership will feature PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant, PEAK Fleet Charge and PEAK Final Charge as the “Official Antifreeze and Coolant of TORC.” It will also provide PEAK with a presence at all TORC Series events throughout 2014 as well as commercial inventory on NBC Sports Network broadcasts. PEAK also plans to provide exciting experiences for fans on-site through activations at various events during the 2014 season.

“PEAK is thrilled to expand our sponsorship of TORC—The Off Road Championship Series,” said Bryan Emrich, senior vice president of marketing for PEAK. “The drivers and vehicles on the TORC Series are put through tremendous rigors, and we believe this aligns with the quality of PEAK products and our commitment to racing.”

“It is such an exciting opportunity for the TORC Series to partner with a brand like PEAK,” said B.J. Birtwell, president of TORC—The Off-Road Championship Series. “PEAK is always pushing the limits, not only to create the best quality products, but also to engage in meaningful sponsorship initiatives that their consumers are passionate about. We are looking forward to engaging with PEAK to spotlight this sport and create new and exciting experiences for off-road racing fans.”

PEAK will continue to sponsor driver Luke Johnson in the PRO-Light division. The 2014 season will mark Johnson’s fourth year in the series.

Röhm GmbH, a designer and manufacturer of high-quality clamping and gripping technology, recently appointed Matthew Mayer to the position of chief executive officer for its North American division, Röhm Products of America.

The Germany-based company selected Mayer for this leadership role based on his extensive experience, proven success, results-oriented approach and strategic mindset, as these qualities are key to further extending Röhm’s influence throughout North America.   

With more than 20 years of progressive experience in the manufacturing industry, Mayer has broad and valuable working knowledge of sales, machining, assembly and OEM operations. Prior to joining Röhm Products of America, he held high-level management positions within the industry that involved sales, production, product design and applications engineering.  

“It’s exciting to be leading an important division of a long-standing global company that has grown its business by taking great pride in providing manufacturers with superior clamping and gripping technology and first-class service and support,” said Mayer. “I look forward to contributing to the company’s ongoing success and leadership in the ever-evolving North American manufacturing landscape.”  

MAHLE Clevite has announced a partnership with eXperticity to provide product training for its Victor Reinz gasket product line. The product training offers counterpersons, salespersons and other important employees of warehouse distributors and retailers incentives as they complete courses with eXperticity.
 
Each course developed with eXperticity consists of a video communicating key features, benefits and selling points of Victor Reinz gaskets. As a user completes a course, they receive points to redeem for a MAHLE Clevite hat, shirt or other wearable items.
 
“By partnering with eXperticity, we’ve added a unique component to our customer training program with incentive-based product training,” said Ted Hughes, manager – marketing for MAHLE Clevite. “Given the thousands of SKUs in our gasket offering, the superior materials, exclusive coverage, along with OE form, fit and function throughout the gasket line; educating the employees at our distributors will help grow their sales as well as ours. These training courses provide an informative and educational way to help improve the overall sales process.”
 
MAHLE Clevite offers Victor Reinz gaskets for light vehicle, heavy-duty and marine applications. Victor Reinz is the largest manufacturer of gaskets in the world today, according to MAHLE, producing gaskets for virtually every engine manufacturer building engines worldwide. Covering more than 1 million applications and approximately 200 million vehicle registrations for engines 1990 and newer, Victor Reinz gaskets are backed by a full range of technical information, support and training.

Mac Tools and Kalitta Motorsports have announced an extension of the tool company’s primary sponsorship of the Doug Kalitta-driven Top Fuel dragster through the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

For more than two decades, Mac Tools, who is in the automotive tool and equipment business, has been a partner of Kalitta Motorsports in the capacity of either primary or associate sponsor. The famed and record-setting Big Red Mac Tools dragster has rocketed down NHRA national event dragstrips at more than 320 mph since 2001. After the economic crisis in the United States a few years ago, Mac Tools had to step aside as Kalitta’s primary sponsor at the end of the 2008 season but remained an associate sponsor with the team and vowed to return primary sponsorship when possible. Mac Tools kept that promise and again became the primary backer for Kalitta beginning at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis last fall.

 
“We are extremely honored to have our friends at Mac Tools racing with us for at least three more years,” said Kalitta. “Our partnership with Mac Tools is one of the best and most successful relationships in the history of NHRA Drag Racing. Brett Shaw [president, Mac Tools] and Tony Merritt [director of motorsports] and the entire team at Mac Tools are like members of our family. We are honored to continue racing the Mac Tools dragster for them and all of the great Mac Tools distributors throughout the world.”

 
“Mac Tools have been associated with Kalitta Motorsports and Connie [Kalitta, team owner and drag racing icon] for over 20 years, and we are proud to be extending our partnership with this legendary team for the next several years. This would not be possible without the success of our distributors and support of our loyal customers. This partnership provides our company the opportunity to continue our momentum by increasing the exposure for our products, brand, and to reach those who are interested in 'Being their own Boss' by becoming a Mac Tools franchise,” said Shaw.

The renowned International Motorsports Hall of Fame, located in Talladega, Alabama, announced its 22 finalists for the 2014 induction class.
 
The list of finalists reads like a “Who’s Who” across numerous forms of motorsports, which include open wheel, sports car, drag and stock car racing. The top 20 and ties (as is the case this year) will be on the second ballot to an esteemed motorsports media voting panel. The panel will select the final individuals who receive 51 percent of the total number of votes to be the 2014 induction class. Those names will be announced in December. The 2014 International Motorsports Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 1.
 
To be eligible for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, an individual must be retired in his or her line of work in motorsports for at least five years. However, that person may still be active in the sport in a different capacity. The 22 individuals eligible for the 2104 International Motorsports Hall of Fame are listed alphabetically below, along with a quick description:
 
• Michael Andretti – Winningest driver in CART with 42 triumphs & the 1991 CART Championship
• Raymond Beadle – 3-time NHRA Funny Car Champion (1979-81) & 3-time IHRA Funny Car Titlist (1975-76, ’81); NASCAR Championship team owner with driver Rusty Wallace in 1989
• Keith Black – Winning engine builder/engineer in drag and boat racing, setting several world speed records
• Harold Brasington – Creator/builder of NASCAR’s original superspeedway – Darlington Raceway – as well as Rockingham Speedway
• Clint Brawner – Chief mechanic for Mario Andretti’s USAC National titles in 1965, ’66 & ‘69
• Joie Chitwood – 1939-40 AAA East Coast Sprint Car Champion; Noted safety advocate
• Harvey Firestone – Founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
• Tommy Hinnershitz – Seven AAA National Sprint Car Championships
• David Hobbs – Sports Car racer who set four all-time Continental Formula records
• Ted Horn – Three consecutive AAA National titles (1946-48) with 12 wins
• Connie Kalitta – 10-time NHRA National event winner. First driver over 200 mph in Hot Rod race
• Joe Leonard – Won titles in both motorcycle (AMA) in 1956-57 and car series (Indy Car) in 1971-72
• Roger McCluskey – Won titles in three divisions of USAC – Sprints (1963, ’66), Stocks (1969-70) and Champ Cars (1973)
• Tom “Mongoose” McEwen – A 5-time winner in NHRA, who was an incredible promotional showman
• Danny Ongais – “Flyin’ Hawaiian” had success in motorcycle, drag, Formula 1 and Indy car racing
• Marvin Panch – 17-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner; 1961 Daytona 500 winner
• Les Richter – Former manager of Riverside Raceway; co-founder of IROC; former NASCAR VP
• Troy Ruttman – 1952 Indy 500 champ; three-time AAA Sprint Car champion
• Sir Henry Segrave – Set three land speed records, water speed record; 1923 French Grand Prix winner
• Lee Shepherd – 4-straight NHRA Pro Stock titles (1981-84); Won both Pro Stock NHRA and IHRA titles in 1983
• Leonard Wood – Innovator of modern pit stop; Crew Chief for Wood Brothers Racing, formed in 1950 and still racing today – having 98 triumphs
• Chuck Yeager – Noted Air Force Test Pilot; In 1947, first pilot to travel  faster than sound
 
Opened in April of 1983, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum is dedicated to the preservation of the history of motorsports. Each year the annual International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is held on the grounds of the Museum to honor those men and women chosen for induction from among the greatest names in all of motorsports.

Hulman & Company CEO Mark Miles has completed the formation of his leadership team by naming two accomplished sales and marketing executives with extensive automotive and racing industry roots as the leaders of the sales, licensing, marketing and communications functions of Hulman Motorsports.

Connell J. (C.J.) O'Donnell, who has worked in key marketing positions for various brands within Ford Motor Company, will join Hulman Motorsports as chief marketing officer, and Jay Frye, a racing executive who successfully transformed two teams into NASCAR Sprint Cup contenders, is the new chief revenue officer.

"We've set a new strategic direction for our motorsports entities, and Jay and C.J. are both top performers who will help us take big leaps forward," Miles said. "Among their immediate goals are to add sponsors for INDYCAR and IMS, improve our level of fan engagement and develop strategies to build alignment among our teams, drivers, venues and sponsors. Our team is in place, and there's no offseason as we prepare for 2014."

The appointments complete a reorganization that began earlier this year. This includes combining the commercial functions of INDYCAR and IMS, including sales, licensing, marketing and communications, into Hulman Motorsports, which O'Donnell and Frye will lead. In May, Derrick Walker was named as president of INDYCAR operations and competition. Other members of the Hulman leadership team include Jeff Belskus, president and chief financial officer of Hulman & Company; Gretchen Snelling, vice president and chief legal counsel; Robby Greene, president of IMS Productions; and Doug Boles, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation.

O'Donnell recently served as Ford's group marketing manager for electric vehicles in Detroit, where he was recognized for the launch of several hybrid vehicles and has orchestrated a record year for hybrid and electric vehicle sales. During his 20-year career with Ford, he also has led marketing for the Lincoln and Jaguar brands domestically and abroad and was a member of a small team that led the turnaround of the Mazda brand.

"There's a lot of strength in the combined horsepower of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR," O'Donnell said. "Initially, I'll focus my energy on a common brand and clear message for our fans. This will include working together with our key stakeholders and ensuring marketing alignment among teams, drivers, sponsors and venues."

O'Donnell will lead a combined team of INDYCAR and IMS marketing and communications staff.

Frye led the transformation of the Red Bull Racing Team in NASCAR Sprint Cup into a contender that earned a berth in the 2009 Chase for the Championship during his tenure as vice president and general manager from 2008-11. In addition, he spent 12 years at MB2 Motorsports, LLC, a NASCAR Sprint Cup team he helped build from the ground up into a multi-team operation. As the chief executive officer and general manager, he negotiated what was an industry-first - a sponsorship/ownership package with The Valvoline Company.

Frye also has other sales and marketing experience, including several years with Anheuser-Busch.

"INDYCAR's value proposition for sponsors is second to none as it provides fans with a great racing product, and with IMS, we have incredible history and tradition," Frye said. "For our teams and fans, we will work hard to bring sponsor/partners into the sport that will enhance the overall fan experience. It's an exciting opportunity, and I look forward to being a part of the team."

Frye will lead a combined team of INDYCAR and IMS sponsorship sales, licensing and account services staff. IMS suite and hospitality sales will remain an IMS function under Boles' direction.