Eldora Speedway’s famed World 100—the largest and most historic Dirt Late Model race in the world—will again live up to the moniker “The Granddaddy of Them All” with a record purse of $283,910 on the line September 5–7.

Saturday’s $46,000-to-win 100-lap finale will close the biggest World 100 Week in the event’s storied 43-year history with Eldora hosting four complete Late Model events spanning a seven-day stretch.

The busy week will kickoff September 1 with the WIX Filters Baltes Classic tripleheader, featuring the Sunoco American Late Model Series, UMP DIRTcar Modifieds and Eldora Stocks, which will lead into the eventful World 100 four days later.

Following the footsteps of June’s highly successful Dirt Late Model Dream by Ferris Commercial Mowers, The World 100 will encompass three nights of complete race programs in the chase for the famed globed trophy; the revered symbol of capturing dirt Late Model racing’s crown jewel event. Thursday and Friday nights will be complete race meets with a full slate of multi-car time trials to split the field into even/odd groups each night followed by heat races, B-features and twin 25-lap A-Features, each paying $5,000 to win. During the Dream, the first two nights of racing thrilled the crowd with intense battles throughout the field and down-to-the-wire wins.

A driver’s best qualifying effort from those two nights will then be used to line-up Saturday’s time-honored format of six heat races, a pair of B-Features and B-Scrambles leading up to the newly enlarged 32-car starting field for the fabled World 100. Honoring yearly tradition, the winner’s share for the 100-lap chase around Eldora’s .500-mile clay oval has been increased by $1,000 over the previous year, raising the winner’s share to $46,000.

With the expanded racing menu comes a 57% increase in prize money for the drivers, including a minimum of $2,000 start money for the World 100, pumping the total posted awards to $283,910. For the fans comes increased racing with three full nights of competition.

Australia's national Formula Ford championship will cease to exist from 2014 onwards.

The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport said sustainability reviews had indicated the series was not viable in the long-term, persuading them to cease operating it from the end of the current season.

State championships will continue to run however, while CAMS is exploring alternative formats, including a Formula Ford Festival.

Chief Executive Eugene Arocca said rising costs and falling manufacturer support had forced CAMS to abandon a national series that counts Mark Webber, Garth Tander and Jamie Whincup among its recent graduates.

A national Formula Ford series has run in Australia since 1970, and was named the Australian Formula Ford championship in 1993.

"As much as CAMS would like to see a thriving national Formula Ford competition, this has been and will be difficult to achieve," Arocca said.

"We agreed to run the category in 2013 when the category manager at the time was not able to continue doing so due to financial pressures - primarily a result of the withdrawal of important funding from the manufacturer.

"Those pressures have not eased and despite careful management of the category this year by CAMS, we simply cannot justify the time and money it will take to continue doing so beyond 2013.

"It is expensive for everyone competing in the national competition and we feel there is a better, more affordable, more sustainable way of showcasing Formula Ford racing nationally."

FAMOUS AUSTRALIA FORMULA FORD GRADUATES

WILL POWER
Power appeared in Australian Formula Ford championship races from 1998-2001, finishing second in 2001 behind Will Davison. He then headed to Europe, racing in Formula 3 and Formula Renault 3.5. He is now established as one of IndyCar's leading lights.

MARK WEBBER
Finished fourth in the 1995 championship, which was won by Jason Bright, before travelling to Britain to finish third in the end-of-season Formula Ford Festival. Famously charged from eight to first on the opening lap in a very wet race at Philip Island.

JAMIE WHINCUP
Beat fellow V8 Supercars ace Mark Winterbottom to the 2002 championship. This success led to his big break with the Garry Rogers Motorsport V8 squad, a key step in his rise to becoming a quadruple champion.

DAVID BRABHAM
The son of triple world champion Jack Brabham finished fifth in the 1986 championship. He later went on to win the British F3 championship on his way to F1 before becoming one of the world's leading sportscar drivers, winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2009.

MARCOS AMBROSE
Spent two years in Australian Formula Ford, finishing second in the 1997 championship, before heading to Europe. Went on to win two V8 Supercar titles before switching to NASCAR, where he has twice won Sprint Cup races at Watkins Glen.

Plex Tuning Nominates AMS Performance Of Chicago As Exclusive US Distributor For Next-Generation PBC PRO Boost Controller

Plex Tuning, a fast growing European company that specializes in performance electronics and test-bed instrumentation, has nominated AMS Performance of West Chicago as the exclusive US distributor for its performance electronics product line.

AMS Performance, which recently broke the world record with the fastest R35 GT-R, has been selected to offer the PBC PRO boost controller at a suggested retail price of $899.95, to be followed by more innovative performance products, debuting at the PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis in December.

PBC PRO is a next-generation electronic boost controller that features OBD Can Bus connectivity, 6-dimensional simultaneous boost control, Smart Engine Protection and many other unique functions, all packed in a rugged motorsports-quality aluminum casing.

PBC PRO is also equipped with sensors that enable it to replace up to 6 different instruments/gauges. Besides PBC PRO, Plex Tuning also develops professional knock monitoring and combustion analysis instruments for high-end tuners and race engine developers offered directly and through select partners worldwide.

For more, visit www.plex-tuning.com.
 

Andersen Promotions, which will license and operate the final step on the Mazda Road to Indy in 2014, has announced that Cooper Tires will become the Official Tire of the new Indy Lights Series.

The five-year agreement will continue through the 2018 season with extension options. Cooper Tires will now be the Official Tire of the entire ladder system with partnerships already in place for the first two rungs of the ladder also run by Andersen Promotions—the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda and the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires—providing continuity to drivers as they make their climb toward the IZOD IndyCar Series.

“Tony Cotman, our project manager, and I reviewed numerous proposals from other tire manufacturers and were delighted to see so much interest, but Cooper Tires ticked all the boxes," said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions.

"We wanted a partner that would provide a great product with substantial cost savings for teams and, while the final cost is yet to be determined, the Cooper Tires Indy Lights tires will cost the teams significantly less than their current tire prices. Equally important, we wanted a partner that would actively promote and support the series, and our partnership comes with substantial support from Cooper Tires in event activation, series media and promotional efforts.”

The announcement comes on the heels of a recently publicized decision to utilize an updated Indy Lights car in 2014 and debut a brand-new race car in 2015.

The new tire component coupled with chassis updates is expected to offer greater parity amongst competitors next season.

Tire testing will begin in September, and road course tires will be available to teams in late October. An engine partner will be announced within 30 days.

Winners for the first-ever COMP Cams Engine Builder Duel, held at the Goodguys PPG Nationals, have been announced.

The COMP Cams Engine Builder Duel pits a pair of two-person teams against each other whose goal is to completely assemble and run a Small Block Chevy engine in the shortest amount of time.

Every contest awards each member of the winning team a $250 COMP Cams gift certificate, with $125 certificates going to each of the runners-up.

With Team COMP and Team FAST each going head to head over the course of three days, the winners are:

Winners                                                                     Time
Ryan Manson & Kev Elliott                                           37:40
Jody & Dee Comer                                                      30:06
Steve Marsa & Curtis Finch                                          36:56
Kevin Gass & Kevin Douglas                                        30:54
Chris & Carson Ellis                                                     31:04

The COMP Cams Engine Builder Duel also traveled to St. Paul, MN, in 2013 for the second year at the Car Craft Summer Nationals. The winners from this three-day event include:

Winners                                                                        Time
Ian Rabanus & Bob Whebbe                                           34:46
Mike Povolny & Mike Stanton                                          32:11
Brock Viersba & Jim Konija                                             31:40
Jim Schmittinger & Jesse Nelson - NEW RECORD        22:32

The Engine Builder Duel will make one more stop before the end of the year, wrapping up in Ft. Worth, TX, during its debut appearance at the Goodguys Lone Star Nationals on October 4-6.

Visit www.enginebuilderduel.com to learn more. Also, you may view photos from the Engine Builder Duels and support the sponsors of these great events.

NASCAR will be featured in new advertising as part of HP’s “Build a better enterprise. Together” marketing campaign, which highlights stories of collaboration and co-innovation.

NASCAR’s story illustrates how the company worked with HP to create the Fan and Media Engagement Center (FMEC), which incorporates innovative technology that is transforming its relationships with fans and partners. The centerpiece of the campaign is a fast-paced, 30-second TV spot highlighting NASCAR as one of HP’s lighthouse customers and featuring NASCAR Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps.
 
The NASCAR-themed creative will air on national news networks including CNBC, CNN and FOX News, and will also appear in a wide range of print outlets such as Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, The Economist, and Wired, among others.
 
In the latest example of the convergence of Big Data and marketing, this campaign brings to life how HP helps NASCAR make sense of the noise – juxtaposing the chaos of a NASCAR race with the order and precision the FMEC provides. The spot showcases how technology turns millions of tweets, posts and stories into business-impacting analytics.
 
Filmed during the Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola, the TV spot is packed with night racing action at Daytona International Speedway and imagery of NASCAR’s famously brand-loyal fan base. It is produced by The Garage and directed by Brett Morgan, known for his documentary projects: “Rolling Stones Crossfire Hurricane” and “June 17, 1994” for ESPN’s 30 for 30 series.
 
To view the spot click here.
 
The FMEC is state-of-the-art facility that enables near real-time analysis and response to traditional, digital, and social media. Housed in a 500-square-foot, glass-enclosed room outfitted with touch screens and digital displays, the FMEC is the focal point of the newly designed offices that house NASCAR Digital in Charlotte, N.C.

Following an intense interview session in front of an illustrious group of industry professionals during the IndyCar weekend at Mid-Ohio last month, six candidates for this year’s Team USA Scholarships have been selected to move forward to a shootout next week.

The final leg of the selection process will continue August 26-28 at Andersen RacePark in Palmetto, Fla., where the contenders will partake in a variety of assessments, both on and off the track.

The candidates will not only put their driving skills to the test in a USF2000 Van Diemen-Mazda provided by Jay Green of JAY Motorsports, but the talented six will also encounter a fitness test, devised by Jim Leo of PitFit Training in conjunction with Anders Krohn and Jonny Baker of Co-Force International, and attend a seminar on Mental Preparation hosted by noted expert Dr. Jacques Dallaire, founder of Performance Prime and highly acclaimed author of Performance Thinking.

The six finalists are:

• Joey Bickers, 21, from Seattle, Wash. – currently second in the Pacific F1600 Series (3 wins)
• Jake Eidson, 18, from Littleton, Colo. – F1600 Championship Series points leader (6 wins)
• Sean Rayhall, 18, from Winston, Ga. – Cooper Tires IMSA Prototype Lites points leader (5 wins)
• Skylar Robinson, 17, From Augusta, Ga. – BRSCC Avon Tires FF1600 series in England (3 wins)
• Adrian Starrantino, 18, from Simi Valley, Calif. – currently second in the F1600 Championship Series (3 wins)
• Aaron Telitz, 21, from Birchwood, Wis. – currently third in the F1600 Championship Series (1 win)

The six finalists are competing for the opportunity to represent Team USA in England at the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone, which attracts well over 100 contenders from around the globe to the traditional end-of-the season event.

The two recipients selected for the Team USA Scholarship will gain the opportunity to add themselves to the list of Team USA drivers who have previously won the Walter Hayes Trophy (named in honor of the founding father of Formula Ford): Conor Daly, who took top honors in 2008, Connor De Phillippi (2009) and most recently Tristan Nunez (2012).

For more, visit teamusascholarship.org.

Motovicity Distribution, a leading performance automotive parts distributor, has launched a design competition for automotive design students from the College for Creative Studies, one of the top transportation design programs in the industry.

Four students will be creating designs with two finalists serving as inspiration for graphic wraps applied to the two cars being given away as part of Motovicity's Ticket to Ride program.

Euiseong Son and Minwoo Leo Song will be competing to create designs for the 2013 Scion FR-S, and Gihwan Kim and Sunk-Kyung Lee will be creating competing designs for the 2013 Ford Mustang GT. The winning designs will be chosen by readers of MotoIQ, and the winner of each design will receive $1000 in prize money.

The wrapped cars will be given away to two lucky Motovicity customers in October—along with an assortment of performance parts—as part of Motovicity's Ticket-to-Ride program. The two winning shops will also demonstrate their skills in a build of the two cars that will be documented on MotoIQ.

"[This competition] parallels our efforts to showcase the talents of top performance shops as part of our Ticket to Ride program," said Motovicity Marketing Manager Brett Kinsfather, "and demonstrates our continued support for the up-and-coming automotive and performance aftermarket communities."

The designs will be on display on MotoIQ.com, and the public is encouraged to vote for their favorite designs from Monday, Aug. 26 through Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013. Motovicity and Ticket to Ride sponsors will also showcase the designs on their social media websites.

Ticket to Ride is a Motovicity promotion where its customers earn tickets to win either a 2013 Scion FR-S or a 2013 Mustang GT when they purchase parts from participating brands, including AEM Electronics, BBK, Eibach, Energy Suspension, Exedy, Gates RPM, HKS, KW Suspensions, Royal Purple, Sparco, STACK, StopTech, Vibrant Performance and Whiteline.

The winning designs will be announced on Motovicity's Facebook page on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013.

CNC Software, developer of Mastercam CAD/CAM software, has announced the winner of its 2012-2013 Innovator of the Future (IOF) competition: Jacob Ringwald, a student at the Arizona State University in Mesa, Arizona.

Mastercam’s IOF competition helps introduce students to real-world manufacturing by challenging them to put their own creative twist on a specific part to be judged by a special guest from the manufacturing industry.

For the 2012-2013 competition, students designed and machined their choice of parts: a connecting rod, racing wheel, or short shifter, and were judged by VAC Motorsports. The winner received a $1000 check for school expenses, Mastercam software, and a trip to visit VAC Motorsports to spend the day on the race track with them.

Jacob’s winning short shifter was designed in the shape of a baseball. Of his winning part, Jacob says, “I have always loved the game of baseball. The IOF competition allowed me to use my skills and creativity to design and make a shifter knob from a sport I love.”

For more information on the Mastercam Innovator of the Future competition, visit www.mastercam.com/IOF.

International Speedway Corporation has named Chip Wile as President of Darlington Raceway (DAR).

Wile accepts the role from his most recent position as Director of Business Development for the Motor Racing Network (MRN). Current DAR President, Chris Browning, has resigned to pursue other career opportunities.

Wile joined MRN in 2012, bringing with him over a decade of experience in the motorsports industry servicing partners such as Caterpillar, Verizon, Exide Technologies, and Dollar General. 

His responsibilities at MRN included developing and overseeing new business opportunities; acting as the network's primary liaison to ISC’s sponsors and integrated media sales; directing MRN’s overall marketing and promotional efforts; and managing its annual budget.

International Speedway Corporation is a promoter of motorsports activities, currently promoting more than 100 racing events annually as well as numerous other motorsports-related activities. The company owns and/or operates 13 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities.

For more information, visit www.internationalspeedwaycorporation.com.