On July 21, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, on behalf of Pitch Energy, Johnny & Terry Gray and Terry Chandler, will donate a $19,000 custom wheelchair to 8-year-old Jose Hernandez-Marquez of Commerce City, Colorado.

Jose has been diagnosed with spastic quadriparesis resulting from a brain tumor. He was unable to propel himself in a manual wheelchair and was unable to acquire a power wheelchair because he has exhausted his benefits from his health insurance and Medicaid.

The wheelchair donation will take place during pre-race ceremonies at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, and is being made to honor the Gray family’s father, the late John R. Gray.

Pitch Energy and donors Johnny & Terry Gray and Terry Chandler have teamed up with the Darrell Gwynn Foundation and Alex’s Lemonade Stand this season to donate power wheelchairs to children in need and raise awareness of childhood cancer.

For more information on the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, visit darrellgwynnfoundation.org.

International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) officials have announced a driver rating system, as well as pit and paddock regulations and various procedures to be implemented ahead of the inaugural United SportsCar Racing season in 2014.

Driver Ratings

All drivers participating in the 2014 series resulting from the merger between the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón (ALMS) and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series will receive a driver rating from IMSA, with four driver classifications:  Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.

Teams competing in the Prototype (P) and GT Le Mans (GTLM) classes will not be restricted in terms of driver rating. In the Prototype Challenge (PC) and GT Daytona (GTD) classes, one Gold or Platinum driver for every race may pilot each car. However, in 24-hour events, a combination of two Gold or Platinum drivers may drive.

Every car must have a minimum of two and a maximum of three drivers – regardless of class – for every event, with the exception of 12-hour events – which will allow for a maximum of four drivers; 24-hour events will allow a maximum of five. Minimum and maximum drive times will be established per driver rating and event, with minimum drive times to be approximately 30 percent of the total event time.

IMSA’s driver rating system is based on guidelines established by the Fédération Internationale de l”Automobile (FIA) for international competition. The standard minimum age for drivers is 18. However, IMSA may allow younger drivers with significant driving experience to compete in United SportsCar Racing events.

Platinum drivers are defined as professionals under the age of 55 with experience and success at the highest levels of motorsport. Platinum drivers may have held FIA Super Licenses to race in Formula 1, are past overall winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, factory drivers or drivers who have finished inside the top five in internationally recognized championships such as the GRAND-AM Rolex Series DP class, the ALMS P1 or GT class, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, FIA World Endurance Championship LMP1 and GTE Pro classes, Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), IndyCar and CART/Champ Car among others.

Drivers with a Gold classification are those who meet the criteria of Platinum drivers but are between the ages of 55 and 59, or are professional or semi-professional drivers under the age of 55 who have successfully competed in various secondary international single-seater series, such as Indy Lights; national single-seater series, like Pro Mazda; or series organized by a manufacturer, such as Porsche.

Silver drivers are racers over the age of 60 who satisfy the criteria to be a Platinum driver, drivers over the age of 55 who would otherwise qualify as a Gold driver, or are amateur drivers under the age of 60 who have won races in a national championship or international series alongside a professional driver. Drivers who have won championships in series such as IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama, Lamborghini Super Trofeo or Ferrari Challenge would also qualify as Silver.

Bronze drivers are amateur racers who were over the age of 30 when their first racing license was issued, with little or no single-seater experience or without significant race experience. Drivers over the age of 60 who meet the criteria for the Silver category also qualify as Bronze.

In all cases, IMSA may consider drivers eligible in a certain category based on their performances and achievements, even if they have not met the specific criteria to qualify.

Pit Lane and Paddock Regulations/Procedures

Procedures and regulations for pit road in 2014 will combine the best and most efficient practices currently being utilized in ALMS and GRAND-AM.

Pit stops will include changing tires and adding fuel at the same time, with a maximum of six crew personnel and two wheel guns allowed over the wall at one time. All cars will use single-lug wheels. Pit fuel tanks must be permanently mounted to a trolley and not extend over the track surface side of the pit wall. All pit tanks will have a restrictor fitted at the filler end of the fuel hose.

Pit stalls will be a minimum of 22’ x 10’ on both the hot and cold sides of the pit wall. All structures must fit in that area and cannot be taller than 13 feet other than radio antenna masts. Firesuits will be required only on the “hot” side of the pit wall and for anybody handling fuel on pit lane, but are recommended for crew working on the cold side of the wall.

In the paddock, each team gets a space with a total footprint of 90’ x 30’ per entered car, except in certain instances.

The space will be regulated, but teams will be allowed to construct temporary walls, utilize floor tiles, etc. within specific guidelines. The same space allocation applies to all classes, but space may vary based upon paddock configuration at certain circuits, such as street courses.

With several months remaining before the 2013 PRI Trade Show arrives in Indianapolis, a number of top-level speakers have already been slotted to present business education seminars at the world’s premier gathering of motorsports professionals.

Returning to the PRI Show after a hugely successful turn in 2012 is Tom Shay of Profits Plus in St. Petersburg, Florida. A lifelong small business owner and manager, Shay has authored 12 books on small business management and a college textbook on small business accounting. He has also produced hundreds of articles on management for over 75 business publications worldwide.

This year, Shay provides his insights to owners and operators in the highly acclaimed presentation, “Strategies To Win in a Challenging Economy,” which includes his list of what to do, what not to do, and what to stop doing in order to effectively operate and market a small business. Retailers will learn firsthand how to adapt their game plan to meet the challenges of a changing consumer and economy.

Shay’s seminar will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 14, 2013, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. There is no charge to attend for registered Trade Show attendees.

All new for 2013, professional racer-turned marketing and business strategist Tom Marx will discuss how small businesses can benefit from tracking and understanding sales, marketing, public relations and social media figures.

In “Marketing Metrics That Matter,” Marx utilizes proven techniques to help business owners establish benchmarks and goals, as well as determine how to adjust their marketing budget and focus to best accomplish those goals.

Following several years as a professional racer in SCCA, IMSA and FIA, Marx has since honed his skills in business development, marketing strategy and communications support services. He is an active member of SEMA, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA).

Marx’s seminar will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Friday, December 13, 2013, at the Indiana Convention Center. There is no charge to attend.

Additional PRI Show speakers and presentation topics will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information, or to register for the 2013 PRI Trade Show, visit www.pri2013.com.

Orlando Speedworld circle track has been undergoing a restructuring and will reopen for racing on August 3.

Speedworld will hold two open practice sessions on the evenings of July 24 and 31 before returning to racing action on August 3. In addition to a Sprint Car feature, the August 3 schedule will include Legend Cars, Super Stocks, Strictly Stocks and Bandoleros.

In related news, the facility recently announced the addition of Bob Watson as new track manager.

Watson brings over 22 years of experience in track operations to Speedworld. He has managed tracks in the Northeast, including Lee US Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire, and has managed several tracks in Florida as well.

For more information, visit orlandospeedworld.org.

Martinsville Speedway brought home two awards this week from the National Sports Safety and Security Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Martinsville won both the Facility of Merit Award and the Security Professional of the Year Award, given to Matt Brannock, the track’s director of operations.
 
The National Center for Sports Safety and Security at the University of Southern Mississippi (NCS4) recognized Martinsville for its innovation in addressing traffic issues surrounding its two NASCAR race weekends.

Martinsville is located in a lightly populated area, and the surrounding area grows into a small city of tens of thousands when fans come to town for its events.

One of the major problems is traffic congestion throughout the weekend, and Martinsville and local law enforcement have employed a system to expedite traffic while still allowing local residents movement within the community.
 
Brannock was honored with the prestigious National Sport Safety and Security Professional of the Year Award, along with seven other recipients. Among his accomplishments since joining Martinsville in September 2011, Brannock has enlisted community groups to help ensure better communication and service with fans onsite at the track.

Prior to becoming director of operations at Martinsville, Brannock was a sergeant with the Virginia State Police. On Memorial Day in 2011, Brannock was shot and seriously wounded by a murder suspect he identified and pulled over.

For more, visit www.nascar.com.
 

Andretti Autosport has signed on as the third team to compete in the environmentally friendly FIA Formula E championship, which will feature electric cars racing in 10 cities around the world beginning in 2014.

Michael Andretti's two-car operation will join China Racing and British-based Drayson Racing as organizations already committed to a field that will have 10 two-car teams competing in each e-Prix.

"I think relevancy is going to be addressed with the electric cars," Andretti told The Associated Press. "It's a good way to hook our younger audience into racing, and I'm excited to be involved and be involved at the ground floor."

Andretti plans to run one car for the championship, while his second entry could be a "star car" that uses well-known drivers such as IndyCar reigning champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti or James Hinchcliffe based on their availability.

The races will be held September 2014 to June 2015 for a "winter season" on street courses that run through the heart of major cities around the world. Alejandro Agag, CEO of series promoter FEH, said there will be stops in Miami and Los Angeles on the 10-race schedule, making it important to have Andretti involved in the series debut.

Andretti Autosport currently fields four IndyCar entries, and cars in Indy Lights, the Pro Mazda Championship and in the USF2000 National Championship. The team has won four IndyCar championships, two Lights titles, one USF2000 championship, and its drivers have won two Indianapolis 500s.

In Formula E, teams will have two drivers and four series-provided single-seater electric cars in the first season. Renault has signed on as the car manufacturer, but series officials expect three to five manufacturers in the second season based on current conversations. Michelin is the tire supplier.

The car batteries will last up to 25 minutes at a time, so drivers will have to switch cars during the race while their batteries recharge. The driver will enter the pits, then get out of the car and run 100 meters to get into the freshly charged car.

The cars will be based in England with teams arriving at the venues in advance of the race to prepare the cars for competition.

In an effort to keep costs down—the operating budget for a season is $3.5 million—very little development will be allowed on the cars.

The final calendar for the debut season will be presented to the FIA in September for approval, and also has planned stops in London, Rome, Beijing, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Putrajaya, Bangkok and Berlin.

ProMedia Events, producers of the NMRA, NMCA, NMCA WEST, and LSX motorsport series, has announced key management changes as well as the release of their ProPledge program, which is designed for improved customer service.
 
Rollie Miller, former NHRA national event Safety Safari manager, recently replaced Charlie Harmon as the head of ProMedia’s event division.  Miller has over two decades of drag racing experience and is highly regarded by racers, track operators, and event staff.

“ProMedia’s racers, partner tracks, and employees recognize the tremendous experience and professionalism Rollie Miller brings to our series,” said Steve Wolcott, co-founder and owner of ProMedia LLC. "Rollie Miller will work together with our incredible event staff and partner tracks, to take our racer involvement to the next level.” 

“I am very excited to help create a higher level of communication and customer service as we enter a new era for ProMedia Events,” said Miller. “I look forward to being part of a great team dedicated to safe and fun racing for our competitors.”

ProPledge is a dynamic customer service initiative designed to improve the participant, fan, and sponsor experience at all ProMedia-produced motorsport events. Recognizing the critical importance of a positive experience for all customers, ProMedia is reinforcing constant, high quality customer service at all levels.
 
ProPledge will be integrated into the fabric of the company, improving upon the existing reputation of NMRA, NMCA, NMCA WEST, and LSX events. ProPledge will also include increased racer appreciation events, safety programs, and additional support.

“If a racer, fan, or sponsor ever has an issue at one of our events, we guarantee we will try to resolve it to their satisfaction,” said Wolcott. “We just produced our first event at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, and I was blown away by the customer service the Bader family guarantees their customers. Our new friendship with the Bader family inspired our ProPledge program, which will further enhance our customer’s experience.”

For more information on ProMedia LLC, call 714/444-2426 or log on to www.promediapub.com.

Steering—and peering—into the future of DTM-style touring car competition in North America, GRAND-AM founder Jim France and GRAND-AM President/CEO Ed Bennett joined executives from the European DTM series and the Japanese Super GT series over the weekend at the DTM event at the Norisring in Nuremburg, Germany.

Collectively, the executives form a steering committee aimed at developing the technical specifications for the future of touring car racing on three continents.

During the weekend, the committee announced that all three series—DTM, Super GT and the North American series—will have identical specifications beginning in 2017.

In March, GRAND-AM Road Racing and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) announced an agreement with Internationale Tourenwagen-Rennen (ITR e.V.), which administers DTM racing, to create a North American version of the popular German touring car series. The North American series is targeted to launch in 2015 or 2016.

In this type of racing platform, prerequisites are competitive grids and related manufacturer marketing support; this platform is designed for manufacturers to showcase their brand to fans and potential customers.

The new North American series is expected to often run in conjunction with United SportsCar Racing events. In fact, the next committee meeting will be held at the inaugural United SportsCar event, the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona in January.

"In the new United SportsCar Racing series, we have some great tracks like Daytona and Sebring," Bennett said. "We have planned to have a rotation between our three regions. The next [committee] meeting will be held in the USA at the end of January in Daytona."

A committee meeting also is planned for the summer of 2014 at the 1000-kilometer Super GT race at Japan's Suzuka circuit.

"This is a manufacturer-based platform," Bennett emphasized, "and we hope to receive manufacturer commitments to ensure a proper field of cars - and the related marketing support to make the series a reality. Along those lines, we held our initial presentation with the Japanese manufacturers Nissan, Toyota and Honda at Norisring over the weekend.

"This is an exciting concept, but there is much more work remaining on the horizon."

Melling has announced that phase one of its 10,000-square-foot North American Research and Development Tech Center facility in Jackson, Michigan, has been completed.

With the opening of this new Tech Center, Melling's capabilities have doubled, and include the ability to test oil pumps and water pumps for performance and durability, as well as work on prototype assembly.

There are five Melling employees on staff in the facility, with expansion plans of adding nine more.
 
Melling has a long-term manufacturing vision, and is committed to providing quality products for its aftermarket and OEM customers by developing the latest technology in fluid systems.
 
Currently Melling has several innovative products and concepts in the pipeline being tested in the new Tech Center.   
 
Melling has been an oil pump leader in North America for over 60 years. For more information, visit www.melling.com.

Organizers of the world’s pre-eminent conference on motorsports science, medicine and safety have announced preliminary details for this year’s International Council of Motorsport Sciences Annual Congress, which will join the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Indianapolis, Indiana.

For the fourth consecutive year, the ICMS’ annual gathering will serve as a showcase event of Race Industry Week—the several days of conferences, seminars and networking opportunities leading up to and including the PRI Trade Show.

“The International Council of Motorsport Sciences Board of Directors and membership are pleased to announce the ICMS Annual Congress, in conjunction with the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, is coming back to Indianapolis in 2013,” said Don Andrews, executive director of ICMS. “These events have come full circle, with the ICMS origins being in Indianapolis and the PRI Trade Show being based in Indy for so many years. It is great to be back in ‘The Racing Capital of the World’ for these premier annual events, and we look forward to new and enhanced concepts and programs from both our industry leading organizations.”

ICMS is an organization of professionals involved in the scientific, medical and educational aspects of the human element in motorsports. Since 2010, it has met annually at the PRI Trade Show to promote, review and coordinate research associated with the human aspect of motor racing.

Members include physicians, engineers, educators, sanctioning body safety executives, trackside safety personnel, and more. Each year, the Congress brings together some 100 race safety experts from nearly a dozen countries.

“I think conferences like this are really important because all the people here will go back to all the people they work with in motorsports events from around the world and spread the word,” said Dr. Stephen Olvey, M.D., a member of ICMS’ Board of Directors, following last year’s Congress. “There’s not that many forums like this—it’s one of the good forums for dissemination of information related to safety in motorsports.”

For 2013, the ICMS Curriculum Committee consists of Drs. Hugh Scully, Richard Jennings, Stephen Olvey and Terry Trammell, and Denise Meeks, R.N.

Topics to be covered include recognition and management of concussions in motorsports, medical and safety considerations in drag racing, qualifications and training programs for race physicians, and much more.

The Congress takes place Wednesday and Thursday, December 11-12, 2013, at the Indiana Convention Center. Registration is Tuesday, December 10, at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis. For additional Congress and registration information, visit www.icmsmotorsportsafety.org.

For additional information on the PRI Trade Show, including Race Industry Week, visit www.pri2013.com.