NASCAR Cup Series team JTG Racing has rebranded as Hyak Motorsports, effective immediately.

Gordon Smith, who acquired principal ownership at the end of the 2023 season, will lead the newly named organization and is joined by co-owners Brad Daugherty, Mark Hughes and Ernie Cope.

"Becoming the owner of Hyak Motorsports brings an exciting opportunity," said Smith. "I look forward to building on the team's accomplishments, investing in its future, and driving toward new successes in partnership with our fans, sponsors, and team members."

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will continue to drive the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro for the team. More details will be announced at a later date.

For more information, visit nascar.com.

World Racing Group has released the 2025 schedule for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car series.

The 48th season in series history will include 41 tracks in 21 states, as well as its first trip to Canada in eight years.

On-track action for 2025 kicks off in February at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Florida, and concludes in November at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, North Carolina.

Additionally, Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wisconsin, will join the calendar in 2025, the lone new facility on the schedule. Ohsweken Speedway and Cornwall Motor Speedway also return to the schedule for the first time since 2017 and 2014 respectively, making up a three-race swing in Ontario, Canada.

For more information, including the full 2025 schedule, visit worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars.

NASCAR has agreed to a multi-year extension of its media partnership with FloSports.

The agreement makes FloRacing, FloSports' dedicated motorsports platform, the home of NASCAR Regional Series properties, including the ARCA Menards Series East and West, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. The deal also ensures the Snowball Derby, zMAX CARS Tour and other short-track racing events will be showcased on FloRacing and supported with content, social and marketing efforts.

For more information, visit nascar.comor floracing.com.

Formula E has revealed plans to enhance its grassroots gender diversity initiative, FIA Girls on Track, that the series will host at all race markets during its 2025 season.

Additions include new race-day activations for 50 young women and more exclusive behind-the-scenes access available to those looking to build a career in motorsport and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Karting opportunities and activations at both schools and universities will build upon the 120 young women already engaged in the program at each race, including representatives of the initiative having a role on the victory podium in each market.

In addition to the 120 young women participating in behind-the-scenes tours and workshops the day before each race, 50 participants will have exclusive access to the FIA Girls on Track space within the Fan Village on race days, along with the option to attend career talks lead by women from within the Formula E paddock.

Other new features include a new FIA Girls on Track community newsletter that will keep attendees engaged in the program, as well as a centralized resource hub to connect participants with in-market groups and stakeholders, such as ASNs, community groups and STEM learning opportunities.

For more information, visit FIAFormulaE.com.

In a major reversal, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont recently said an electric-vehicle (EV) mandate was no longer under consideration for the state.

Connecticut, as a CARB state, had sought--and failed--to phase out all new sales of internal combustion engines by 2035, and was also adhering to current Biden Administration Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules, which say 56% of new cars must be electric by 2032. 

"No," Lamont told reporters when asked if EV mandates were still on the table. "We were following the federal standards, and I think the federal standards are no more," referring to the expected Trump Administration action to void the current EPA tailpipe emissions rule. 

The decision represents a major advocacy win for PRI, SEMA and its members. PRI and SEMA are not anti-EV, but rather believe that the government should remain technology-neutral in its efforts to support carbon emissions reductions. Mandates favor single modes of technology, stifling innovation and kneecapping efforts to develop other promising solutions. 

PRI and SEMA invested heavily to educate Connecticut residents and lawmakers about the dire impact of EV mandates on their state, commissioning a poll showing overwhelming disapproval of a state ban on gas-powered vehicles, and running an advertisement that aired statewide and online to highlight the automotive aftermarket's innovative work to improve vehicles and encourage the use of alternative fuels. PRI and SEMA also highlighted Connecticut's vibrant automotive aftermarket industry, whose annual economic impact exceeds $3.79 billion and supports more than 13,000 jobs, $1.26 billion in total wages and benefits, and $195 million in state and local taxes paid. 

As part of PRI's mission to connect, protect and advocate for the racing community, the 2024 PRI Show will offer an innovative education program that will help motorsports professionals launch their business into 2025. The PRI Show will take place December 12-14 at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis.  

The PRI Education program is a highlight of the Show that enables motorsports professionals to learn from the racing industry's most innovative minds. This year's program will feature 11 distinct seminars focusing on emerging trends and the latest in racing technology. Additionally, more than 30 seminars and workshops devoted to racetrack and race series operations and promotions will be located in the Track Operators, Promoters and Sanctioning Bodies (T.O.P.S.) HQ.  

"It's our goal to ensure that motorsports industry members remain at the cutting edge of new trends in the marketplace," said PRI President Michael Good. "Each session is designed to provide immediate takeaways that attendees can use to enhance their businesses and improve on-track performance." 

PRI Education sessions are divided into two tracks: Business and Technical. The Business Track will cover topics such as pricing policies, online advertising, sponsorship, social media and the future of motorsports. Meanwhile, the Technical Track will equip attendees with knowledge on simulation, fastener clamp load effects and tuning techniques. 

In addition to the PRI Education tracks, T.O.P.S. HQ will feature a robust schedule of workshops, meetings and sessions driving best practices and collaboration for track operators, promoters and sanctioning bodies--critical areas that are directly aligned to PRI's focus area and vital to the motorsports arena. 

"PRI Education offers the opportunity for Show attendees to invest in their professional education for free while already in Indianapolis," said PRI General Manager Jim Liaw. "Nowhere else can participants gain such valuable insight and learn the technical and business know-how direct from industry veterans."  

Taking place during the PRI Show, PRI Education promotes engagement and connectivity between race teams, retail shops, warehouse distributors, e-commerce sites, engine builders, fabricators, dealers, installers, jobbers and media. All Education sessions are free for 2024 PRI Show attendees. All PRI Education sessions can be found online here. To view the T.O.P.S. schedule, click here.

The 2024 PRI Show will feature more than 1,000 exhibitors showcasing the latest products, services, machinery, simulation and testing technologies and trailers for the racing industry in a single location. To register, visit PRI2024.com/Attend. 

PRI will launch the all-new PRI Hall of Fame, an initiative designed to honor, celebrate and preserve the legacies of difference-makers in the motorsports industry. The inaugural class of the PRI Hall of Fame will be revealed at the 2024 PRI Show, December 12-14, Indianapolis, during the Grand Opening Breakfast on Thursday, December 12, 7:30 a.m. EST. 

Chosen through a rigorous selection process with transparent criteria, the inductees will be honored for their career accomplishments, impact on the sport, contributions to innovation, sportsmanship, leadership qualities and overall influence within the racing community.  

"The PRI Hall of Fame not only aims to recognize the individuals who have made a significant impact on the industry but also preserve the history and heritage of racing, inspire future generations of industry leaders and foster a sense of community within the motorsports world," said PRI President Michael Good, who also shared a think piece on the new program in this LinkedIn post. "We invite the entire racing industry to join us during the Grand Opening Breakfast at the PRI Show to celebrate the inaugural class of the PRI Hall of Fame and their contributions to the industry." 

PRI has created criteria to determine eligibility and select its honorees. Inductees will be ultimately decided by a committee of voters established by PRI. Selected candidates will have exemplified and modeled innovation and positive change within the industry and contributed to its success through individual effort and passion.  

Considerations for qualification include: 

• Their contributions must have extended to the national and/or international level. 
• The candidate is/was involved with the motorsports industry and/or PRI for at least 10 years (15 years or more preferred). 
• The candidate has made outstanding contributions toward enhancing the technology, professionalism, dignity and/or general stature and growth of the motorsports industry and PRI. 
• The candidate must have conducted themselves with a high degree of integrity both within and outside of the motorsports industry. 

Doors to the Grand Opening Breakfast open at 6:30 a.m. EST in the Indiana Convention Center Sagamore Ballroom, and the program begins at 7:30 a.m. EST. The breakfast is free to all PRI attendees, but guests are advised to arrive early as seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Add the event to your PRI Show planner here.

The PRI Show attracts attendees from all 50 states and all over the world, including professional race teams, retail shops, warehouse distributors, engine builders, fabricators, dealers, installers, jobbers and media. 

To register for the 2024 PRI Show, or for more information, visit PRI2024.com/Attend. 

Mazak Corporation, the designer and manufacturer of advanced machine tool solutions, celebrates its 50th anniversary of operation.

The Kenton County Fiscal Court of Kentucky has officially declared October 31, 2024, as "Mazak Corporation's 50th Anniversary Celebration Day" in recognition of the manufacturer's half-century of influence and innovation in Northern Kentucky.

"We're honored to make our corporate home here in Kentucky and to participate in the economic vitality of the state," said Dan Janka, president of Mazak Corporation. "This proclamation reinforces our enduring commitment to the manufacturing industry and our focus on sustained growth."

During those years in Florence, Kentucky, the Mazak iSMART Factory has expanded to 20 times its original size, and the facility currently produces more than 70 machining solutions with a local workforce that exceeds 600 employees.

Since opening its Kentucky facility in 1974, Mazak Corporation has honored the vision of the late Teruyuki (Terry) Yamazaki, founder of Mazak and former Chairman of Yamazaki Mazak Corporation.

For more information, visit mazak.com.

Lucas Oil, the provider and distributor of high-performance automotive additives and lubricants, has announced it will dissolve the Midwest Late Model Racing Association (MLRA) series to focus its attention on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and continued investments in the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri.  

After owning and supporting the MLRA since 2012, Lucas Oil is making this change as part of its long-term vision and commitment to continue nurturing the growth of dirt racing at the grassroots level. 

"Ending the MLRA was a difficult decision for everyone here at Lucas Oil," said Jamie Devney, president of Lucas Cattle Company and Lucas Oil Speedway. "The series has brought fans incredible late model racing for years, but this shift helps us dedicate more time, energy and resources to growing the Late Model Dirt Series and enhancing the Lucas Oil Speedway." 

Longstanding MLRA Series Director Ernie Leftwich will transition from his current role to take on a new position as assistant general manager of Lucas Oil Speedway. In this new role, Leftwich will work alongside Danny Lorton, general manager of Lucas Oil Speedway, to oversee day-to-day operations and help oversee the development and completion of several major capital improvement projects that are currently underway at the Speedway. 

For more information, visit lucasoil.com.

BWT Alpine Formula One Team and its official partner Microsoft have continued their "Race Into STEM" initiative with the announcement of a new Minecraft education world.

The initiative seeks to promote gender diversity in motorsports and provide highly educational content for youth through specially curated events and activations. As part of the new "world," the virtual game is set in a remarkable 8-bit recreation of the BWT Alpine Formula One Team factory in Enstone, Oxfordshire, U.K., where players can explore the facility and learn all about creating and racing a modern-day Formula One car.

Players can "meet" team employees who detail their roles and explain key concepts about the car. These include senior members of the team, Head of Build and Test Dalia Ramos Guerra and Chief Financial Officer Gemma Lang, who help players understand how important their roles are in Formula One.

In addition, players can test a car in the wind tunnel and take part in a virtual pit stop.

So far, more than one hundred students have taken part in the events around the globe, and there have been more than 80,000 visits to the digital Race Into STEM platform from 99 countries. The online resource is available for free worldwide. It includes a curated curriculum by FIA Girls on Track UK, along with videos from BWT Alpine Formula One Team employees, including some of those who feature in the minigame. For more information, visit the Race Into Stem program website here, or visit education.minecraft.net for more details.