The United States Auto Club (USAC) has announced multiple rules updates and enforcements to be implemented during the 2024 USAC Silver Crown National Championship, AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship and NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship seasons.

Rule updates were discussed and voted upon by USAC competitors during the annual competition meetings held on December 5, 2023, at USAC headquarters in Speedway, Indiana.

For the full list of rules updates for the 2024 season, visit usacracing.com.

DraftKings and NASCAR have agreed to terms on a written designation agreement, allowing the gaming company to operate in North Carolina, pending licensure and regulatory approvals.

DraftKings also has been named the exclusive daily fantasy sports partner of NASCAR in the United States and Canada, becomes an Authorized Gaming Operator of NASCAR, and will receive additional sponsorship benefits within the NASCAR ecosystem nationally.

"DraftKings and NASCAR have collaborated closely with each other over the years, sharing a likeminded commitment to enhancing the fan experience," said Matt Kalish, president, DraftKings North America. "We look forward to the next chapter in our journey together and offering our leading mobile sportsbook to fans in the state of North Carolina."

"DraftKings has a proven track record of enhancing the fan experience across sports," said Joe Solosky, NASCAR managing director, sports betting, "We are thrilled to continue working with DraftKings to deliver NASCAR fans more engagement opportunities and bring its leading mobile sportsbook to North Carolina." 

For more information, visit nascar.com.

The United States Auto Club (USAC) has opened licensing to all circle track competitors for 2024.

Participants in series sanctioned by the Speedway, Indiana-based organization must be licensed to compete for championships, for inclusion in series point standings and for insurance purposes.

USAC licenses are available for drivers, car entrants, crew members, sponsors and VIPs, media members, race officials and race fans.

Licenses are eligible for use in Silver Crown, sprint cars, midgets and SpeeD2 Midgets at both the national and regional level. All 2024 USAC licenses will expire on December 31, 2024.

For more information, visit usacracing.com.

Pit+Paddock, the Pennsylvania-based marketing agency, will sponsor a new IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge effort campaigned by Montreal Motorsports Group and driven by Daijiro "Dai" Yoshihara and Karl Wittmer.

Yoshihara recently competed his first full season of professional road racing, and pairs with Wittmer, a Canadian National Champion and IMSA veteran, behind the wheel of a new FL5 Civic Type R TCR.

"MMG is thrilled about this new partnership with Pit+Paddock," said Benjamin Distaulo, team manager and co-owner. "We are looking forward to turning our preparation and hard work into reality and are confident that our Civic Type Rs will be competitive throughout the 2024 IMPC season with our determined drivers."

"IMSA is the premier North American racing series and, in partnership with the capable team at MMG, we look forward to competing with Dai and Karl in the Pit+Paddock FL5 Civic Type R TCR," said Daryl Sampson, vice president of business development and marketing.

For more information, visit pitpad.com.

Chandler, Arizona-based Radford Racing School, the premier driving and racing school and official school of the Dodge SRT, has announced industry veteran Mark Valentino as its new director of business development.

Valentino will help expand the school's industry presence through promotional campaigns, strategic partnerships and special events. He will also lead the development of its latest program, the Radford Motorsports Club.

Valentino has more than 25 years of commercial insurance experience, including seven years at Hagerty, where he was responsible for regional development with a special focus on motorsports teams, race tracks and racing events. Over the years, he has built strategic partnerships with some of the leading motorsports brands, teams and racing facilities.

"As a long-time resident of Arizona and former student of Radford, I have a deep appreciation for the school's 50-plus year history. I look forward to applying my career experience to create programs that will inspire new drivers and enthusiasts, as well as advance the careers of the next generation of racers," said Valentino.

For more information, visit radfordracingschool.com.

QA1 has acquired substantially all of the assets of Speedtech Performance USA, a Utah-based provider of chassis and suspension solutions for the pro-touring and restomod markets.

Speedtech Performance offers a range of chassis and subframes for muscle cars and trucks designed to improve handling and cornering on the track or street, the company said.

"We look forward to building on the innovation, products and brand that has been created at Speedtech Performance," said Melissa Scoles, president and CEO of QA1. "We are excited to leverage their proven expertise to expand full chassis solutions to our customers."

Blake Foster and Roger Maniscalco co-founded SpeedTech Performance USA in 2004, and brought the company to St. George, Utah, in 2012. The Speedtech Performance brand will continue operating out of its St. George, Utah, facility with its existing team and Maniscalco will remain with the company to lead the sales and marketing efforts for the brand.

For more information, visit qa1.net.

Image courtesy of the NHRA. 

Legendary NHRA Team Owner Roland Leong, known for his Top Fuel and Funny Cars emblazoned with the name "The Hawaiian" in tribute to his birthplace, passed away on December 29. He was 79.

As a team owner and tuner, Leong won the 1965 Winternationals and U.S. Nationals with Don Prudhomme behind the wheel and repeated in both events in 1966 with new driver Mike Snively.

In 1969, Leong switched to Funny Cars, winning the Winternationals in 1970 and 1971 with drivers Larry Reyes and Butch Maas.

For the full announcement, visit nhra.com.

The Kreider family, a New Jersey-based family with ties to the racing industry and current USAC Silver Crown racer Mike Haggenbottom, has purchased Robison Racing Products. The company will begin operating under a new name, Robison Race Products by Kreider Manufacturing, following the acquisition.

The company's former owner, Gerry Robison, passed away in November 2023.

The new company will relocate from its former headquarters in Dublin, Pennsylvania, to the Kreider's 3,300-sq.-ft. machine shop in Whitehouse, New Jersey.

Jeff Kreider, a CNC machinist with 35 years of experience serving the aerospace, military and medical industries, and Dawn Kreider, sister of Mike and John Haggenbottom, will helm the operation. The couple's children, Roxanne, Julia and Jared, will also assist in operations.

The company will launch a website at a later date.

Image Courtesy of NASCAR

Cale Yarborough, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, has passed away at the age of 84.

Yarborough, a four-time Daytona 500 winner and a five-time victor in the Southern 500, won his three Cup Series titles consecutively from 1976-78 and is tied for sixth on the Cup Series' all-time wins list with 83 victories.

A 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee, Yarborough led more than 31,500 laps in his career and became the first to qualify for a race at an average speed of over 200 mph at Daytona in 1984.

For the full announcement, visit nascar.com.

Image Courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Gil de Ferran, winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 500 and two IndyCar Series championships, passed away on December 29 near his home in Florida. He was 56.

In addition to his 2003 Indianapolis 500 victory, the Brazilian won consecutive IndyCar Series championships in 2000 and 2001 and earned CART Rookie of the Year honors in 1995.

Ending his IndyCar career with 12 victories and 21 poles, de Ferran also set the closed-course land speed record with a lap of 241.428 mph at California Speedway in 2000. The record still stands today.

For the full announcement, visit indianapolismotorspeedway.com.