Hedman Performance Group, a manufacturer of off-road and performance header applications, is relocating its Alpharetta, Georgia, Hedman Husler race header operations to the company's global headquarters and manufacturing facility in Whittier, California.

The consolidation aims to improve production efficiency for the Husler Hedders brand, the company said in a statement. Husler-branded products can still be ordered as normal through June 30, 2024.

"With supply-chain reliability shifts in recent years, having separate manufacturing facilities on opposite sides of the country has become more challenging, and the dynamic needed to be addressed," said Marc Lewis, a 30-year veteran of the company. "Considering Hedman Hedders' roots are in Southern California, and we have been successfully manufacturing our product here since 1954, the logical solution is to relocate the Husler manufacturing facility to our main facility here in Whittier, California."

For more information, visit hedman.com.

Jerry Gappens, a longtime motorsports executive and general manager of Eldora Speedway, has passed away at the age of 63.

Gappens came to Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, Ohio, from Gas City, Indiana's, I-69 Speedway, where he had been promoter since 2018. Prior to his time at Gas City, Gappens spent 23 years with Speedway Motorsports, serving as executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, and senior vice president of events and marketing at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

“Jerry came to Eldora with a wealth of experience and an equal amount of humility,” said Tony Stewart, owner, Eldora Speedway. “No job was too big or too small. His attention to detail was impressive, and he made sure the fan experience at Eldora was exceptional, always finding ways to make improvements with each and every event he oversaw."

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

For more information, see the full announcement at eldoraspeedway.com.

There is something so alluring about being behind the scenes. Maybe it’s the exclusivity of it all or feeling like an insider, experiencing something only a few can partake in (kind of like being on the other side of the fence at the track with the race teams as opposed to being in the grandstands). I believe that is why the docuseries such as “Drive to Survive” and “100 Days to Indy” are so popular. These shows reveal the intricacies of successful race teams and offer a glimpse of the glamour (and intense dedication and work ethic) to the envious.
A few months ago, Chris Esslinger of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach (GPALB) invited the PRI Editorial team to the ceremony marking 50 days out from the beginning of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (AGPLB), when the first of the concrete blocks that outline the race track was installed. We learned some pretty impressive details: More than 2,400 concrete blocks and 4.25 miles of debris fencing are used to form the circuit, 14 large grandstands are installed, 50 high-end hospitality suites, and numerous other amenities that welcome almost 200,000 guests over three glorious Southern California spring days in April. When the venue was completed, the top-notch GPALB team did not disappoint, and neither did the on-track action.As a result, our PRI team was curious about what it takes to transform city streets and parking lots into a highly finessed street circuit with cars reaching almost 200 mph, plus keeping drivers, fans, crew members, and officials safe. PRI Coordinating Editor Jack Haworth spoke with the AGPLB team, along with officials representing the NASCAR Chicago Street Race and Green Savoree Racing Promotions (GSRP), who put on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, among other events. Kim Green of GSRP told Jack: “Street course racing is where you can take the race to the people. It becomes more than just the race; it becomes an event if you can do it properly.”
For an inside peek of the AGPLB coming to life, Dining with Racers and the GPALB team have so graciously shared with us a time-lapse video of building the Long Beach circuit, which can be viewed at:
bit.ly/LBGPtimelapse.
That brings me to what’s going on behind the scenes here at PRI. This month on June 11, housing opens for the 2024 PRI Show, so book your reservation early to stay at your favorite hotel (or second favorite as rooms fill quickly) while visiting Indianapolis. Next month, PRI Show registration opens on July 16. Although registration doesn’t open until next month, all hotel lodging can be (and should be) booked prior to registering for the Show.

Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck teaser image.

Ford Performance has announced that the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck will take part in the 102nd running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb brought to you by Gran Turismo in late June.

Based on Ford's best-selling electric pickup, the vehicles' aerodynamics and power output will take on the daunting 12.5-mile uphill excursion, which is well-suited as a test bed for electric powertrains. Running electric test vehicles allows Ford to push the boundaries of EV powertrains in the most extreme conditions and bring those learnings back to enhance its production vehicles.

These performance-minded rolling laboratories facilitate the development of components such as motors, inverters, and battery packs, as well as informing software calibration and battery cell chemistry, among other areas.

While more details will be announced later, Ford released the first teaser for the truck, which is available online here.

For more information, visit performance.ford.com.

The Museum of American Speed, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, announced its Sea to Sea in a Model T tour, featuring stops across the country.

The trip, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 10-millionth Model T Ford, will see a 1924 Model T Ford travel along the Lincoln Highway from New York, New York, to San Francisco, California, and begins on June 2 at Battery Park in New York.

In June 1924, Ford drove the ten-millionth Model T from New York to San Francisco via the Lincoln Highway as a promotional effort. That vehicle was recently donated to the Museum of American Speed and will be on permanent display at the museum following the completion of the trip, Tim Matthews, museum curator said.

Stops along the route will be open to the public.

For more information, including a schedule of stops, visit museumofamericanspeed.org.

MAVTV, the Indianapolis-based motorsports media platform, will broadcast a two-hour special of the 36th Annual Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

The ceremony, which took place on March 11-12 in Daytona Beach, Florida, is the first to ever be aired on television. The special will air on MAVTV on Thursday, June 6, at 8 p.m. EDT.

2024 Inductees: Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion; Scott Dixon, six-time INDYCAR SERIES champion; John Surtees, the only person to win world championships on both two and four wheels; Paul Newman, Academy Award-winning actor and national champion owner and driver; Austin Coil, all-time winningest Top Fuel Funny Car crew chief; Downing & Hubbard, pioneers in racing safety; Bud Ekins, stuntman and multi-time motorcycle racing gold-medalist; Phil Walters, war hero and acclaimed sports car racer in the 1940s and 50s; and Earl B. Gilmore, promoter of racing excellence.

For more information, visit mavtv.com.

Hot Shot's Secret, the Mt. Gilead, Ohio, manufacturer of diesel lubricants and additives, and the official fuel additive of the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA), will support a second season of the Hot Shot's Secret Challenge, a bonus series available to NTPA Grand National competitors.

With a payout of more than $30,000, the challenge is open to competitors in all 13 premier-level divisions across five participating events: Galot Motorsports Park Mule City 300 in Benson, North Carolina; Farley Nationals in Farley, Iowa; Budweiser Dairyland NTPA Super Nationals in Tomah, Wisconsin; North Iowa Nationals in Rockwell, Iowa; and the National Tractor Pulling Championships in Bowling Green, Ohio.

To be eligible for a payout to the top three-point earners in each division, a vehicle must be registered for the 2024 Grand National series and prominently bear the Hot Shot's Secret point fund decals on both sides, the company said.

For more information, visit hotshotsecret.com.

PRI released its first-ever market research report, showing that track-use motorsports parts accounted for more than $8 billion in sales in the United States in 2023 among many other racing market data points. The report includes key industry trends and sales metrics and is available to PRI Business and Individual members for free as a membership benefit.   

The inaugural "2024 State of the Racing Market Report" is PRI's first step towards providing industry-specific data and insights that will help members grow their businesses and stay competitive. Produced by PRI Market Research, updated reports will be released annually in the first quarter of the calendar year.   

"As the industry continues to evolve, businesses need to rely on facts to understand where the market currently stands and where it's headed," said PRI President Michael Good. "This study takes the guesswork out for our members, helping them to identify new opportunities in an easy-to-read and comprehensive download."  

The report finds that "businesses across the racing ecosystem are seeing positive signs that motorsports is getting back to its usual rhythm." According to the report, 76% of racing businesses view the racing market as either stable or on the rise. While companies saw strong sales growth following the reopening of tracks and resumption of races post-pandemic due to pent-up demand, the growth slowed slightly in 2023 amidst recession and inflation concerns. Still, overall sales were largely positive or remained stable for those selling racing parts.  

Over the past year, 47% of racing parts resellers saw sales growth and 51% anticipate their sales will grow over the next year. Similarly, 32% of racing parts manufacturers experienced sales growth and 50% expect their sales to grow over the next year.  

"The racing segment continues to be a strong piece of the specialty-equipment market and a revenue opportunity for many businesses," added Good. "Whether you are a CEO, salesperson, or race service provider, this report can help you stay ahead of the curve and navigate the dynamic motorsports landscape." 

The most common racing products sold are engine, intake/fuel/exhaust and suspension/brakes/steering/chassis parts. The percentage of racing businesses that sell directly to teams is 59%; however, many also have built partnerships with distributors and other resellers to help expand their audience.  

Many race tracks, racing series and racing associations feel that the industry is still recovering from the pandemic but are more optimistic about the outlook for racing; 68% of tracks expect to run as many, or more, races in 2024 than a typical year. The average number of television viewers of the 2024 Indianapolis 500 was 5.34 million, up 8% from 2023, which is a good indicator that racing continues to see strong popularity at high levels. Still, 54% of tracks report feeling that there is a way to go to reach full occupancy in the stands compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.  

Since 1986, PRI has served tens of thousands of racing entrepreneurs as the key source for industry trends, merchandising ideas, new products, business strategies and more. In addition to offering data on how the racing industry buys and sells parts for racing vehicles, the report includes insight into industry trends, track updates, an overview of racing types and more.  

PRI Business and Individual members can download the new "2024 State of the Racing Market Report" by using their individual/personal login to access their member portal at PerformanceRacing.com. Once logged in, the report can be found by clicking "My Benefits." 

The Emmy-Award-Winning short-form documentary series, "Beyond the Wheel," is returning for its ninth season.

Created by FOX Sports and NASCAR Studios, the ninth season of short films begins with "One Team, One Dream: 40 Years of Hendrick Motorsports," which tells the story of NASCAR's most successful race team, now in their 40th season, followed by "Die-Cast Mania" and "Steve Park: Destined."

"Die-Cast Mania," offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of die-cast collectible NASCAR race cars, while "Steve Park: Destined" tells the story of driver Steve Park and his career.

"One Team, One Dream: 40 Years of Hendrick Motorsports" premieres Wednesday, May 29, followed by "Die-Cast Mania" Wednesday, June 5 and "Steve Park: Destined" Thursday, June 6. All will air at 6 p.m. EDT on FS1's NASCAR Race Hub

For more information, visit nascar.com.

Stewart-Haas Racing, the title-winning NASCAR team co-owned by three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, the founder of Haas Automation, will shut down at the end of the 2024 season.

The following is a joint statement from Stewart and Haas:

"We have made the difficult decision to close Stewart-Haas Racing at the conclusion of the 2024 season. It is a decision that did not come easily, nor was it made quickly.

"Racing is a labor-intensive, humbling sport. It requires unwavering commitment and vast resources, with a 365-day mindset to be better than everyone else. It's part of what makes success so rewarding.

"But the commitment needed to extract maximum performance while providing sustainability is incredibly demanding, and we've reached a point in our respective personal and business lives where it's time to pass the torch.

"We're proud of all the wins and championships we've earned since joining together in 2009, but even more special is the culture we built and the friendships we forged as we committed to a common cause--winning races and collecting trophies.

"That is the same commitment we made to our personnel, our partners and our fans coming into this year, and that commitment will remain through the season finale at Phoenix.

"We have tremendous respect and appreciation for all of our employees, and we will work diligently to assist them during this transition to find new opportunities beyond the 2024 race season."

For more information, visit stewarthaasracing.com.