Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, was named the 2024 NHRA Lucas Oil Series Track of the Year during the NHRA North Central Division Land of the Winners Championship Banquet in Carmel, Indiana.

The family-owned racing and entertainment venue has been part of the NHRA Lucas Oil Series for 18 years and has earned its Track of the Year title 10 times.

"This is a huge honor for my team and me, and we are grateful to the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, and all of our racers, race fans and supporters," said Bill Bader, Summit Motorsports Park president and SEMA Board of Directors member. "We are inspired to continue working hard to produce exciting and extraordinary events that appeal to men, women and children of all ages."

Also recognized were racers who helped lead Team Summit Motorsports Park to victory at the NHRA North Central Division Summit ET Racing Series Team Finals, held at Summit Motorsports Park for the first time in 2024, as well as Summit Motorsports Park racers Nick Hastings, Scott Sill and Andrew Innes, who won at the event and went on to race for world championships at the NHRA Nevada Nationals. Brandon Buchanan, who won in the High School category, was also recognized, among other NHRA North Central Division racers.

For more information, visit summitmotorsportspark.com.

The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), the Topeka, Kansas-based sanctioning body, has announced the promotions of five members of its staff to begin 2025.

See the full list of promotions below:

• CherriLea Roduner has been promoted to assistant manager of member services. Roduner joined the SCCA staff in 2008 and has held various positions within the organization. She will continue to report to Aimee Thoennes, director of member services.
   
• Jamie Mullin has been promoted to senior manager of sanction and insurance. Reporting to Senior Director of Business Operations Jeff Dahnert, Mullin has been with the organization since 2016 and ensures event documentation for all SCCA regions is correctly filled and processed.
   
• Andie Albin has been named lead manager of marketing for the SCCA. She will oversee the execution of SCCA's marketing initiatives, manage two members of the marketing team and collaborate closely with Kristen Poole on overall marketing strategy.
   
• Scott Dobler, who became the SCCA road racing technical assistant in 2023, has been appointed series manager of road racing. He will report to SCCA Director of Road Racing Jeff Barrow.
   
• Nikki Edwards, who joined the SCCA Staff as a full-time employee in 2021 as the solo/experiential programs communications coordinator, has been promoted to manager of rally/solo/experiential programs communications. In her role, she will continue to coordinate pre- and post-event communications for National Solo, Time Trials and Track Night participants. She reports to Jennifer McAbee, senior manager of experiential programs.
   

"It's an honor to be able to recognize the incredible work CherriLea, Jamie, Andie, Scott and Nikki have put in through the years," said SCCA President and CEO Mike Cobb. "Through their hard work--and the dedication of the rest of the SCCA Staff and thousands of SCCA volunteers across the country--2025 is shaping up to be another fantastic year."

For more information, visit scca.com.

Photo courtesy of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli

The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli has announced a new class for the 2025 season. The GT1 Challenge will provide competitors that race in SCCA Club Racing's GT1 class with an opportunity to compete for a title in the Trans Am Series with a shorter, more flexible schedule and reduced entry fees.

The GT1 Challenge is a class that focuses on offering vehicles competing in the SCCA Club GT1 class a way to easily cross over to Pro racing in the Trans Am Series. The GT1 Challenge allows drivers to compete in a maximum of nine races per season, with their five highest points-scoring races making up their championship points total. The driver with the most points accumulated in their five best races will be recognized and awarded a championship trophy at the year-end Trans Am Awards Gala in November.

Additionally, the GT1 Challenge will allow teams to use older equipment that is no longer eligible for the TA National Championship, providing car owners with more opportunities to utilize their current equipment.

The Trans Am Series will kick off the 2025 season with the Sebring SpeedTour at Sebring International Raceway, February 20-23.

Any parties interested in competing in GT1 can reach out to Trans Am President Andy Lally with any questions at ALally@GoTransAm.com.

For the more information, visit gotransam.com.

View the complete 2025 Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli schedule below.

2025 Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli 2025 Event Schedule
Subject to change

NASCAR is launching a Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST) channel called the "NASCAR Channel" on January 29 with exclusive partner Tubi.

The streaming platform will broadcast NASCAR content 24/7 without a subscription fee or registration. Programming and content on the NASCAR Channel will include classic races, re-airs of this season's events, documentaries, NASCAR studios original content and video podcasts.

Upcoming highlights also include live coverage of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on February 7 and the Cook Out Madhouse Classic from Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on February 1.

"I'm excited for the fans," said John Dahl, NASCAR SVP, Content. "They now have a free, easily-accessed, 24/7 NASCAR destination that not only digs deep into our archives but provides the latest news and original storytelling. As the channel grows, we'll be adding more and more racing content that we're confident fans will appreciate. Many NASCAR fans already use Tubi, but we're looking forward to exposing more of them to that great platform too."

For more information, visit nascar.com.

Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the Italian marque's racing arm, has named Maurizio Leschiutta as its new head of motorsport.

Leschiutta, who has led the BMW LMDh program since 2021, will report directly to Lamborghini Chief Technical Officer Rouven Mohr, who served as interim head of motorsport during Lamborghini Squadra Corse's maiden LMDh campaign in both FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Leschiutta will oversee all facets of Lamborghini Squadra Corse's racing programs, including the continued development of the Lamborghini SC63 LMDh prototype, the GT3 customer racing portfolio and Lamborghini Super Trofeo one-make championships in Europe, North America and Asia.

The Huracán GT3 EVO2 will race in GT championships worldwide, including the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD Pro class, DTM, GT World Challenge Europe, British GT, Italian GT and more.

For more information, visit lamborghini.com.

The HOT ROD Power Tour has revealed the schedule for its 2025 tour, which will stop at five Midwest venues this June.

Scheduled for June 9-13, the traveling car show will feature more than 1,000 miles of driving, as well as drag racing, autocross and live entertainment, and attract more than 6,000 cars and trucks of all years, makes and models. Planned stops include Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois, and the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

For more information, visit hotrodpowertour.us.

See the full schedule below:

• Day 1: June 9--Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Day 2: June 10--Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Illinois
• Day 3: June 11--Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, Indiana
• Day 4: June 12--Monroe County Fairgrounds, Monroe, Michigan
• Day 5: June 13--Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio

The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) made history at CES 2025 with the world’s first successful completion of a multi-car autonomous race, organizers announced.

The event held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway marked a major milestone in the evolution of physical AI and autonomous racing, with four IAC AV-24 fully autonomous racecars piloted by AI drivers from top global university teams competing head-to-head in a 20-lap exhibition race.

The race ended in a side-by-side photo finish, with UNIMORE Racing crossing the finish line less than three-tenths of a second faster than Cavalier Autonomous Racing.

The multi-car exhibition race not only showcased impressive advancements in AI driver capabilities, organizers said, but also highlighted how the IAC is advancing technology to improve the safety of high-speed autonomy. During the race, four autonomous racecars completed a full race with multiple overtakes and no accidents, demonstrating how autonomous systems can navigate extreme speeds while also safely managing complex multi-agent interactions in real-time.

For a full recap of the autonomous race, visit indyautonomouschallenge.com.

Photo courtesy of Emily Schwanke, ASCS

A new era in American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) history begins in 2025 with a 41-race national tour schedule, highlighted by new tracks and marquee 360 Sprint Car events.

The season starts Thursday–Saturday, January 30–February 1, at Volusia Speedway Park (Florida) for the opening nights of the 54th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals and concludes Friday–Saturday, November 14–15, with Fuzzy's Fall Fling at Creek County Speedway. Thirty-six dates on the new calendar are confirmed, leaving more announcements to come for the other six events.

Tickets to all 41 events of the 2025 ASCS National Tour can be purchased at the gate on race day. Those who cannot attend in person can watch live coverage on DIRTVision.

View the complete 2025 ASCS National Tour schedule online here. Read the full article on the ASCS Racing website here. 

2025 AMERICAN SPRINT CAR SERIES (ACSC) NATIONAL TOUR SCHEDULE

Thursday, January 30 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Friday, January 31 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Saturday, February 1 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Saturday, April 12 / Salina Highbanks Speedway / Salina, OK
Friday, April 25 / RPM Speedway / Crandall, TX
Saturday, April 26 / RPM Speedway / Crandall, TX
Friday, May 9 / Windy Hollow Speedway / Owensboro, KY
Saturday, May 10 / Paducah International Raceway / Paducah, KY
Friday, May 30 / Salt City Raceway / Hutchinson, KS
Saturday, May 31 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS
*Friday, June 6 / TBA
*Saturday, June 7 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
*Tuesday, June 10 / TBA
*Thursday, June 12 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK
*Friday, June 13 / TBA
*Saturday, June 14 / Tri-State Speedway / Pocola, OK
Friday, June 20 / Crowley's Ridge Raceway / Paragould, AR
Saturday, June 21 / Batesville Motor Speedway / Batesville, AR
Friday, June 27 / Tulsa Speedway / Tulsa, OK
Saturday, June 28 / Tulsa Speedway / Tulsa, OK
Thursday, July 3 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS
Friday, July 4 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS
Friday, July 11 / Lakeside Speedway / Kansas City, KS
Saturday, July 12 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS
Saturday, July 26 / Benton Speedway / Benton, MO
Thursday, July 31 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Friday, August 1 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Saturday, August 2 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Friday, August 15 / WaKeeney Speedway / WaKeeney, KS
Saturday, August 16 / El Paso County Raceway / Calhan, CO
Friday, August 22 / Big Sky Speedway / Billings, MT
Saturday, August 23 / Big Sky Speedway / Billings, MT
Friday, August 29 / Electric City Speedway / Great Falls, MT
Saturday, August 30 / Electric City Speedway / Great Falls, MT
Sunday, September 7 / Eagle Raceway / Eagle, NE
Friday, September 19 / TBA
Saturday, September 20 / TBA
Friday, October 10 / Salt City Raceway / Hutchinson, KS
Saturday, October 11 / Salt City Raceway / Hutchinson, KS
Friday, November 14 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK
Saturday, November 15 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK

* Denotes ASCS Speedweek

The state of California today withdrew its request for the Clean Air Act waiver needed to implement its Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation, a significant victory for those who seek a technology-neutral approach to reducing carbon emissions. PRI and SEMA celebrate this important development, which halts an effort by California to overstep its constitutional and state statutory authority, and clears the path for the automotive aftermarket industry to continue leading the way toward cleaner, safer vehicles through innovation and American ingenuity--particularly through alternative-fuel innovations, replacing older engine technologies with newer, cleaner versions, and converting older internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to new electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles. 

In October, PRI and SEMA filed a suit in federal court, challenging the regulation on the basis of significant constitutional questions. The lawsuit remains active as the organization considers the implications of California's action. 

PRI and SEMA now call on California to immediately cease and desist the implementation and threatened enforcement of the Advanced Clean Fleets policy, as the law is clear in regards to the state needing federal approval for its implementation. Not to mention, the policy is a clear violation of the U.S. Constitution, says SEMA Government Affairs.

"SEMA and its thousands of members in the automotive aftermarket industry are thrilled to learn of California's decision on Advanced Clean Fleets, which represents a reprieve from the significant national implications that the policy would have wrought. Advanced Clean Fleets would have crippled interstate commerce by implementing harmful EV mandates on the trucking fleets that drive our nation's economy. Now, we demand that California immediately halt its premature implementation and enforcement action already underway. The law is clear that, without its waiver, California has no foundation upon which to implement this policy," said PRI and SEMA CEO Mike Spagnola. "SEMA will continue our efforts to ensure the defeat of any shortsighted attempts to enact EV mandates, and instead champion a technology-neutral approach that rewards innovation, ingenuity and practicality." 

PRI and SEMA champion a technology-neutral approach that fosters innovation and ingenuity. The association will continue efforts to preserve Americans' rights to vehicle choice and the automotive aftermarket industry's ability to design, manufacture and bring to market products that help solve the emissions challenge. 

BACKGROUND 

SEMA/PRI and The Work Truck Association (NTEA) in October filed suit in the U.S. District Court's Eastern District of California against the California Air Resources Board (CARB), seeking immediate declaratory and injunctive relief to stop electric vehicle mandates CARB intends to implement through its ACF regulations.  

CARB's ACF regulation includes requirements that only zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) may cross within California's borders, regardless of which state the vehicle was purchased or registered. Vehicles covered by the regulation include everything from heavy-duty tractors with sleeper cabs to work trucks, pickup trucks and light-duty package delivery vehicles. Interstate motor carriers and others whose trucks do not comply the ACF regulation would be barred from operating within the nation's largest single-state economy for even a moment. 

In their lawsuit, SEMA/PRI and NTEA contend that CARB's actions far exceed California's constitutional and state statutory authority and will have a dire effect on an industry that historically has led the way toward cleaner, safer vehicles through innovation and American ingenuity--particularly through alternative-fuel innovations, replacing older engine technologies with newer, cleaner versions and converting older internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to new electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles.  

SEMA and PRI are not anti-EV organizations; rather, the organizations are steadfast in their belief that a technology-neutral approach is the best way to achieve lower vehicle emissions. By declaring one technology as the preferred solution of government, California would have kneecapped other potential solutions, regardless of their promise to deliver the results the state seeks. Now, innovators and the free market will have an opportunity to provide meaningful contributions to efforts to eliminate carbon emissions. 

MAVTV--the media platform for passion-fueled motorsports and related programming--has announced the return of its acclaimed original series, "Racers Roundtable." Part two of the first season debuts on Wednesday, January 15, at 10:00 p.m. ET, and will bring back Danny Sullivan and Tony Stewart for more unscripted, candid conversations with motorsports legends. 

Sullivan and Stewart sit down with a brand-new lineup of racing greats to share never-before-heard stories and explore the human side of motorsports history. From the Indianapolis 500 to the NHRA drag strips, this season's episodes continue to deliver unfiltered access to the moments, rivalries and camaraderie that define the racing world.

"'Racers Roundtable' is all about pulling back the curtain," said Sullivan. "It's a chance for fans to hear the stories that shaped the sport straight from the legends who lived them--Like when AJ Foyt went toe-to-toe with mechanical challenges at Indy or when Shirley Muldowney broke barriers on the drag strip, these are the moments that defined racing history. And we're thrilled to dive back into the stories that shaped motorsports with this incredible new slate of guests."

Part two features figures such as racing phenomenon AJ Foyt, IndyCar multi-championship driver Scott Dixon, NASCAR Hall of Famer Ray Evernham, trailblazer and "First Lady of Drag Racing" Shirley Muldowney, legendary team owners Richard Childress and Chip Ganassi, and many more of the biggest names in motorsports. 

Fans can stream all episodes from part one of "Racers Roundtable" anytime on MAVTV GO. Part two of the series airs on Wednesdays on MAVTV, available via cable providers including YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Spectrum, DIRECTV, Verizon, U-verse and many more. New episodes will be available to catch up on later through the MAVTV GO app and the MAVTV SELECT streaming channel.

For more information, visit mavtv.com.