MAHLE Motorsport has announced that its division, comprised of 125 employees, has achieved a five-year manufacturing record with zero lost-time accidents. This achievement was met on March 14. 
 
“This is a tremendous achievement that could only occur by the diligence of our employees to stay situationally aware of their well-being and others. Manufacturing high-performance pistons and rings require the use of very technical and potentially dangerous equipment,” MAHLE Motorsport General Manager Brad Green said.  
 
Injuries are tracked by Ralph Williams, environmental health and safety coordinator at MAHLE Industries, Inc. for multiple divisions, including Assembled Camshafts, Heavy Duty Diesel, Light Vehicle Diesel, Motorsports, Logistics, Quality and Technical Services, and Support. 
 
For more information about MAHLE Motorsport, visit mahlemotorsports.com. 

RANDYS Worldwide Automotive, the parent company of Yukon Gear & Axle, has announced the Team Ownership Program (TOP), designed to give its employees ownership in the company.  
 
“We are tapping into the mentality of an owner,” said Kevin Kaestner, RANDYS Worldwide president and CEO. “Ultimately, we want to continue to embrace the values that got us where we are today. We’re celebrating the 40th anniversary this year, and a number of our employees have been with us for 20 to 25 years, so it was easy to look inward and see the value of our workforce.” 
 
All RANDYS full-time employees (after 30 days with the company) will receive a grant valued at $10,000. The grants only have cash value at a liquidity event, i.e., company sale or distribution payout. The award grant’s share value will be updated quarterly. Shares are not transferable or saleable and are valid only if the employee is on active status. 
 
For more information, visit randysworldwide.com. 

Image courtesy of Kahn Media

Moorpark, California-based Kahn Media has acquired the assets of TREAD Agency, which will act as a sub-brand of Kahn Media and provide digital marketing services with a focus on off-road, shooting sports, fishing and boating, overland, and related market segments. TREAD is based in Southern California with affiliates in Texas, Arizona, and Florida.

“The addition of TREAD provides us with a dedicated brand and platform to deliver results for clients both on and off the grid,” said Kahn Media President and CEO Dan Kahn.

TREAD Agency was founded by public relations and marketing veteran Jeff Dillow. He joined Kahn Media in 2021 and will remain directly engaged with the TREAD Agency brand.

For more information, visit treadagency.com and kahnmedia.com.

Image from the 2021 DIRTcar Summer Nationals captured by the PRI Road Tour
 

Officials have announced changes to the DIRTcar Summer Nationals “Hell Tour” schedule, including four new race dates. 

The 32-race stretch will take place from mid-June to late July for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Models and DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals.

New races include Red Hill Raceway (Sumner, Illinois) on Tuesday, June 28. Midwest racing promoter Jeremy Sneed has purchased the 3/8-mile oval and will reopen the facility for racing for the first time since it was closed in 2005. 

For the first time since 1997, the Summer Nationals returns to Benton Speedway (Benton, Missouri) on Wednesday, June 29. The tour will also visit Montpelier Motor Speedway (Montpelier, Indiana) on Wednesday, July 13, and then Shadyhill Speedway (Medaryville, Indiana) on Thursday, July 14. 

Additionally, the Knox County Fair Raceway (Knoxville, Illinois) event, originally slated for Tuesday, July 12, has been moved to Tuesday, July 5. In the meantime, the Fayette County Speedway (Brownstown, Illinois) event was moved from Monday, July 4, to Wednesday, July 6.

For the updated schedule, visit here. For more information, visit dirtcar.com. 

SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association)—the parent company of PRI and the host of the aftermarket industry’s premier products trade event, the SEMA Show—has announced RJ de Vera as its vice president of Marketing.

De Vera comes to SEMA after 12 years at 3M, a Fortune 100 company, including the last seven as the global leader of Digital Marketing and Public Relations for the Meguiar’s Car Care brand. He will be developing and implementing a modernized multi-channel marketing strategy for SEMA with a digital-first focus to expand brand awareness and build customer affinity for SEMA and its members.

“RJ is an industry icon, having worked in and with the aftermarket specialty business for nearly 30 years. It’s a thrill to have him join the SEMA leadership team,” said SEMA Senior VP of Operations Bill Miller. “He will surely be an asset to our growth in the coming years, and we look forward to seeing what he will bring to the organization.”

Prior to 3M/Meguiar’s, de Vera worked with OEMs including Honda, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Scion to build corporate image vehicles. He also helped American Racing, Veilside Japan, and Vorsteiner design and market aftermarket parts and accessories, while also consulting on automotive-related marketing initiatives with numerous brands, including Pepsi Co., Valvoline, Boost Mobile, Michelin/BF Goodrich, and Microsoft/XBOX.

“I have attended every SEMA Show since 1997 and have had the honor of being a judge for the SEMA Show’s Battle of Builders series for the past six years,” said de Vera. “I am honored to expand my role within the association and hope to have a positive impact on the industry and culture that I love.”

Early in his career, de Vera was part of the team at Petersen Publishing that led the charge to popularize sport compact culture with Super Street Magazine. In addition, de Vera helped promote the first National Import Racing Association (NIRA) events and assisted Universal Studios in launching “The Fast and the Furious” movie franchise as a consultant and actor. He also served as a judge, host, and content strategist for MTV’s “Trick It Out” series.

For more information, visit sema.org, semashow.com, or performanceracing.com.

Applications to exhibit at the 2022 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show are now available at PerformanceRacing.com/exhibit. The event—taking place December 8-10, 2022, in Indianapolis, Indiana—is where winning racers, race teams, and racing-related businesses go to network and see the latest motorsports trends, news, technologies, and products.

For three days in December, the Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium are transformed into the mecca for all things motorsports. Engine parts, transmissions, power adders, machinery and more are displayed throughout the exhibit halls, while the adjoining Lucas Oil Stadium features an impressive collection of trailer exhibits.

With attendees focused on the upcoming racing season, sanctioning bodies and teams host VIP events and issue announcements during the event each year. Only at the PRI Show are attendees able to inspect products in-person, engage in meaningful conversations with manufacturers and product experts, discover new technology, network with all corners of the racing industry, and prepare for a winning season.

“Everyone from the racing industry attends the PRI Show each year,” said Dr. Jamie Meyer, PRI President. “With industry icons, professional racers, team owners, sanctioning bodies, as well as grassroots race teams gathered under one roof, it’s a can’t-miss event for anyone in the motorsports business.”

Last year’s PRI Show marked the Indiana Convention Center’s largest trade show since reopening in June 2020. As the most influential business event in the motorsports industry, the 2021 PRI Show brought together more than 50,000 attendees, including buyers, media, influencers, enthusiasts, and professionals. Icons joining the historic show included legendary driver and team owner Roger Penske and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles—who kicked off the Show at the Grand Opening Breakfast.

Other Show highlights included the unveiling of the 2022 Indianapolis 500 ticket design with four-time winner Helio Castroneves, a special Show tour with Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, a Save Our Racecars Rally to support the PRI PAC with hundreds of supporters including motorsports influencer Cleetus McFarland, and a dedicated EV Zone to highlight future trends in motorsports.

“The energy and excitement at the PRI Show is awe-inspiring,” said Meyer. “Something magical happens when you get the entire motorsports industry together for three days under one roof. The passion for racing is electrifying, and everyone is so focused on business that the quality of conversations is off the charts. Everyone leaves the Show fired up and ready to win in the upcoming season.”

Exhibitors can secure their booth space now at PerformanceRacing.com/exhibit. Attendee registration is set to open in July.

Launched in 1988, the PRI Show encompasses all forms of racing while offering an unprecedented showcase for professional race teams, retail shops, warehouse distributors, engine builders, fabricators, dealers, installers, jobbers, and more. For more information, visit PerformanceRacing.com.

In continued support of the motorsports industry, the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) is the title sponsor of the season-opening race on Saturday, April 16, at “the fastest quart-mile in the Northwest,” Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval in East Wenatchee, Washington. The evening will feature Rockstar Energy B-Mods, Plumb Perfect Roadrunners, and Johnson Electric Bump 2 Pass classes, plus a fireworks show. Tickets are available here. 

The exclusive Save Our Racecars Night will help build grassroots support for the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act 2021 (H.R.3281/S.2736), a bipartisan bill in the U.S. Congress that protects Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated race cars. The bill clarifies that it is legal to make emissions-related changes to a street vehicle for the purpose of converting it into a dedicated race car and protects the racing industry’s ability to produce, market, and install parts and equipment that enable racers to compete. 

“PRI’s Save Our Racecars Initiative and the RPM Act are so important for our industry beyond just one night. Having grown up attending races from my childhood in Washington and knowing the importance of motorsports as economic drivers to our local communities, we can take nothing for granted and must continue to support our sport’s long-term future. In order to preserve the sport, we need to do more, and I hope this evening underlines the bold initiatives that our trade associations are undertaking on our behalf to protect and grow motorsport as we know it,” AVD Motorsports CEO Ashley Van Dyke said. 

Fans will also learn about PRI Membership, which unites the industry and addresses challenges and needs, such as supporting race tracks, advocacy for the racing community against current legal threats, and educational programs that help businesses and racers succeed. 

To purchase tickets to the event, visit here. For more information, visit performanceracing.com/membership and wvso.com. 

Rialto, California-based Speedmaster has announced the addition of Fredrick (Rick) Roberts, Ph. D., as its North American director of Engineering.  

“While conducting our search for a Director of Engineering, Rick Roberts name came up several times by both candidates and industry colleagues,” said Speedmaster Deputy CEO Tim Kawasaki. “We are working towards our goal of being 85% made in the USA by 2025, and having a track-proven director of Engineering like Rick Roberts gets us one step closer.” 

Roberts has previously served 28 years as Edelbrock’s director of Engineering and played an integral part in developing EFI, cylinder head, and intake manifold programs. In 2019, he founded Roberts Automotive Consultants. 

For more information, visit speedmaster79.com. 

Power Automedia has announced that Brian Havins, the editor of LSX Magazine, has been promoted to director of Content and Consumer Marketing after four years with the company.  

In his new role, Havins will lead the content of Power Automedia’s publishing division and work with the chief operating officer, creative operations director, and other members of editorial leadership. Havins will also act as an ambassador for the automotive community—ensuring editorial and video content has credibility and puts the automotive enthusiast first. 

“The automobile has always been my passion, and I’m excited to continue my journey in an industry I know and love,” said Havins. 

For more information, visit powerautomedia.com. 

Pat Musi Racing Engines and Musi Racing will celebrate the grand opening of their new race facility and the Edelbrock Race Center in Mooresville, North Carolina, with an open house event on Saturday, April 30. 
 
Fans will have the opportunity to tour the two facilities, including the new Edelbrock Race Center, home to Pat Musi’s restoration-mod business, which will include the purchasing, upgrading, and reselling muscle cars, with the installation of the Edelbrock-Musi 555 crate engine in many vehicles. 
 
Fans can also meet Musi and his team and driver and TV star Lizzy Musi, who will be on hand at the racing facility from 1–3 p.m. for autographs and photos. In addition, her Edelbrock and Lucas Oil-powered “Bonnie” Camaro, and the “Aftershock” Camaro, will be on display.  
 
The new facility is located at 1160 Gateway Drive, Mooresville, North Carolina, and the Edelbrock Race Center is located at 379-B Timber Road, Mooresville, North Carolina.  
 
For the complete details, visit musiracing.com.