Gary Henthorn, the founder of three automotive service equipment brands and son of BendPak owners Don and Ginger Henthorn, has passed away. He was 52. BendPak is based in Santa Paula, California and is the manufacturer of wheel service equipment, pipe benders, air compressors, and the QuickJack portable car lift. 

Henthorn grew up working in the BendPak family business. He began as a teenager on the shop floor and was eventually promoted to vice president. He established a construction company, Henthorn Construction, in Malibu, California, in 2008, followed by Garage Equipment Supply, Dannmar Equipment Inc., and MaxJax automotive brands. In 2014, he patented a two-post vehicle lift with opposing lift carriages.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved son, Gary Henthorn,” Don and Ginger Henthorn said. “Gary was a kind and loving person who brought joy to all who knew him. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of being part of his life. We take comfort in knowing that Gary is now at peace.”

To look back on Gary’s life, visit the BendPak blog.

Race Winning Brands (RWB)—the Mentor, Ohio-based portfolio company of MiddleGround Capital in Lexington, Kentucky, and manufacturer of high-performance components—has announced Bob Cook Sales (BCS) joins the “team of RWB representation... brands in Southeastern United States territories.” 

BCS will help represent nine RWB brands, including BoostLine Products, Dart Machinery, K1 Technologies, MGP Connecting Rods, Trend Performance, Victory 1 Performance, PAC Racing Springs, Transmission Specialties (TSI), and RevMax. Southeast territories include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. 

For more information, visit racewinningbrands.com.

Image courtesy of Hertz Team JOTA

Hertz Team JOTA has revealed that its livery for the upcoming FIA WEC season will prominently feature NFL star Tom Brady’s brand on the vehicle. The graphics, designed by Singer Group Vehicle Design, celebrates the centenary year of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

The team brings together a collective of global partners, including title sponsor Hertz, California luxury brand Singer Group, and Tom Brady’s apparel brand BRADY.

 “I have been a big fan of motor racing for a long time, and for BRADY to now be a part of Hertz Team JOTA as the future of motorsports apparel and design is an incredibly exciting opportunity. BRADY and Hertz are great brands that pride themselves on teamwork, determination, and providing a seamless experience, making this the perfect partnership,” Tom Brady said in a release.

Hertz Team JOTA is entered in the Hypercar class this season and will race in LMP2.

For more information, visit fiawec.com.

Fox Factory—the Duluth, Georgia-based designer and manufacturer of performance products for applications including off-road vehicles, side-by-sides, and more—has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Custom Wheel House from Thompson Street Capital Partners and other sellers.

Subject to customary closing agreements, the transaction is valued at $131.6 million. 

Custom Wheel House—based out of Rancho Dominguez, California—designs, markets, and distributes high-performance wheels, performance off-road tires, and accessories. Its family of brands includes its flagship brand Method Race Wheels, along with Tensor Tire and GMZ Race Products. 

“This will further expand our performance-defining aftermarket solutions with the additions of high-performance wheels and performance off-road tires,” said Mike Dennison, Fox Factory CEO. 

For more information, see the announcement here or visit ridefox.com.

According to published reports, NASCAR has sold land on the site of Auto Club Speedway, the 2-mile, low-banked D-shaped oval superspeedway near Fontana, California. Approximately 433 acres of the 522-acre site is said to have been sold to an unknown buyer at an undisclosed price. Reported plans include the demolition of the famed track, which will be replaced with a short track by 2026.

Fontana most recently played host to the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series during the Pala Casino 400 on Sunday, February 26—likely the last time NASCAR will race at the superspeedway. 

Track officials had previously filed for the reconstruction of the facility in September 2020, according to reports, but plans were put on hold as of February of last year. 

Bottom row: WV Senator Ben Queen, WV Senator Mark Maynard, Kiley Chapley (SEMA/PRI), Laura Bowman (WV Motorsports Committee), Jared Frederick (Summit Point Motorsports Park), Christian Robinson (SEMA/PRI). Top row: Tim Cotter (MX Sports), Jeff Johnson (Summit Point Motorsports Park), Tom Deery (PRI), Edwin Pardue (Summit Point Motorsports Park). Photo courtesy of WV Legislative Photography, Will Price.

Racing operators, promoters, officials, parts manufacturers, and related professionals gathered at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia, to help educate legislators about the positive impact the industry makes on the local and state economy. Representatives included professionals from the entire spectrum of motorsports—dirt tracks, road courses, paved ovals, drag racing, and more—along with PRI, SEMA, Summit Point Motorsports Park, and GNCC Motocross.      

Organized by the West Virginia Motorsports Committee, this second annual event also highlighted the PRI- and SEMA-supported “Motorsports Responsibility Act” (H.B. 2569/S.B. 236), designed to help racing facility operators and owners by defining areas of responsibility and assumed risks by participants. [Editor’s note: H.B. 2569 is currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee while S.B. 236 is in the Senate Judiciary Committee. To contact lawmakers in support of the Motorsport Responsibility Act, visit https://p2a.co/S9lLlWt.]   

Passage of this bill would likely reduce liability insurance premiums and allow the venues to invest the savings—such as to promote the venue—increasing tourism volume and, possibly, creating more jobs.   

PRI track ambassador Tom Deery was on-hand to share information on PRI’s Race Track Promoter Helpline [202-794-8279 and racinghelp@performanceracing.com], which is monitored five days a week and helps provide motorsports facilities and sanctioning bodies with access to relevant legal resources, peer-to-peer discussions, grassroots campaigns, lawyer referrals, and more support.    

“PRI is represented at events around the nation, from NASCAR’s biggest race in Daytona to short tracks in the Midwest to important legislation gatherings. Yes, PRI is the three biggest days in the motorsports business [set for Dec. 7–9 in Indianapolis, Indiana], but we’re working hard year-round to support all levels of the industry,” Deery said. “What’s good about the WV Motorsports Day and the Motorsports Responsibility Act is that they provide a template for other state racing groups that might need to introduce similar legislation in their region. If passed, the Bill would put motorsports venues in the same vein as ATV, equestrian, snow skiing, whitewater rafting, and related protected recreational venues in the state of West Virginia.”   

West Virginians can also celebrate the passing of February 24 as the official WV Motorsports Day at the Legislature. The resolution was sponsored by Senator Mark Maynard and, as a result of its passing, will ensure the gathering will continue to elevate motorsports tracks and businesses in the state for years to come.    

PRI and SEMA have hired Alicia Steger as their Political Action Committee (PAC) manager. Based in the Government and Public Affairs office in Washington, D.C., Steger will lead fundraising efforts for both PRI and SEMA during the 2024 election cycle. 

Members of PRI and SEMA PACs can contribute personal funds, which are used to help elect lawmakers that support pro-motorsports positions and initiatives. One hundred percent of PRI and SEMA PAC donations are allocated to funding political candidates’ campaigns who support PRI, SEMA, and their members. 

“The 2024 elections will be here before we know. What’s on the ballot? EPA overreach, internal combustion engine bans, and burdensome noise and zoning ordinances, and so much more. It’s essential that PRI and the racing community have a voice in each of these fights—and PRI PAC is our first line of defense,” said Christian Robinson, Senior Director, State Government Affairs & SEMA PAC.  

For more information, contact Steger at alicias@sema.org. 

Officials with Extreme E—the off-road racing series featuring electric SUVs and founded by the same team behind Formula E—have revealed updates for its third season. 

The next race season will double from five to ten rounds of racing—with no additional carbon footprint—as each X Prix will now be a doubleheader event with back-to-back rounds. This means double the opportunity for wins, podiums, and crucial points.

Five cars will compete in both Qualifying Round 1 and Round 2, which will now each consist of two heats, five cars each. Intermediate classification points are awarded for Q1 and Q2, with a single championship point awarded to the winners of each heat—something that could prove crucial at the season's end.

The top five teams will compete in the Grand Final, with the winner taking the top step on the podium. Remaining teams will battle in a Redemption Race, where championship points will still be awarded. Two winners will be crowned at each race weekend: one Saturday and one Sunday. 

The next season kicks off with the Desert X Prix on March 11–12 in Neom, Saudi Arabia. 

For the complete details, visit the Extreme E announcement here or extreme-e.com.

Officials with Circle City Raceway—the 1/4-mile dirt track at the Marion County Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana—have announced Will Greenwell as its director of Race Operations. 

“We are excited to partner with Will in his new role. He closed out [2022] for us at our first event as new owners at the Norton Transport Spookie 150, and our experience with Will was great,” said co-owner Shannon Mastin. “I know Eddie [VanMeter, co-owner] and I are excited to have Will in our corner.”

Greenwell will develop a team of professionals for officiating and scoring duties. His prior experience includes roles with Fayetteville Motor Speedway (Fayetteville, North Carolina) and Florence Speedway (Union, Kentucky). 

The season opens on Friday, April 7, featuring Dirt Crate Late Models, DIRTcar UMP Modifieds, Pro Legends, Stock Cars, and Mod Lites. Weekly events will be broadcast online on the track website, with select national races streamed on FLOracing.com. 

For track sponsorship opportunities, contact Will Greenwell at will@circlecityraceway.com. For more information, read the track announcement here or visit circlecityraceway.com.

Officials with Motor State Distributing’s Pro-Touring event—the Motor State Challenge—have announced details for its 15th annual event, set for July 20–22.

Thursday, July 20, opens check-in a Lane Automotive in Watervliet, Michigan, followed by a cruise through scenic Southwest Michigan, ending with dinner at Weko Beach, Bridgman. Drivers will compete in the timed road course event at GingerMan Raceway (South Haven, Michigan) on Friday. Saturday will feature autocross on the road test track at the Tire Rack corporate HQ in South Bend, Indiana. 

Up to 100 drivers from the US and Canada are expected to compete across standard and manufacturer Vintage and Late Model classes, as well as the QA1 #goDRIVEit class, designed for participants who drive their vehicle to the event, race it, then drive it home. It also features the unscored/untimed Touring class “for those wanting the on-track experience without the competitive pressure.”

For more information, visit motorstatechallenge.com.