Lubrication Specialties (LSI)--the Mt. Gilead, Ohio-based manufacturer of Hot Shot's Secret brand of additives, oils, and fluids--has announced the retirement of company founder and CEO Chris Gabrelcik. He will continue to own and oversee the management of Microwave Renewable Technologies (MRT) in Mount Gilead.

Gabrelcik began LSI in 1997, focusing on providing lubrication services to top industrial and commercial accounts to ensure equipment operated at maximum capacity. 

Around 2005, Gabrelcik created the Hot Shot's Secret Original Stiction Eliminator, one of the fastest-growing performance lubricant brands in the USA.

In June 2022, Gabrelcik sold most of the assets of Lubrication Specialties Inc., including Hot Shot's Secret, Frantz Filter and LSI Chemical to Gold Eagle Company (Chicago, Illinois), retaining ownership of MRT with the agreement to continue to serve as CEO of Lubrication Specialties for one year.

For more information, visit lsichemical.com and hotshotsecret.com.

Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels--the provider of racing and high-performance tires and wheels for street, strip, truck, and off-road applications--has announced John Bodart has assumed the role of president.

Bodart brings more than three decades of experience in the tire industry to the position. He has held leadership positions in the technical, quality, sales and manufacturing organizations of Cooper Tire, where he began his career. Additionally, Bodart played a critical role in the integration of Cooper Tire with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

"I look forward to working with the team to build upon the success of recent years and continue to elevate Mickey Thompson's strength and performance as a business," said Bodart.

For more information, visit mickeythompsontires.com.

Greenville-Pickens Speedway--the asphalt track in Easley, South Carolina--has released a statement alongside Save Our Speedway, the organization behind the efforts to reopen North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The statement is as follows: 

We're truly saddened and disappointed to announce that due to circumstances beyond our control, our fight to salvage a 2023 racing season at Greenville-Pickens Speedway has unfortunately come to an end.

Jackie Manley's lawyer advised him not to sign the proposed lease contract he recently received from the owner of the race track without a few minor, yet critical, changes. Despite repeated efforts to negotiate for a few key terms that were necessary to facilitate the 2023 racing season, however, Jackie was told that the lease was offered on a take-it-or-leave-it basis. Based on the advice of Jackie's lawyer, the Save The Speedway team which revived North Wilkesboro, and all of our other trusted advisors, we simply cannot move forward, as the proposed deal could not support the goals of SOS GPS in returning Greenville-Pickens Speedway to its former glory. We wish you could've experienced all that we had planned.

The good news here is that our long-term goal remains the same--and that, of course, is to Save Our Speedway: The Legendary Greenville-Pickens Speedway into the future. The Save The Speedway team from North Wilkesboro also remains committed to helping us in our fight to keep the track alive. If the potential sale of the property goes through, we look forward to working with new ownership to attempt to preserve and revive the racetrack. Stay tuned here for further developments.

We want to thank all our great sponsors, contributors, and everyone who has been generously helping us over the past few months of this campaign. We'll be posting more about all of those individuals and businesses here soon, as well as making other announcements about our upcoming donation to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, future SOS GPS plans, etc.

For more information, visit the track Facebook page here.

Ford has unveiled the Mustang GT4 during a special event at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in eastern Belgium.

The GT4 is based on the all-new '24 Mustang Dark Horse, just like its sibling, the Mustang GT3. With the reveal, Ford officially continues an uninterrupted tenure in the SRO-sanctioned GT4 category, first entered in 2017.

"The Mustang GT4 is a key member of our motorsports lineup. Its placement between the Mustang GT3 and soon-to-be-unveiled Mustang Dark Horse R keeps the brand in competition at all levels of on-track performance and is an important part of our customer racing program," said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports.

The Mustang GT4 race car features Multimatic DSSV dampers, a Holinger dog-ring gearbox, paddle shifters with pneumatic actuation, natural fiber body panels, as well as a unique aero package developed to meet GT4 category targets.

For racers and teams interested in acquiring a Mustang GT4 to enter into competition, visit ford.com/performance/mustang-gt4.

SPEED SPORT and the HydroTown Group announced a production and broadcast agreement for all of this season’s H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series races. SPEED SPORT’s production team will assist H1 in expanding its existing stellar live stream productions, available at https://www.youtube.com/@H1Unlimited, and will post-produce each event for tape-delayed airing on SPEED SPORT 1. 

SPEED SPORT will also produce a one-hour documentary about the series — its history, icons and evolution, including rare vintage hydroplane footage, interviews and behind-the-scenes action from the series’ top race shops.

SPEED SPORT 1 is the new free channel dedicated to live and relevant motorsports programming. Coming soon to most major streaming TV platforms, SS1 will be the one-stop home for live racing from around the globe, great grassroots racing content, original programming and more. Visit SPEEDSPORT1.com for more info and to preview the live feed.

H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing is the pinnacle of closed-course boat racing. The boats look more like fighter jets than pleasure boats, with carbon fiber hulls, turbine engines, and gigantic airfoils to generate the proper lift and downforce to keep them flying just above the water. Producing 3,000 horsepower, Unlimited Hydroplanes can reach speeds approaching 200 mph on the straightaways and average laps speeds over 160 mph. The boats throw gigantic 300-foot rooster tails as they carve the turns at each end of the oval courses that range between 2 and 2.5 miles in length.

The coveted APBA Gold Cup is the trophy each team strives to earn. This year, the APBA Gold Cup will be held Aug. 4 on Lake Washington at the Homestreet Bank Seafair race in Seattle. In addition to a world-renowned air show headlined by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels, Seafair will showcase Unlimited Hydroplanes as the must-watch event of the summer. 

SPEED SPORT will bring its wildly popular “LIVE From” set and support staff to provide pre- and post-race analysis, interviews and discussion to help set the stage. 

“We’re excited to partner with SPEED SPORT, so racing fans worldwide can witness the spectacle that is H1 Unlimited Hydroplane racing,” said Mike Denslow, HydroTown Group’s Managing Director. “H1 Unlimited races are spread out over a full two- to three-day weekend, but with the help of SPEED SPORT’s production team, that whole weekend of action will be packed into a one-hour thrill ride of a show you won’t want to miss!”

Storylines the production team will be watching this season include last year’s National Championship Miss HomeStreet Bank welcoming rookie Dylan Runne with the hopes he can bring them another title. It won’t be easy as last year’s Gold Cup winner Corey Peabody has a completely rebuilt Miss Beacon Plumbing machine ready to challenge for the crown, along with his teammate J. Michael Kelly in the freshly upgraded Miss Beacon Electric entry.  

Runne won’t be on his own, as H1 veteran driver Andrew Tate returns to the circuit as his teammate aboard the Goodman Real Estate boat. There are also several new drivers in new boats, including Unlimited Hydroplane racing’s first African American driver Brent Hall.  Also competing in 2023 will be the Legend Yacht Transport, Bucket List Racing, Griggs Ace Hardware, Boitano Homes & Lakeridge Paving. There is no clear favorite this year, which will make for super-exciting racing for the fans.

“SPEED SPORT continues to embrace the best of motorsports from across a broad spectrum of categories. We’re especially excited to bring Unlimited Hydroplane racing to our platform and to work side-by-side with the series to develop their productions, expand their audience and showcase the amazing stories and exciting racing action that H1 presents,” said Joe Tripp, SPEED SPORT CEO. “The people, the boats and the drivers represent everything that is great about American motorsports.”

The H1 Unlimited season kicked off last coming weekend in Guntersville, Ala., June 23-25, then heads to Madison, Ind., for round two this week. The historic Columbia Cup at Tri-Cities, Wash., will be held July 28-30. The tour then heads to Seattle for Seafair Aug. 4-6 to vie for the coveted Gold Cup. 

Fans can watch all the coverage live on the H1 Unlimited YouTube channel and tape-delayed on SPEED SPORT 1.

For more information, visit h1unlimited.com.

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will race on the streets of Tokyo for the first time next March as the series targets more world cities to host debut races in its landmark 10th season.

The provisional calendar for Season 10 was published by Formula E and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) following ratification by the FIA World Motor Sport Council and with the support of local ASNs (National Sporting Authorities) for each host city.

The race in Tokyo on Saturday, March 30, 2024 will be the first FIA-sanctioned world championship motorsport event held in Tokyo. Twenty-two drivers from 11 teams will race the innovative GEN3 race car – the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built – on roads around the Tokyo Big Sight convention center on the Tokyo Bay waterfront.

Formula E and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government have been working together to bring the race to the city to support the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) initiative, part of the Zero Emission Tokyo strategy. The city has a climate action plan that aims to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, said:

“I am delighted by the official decision that Tokyo will host a Formula E race in March 2024. Centering on spreading the use of zero emission vehicles, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is accelerating actions in all realms to realize Zero Emission Tokyo, an environmentally advanced city that does not emit carbon dioxide. Formula E is held in major cities around the world as a road race for electric vehicles which do not emit exhaust gas or engine noise.

“This race will be held around Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo’s bay area, where developments are underway to become a sustainable next generation city. Let’s all look forward to seeing up close the dynamism of this race to be held for the first time in Japan and cheer the racers on. The race will not only add momentum to the spread of zero emission vehicles but will also provide a wonderful opportunity to enhance Tokyo’s international presence by showing the attractions of our city to the world. Tokyo will join forces with the organizers and others related to the race to ensure its success.”

Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will begin in Mexico City on Saturday, 13 January following the success of a sold-out opening race to begin Season 9.

Three rounds of the 17-race provisional calendar are listed as To Be Determined (TBD) while Formula E continues advanced discussions with a range of potential host cities that would see the championship create more showpiece race events in iconic global locations.

This weekend, Formula E will debut in Portland, Oregon, and will return next season when Portland will host the final international race before the championship concludes in London in late July. Formula E will also return to São Paulo after a successful inaugural race this season.

Berlin will maintain its record as the only city to host an E-Prix in all ten seasons of the championship, consolidating its reputation as a popular venue for drivers and fans who witnessed a record-breaking 190 overtakes and 23 lead changes in Round 7 this season.

Diriyah will again host the only night race double-header on the calendar while Monaco, Rome and Jakarta complete the calendar of named host cities. 

“We are excited to take Formula E to the streets of Tokyo next season," said Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer, Formula E. "It is an iconic world city providing the perfect backdrop to showcase the unique qualities of our sport and will capture global attention. The Season 10 calendar represents our ongoing mission to create a dynamic schedule of new cities hosting races for the first or second time like Tokyo, São Paulo and Portland alongside established hosts like Berlin, Rome, London, Monaco, Diriyah and now Jakarta.”

“Tokyo will be a highlight of our historic 10th season," adds Jeff Dodds, Chief Executive Officer, Formula E. "We are also in advanced discussions with many more iconic world cities who are keen to host a Formula E race and create blockbuster world championship motorsport events with us. We expect this to be reflected in the updated calendar published later this year.” 

Marek Nawarecki, Director of FIA Circuit Sport Department, said: “This calendar is an illustration of Formula E’s continuing growth and promises to treat fans to another season of superb racing with the new GEN3 car, which has already produced countless crowd-pleasing battles.

"The schedule offers an appealing blend of established Formula E favorites like Mexico City, Rome, Monaco, Berlin and London and popular recent additions such as São Paulo and Jakarta. We are also delighted that the championship will visit Japan for the first time. This will also increase the series presence and impact in Asia, which is important for many manufacturers.”

For more information, visit FIAFormulaE.com.

Comcast announced nominations for the 2023 Comcast Community Champion of the Year are now open through August 1, 2023, at ComcastCommunityChampion.com. The prestigious annual award has recognized the philanthropic efforts of individuals within the NASCAR community. In the ninth year of this award, Comcast will surpass $1 million in total contributions made to organizations affiliated with previous champions and finalists with this year’s awards.

To nominate and learn additional details about the award, visit ComcastCommunityChampion.com today through August 1, 2023.

Created in 2015, the Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award was designed to honor the incredible efforts of NASCAR industry members who are improving their communities. Comcast will select and honor three finalists, sharing their stories publicly. Following the finalists’ selection, a committee of NASCAR and Comcast executives, as well as 2022 champion Jes Ferreira, will determine the Comcast Community Champion of the Year. The champion will receive $60,000 to their affiliated charity and the two other finalists will each receive $30,000 to their selected charities later this year.

“Creating positive change across communities is a core pillar of Comcast’s mission and every year we look forward to telling the stories of these inspirational individuals within NASCAR who have selflessly dedicated their time and energy toward supporting others,” said Matt Lederer, Comcast’s Vice President, Brand Partnerships and Amplification.

Any individual with a 2023 annual credential or NASCAR full season license from NASCAR’s top-three national series are eligible to be nominated as a 2023 finalist, including:

– Team owners, drivers and all NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™ and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series™ employees
– Full-time employees of tracks that are currently on the schedule for NASCAR’s three series
– NASCAR Media members who have a Print, Broadcast or Photography Hard Card
– NASCAR Officials
– NASCAR Partners/Sponsors
– Family members of drivers and crew members
– Driver and team employees (motorhome drivers, agents, and managers etc.)
– Support industry personnel (engine builders, parts and service providers etc.)

Since the inception of the program, Comcast has donated to 24 different nonprofit organizations, furthering the impact of the philanthropic efforts of all finalists and champions. This year, Comcast will reach the milestone of having donated $1 million to deserving organizations in a nine-year span.

“It was truly an honor to have been named Comcast Community Champion of the Year last season,” said Vice President of Live Shows, CSM Production, Jes Ferreira. “Most importantly, Comcast’s generosity benefited Foster Village Charlotte to support all of the life-changing work that they do for foster families in the region.”

Past champions include:

– Vice President of Live Shows, CSM Production, Jes Ferreira representing Foster Village Charlotte
– World Wide Technology Raceway Owner, Curtis Francois, representing Raceway Gives Foundation
– NASCAR driver, Bubba Wallace, representing the Live To Be Different Foundation
– Dover Motor Speedway President, Mike Tatoian, representing USO Delaware
– NASCAR champion, Joey Logano, representing the Joey Logano Foundation
– Chip Ganassi Racing’s pit crew department representing Ronald McDonald House
– JR Motorsports fabricator, Wade Jackson, representing Camp LUCK
– NASCAR driver, Joey Gase, representing the Iowa Donor Network

In celebration of the 2023 Comcast Community Champion of the Year program and reaching the million-dollar mark, Comcast will be engaging within the community in Nashville, Tenn. NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Josh Williams, who was a 2022 Comcast Community Champion of the Year finalist, will be visiting Seacrest Studios at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt as part of his work with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation.

Comcast has a storied history of strengthening communities each and every day of the year providing education opportunities and digital skills training to help create more pathways to economic mobility for young people and adults alike, most recently through its Project UP initiative. Backed by a $1 billion commitment to reach millions of people, Project UP encompasses the programs and community partnerships across Comcast, NBCUniversal and Sky that connect people to the internet, advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers and creators. For more information on Project UP and the latest news on efforts to address digital inequities, visit https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up.

The drag racing world lost one of its biggest fans and supporters on June 23, 2023, with the passing of NHRA team owner Cathi Maynard.

Maynard was a true champion in the greatest sense of the word, having courageously battled her multiple sclerosis diagnosis for over 35 years before succumbing to illness-related complications after a lengthy and arduous fight.

While still considered somewhat of a newcomer to the industry in an official capacity, there is no denying the incredible impact and lasting mark Maynard left on the NHRA community. It was no secret that she loved fast cars and high horsepower, and as an Army veteran, Maynard quickly adopted Tony Schumacher as her favorite race car driver. She was the driving force behind the Maynard family becoming involved in drag racing, first as sponsors in 2021 before forming JCM Racing during the 2022 season, and fans of ‘The Sarge’ can credit Maynard for his return to full-time competition after a multi-year hiatus from the sport.

“She was such a fighter, such an amazing person, and she’s in a better place,” said Schumacher. “It’s a privilege to have known her, and I would say, by far, I’m a better man for knowing her. She was so kind and so good to people. No one that met her left a lesser person.”

While drag racing was so close to her heart, that was only a small part of who Maynard was as a person. Joe and Cathi Maynard met while serving in the Army where she worked as a Military Police officer and a boat pilot. The Maynards are well-known throughout their town of Clarksville, Tenn., particularly via their involvement with Austin Peay State University (APSU).

Named the 2020 APSU Philanthropists of the Year, the Maynards have given tremendously to the school, and most recently were honored during a naming celebration of the Joe and Cathi Maynard Family Athletics Complex last October. A former athlete herself, Maynard was a fixture at home games and especially loved cheering on the APSU softball team, which plays at Cathi Maynard Park, thanks to her contributions to the school’s softball program.

Since becoming involved with NHRA drag racing, Maynard was able to marry two of her passions – fast cars and philanthropy. She was particularly passionate about A Soldier’s Child and American Mobility Project. The Maynard family has supported A Soldier's Child since 2008, and are among the original contributors to the nonprofit which aims to serve the children of fallen military personnel. Since 2021, the Maynards have hosted Gold Star families at the dragstrip to enjoy a day at the races. In 2020, Maynard became involved with American Mobility Project, a nonprofit which provides mobility and adaptive equipment to those living with disabilities. As a recipient of an iBOT Personal Mobility Device, Maynard had a firsthand understanding of the importance such a device can make in one’s quality of life. She was constantly on a mission to raise dollars and awareness for the two organizations, and getting to close out the 2022 NHRA season by fielding A Soldier's Child and American Mobility Project ‘giving cars’ at the final two events was the perfect way for the Maynards to cap off their first year of NHRA team ownership.

“We want to go out and make her proud this weekend,” added Schumacher. “I would love nothing more than to earn ourselves a trophy that we can send back to Clarksville in her honor. Our hearts go out to Joe, Joe C., and the whole family. Now, we just need to go out and win this race, and I know we’ve got an angel riding with us.”

Born in 1957, Maynard was 65 years old at the time of her passing. She is survived by her husband, Joe Maynard, sons Joe C. Maynard and Lucas Maynard, and three grandchildren, Joe, Shelby, and Haylee. As a veteran, Maynard will be laid to rest at the prestigious Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Va. A memorial service will be held at a time to be determined in Clarksville, Tenn.

For more information, visit jcmnitro.com.

The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) has announced its new Club Spec concept, which is "built on the success of Solo Spec Coupe," and is "an idea that would introduce a series of spec classes over the next few years that do everything SCCA does."

"Long gone are the days where every member picks their competition type and stays there forever," said Heyward Wagner, SCCA senior director of Rally/Solo and Experiential Programs. "Yes, we do have members who autocross or road race and have no interest in trying out other forms of participation within the SCCA--and that's great. But at the same time, the Club has more and more members looking for a one-size-fits-all vehicle that can be competitive and fun no matter the venue, allowing them to autocross one weekend, run a Time Trials event the next, and be competitive in both."

For complete details, visit the SCCA announcement here or visit scca.com.

Fernando Alonso, left, and the late Robin Miller, right

Six Hoosier broadcasters--including the late motorsports journalist Robin Miller--will be inducted into the Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame this Fall. 

Known nationally to viewers of ESPN, SPEED and NBC, Robin Miller's career covered over 50 years, including 30 plus at the Indianapolis Star. Unsurprisingly, much of his career focused on auto racing since he owned race cars and drove them for 10 years. Robin is in the Motorsports Hall of Fame and Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

The Indiana Broadcasters Association's 2023 Hall of Fame class also includes play-by-play announcer Mark Boyle, radio show host Deb Miles, game-show host and sports broadcaster Mark Patrick, television producer Clayton Taylor and meteorologist Marcia Yockey.

This year's Hall of Fame class will be inducted during the annual Indiana Broadcasters Conference, October 2 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

For more information, visit indianabroadcasters.org.