The TRAXXAS TORC Series, presented by AMSOIL, enters its fourth season in 2013 expanding on a national footprint with a diverse selection of premium racing venues across the country.

The Series will once again feature the largest spectator attended off-road racing event in the US, Crandon International Raceway in Crandon, WI. The annual Labor Day Weekend World Championship races have been the cornerstone of the sport since 1970 and were met with record attendance again in 2012.

The Series opens the 2013 season with a special event, the TRAXXAS Invitational at the famed Primm Off Road facility planned to coincide with the Mint 400 weekend. In total there will be 16 rounds of racing over eight planned two-day events, and two additional special events.

TORC will visit two of the nation’s premier dirt track facilities known for hosting major racing events. Off road racing will make its debut at the frontier of the wild west in Dodge City, Kansas in April. Race teams will be welcomed into the famous western town with a cowboy dinner on Thursday evening as part of City festivities around the event.

In May, TORC will make its debut on the high banks of Tony Stewart’s famed Eldora Speedway, also hosting NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series on dirt for the very first time, in 2013.

TORC returns to Chicagoland Speedway as part of Chicagoland Speedway & Route 66 Raceway’s Rally, Rock, and Race Weekend, where a packed house witnessed Travis Pastrana make off-road history in the windy city. This year TORC will be a featured event with racing action on both Friday and Saturday nights, followed by NASCAR’s Nationwide race on Sunday.

2013 TRAXXAS TORC SERIES presented by AMSOIL:

March 22: PRIMM - Primm, NV (SE)
April 12-13: Dodge City Raceway - Dodge City, Kansas
May 11-12: Eldora Speedway - New Weston, Ohio
June 15-16: Bark River Raceway - Bark River, MI
June 29-30: Crandon Intl Raceway - Crandon, WI
July 19-20: Chicagoland Route 66 - Joliet, IL
August 10-11: Red Bud MX - Buchanan, MI
Aug 31- Sep 1: Crandon Intl Raceway - Crandon, WI
Sep 27-29: Antelope Valley Fairgrounds - Lancaster, CA

NASCAR has announced the promotions of four senior executives across the company.

Ed Bennett has been promoted to senior vice president, with Jim Cassidy, Zane Stoddard and Kim Brink promoted to vice president.
 
Bennett also retains his roles of NASCAR chief administrative officer and president/chief executive officer of GRAND-AM Road Racing.

Cassidy, Stoddard and Brink lead key areas of racing operations, entertainment marketing and NASCAR’s brand marketing initiatives with integral roles in the implementation of NASCAR’s Five-Year Industry Action Plan (IAP).
 
Bennett continues to head up corporate administration, and this year, became both the president and chief executive officer of GRAND-AM—which recently completed its merger with the ALMS, in addition to assuming operation of Road Atlanta and Sebring International Raceway. He joined NASCAR in 1998 to lead key initiatives such as the Japan/International project and pivotal negotiations for sponsorship and licensing. Bennett was promoted to vice president in November 2000 and to vice president and chief administrative officer in January 2008.
 
During his tenure at NASCAR, Bennett was charged with finalizing Toyota entering NASCAR as a national series manufacturer; led the acquisition of CASCAR which was simultaneously rebranded the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series; was instrumental in the development of the NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series; and played the lead role in designing and constructing the NASCAR R&D Center and created the development concept for the NASCAR Plaza building; along with all other company office facilities. Bennett was also responsible for corporate administration; corporate events; human resources; information technology; and other corporate departments; and served as appellate administrator of the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel.
 
Cassidy, formerly managing director of NASCAR Racing Operations, joined NASCAR in 2000. In addition to overseeing several core areas of Racing Operations, he is playing a substantial role in the Product Relevance plank of the IAP. With motorsports experience spanning 20 years, Cassidy began at NASCAR at the grassroots levels, before being promoted to roles in NASCAR’s national series as senior manager, business operations and then director, events and operations. He transitioned to overseeing the day-to-day business and strategic direction of the three national series, including ownership development, event scheduling, and the expansion of the sport to Mexico and Canada.
 
Cassidy helped implement the shift in identity in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, leading to the roll-out of new car models  and the ‘pick-a-series’ format. He also was instrumental in developing the new point system, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and implementing enhancements along the way, including adding the successful “Wild Card” element to the Chase in 2011.
 
Stoddard, formerly managing director of entertainment marketing, joined NASCAR in 2010. He currently oversees NASCAR’s Los Angeles office and its entertainment marketing division, and is responsible for leading the Youth plank of the IAP and company content strategy.
 
At NASCAR, Stoddard has overseen the placement of NASCAR driver and storyline integration into more than 85 television shows; procurement of major artists for NASCAR events including Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, Blake Shelton, Colbie Caillet and Zac Brown Band; and has several original projects in development at major studios and networks. He also established a partnership with the USO, which includes NASCAR drivers visiting troops overseas. Prior to NASCAR, Stoddard launched the National Basketball Association’s Los Angeles office and managed it for nearly a decade.
 
Brink, formerly managing director, joined NASCAR in 2011. In addition to her oversight of brand, consumer and series marketing, she is leading the Gen Y and Multicultural planks of the IAP. Earlier this year, she set in motion a re-energized “Everything Else is Just a Game” brand campaign that launched at the 2012 Daytona 500.
 
Brink also led a comprehensive review to secure a class-leading, full-service advertising agency, which attracted more than 100 agencies of all sizes and expertise and resulted in NASCAR’s retention of Ogilvy. She joined NASCAR from General Motors Corporation, where she helped lead the transformation of a pair of iconic global brands—Chevrolet and Cadillac. During Brink’s tenure at GM, she helped conceive and launch multiple, award-winning creative platforms and developed powerful branded entertainment and sponsorship alliances.

NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A.), Inc. has expanded its oxygen sensor manufacturing facility located in Sissonville, West Virginia.

The 8000-square-foot expansion will allow for installation of a new line—one dedicated to manufacturing a technologically more advanced oxygen sensor than currently assembled at that facility.

Construction of the facility extension is scheduled to begin in early 2013, with a completion date expected at the end of the third quarter.


Additionally, NGK has announced the addition of a new assembly line to be installed in its spark plug facility, located on the same West Virginia campus.

This line, which will be installed in 2013, will allow for production of a different style of plug than is currently produced at the facility.

Both of these new products reflect NGK’s customers’ demands for new technology, designed to improve vehicle economy and allow for the change to smaller, high-performance engines.

Staffing levels at the West Virginia site are expected to increase by 34, to a total full-time workforce of 449, by 2014.

This total represents a 24 percent increase in headcount from 2010 levels.

For more information, visit ngksparkplugs.com.

Skip Barber Racing School has announced the promotion of Director of Yield Management and Optimization Ashley Launey to Chief Operating Officer.

Effective immediately, Launey will oversee Sales, Marketing and Operations within Skip Barber Racing School from satellite offices in Millerton, Connecticut.

Launey has been with the company for more than 15 years and brings extensive institutional knowledge to the table.

Marketing Coordinator Debbie Ebalobo is also being promoted to Marketing Manager of Skip Barber Racing School and will move to New York City to work closely with Chief Marketing Adviser Jon Bond as well as direct supervisor Michele Browne.

Ebalobo graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Public Relations and a certificate in New Media Technology. She has been with the company for more than one year.

Within the business-to-business portion of the company, recently hired Jackie Ginsburg will be the B2B Manager on the West Coast, where she will cultivate and develop lasting relationships with Skip Barber Racing School's corporate clients in the Western region of the country.

Oval Entertainment and Agajanian Promotions have announced that the nation’s longest running and most prestigious Midget race, the annual Turkey Night Grand Prix, will be staying at Perris Auto Speedway for its 73rd and 74th runnings on Thanksgiving Night in 2013 and 2014.

After 13 straight years of running on pavement, the TNGP made a triumphant return to the dirt on Thanksgiving night when rising young superstar Kyle Larson won the 98-lap main event on the famous Riverside County clay oval.



Soon after the annual race took place, PAS promoter Don Kazarian got together with Cary and J.C. Agajanian of Agajanian Promotions, and the trio decided to keep the race at The PAS for the next two years.



"I think it was one of the best Turkey Night races I have seen in many years," J.C. Agajanian said recently. "It was just phenomenal. It exceeded my expectations. We could not have had better weather or better racing at any track in country than we had on Thanksgiving night." 



Returning to the dirt brought out the emotions and memories to drivers, car owners, fans and even officials.



"The PAS itself is an emotional place for me," Agajanian stated. "When I walk into Perris, I have the feeling that I am walking into Ascot years ago. It harkens back to the days of Ascot and the National champions who raced there. The Parnelli Jones', the A.J. Foyts, the Mario Andrettis, the Unsers and the Tony Stewarts. The point is, the great drivers who have come through Turkey Night at Ascot all came back to mind when I walked in and looked at the field at Perris."



The return of Turkey Night to The PAS brought the Kazarians and Agajanians, two of the most prominent families in the history of Southern California racing, together to promote the mega event. And the success of that night has quickly brought the event’s return for two more years.

The pre-race excitement, a large, enthusiastic crowd and a great race made it an easy decision to bring the TNGP back to The PAS.


As a new feature for 2013, the two promotional parties are planning for the winner of the Oval Nationals to be seeded directly into the Turkey Night Grand Prix.



"Plans are to have a top-notch ride in the Turkey Night Grand Prix for the winner of the Budweiser Oval Nationals," Kazarian said. "It will be an extra perk for the Oval Nationals winner. If that driver already has a ride, then it will go to the second place driver. Same if the first two have already rides, it will then go to the third place finisher. We will go until somebody gets that coveted ride."



Advance tickets for the 73rd running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix and all races on the 2013 PAS schedule will go on sale soon, and can be ordered by calling 800/595-4849. Tickets may also be ordered online at: http://www.perrisautospeedway.com/ or http://pas.tix.com/Schedule.aspx?OrgNum=7.

NASCAR has announced several revisions to its Competition personnel structure. The following changes will take effect in 2013:
 
· Joe Balash, who has served as the NASCAR Nationwide Series director since 2004, will be assuming a new role as International Competition Liaison. This position will be the NASCAR point of contact for competition-related matters relative to the NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, the Euro Racecar, NASCAR Touring Series and other international competitions and series in which NASCAR may be involved and/or considering involvement. Balash now will report to Richard Buck, who has been promoted to managing director, Competition GRAND-AM and managing director, Touring Series NASCAR.
 
· Wayne Auton, who has served as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series director since 1995, will assume the role of NASCAR Nationwide Series director. Auton will continue to report to John Darby, managing director, competition and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series director.
 
· Chad Little, currently NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour series director and director of Racing Development, Mexico, will serve in the role of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series director. Little also will report to Darby.
 
· Brad Moran, currently NASCAR Canadian Tire Series director, will serve in the role of director of Touring Series, NASCAR, reporting to Buck.
 
With the increasing integration between NASCAR, GRAND-AM, American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and Euro Racecar, NASCAR Touring Series, these moves are designed to strengthen all of the sport’s racing series, both at the national and international levels.

Lola Group Holdings Ltd. has announced the continuation of the Lola name in international motorsports based on an agreement reached on December 14 between Lola Group Holdings, Multimatic Engineering, and Carl A. Haas Automobile Imports, Inc.

The agreement, spearheaded by Lola’s chairman and owner of the Lola brand, Martin Birrane, sees the championship winning Lola LMP project continuing with Multimatic providing engineering support and Haas providing spares services and distribution for teams that run Lola race cars.

Lola, Multimatic and Haas have agreed to a licensing arrangement whereby the Lola name, intellectual property rights and products will continue to be utilized.

Birrane, who has owned the Lola businesses since 1997 and rebuilt, expanded and supported them through challenging economic times, remains committed to supporting the existing Lola customer base and carrying on the legacy of the Lola name.

Birrane has had close ties with Carl Haas and Larry Holt of Multimatic for the whole of his 15 years of ownership of Lola. The Lola/Haas connection goes back even further, to when Eric Broadley and Carl Haas got together in the 1960s.

“When I acquired Lola in 1997 I re-established the close bond between our companies off the track and also on it with the Newman/Haas Champ Car title success in 2002," Birrane said. "Multimatic have also been close allies in many projects and, like Haas, tasted success with a Lola product at Le Mans in 2000 with the first ever LMP 675 class win using the B2K/40 design. I’m looking forward to these renewed relationships and the benefits it brings to our customers.”

Haas will lead the commercial interaction with customers, drawing on 50 years of extensive experience in servicing the global motorsports industry. Multimatic will assume responsibility for all engineering and manufacturing as well as technical support to race teams. The engineering aspects will be undertaken by some of the original Lola technical personnel who have been retained by Multimatic.

Lola maintains the role of constructor in this association with Multimatic and Haas.

"We're very pleased to announce that oval track racing will return to Irwindale for the 2013 season." 

With that direct statement, Team 211 Entertainment's President/CEO Jim Cohan ended an 11-month period of uncertainty about regular racing competition at the well-known Southern California motorsports and family entertainment facility.
 
"Our master lease with the property owners, Nu-Way Industries, has been broadened and now includes all forms of racing activities on the 6500-seat twin oval track. We are now working very hard to put all of the pieces together to be able to run a 2013 racing season," said Cohan.
 
"Our company name has the word 'TEAM' in it," he pointed out. "We need everyone to understand that name is not an affectation. It's a statement of our commitment to the process of re-building the legacy of Irwindale Speedway."

"We've re-named the entire property 'Irwindale Event Center' to better reflect the wide range of public and private events that can be accommodated here and invite everyone to join us in what we feel will be a great new era of operation for this venue.
 
“Corporations, businesses small and large, competitors, individual fans, everyone: you are all welcome, if you want to be a part of this facility, we'll find a place for you." Cohan concluded.
 
Cohan's announcement also indicated that longtime employee Bob Klein has been named the event center's Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, and that veteran publicist Doug Stokes would be re-joining the facility on the first of the year as the Vice President of Communications. Both men will report directly to Jim Cohan.
 
At the same time, experienced competition manager Mike Atkinson was named the track's Race Director. Atkinson has been working behind the scenes with representatives of the new Kern County Raceway Park track to put together a common set of technical rules that will allow racers in a number of divisions to compete fairly at both tracks.
 
"We know that we're starting out a couple of laps behind," Cohan candidly admitted. "But we also know that we have the support of a great number of former racers, sponsors, and most importantly, our fans who have stood by waiting for this track to come back on line again. We'll really need everyone's goodwill and support, and we'll be trying very hard to return the favor by running a facility that always puts the customer first."
 
A 2013 oval track competition event schedule will be published shortly.

The NASCAR Toyota Series has announced its 2013 race schedule, and it will begin with a historic event and end with a new championship format.

In the series’ seventh season under the NASCAR banner, there will be 15 races at eight different tracks, including three night races.

For the first time, the NASCAR Toyota Series will compete at a US facility. The season will get under way under the lights on March 1 at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway during the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at the track.

The series will return to Mexico for the season’s second event on March 24 on the half-mile oval at San Luis Potosí.

The second night race of the year will be at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City on April 6, before moving on to the city of Querétaro on April 21.

The third and final night race will be held on May 11 at El Dorado Speedway in Chihuahua. Last October, a capacity crowd was on hand to witness the series’ inaugural date at the high-banked .625-mile concrete oval.

Dates at Aguascalientes on May 26, Puebla on June 16 and Monterrey on June 30 will follow.

The second half of the season begins on July 28 in Querétaro followed by a second trip to the capital of Mexico City on Aug. 11. Later in the month on Aug. 25, the Toyota Series will return to San Luis Potosí. September dates include Puebla and Chihuahua on the 8th and 29th, respectively.

Aguascalientes will host the season’s penultimate event on Oct. 13 with the season finale scheduled for Nov. 10 in Mexico City.

In a new twist, the NASCAR Toyota Series will move to a chase format to determine its champion. The "Desafío" will begin with the August San Luis Potosí race at Autódromo Potosino.

In this format, the top eight drivers in points following round 10 in Mexico City are guaranteed a spot to fight for the championship over the final five races. These drivers will have their point totals reset to 1000 and receive a bonus of three points for each victory over the first 10 races of the year.

Additionally, the two drivers with the most wins following the August event at Mexico City will also be eligible for the chase. These two competitors will begin the "Desafío" with 1000 points, and not gain any bonus points for their previous victories.

In the event of a tie, the driver with the most second-place finishes will claim the spot. If necessary, the tiebreaker will continue down to third-place finishes and so on until the deadlock is broken.

Al Speyer, executive director of motorsports at Bridgestone Americas, will retire next year, ending a 38-year career with Bridgestone and Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.

Speyer began his tire industry career in 1974 with Firestone Tire. By the early 1980s he was firmly ensconced in the firm's motorsports department, where he went on to work in a variety of racing competition, from stock cars to sports cars, drag racing, Formula 1 and IndyCar.

Among his more notable achievements was overseeing the company's return to top-flight motorsports in 1996 after a 20-year hiatus. He was tapped that year to manage the return of the Firestone brand to open-wheel racing (the Indy Racing League).

"Al Speyer was instrumental in managing our motorsports programs for the past 30 years," said Phillip Dobbs, chief marketing officer, Consumer Tire Sales division, Bridgestone Americas. "When we began supporting the Indy Racing League again in 1996, Al helped lead Firestone back to a premier position in IndyCar Racing.”

In 1992, shortly after Bridgestone Corp. acquired Firestone, Speyer was named manager of motorsports for Bridgestone/Firestone, the merged company's North American entity. The following year, the company announced it would end its 20-year hiatus from the top forms of open-wheel racing.

Speyer was promoted to director of motorsports at that time, and in 2001 was named executive director of motorsports. In addition to directing the company's open-wheel programs, he also directed its motorcycle and karting activities, managing all aspects of the company's motorsports activities, including marketing and promotional activities.

Bridgestone has not named a replacement.