Pocono International Raceway, Inc. recently added a cutting-edge communications system to benefit employees, staff, race teams, media and fans.

Partnering with long-time telecommunications provider Frontier Communications [NASDAQ: FTR], Pocono Raceway enlisted the expertise of Frontier’s engineering and operations teams to design a telecommunications system that would accommodate current and future growth and also help attract other entertainment opportunities.

Because of the unique design of the three-turn facility, however, Frontier had to create a system that would fully integrate different locations and end users and support their various communications requirements. Frontier’s solution was a Mitel 3300 VoIP system, allowing increased capacity up to 1400 users.

The versatility of the new VoIP system allows it to support growth without requiring a completely revamped platform.

For more on Pocono International Raceway, visit www.poconoraceway.com.

Sovereign Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Banco Santander, has announced that a replica of a racing helmet worn by Fernando Alonso, world-renowned Scuderia Ferrari driver, will be auctioned for charity to benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy. 

This one of a kind, autographed and specially crafted helmet is an exact replica of the helmet worn by Alonso in almost every Formula 1 race this year. The auction of this item presents an opportunity to own an exclusive part of Formula 1’s historic year and is not available for purchase.
 
Alonso autographed the helmet when he joined Sovereign-Santander and the President & CEO of the American Red Cross in the Greater New York area in ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on November 20, 2012.

At the bell ceremony, Sovereign-Santander highlighted its support of Hurricane Sandy relief efforts with a $250,000 donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. The Bank is matching up to $500,000 for all donations made in Sovereign-Santander branches by team members and clients of the Bank.

Funds raised through the helmet auction will also go toward American Red Cross Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts.
 
Bidding for the autographed Alonso helmet will kick off on the Charity Folks website on December 6, 2012, and continue until December 20 at 4 p.m. EST. Fans and interested bidders should visit www.charityfolks.com/alonso for more information and to place bids.
 

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) has announced the formation of a new national rally championship for the 2013 season.

It will be the first NASA National Rally Championship, and will introduce a new format for determining overall national champions. The structure of the series is designed to determine the fastest rally drivers in the nation while still remaining accessible to grassroots racers by minimizing travel costs and entry fees.

The structure of the championship is inspired by the NASA’s successful annual road racing championship event, the NASA National Championships presented by Toyo Tires.

Rallyists around the country will compete in various National Qualifier events and series in order to be eligible for the National Championship. Those who qualify, via a variety of methods, will go head-to-head with each other at a winner-takes-all finale event.

The two teams that win their respective classes, Two Wheel Drive and All Wheel Drive, will be crowned the National Champions.

NASA Rally Sport (NRS), the rally arm of NASA’s organization, will also offer Atlantic and Pacific Cup series along with significant incentives to help potential competitors get to the national championship finale. The venue for the championship event will change each year so competitors and organizers can all have a shot at participating in the big event.

For more information, visit www.nasaproracing.com.

The NMRA Keystone Automotive Ford Nationals and NMCA Flowmaster Muscle Car Nationals celebrated another successful event season with awards ceremonies at last week’s Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Orlando, Florida.  

NMRA and NMCA racers, crew, family, sponsors and media packed the Orange County Convention Center's decked-out ballroom for ceremonies that featured championship awards, specialty awards, custom jackets for all top-10 competitors, highlight videos & slide shows, and world famous Nitto Tire Diamond Tree championship ring presentations.  

Because of NMCA's relationship with NHRA's Unleashed program, all NMCA class champions were presented with NHRA Wallys courtesy of Aerospace Components.  

Famed TV announcer Brett Kepner hosted both ceremonies with his trademark enthusiasm and knowledge of street-legal drag racing.  

NMCA's award ceremony began with a special appearance from Nate Shelton, Flowmaster's Chief Marketing Officer and SEMA's incoming Chairman of the Board, who presented special 5-Second Club jackets to all Pro Street competitors who ran 5-second, 200+ mph passes in 2012.  

Vic Edelbrock, Jr. has always been a regular at NMRA's awards ceremony, and he gave a rousing speech before presenting Charlie Booze, Jr. with his championship award for the Hot Street class.  

Eight-time NMRA Super Street Outlaw champion John "the fireball" Urist gave an emotional speech as he described this year's world championship and the birth of his new daughter, Lauren.  

Over 400 people packed each ceremony and witnessed the incredible passion and support the NMRA and NMCA communities possess and their unique relationships with the series' promoters, sponsors, and media.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will host its championship awards banquet this Thursday night, December 6, at the Lucas Estate in Carmel, IN.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will honor and celebrate the 2012 season and series champion Jimmy Owens. The series will also honor the 2012 Quarter Master Rookie of the Year - Jonathan Davenport, along with the top ten drivers in the series national points standings. Also on tap is the Kentucky based Nashville recording group "Borrowed Blue" that will perform an exclusive concert at the conclusion of the award ceremonies.
 
Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN won seven (7) Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned events during the 2012 season. Owens recorded eleven (11) runner-up finishes, along with an amazing 37 top-ten finishes out of 38 points paying series events in 2012. The lone finish out of the top-ten was a 16th place finish at Rome International Speedway, only after leading most of the event to suffer a flat tire that set him back in the field and out of the top ten. He finished every event without any DNF's in LOLMDS sanctioned events during 2012. His wins came at Batesville Motor Speedway (AR) in May (Bad Boy 98); Lucas Oil Speedway (MO) in May (Show-Me 100) and July (Diamond Nationals); Lawrenceburg Speedway (IN) in August (Whiskey City 50); Brownstown Speedway (IN) in September (Jackson 100); Dixie Speedway (GA) in October (Dixie Shootout); and the season finale - Red Buck Dirt Track World Championship - presented by "Borrowed Blue" at Portsmouth Raceway Park (OH) in October, where he took home a cool $50,000.
 
Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN led the series with 11 wins and finished second in the final Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings. This season marks the third time in his career that O'Neal has finished runner-up in a national touring series points championship. O'Neal had 25 top-five finishes with 30 top-ten finishes in the series in 2012. His biggest victories this season came at Magnolia Motor Speedway in July (Clash at the Mag) and Florence Speedway (KY), where he won the Sunoco North/South 100 - presented by Lucas Oil and the $50,000 first place prize.
 
Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN, the two-time series champion of 09' and 10', finished third in the final points standings for 2012. Bloomquist recorded three (3) wins, seven (7) runner-up finishes, 24 top-five finishes and 33 top-ten finishes in 2012. Bloomquist bagged the $25,000 first place prize by winning this year's Commonwealth 100 at Virginia Motor Speedway (VA).

 Steve Francis of Ashland, KY finished fourth in the series final points standings for 2012. Francis won six (6) LOLMDS sanctioned events while recording 22 top-five finishes and 32 top-ten finishes in the series in 2012. His two biggest wins came at the COMP Cams Topless 100 at Batesville Motor Speedway (AR) and the prestigious Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals at Knoxville Raceway (IA) with both events paying $40,000 to win.
 
John Blankenship of Williamson, WV finished fifth in the final series national points standings in 2012. Blankenship had his best year on the tour in 2012, winning three sanctioned events. He also recorded 11 top-five finishes and 25 top-ten finishes in 2012, establishing himself as a major contender.



Four time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Champion (05', 06', 07' and 08) Earl Pearson Jr, of Jacksonville, FL, finished in 6th position of the series final points standings of 2012. Pearson recorded 10 top-five finishes and 22 top-ten finishes in the series this year. 



Jonathan Davenport, of Blairsville, GA finished in 7th position in the series final points standings and won the Quarter Master Rookie of the Year Award for 2012. Davenport, driving the Georgia Boot Clint Bowyer Racing team #15, recorded 10 top-five finishes and 21 top-ten finishes in 2012.



Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA finished in 8th place in the series final points standings for 2012. Reddick, who is 16 years old, had several strong runs in 2012 but just couldn't manage a trip to victory lane. He recorded 3 top-five finishes and 15 top-ten finishes on the series in 2012.



Jared Landers of Batesville, AR, finished 9th in the series final points standings. Landers, the 2011 Quarter Master Rookie of the Year, captured one (1) win in 2012, along with 5 top-five finishes and 14 top-ten finishes on the series in 2012.



Eric Wells, of Hazard, KY rounded out the top ten in points, finishing in 10th place in 2012. Wells recorded 3 top-five finishes and 15 top-ten finishes in the series in 2012.


The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will also hand out numerous other special awards during the banquet.

The series will honor the Ohlin's Top Chassis Builder of the Year. Bloomquist Chassis earns the award for the fourth year in a row.

Cornett Racing Engines will be honored as the COMP Cams Top Engine Builder of the Year, winning the prestigious award for the fourth time as well.
 
John Blankenship will receive the Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Year award, after earning the most Optima Batteries points during the season.

Jimmy Owens will be honored as the top driver in the Sunoco Race for Gas points.

Don O'Neal will be honored as the Allstar Performer of the Year.

Scott Bloomquist earned the most Red Buck Fast Time points and he will receive a special cash award from Red Buck at the banquet.


Jimmy Owens will receive a cash award for winning the E3 Spark Plugs TV Points Challenge.

Wiles Drive Shafts will also award a product award to him for winning the most heat races this season.

Don O'Neal will receive a special award from ASI Racewear for winning the ASI Points Challenge in 2012 in the series.
 
In a new points category for this year, Don O'Neal will also receive a check from DirtonDirt.com for winning the DirtonDirt.com Crown Jewel Cup points standings in 2012.


Sweet Manufacturing will honor two crew chiefs this year with cash awards.

Cody Mahoney will receive the "Crew Chief of the Year " award (O'Neal) and Chris Fox will be honored and receive a check as the "Champion Crew Chief" (Owens) in 2012.
 
Jimmy Owens will not only collect the lion's share of the series points fund and product awards, but will also receive an impressive diamond ring from Dan Robinson of Lucas Oil Speedway for winning this year's Diamond Nationals.
 
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, visit www.lucasdirt.com.

Sports Car Club of America President/CEO Jeff Dahnert unveiled the U.S. Majors Tour schedule at the 2012 Performance Racing Industry Show in Orlando, Florida, last week.

The highest level of amateur racing in the United States, the Majors schedule provides each Conference with a mix of tracks to form a geographic season-long championship.

“Our drivers will compete at legendary and renowned circuits such as Sebring, Road Atlanta, VIR, Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Circuit of the Americas and Portland International Raceway," said Dahnert. "Complimenting these venues are a host of Club Racing driver favorites to form four great Conference schedules."

All Majors Tour events on the schedule are doubleheaders, with the exception of the Chicago Region June Sprints, which will keep its traditional single race format.

Each Conference will crown a champion in all 28 Runoffs-eligible classes. Drivers will score their best finishes in two-thirds of a Conference’s races. In the Eastern Conference, that means eight of the 12 available races; the Northern Conference will count seven of nine, and the Western Conference tallying six of eight races. The Mid-States conference would currently count seven of 10 races, but may see an additional race weekend added in the coming weeks.



The Gateway Motorsports Park event, August 3-4, will count in both the Northern and the Mid-States Conference.

As previously announced, points will count toward that Conference’s championship, as well as to the SafeRacer National Series point championship and the traditional Divisional Championships.

Additionally, six premiere races will make up the BFGoodrich Tires Super Tour—Sebring International Raceway, Auto Club Speedway, Circuit of the Americas, VIRginia International Raceway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Watkins Glen International.

The 2013 U.S. Majors Tour schedule, by Conference affiliation, is:

Eastern Conference

January 4-6 Sebring International Raceway*

April 19-21 VIRginia International Raceway*

May 3-5 Summit Point Motorsports Park

May 17-19 Road Atlanta

May 31-June 2 New Jersey Motorsports Park

July 5-7 Watkins Glen International*

Northern Conference

May 25-26 Michigan International Speedway

May 31-June 2 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course*

June 14-16 Road America (June Sprints)

July 13-14 GingerMan Raceway

August 3-4 Gateway Motorsports Park

Mid-States Conference

March 8-10 Circuit of the Americas*

April 6-7 Hallett Motor Racing Circuit

May 24-26 Pikes Peak International

July 6-7 High Plains Raceway 

August 3-4 Gateway Motorsports Park

Western Conference

January 25-27 Auto Club Speedway*

April 27-28 Buttonwillow Raceway Park

May 25-26 Pacific Raceway

July 6-7 Portland International Raceway

*Denotes BFGoodrich Tires Super Tour event

More information on the U.S. Majors Tour, the BFGoodrich Tires Super Tour, and the SafeRacer National Series is available at www.scca.com.

The United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour winged sprint cars will once again compete on Hoosier Tire rubber beginning with the 2013 racing season.

Hoosier Tire of Lakeville, Indiana, and the United Speed Contest Sanction (USCS) of Fayetteville, Georgia, the parent of the United Sprint Car Series, have forged a multi-year agreement that will see the series return to Hoosier racing tires exclusively for all dirt events.

The series previously competed on Hoosier racing tires for both its dirt and asphalt series events from the 2003 through the 2009 seasons.

The United Sprint Car Series winged sprint cars will utilize the popular Hoosier 105x16.0x15 MEDIUM or the Hoosier 105x18.0x15 HARD right rear sprint car tires as the series required/legal SPEC right rear tires.

The series will also require the use of Hoosier left rear and front tires. The left rear tires may be any Hoosier and the fronts are to be 85.0x8x15 Hoosier sprint car front tires.

The www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series is already in the middle of a multi-year agreement with Hoosier Tire for the USCS 600cc mini sprint division. 



For more information regarding Hoosier Tire, visit their website at www.hoosiertire.com.

For additional information on the United Sprint Car Series, visit www.uscsracing.com or call the series office at 770/460-7223.

A record number of events appear on the 2013 World of Outlaws Late Model Series schedule, which was released during the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Orlando, Fla., last week.

Fifty-four race dates comprising 49 A-Mains at 38 tracks in 21 states and Canada are currently confirmed as part of the national tour's ambitious 2013 itinerary, including an unprecedented season-opening slate of eight events in Georgia and Florida during the month of February.

The milestone 10th consecutive WoO LMS campaign under the World Racing Group banner will commence for the second straight year with the 'Winter Freeze' on Feb. 8-9 at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga. A format change will turn the event into a doubleheader featuring an $8,000-to-win 40-lapper on Friday night and a 50-lap, $10,000-to-win A-Main on Saturday evening.

Also part of the busy first month of World of Outlaws action is the second annual Bubba Army Late Model Winter Nationals on Feb. 15-17 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.—a three-night extravaganza topped by the historic 'Super Sunday Showdown' paying $20,000 to win—and the traditional visit to Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., for the UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment, which in 2013 includes three complete WoO LMS programs on Feb. 21-23.

Bubba Raceway Park's 'Super Sunday Showdown' on Feb. 17 stands as one of a half-dozen mega-money shows spread across the 2013 schedule. The list of marquee events also includes the $50,000-to-win USA Nationals on Aug. 1-3 at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis.; the seventh annual Firecracker 100 on June 27-29 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa.; the fifth annual Illini 100 on April 5-6 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway; the inaugural Buckeye 100 on April 12-13 at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio; and the Memorial Day weekend 'Bullring Bonanza' on May 25-26 at Tyler County Speedway in Middlebourne, W.Va.

The '13 season will conclude for the seventh straight year with a pair of 50-lap A-Mains during the PEAK Motor Oil World of Outlaws World Finals Presented by NAPA Auto Parts on Nov. 7-9 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, N.C.

With several dates still to be added to the 2013 schedule, the tour's alltime single-season highs of 44 A-Mains (2007 and 2010) and 38 different host tracks (2010) are in line to be surpassed.

The richest event in 2013 remains Cedar Lake Speedway's 100-lap USA Nationals, a crown-jewel race that will be showcased on the World of Outlaws trail for the fourth consecutive year and seventh time overall in its 25-year history. The Aug. 1-3 spectacular will be an all-World of Outlaws weekend in '13 as well with the Thursday-night preliminary program becoming a full-points WoO LMS show paying $6,000 to win.

Lernerville's Firecracker 100, meanwhile, will boast three full nights of competition for the fourth year in a row. An early-summer spectacular known for its fan-pleasing excitement both on and off the track, the Firecracker weekend begins with 30-lap, $6,000-to-win preliminary features on Thurs., June 27, and Fri., June 28, before ending with the traditional 100-lap headliner offering $30,000 for first place on Sat., June 29

Century grinds offering $20,000 first-place prizes will also be contested on back-to-back spring weekends—the Illini 100 at the quarter-mile Farmer City oval on April 5-6, and the Buckeye 100 on April 12-13 at Wayne County. The Illini 100 will run at a Farmer City track under new management in 2013, while Wayne County's husband-and-wife promotional team of Jason and Kristin Flory will present a huge two-day show after earlier this year successfully bringing the WoO LMS back to the central Ohio facility for the first time since 2006.

Another major early-season event is set for Tyler County, the quarter-mile Mountaineer State oval that has gained nationwide acclaim for its unique high-dollar WoO LMS affairs the past two years. Promoter Frank Wilson will focus on the Memorial Day holiday for his marquee show in 2013, expanding the 'Bullring Bonanza' to two days on Saturday-Sunday, May 25-26. Details of the race format and purse structure are still to be determined, but it is expected that the Bonanza's race-fan lottery/raffle that proved so popular this year will be replayed.

The '13 schedule also will feature a pair of late-season doubleheaders at Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway (Aug. 31/Sept. 1) and Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich. (Sept. 20-21). Details of the twinbills will be released at a later date, but complete WoO LMS cards will be run on each night of the weekends.

Selinsgrove promoter Charlie Paige has decided to present two WoO LMS A-Mains after his attempt to host the tour for the first time in 2012 was rained out. The Labor Day weekend event will rekindle the circuit's summer-ending holiday doubleheaders in the Keystone State that were run from 2006-2010 at Tri-City Speedway in Franklin.

The paved 7/16th-mile Berlin Raceway, meanwhile, will once again be covered with clay for WoO LMS action after this year's 'Down & Dirty 100' was such a thrilling hit. The weekend format will be changed to give race teams and fans two full nights of full-fender competition.

The 2013 season's longest swing remains July's 'Wild West Tour,' which currently boasts five events over a seven-day period. WoO LMS stalwart Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., is scheduled to kick off the busy summer stretch on Sat., July 6, with the 'Gopher 50' charity race (the ninth straight year the event is part of the series), followed by subsequent races on July 8 at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D.; July 9 at Gillette (Wyo.) Thunder Speedway, which returns to the tour after a year's absence; July 11 at Red River Co-op Speedway in Winnipeg, Manitoba (second year in a row that the series will visit the Canadian track); and July 12 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., which has hosted the WoO LMS annually since 2006.

Other highlights of the 2013 schedule:

* An early-season swing to I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark., on March 22 and Whynot (Miss.) Motorsports Park on March 23. Both tracks will be part of the WoO LMS for the first time.

* Three straight weekends of springtime racing in Southeastern states: North Carolina (Fayetteville Motor Speedway on April 19 and 311 Motor Speedway in Pine Hall on April 20); Tennessee (Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville on April 26 and Tazewell Speedway on April 27); and Georgia (Lavonia Speedway on May 3 and Swainsboro Raceway on May 4). The tour will visit Tazewell and Swainsboro for the fourth consecutive year; 311 for the second straight season; Fayetteville for the first time since 2010; Smoky Mountain for the first time since '04; and Lavonia for the first time ever.

* The traditional spring midweek event at Delaware International Speedway in Delmar, which hosts the WoO LMS for the ninth time in 10 years on Thurs., May 30. The trip to the First State once again coincides with the NASCAR weekend at nearby Dover International Speedway.

* A stop at Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y., for the first time since 2006. The border track will run on Sat., June 1, two days after the event at Delaware International.

* Three races in the week preceding the Firecracker 100 – Canadian events on Thurs., June 20, at Brighton (Ont.) Speedway (a new addition to the series) and Sun., June 23, at Cornwall (Ont.) Motor Speedway and an Empire State showdown on Tues., June 25, at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park.

* Shawano (Wis.) Speedway will continue its midweek date preceding the USA Nationals when it presents the World of Outlaws for the fourth year in a row on Tues., July 30 (raindate of Wed, July 31), and Independence (Iowa) Motor Speedway will host a post-USA Nationals event for the third consecutive year on Mon., Aug. 5.

* A return to the Wolverine State for a weekend of action. Winston Speedway in Rothbury, Mich., will conduct a WoO LMS event for the third straight year on Fri., Aug. 16, with another Michigan date to be announced for Sat., Aug. 17.

* After drawing a standing-room-only crowd for its inaugural WoO LMS event in 2012, Little Valley (N.Y.) Speedway will hold an encore on Thurs., Aug. 22.

* Winchester (Va.) Speedway, which had its 2012 WoO LMS rained out, will dub its '13 event on Sat., Aug. 24, the 'Raye Vest Memorial.' Details of the special race run in memory of 2011 Woo LMS champion Rick Eckert's longtime car owner will be announced in the near future.

* The redesigned West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells will lead off the Labor Day weekend with an event on Fri., Aug. 30. The tour competed at the track in 2010 but '13 will mark the first World of Outlaws show on the shortened WVMS layout.

* A late-season doubleheader in the Midwest on Fri., Sept. 13, at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., and Sat., Sept. 14, at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo. The St. Louis-area tracks teamed up for a well-received doubleheader earlier this season.

* A third annual visit to Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, N.Y., on Thurs., Oct. 10, as part of NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week, the annual showcase of Northeast DIRTcar Modified racing at the nearby one-mile New York State Fairgrounds.

Seven facilities are scheduled to host multiple WoO LMS A-Mains in 2013. Tracks set to run three races are Bubba Raceway Park, Lernerville and Volusia, while two events will be contested at Screven, Cedar Lake, Selinsgrove, Berlin and The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Five tracks will host the WoO LMS for the first time in 2013: I-30, Whynot, Lavonia, Brighton and Selinsgrove.

For the most up-to-date schedule information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.

The North Carolina Motorsports Association will honor legendary racing promoter H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler with its Achievement in Motorsports Tribute Award at the seventh annual North Carolina Motorsports Industry Awards Ceremony presented by Fifth Third Bank.

The ceremony will take place Jan. 28 at the Embassy Suites Concord.

The NCMA Motorsports Industry Awards Ceremony presented by Fifth Third Bank pays tribute to North Carolina’s $6 billion motorsports industry. Each year, the Achievement in Motorsports Tribute Award recognizes a person whose contributions to racing have made an immeasurable impact on motorsports in North Carolina. Previous recipients were Benny Parsons, Richard Petty, Richard Childress, Dale Earnhardt, Junior Johnson and O. Bruton Smith.

In addition, NCMA presents industry awards to various North Carolina entities that have positively affected the motorsports community within the state.

Often referred to as the P.T. Barnum of motorsports, Wheeler is best known for serving as president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway for 33 years, ending in 2008. During his tenure at CMS, his extravagant pre-race ceremonies and dedication to the fan experience were second to none.

Under his leadership, the speedway became the first modern superspeedway to host night racing with the NASCAR All-Star race while making the Coca-Cola 600 one of NASCAR’s premier events. He also served as president of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., the parent company of CMS. SMI became the first publicly traded motorsports company when it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1995.

In 1992, Wheeler created 600 Racing, Inc. (now U.S. Legends International) under the SMI umbrella. Recognizing a need for small, affordable “spec” race cars, Wheeler was instrumental in the creation of the Legends Car. With the success of the Legends Car, the company has grown into one of the largest race car manufacturers in the world and has launched the racing career of numerous drivers. Graduates include NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt and Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, David Ragan and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher.

Born in Belmont, N.C., Wheeler is a 1961 graduate of the University of South Carolina. Before joining Charlotte Motor Speedway, he was the director of racing at Firestone Tire and Rubber during the tire manufacturer’s most visible years in motorsports. He has also worked a sports writer, television producer and dirt-track promoter.

Wheeler continues to have a tremendous impact on the motorsports industry. He operates The Wheeler Company, a management consulting firm focused on professional sports, motorsports and general business. He is an active board member for Belmont Abbey College, the National Motorsports Council, the Governor’s Sports Commission and the President’s Advisory Committee at the University of South Carolina.

Wheeler is a member of nine Halls of Fame, including the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. He is a past chairman of the Charlotte Convention & Visitors Bureau and worked with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The FIA Nacam Panam GP Series will arrive in the United States for the 2013 Winter Series and to kick off its 2013 regular season.

“After racing all over Latin America we are very proud to confirm that the Panam GP Series will hold its inaugural Winter Series with four races in two rounds at Homestead (February 22-23) and Palm Beach (March 1-2). This will be a great opportunity for young talented drivers to race in F-3 like open wheel racing cars that have the latest in cutting edge motorsports technology,” commented Alfonso Toledano, promoter of the championship.

Currently, the Panam GP Series feature the fastest open wheel racing cars in Latin America, with 1.4-liter turbo Fiat engines, slick tires and carbon fiber monocoque in identical cars.
 


“We are also confirming that the start of the 2013 regular season of the Panam GP Series will start in April 7 in Homestead, and from there will go to Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and other interesting Latin American venues,” said Toledano about growth of the series for 2013.

FARA (Formula Automobile Racing Association), headed by Tico Almeida, will be the associated promoter with Panam GP Series.

The final race of the 2012 season will be in Chile on December 9.

For more information on the Panam GP Series or the Winter Series Calendar 2013, visit www.panam-series.com/app/h.