The AAM Group has appointed automotive aftermarket veteran Eric Hatcher to lead the marketing of Parts Pro, signaling a renewed investment in the longstanding performance-parts marketing program and a focused strategy for growth. 

Hatcher will guide the redevelopment and expansion of the Parts Pro program, focusing on growing the program's customer network, strengthening technical, educational and marketing resources and building more targeted initiatives around key performance segments and enthusiast communities such as LS-powered vehicles, C10 trucks and motorsports, the company said.

The appointment is in addition to Hatcher's current role as marketing and training manager for Diesel Pro Network. He will retain his existing responsibilities while also reenergizing Parts Pro. 

"The Parts Pro program is the one that started it all for AAM, and we are excited about the new dimension Eric will bring to the program," said Tim Odom, president of The AAM Group. "Eric brings the sales experience, technical knowledge, training skills, and industry relationships needed to reconnect the program with today's performance market and create new value for customers and supplier partners." 

Hatcher has more than 25 years of experience in automotive sales, account management, technical support and business development. His background includes roles with Holley Performance Products, NAPA Auto Parts and O'Reilly Auto Parts, where he worked across national accounts, warehouse distribution, commercial sales, fleet business, product launches, technical training and customer development. 

"We are building strong momentum with Diesel Pro Network, and that work will continue," Hatcher added. "By applying the same focus on education, supplier engagement and targeted customer segments to Parts Pro, we can help our distribution members reach new customers, strengthen existing accounts and drive meaningful growth in the performance market." 

For more information, visit theaamgroup.com.

Following an announcement of a return to a traditional schedule to start the year, NHRA announced the full 20-race schedule for the upcoming 2027 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. 

The 2027 campaign––which is NHRA's 76th season––will also feature the season-long "50 Years of Force" celebration honoring legendary 16-time Funny Car world champion John Force. As a return to NHRA's traditional roots, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will start and end the season at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.  

The year starts with the 67th annual NHRA Winternationals on February 18-21 and finishes November 11-14 with the 62nd annual In-N-Out Burger Finals at the legendary Pomona facility, with 18 races in between at standout facilities across the country.  

Full details for the "50 Years of Force" celebrations, which will take place at all 20 races during the 2027 season, will be released in the coming weeks and months. 

Following previously announced stops at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix (February 26-28), Gainesville Raceway (March 11-14) and zMAX Dragway in Charlotte (April 2-4), NHRA will return to two facilities that hosted national events for the first time in 2026.  

The NHRA Southern Nationals will head back to South Georgia Motorsports Park on April 30-May 2, while the NHRA Potomac Nationals will take place for a second straight year at Maryland International Raceway on May 21-23. Both tracks enjoyed successful events and sellout crowds this season, providing plenty of excitement for 2027. 

In June, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will race three times, starting with the NHRA New England Nationals on June 4-6 at New England Dragway, followed by the popular Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway on June 11-12. The month finishes in style with a return to Summit Motorsports Park for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals on June 24-27. 

The annual trip to Route 66 Raceway near Chicago will get a July date in 2027, with the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK set for July 9-11.  

Following an off week, NHRA teams will head out west for a thrilling two-week stretch, starting with the fan-favorite Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals on July 23-25 at Sonoma Raceway. That's followed by a trip to Pacific Raceways and the Pacific Northwest for the Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals on July 30-August 1.  

The penultimate race of the regular season will again take place at Brainerd International Raceway, as one of the most unique stops on the NHRA tour will take place on August 19-22.  

The world's biggest drag race kicks off September with a bang, as the prestigious 73rd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals is set for September 1-6 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, putting the biggest names in the sport on drag racing's grandest stage.  

That leads into the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, which will again open with three straight race weekends at Martin, Michigan, Rockingham, North Carolina, and St. Louis. The NHRA Great Lakes Nationals returns to U.S. 131 Motorsports Park on Sept. 17-19, with the NHRA Nationals at The Rock slated for September 24-26 at Rockingham Dragway. The fast and furious start to the postseason also includes the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals on October 1-3 at World Wide Technology Raceway, which continues to be a popular Countdown stop. 

The fastest 10 days in Texas is back at Texas Motorplex for the incredible Stampede of Speed, with the main event, the Texas NHRA FallNationals, set for October 13-17 at the historic facility.  

The playoffs will then close with annual races in Las Vegas and Pomona, as the NHRA stars will look to shine bright at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals on October 28-31. All roads lead to Pomona for the finale, as champions will be crowned to close out an epic 2027 NHRA season. 

For more info on NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.  

See the full schedule below:

Main image courtesy of Shutterstock | Grindstone Media Group. Graphic courtesy of NHRA.

The Championship Racing Association (CRA) and Sealed Engine Alliance Leaders (SEAL) have issued a decision on a recent technical inspection and compliance effort and have launched a broader engine compliance investigation as a result, the late model organization announced.

Following the series' Toledo event, CRA and the SEAL Committee confiscated selected engines as part of their ongoing technical inspection and compliance efforts. The engines were transported to independent testing facility Robert Yates Racing Engines for dyno testing and detailed inspection.

During the inspection, one engine was found to contain a component that does not conform to the current SEAL engine build sheet. CRA and the SEAL Committee immediately began a deeper investigation to determine how and why the component was used before making any determination regarding penalties.

That investigation established that the engine builder had been specifically told in April of this year by a SEAL Committee member that the component in question was permitted.

The committee member did not have the authority to independently approve a deviation from the established SEAL build specifications, and that approval was never presented to or approved by the committee's voting members.

However, the engine builder was not aware that the individual committee member lacked that authority. The builder reasonably believed the authorization was valid and built the engine based on direction provided by someone representing the SEAL Committee.

For that reason, CRA and the SEAL Committee have determined that neither the team nor the engine builder will receive a penalty in this instance.

This decision should not be interpreted as a relaxation of CRA or SEAL technical rules or enforcement standards. Had the team or engine builder knowingly used an unapproved component without authorization, the outcome would have been different.

The committee considers the unauthorized approval a serious breakdown in its technical governance process and has launched a broader investigation to determine whether the same or similar guidance was provided to other engine builders and how many engines nationwide may be affected.

That review includes communication with engine builders, examination of previous technical guidance, and a determination of what corrective measures are necessary. The SEAL Committee is also reviewing its internal approval procedures to ensure that no individual committee member can independently authorize deviations from the established build specifications in the future.

"There are really two separate issues here. The first is whether the race team and engine builder knowingly violated the rules. Based on everything we have found, they did not. They followed direction they believed came with the authority of the SEAL Committee, and we are not going to punish a competitor for a failure in our own internal process," said Marty Melo, CRA owner and chair of the SEAL Committee. "The second issue is the process that allowed this to happen, and that is something we are taking very seriously. We are determining how widespread this may be, who was given similar information, how many engines could be affected and what steps are necessary to correct it. We intend to deal with the issue completely and transparently."

For a full statement on the investigation, visit starsnationaltour.com.

The American Speed Festival will return to M1 Concourse October 2-4 for three days of racing, automotive culture and family-friendly entertainment at the 87-acre private motorsports club in Pontiac, Michigan.

Saturday, October 3, will feature two of motorsports' biggest names, Mario Andretti and Chip Ganassi. Andretti will make exhibition laps in the historic 1909 Christie Race Car, while both legends will be honored during the Master of Motorsports ceremony Saturday evening. The ceremony is included with every American Speed Festival ticket. Club M1 VIP tickets also include an exclusive dinner with Andretti and Ganassi.

The racing continues Sunday with the ASF Challenge, featuring high-performance race cars and drivers competing on track. The day also will include the Ladies Race of Champions finals, where five professional women racing drivers will compete in Lotus Emiras.

In addition, the festival will feature drifting, vendors, family activities, and more.

Tickets and additional event information are available at m1concourse.com/american-speed-festival.
 

Image courtesy of M1 Concourse, Facebook

The Utah Salt Flats Racing Association (USFRA) has canceled the World of Speed, a land-speed racing (LSR) event, originally scheduled for September 3–7 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

Organizers cited recent rain and standing water on and near the course, creating unsafe conditions for racers and an inability to safely move trucks and trailers.

Visit saltflats.com for additional updates. 

USFRA events are conducted in compliance with Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) rules and regulations. Competition Class records set during the event are certified by SCTA officials on site and recognized as SCTA Competition Class records.

More information is available at saltflats.com/events-2026.
 

Image courtesy of USFRA

NASCAR has announced its 2027 schedules for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, continuing the sport's momentum with an innovative calendar of race events. The 2027 schedule blends NASCAR's crown jewel events and iconic venues with fan-favorite short tracks, superspeedways and road courses, highlighted by NASCAR San Diego's return to Naval Base Coronado, the Wheatley Vodka Clash at Daytona International Speedway, the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway and the season-ending NASCAR Championship Weekend at upgraded Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"The 2027 NASCAR national series schedules reflect the continued momentum of our sport and the strong collaboration across our industry to deliver an innovative and balanced schedule for our fans that challenges the best drivers in the world," said Ben Kennedy, chief operating officer, NASCAR. "From the return of NASCAR San Diego and the Wheatley Vodka Clash at Daytona to the NASCAR Championship at Homestead-Miami, this schedule brings together marquee events, iconic venues and key markets while continuing to honor NASCAR's heritage and evolve for the future."

Following a successful inaugural event celebrating the United States and the U.S. Navy's 250th anniversary, NASCAR will return to Naval Base Coronado for NASCAR San Diego on July 30-August 1, 2027. The event will continue to recognize the men and women who serve while celebrating the shared values of courage, commitment and elite performance. The O'Reilly Auto Parts Series will compete on Saturday, July 31, followed by the Cup Series on Sunday, August 1.

Also recently announced, NASCAR and the Department of War share a multi-year plan to continue hosting events beyond Naval Base Coronado. In 2028, NASCAR and the Department of War intend to take the military-base street race to a different U.S. military installation, expanding the opportunity to celebrate and connect with service members, military families and communities across the country.

For the second consecutive year, NASCAR Championship Weekend will return to Homestead-Miami Speedway, November 12-14, to conclude the 2027 season. Homestead-Miami Speedway hosted NASCAR Championship Weekend from 2002-2019 before welcoming the season finale back in 2026. The venue is currently undergoing a $20 million capital investment project that will transform the track with a new gate entry, expanded fan zone and renovated Champions Club to enhance the race weekend experience for fans, partners and industry stakeholders.

"The 2027 NASCAR national series schedules are the result of tremendous collaboration across the industry to find the right balance of venues, race dates and competitive challenges across all three national series––one that brings the best of our sport to fans around the world," said Julie Giese, vice president, Market Development & Strategic Scheduling, NASCAR. "From the structure of The Chase to the continued evolution of the schedule, every adjustment is made with the goal of creating the strongest, most compelling season possible from start to finish for our fans, competitors, racetracks and broadcast partners."

The 2027 season will begin with a homecoming as the Wheatley Vodka Clash returns to Daytona International Speedway to start FOX's broadcast coverage on Saturday night, February 13. The exhibition event will launch Speedweeks presented by AdventHealth and return to the famed Daytona oval for the first time since 2020. The event will also mark the Cup Series debut of Daytona International Speedway's new state-of-the-art Musco LED lighting system. Daytona hosted The Clash as part of Speedweeks from 1979 through 2021 before the event moved to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from 2022-2024 and Bowman Gray Stadium from 2025-2026. Speedweeks presented by AdventHealth will take place from the Wheatley Vodka Clash on February 13 to the 69th running of the DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 21.

North Wilkesboro Speedway will welcome the NASCAR All-Star Race back to the historic short track as part of the venue's biggest NASCAR race weekend ever, May 21-23, 2027. After hosting a sold-out Cup Series points race in 2026 for the first time in 30 years, North Wilkesboro will stage the 43rd NASCAR All-Star Race in prime time on the 35th anniversary of "One Hot Night." The weekend will also celebrate the track's 80th birthday with its first-ever national series tripleheader, featuring the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series on Friday, May 21, the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series on Saturday, May 22, and the Cup Series All-Star Race on Sunday, May 23, which will conclude FOX Sports' 2027 broadcast coverage.

The crown-jewel Coca-Cola 600 Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 2027, will launch Prime Video's five-race broadcast window. The summer slate will continue with four distinct NASCAR challenges: the high-speed concrete oval at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, June 6, Pocono Raceway's one-of-a-kind three-turn layout on Sunday, June 13, the sweeping two-mile oval at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, June 20, and the highly anticipated return to fan-favorite Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday, June 27, to close out Prime Video's 2027 coverage.

The Cup Series In-Season Challenge will return in 2027 with its five-race, 32-driver bracket-style tournament on TNT Sports featuring five different race disciplines. The 2027 In-Season Challenge will launch on the short track at Iowa Speedway on the Fourth of July to start the five-race broadcast window for TNT Sports. The In-Season Challenge will then continue at the road course at Sonoma Raceway, the superspeedway at EchoPark Speedway and the historic oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway before concluding on the streets of Naval Base Coronado at NASCAR San Diego, where the tournament champion will earn a $1 million prize.

The road to the championship will also feature notable changes in 2027 as Richmond Raceway, Watkins Glen International and New Hampshire Motor Speedway open The Chase. Richmond will kick off The Chase under the lights on Saturday night, September 11, followed by Watkins Glen International and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Watkins Glen adds a road course to the championship portion of the season, while Richmond and New Hampshire return to prominent fall dates with long histories in NASCAR's postseason.

The Bristol Night Race will return to its traditional August date, restoring one of NASCAR's most iconic events to the time of year with which it was associated for more than four decades. The Cup Series race will open USA Sports' broadcast coverage. Darlington Raceway will retain its traditional Labor Day weekend while World Wide Technology Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway shift into the final stretch of the regular season.

The CW will broadcast the entire O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season, with The Chase once again aligned with the Cup Series beginning at Richmond Raceway. The O'Reilly Auto Parts Series will also return to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the first time since 1985 as part of the track's first-ever national-series tripleheader weekend.

The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series schedule features two notable additions in 2027, with FOX Sports providing full-season coverage. Bowman Gray Stadium will remain on the national series calendar in 2027, welcoming the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for the first time on Friday, August 20. The event continues NASCAR's national-series presence at the historic venue following two years of Cup Series competition at The Madhouse.

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park returns to the schedule on Sunday, September 5, for the first time since 2019 as the final race of the regular season. The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series also returns to Pocono Raceway on Friday, June 11, and will once again compete at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Lime Rock Park and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Additional highlights in the 2027 NASCAR national series schedules include:

• Dover Motor Speedway returns to a Cup Series points-race date on Sunday, May 16, following its 2026 turn as host of the NASCAR All-Star Race.
• World Wide Technology Raceway (Sunday, August 22), Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway (Saturday, August 28) and the crown jewel Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (Sunday, September 5) will be the pivotal final three races in the Cup Series and O'Reilly Auto Parts Series leading to The Chase.
• Pocono Raceway will again feature all three national series during its June 11-13 race weekend.
• The Chase for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will begin at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 25.
• All three national series will be off during Easter weekend, March 27-28, and again for a summer break, August 7-8.
   

FOX Sports, Prime Video, TNT Sports and USA Sports will broadcast the 2027 Cup Series season. The CW will carry the entire O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season and FOX Sports will be home to the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Networks and start times will be announced at a later date.

For tickets to 2027 NASCAR events, visit nascar.com/2027schedule.

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has completed its tender process for exclusive tire supply of the FIA World Endurance Championship's Hypercar and LMGT3 classes for the 2030-2032 seasons.

Following a joint evaluation by the FIA and Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), Michelin will continue as the exclusive tire supplier for Hypercar, while Goodyear will remain the exclusive supplier for LMGT3. The FIA World Motor Sport Council approved the appointments through an electronic vote.

The tender evaluated manufacturers on technical expertise, product quality, performance across different conditions, operational and customer support, sustainability commitments, marketing support and their ability to contribute to the continued development of endurance racing.

Both manufacturers bring extensive WEC experience to their respective classes.

Michelin has supplied the Hypercar class exclusively since the class was introduced in 2021. The category has become a major technical platform for manufacturers competing in endurance racing, with a growing roster of automotive brands participating in the class.

Goodyear has supplied LMGT3 since the category's introduction to the championship in 2024. The class has expanded the variety of production-based performance cars competing in the WEC.

Earlier this year, Goodyear was also selected to remain the exclusive LMGT3 tire supplier for the 2027-2029 seasons.

For more information, visit the FIA website.

Across the country, local race tracks are facing pressure from noise complaints, nuisance lawsuits and development encroaching on established motorsports facilities. As tracks fight to stay open, more states are considering legislation aimed at protecting them from those challenges.

According to a SEMA report, roughly a quarter of operating motorsports facilities have closed over the past 25 years. The issue is receiving increasing attention from state lawmakers, with four states having enacted "Right to Race" laws and similar legislation advancing in others. (Learn more at sema.org/right-to-race and get involved at semahq.org/campaigns/right-to-race.)

A recent PBS NewsHour report takes a closer look at the issue, visiting Shenandoah Speedway in Page County, Virginia, speaking with the track manager Chris Lilly, racers and fans about the challenges of keeping motorsports facilities open.

PBS also connected with Joshua Vadeboncouer, assistant professor at Gardner-Webb University, who shared his perspective on nuisance laws from neighboring communities. "The track didn't necessarily move close to neighborhoods; Neighborhoods gradually moved closer to the track," he said, pointing out that nuisance lawsuits can be detrimental to tracks.

Doug Bresnahan, managing director of PRI. "The tracks were there first; they should have the right to operate."

Watch now: See how track owners, racers and industry leaders are working to protect local motorsports facilities––and why "Right to Race" laws are gaining momentum across the country.

Feed image courtesy of PBS News Hour, YouTube

The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) has announced a new sweepstakes benefiting the SCCA Foundation that offers a chance to win a rare '67 Porsche 911S, plus opened registration for the SCCA Time Attack Challenge at Buttonwillow in California.

The SCCA Foundation’s first-ever car sweepstakes features '67 Porsche 911S valued at $185,000. The classic sports car is equipped with a numbers-matching engine and transaxle, a roll cage and street-legal equipment. It also underwent a major engine-out service three years ago before participating in the Tejas Turismo, an 800-mile rally through Texas hill country.

The sweepstakes winner can choose the Porsche or an $80,000 cash prize. Donations start at $25 for 18 entries and go up to $2,000 for 4,000 entries. SCCA members also receive a 30% entry bonus. The sweepstakes is open through January 31, 2027.

Scheduled for November 14-15, the Time Attack Challenge marks the SCCA Time Attack series’ return to Buttonwillow for the first time since 2022 and will serve as the final Time Attack Challenge weekend of the 2026 season.

The event will share the Buttonwillow weekend with the 2026 Global Time Attack Finals, giving competitors an opportunity to run alongside some of the fastest time-attack cars and drivers. SCCA competitors will tackle Buttonwillow’s 13CW configuration, which features high-speed sweepers, technical corners and elevation changes, including the challenging Phil Hill and Riverside sections.

The Time Attack Challenge is open to drivers of varying experience levels, with coaches available and run groups designed to accommodate everyone from experienced competitors to first-time participants. Only three SCCA Time Attack Challenge run groups and 60 total spots are available. Drivers who register by August 28 can save $100 on entry.

For more information, visit scca.com.