Extreme E, the maker of the all-electric off-road series, will launch an off-road hydrogen championship in 2024. Named Extreme H, the first-of-its-kind series will race on the exact dates and locations as the Extreme E series.

The Extreme H car will retain the same powertrain and chassis used in Extreme E, but a hydrogen fuel cell will replace the battery as the principal energy source. 

“Green hydrogen sources will be used to power the Extreme H fuel cells, created using a combination of solar and water. This technology is already being used behind the scenes in Extreme E, where it provides the energy source to the vehicle’s batteries,” a series release stated.  

Extreme H will feature two categories: full transition or combined racing. Officials plan to launch a prototype vehicle in early 2023.  

For more information, visit extreme-e.com.

Officials have announced the City of Calistoga is preparing to purchase the Napa County Fairgrounds in Napa, California, a move that would re-open the famed half-mile dirt oval Calistoga Speedway, best known for the annual “Louie Vermeil Classic.” PRI encourages the industry to voice their support of the initiative here (more details below).  

“Whether it’s saving a local track or voicing support for the RPM Act, it’s critical that that racing industry engages with their elected officials. We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘the squeaky wheel gets the grease,’ right? So the more people that get involved, the more likely we are to affect change,” PRI and SEMA Director or State Government Affairs & SEMA PAC Christian Robinson said.  

The City Council has unanimously agreed to develop a proposal to purchase the entire fairground property, including the dirt track plus a golf course, RV lot, and several buildings.  

Calistoga Speedway, operated by the Hunt Family and HMC Promotions, is one of a few half-mile dirt tracks in the state, first opening in 1938. The track’s “Louie Vermeil Classic” honors Calistoga resident Louie Vermeil, the driving force behind Auto Racing at Calistoga Speedway on The Napa County Fairgrounds. The track has not hosted the event since 2018, and, after a two-year absence due to COVID-related restrictions, was moved to Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California, for 2021. 

“Calistoga Speedway is one of the only half-mile dirt tracks in California, and it’s been silent for years. Instead of competing at their local track, racers are often forced to visit other cities and states, and that has a negative impact on the local economy,” Robinson said. “Race tracks play a huge role in the local economy. They create jobs, tax revenue, and provide a family-friendly source of entertainment to residents. More tracks equal more racing, and that means more opportunities for PRI members to sell their products and services.”  

PRI encourages the industry to write to Napa County and city officials to voice support of the transfer ownership and the re-opening of Calistoga Speedway, here. 

Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Founding Members and legacy exhibitors were invited to attend the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park near Barberville, Florida. PRI and its members were on-hand for the biggest event in DIRTcar racing as the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, All Star Circuit of Champions, Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds, Xtreme Outlaws Sprint Cars, DIRTcar Late Models, and DIRTcar UMP Modifieds took on the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”

The PRI Advisory Board was represented by PRI Track Ambassador Tom Deery, and representatives from E3 Spark Plugs, Taktical Solutions, Regis Communications, NASCAR, and MyRacePass were among those in attendance in the PRI Suite. Justin and Rebecca Starkey of VMP Performance in New Smyrna, Florida, were also on-hand.

Ernie Audino, the District Director at the office of U.S. Congressman Mike Waltz (FL-6), served as a liaison for the Congressman for the event, which was overseen by World Racing Group (WRG) CEO Brian Carter, WRG Executive Director of Events Jeff Hachmann, and Volusia Track Manager James Sawyer.

Existing PRI Members also received a $5 discount on ticket prices.  

Keep an eye out for additional details of this event.  

Texas will be the first state in the nation to host a primary election in 2022 on Tuesday, March 1, and it’s important to know which candidates support racing when going to the polls.

Seven U.S. House of Representatives members who have co-sponsored the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act (H.R. 3281 and S. 2736) during the 2021-2022 session of Congress, are running for re-election. The bipartisan RPM Act guarantees the right to modify street cars, trucks, and motorcycles into dedicated race vehicles and safeguard the industry’s right to offer parts that enable racers to compete.  

The following Texas lawmakers are co-sponsors of the RPM Act: 

• Rep. Michael C. Burgess [R-TX-26] 
• Rep. Henry Cuellar [D-TX-28] 
• Rep. Pete Sessions [R-TX-17] 
• Rep. Van Taylor [R-TX-3] 
• Rep. Michael Cloud [R-TX-27] 
• Rep. John R. Carter [R-TX-31] 
• Rep. Jake Ellzey [R-TX-6] 

For more information on the RPM Act, visit performanceracing.com/rpm-act.  

Mercedes has revealed the car that Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will drive in this season’s championship. The W13 vehicle was built for the 2022 technical regulations and features narrow sidepods and a rearward-placed engine layout. 

“It just takes you back to being a kid,” said Hamilton at the launch. “I think it’s always exciting watching, I mean with this new era of car, we’ve never seen such a drastic change, right? 
“So it’s such a huge change in so many ways, that it’s just been really interesting seeing the designers and everyone coming together to find the best ways of creating a masterpiece.” 

Mercedes has won the constructors’ title for eight successive seasons, but relinquished the drivers’ championship as Max Verstappen snatched the crown from Hamilton on the final lap of the 2021 season. 

The W13 will officially launch on March 18–20 for the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. 

For more information, visit formula1.com. 

Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) Museum President Joe Hale has announced new senior leadership.  

Mandi Bender has been promoted to vice president of Operations after joining as director of Guest Experience and Events in March 2021. Bender will manage the day-to-day functioning of the Museum, including guest services, ticketing, events, and visitor amenities. Additionally, Bender will supervise the Museum's support services and maintenance and serve as a primary liaison with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Jason Vansickle has been promoted to vice president of Curation and Education. Vansickle has been with the Museum since 2011, having served in numerous roles most recently as curator since 2018. Vansickle will oversee new exhibition creation and content development. He will continue to oversee the collection, restoration department, and work to develop the Museum's educational programming. 

Kara Kovert Pray was hired as vice president of Marketing and Communications. Kovert Pray was most recently at Newfields as the director of Marketing. Prior, she worked at the Indiana Sports Corp as the director of Marketing & Public Relations. Kovert Pray will oversee all marketing and communication efforts for the Museum, including press coverage, advertising, and overall marketing strategy. 

For more information, visit imsmuseum.org. 

Photo courtesy of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Racing Promotion Monthly (RPM) has announced Joe Kosiski of I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Nebraska, as the 46th annual Auto Racing Promoter of the Year (ARPY). He was honored during the 49th annual RPM@Daytona Workshops in Daytona, Florida. 

“This is quite a moment. This isn’t just for me. It is for my entire family. This has been an incredible journey and to be named by your peers for this award is humbling and one of the greatest honors ever,” Kosiski said when receiving the award. 

I-80 Speedway features Super Late Models, A Modifieds, stock cars, Sport Mods, Bragging Rights Late Models, Hobby Stocks, and sport compacts along with sprint car specials. The track is also known for its Silver Dollar Nationals, which featured a $53,000-to-win purse in 2021. 

Kosiski, who purchased the NASCAR Home Track dirt oval with his brother Steve in 2004, recently announced that 2022 will be the last year the pair will promote the track. 

“We have had the pleasure of serving the racing community for the last 19 years and we plan to make our final season an unforgettable one,” Joe Kosiski said in a release. “While we have almost completed the contract for the sale of the track, it is not officially sold. If someone would like to purchase and continue operating it as a track, reach out. The contract we currently have does not plan to operate past the 2022 season.” 

For more information, call (402)342-3453 or visit i-80speedway.com/i80.

Garmong Development has launched the development of “The Commerce Park at Brownsburg Raceway,” a new 47-acre project to serve motorsports businesses and manufacturers focused on research and development. 

Located adjacent to the NHRA-owned Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the project is led by Deb Cook, Town Manager of the Town of Brownsburg. It is expected to create more than $100 million in new economic development and capital investments.

“This powerfully advances Brownsburg’s high-profile commitment to growing and supporting the autosports industry and will help attract new companies,” Cook said in a release. 

In addition, NHRA will move the Lucas Oil Raceway Park main entrance to the west side of the property to coordinate with the new commerce park. “We’re extremely excited about this project and its new ‘front door’ for the raceway,” said Kasey Coler, Vice President of NHRA Track Management and Operations. 

The new track entrance is already designed and will soon be under construction. “This new ‘front door’ will provide easier access into the raceway park, but equally important is that the new entrance is expected to provide a higher degree of safety,” said Cook. The new boulevard is slated to be completed by the end of 2022, according to Dan Zuerner, Vice President of Garmong.

For more information, visit garmong.net, brownsburg.org, and raceirp.com.

BorgWarner has announced that it will acquire Santroll Automotive Components, a carve-out of Santroll Electric Auto and Santroll Automotive Components’ eMotor business.

BorgWarner said that the acquisition is expected to strengthen its vertical integration, scale, and portfolio breadth in light vehicle e-motors while allowing for increased speed to market. Closing is expected in the late first quarter of 2022 and is subject to closing conditions. 

Based in Tianjin, China, Santroll designs and manufactures hairpin and concentrated-winding technology eMotors for light vehicles and supplies its patented technology to the Chinese OEM market. 

“The eMotor remains an important element of BorgWarner’s electric vehicle growth strategy,” said Frédéric Lissalde, President and CEO of BorgWarner. 

For more information, visit borgwarner.com. 

The International Council of Motorsport Sciences (ICMS), which hosts its Annual Congress at the PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis each December, will hold an all-new Race Track Safety Program (RTSP) at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Indiana, from March 31–April 2.  

Sessions for the event will include certified medical and fire rescue, drag racing track prep, and EV emergencies, plus an online didactic session and test. The event is supported by PRI, AMR, ESI Equipment, and Hazard Control Technologies.   

“Due to their incredible support and wanting to make medical and safety training affordable for everyone, we are able to lower the cost to attend the RTSP to just $175,” ICMS Executive Director Tom Weisenbach said.   

To purchase tickets, visit the event page, here. For more information, visit icmsmotorsportsafety.org.