FTI Gen 3 XPM billet bolt together torque converter. Each piece is interchangeable to make it self-tunable.

The leading automatic drivetrain specialist, FTI Performance, announces their best pricing of the season sale. With big discounts on torque converters, automatic transmissions, Sniper gearboxes and transmission parts, this is the one time all year that you can get a great price for your race car! Whether it be a fast-flying drag car headed into race season or a huge mud-bogging truck ready to get dirty, FTI Converters has everything you need to help you win your race.  

The sale includes, but is not limited to, Gen 3 XPM billet bolt together torque converters and other race car torque converters. Maybe it's time to update that transmission?  

How about the 2-piece Powerglide case, which features a removable bellhousing, is SFI-approved and fits LS and LT engines? Or maybe you need a TH400 transmission kit which is race-prepped in a factory Chevy case and includes the transmission, billet converter, 3 gallons of FTI fluid, a dipstick and tube and a cooler kit with lines and fittings.

Have a big truck that you are going to take to the mud? The Sniper Gearbox by FTI Performance is completely customized aftermarket Gearbox transfer case. The gearbox is designed using CAD/CAM programs and machined from billet materials. All gears have an AGMA 11 finish. By combining the finish grinding processes, FTI can hold a tighter centerline with better concentricity, which makes the box extremely quiet. With options from 10" to 24" transfer cases, FTI is the best place to buy your next transfer case. 

Did we mention that FTI Converters can offer an optional LIFETIME warranty on all converters? Yup! For the life of your converter, FTI will take care of any issues.  

Whether you are drag racing, mud racing, or just want more performance for your race car, FTI Performance has you covered. Contact FTI today to start your custom torque converter, transmission or Sniper Gearbox! Call 386-736-5816 or email info@ftiperformance.com. 

SPECIAL PRICING AVAILABLE UNTIL APRIL 15, 2024.  

BendPak, the manufacturer of car lifts, wheel service, shop equipment and more, has announced the passing of its founder Don Henthorn. He was 85.

"Through his guidance, BendPak has grown from a small machine shop into the world’s leading manufacturer of car lifts and automotive shop equipment. Even though he handed over day-to-day management to the current leadership team back in 2022, Don still came in 6 days a week to coach and inspire us," a company release stated.

For more details and a look back on Henthorn's life, visit the BendPak blog post or bendpak.com.

SEMA and PRI Associate Editor A.J. Hecht attended the NTT INDYCAR SERIES test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) ahead of next month's Sonsio Grand Prix. In addition to fine-tuning setups for the IMS Road Course, multiple teams and drivers got a chance to test INDYCAR's new hybrid assist unit, which will make its competitive debut later this year.

While gathering photos and videos to share on PRI's social media pages, Hecht took in some of the sights and sounds from a busy day at the speedway. Read some of his thoughts below: 

As someone who first set foot inside the speedway more than 20 years ago, this was not only my first time at the track as a member of the media, but my first time on an active pit lane. Even with just six cars on track, it was anything but calm for the small number of teams taking their first laps with the hybrid unit. Ironically, the only downtime for each team seemed to be when their car was on track.

The moment someone came to a stop in their pit box, the crew would swarm the car with fans, air hoses, umbrellas, screwdrivers, tape, and a plethora of other tools. In the blink of an eye, they'd remove the rear wing assembly, cast aside the engine cover, and get to work. Up close, it's clear that these mechanics and engineers are among the best at what they do.

Another thing that struck me while wandering the mostly empty facility was how truly massive it is. IMS has always felt huge, of course, but never as big as it did when I walked from the north end of pit lane, near the end of the Tower Terrace, all the way to the Pagoda. Normally when I'm at the speedway, I'm there with more than 300,000 other race fans. On my stroll back from turn one of the road course, I didn't see a soul. Well, aside from Sting Ray Robb, Romain Grosjean, and Tom Blomqvist, who all blew by me down the frontstretch at nearly 200 mph. 

As for the productivity of the test, you wouldn't know that some of the teams were taking their first laps with the new hybrid technology onboard. Everything seemed to be business-as-usual and any issues--if there were any--were minimal. From my perspective, that says a lot about the level of preparation from not only the teams but the series and suppliers that are providing the components for this important new equipment.

If you'd like to see a few highlights from the test, check out PRI on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn.

Bridgestone Americas has announced that its Firestone Liberia natural rubber growing and processing facility earned the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS recognition. The ISCC PLUS certification showcases its efforts in reducing environmental impacts, engaging in good agricultural practices and building resilience to climate change.

The certification also recognizes the farm for implementing good agricultural practices, ensuring proper working conditions, complying with local regulations, and fostering effective management practices to facilitate ongoing growth and improvement. The facility is the world's first natural rubber farm to achieve the ISCC PLUS certification.

The Firestone Liberia facility is the largest contiguous natural rubber operation in the world and serves as Liberia's largest private employer, with approximately 4,000 teammates who harvest and process natural rubber. The company also plays an active role in the Liberian community by providing teammates and their dependents free medical care and operating 23 schools, which educate more than 7,000 students.

The facility spans approximately 118,990 acres in Harbel, Magibi County, in West Africa's Liberia. Harbel was named for Harvey S. Firestone, the founder of The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, and his wife, Idabelle.

For more details, visit the Bridgestone Americas announcement or visit bridgestoneamericas.com.

Liberty Media, parent company of Formula 1, has reached an agreement to acquire MotoGP.

The agreement will see Dorna Sports--the exclusive commercial and television rights holder of the motorcycle series--remain an independently run company under the banner of Liberty Media's Formula One Group.

Carmelo Ezpeleta, who has been CEO since 1994, will remain in his position and continue to run the series with his management team from its current headquarters in Madrid.

Dorna also holds exclusive rights to other motorcycle racing series, including MotoGP feeder series Moto2 and Moto™, the FIM Enel MotoE World Championship, the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and the new FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship.

Liberty Media will acquire approximately 86% of Dorna, with Dorna management retaining approximately 14% of their equity in the business. The sale is worth $4.5 billion, according to the series.

For more information, view the full announcement.

The PRI & SEMA Washington Rally is quickly approaching. The government affairs team looks forward to hosting industry advocates in Washington, D.C., on May 8-9. 

The Washington Rally allows PRI and SEMA member companies to come together and advocate on behalf of the specialty-automotive aftermarket and motorsports-parts industries with members of Congress. Click here to register for the event (registration closes on April 15).

By attending the Washington Rally, you will have the opportunity to meet with your members of Congress and their staff, discuss critical issues, and advocate for policies that will benefit our industry. Your participation will help ensure that our industry's concerns are heard and that we can continue to innovate and grow.

Whether it's making permanent motorsports tax incentives, combating vehicle technology mandates that limit consumer choice, protecting the right to repair and modify vehicles with advanced technology, or protecting motorized access to federal government lands, there are many issues facing PRI members in the nation's capital. With the 2024 presidential election heating up and the balance of power in both the House and Senate up for grabs, it's more important than ever for our members to come to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the industry!

PRI & SEMA have a limited number of rooms available at the Royal Sonesta Washington, D.C., Capitol Hill for $409 per night, plus tax. The deadline to receive the event rate is April 15, 2024. Book your room today!

PRI's government affairs team will offer a virtual webinar on April 25 for Washington Rally attendees to prepare members to lobby their lawmakers. On the webinar, we will discuss key issues and the fine points of meeting with members of Congress. Details for the Washington Rally Webinar will be emailed to registered attendees. If you cannot attend the webinar, we will email the recording to all Washington Rally participants.

Below is a list of 2024 Washington Rally events (all times ET):

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2024

· 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. -- SEMA-PRI PAC Reception* -- Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill, Sapphire Room and Terrace -- Penthouse level

*A PAC contribution is required to attend in the suggested amount of $250 per individual. If you have already contributed to the SEMA and PRI PAC in 2024, this event may be complimentary as a part of your PAC Membership Benefits. Please contact PAC Manager Alicia Steger at alicias@sema.org if you have any questions.

· 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. -- Washington Rally Congressional Dinner -- Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill, Crown Ballroom -- Penthouse level

THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2024

· 7:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. -- Breakfast and Welcome Briefing -- Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill, Crown Ballroom -- Penthouse level

· 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. -- Meetings with Congressional Representatives -- House & Senate Office Buildings

· 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. -- Cars at the Capitol Event -- Southwest side of the U.S. Capitol on Maryland Avenue (across from the Botanical Garden)

· 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. -- Congressional Luncheon -- Capitol Hill Club, Eisenhower Room

· 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. -- Meetings with Congressional Representatives -- House and Senate Office Buildings

For more information on the Washington Rally, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

Off Road Warehouse has opened a new location in Glendale, Arizona.

The new location will serve the greater northwestern Phoenix area, including Peoria, Sun City, Goodyear, Tolleson, Youngtown, and El Mirage. Available products and services include wheels and tires, off-road racing equipment, suspension components, overlanding upgrades, professional installation, and more.

The company will celebrate the store's grand opening on April 13.

For more information, visit offroadwarehouse.com.

King Engine Bearings, based in Livingston, New Jersey, has named Steven Washington as director of aftermarket sales and Shane Turner as regional sales manager.

Washington will be responsible for managing and growing King's distribution segment and brings more than 30 years of aftermarket experience to the position. He most recently served as director of sales at GSP Automotive.

Turner has more than 25 years of experience in the high-performance industry and previously held positions at Edelbrock, JE Pistons, and Hastings Manufacturing.

For more information, visit kingracebearings.com.

Porsche Motorsport North America is launching a new one-make championship, the Porsche Endurance Challenge North America.

Sanctioned by the Speedway, Indiana-based United States Auto Club (USAC), the four-event championship will include three 60-minute races and a single six-hour endurance race.

Each round will feature a category for the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car and a class for the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. Cars currently authorized to race in either the USAC-sanctioned Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama or the Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West by Yokohama are eligible to enter the Porsche Endurance Challenge North America.

The series will begin on May 26, with a 60-minute round at the Circuit of The Americas, and conclude on November 22 with a six-hour endurance race at the Austin, Texas, facility.

For more information, visit usacracing.com or porsche.com.

Autonomous race cars are not larger versions of RC cars.
This may sound ludicrous to our readers, especially the engineers. Yet it’s one of many misconceptions encountered by the team at the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), as described in this month’s Special Report about autonomous race vehicles, which begins on page 28.
While walking the aisles of Lucas Oil Stadium at the 2023 PRI Show, I finally had the opportunity to examine the IAC AV-21 chassis built by Dallara—modified from their original design for the Indy Lights Championship—that competed in the Indy Autonomous Challenge from its first race in 2021 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway through 2023. The technology in the race car amazed me, especially the lidars, radars, cameras, and GPS signal antennas throughout the vehicle, as described by Gina O’Connell. But the technological marvel of what has been accomplished through the previous chassis has been upgraded to a completely new level with the IAC AV-24 chassis that debuted at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas earlier this year, and then put on its own show at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Race format previously consisted of two vehicles on track at the same time. IAC President Paul Mitchell described one instance when two teams battled for track position. The typical AI cars make a pass by accelerating, going around the other car, then moving back in line once the other car has been cleared. However, during the semifinal round in Las Vegas, a German team began a pass to overtake the other car operated by a Korean team. The result was an actual battle for position as they ran wheel-to-wheel going through Turn 1, Turn 2, and then completing the pass, which was the first time that had occurred between autonomous AI drivers. Now with the AV-24, three cars take to the track simultaneously. As night enveloped the IAC event at LVMS in January, the track lights were turned off and the cars could be identified by LED lights, but no headlights. Under the canopy of darkness, one car passed another. With AI drivers, who needs lights?
Fascinating stuff. But the goal is not to send race car drivers to the unemployment line. Instead, this technology will be used to improve safety in autonomous systems for road cars, while training future engineers and ultimately drawing more eyeballs to auto racing.
Along the same lines of bettering our sport, and to further advance the PRI brand, we welcome Michael Good, who was just named PRI President. While recently speaking with Michael, he told me, “I can clearly see the path ahead and understand what it will take for PRI to become an even more integral partner to the industry.” To learn how he plans to do so, look for my interview with him in the Newly Appointed column in next month’s edition.