New promoter Mike Van Genderen already knows what he wants to see in Saturday night race programs at Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa.

“I want quick and well-run shows and excellent track prep,” he said. “The fans deserve them and the drivers deserve them. Those will be our two main focuses this year.”

The first point races of the season for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts are April 13. IMCA Late Models see their first point action on April 27.

Season championship night for all five divisions is Aug. 3. The stock car class will be run under IMCA rules but not be sanctioned in 2013.

“Hamilton County Speedway is one of the oldest race tracks in the state,” noted Van Genderen. “Because of the location and facility, they’ve got a tradition here that’s second to nobody in Iowa.”

Both the Deery Brothers Summer Series for Late Models and the Karl Performance Hawkeye Dirt Tour for Modifieds come to Webster City on June 4. The Thursday Night Thunder special is July 25 and a fall special on Sept. 28.

Excess dirt on the infield will be applied to the half-mile racing surface.

Another project in the works is construction of an infield catwalk. The local racing association hosts a Saturday, March 9 chili supper in the Ed Prince Building on the county fairgrounds to raise funds for that project.

Social hour for the bring your own beverage affair starts at 5 p.m. Tickets for the 6 p.m. supper are $5 and the auction starts at 7 p.m. Door prizes will also be given away throughout the evening.

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National points will be given in all sanctioned divisions at Hamilton County. Modified points apply in the Belleville Motorsports North Central Region and Hobby Stock points in the Stephenville Starter Northern Region.

Van Genderen will be in his second season as promoter at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. It was announced last month that he’d be in charge of Friday night programs at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson.

Power Automedia has seen exponential growth since the company's founding in 2006.

This growth necessitated a recent move to a new, larger facility in Murrieta, California, that could house all nine of Power Automedia's current magazines with room to grow in the future.

With that in mind, a new building was purchased in September 2012 and four months of renovations were made in anticipation of the move. The relocation was complete in January 2013 and an open house was held for more than 200 friends, family, and industry partners—including PRI—on Friday, January 25.

This new 11,500 square-foot facility will allow the Power Automedia team to continue to develop their digital media properties while creating new jobs.

Power Automedia will be investing in additional administrative, customer service, and editorial talent to help serve their customers and manage the growth already seen and still to come in the burgeoning digital media market.

In 2013, Power Automedia will enter the truck marketplace with two additional digital titles, OffroadXtreme.com and DieselArmy.com.

Power Automedia's move to the new location will facilitate internal upgrades that will better position the company to serve future markets.

The new facility houses a brand-new production studio that will improve quality control of the editorial, photography, and video production aspects of the Power Automedia marketing experience.

The gasket engineering and installation experts at Magnum Gaskets have compiled the latest gasket tips and information to assist with trouble-free engine sealing.

The Magnum CounterForce Training Program is designed especially for jobbers, retailers and counter people who sell gaskets; the Magnum GasketMaster Training Program is tailored to Professional Technicians.

Upon completion of either program, participants receive a Certificate of Recognition and a black, heavyweight cotton Magnum T-shirt.

“These programs answer a need in the aftermarket for up-to-date and relevant information,” said Alex Grunfeld, Executive Vice President at Magnum Gaskets. “We view Magnum Gaskets Training as an added benefit to our current distribution partners and Magnum Gasket installers, and as a way for our future customers to get to know us better, as we continue to grow.”

The programs are easy to follow, and each topic section is designed to be completed in a matter of minutes. Participants do not have to complete Magnum’s online training programs in one session. They can log off and continue at another time.

Go to www.magnumgaskets.com and click the “Gasket Training Programs” button to get started.

Officials from the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) and G-Force Racing Gear have announced that the Georgia-based motorsports safety products manufacturer will expand its support of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

G-Force will become the title sponsor of the tour's Safety Team and presenting sponsor of the ARCA Safety Initiative. The new three-year agreement will officially kick off during ARCA's 50th visit to Daytona International Speedway on February 16 for the Lucas Oil 200 presented by MAVTV American Real.

"We are excited to continue the strong relationship we have built with ARCA and pleased to be able to extend our support of the ARCA Safety Initiative through the 2015 season," said Jeremy Curtis, director of sales and marketing for G-Force.

The ARCA Safety Initiative was launched in 2006 in an effort to explore, examine and react to the elements that comprise the safety environment in the sport. The plan came out of a desire to achieve a higher level of responsibility of safety in the ARCA sanctioning body.

Today, ARCA strives to provide the safest environment possible for the drivers, teams and race fans through education, information, emergency planning and industry certification. As a title and presenting sponsor, G-Force joins the core of that safety effort for the sport.

"G-Force has long been a strong and loyal supporter of ARCA," said Mark Gundrum, vice president of business development and corporate partnerships for ARCA. "Their willingness to increase their involvement to become the presenting sponsor of the ARCA Safety Initiative and title sponsor for the Safety Team means a lot to us, the sanctioning body, but even more to the participants."

G-Force Racing Gear was founded by sportscar racer Bob Postell in the 1990s.

Motovicity Distribution, a leading performance automotive parts distributor, was recognized as the world’s top volume distributor for 2012 by HKS President Hiroyuki Hasegawa at the company’s annual Premium Day events at Fuji Speedway in Japan.

The award was presented to Motovicity CEO David Ziozios during the annual HKS event, which ran from Jan. 25 to Feb. 1, with additional events and product training sessions held at the company’s nearby headquarters in Shizuoka. This year’s event also marked HKS’s 40th anniversary as a leading performance products manufacturer and global motorsports brand.

“It was an honor to be a part of this momentous occasion and to be recognized as the top HKS distributor in the world,” Ziozios said. “As a company on the forefront of the sport compact movement, HKS revolutionized the industry, and it’s clear they’re still on that track.”

While in Japan, Ziozios also signed a 2013 master distribution agreement for North America. Motovicity has been a HKS wholesale distributor since 2006 and is now the primary HKS distributor in the United States.

The annual HKS Premium Day event provides a glimpse into the iconic performance parts company and drew more than 5000 attendees from around the globe. New products were on display, along with a gallery of historic HKS race cars, engines and technologies. Distributors and select attendees were given test drives on Fuji Speedway, including 190 MPH hot laps in a HKS-Nissan R35 GT-R supercar.

Ziozios and Scott Cole, Motovicity’s brand manager for HKS, also track-tested various HKS engine and suspension combinations on popular sport compact platforms, including the Subaru/Scion BRZ/FR-S platforms as well as the Honda S2000 and CR-Z Sport Hybrid.

Both came away impressed with a new line of supercharger technologies that utilize HKS’s unique low-friction compressor technology to deliver performance gains that rival turbocharger installations in terms of power, cost and ease of installation.

HKS also unveiled several new exhaust and suspension products that will be released in the coming months. Among them additional Spec-L kits thin-wall stainless and titanium exhaust kits, and HyperMax 4 GT suspension systems which feature inverted monotube piston, strut and coilover designs.

For more information, visit www.motovicity.com.

GRAND-AM Road Racing and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón have established a Joint Technical Committee.

The group is focusing on key competition issues for the two organizations during this season, but also on the competitive landscape for the new unified sports car series debuting in 2014.

The committee, featuring competition department staff members from GRAND-AM and the ALMS plus outside technical consultants, will be co-chaired by International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Chief Operating Officer Scot Elkins and GRAND-AM Managing Director of Competition Richard Buck.

Initial key projects include race car homologations, balance of performance and the development of technical specifications for the unified series’ classes.
Names of those new classes will be announced on March 14 at Sebring International Raceway.

For more information, visit www.grand-am.com.

NASCAR has introduced the Air Titan track drying system that will debut during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

This innovative technology, steeped in science and created by the NASCAR R&D Center, will reduce track drying time, improve the racing product and enhance the fan experience—starting this week and including The Sprint Unlimited on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
 
With the ultimate goal of reducing track-drying time by up to 80 percent, the NASCAR R&D team took an advanced scientific approach during the production of the Air Titan.

Using compressed air, the Air Titan efficiently and reliably pushes water off of the racing surface and onto the apron, where vacuum trucks will remove the remainder of the moisture.

Jet dryers will follow each Air Titan, drying any excess water that remains on the racing surface.
 
As part of the Air Titan’s testing process, NASCAR enlisted the expertise of the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) in Auburn, Alabama, International Speedway Corporation’s track construction group, Racing Surface Technologies and QualPro Inc.

Additionally, Elgin Sweeper Company, Sullair and Ring Power CAT also provided equipment during the testing, and will be part of the track-drying process at Daytona during Speedweeks.
 
For the immediate future, jet dryers and vacuum trucks will continue to be used during track-drying efforts. Over time, the innovations of the Air Titan will lessen the carbon footprint of track drying, decreasing both emissions and noise pollution. The next evolution in the innovative technology will be to optimize the power source.

PRI Sales & Marketing Manager Andrea Brake was in Johnson Valley, California, last week covering the King of the Hammers off-road desert race for Performance Racing Industry Magazine.

While there, Brake spent time in the Genright Hospitality booth during Save the Hammers event. Save the Hammers is a SEMA-backed campaign that seeks to protect the Johnson Valley OHV area from proposed expansion of the neighboring Twentynine Palms Marine base.  

Pictured with Brake, from left, are SEMA president and CEO Chris Kersting Daniel Sadowski, SEMA’s Director of Congressional Affairs, and Stuart Gosswein, SEMA’s Senior Director, Federal Government Affairs. Congressman Paul Cook (R-CA) was on hand for the event as well.

For more information on Save the Hammers, visit savethehammers.org/sth/.

JoJo Helberg took center stage Saturday night at the third annual Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series awards ceremony, collecting top honors as the 2012 series champion.

Helberg was also voted “Driver of the Year” by his fellow competitors, with Helberg MotorSports taking top honors in the “Car Owner of the Year” category.

The popular Californian was surrounded by his crew and family in celebrating his outstanding season. He was also the recipient of the “Fast Timer” award.

The coveted “Crew Chief of the Year” went to Toledo, Ohio’s Jim McCune, reflecting an outstanding year setting the car up for son Jimmy McCune in the BioBased.US number 88.

Drivers and car owners honored included series runner-up Jacob Wilson, who also received the “Spark Plug Award” for his positive contribution to the series, and third-place Jason Cox, who along with car owner Dick Fieler, was honored with the “Best Looking Car Award.”

Nearly all of the top-20 drivers and owners were in attendance, filling the meeting room to capacity.

Veteran driver and recent National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Bloom was presented the “Golden Steering Wheel” award, honoring his 47 years of dedication to short track racing.

As the crowd saluted him with a standing ovation, Bloom talked about his recovery from injuries sustained at the end of the 2012 season, his love for the sport, and looking forward to returning to action at the Southern Shootout in Florida and Alabama in March.

He was also recognized with the “Hard Luck Award.”
  
Ryan Gillenwater earned “Rookie of the Year” honors, while “Multiple Feature Winner” awards went to Helberg, Brian Gerster, Jason Blonde, Troy DeCaire and Brian Olson.
            
Dick and J.R. Kercher of Kercher Engines were presented for the second consecutive year the “Championship Engine Builder” award.
  
Aaron Pierce and Jerry Caryer were popular recipients of the “Sportsmanship Award,” while Sondi Eden captured “Most Improved Driver” honors.
  
A number of series sponsors were also honored for their support, including BioBased.US, Engine Pro, TruFuel, Royal Oak Charcoal, Turtle Wax, Royal Purple, and all the contingent sponors. Don and Suellen Wilshe were applauded for their outstanding support of the series and short track racing.
  
The Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series 2013 campaign kicks off at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, on Friday, March 22, moving the next night to Mobile International Speedway in Mobile, Alabama, for the first of 15 major events.

Competition will once again be televised to race fans across the country.

For more information on Must See Racing and “The Fastest Short Track Show in the World,” go to MustSeeRacing.com.

CORSA Performance Exhausts, a TMG Performance Products company, has become the exclusive cat-back exhaust sponsor of Cadillac Race's Cadillac Challenge race series.

The sponsorship includes renaming the race group's current C1 - Showroom Race Class to CORSA Performance Exhausts Class. 


As part of the exclusive sponsorship, the highest point earner at the end of every three races will be awarded a complimentary CORSA Performance Exhausts CTS-V system. CORSA will also present a Pro-Series trophy at the end of the Cadillac Challenge 12-race season to the newly named CORSA Performance Exhausts Class champion.      


The CORSA Performance Exhausts Cadillac CTS-V exhaust system is 19 lbs. lighter than stock and features a nonrestrictive design that delivers a 21% gain in exhaust flow versus stock, according to CORSA's flow bench tests. 
      


For more information, visit www.corsaperformance.com.