The Race Track Business Conference–2013 is pleased to announce the release of the agenda for its gathering on Wednesday, December 11, 2013, said Tim Frost, publisher of National Speedway Directory.
 
With eight cutting edge presentations from leading industry professionals, RTBC–2013 will provide attendees with an outstanding overview on the current status of motorsports—on and off the track.    
 
Sessions include:

• Event Management
• Track Safety
• Legal and Risk Management
• Sanctioning Bodies
• Museums
• Industry Associations
• Track Operations
• Media and Broadcasting

The event will be held just prior and in conjunction with the Performance Racing Industry Show, the centerpiece event for Race Industry Week 2013. The PRI Show runs from Thursday, December 12, to Saturday, December 14, 2013, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Featuring over 1100 exhibits of new racing technology, the PRI Show draws 40,000 buyers from across all 50 states and 72 countries.
 
The cost to attend RTBC–2013 is $250. This cost includes lunch and admission to the PRI Trade Show.
 
Additional seminar information on RTBC–2013 can be found at www.racetrackbusinessconference.com. Contact Tim Frost, Director of RTBC, by email twfrost@racetrackbusinessconference.com or calling (847) 853-0294.

Simpson Performance Products, Inc. today announced it has reached an agreement with Shock Doctor Sports for the exclusive rights to manufacture, assemble, sell and distribute the Eject Emergency Helmet Removal System.

The light weight Eject Emergency Helmet Removal System can be easily installed into motorcycle and auto racing helmets without changing the fit or feel of the helmet. The system is capable of preventing further neck and spine injuries to a crash victim by providing first responders with a safe method for helmet removal that does not cause unwanted movement to the victim's neck or spine.

Widely used by emergency workers, the system is mandated for AMA Pro Supercross & Motocross, NHRA pro drivers, for all FIA drag racing in Europe, in the IRL and is recommended by NASCAR.

"We are glad to add the Eject Emergency Helmet Removal System to the Simpson umbrella of racing safety products and make sure it continues to stay available to those that want it," said Simpson CEO Chuck Davies. "Effective today the retail price of the Eject Emergency Helmet Removal System is reduced from $59.95 to $49.95 in hopes that this will encourage racers to use it and promote wider usage of the system by safety crews."

"When we decided that this product line did not fit with our long term strategic plans we wanted to make sure it ended up in good hands to continue to serve the racing industry," said Jay Turkbas, the SVP, Marketing & Product Development of Shock Doctor. "Certainly with Simpson's heritage for trusted safety products and excellent customer service we have found the perfect successor."

MAVTV has signed with four new NCTC affiliates, bringing its additions since August 1, 2013, to 19 new affiliates.

“We are continuing to grow MAVTV,” said Bob Patison, president of MAVTV American Real.  “We are already on-air with most of the major distributors across the USA, including DIRECTV, DISH, Comcast, Time Warner, Brighthouse, Cablevision and Charter—and in September we added CenturyLink’s 11 markets. The growth with the independent distributors is very encouraging.”

The new affiliates are Beaver Valley Cable, Rome, Pennsylvania.; GTA TeleGuam, Guam; Baldwin Cablevision, Baldwin, Iowa; and Chatmoss Cablevision, Danville, Virginia.

Bryan Steinbock, an instructor at WyoTech in Laramie, Wyoming, has been an inspiration for thousands of students training for careers in the automotive, diesel, fabrication and motorsports industries. Steinbock’s continued dedication to his students—both in the classroom and as graduates—has earned him the 2013 Dream Maker of the Year award.

Presented by WyoTech’s parent company, Corinthian Colleges Inc., the Dream Maker of the Year award recognizes instructors who go above and beyond to deliver the best education in the classroom, get students involved on campus and in the community, and help students get the training they need to achieve career goals.

“Bryan Steinbock has never given up on a student, even when the student has given up on himself,” said Guy Warpness, president of WyoTech Laramie. “He has an amazing talent for instilling pride in his students and graduates. He helps them stay positive and work hard to achieve their goals.”

After a successful career as a welder where his work required a high level of skill and precision for projects such as NASA’s Hubble telescope, Steinbock chose a teaching career because he wanted to influence the success of others. When asked why he left a such a career, Steinbock said, “I wanted to make the industry better, one class at a time, one student at a time.” For the past ten years, Steinbock has achieved those goals by positively influencing the lives of students at WyoTech Laramie.

A recent WyoTech grad said, “Steinbock opened a world for me. The things he taught me will make it possible to do something big in my life.”

While Steinbock’s technical skills and the mastery of his craft are superior, it’s his ability to inspire students who previously were struggling that sets him apart. His motivational attitude teaches his students to strive for success and pursue excellence. He spends extra hours outside of the classroom working with students and continues his support after graduation, volunteering his expertise to former students who are working or competing in motorsports.

“We are proud to present this year’s Dream Maker award to Bryan,” said Michael Stiglich, WyoTech division president. “He’s an inspiration to all of us as he clearly enjoys his service to others, both on and off the campus.”

Reed Morales and I greatly enjoyed a trip this past weekend up to Van Nuys for the open house for Ed Pink Racing Engines. Frank Honsowetz is now running the operation, with Tom Molloy as CEO. However, Ed Pink was there, and naturally, a star attraction. At one point, I found myself talking to Ed and Harry Hibler, a driving force at Peterson Publishing back in the early days. I had to tell them that when I was reading Hot Rod magazine back when I was 13, they were the ones creating the world I daydreamed about when reading the magazine. I thanked them.

It was also amazing to have Ed Pink explain his custom dynos, and point out fixtures that were manufactured by Art Chrisman back when Art worked temporarily for Ed. So much great history in that shop.

Ed shared an interesting point of view when it comes to dyno sheets. “Eventually, the guys all bring those dyno sheets to bars,” said Ed, explaining that they start racing dyno sheets over beers, which can lead to some big mistakes in judgment on their part when it comes to actual on-track performance. So, Ed stopped giving out dyno sheets.

He told the story of a vintage racer for whom Ed had built a great engine. When a friend of the racer showed the dyno sheet for his race engine, Ed’s customer came back to the shop to complain. Ed said he would return the man’s money if he wasn’t satisfied with what the car would do on the track, a sum of about $30,000. The customer went on to win his historics race, leaving his friend in the dust. Another race won by The Old Master.

Frank is running a busy shop, with plenty of interesting things going on. Ed Pink Racing Engines can build virtually any engine a customer wants. They’re doing a lot of vintage/historics work right now, so there were a lot of great old race engines to see during the open house...Novi, Cosworth, Porsche, etc.

Frank said they’re also building engines that head to Asia, such as several that went on to be used in drifting competitions. He was also naturally very proud of the customer work done for an oil pump for Nissan’s LMP2 cars. He showed me the company’s CNC equipment, as well as it’s Spintron.

From trick oil pumps to winning race engines, there continues to be a lot of cutting edge activity at Ed Pink Racing Engines, and race guys who really know their stuff.

Here's the dyno at Ed Pink Racing Engines, with a Cosworth racing engine ready for testing.

Michael Waltrip Racing will cut back to two full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup entries in 2014 after the sponsorship blow it sustained following the Richmond race-manipulation scandal.

MWR was fined and had driver Martin Truex Jr. removed from the Chase as punishment for its manipulation of the Richmond event that decided the final places in the title shootout. NAPA, the lead sponsor on Truex's car, reacted by ending its long-term deal with the team.

Co-owners Michael Waltrip and Rob Kauffman have now announced that its efforts to find a replacement have been unsuccessful. Its No. 56 car will become a part-time entry and test car, with Truex free to leave the team.

Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers—who has had to pull out of the rest of the Cup season due to blood clots—will be retained to drive Waltrip's remaining full-time Toyotas.

A team statement said that "more than 85 percent" of personnel could be retained, with the rest released at the end of the year.

"Today was about doing what we had to do, not what we wanted to do," Kauffman said.

Waltrip insisted that the changes could ultimately make his team more competitive.

"We are confident that with two teams and a very active test team, our competitiveness will take a step forward," he said. "We will also continue to do a great job for our partners off the track, which has always been a cultural staple for our organization.

"Rob and I deeply appreciate everyone who has helped build MWR into a race-winning team and we are dedicated to continuing our pursuit of excellence on and off the track."

NASCAR announced the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule for the 2014 season, the 66th year of racing for the sport’s premier series.
 
In addition to the schedule unveiling, NASCAR announced that its revolutionary Air Titan track drying system will be available at every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend throughout the 2014 season.
 
For the 13th consecutive year, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule will consist of 36 points races as well as two additional weekends featuring non-points events. The Sprint Unlimited (Feb. 15) and two Daytona 500 qualifying races (both on Feb. 20) will take place before the season officially gets underway. The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway will take place on May 17, broadcast on FOX Sports 1.
 
“This season has delivered plenty of drama and excitement, and we’re anticipating even more for our fans in 2014 now that the Gen-6 car has competed at every track,” said Steve O’Donnell, senior vice president of racing operations. “Having the Air Titan at each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend allows us to meet a very important goal set by our Chairman and CEO, Brian France: to drastically decrease track-drying time to the best of our ability and ensure our fans in the stands and those watching on TV get to see each race on its scheduled day.”
 
The season will open with the 56th running of the Daytona 500 live on FOX on Feb. 23 before moving west to Phoenix International Raceway (March 2) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 9). Four tracks will undergo spring date changes:Texas Motor Speedway will hold its event one week earlier and move from Saturday to Sunday (April 6). Darlington Raceway will feature its race on April 12. Kansas Speedway will hold its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Saturday night race, with its event shifting to May 10, while Martinsville Speedway will host the series on March 30, a week earlier than in 2013.
 
For the fourth consecutive season, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will start at Chicagoland Speedway (Sept. 14) and conclude live on ESPN on Nov. 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
 
Developed in-house at NASCAR’s R&D Center, the Air Titan progressed quickly following France’s directive to improve the racing product and fan experience in every form. Following testing in the summer and fall of 2012, Phase 1 of the technology was on-site at Daytona International Speedway in February. The 2012 Daytona 500 was the first to be postponed to the following day because of inclement weather.
 
Its race event debut was in April at Martinsville where it successfully decreased drying time in order to hold NASCAR Sprint Cup practice rather than have it cancelled. Air Titan’s biggest save to date was at Talladega Superspeedway’s rainy spring races where it shaved nearly an hour off drying time for both the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, allowing those events to be completed on their scheduled days. It also was in use Oct. 3 at Kansas for track conditioning purposes while also trimming nearly 45 minutes from drying time prior to the Goodyear zone tread tire test.
 
2014 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES SCHEDULE:
 
2/15, Daytona International Speedway (Sprint Unlimited), FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM

2/16, Daytona International Speedway (Daytona 500 Qualifying), FOX, MRN, SiriusXM

2/20, Daytona International Speedway (Duels), FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM

2/23, Daytona 500, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM

3/2, Phoenix International Raceway, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM

3/9, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM

3/16, Bristol Motor Speedway, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM

3/23, Auto Club Speedway, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM

3/30, Martinsville Speedway, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM

4/6, Texas Motor Speedway, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM

4/12, Darlington Raceway, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM

4/26, Richmond International Raceway, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM

5/4, Talladega Superspeedway, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM

5/10, Kansas Speedway, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM

5/17, Charlotte Motor Speedway (NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race), FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM

5/25, Charlotte Motor Speedway, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM

6/1, Dover International Speedway, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM

6/8, Pocono Raceway, TNT, MRN, SiriusXM

6/15, Michigan International Speedway, TNT, MRN, SiriusXM

6/22, Sonoma Raceway, TNT, PRN, SiriusXM

6/28, Kentucky Speedway, TNT, PRN, SiriusXM

7/5, Daytona International Speedway, TNT, MRN, SiriusXM

7/13, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, TNT, PRN, SiriusXM

7/27, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, ESPN, IMS, SiriusXM

8/3, Pocono Raceway, ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM

8/10, Watkins Glen International, ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM

8/17, Michigan International Speedway, ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM

8/23, Bristol Motor Speedway, ABC, PRN, SiriusXM

8/31, Atlanta Motor Speedway, ESPN, PRN, SiriusXM

9/6, Richmond International Raceway, ABC, MRN, SiriusXM

9/14, Chicagoland Speedway, ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM

9/21, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, ESPN, PRN, SiriusXM

9/28, Dover International Speedway, ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM

10/5, Kansas Speedway, ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM

10/11, Charlotte Motor Speedway, ABC, PRN, SiriusXM

10/19, Talladega Superspeedway, ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM

10/26, Martinsville Speedway, ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM

11/2, Texas Motor Speedway, ESPN, PRN, SiriusXM

11/9, Phoenix International Raceway, ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM

11/16, Homestead-Miami Speedway, ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM
 

Brian Van Koevering, former PowerParts accessory program manager for KTM North America, is now the new powersports market manager for Design Engineering Inc., (DEI). DEI, manufacturer of performance thermal tuning and acoustic products, has experienced rapid growth since its inception in 2008 necessitating the addition of a dedicated market manager.

The DEI powersports product line includes pipe wrap and wrap kits, fairing kits, gas tank covers, heat reflective materials, line and hose protection and performance enhancing products for motorcycle, ATV/UTV/off-road, personal watercraft and snowmobiles.

Van Koevering has close to 15 years of powersports marketing and brand management experience in past positions with KTM NA (Amherst, OH), Enduro Engineering (Lansing, MI) and Gardener-Westcott Company (Novi, MI).

DEI’s VP Sales and Marketing, Tom Miller, said, “We are very fortunate to have someone with Brian’s credentials to join our team to help us chart an aggressive growth strategy for our Powersports division. Brian’s previous experience included developing and sourcing numerous motorcycle products on a global level including his experience at the O.E. level. He has a wide breadth of product management experience and we feel confident his contribution will accelerate our growth within the powersport market in brand awareness, increased distribution and profitability.”

Van Koevering began his position in September and is responsible for driving revenue growth for the entire powersports market segment which includes: motorcycle, personal watercraft, ATV/UTV/off-road, snowmobile and marine. He reports Miller.

For more information, go to www.designengineering.com, or call 800-264-9472. To reach Brian Van Koevering direct email Brian at brianv@designengineering.com.

The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Board of Directors announced that, effective October 14, Jeff Dahnert has resigned as its president and CEO.

Dahnert joined the staff of SCCA in 2004 and has served as president since 2009.

“I appreciate the great opportunities that SCCA has given me and I will truly miss the wonderful people I have worked with, both at the national office and in the Regions,” Dahnert said. “My goal was always to have the Club in a stronger position upon my departure than when I started, and I believe that is the case.”

“As Jeff moves on to new endeavors, he will be missed and we wish him well,” Lisa Noble, chairman of the SCCA Board of Directors, said.

Dahnert will continue to serve as a consultant to SCCA through the end of the year.

The Board of Directors also announced the appointment of Lisa Noble, who will resign as current board chairman to serve as interim president and CEO. She has been active in the SCCA since 1971 and a member of the board since 2008.

To fill out Noble’s term, John Walsh, director from the Northeast Division of the SCCA, was appointed as new chairman of the Board. Walsh, from New York, has been a member of the Board since 2011.

Additionally, a search committee has been appointed and a national search for a new president and CEO will soon be under way.

The International Hot Rod Association announced that the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series will feature a number of enhancements for the 2014 racing season including an exciting 11-race series schedule, the addition of a national points fund, the return of traditional drag racing, a new Fan Zone pit experience and more all to be implemented for the 2014 North American Tour.
 
The expanded schedule, which will return each event to the designation of Nationals, will include traditional favorites such as the San Antonio Nationals at San Antonio Raceway (March 28-29), the Palm Beach Nationals at Palm Beach International Raceway (May 2-3) and the MOPAR Rocky Mountain Nationals at Castrol Raceway (July 4-6), plus a return to Rockingham Dragway (May 16-17) for the Spring Nationals and Maryland International Raceway for the Northeast Nationals (June 13-14).

Other stops on the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series schedule include the Southwestern Nationals at Southwestern International Raceway in Tucson (March 21-22), Southern Nationals at Bradenton Motorsports Park (April 25-26), MOPAR Nationals at the Grand Bend Motorplex (June 20-22), Pittsburgh Nationals at Pittsburgh Raceway Park (August 1-2), Northern Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan (August 8-9) and Summit World Finals at Memphis International Raceway (October 10-11).
 
All events in 2014 will feature four core classes of competition—Nitro Funny Car, Nitro Harley, Nitro Altered and Jet Dragster, plus additional sportsman classes at each event. The series will also include an expanded Fan Zone pit experience for fans including interactive exhibits, driver Q&A’s, racing simulators and the addition of the world famous “Hollywood Cars of the Stars” collection from the Miami Auto Museum that will travel the IHRA circuit throughout the year.
 
“This is certainly an exciting time to be a part of the International Hot Rod Association. Over the past three years we have seen the series grow like never before and now we have an opportunity to take what we have learned and combine it with traditional formats to form a hybrid series that speaks to all motorsports fans,” said Aaron Polburn, President of IHRA Motorsports. “We are so excited combine a great racing product with a pit experience that will be worth the price of admission by itself. The ‘Hollywood Cars of Stars’ collection, plus the incredible Larsen Motorsports group, will make for an event to itself.
 
“All of this combined with an expanded schedule, which includes some exciting new stops, makes for one of the most exciting IHRA seasons in some time.”

Among the many changes for the 2014 racing season will be a return to a traditional drag racing format featuring qualifying and eliminations for professional classes. The professional classes of Nitro Funny Car and Nitro Harley will feature a championship points fund and all classes will enjoy an increased purse in 2014. The classes will have two qualifying sessions on the first day of competition followed by three rounds of eliminations on the second day.
 
IHRA will showcase Nitro Funny Car as one of its four premier professional classes in 2014 and will feature a purse of $50,000 per event plus a year-end championship points fund of more than $100,000. The champion will receive $50,000, while the runner-up will receive $25,000. The class will feature an invitation-only, 10-car field with the top eight qualified drivers competing in traditional eliminations.
 
Also new in 2014, the Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series events will feature a four-car field of Jet Dragsters competing in elimination-style competition for the IHRA jet championship.  Each event on the tour will feature the “Fastest Girls in Racing” as the Larsen Motorsports jet team will join the IHRA exclusively for the 2014 season. The four-car team, made up of female racers Elaine Larsen, Marisha Falk, Dawn Perdue and Kat Moller, will showcase themed dragsters and incredible 300 mph jet-powered competition.

Nitro Harley will also be showcased next season with an $18,000 purse per event, plus a championship points fund worth more than $60,000, with $25,000 going to the year-end champion. Nitro Altered will retain its Chicago-style eliminations format in 2014 as these wild machines return to their role as a feature class.
 
Larsen Motorsports will also be hosting the newly expanded Fan Zone pit experience that will feature driver and fan interaction, activities for fans and one of the most exciting additions ever to the series – the world-famous “Hollywood Cars of the Stars” from the Dezer Collection at the Miami Auto Museum.
 
At all IHRA events in 2014, the Dezer Collection on Tour will hit the road with the “Hollywood Cars of the Stars” featuring some of the most iconic cars in the world including vehicles from such hit shows and movies as Dukes of Hazzard, Beverly Hillbillies, Grease, Ghostbusters, Harry Potter, The Munsters, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Back to the Future, James Bond, Batman and more.  Each event will feature different cars from the collection.
 
Fans can see all of these famous Hollywood cars during the prerace Fan Zone activities before the start of Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series action each night.

In addition to its professional lineup, IHRA will retain its status as the home for sportsman racing with sportsman racing to be included at every Nitro Jam event in 2014. And to add to the excitement, Summit Racing Equipment recently announced that it would return as sponsor of IHRA’s premier sportsman programs including the incredibly popular Summit Tournament of Champions, Summit SuperSeries and Summit Pro-Am Tour.
 
“We are thrilled to bring a whole new experience to drag racing fans and fans of the International Hot Rod Association in 2014,” said Jason Rittenberry, Chief Executive Officer of IRG Sports + Entertainment, the parent company for IHRA. “Our goal is to bring together the best of both worlds, combining exciting drag racing action with an entertainment element that is unmatched in the motorsports industry. By bringing together these classes unique to the IHRA, along with elements such as the ‘Hollywood Cars of the Stars’, the new Fan Zone experience, the Larsen Motorsports jet team and more, we look to create an event that is unlike any other in drag racing. We are creating a motorsport experience for the entire family.”