Formula One (F1) and the Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial (GPA) announced today that the inaugural race has been moved from June 2013 to 2014 due to ongoing construction issues on the unique riverfront street course. Both F1 and GPA expressed confidence that the race will occur in 2014.
 
“We are going to be racing at Port Imperial, unfortunately just not as soon as we hoped and expected,” said Leo Hindery, Jr., promoter of the annual event. “We promised Governor Christie, the Towns, the sport and its international fans the best possible experience, and unfortunately we need additional time to ensure that happens.
 
“We remain 100 percent committed to the Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial and the race could have no better partner and friend than the CEO of Formula One, Bernie Ecclestone,” Hindery continued. “We benefit greatly from his experience and counsel and from his support.”
 
“I remain totally committed to the Port Imperial race and its unique location and attributes, and we will continue to work closely together to realize our dream in 2014,” said Formula One president and chief executive officer, Bernie Ecclestone. “As Leo says, we are still going to be racing at Port Imperial, now however in 2014.”
 
The construction issues cited today include the additional time needed for the development of complex Hudson Riverfront facilities and for finishing the second pits and paddock garage on the site.
 
GPA and F1 pointed out that significant progress has been made toward developing the race, including substantial construction of the first garage and other permanent facilities, extensive track engineering and operations planning, hiring of senior staff and partnering with key vendors to manage hospitality, security, ticket sales, transportation planning and operations.
 
The Grand Prix of America will run on a 3.2-mile street circuit at Port Imperial along the Hudson River and the Palisades in the towns of Weehawken and West New York, New Jersey, with the New York City skyline as a backdrop. Fans will be treated to three days of action, including Formula One practice and qualifying sessions, support series races and Sunday's Formula One race.
 
Fans can get information about Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial race activities and special events by signing up for the GPAmerica mail list at www.gpamerica.com.

British engine supplier Cosworth has instructed UBS to find a new buyer after plans to take the company public were scuttled, according to a number of news outlets.

The company, currently owned by former Champ Car owners Gerry Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven, supplies Formula 1 engines to the HRT and Marussia teams.

Details are available at Yahoo Finance UK & Ireland.

Mazak Corporation’s distributor Northwest Machine Technologies serving Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Western Wisconsin has launched a new in-house automation division that will provide customers with complete robot integration services for their Mazak machines.

With the added integration service, customers will further benefit from Mazak’s comprehensive approach to automation solutions together with the local expert service and support from Northwest Machine Technologies to boost productivity through better machine utilization.
 
Mazak provides manufacturers with a wide range of advanced equipment and technologies as well as innovative automation systems that are incorporated within the company’s unique 3-4-5 The Next Level of Productivity manufacturing solution. 3-4-5 allows manufacturers to effectively identify the right level of technology, including automation, needed for improving their specific operations and advancing productivity to the next level.
 
The 3-4-5 solution is the industry’s most comprehensive grouping of manufacturing resources and one that encompasses Mazak’s 3 Levels of Control, 4 Levels of Automation and 5 Levels of Multi-Tasking.

It is within Mazak’s 4 Levels of Automation, where the capabilities of Mazak’s Automation Systems Department and those of the new automation division at Northwest Machine Technologies will ensure that customers get the best and most effective automation solution.
 
Whether an application calls for Level 1 simple Bar Feeders; Level 2 Gantry Loaders; Level 3 Mazak’s PALLETECH System; or Level 4 Articulated Robots, Northwest Machine Technologies customers will immediately experience higher levels of quality and increased throughput.

Customers also gain the competitive advantage that comes with Mazak’s customized automation capabilities, exclusive partnerships with Fanuc Robotics and LNS America, and its full line of machine tools that are all MTConnect capable.
 
To support its new integration service, Northwest Machine Technologies will demonstrate fully automated systems, conduct system runoffs and provide training at its Technology Center in Rogers, Minnesota.

The company has also partnered with Fanuc Robotics to further demonstrate to customers how incorporating robots for loading/unloading their Mazak machines adds value and helps them boost their competitiveness.

Additionally, expert integrator Eric Sargent was brought on board as the new automation division’s manager.
 
Sargent is a well-respected local integration expert and brings over 23 years of experience to Northwest Machine Technologies and its customers. He joins the company’s existing full staff of service and support specialists that will also work with the automation division.

For more information, visit www.mazakusa.com.
 

The Daytona Beach City Commission has unanimously approved Daytona International Speedway’s application to redevelop the facility and surrounding property.

In response, Speedway President Joie Chitwood III released the following statement:

“The review and unanimous approval of our Planned Master Development (PMD) Application by the City Commission of Daytona Beach on Wednesday night is a major milestone in the pursuit of a potential significant redevelopment of Daytona International Speedway. The Commission also approved changes to the Daytona Mixed-Use PMD for International Speedway Corporation’s property north of International Speedway Boulevard. 

Both projects create the potential for a vibrant development at the gateway to our community with positive economic benefits to the region. We extend our sincere thanks to the city of Daytona Beach for their ongoing partnership throughout this review process and look forward to working together as this project continues to evolve.

With this approval, we now can begin the work of developing the project details and evaluating numerous factors that will affect our plans. 

This is an exciting time as we work to shape the vision of Daytona International Speedway for the next 50 years. A long road still remains but we are very excited for what the future holds for our race fans, our community and the ‘World Center of Racing.’”

Sports Car Club of America’s Board of Directors on Thursday announced the most significant change to its amateur road racing program in 50 years.

Following the 2013 season, “National” racing will be phased out, with the U.S. Majors Tour serving as the top level of a two-tier SCCA Club Racing program in 2014.

“As the U.S. Majors Tour gains momentum, it will take its natural position as the premier level of competition within SCCA’s amateur road racing program,” SCCA Chairman Jerry Wannarka said. “By 2014, amateur road racing will have two levels of racing—the U.S. Majors Tour and Regional Racing, with the Majors program focused on clustering the best and toughest competition and Regionals focused on local racing programs.”

SCCA’s amateur road racing program has been tiered for more than half a century, with “National” racing serving as the top level.

“The changes over the next year will take the premier events, geared toward our National Championship drivers, and provide a better link through a series managed by the SCCA National Headquarters. For non-Majors events, this change will remove the limitations that holding a National event have historically placed on our Regions, providing the flexibility needed to customize their Regional Racing programs.”

A path to the National Championship Runoffs will exist through both the Majors and Regional programs. For 2013, that path includes Majors Conference Championships (comprised solely of Majors events) and the National and Divisional Point Championships (including all Majors and regular National events).

Details of the 2014 path are still being determined, although the Board has committed for paths to exist for Runoffs-eligible classes through both the U.S. Majors Tour and Regional Racing.

Details on Championship point structures, 2013 events and Runoffs criteria will be announced in the coming weeks.

Additional information is available at www.sccamajors.com.

STS Motorsports Inc. announced this week that they would begin work on saving North Wilkesboro Speedway once again, following the closure in 2011 after the PASS Super Late Models $100,000 To Win Race.

While previous efforts to save the Speedway have been met with pitfalls and mismanagement, STS Motorsports Inc. has decided to reopen the issue and ask the community for help.

“In the past, no one has asked the community what they thought and how things could be done. We seemed to see people come in with grand ideas that fizzled out over time, while disenfranchising the motorsports community as a whole.” said Robert Marsden, founder of STS Motorsports Inc.

In the renewed effort, STS Motorsports Inc. will begin a donation campaign asking racing fans to join in this time and donate.

In return, not only will they help save a historic motorsports landmark, but they could also receive tickets, pit passes, and even get their name on a race or drive the pace car during one of the planned events once the donation campaign reaches it goal.

All fans and businesses interested in donating can find the campaign and information on Indiegogo at www.indiegogo.com/northwilkesborospeedway.

The campaign will kick off using social media, word of mouth and help from the community willing to see North Wilkesboro Speedway reopened.

All relevant information will be found on STS Motorsports’ website at www.savethespeedway.net or by following on Twitter @savethespeedway and on the dedicated Facebook page, www.facebook.com/northwilkesborospeedway.

ProMedia LLC has named Mike Galimi the next editor of Race Pages, the official magazine of the NMRA Keystone Automotive Ford Nationals series and a leading content source for the high-performance Ford community.

Galimi has contributed on and off to the title since its inception and is recognized as being part of the original group of contributors.

The New York-based writer and photographer brings nearly 15 years of experience to the editor position. He joins the staff with renewed direction and determination to produce cutting edge technical articles, exciting NMRA racing coverage, feature stories, and lifestyle insights from the NMRA Keystone Automotive Ford Nationals series and Ford high performance community.

Race Pages is the official monthly publication of the NMRA Ford National Series. The magazine also serves the Ford high performance community with technical articles, feature and lifestyle stories, and also racing coverage from NMRA events.

For more information on Race Pages and the NMRA log on to www.NMRADigital.com or call 714/444-2426.

With two full seasons left on their current television contract, NASCAR and FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) announced this week an extensive new eight-year, multiplatform media rights agreement that ensures FSMG’s broadcast of NASCAR racing through 2022.
 
Under terms of the new agreement, FSMG also significantly increases its digital rights to include “TV Everywhere” live race streaming of its portion of the season for the first time ever beginning in 2013.
 
As part of the new agreement, which takes effect in 2015, FSMG retains the television rights to 13 consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races beginning each year with the prestigious Daytona 500.

In addition, FSMG retains the rights to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the Daytona Shootout, the Duel at Daytona, the entire NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season and practice and qualifying for both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races that FSMG broadcasts.
 
FOX also remains the exclusive home of The Great American Race through 2022, a title it has proudly held for the last six years and nine of the last 12.
 
On the digital front, FSMG gains “TV Everywhere” rights starting next season to live stream all FSMG races, along with pre- and post-race coverage, race highlights and in-progress race highlights to events it televises. This portion of the deal was made possible by NASCAR’s reacquisition of operational, business and editorial control of its digital platform, a move that takes effect on January 1, 2013.
 
FSMG’s new and expanded television and digital media rights agreement with NASCAR includes, but is not limited to:
 
- An eight-year term from 2015 to 2022. The current FSMG/NASCAR rights agreement began in 2006 and runs through 2014
 
- Thirteen (13) consecutive points races beginning with the Daytona 500 on FOX
 
- The Daytona Shootout; Duel at Daytona; NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race; and Daytona 500 Qualifying
 
- Full NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season
 
- Right to televise all practice and qualifying sessions for FSMG races
 
- Ability to re-telecast races on a FOX network and via video-on-demand (VOD) for 24 hours
 
- Right to ancillary programming including, but not limited to, a nightly NASCAR news and information show as well as weekend at-track shows
 
- Right to NASCAR branded pre- and post-race shows
 
- Extensive digital rights beginning in 2013, including:

- TV Everywhere – live digital distribution of all races FSMG has rights to broadcast:

- Pre- and post-race coverage
- Race highlights
- In-progress race highlights
- Replays of FOX-televised races

The recent announcement comes less than two months after NASCAR and FOX announced they are teaming up to provide the sport’s most expansive Spanish-language broadcast offering ever with FOX Deportes’ coverage of 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races starting in 2013.

The Reserved Number Form for the 2013 WKA Mazda / Bridgestone Manufacturers Cup Series is now posted on the World Karting Association website.

Competitors have until November 16 to reserve the same number(s) they had in 2012.

Beginning Saturday, November 17, any number not taken will become available on a first come, first-served basis.

Other instructions are listed on the form.

To find the form on WorldKarting.com, simply mouse over “Downloads” on the main menu and click “2013 Reserved Number Form” on the dropdown menu.

This weekend’s 21st NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California, October 19-21, in Bakersfield, California, offers three days of hot rodding, nostalgic drag racing, and American automotive enthusiasm—all to support the nonprofit Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.

For the first time, a silent auction will take place from Friday, October 19 through Saturday, October 20 until 4 p.m. at the "Nitro Alumni" tent at the Auto Club Famoso Raceway.

This auction features over 100 treasures of NHRA memorabilia and American motorsports. Some of the highlights include four Bridgestone or Firestone tires, an original 1964 March Meet jacket, a Mario Andretti race suit, and one-of-a-kind drawings and prints.

All proceeds benefit the programs at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, California.

For a full list with images of the auction items, visit wdifl.com/2012CHRR-auction-temp.html.

Daily admission is $25 per person available at the gate. Ages 15 and under are admitted free with paid adult admission. AAA discount is available.