A photographic look at the “excitement, energy, and passion” on display at the annual PRI Trade Show in downtown Indianapolis.

In addition to packed halls and aisles bursting with the latest products, the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis hosted a number of educational seminars, networking events, advocacy activities, VIP appearances and autograph signings, awards ceremonies, and more throughout all three days of December’s PRI Trade Show.

“This latest Show was filled with excitement, energy, and passion,” said PRI General Manager and interim President Jim Liaw. “The state of the industry is one of great strength!”

Indeed, exhibitor participation was up some 10%, with more than 1,000 hardcore racing and performance companies connecting with tens of thousands of dedicated professionals in attendance. Industry icon Tony Stewart joined Speed Sport’s Ralph Sheheen on stage at the Grand Opening Breakfast, PRI’s annual kickoff event. Additional key Show features included the Content Creation Zone; EV Performance Zone; the Track Operators, Promoters, and Sanctioning Bodies (TOPS) Lounge; and the Street Outlaws stage, among others.

“The PRI Show is about helping businesses and professionals in the motorsports industry grow and succeed,” said Liaw. “In addition to new products and technology, the Show addresses timely topics and issues. Through the many features, attractions, and activities at the Show, attendees were able to access resources that are most important and valuable to them.”

Here, we present some of the most memorable Show vehicles, equipment, features, and VIPs as captured by PRI’s team of award-winning photographers and content creators.

VEHICLES

From dragsters to road racers, tractors, vintage, and more, PRI highlights an array of show-stopping competition vehicles that come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. In fact, these track-ready cars and trucks catch the eye even amongst a Show floor packed with dazzling parts and equipment. Representing all forms of motorsports, our Featured Vehicle and in-booth displays showcase some of the quickest and most unique builds to hit the quarter-mile, road course, or autocross course. 

MACHINERY

Aisles upon aisles of the latest shop machining equipment—alongside precision-engineered tools, workstations, parts cleaners, and more—are a hallmark of PRI’s world-famous Machinery Row. For countless high-performance engine builders, fabricators, and machinists, this exclusive portion of the Show floor represents a treasure trove of cutting-edge technology designed to enhance their operations and add new capabilities and services to help drive business for the coming race season.

FEATURES

Traditional favorites like PRI’s Grand Opening Breakfast were joined by returning activations including the EV Performance Zone, spotlighting electric race and performance vehicles, specialty EV builders, and EV component suppliers; the Content Creation Zone, where industry leaders and influencers discussed all things digital content; the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow engine competition, where high schoolers compete for the national championship; a host of live interviews and broadcasts; and much more.

VIPs

What better place to visit with drag racing legend John Force, or NHRA legends-in-the-making Antron Brown, Erica Enders, and Leah Pruett, not to mention Street Outlaws stars Murder Nova, Farmtruck, and AZN, Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar drivers Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi, and even the icon herself, Linda Vaughn? As always, the PRI Show proved once again to be the ideal gathering place for motorsports’ top personalities and performers.

From adaptive gearboxes to battery relocation kits, engine control systems, and pocket tire gauges, PRI’s Featured Product Award winners are “following the trends of where this industry is going.”

Innovation was the overriding theme for PRI’s Featured Products Showcase, which highlighted hundreds of new race parts, equipment, technology, gear, and more straight from the Trade Show floor. 

“There were so many new innovative products in last year’s Showcase—since we had two years off [due to COVID]—so I was not expecting to see as many cool new products this year. That’s not the case; I’m impressed,” said BangShift’s Chad Reynolds, who was selected as a Featured Product Awards judge in the traditional media category. “Some of the lesser-known brands are clearly stepping up their game and making better components.”

Like Reynolds, Skye Romanoff of Blanco Racing was impressed with the variety of cutting-edge options in the Showcase. “It was a little overwhelming at first, just because there are so many products to see,” said Romanoff, who judged in the social influencer category. A rally racer, she is also the president of California Rallycross and an event host for the Northern California SCCA National Rallycross. “It was difficult to choose my Judge’s Pick. I had three contenders, but I went with Radium Engineering’s spare tire fuel cell. I like that it’s a simple plug-and-play option where you don’t have to weld or do extra fab work. It’s all pretty much one system that you don’t need extra switch tanks or anything else—everything is ready to go in one little box. You take out your spare tire, and you’re good to go. It’s great for not only full-on race cars, but also for people like me who have production cars.” 

The theme of innovation carried over for JA Ackley of Grassroots Motorsports, who had his sights on inventive parts in the oval track and sports cars categories. 

“My Judge’s Pick is a fire suppression system from Lifeline for electric vehicles (EVs). It’s nice to see a product that is following the trends of where this industry is going. They’re clearly ahead of the curve right now, so kudos to them for taking advantage of the latest technology,” Ackley said. “I know for us at Grassroots Motorsports, we’re seeing more EVs in our $2,000 Challenge [event]. Safety standards haven’t [necessarily] caught up with these cars yet, so seeing a product from Lifeline address that is a good step toward meeting those needs.” 

For Kevin Wells of Formula DRIFT, the SST Transmission by Pure Drivetrain Solutions (PDS) caught his eye. “It is a manual transmission, so you can have a clutch pedal, and you can have it as sequential or H-pattern, and you can convert it to an automatic. It can work in damn near anything. [Someone] could go road racing, use it as a manual with the paddle shift option, then go sit in LA traffic, switch it to automatic, and you’re good to go. It’s a really cool setup that bridges both worlds of race cars and street cars,” Wells said. 

Two dozen PRI exhibitors received either a Judge’s Pick or a Category Award through the Featured Product Awards program. Following is the complete list of winners.

After more than 20 years, Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford has announced its return to the FIA Formula One World Championship. The automaker is set to compete in 2026 when new engine regulations are introduced. 

“This is the start of a thrilling new chapter in Ford’s motorsports story that began when my great-grandfather won a race that helped launch our company,” Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford said. “Ford is returning to the pinnacle of the sport, bringing Ford’s long tradition of innovation, sustainability, and electrification to one of the world’s most visible stages.”

Ford remains the third most successful engine manufacturer in F1 history, with 10 Constructors’ championships and 13 Drivers’ championships.

“There are few manufacturers who have such a celebrated motorsport history as Ford, so to see them coming back to the FIA Formula One World Championship is excellent news. It further underlines the success of the 2026 Power Unit Regulations that have at their heart a commitment to both sustainability and spectacle, and of course, having more interest from the United States is important for the continued growth of the world’s top motorsport category,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

In addition, Ford has announced a long-term strategic technical partnership with Red Bull Powertrains to develop the next-gen hybrid power unit to be used from the 2026 Formula 1 season onwards. Red Bull Ford will provide the power units for both the Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri teams from 2026 to at least 2030. The units will feature a 350kW electric motor and a new combustion engine able to accept fully sustainable fuels. 

For more information, visit formula1.com and performance.ford.com.

NASCAR has honored advocates and trailblazers throughout the sport during its 15th annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards. Ten individuals and organizations who set an example by advocating for diversity and inclusion across NASCAR were honored during a ceremony in Los Angeles, California. 

“We continue to make significant progress in increasing diversity and inclusion across our sport, a collective effort made possible thanks to those receiving awards today,” said NASCAR President Steve Phelps said. “Their contributions are helping drive our sport forward, and these awards celebrate the passion and commitment of leaders who are bolstering our efforts to build a more inclusive NASCAR culture.”

The 2023 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Award recipients included Chris Justice (Crew Member Award); Nick Sanchez (Developmental Series Driver Award); Jamie Little (Sam Belnavis Industry Ambassador Award); Sports Biz Camps (Institution Award); Daniel Suárez (National Series Driver Award); Susan Wong (Outstanding Intern Award); Advance Auto Parts (Partner Award); 23XI Racing (Team Award); Daytona International Speedway (Track Award); and Nathan Lyons (Young Racer Award).

For more information, visit nascar.com.

Officials with East Moline Speedway—the 1/4-mile dirt oval in East Moline, Illinois—have announced Chuck Hanna has taken over as the promoter. He is a longtime Late Model racer, regularly competing in the IMCA Sunoco Late Model Series. 

Plans for the IMCA-sanctioned track include continuing its Speedway Motors Weekly Racing programs, adding new dirt to the racing surface, and upgrading the facility’s fencing, signage, concessions, and more. 

The season will open on Sunday, April 23, and run through the season championship on Sunday, August 27. The track will run IMCA Late Models, Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Friesen Performance Northern IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, IMCA STARS Mod Lites, Outlaw Street Stocks, and Sport Compacts, according to its latest schedule.

Three memorial events are also scheduled, including the June 18 Mike Mix Memorial, the July 2 Ron Gustaf Memorial, and the July 30 Greg Durbin Memorial. 

For more information, visit the track’s Facebook page here.

Wharton Automotive Group—featuring brands McLeod Racing, FTI Performance, and Silver Sport Transmissions—has appointed Will Baty to the position of product development manager. He was previously the off-road and research and development specialist for McLeod Racing in Anaheim, California. 

With over 35 years in the drivetrain aftermarket, Baty will continue to add applications to the company’s product lines and work to develop new products and kits.

“As an engineer at heart, the opportunity to utilize each of the Wharton Automotive Group brands to expand and engineer new products is awesome,” Baty said. “The knowledge that I have gained over all these years from working in the industry to installing components on customer cars and my own cars, I will be able to provide products that create a solution for the customer’s wants and needs.”

PRI Magazine sat down with Baty, also known as “Mr. Clutch,” for a Newly Appointed column last year. 

In addition, McLeod Racing has announced the addition of racer and engine builder Gary Kubo as its new racing department coordinator. He will help develop new drivetrain solutions, including overseeing the addition of small diameter clutch kits to the McLeod product line. He will also serve as a liaison to race teams. 

Kubo, who started in the sport compact world in 1992, campaigned one of the quickest and most competitive drag Hondas with his wife, Lisa, the director of Sport Compact Sales for McLeod. 

For more information, visit mcleodracing.com.

Photo of the Edelbrock/Musi 555 crate engine courtesy of Pat Musi Racing Engines

Mooresville, North Carolina-based Pat Musi Racing Engines and Olive Branch, Mississippi-based Edelbrock Group has extended its longtime partnership through 2023.

The Edelbrock/Musi Signature product line, including the popular Edelbrock/Musi 555 crate engine and race-ready cylinder heads and manifolds, will continue to be developed and offered as part of the collaboration. 

“It means a lot to me to continue our partnership with Edelbrock,” Pat Musi said. “Vic Edelbrock taught me a lot about business and we had a great relationship, and to see it continue with their team for more than 20 years is a great thing.”

Product development will continue to be a key part of the relationship, the company stated. Operations are based out of the Edelbrock Race Center housed within the Pat Musi Racing Engines facility. All Edelbrock racing cylinder heads are machined using a Centroid 5-axis CNC.

“We’re going to really put our heads down and continue to concentrate on the race center,” Musi said. “There’s a lot going on and we’re always working on developing new things, so we couldn’t be more excited.”

For more information, visit edelbrock.com and musiracing.com. 

Taglich Private Equity has acquired Oxnard, California-based Vortech Superchargers and Paxton Automotive. The companies join the Air Flow Research (AFR), Scat Crankshafts, RaceTec Pistons, and Procar Custom Seating Systems family of companies.

“Vortech Superchargers is a perfect match with this organization; all brands complement one another. For the first time in the performance aftermarket, a customer can purchase a reliable, high horsepower, proven combination directly from the companies manufacturing the core components,” said Jim Middlebrook, the founder of Vortech Superchargers.

For more information, visit taglichpe.com, vortechsuperchargers.com, and vortechsuperchargers.com/pages/paxton-landing-page. 

 

Whether naturally aspirated or propelled by nitrous, turbos, or superchargers, race engine technology was front and center at the industry’s annual salute to speed in downtown Indianapolis.

Each December, top suppliers show off their muscle in the form of high-performance engines on display at the annual PRI Trade Show.

Various motorsports disciplines are represented, including truck and tractor pulling, sprint and midget racing, UTV performance, drag racing, marine performance, the import market, and much more.

While it’s nearly impossible to single out a favorite from the Show floor, we did manage to hone in on 10 impressive powerplants showcasing a bevy of hardcore race parts across diverse applications—which can only be found at PRI.

Noonan

439ci Nitro-injected –
Based on 4.8-inch Billet Hemi Block

Engine builder:

Noonan Race Engineering

Application:

NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster

Horsepower:

4,000 hp

Features:

• 6,500 rpm redline

• 30 gallons per minute of fuel – 92% Nitro

• Three injectors and two spark plugs per cylinder

• Complete billet construction, all new components

• Developed in six months, all designed in conjunction

• Set to race for the first time during the 2023 season with their own car

“Our machine work really stands out [when compared] to any other company…. All our other engine combinations won five championships this year in every category.” —Jamie Noonan, founder of Noonan Race Engineering

“The whole combo hasn’t been done before…. This is the first 100% billet unit from oil pan to manifold in its class.”

 

ProCharger

540 Big Block Chevy

Engine builder:

SDPC Raceshop

Application:

NHRA Top Dragster – 6.10 and under class

Horsepower:

2,275+ hp

Features:

• Multi-time NHRA Division championship-winning package

• This exact engine won the last race of the NHRA Top Dragster 2022 season in Texas

• Features ProCharger F-3R-112 with RaceDrive

• The engine alone is 1,000 hp. The ProCharger blower adds more than 1,200 hp, more than the
base engine alone

• Blow-through APD carb setup

• Custom forged Raceshop pistons by Diamond

• Engine is refreshed every season, supercharger lasts multiple seasons

“Very consistent and durable powerplant…the guys like it because they can make 2,000+ horsepower and run a whole season and not have to worry about maintenance. Just change the oil in it and that’s pretty much it.” —Walt Sipp, motorsports manager at ProCharger

 

ARP

850ci+ Chrysler Hemi Configuration

Engine builder:

Moran Racing Engines

Application:

NHRA Pro Mod/Custom Crate Engine

Horsepower:

5,300 hp

Features:

• Only four examples ever made

• Complete billet construction from manifold to oil pan

• 7,200 rpm peak power

• 5.3-inch bore spacing

• Square engine design – 4 3/4-inch bore and stroke

• Twin 104-mm turbos (small turbo setup)

• Newly designed 550 and 850 pound/hour fuel injectors and fuel rail

• Methanol-powered

• Rear-mounted throttle bodies

• Dailey Engineering dry sump system

“The technology in the intake manifold is completely different than anybody else is running. I can’t dig too deep into that, but it’s very cool from an engineering perspective.” —Anthony Donnarumma, design engineer at Moran Motorsports

“Watching this thing do a power pull on the dyno and seeing the numbers that come off it is probably the coolest part of the whole engine.”

 

Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants

12-Valve Super Stock Super B Cummins

Engine builder:

Haisley Machine

Application:

Truck/Tractor Pulling

Horsepower:

3,000+ hp

Features:

• 391 CID

• Triple turbocharger setup for 160 PSI of boost

• Complete billet block

• Custom dry-sump lubrication system

• Billet 18-mm injection pump

• SMT roller rocker system

• Water injection

• Sandridge four-core air-to-water intercooler

• ARP fasteners

• Haisley builds a new engine for display at every PRI Show

“Almost like a work of art…he’s [Haisley] been doing this a long time, so he has these visions of, ‘I can improve this by doing this, rather than following the old process.’” —Steve Brewer, vice president of Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants

“We can’t determine the torque on it because there is no engine dyno that can handle this. It might suck all the air out of the room with those turbos.”

 

Fleece Performance Engineering

6.7-liter Cummins

Engine builder:

Fleece Performance Engineering

Application:

Custom crate engine

Horsepower:

Up to 700 hp

Features:

• Freedom Series HD cylinder head

• Freedom Street HD engine block

• In-house Cheetah 63-mm turbocharger

• PowerFlo 750 CP3 fuel pump

• Upgraded Stage 2 valvetrain package

• Billet front cover and pulleys

“We sell more 6.7 Cummins turbos than anything else…. We designed the whole package to be a good drop-in replacement engine.” —Paul Ritchardson, product development manager at Fleece Performance Engineering

 

Indy Cylinder Head

572ci Race Wedge

Engine builder:

Indy Cylinder Head

Application:

Pro Mod/Pro Stock

Horsepower:

1,250 hp

Features:

• 450 pounds dry weight including supercharger

• Indy Maxx aluminum block

• Blower Shop 250 Blower – 7-psi pulley

• GPR aluminum rods

• In-house wet sump oiling system, oil pan, valve covers

• Single alcohol-powered carburetor

“We are proud of the fact that it is a lightweight and reliable package…for the power and the price point, it’s amazing. It’s meant to race the whole year without anything but changing the oil. Reliability is what we targeted.” —Charli Wheatcraft, president of Indy Cylinder Head

 

ARP

Stage 5 Polaris 1,004cc Turbo Stroker

Engine builder:

D&M

Application:

Custom Crate Engine/Sand Dune Drag

Horsepower:

500 hp

Features:

• Designed for Polaris RZR XPTurbo

• 8,000–9,000 rpm redline

• Brian Crower 1,004cc stroker kit

• Custom King Bearings

• “Shuffle pinned” - each main fastener gets its own unique dowel pin

• BME 94-mm bore x 9.5:1 stroker pistons

• Brian Crower cams, valvetrain

• Brian Crower ported cylinder heads

• TPR valve cover and breather

• 70-mm XONA turbo

• Clutch rated for 1,000 hp

“The power-to-weight ratio is unheard of, it’s insane. It’s like the old sport compact days,

and a lot of those guys are getting into the side-by-side (desert drag) market now.”
—Jared Raschke of ARP

“Racers can get a full season out of one engine. With the stock Polaris powerplant, you are changing the motor every race.”

 

Turn 14 Distribution

2.8-liter Stroker RB26 Inline-six

Engine builder:

GReddy Performance

Application:

Custom Crate Engine

Horsepower:

800 hp

Features:

• Fully built stroker engine, capable of 2,000 hp

• GReddy billet valve cover

• GReddy prototype twin GP54R turbo kit (available in 2023)

• GReddy Type 29F intercooler

• GReddy 90-mm single throttle surge tank

• GReddy fuel rail for 10.5-mm injectors

• GReddy BNR34 aluminum pulley kit

• GReddy x Taarks Oil block adapter

• GReddy R35 ignition coil conversion kit for RB26

• GReddy aluminum oil pan

“We built this so that if you have an R32 [GT-R] imported from Japan and you are looking to upgrade your tired engine, new technologies allow this to be an amazing street engine or a crazy 2,000-horsepower racing powerplant.” —Kenji Sumino, president of GReddy

 

Engler Machine and Tool

166ci Ford Four-Cylinder

Engine builder:

Engler Machine and Tool

Application:

USAC National Midgets

Horsepower:

370 hp

Features:

• First ever all-billet and fully forged Ford powerplant within USAC National Midget Series

• 8,700 rpm redline

• Seven-year development process, three years collaborative project just for the camshaft

• Engler Machine complete injection system (individual throttle bodies, runners,
injectors, nozzles, lines)

• Dailey Engineering dry-sump lubrication system

“The best part about the billet block is versatility. Let’s say you want to put a Mopar or Toyota head on it, you can just change the bolt pattern and use that head instead.” —Tim Engler, founder of Engler Machine and Tool

“Out of 36 competitors at the [2022] Turkey Night race, 28 of them are running Toyota engines. I want to give the guys another option. This is the most modern and up-to-date package to be competitive with the Mopars and the Toyotas.”

 

D&J Precision Machine

6.7-liter Cummins

Engine builder:

D&J Precision Machine

Application:

Custom Crate Engine

Horsepower:

3,000 hp

Features:

• Fully built and assembled by D&J

• ENFORCER Series deck plate block (adds a 1-inch-tall deck plate)

• Stage 3 billet cylinder head (two times the flow of a stock head) with upgraded valvetrain

• D&J billet LED valve cover, front cover, oil pan, crank seals, and oil cooler housing

• D&J billet gear-driven dual CP3 fuel pump housing

• D&J HD girdle

• FSR billet pistons and Total Seal piston rings

• D&J X-BEAM 1-inch longer rods

• Billet flat tappet camshaft

“We run these engines on the street and in dirt drags. We have setups from budget-friendly reman packages starting at 700 horsepower all the way to a 3,000 horsepower capable ENFORCER block.” —Josh Hills, sales manager of D&J Precision Machine

IndyCar and its longtime partner Indiana University (IU) Health have announced a new mobile medical facility will debut in 2023. 

The IndyCar Medical Unit will make its debut at the year’s first Open Test, held February 2–3, at The Thermal Club near Palm Springs, California. The new transporter features double slide-outs designed to provide an environment for consistent and accessible care during each NTT IndyCar Series and INDY NXT by Firestone event.

Previously, IndyCar’s medical team utilized a combination of a mobile trailer and the facilities available at the venues that host events. 

“IndyCar medical has always been the industry standard of care and service in motorsports,” IndyCar President Jay Frye said. “The investment into the IndyCar Medical Unit is an important step in continuing that expectation and assuring that all personnel will receive excellent care.”

Among the features of the IndyCar Medical Unit:

• Four functional areas, one with two hospital beds
• Equipment needed to care for patients with urgent or emergent needs, including a portable X-ray machine, a resuscitation cart, and assorted orthopedic care supplies
• Workspace for the doctors and nurses who will travel with the sport
• Meeting areas for patient consultation and emergency updates
• Video feeds to enable the staff to monitor the on-track action

The NTT IndyCar Series season begins March 3–5, with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding.

For more information, visit the IndyCar announcement here or visit indycar.com.