The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Awards Ceremony is returning to the Grand Ballroom at the Hollywood & Highland Center in the heart of Hollywood, California.

The 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Awards Ceremony will take place on Monday, November 12, and will be broadcast on the Web at NHRA.com and via NHRA’s YouTube home page beginning Wednesday, November 14.

This marks the fourth year the awards ceremony will be available to NHRA fans in its entirety.

The Hard Rock Cafe, also at the Hollywood & Highland Center, will play host to the after party. The Hard Rock Cafe sits beside the world-famous Dolby Theater home of the Academy Awards and just steps from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Hollywood’s starry Walk of Fame.

The 20,000-square-foot Hard Rock Cafe includes spacious seating, a live music area, and a vibrant bar. The property also will play host to the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Awards Ceremony, scheduled earlier in the day.

A popular tourist area, Hollywood & Highland is a one-of-a-kind high-profile venue that combines the best in retail, fine dining, and unique entertainment venues with the vibrant world of Hollywood. The center includes more than 60 retailers, nine of L.A.’s finest restaurants, and Lucky Strike Lanes, a high-tech and trendy bowling alley.

The invitation-only black-tie event, where NHRA will crown its 2012 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world champions, will feature a pre-event cocktail reception, a formal sit-down banquet, and the after party.

The Loews Hotel & Resort, formerly the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel and Spa, will again be the host hotel for the NHRA Full Throttle Awards Ceremony. Featuring 632 rooms, including luxury suites, the venue has not only been rebranded, but also is going through a multimillion-dollar renovation. The Grand Ballroom, on the fifth level of the center, is operated by famous chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck.

This year’s NHRA Full Throttle Awards Ceremony will be hosted by Dave Rieff, a veteran member of the NHRA broadcast team on ESPN. 


Bob Kriner, of Kriner’s Racing Engines, in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, has agreed to present a seminar Saturday morning at the PRI Trade Show titled, “Management Strategies For A Race Engine Business.”

The seminar begins at 8 a.m., Saturday, December 1, in the Orange County Convention Center. There is no charge for attending buyers.

Kriner’s Racing Engines came to national fame for its sprint car engines, but has since broadened its line of winning race engines to dirt late models, marine performance, bracket drag racers and more.

Kriner will take the audience behind the scenes of his busy race engine business to share the strategies he’s developed over more than three decades in building race engines. From customer service to strategies for new machining equipment, Kriner will share the practices and philosophies that have proven successful at Kriner’s Racing Engines in today’s challenging racing market.

“Having Bob share his philosophies and practices that he’s developed over the past three decades is a huge opportunity,” said Andrea Brake, PRI sales and marketing manager. “We can pretty much guarantee that every race engine builder who attends will return home with nuggets of insight that they can implement immediately to improve their racing businesses.”

To register for the 25th Annual PRI Trade Show, click here or call 949/499-5413.

Pro All Stars Series (PASS) President Tom Mayberry and Autodrome Chaudiere owners Dany Lagace and Kevin Roberge have announced that PASS will sanction the Autobus La Quebecois Triple Crown at the speedway located in Valley Junction, Quebec in 2013. 

The Autobus La Quebecois Triple Crown will pit top Super Late Model drivers from across North America in a series of three events with a purse totaling $123,000. As an added bonus, drivers who compete in all three Triple Crown events will vie for their share of a bonus points fund totaling $30,000.

PASS and Autodrome Chaudiere’s combined effort will be one of the most lucrative endeavors in asphalt short track racing.



Each race of the Autobus La Quebecois Triple Crown will have its own unique identity. Round 1 will be a 150 lapper on May 18, 2013, and will double as the Autodrome Chaudiere season opener. Round 2 will be staged on July 9, 2013, and will feature a yet to be named NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver in competition. The final round of La Quebecois Triple Crown will be a 200-lap race on September 7, 2013. It will pay $6000 to win and pay $100 per lap to the race leader, a total of $20,000 in guaranteed lap leader money.

The Triple Crown Bonus Point Fund will pay only drivers who compete in all three events of the Autobus La Quebecois Triple Crown. The Triple Crown champion will take home $7000 and the point fund will pay all the way down to 15th place, that driver will take home an additional $1200.

The Pro All Stars Series boasts such marquee events as the PASS 400 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, the Easter Bunny 150 at Hickory Motor Speedway, and the legendary All American 400 at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tennessee.

For technical information regarding the Autobus La Quebecois Triple Crown at Autodrome Chaudiere, contact Scott Reed at 207/625-3230 or scottreedpass@yahoo.com. 

Visit ProAllStarsSeries.com for more information.

Columbia Marking Tools has announced a significant expansion of its website, www.columbiamt.com, that eliminates steps and saves visitors valuable time. 

These updates not only make it easier to find marking systems information, but streamline processes to request quotations, expedite orders, arrange credit, make payments, and even order some items online.

"Our goal for this website is to save customers time at every touch point," said Michelle Krembel, president of Columbia Marking Tools. "It has over 700 pages, all organized to provide answers to key questions before they are even asked. We’d like it to be a prime resource for anyone looking for marking systems information, regardless of industry or application."

User-friendly features include on-line chat with product line specialists (not just an operator), FTP upload of customers’ drawings, automated return authorizations, a downloadable credit application, and a comprehensive search feature. Access options are provided to suit various user preferences, including a side navigation bar, drop-down menus from tabs at the top, and icons linked to key pages.
       
The website’s product support section has been significantly expanded to include all product manuals as well as catalogs, 2-D and 3-D machine drawings, a glossary of marking terms, and an extensive marking Wiki with postings from CMT experts and others.

This is part of an enhanced customer service area that offers faster RFQ and order placement, easy order tracking, automated return authorizations, and warranty information, as well as inviting customer feedback.
       
For example, the RFQ system now has pre-populated fields that allow people seeking a quotation for a dot peen system to specify window size and pin size without any typing. They can also upload files of the part drawings they need quoted (using a password and log-in) instead of mailing or shipping the drawings.

The website also has an online store where a variety of simple and off-the-shelf items are available for purchase. Hand stamps, air impact markers, hammers, and clearance items are among the 12 categories.

Columbia Marking Tools is a global leader in the design and manufacture of marking tools and systems for metal and plastic components. Marking expertise includes dot-peen, scribe, laser, impact marking, and roll marking systems, as well as dies, hand stamps and numbering heads.

Repair work has begun on the road surface at Belle Isle Park in preparation for the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, which will be held May 31-June 2, 2013.

After a successful return of IndyCar racing to the Motor City this summer—the first Grand Prix run on Belle Isle since 2008—there were issues with the track surface that arose in the second half of the IZOD IndyCar Series race.

The trouble spots were repaired quickly and the race was successfully completed, but event officials pledged that repairs would be made this fall.

After undergoing a process that included an engineering evaluation of the circuit, workers will be removing deteriorated concrete areas of the racing surface, evaluating and repairing storm drainage systems and installing reinforced concrete areas on the 14-turn, 2.1-mile track.

About 80,000 square feet of concrete and 3,000 square feet of asphalt will be installed.

Work will be done on Turns 5-12 and about 25 workers from two separate companies—including the Detroit-based Pollard Concrete Services—will coordinate and execute the repairs.

After the overwhelming success of the NHRA Museum’s popular Hot Rod Reunions in Kentucky and California, organizers elected to add another event to the 2013 Hot Rod Reunion calendar.

The inaugural New England NHRA Hot Rod Reunion will be held September 12-14, 2013 (Thursday through Saturday) at the new NHRA member track, New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire.

Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California and located in Pomona, California, the Hot Rod Reunions are a part of the museum’s “living history” philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture.

Unique among motorsports events, the Reunion honors some of the top names in hot rodding from the past and features a fabulous array of fast drag cars, hot rods, street rods and cool customs.

New England drag racing legend and Rhode Island native Jimmy King has been named grand marshal of the inaugural event. King and the late Don Marshall made up one of the best NHRA Top Fuel drag racing teams in the East Coast during the 1960s and ’70s.

King and Marshall visited many winner’s circles but none more memorable than their 1971 win at the NHRA Gatornationals.

Today, King continues to relive his glory days of drag racing as crew chief of the Helger Bros. Racing team of Little Compton, Rhode Island.

The reunion will feature the customary three-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm. Plus, fans can get acquainted with several racing legends including grand marshal Jimmy King, heart-pounding nostalgia drag racing, a Show ’N Shine area featuring hundreds of classic cars in the region, and the spectacular Cacklefest.

There will also be a big party welcoming the Reunion and many racing luminaries to the area with a free Honoree Reception (details coming soon).

Ticket sales for the inaugural event begin May 9, 2013, online at www.nhratix.com or by calling 800/884-NHRA (6472).

Check the Museum’s website, www.museum.nhra.com, for further details on the inaugural New England NHRA Hot Rod Reunion.

Petty's Garage invites racers to join them in supporting and participating in the 4th annual Petty Family Foundation Richard Petty Charity Golf Classic on October 1 and the inaugural Gala, "Fenders, Furs, & Fellas" at the Richard Petty Museum on October 6.


"Fenders, Furs, & Fellas" is a speakeasy event with Richard Petty focusing on the 1930's, 40's and 50's. The event is being held at the Linbrook Hall Mansion in Trinity, North Carolina. Guests are invited to drive their favorite classic car and dress in period clothing from the decade of their car.

Along with a delicious meal, guests will be entertained with live music from Lawyers, Guns, & Money.



Proceeds from this event will help launch the Capital Campaign to bring the Petty history back to the legendary race shop where it all began. There are still sponsorship opportunities and tickets available.

For more information or to reserve space, contact Jean Wilson, 336/495-6607 or jwilson@pettys-garage.com.



This year marks the fourth annual Richard Petty Charity Golf Classic, with proceeds benefiting the Petty Family Foundation and the Victory Junction Gang Camp.

The purpose of this event is to enrich the lives and families of those affected by serious illness and injury through the support and generosity of friends, families, and corporations nationwide.



The Richard Petty Charity Golf Classic is a one-day event beginning with a shotgun at 10 a.m. at The Club at Longview in Charlotte, North Carolina, and ending with dinner at 7:00 pm that evening at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in downtown Charlotte.



Participation levels vary—golf foursomes and dinner packages begin at $2500, and sponsorship benefits can be customized based on business/entertainment wants and needs.



For more information or questions, contact 336/495-6643 or email sarah@pettyfamilyfoundation.org.

DCE is continuing to grow, and has just appointed a new General Manager at its US facility in Mooresville, North Carolina.

Jack Hastings takes on the role of General Manager effective September 25, and will oversee all activity at the Mooresville site. He previously worked for Goodridge, where he began in 2000 and worked his way up from Facility Manager to General Manager.

Hastings has been involved in all areas of motorsport, and is a well-known figure within the North American motorsport market.

Scott Jasmund and his company Kinetic Racing Technologies will continue to work with DCE Inc on the data acquisition side of the business.

DCE is one of the motorsport industry’s leading manufacturers of custom built electrical systems, with 15 years’ experience in the industry. The company has worldwide distributors for its products, ensuring it is at the forefront of innovation and technology on a global scale.

Products designed and built by the company have been used in championships worldwide, including NASCAR, Indycar, Formula 1, World Rally, Superbike and F1 Powerboats.

To contact Jack Hastings, call 704/929-9722 or email jack@dcemotorsport.com.

Camee Edelbrock, public relations/social media manager for Schiefer Media, has been announced as one of the speakers for a new day-long conference at the PRI Trade Show on the subject of digital marketing, called, “Winning the eRace.”

Schiefer Media, located in Newport Beach, California, is one of the biggest advertising agencies in the performance automotive market.

“We’re excited to have someone as experienced in both social media and the performance racing industry as Camee Edelbrock coming to Orlando and sharing her insights and advice before the racing professionals attending Wednesday’s conference,” said Dan Schechner, editor of PRI magazine. “This is going to be one of the most powerful single-day events we’ve ever had in terms of helping racing entrepreneurs seriously improve the marketing of their racing businesses.”

Other speakers that have been signed up for the November 28 seminar include representatives of Constant Contact, the national email marketing firm; eBay Motors, the website for virtual automotive stores; and Trinet Internet Solutions, PRI’s Internet support agency.

Topics to be covered include social media, email marketing and eNewsletters, virtual stores, managing forums, best practices for online advertising and more.

The "Winning the eRace" digital marketing conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, November 28, in a Convention Center meeting room.

There is no charge to attend, but you are asked to register by emailing Gabriela at gabrielao@performanceracing.com.

For more information or to reserve a space (seating is limited), click here.

The second phase of the North Carolina Motorsports Association's Government Contracting Seminar will take place September 18, 2012, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Hendrick Motorsports.

This phase will delve into more advanced details of government contracting work. The NCMA is hosting this two-part series to educate and inform businesses on government contracting work by partnering with the North Carolina Military Business Center to provide resources and information.

Lunch will be provided courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports. The cost for NCMA members is $25, non-members $75.

Hendrick Motorsports is located at 4400 Papa Joe Hendrick Blvd.
Charlotte, N.C. 28262.

RSVP with Haven Kerchner at 704/455-5606 or haven@motorsportsnc.org.