IMSA and SRO GT America team Van der Steur Racing has been acquired and will rebrand to YRB Racing, according to a recent announcement from IMSA.

After years of competition across IMSA and other North American racing series, van der Steur Racing has concluded operations with YRB Racing now entering as a new team under new ownership.

"First and foremost, we would like to thank Gunnar and Rory [Van der Steur] for their support over the past 6 seasons. Starting in TCR and making it all the way to GTD in our fifth season was an amazing journey," said Christopher Deely, who will remain team principal of the team moving forward. "We are ready to apply all of our experience from van der Steur Racing to grow YRB Racing with our customers and partners as we push for a winning future."

YRB Racing is making its debut at the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen International in New York in the GTD class.

Additional details regarding YRB Racing's program will come at a later date.

For more information, visit imsa.com.

Hot Shot's Secret, a manufacturer of high-performance diesel additives, fuels and lubricants, is continuing its title sponsorship of the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) Hot Shot's Secret Challenge, committing this year to $30,000 in bonus money for the top three point earners in all 14 Grand National Divisions across six events.  

Hot Shot's Secret, a nearly decade-long NTPA National Circuit Sponsor and the official fuel and fuel additive sponsor of NTPA, launched the Hot Shot's Secret Challenge in 2023 as a bonus series for top Grand National competitors. After this season, the Hot Shot's Secret Challenge will have paid out more than $120,000 in bonus money to NTPA competitors, according to the company.

A total of $30,000 in bonus money will once again be awarded to pullers competing in this elite series, which will feature six premier events across the country. Competitors will have the opportunity to earn additional payouts across six to 10 hooks within the Challenge series, making it one of the most competitive and rewarding bonus programs on the NTPA circuit. This year's select Hot Shot's Secret Challenge events include Tomah, Wisconsin (June 25-27); Chapel Hill, Tennessee (July 24-25); Brandenburg, Kentucky (July 24-25); Fort Recovery, Ohio (July 31-Aug 1); Rockwell, Iowa (August 6-8); and Bowling Green, Ohio (August 20-22).

"NTPA delivers high-stakes competition, a dedicated diesel enthusiast fan base, and family fun," said Hot Shot's Secret Director of Field Marketing and Partnerships Kyle Fischer. "We are thrilled to host the Hot Shot's Secret Challenge again for 2026 and look forward to connecting with the puller community that knows our products and is loyal to Hot Shot's Secret proven formulations."

"Hot Shot's Secret has been an incredible partner to the NTPA and our competitors," said NTPA Chief Operating Officer Rich Schaefer. "Their investment in the Hot Shot's Secret Challenge continues to elevate the level of competition while rewarding the dedication and performance of our pullers."

For more information, visit ntpapull.com or hotshotsecret.com.

PRI has added Megan Kowalis to its Washington, D.C.-based Government Affairs team, bringing extensive grassroots mobilization experience to the organization's acclaimed program for mobilizing automotive enthusiasts and content creators for advocacy. As manager of digital communications and partnerships, Kowalis will lead outreach and relationship management with a variety of stakeholders and online content creators in the automotive space.

Before joining PRI, Kowalis spearheaded national and statewide grassroots programs for the National Alliance for Care at Home and Twenty7Fifty Public Affairs. She has a familiarity with the organization and industry, having previously supported SEMA and PRI member advocates during Capitol Hill meetings for a 2025 fly-in.

"Megan brings fresh energy to this role and a proven track record of success engaging new advocates on issues that impact their businesses and lifestyles," said PRI Director of Communications Matt Daigle. "We're excited to tap into her creativity to connect with the content creator community as we continue to grow a program that has provided tremendous value to PRI and SEMA's advocacy efforts."

"America's car culture is a vibrant and important part of who we are as a nation, and the people who make it great are deserve to have their voices elevated in Washington, D.C.," said Kowalis. "I'm thrilled to be working for PRI and SEMA in an official capacity and can't wait to engage with our community's content creators, who make up a critically important group of voices in our industry and for our advocacy work."

Kowalis, a Colorado native, holds a bachelor's degree in political science and English literature from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.

SEMA's groundbreaking work to engage content creators on advocacy has established a network of more than 150 creators spanning car culture, from builders to racers to off-road enthusiasts, whose authenticity and passion for the automotive industry has translated well to grassroots mobilization. The program has yielded significant legislative wins at the federal and state levels, and was among the reasons SEMA was awarded the 2025 Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) President's Award for Excellence in Communications.

The African American Automotive Association (AAAA) has announced the latest group of individuals to be inducted into the AAAA Hall of Fame, which includes drag and stock-car racer Dystany Spurlock.

Spurlock, who is the first Black women to compete in both the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, is joined by four other inductees in the 2026 AAAA Hall of Fame Class: Randy Parker, Nelson "Jack" Edwards, Aicha Evans and Cornelius Coffey.   

Since the AAAA's inception, its mission has been to preserve, celebrate, and elevate Black excellence within the automotive industry and motorsports, representatives of the organization said. This year, it is taking a monumental step forward.  

The 2026 Induction Class marks an expansion of the AAAA's scope from traditional automotive and racing sectors into the broader realm of global mobility. From the factory floors of Detroit and the high-speed banks of modern race tracks to the futuristic world of artificial intelligence and the boundless skies of aviation––this class proves that Black innovation has continuously moved the world forward, AAAA representatives said.

"Whether it is planes, trains, automobiles, or autonomous tech, the 2026 inductees represent the past, present, and ultimate future of global mobility," said Chris Harris, founder of the AAAA.

The AAAA provided the following biography of Spurlock:

Spurlock is actively rewriting the history books across multiple racing disciplines, demonstrating a remarkable level of versatility in modern motorsports. She initially established her legacy on two wheels, showcasing elite precision on the drag strip to set multiple world records in motorcycle drag racing. Building on those achievements, Spurlock made history in 2025 by becoming only the second Black woman to compete in the prestigious NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class. In 2026, Spurlock transitioned into four-wheel stock car racing, demonstrating an impressive adaptability across distinct motorsport formats. She broke monumental ground by becoming the first Black woman to compete on the ARCA Menards Series platform. Continuing her rapid ascent, she reached the national touring level by becoming the first Black woman to qualify and race in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event. While Spurlock continues to write her story, she has shattered one of the final remaining "firsts" in American motorsports history, cementing her place as a historic pioneer for the next generation of drivers.

Established by Harris in 2023, the AAAA is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of automotive professionals by offering hands-on learning experiences, industry exposure, and partnerships with key stakeholders. In 2025, the organization was integrated into the Foxxtecca brand, co-founded by Harris and Kellie Crawford, whose mission is to bridge the gap between automotive innovation and cultural expression.

The AAAA Hall of Fame honors the remarkable achievements of Black individuals in the automotive, transportation, and motorsports industries.

To learn more about the Hall of Fame and its inductees, visit aaaassoc.com/hall-of-fame. 

Image courtesy of AAAA

Formula E and the FIA have released a provisional calendar for the 2026-27 Formula E World Championship.

Featuring 21 races across 13 cities, highlights include new races at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, Zandvoort Circuit in the Netherlands and Brands Hatch in the United Kingdom.

The new season will also include the debut of the new GEN4 Formula E car. With the corresponding boost in power and velocity, the series has shifted toward established permanent road courses.

The all-electric single-seater racing series' season begins in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a nighttime double-header at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on December 18-19, 2026. The championship then heads to the Americas, with the Mexico City E-Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in January 2027, followed by the brand new Austin E-Prix at COTA on February 6, and the Miami E-Prix at the Miami International Autodrome (Hard Rock Stadium) on February 20. The Americas leg concludes at the Anhembi Sambadrome Circuit with the São Paulo E-Prix in March.

The championship shifts to Asia for the Sanya E-Prix at the Haitang Bay Circuit, before heading into an expanded European season. Europe features an intense run of double-headers: Berlin's Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit on May 8-9, the iconic streets of Circuit de Monaco on May 15-16 and London at Brands Hatch on May 29-30. The European leg continues with the new double-header at MASCOT Zandvoort Circuit on June 18-19 and a return to the Circuito de Madrid Jarama-RACE for the Madrid E-Prix on June 26-27.

The season concludes with an Asia Pacific double-header finish: taking on the Shanghai International Circuit on July 10-11 and the finale at the Tokyo Street Circuit on July 24-25 that will round out the end of the first season of the all-new GEN4 era.

The 2026-27 season and start of the GEN4 era will also welcome a new race format for double-header race weekends, featuring the classic race (E-Prix) and an all-new shorter race (E-PrixUnleashed).

Introduced to showcase the full, unrestricted power of the GEN4 car, this new approach delivers a completely different, fast-paced racing style. The complementing formats will offer fans a highly entertaining mix of tactical, strategic racing and pure, high-speed performance drama across a single weekend.

For more information, visit fiaformulae.com or see the full calendar below:

Images courtesy of FIA Formula E

MGP Connecting Rods, a division of Race Winning Brands, has partnered with the Small Tire Pro Stock drag-racing series as a class sponsor.

The company, which is based in Lakewood, New Jersey, specializes in billet aluminum connecting rods for a variety of domestic and import applications, including drag racing, boat racing, tractor pulling, drag and drive and other programs.

"We make lightweight aluminum connecting rods for all horsepower and rpm levels, and when I talk with a customer, I ask about their combination, and I ask for its bob weight, its rpm range and other details that will help us spec connecting rods for them," said MGP Connecting Rods Sales Specialist Wayne Roberts, who also races in Small Tire Pro Stock events and works with customers in the MGP Connecting Rods display at the annual PRI Show. "A lot goes into it, and we want to be sure we get our customers exactly what they need."

As part of the partnership between MGP Connecting Rods and Small Tire Pro Stock, all Small Tire Pro Stock racers will be eligible to enter a drawing to win a free set of custom MGP Connecting Rods at the next Small Tire Pro Stock race, which is part of the Nostalgia Drag Racing League Hot Rod Nationals presented by Ray Skillman Auto Group, July 10-11, at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

"MGP Connecting Rods are used by some of the most accomplished competitors," said Roberts. "One of the things they like most about our rods is how we do an extra polish, which reduces stress on the outside of the rods, and removes machine marks and sharpness on the corners."

For more information, visit www.mgpconnectingrods.com or Facebook.com/SmallTireProStock.

The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is set to open the 2027 season with more racing in the "Sunshine State" than ever before.

Next season's Florida calendar is set to open and close at Volusia Speedway Park during World of Outlaws Sunshine Nationals and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, respectively. In between, the series will return to Hendry County Motorsports Park before the Series debut at Hunt the Front's Southern Raceway, the 3/8-mile oval located in Milton, Florida, 20 miles east of Pensacola.

"There's still a lot of racing left in 2026, but we're already looking forward to starting off 2027 in a big way," Series Director Steve Francis said. "We've listened to feedback from both fans and racers to lay out a Florida schedule that blends our annual traditions with some new favorites. We wanted to give everyone plenty of time to make plans to join us in Florida for an incredible month of racing."

Here's a look at the start of the 2027 World of Outlaws season:

Volusia Speedway Park | World of Outlaws Sunshine Nationals | January 28-30

For the seventh consecutive season, the World of Outlaws will open the season in January at the "World's Fastest Half Mile."

Following a practice night on Wednesday, January 27, the "Late Model Palooza" will again feature three nights of racing for three divisions of Late Models. In addition to the World of Outlaws racing for $12,000-to-win on Thursday and Friday, January, 28-29, and $20,000 on Saturday, January 30, the Crate Racin' USA DIRTcar Pro (604) Late Models and the 602 Late Models will also be on the card all weekend long.

Hendry County Motorsports Park | Swamp Cabbage 100 | February 5-6

Following this season's successful debut at Hendry County, the World of Outlaws are returning in 2027 on a new date.

The Swamp Cabbage 100 will move up to the first weekend in February to become the second stop on the World of Outlaws schedule. A practice night on Thursday, February 4, kicks things off before two full racing programs at the southernmost dirt track in the United States. The World of Outlaws will contest a $12,000-to-win opener on Friday, February 5, and a $20,000-to-win finale on Saturday, February 6.

Hunt the Front's Southern Raceway | Gulf Coast Winter Nationals | February 12-13

The Joiner family purchased Southern Raceway with the goal of bringing the best drivers in the nation to their home track, and that dream will become reality in 2027.

The inaugural Gulf Coast Winter Nationals is set to be the biggest dirt track race ever held in the Florida panhandle. The weekend opens with an $8,000-to-win Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series-sanctioned race on Thursday, February 11, before the stars of the World of Outlaws make their debut at Southern in a $12,000-to-win program on Friday, February 12. The inaugural weekend will wrap up with a $20,000-to-win finale on Saturday, February 13.

Volusia Speedway Park | Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals | February 18-20

The four-week tour of Florida will end right back where it began, as the World of Outlaws will again close out DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia.

The final six nights of the event will have Super Late Models on track, beginning with three nights of DIRTcar Late Model competition Monday-Wednesday, February 15-17. The second half of the week will be under the World of Outlaws banner on Thursday-Saturday, February 18-20, with $12,000 up for grabs on Thursday and Friday, and $20,000 going to the winner on Saturday, when the newest Big Gator champion will be crowned.

For more information, visit worldofoutlaws.com.

Image courtesy of World of Outlaws | Emily Schwanke

Streamline your business operations with First Data by Fiserv, allowing you to manage payments efficiently, securely and cost-effectively.

PRI Members can save with access to preferred payment processing solutions through Fiserv. Get started in the PRI Membership portal.

Not yet a PRI member? PRI Business Membership allows the racing community to showcase their passion and pride for the industry. By uniting the industry, PRI is actively working to address challenges and needs, such as providing support for racetracks to prevent them from closing, advocacy for the racing community against current legal threats, and educational programs that help businesses and racers succeed.

Learn more at performanceracing.com/membership.

PRI is not affiliated with, nor does it sell or thoroughly evaluate the products, services, and companies listed. PRI provides this information to PRI members for their evaluation and consideration and does not endorse or sponsor any company, product, or service. PRI takes no responsibility for, and makes no representation, warranty, or assurance as to the accuracy, quality, reliability, or completeness of the products or services offered.

Background image courtesy of Shutterstock

Education for the industry, by the industry. PRI is now accepting seminar and panel proposals for its 2026 education program, offering speakers an unmatched platform to share ideas, technologies, and expertise with the racing and performance community.

Organizers are looking for submissions that showcase current trends, innovative techniques, best practices, and discoveries across the motorsports industry. Program audiences include race teams, speed shops, engine builders, fabricators, machinists, tuners, manufacturers, WDs, sanctioning bodies, track operators, media and other industry professionals––many of whom are small business owners and managers.

Topics of interest can include––but aren't limited to––technical content, sponsorships, hiring and employee management, branding, content creation, youth engagement, small business operations, advertising and promotions, traditional and digital marketing, sales strategies and EV motorsports performance.

2026 PRI Show Education Speaker Submissions

• Deadline: June 30, 2026
• Show dates: December 10-12, 2026
• Location: Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, IN

Submit your proposal and help shape the future of racing education at the PRI Show.

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motorsports and the federation for mobility organizations worldwide, has announced the conclusion of the seven-day Rally US candidate event, marking an important step in the process for the FIA World Rally Championship's (WRC) potential return to the United States for the first time since 1988.

The potential return would represent one of the championship's most significant calendar developments in decades, reestablishing the WRC in one of the world's largest sport, media and automotive markets.

It would also create a major opportunity to grow rallying in North America, connecting the championship with new fans, partners and manufacturers in a country with a deep motorsports culture and an increasingly active rally community.

Organized in collaboration with the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS), the seven-day candidate event took place from June 11-17, and saw FIA delegates from the sporting, safety and medical departments assess Rally US's preparedness and planning for a potential FIA World Rally Championship round, while working closely with local officials and operational teams involved in the event's development.

The seven-day program began at Southern Ohio Forest Rally, a round of the American Rally Association National Championship (ARA), where FIA delegates observed the delivery of an existing national-level rally and engaged directly with the U.S. rally community. The visit also allowed delegates to review sporting procedures, safety protocols, medical provisions and operational structures at a national-level event, working closely with ARA officials, local organizers and operational teams involved in the delivery of national-level events.

Following the visit to Southern Ohio Forest Rally, the delegation travelled south to Tennessee and Kentucky to examine key elements of the proposed WRC round. The four-day assessment program included sporting and safety reviews of proposed stage locations, a review of local medical facilities and visits to the proposed service park and ceremonial start locations in Knoxville and Nashville, where representatives from WRC Promoter also presented plans for fan activations, media production and wider promotional activity.

With the candidate event now complete, the FIA will finalize its delegates' reports and share its findings over the coming months. These findings will support the next stage of Rally US's proposed inclusion in the FIA World Rally Championship calendar, marking the completion of an important first step towards the WRC's return to the U.S.

"Having the opportunity to work so closely with the FIA and WRC Promoter over this last week has been incredibly valuable to Rally US and America's return to the FIA World Rally Championship. The cooperation between the Rally US team, ACCUS, the ARA and their counterparts in the FIA and WRC Promoter has been really impressive. From the moment everybody arrived at Southern Ohio Forest Rally, where the delegation was able to see what a round of America's national championship looks like, all the way through a busy schedule of stage and location visits here in Tennessee and Kentucky, the positivity and cohesiveness has been fantastic," said Rally US promoter Matt Crews. "We've made great strides towards the ultimate goal of bringing the FIA World Rally Championship back to America and we're looking forward to the next steps now."

All story photos courtesy of FIA.

Feed photo courtesy of ARA