The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California has announced the election of two new members to its board of directors.

The museum welcomed newly elected board members Linda Louie, vice president and general counsel for the NHRA, and Glen Cromwell, vice president of national event marketing for the NHRA.

Louie joined NHRA in 1999. She received her bachelor’s degree from University of California, Los Angeles and her J.D. from the University of Southern California. Prior to joining NHRA, Louie was a business litigator in private law firms. She has been a lawyer for more than 20 years.

Cromwell joined NHRA in 1997 and is responsible for marketing services and a variety of functions at NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events. He has also served as director of national event marketing and Division 7 (Pacific) director in NHRA’s National Field Office.

Rotating off of the museum board are Peter Clifford, NHRA executive vice president and general manager, who served 12 years, and Gary Darcy, NHRA senior vice president of sales and marketing, who served since 2005.

Gale Banks, president and founder of Gale Banks Engineering, and Jack O’Bannon, a five-time NHRA world championship team owner, were elected to the board in September. Louie and Cromwell join the following board members: McKernan, Alex Xydias, Steve Gibbs, Dave McClelland, Wayne McMurtry, Banks, and O’Bannon.

Officials from Napleton Porsche of Westmont and the Porsche Club of America (PCA) have announced that the fourth full-time season of competition for the Pirelli Cayman Endurance Cup Championship will be run in conjunction with PCA race event weekends. 

The eight-event season begins at this weekend’s 20th Annual 48 Hours at Sebring, January 31-February 3, at Sebring International Raceway.


In addition to the historic Sebring airport road course, the 2013 Pirelli Cayman Interseries event schedule features stops at other famous North American venues. The calendar includes Road Atlanta, Lime Rock Park, Watkins Glen, Virginia International Raceway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Road America and the road course at Daytona International Speedway.



The Pirelli Cayman Interseries has emerged in recent years as the leading North American road racing showcase of current Cayman S models as well as a rolling tribute to Porsche’s rich racing heritage. Every competing Cayman S runs with a specific and assigned livery that pays tribute to a famous Porsche race car of the past. The series has been in operation since a partial calendar of events in 2009 while each of the last three full seasons of competition has produced champions in both the Professional and Sportsman categories.



The Pirelli Cayman Interseries will run in the GTB-1 class of the PCA’s race groups with competitors competing for Interseries class honors and championship points. Split starts for the Pirelli Cayman Interseries competitors will be accommodated when possible.



This year also marks the second season with Pirelli Tire North America as the title sponsor and exclusive tire supplier for the Pirelli Cayman Interseries Endurance Cup Championship. The Pirelli P Zero racing slick is the official and series-standard tire at all Pirelli Cayman Interseries Endurance Cup Championship events.  Pirelli will also work closely with series organizers in expanding both competitor incentive programs and series-related marketing and advertising initiatives this season.



The Pirelli Cayman Interseries Endurance Cup Championship is open only to 2009 to 2012 Porsche Cayman S models that are raced in near-stock configuration by a competitive group of emerging and established drivers that typically own the cars they drive. Each Cayman’s throwback color scheme is also matched with a corresponding Cayman chassis number, which means the history of some of the most memorable Porsche race cars will symbolically continue with an all-new chapter in the Cayman Interseries. 

Napleton Porsche of Westmont is the exclusive supplier and preparation shop for the Porsche Cayman S race cars used in the series, although the series is open to any team or driver that wants to purchase a car from Napleton and get in on the action.   



Napleton Porsche of Westmont General Manager Ron Barnaba continues in 2013 as Pirelli Cayman Interseries President. Ken Fengler remains onboard as Interseries Vice President and Director of Race Operations while Adam Saal returns as Interseries Managing Director of Communications.



After running an introductory schedule of proving races in 2009, the first official Pirelli Cayman Interseries racing seasons were run the last three years. 

Mark Sandridge captured last year’s Pro Championship while Bob Schneider captured the Sportsman crown. Schneider is among the Interseries race winners scheduled to participate in the Sebring opener.

 

2013 Pirelli Cayman Interseries Endurance Cup Championship Schedule*



January 31-February 3: Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Florida



March 22-24: Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia



April 26 -27: Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Connecticut
 


May 31-June 2: Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York



June 21-23: Virginia International Raceway, Danville, Virginia



July 5-7: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio



August 31-September 2: Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin



October 4-6: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida



*Schedule subject to change

Pete Rondeau, who has been affiliated with Furniture Row Racing since the 2010 season, has been elevated to the competition director position for the NASCAR Sprint Cup team.

Rondeau initially joined the Denver-based Furniture Row Racing as the team’s car chief. He assumed the crew chief role in May 2010 and served in that capacity until July 2012.

In his new position as competition director, Rondeau will be the point person at the Denver race shop with the building and preparation of the team’s No. 78 Chevrolets which will be driven by former NASCAR champion Kurt Busch.

Rondeau will report to Mark McArdle, Furniture Row Racing’s executive director of competition, who also serves as director of racing operations at Richard Childress Racing (RCR). Furniture Row Racing and RCR are partners with a technical and engineering alliance.

A native of New England, Rondeau grew up in Saco, Maine, approximately 90-miles north from New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.

Prior to joining Furniture Row Racing, Rondeau worked at Evernham Motorsports where he served as the team’s director of research and development from July 2005 to the end of the 2009 season.

He also worked at Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) from 2001 to May 2005 and Jasper Motorsports from 1998-2001. During his three-plus years at DEI, Rondeau’s positions included the crew chief role for both Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Rondeau has also had experience behind the wheel of a race car. Before he traveled south to North Carolina in 1998 to work in NASCAR, he raced for many years on the New England short tracks, including super late model cars in the American Canadian Tour. He also drove in NASCAR’s Pro Series East and the Whelen Modified Tour Series.

IHRA Entertainment, LLC, a newly formed corporation held by the ownership group of Palm Beach International Raceway and Memphis International Raceway, has acquired the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), which was majority-owned by Feld Motor Sports, a division of Feld Entertainment.

The new ownership group has already taken over management of the 43-year-old organization and is operating as IHRA Motorsports.
 
The acquisition includes 100 percent of the IHRA assets, including the sanctioning body, the Nitro Jam series, the Thunder Jam series, the Summit Pro Am series, the Summit Super Series program and Drag Review Magazine.
 
The ownership group is led by managing partners, Michael Dezer of Dezer Properties and Joseph Lubeck of Landmark Apartment Trust of America, Inc., Edward Kobel of DeBartolo Development, and Jason Rittenberry, President & CEO of the parent company.

In 2008, the group purchased the former Moroso Motorsports Park, and have since invested over $30 million in the redevelopment of the multi-track venue in Jupiter, Florida. In 2011, they acquired the former Memphis Motorsports Park from Dover Motorsports, Inc.
 
Rittenberry will serve as Chief Executive Officer of IHRA Motorsports, while Aaron Polburn will remain as President and General Manager, and Skooter Peaco will continue as Vice President of Race Operations. IHRA Motorsports will continue operations at their Norwalk, Ohio, headquarters, and maintain the management team, sponsor partners and sanctioned track partners.
 
The 2013 IHRA schedule previously announced will remain in place, with the Summit Racing Equipment World Finals for all IHRA categories being held at the Company's Memphis International Raceway. Several events will be added to the Nitro Jam schedule, including a return to the Company's Palm Beach International Raceway.
 
IHRA Motorsports currently sanctions over 100 drag racing venues in six divisions throughout the United States and Canada and has over 12,000 racer members. They promote two national series—Nitro Jam and Thunder Jam. The company also owns and publishes Drag Review Magazine, which covers the IHRA events, racers, partners and tracks. 

Officials from the Automobile Racing Club of America and Holley Performance Products announced recently that the Kentucky-based carburetor manufacturer has renewed their ARCA Performance Partners Program as an official product sponsor for 2013.

As a performance partner, Holley Carbs will be a contingency sponsor and offer a cash awards program for teams displaying the Holley Carbs decal on the front fenders of the cars in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, as well as those using identified Holley products.

In addition to the per-race awards, Holley Carbs is posting a $2,500 bonus to the series champion.

Holley has been manufacturing high performance aftermarket parts since the early 1900’s and has been a major force in motorsports, from drag racing to dirt track racing to oval track racing. The company has been providing high performance technology to teams for more than six decades.

For more information about Holley Performance Products, visit www.holley.com.

Roger Norman continues to make changes to his new SCORE International desert racing organization, and announced his first of several anticipated first-time sponsors for the organization as Southern California’s King Shocks has been selected as the official shock absorber for SCORE.
    
Relatively new to the industry, King Shocks, founded in 1996 and based in Garden Grove, California, has rapidly risen to become a significant force in the sport of desert racing with a wide variety of products for all types of professional racing use.

Leading the King family of racers is Las Vegas’ B.J. Baldwin, the 2012 SCORE Trophy Truck season point champion.
    
Commenting on the new relationship with King Shocks, Norman, who also owns the High Desert Racing Association, stated, “Sponsorships are all about relationships, and we have a great one with King Shocks and we embrace them as new members of the SCORE sponsorship family. King is now the official shock of both SCORE and the HDRA.”
    
“King has a great contingency program for the racers and now their more comprehensive package will include significant marketing and cross-promotional opportunities with SCORE International. We all welcome King on board the SCORE train as together we speed across the landscape.”
    
In addition to three-time SCORE Trophy Truck season point champ Baldwin, other key SCORE racers and teams that are part of the King family of racers are Gus Vildosola, RPM Racing’s Juan Carlos Lopez, Justin Matney and Clyde Stacy, Ronny and Randy Wilson, Harley Letner, Justin Davis, Mike Lawrence, Dan Chamlee and Donald Moss.

“This is a major progression in the development and expansion of our growing company to align ourselves in this way with Roger Norman and both his SCORE and HDRA desert racing groups,” said Brett King, Vice-President and co-founder of King Shock Technology.
“Roger is pursuing his dream with the vision of a businessman and the passion of a racer and we are here to help make the ride smoother.”

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) announced this week that NASA Great Lakes and Midwest Regional Director Dave Royce has accepted the position of Chief Divisional Director with the NASA National Office.

The Chief Divisional Director maintains oversight of the operational aspects of the regions and assists them in their strategy and growth.

Royce will fill the position held for the past 11 years by John Lindsey, who will continue to serve the company as General Counsel and a member of NASA's Board of Directors.

"I enjoy taking on new exciting challenges and NASA has always provided that opportunity from behind the wheel on weekends to behind the desk during the week," Royce said. "I look forward to the future NASA will provide our members.”

NASA has continued to experience rapid growth over the past few years and has added several staff members along with new regions that now completely cover the nation from coast to coast.

This change will bring more resources to the company and further the long-term growth strategy that has kept NASA expanding and healthy since its inception.

The ASA Truck Series has announced its new series sponsor (NAPA Auto Care Centers) and its 2013 schedule.

Membership packets, 2013 forms, etc. will be available soon on the website (www.asatruckseries.com/) and from the ASA Truck Series office.

The ASA Truck Series again welcomes the Super Trucks and Southwest Tour Trucks at its events. Also, a few rule changes in the works will be "official" in the Rule Book in the next few weeks.

Basic changes include:
ASA Trucks and Super Trucks minimum weight = 2,700 lbs, maximum 57% left side weight, minimum 3 1/2" ride height with driver.
SWTT Only: Four-barrel carbs allowed at all tracks. SWTT minimum weight = 2,800 lbs, maximum 57% left side weight.
 
Race # / Date / Race Track & Location / Configuration / Laps

1 April 13 Havasu 95 Speedway
Lake Havasu City, AZ 1/4 mile oval 50
 
2 April 27 Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway
Blythe, CA 1/4 mile oval 50
 
3 May 4 THE BULLRING AT LVMS
Las Vegas, NV 3/8 mile oval 75

4 June – TBD Madera Speedway
Madera, CA 1/3 mile oval 50

5 July – TBD Irwindale Speedway
Irwindale, CA 1/2 mile oval 75
 
August OFF for Vacation
 
6 September – TBD Kern County Raceway
Bakersfield, CA 1/2 mile oval 75
 
7 October 5 Havasu 95 Speedway
Lake Havasu City, AZ 1/4 mile oval 50
 
8 November 16 The Bullring at LVMS
Las Vegas, NV 3/8 mile oval 75

For more information, call 619/596-6816; fax 619/938-1886; or visit www.asatruckseries.com.

NHRA has an immediate opening in its South Central office to manage all operational aspects of regional and divisional Sportsman racing events.

This includes working closely with its member tracks and racers to develop marketing programs that enhance the racing experience, coordination with track operators and staff, handling media for the events, negotiation of event/sponsor contracts, staff supervision, implementation of racing safety and technical standards, and office management.

According to NHRA, the qualified candidate will preferably possess a bachelor’s degree in sports marketing, sports administration, or facility management; a minimum of five years of related experience with an emphasis on event marketing; supervisory experience; and excellent verbal and written communication skills.

In addition, experience in budgeting, P&L, sales forecasting, and light accounting is required. A background in racing operations is a plus. This position must be based in the South Central region and requires travel.

NHRA offer a competitive benefit package that includes health insurance, life insurance, and a 401(k) plan. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to careers53@nhra.com or fax to 626/914-6808. No phone calls.

Joseph R. Mattioli, III, the son of Dr. Rose Mattioli and the late Dr. Joseph Mattioli, announced Monday that he is stepping down as a member of Pocono Raceway’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

Mattioli’s tenure at Pocono started in 1974 following his graduation from Lehigh University and spanned over 40 years, with him serving as a member of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and as its past President and COO.

In 1995, with Pocono enjoying unprecedented success, Mattioli stepped down as President and COO, but continued to assist the family business as a member of the Board and Executive Committee.

Joe Mattioli is especially proud of Pocono’s success through the ’70s and ’80s, when debt service, a hurricane, a recession, an oil crisis and two sanctioning body boycotts during the USAC-CART wars threatened to shut the track down.

According to Mattioli, it makes a lot of sense to leave Pocono Raceway’s management structure at this point in his life. “My dad told me that the secret to happiness is to completely change directions about every 15 years, and with the track now in the very capable hands of our next generation, I feel free to do just that,” Mattioli commented.

Mattioli’s future plans include focusing more time on non-profit and veterans’ organizations that he supports, such as the Military Warriors Support Foundation, which provides housing assistance to returning veterans, and the Motor Sports Institute, which promotes academic success through engagement with motor racing.

He also plans to develop Group 341, a consulting business he began 2011. With offices in California, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, Group 341 provides strategic planning, marketing, branding, and event management consulting services. Group 341 commercial clients include America’s Woodshops and Active International.