The TRUFUEL Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series opens the 2013 season at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, on March 22 and Mobile International Speedway on March 23 with a powerhouse lineup of race teams and drivers from around the country and Canada.

“There is no doubt this is going to be one of, if not the best field of winged pavement sprint cars ever put on a race track“ stated MSR president Jim Hanks. ”The level of competition, quality of cars and outstanding group of drivers is a direct reflection of our efforts to bring the best racing entertainment possible to the race fans."
 
The opener in three weeks will have no less than ten new driver/owner combinations. These new teams will debut during the second annual Royal Oak Southern Shoot Out. Nearly 30 cars have already entered the event.
 
Davey Hamilton Racing will return to the series full-time in 2013 with driver Mike Larrison. Rookie Davey Hamilton Jr. has replaced Brian Olson. The team will once again sport TRUFUEL sponsorship in 2013.

In addition, Dick Fieler and George Rudolph have merged their teams with Davey Hamilton Racing to form a potent three-car effort. Two-time MSRXSS champion Troy DeCaire has been tabbed to drive the #40:1 car. The Florida car owner Dick Fieler explained how the merger happened. "I decided to open a shop in Brownsburg, IN," Fieler explained. "George Rudolph agreed to be the mechanic. I assigned George the responsibility of hiring the driver. George hired Troy DeCaire. They go back a long way. After talking to Davey (Hamilton) who has a shop nearby, he suggested we team up together".
 
The Fieler/Rudolph branch of Davey Hamilton Racing will have three cars at their disposal this coming summer. "George and I have four cars with three in Indiana" explained Fieler. "We have two Hurricane's and a John Godfrey built car. Troy, George, and I want to run as many races as possible. A Must See championship would be wonderful, but I'm personally in it to win races. That's what you go racing for, to win races. I believe Must See Racing is on the upswing as far as quality of cars and tracks. I'm looking forward to the season."
 
Long-time North Carolina car owners Don and Suellen Wilshe will be campaigning two full-time entries with the possibility of a third. Jimmy McCune and Geoff Kaiser will represent the BIOBASED.US team this season. "We'll be running two cars all year with Jimmy McCune and Geoff Kaiser," explained Don Wilshe. "The team is being managed for me by Jim McCune. Our plan is to run for the championship. I think both drivers have good skills and are highly talented. I'm bringing an extra car to the opener and its possible I could end up running three cars."
 
Tampa, FL, driver Dave Steele acknowledged that he will indeed be participating in the Must See openers but isn't sure how many more Must See events he will commit to in 2013. "I'm competing in the first two for sure," Steele explained. "I might hit a couple of others. We'll see."
 
Brian Olson returns to full-time MSRXSS competition in 2013 fresh off a two-win performance in 2012. Olson will be driving for himself this season. "Davey (Hamilton) and I couldn't work anything out so I decided to start my own team. I've always ran my own cars up until 2011. We're gonna run the whole Must See schedule and run for the championship."
 
Olson will be campaigning a black #71 DRC Chassis car with a Charlie Fisher Racing engine. He has secured sponsorship from Edwards Transmission and Engines, IndyCar Experience, and Pro-Vac. Olson will have long-time mechanic Jack French assisting his efforts at the season opener. "Jack's gonna help us out early on and we'll see if we can’t work something out for the rest of the year."
 
Aaron Pierce and his Sam Pierce Chevrolet team will once again field a second entry at the majority of Must See events in 2013. Pierce explained that Billy Wease will wheel the Hurricane chassis in Florida and perhaps a few more times. Ohio’s Tyler Dunn is also expected to run the car at least two times. Pierce also indicated Sondi Eden could possibility wheel the car on a few occasions if things work out. Pierce himself will be gunning for the 2013 MSRXSS drivers championship after disappointing early 2012 season woes all but eliminated him from the championship chase. Pierce did find victory lane with MSRXSS in 2012 at Shangri-La II Speedway.
 
Jerry Powell will also field a two-car effort in 2013 with drivers Dude Teate and Scotty Orr. Teate is a multi-time Tampa Bay Area Racing Association champion while Orr is a veteran of dirt and is a past Eldora Speedway Modified champion. The Powell team will utilize Beast chassis in their quest for a MSRXSS championship.
 
Perhaps the most interesting driver/team combination comes from Tampa car owner Lenny Puglio. Puglio is rumored to have intentions to run a two car team at Must See events with drivers Davey Hamilton and Bobby Santos. Efforts to contact Puglio were unsuccessful. It is unknown if Puglio will run for the championship or participate in select Must See events.
 
For more information, visit www.msrxtreme.com.

 

R. David Jones has resigned from the Sports Car Club of America Board of Directors as its Area 7 representative. The Board voted to approve Dan Helman as his replacement.

A former Chairman and a member of the SCCA Hall of Fame, Jones was re-elected to his second term as the Area 7 representative in November, but has since reconsidered his service for the next three years. Helman was runner-up to Jones in that election, and accepted the Board’s nomination, per the SCCA bylaws.

“Over the last three years spent on the Board of Directors, I haven’t been feeling particularly effective,” Jones said. “I feel that Dan’s background and experience might do a better job at this point than I can.

“I’m 75 years old, and have spent a lot of time with this Club, and I will continue to do that in some capacity. I’ve spent 18 years total on the Board of Directors and another two in an ad-hoc position. I’ve been the Club’s treasurer, vice chairman and the chairman for nine years. The Club has been kind enough to even present me with the Woolf Barnato Award and elect me into its Hall of Fame. But the time has come for me to step aside and allow someone like Dan the opportunity to further contribute to the Club.”

Under Jones’ leadership as its Chairman, SCCA reached some important milestones, including the creation of the Spec Racer and the purchase of ProSolo. In 1986, Jones was presented the Woolf Barnato Award, the highest individual honor in the Club. He was inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame in 2010. R. David Jones continues as an active racer in the Club, currently campaigning a Formula Mazda and a Formula Vee.

Helman, of Huffman, Texas, is a member of the Houston Region. He recently served as chairman for the SCCA Insurance Committee. Under his direction, the Committee delivered an insurance program for 2013 at a considerable savings to the organization, with a positive financial effect on the Regions and participants.

Helman will serve Area 7 of the Club, which represents the Southwest Division. He will serve a three-year term, through 2015.

The NMRA Keystone Automotive Ford Nationals will be celebrating SVT’s 20th anniversary by hosting a special SVT Shootout at Maryland International Raceway in Mechanicsville, Maryland, the weekend of May 3-5, 2013.

SVT Shootout participants will join NMRA’s community of racers and car show enthusiasts for one of the largest and baddest all-Ford events of the year. And as a bonus, certain SVT racing classes include a free secondary race class entry.

VMP Superchargers has stepped up once again to sponsor the Terminator/GT500 Shootout class that brings together some of the quickest Cobras and GT500s in the US for a winner take all format at this special SVT event. Mingle with the hottest tuners and car builders for drag-strip fun and a Shootout to decide which model is better—Terminator or Shelby GT500. Watch the internet forums come alive for a real-world slug fest.

Each Terminator/GT500 Shootout participant will also receive a free entry into Saturday’s SVT Muscle True Street class (must fit True Street rules) for even more chances to win.

The SVT Lightning truck community is one of the most exciting SVT brands, as evidenced by the sheer number of trucks still being modified and turned into drag strip haulers. If you are a Lightning enthusiast then you won’t want to miss this event.

The biggest Lightning shops, including Johnny Lightning Performance, will be hitting the strip with 8-second performances. Lightning racers are invited to join the popular Truck & Lightning category or the SVT Lightning True Street segment to do battle exclusively against other Lightnings for cash and prizes. Racers in SVT Lightning True Street will receive a free entry into Sunday’s SVT Rumble (Bracket) class.

TREMEC True Street, presented by Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords, is always one of the largest classes run on Saturday at each NMRA event. There will two separate SVT True Street classes, SVT Muscle True Street (’93 to ’13 SVT cars only) and SVT Lightning True Street (’93 to ‘95 and ‘99 to ‘04 Lightning trucks only), each class with its own purses and prizes…exclusively for SVT racers.

SVT Muscle and Lightning True Street racers will make three consecutive passes down the ¼ mile and $250 + 6’ trophy will be awarded to the overall fastest car and truck, and $100 + plaque will be awarded to each car and truck racer with the closest average to 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 seconds

SVT Muscle and Lightning True Street racers will receive a free entry into Sunday’s SVT Rumble (Bracket) class.

If showing your car or truck is more your style then look no further than the UPR Products All-Ford Auto Show with over 100 awards given away at this event. Show off your ride for a chance to get featured in 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords, Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords, or NMRA’s own Race Pages magazine.  There will be special SVT-only auto show classes and awards.
 
For more information on the SVT 20th Anniversary Shootout, including SVT Auto Show classes and awards, and SVT race classes, rules, and purses, please log on to www.NMRAdigital.com/SVT or call 714/444-2426.

For the past decade Mazda has used the tagline of “on any given weekend, more Mazdas are road-raced than any other brand.” 

It could just as easily been, “on any given weekday, Mazda offers more prize money to grassroots road-racers than any other car company.”
 
Mazda pays winning racers, competing with a Mazda or Mazda-powered racecar, in approved Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the National Auto Sports Association (NASA) events. Payments range from $125 for a runner-up finish in an SCCA Pro SOLO event to $5,000 for winning an SCCA national championship. 

The largest prize in all of club road-racing is the annual Mazda club racer shootout where one racer wins a full season in the SCCA Pro racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, valued over $75,000.
 
Steve Sanders, Competition Parts Manager, Mazda Motorsports, Mazda North American Operations sums it up, “Racing with Mazda means that we support you with competitively priced parts, great tech support, and the best contingency prize package in the business. We joke that it’s the one area in racing where going over budget is a good thing. In 2012 we awarded almost $900,000 to club racers. This is in addition to the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Ladder and Mazda Road to Indy Scholarships bring the total driver support to over $2 million—in cash.”
 
Complete details on the program, including information on how to register, can be found at www.mazdamotorsports.com.

The Third Annual International Motorsport Expo is taking place April 4-5, 2013, in Brno, Czech Republic.

The international trade fair, designed for suppliers and developers of motorsport technologies, is being held as part of AUTOSALON, and will be located in hall Z of the Exhibition Centre in Brno.

It is the only show of its kind in the Czech Republic, and types of exhibits include race concepts, parts, tires and electronics, fuels and lubricants, tools and garage equipment, equipment and accessories, and more.

The show is geared toward manufacturers and distributors of fuels, lubricants and tires; suppliers of parts, equipment and accessories for racing teams; race car design and construction teams; race car manufacturers; motorsport associations, societies, special interest groups and clubs; media and publishers of professional motorsport publications and magazines; and racing teams and motorsport enthusiasts.

For more information, visit www.motorsport-expo.cz, or email: julia.sudogan@motorsport-expo.cz.

There are a handful of pioneers that established the speed industry in the United States and they all shared a common goal: going faster than the other guy.

They were first, and foremost, racers; they became businessmen almost by accident, by following their dream of going faster. Harvey Crane, Jr. was one of those individuals.

Experimenting with camshafts to "soup-up" his flathead Ford hot rod, he found that his designs and quality would outperform any that were available at the time. When other hot rodders found this out they wanted to buy his cams.

These early successes lead Harvey to go into business in 1953, starting in the corner of his father's machine shop, under the name Crane Engineering Company. The company was founded on the desire to produce a superior performing, quality camshaft with a high level for workmanship and repeatable tolerances.

This was the foundation of Crane Cams' reputation and remains so today. From these humble beginnings, one of the speed industry's iconic companies was born.

During the following years Crane Cams would make great strides, patenting mechanical roller lifter technology and introducing the original Gold Race roller tip, needle bearing, aluminum rocker arms.

In 1965 Crane Cams pioneered the science of using computers for designing camshaft profiles with the eventual introduction of the CompuCam series of lobes. The "dual/split pattern" cam designs were produced in the 1950's, and the "four pattern" camshaft designs in 1966.

In 1994 Crane Cams was first to release the fully digital ignition to the speed industry. Their innovative optical trigger distributor line, which was first introduced in 1997, has gone on to win many national championships, later being upgraded to the industry's only fiber optic trigger signal distributor device, again winning championships.

Crane Cams was also the first to offer a full line of Retrofit Hydraulic Roller lifters and camshafts for early model engines. Today, the company offers a complete line of components for today's modern engines, including LS Series and Ford Modular cams.

After 60 years Crane Cams remains a leader in the industry it helped to found. The manufacturing facility in Daytona Beach, Florida, is still producing the quality cam and valve train products that it is famous for, including the 'Made in the U.S.A.' Crane Cams Ignition product line.

Spark Racing Technology has taken the next step in their future involvement in the debut FIA Formula E World Championship by announcing their collaboration with Italian giant Dallara.

Wishing to join together some of the best professionals in motorsport for this innovative and global new venture, Spark Racing Technology has revealed that the execution and approval of the new monocoque will be undertaken by the Italian manufacturer whose experience and proven track record speaks for itself.

Following the announcement of their new partnership with McLaren at the end of 2012, Spark Racing Technology is now proud to count Dallara as another of their technical partners.

LOOK Trailers announced this week that its Everlite Trailer brand has reached 500 retail sales.

Manufactured in Middlebury, Indiana, Everlite is a complete line of aluminum open utility, ATV, car, snowmobile and motorcycle trailers. Trailers are available for distribution at four plants nationwide, including facilities in Indiana, Georgia, Utah and Arizona.

The Everlite brand was launched in response to consumer demand for low maintenance, lightweight, and affordable aluminum trailers. The line consists of models ranging in sizes from 5-wide single axle utility models up to 8.5-wide tilt bed car haulers with 10,000# GVWR. The Everlite brand features Dexter Torflex Axles, a custom extrusion frame with uni-body construction and standard LED lighting.

Matt Arnold, President of LOOK Trailers, stated, “The fact that we have reached 500 retail sales already says a lot about the quality of the trailers and their ability to fit the needs of the consumer.”

LOOK Trailers was founded in 2010 and has grown to five manufacturing facilities across the United States. In January 2012, LOOK resumed production of Pace American enclosed trailers after it acquired the intellectual property and certain assets from a bankruptcy auction in November 2011.

For more information on LOOK Trailers, visit www.looktrailers.com. For information on Everlite Trailers, visit www.everlitetrailer.com.

The DR Racing Kart is gaining a lot of notice lately in the United States karting market, thanks in part to the work by the DRT Racing operation. One of the programs' North American importers added another dealer location to its network, signing BBS Karting Technology as the newest DR Racing Kart dealer.



“We provided a chassis for them to use last year, and the results spoke for themselves," stated DRT Racing owner Don Guilbeault. "Our chassis models get the job done, and are among the best looking karts on the market. I’m happy to add BBS to our family, as I know they will provide a great service to the Indiana market.”

Based in the Indianapolis area, BBS Karting Technology is quickly growing as a premier engine service center in the Midwest, with multiple wins and pole positions on the national, regional and club level.

The operation is owned by Brian Seward, a veteran in motorsports with experience in drag racing, motocross, sprint cars and many other forms, including karting.

For the past nine years, Seward has been a player in the karting community with his son Robby. BBS Karting Technology is now expanding, become the latest DR Racing Kart dealer under the DRT Racing banner.

“I was hooked on the DR Racing Kart chassis line during the 2012 RoboPong 200 event at New Castle Motorsports Park,” states Seward. Partnering up with Simpson Racing, the team would go on to record the pole position, fast lap of the race, and lead a majority of the event, only to lose due to a slight error during a pit stop. Drivers Robby Seward and Jimmy Simpson drove the entry to a second place finish.

“The S97 chassis is very fast out of the box and responds very well to changes. I look forward to bringing this excellent chassis to my customers and expand the DR Kart line in the Indiana area.”



BBS Karting Technology is scheduled to provide trackside support at all WKA Manufacturers Cup Series events in 2013, along with the United States Pro Kart Series and all KRA events at the New Castle Motorsports Park.

To learn more about becoming part of the BBS Karting Technology program or a DR Racing Kart, contact Brian Seward at 765/730-0363 or email BBSeward@aol.com.



Beacon Dragway in Paducah, Kentucky, is the newest addition to the NHRA member-track roster.

The track is being reopened by Top Fuel driver Keith Murt, who operates Murtco Inc., the leading mechanical and underground utility contractor in western Kentucky, and Blain Grow, both of whom are lifelong developers in the area.

Major renovation to the property began last fall and will be completed before the spring opening. Test 'n' tune and fun and grudge racing is being scheduled on Thursday nights and the track’s points-racing series on Saturday nights, and a number of special events are planned throughout the season.

New concrete starting-line pads have been installed, the racing surface has been repaved, a new tower has been erected, and new track lighting, TSI computer timing system, and scoreboards are being installed.

The airpark office is being remodeled as a hospitality center, and one of the hangars is being renovated into an eat-in or carryout concession complex. Fans will enjoy viewing from pitside elevated grandstands, and extensive paving of additional pit parking is scheduled for completion as soon as weather permits.

The track is at Grow Airpark, originally the site of McCracken County Drag Strip, which operated from 1969 to 1974. It was operated as Western Kentucky Dragway (1974-76) before being converted to Grow Airpark, which is adjacent to Paducah Int'l Raceway.

“We are excited to work with Keith Murt and the staff at Beacon Dragway in bringing fun and exciting drag racing events back to the Paducah area,” said NHRA Division Director Jay Hullinger. “The track will host the 10th race in the 25th silver-anniversary season of the JEGS NHRA Super Quick Series. We have a number of touring regulars in the series, many who reside in the western Kentucky area.”

The track will host the 2013 Kentucky State NHRA Drag Racing Championships, an event that travels around the state from year to year among NHRA member tracks.

In addition, the track will qualify drivers through its points series for the NHRA Summit Racing Series national and divisional championships as well as host the National Dragster Challenge, NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Challenge, and Summit Racing NHRA King of the Track special events.