Photo courtesy of I-77 Speedway in Jackson County, West Virginia

West Virginia has introduced PRI-supported legislation (S.B. 467) to aid and incentivize the construction of motorsports complexes. The bill was introduced in the previous legislative session but failed to pass prior to the adjournment of the session. This version of the bill currently awaits consideration in the Senate Economic Development Committee.  

S.B. 467 recognizes the important economic and civic value that additional motorsports can provide to the state, plus the importance of providing incentives to attract large-scale investment in motorsports entertainment complexes.

The bill would provide tax exemptions for certain building materials and equipment used in the construction, repair or improvement of a motorsports entertainment complex.

PRI encourages the racing industry to reach out to lawmakers and request support for this legislation by visiting here.

Legislation that elevates the sport of racing are one of the many advocacy efforts supported by PRI Membership, which is actively working to address challenges and needs, such as providing support for race tracks to prevent them from closing, advocacy for the racing community against current legal threats, and educational programs that help businesses and racers succeed. For more information on PRI Membership, visit performanceracing.com/membership.  

Ford Performance has revealed plans for its all-new Mustang GT3 race car that will compete in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) 2024 race season, including the 24 Hours of Daytona. 

The new Mustang GT3 racer will be powered by a Ford 5.0-liter Coyote-based V8 engine developed by Ford Performance and built by long-time racing collaborator and world championship winning team, M-Sport of Cumbria, England. 

The effort will be a joint program between Ford Performance and long-time racing collaborator Multimatic Motorsports. It will feature both a two-car factory-backed IMSA GTD Pro works team managed by Multimatic and customer Mustang race cars for the GTD class starting at Daytona in 2024. 

The two organizations have a rich history in the FIA World Rally Championship and recently collaborated on developing and preparing the Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1. 

“Mustang was born to race from the start and we’re thrilled to introduce the GT3 version to compete head-to-head against some of the greatest manufacturers in the world,” said Mark Rushbrook, Ford Performance Motorsports global director. 

For more information, visit performance.ford.com. 

SRO Motorsports America has announced staff promotions and additions to strengthen its growth in North America.  

Effective immediately, Brian Hughes was promoted to VP, Operations. He is recognized as a leading logistics and operations professional within both motorsports and corporate settings. Prior to joining SRO America, Hughes had extensive experience with ChampCar, IMSA, and NZR Consulting.  

Staci Langham was promoted to General Manager and will oversee Team Relations, GT World Challenge America, and GT America. Langham has been a member of the World Challenge organization for over a decade.  

Robbie Montinola was promoted to VP, Marketing Communications & Business Development and will oversee several new hires in his department. Montinola enters his fifth season with SRO after many years in the tech media and entertainment space.  

Susan Dunklau was promoted to CFO. Dunklau has been with the series since 2011, most recently serving as the Senior Series Administrator.  

Dean Case, meanwhile, joins as press officer. Case has previously worked for Ford Racing, NISMO, and Mazdaspeed and will lead efforts to tell the multitude of stories from within the SRO paddock.  

Natasha Masterson will join as the manager for Marketing & Business Development. Masterson has worked extensively in IndyCar, Formula One, WEC, IMSA, and with brands such as McLaren and Lamborghini.  

Kenzie Manning and Raymond Fong join Team Relations. Manning has a diverse motorsports background ranging from pit crew work to hospitality. Fong is an experienced sports marketing and events professional having most recently worked for the Golden State Warriors.  

Mitchell Mefford will join the SRO engineering team. Mefford is well known in the paddock, having served as a part of the weekend SRO technical staff since 2019. 

SRO Motorsports America operates four championships: Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, GT America powered by AWS, Pirelli GT4 America, and TC America powered by Skip Barber Championship. 

For more information, visit sro-america.com. 

Matt and Josh Martelli, promoters of the Mint 400 off-road race, have announced a new off-road desert race named The California 300. 

The California 300—set for October 12–16—will feature 40+ classes and will take place on a newly mapped 75-mile race course for a four-lap race in Barstow, California.

“This is our next step in what will be a multi-year rollout of new events between now and 2025,” said California 300 Event Director Kilian Hamlin. 

The event will include an off-road festival, pre-running, and a public poker run, followed by Limited class and UTV World Championship racing before wrapping with Class 1, Unlimited Truck SPECs, Unlimited Trucks, and more.

The Martelli-owned Mad Media will provide media coverage of the event. The announcement comes from the Martelli Brothers after more than a decade of promoting and producing two popular off-road desert races, The Mint 400 and The UTV World Championship.

Racer registration and more details will be announced in the coming months. For more information, visit off-roadracer.com. 

IMSA has announced it will remain the sanctioning body of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series through 2026.

Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America is a single-make racing series with competitors in all four classes using identical Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo cars updated to the new EVO2 generation for 2022. 

With support from Lamborghini dealers across North America, the schedule consists of six doubleheader rounds at some of the most prestigious race tracks—five in the United States and one this year at Portimao, Portugal, also the site of the World Finals that gather Lamborghini Super Trofeo competitors from around the globe.

The season opens April 29–May 1 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.

For more information, visit imsa.com.

Series Director Carlton Reimers and Technical Director Tom Devitt have confirmed an on-board fire suppression system will become mandatory to compete with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series by the beginning of the 2023 season.

“We’ve had preliminary discussions about this for the last few years, so this has been the goal to get here for some time,” Devitt said. “I brought it up again at Knoxville last year and presented the rule to drivers and teams, and everyone was well receptive of it. We just have to go through the process of refining what exactly the rule will be. The two SFI standards right now don’t fit into a Sprint Car, so we're creating a new 17.3 specification. It'll take a bit of time, so that's why we're holding off until 2023.”

Titled the “Single Seat Open Wheel Front Engine On-Board Fire Suppression System,” the SFI has already drafted the 17.3 specification with finalization on the rule coming once research and development are complete. Due to the open cockpit of a sprint car, the SFI 17.3 specification is expected to be “tougher” to pass than other fire suppression specifications.

Series officials have already begun conducting cockpit nozzle tests, while the SFI will begin their research & development in late January. A specification is expected to be finalized by late spring or early summer.  

For the complete fire suppression rules bulletin, see below. For more information, visit worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars.

FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM: By the first event of 2023, fire suppression systems will be required for all World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series competitors. Sprint Car Safety Council members are in the process of working with SFI and manufacturers to develop a set of specifications which is anticipated to be completed by May 2022. It is anticipated that the specifications will include required number of nozzle(s) and their location, minimum 5lb system, bottle construction, type of mounting hardware, etc. It is recommended that anyone considering a sprint car fire suppression system should wait until the SFI specifications are released before making a purchase. If you intend to install a system before the SFI specification is completed, be aware you may be required to update it when the SFI specification is mandatory in 2023.

A week-long drag racing event billed as the “hardest vacation you’ll ever take” is coming to Florida and Georgia for the first-ever Sick Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive on February 7–11 (with testing on February 6). 

The event will see 350 competitors race at four different NHRA-sanctioned venues over five days, driving between each track on public roads for the ultimate test of a street car. Entrants cannot use transporters or support crews; they must race with what they can tow in a small trailer.

The event begins and ends at Bradenton Motorsports Park (Bradenton, Florida), and also makes stops at Orlando Speed World Dragway (Orlando, Florida), South Georgia Motorsports Park (Adel, Georgia), and Gainesville Raceway (Gainesville, Florida), home of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. Special stops include Orlando theme parks, the “Big Daddy” Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing, and more. 

Event promoter and Sick The Mag publisher Tom Bailey (owner of the world’s quickest street car, the Sick Seconds 2.0 Camaro) said he was excited to be creating what he hopes will be the premier drag-and-drive experience. Both the race entries and the Sick Week have already sold out.

“The drag-and-drive scene is exploding right now, with the original Hot Rod Drag Week inspiring other events such as Rocky Mountain Race Week and Summit Midwest Drags, and now Sick Week,” Bailey said.

The event has attracted entries from all over North America including influencers Cleetus McFarland, PFI Speed, Derek Bieri from Vice Grip Garage, Alex Taylor, Kevin Smith of KSR Performance & Fabrication, Cooper Bogetti, and Steve Morris.

For more information, visit sickthemagazine.com/sick-week or nhra.com.

Photo courtesy of Track Enterprises 

Macon, Illinois-based Track Enterprises has purchased the Champion Racing Association (CRA), as announced by both organizations.  

CRA—the Salem, Indiana-based sanctioning body—operates four touring divisions, including the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance, Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS, and the Vore’s CRA Late Model Sportsman Powered by JEGS.

Several key staffers will remain with CRA, including former co-owner and Series Director Glenn Luckett, Chief Technical Director Eddie Chew, and Director of Operations/Chief Scorer Greg Wood. 

“Track Enterprises has race tracks and promotional agreements across the Midwest and Southeast encompassing over 80 events a year,” said Bob Sargent, owner of Track Enterprises. “This purchase is a natural extension of the work we already do with CRA, so we’ll be able to achieve some economies of scale with purchasing, staffing, sponsorship sales, and promotional efforts.

“Our goal is to bring more to the racers and the series’ race tracks, which will, in turn, bring more excitement to the fans. We’ve got some big plans for 2023 and beyond.”

For more information, visit cra-racing.com and trackenterprises.com.

NHRA has announced the eight-race schedule for the 2022 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series, featuring two Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum’s Hot Rod Reunions. The series will feature nitro-burning Nostalgia Top Fuel dragsters and Nostalgia Funny Cars. 

The 2022 season will begin at the Good Vibrations Motorsports March Meet, March 3-6, at Famoso Dragstrip. The California Hot Rod Reunion will close the season at Famoso Dragstrip on October 21-23. Nostalgia Top Fuel will compete for points at five events during the season, and Nostalgia Funny Car will compete for points at six events. 

In addition to Nostalgia Top Fuel dragster and Nostalgia Funny Car, there are two groups of additional classes. Group 1 includes A/Fuel, Jr. Fuel, and 7.0 Eliminator, while Group 2 includes Nostalgia Eliminator l, Nostalgia Eliminator ll, Nostalgia Eliminator lll, A/Gas, B/Gas, C/Gas, D/Gas, and Hot Rod Eliminator. Drivers in each class will be able to run a combination of events that will award them points toward their respective championships.  

The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series was developed in 2008 to help preserve NHRA’s rich history and tradition while providing racing opportunities for enthusiasts who enjoy nostalgia drag racing competition. 

For the complete schedule, visit here. For more information, visit nhra.com. 

Nominations for the 2022 SEMA Hall of Fame class are open at sema.org/hof. 

Induction to the Hall of Fame is the most prestigious award presented to an individual by the association and honors the pioneers who have contributed to the growth of the automotive aftermarket over a long period of time. 

“Our industry is fueled by nothing short of passionate and hard-working individuals. The SEMA Hall of Fame honors those who, without, our industry would not be what it is today,” said Nathan Ridnouer, SEMA VP of Councils and Membership. “Our industry’s input in the selection process is an invaluable asset to the association in identifying deserving hall of fame inductees.” 

Since its inception in 1969, 165 individuals have been inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame, including: 

• Agosta, Matt (Steele Rubber Products) 
• Airheart, Bob (Bob Airheart Sales) 
• Alderson, Don (Muldoon Engineering) 
• Amato, Joe (Keystone Automotive Warehouse) 
• Appelgate, Brian (B&M Racing & Performance) 
• Arias Jr., Nick (Arias Pistons) 
• Arkus-Duntov, Zora (Chevorlet Motor Division) 
• Ayres, Joel (Automtoive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation) 
• Babcox, Tom (Babcox Publications) 
• Baney, Lou (SEMA) 
• Barnett, Don (Speed Warehouse) 
• Barris, George (Barris Kustom Industries) 
• Barsamian, Rich (Advanced Clutch Technology Inc.) 
• Bartlett, John (Grant Piston Rings) 
• Baskerville, Gray (Hot Rod Magazine) 
• Belond, Sandy (Belond Mufflers) 
• Bingham, Jim (Winners Circle Speed & Custom Inc.) 
• Black, Keith (Keith Black Racing Engines) 
• Bleiweis, Raymond (Rocket Industries) 
• Blum, Charles R. (SEMA) 
• Bobins, Chuck (CB Sales) 
• Bolio, Steve (Scafidi-Bolio & Associates) 
• Borick, Louis (Superior Industries) 
• Borré, Dan (Keith Black Performance Inc.) 
• Borré, Jim (Manik Motors) 
• Brock, Ray (Petersen Publishing) 
• Brothers, Paul “Scooter” (Competition Cams, Inc.) 
• Brown, Ray (Superior Industries) 
• Cahill, Robert (Chrysler Corp., Mopar Division) 
• Campbell, Ben, Nighthorse (Senator) 
• Card, Charley (Honest Charley’s) 
• Carleton, GiGi (Robert E. Petersen Foundation) 
• Cepek, Dick (Dick Cepek Inc.) 
• Chandler, Bob (Bigfoot 4x4 Inc.) 
• Chapouris, Pete (SO-CAL Speed Shop) 
• Chrisman, Art (Chrisman’s Auto Rod Specialist – CARS) 
• Coddington, Boyd (Boyds Wheels) 
• Coker, Corky (Coker Tires) 
• Coleman, Ron (Competition Cams) 
• Cook, Bob (Book Cook Sales) 
• Cornelison, Nile (Direct Communications Inc.) 
• Cozzie, Jim (Brenton Productions Inc.) 
• Crane, Harvey J. (Crane Cams) 
• Crower, Bruce (Crower Cams) 
• Day, Dick (Petersen Publishing Co.) 
• Deane, Russ (SEMA General Counsel) 
• Deist, Jim (Deist Safety Equipment) 
• Diamond, Murray (Plasticolor Molded Products) 
• Douglass, Howard (Douglass Mufflers) 
• Eatherly, Donnie (P&E Distributors Inc.) 
• Economaki, Chris (National Speed Sport News) 
• Edelbrock Jr., Vic (Edelbrock Corp.) 
• Edelbrock Sr., Vic (Edelbrock Corp.) 
• Elliott, Ed (Elliott-McMullen Advertising) 
• Elliott, George (Argus Publishers) 
• Evans, Doug (Bonnier Corporation) 
• Faulk, Amy (Hypertech Inc.) 
• Fishel, Herb (The Business of Motorsports) 
• Foose, Chip (Foose Design) 
• Foote, George (Karbelt Speed & Custom) 
• Foulger, Donna Imrie (SEMA) 
• France Sr., Bill (NASCAR) 
• Funfar, Run (Hedman Manufacturing) 
• Gage, Dennis (MadStache Inc.) 
• Gaines, John (G&M Performance Parts) 
• Garlits, Don (Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing) 
• Garner, Willie (Trans-Dapt) 
• Giampetroni, Angelo (Ford Motor Company) 
• Goldberg, Harvey (Goldberg Marketing Inc.) 
• Goldstein, Jack (Jack Goldstein & Associates) 
• Granatelli, Andy (Consultant) 
• Grant, Eric 
• Halibrand, Ted (Halibrand Engineering) 
• Harman, Kenny (Harman Collins Inc.) 
• Harris, Jack (Rush Sales) 
• Hart, C.J. (Lion’s Drag Strip) 
• Hart, Jack (NHRA) 
• Hays, Bill (Centerforce Clutches) 
• Hedman, Bob (Hedman Manufacturing) 
• Heffington, Mark (Hypertech Inc.) 
• Hibler, Harry (Nanotech Fuel Corp.) 
• Hilborn, Stuart (Fuel Injection Engineering Co.) 
• Hiltz, Stan (Thrush Mufflers) 
• Holding, Dennis (Direct Parts Inc.) 
• Hooker, Gary (Hooker Headers) 
• Hrudka, Joe (Mr. Gasket Co.) 
• Hurst, George (Hurst Shifters) 
• Iskenderian, Ed (Isky Racing Cams) 
• Kagan, Leo (Amco Manufacturing) 
• Kawasaki, Wade (Coker Group) 
• Keller, Bob (Turbonetics, Inc.) 
• Kerr, Jim (Jim Kerr & Associates) 
• Konblett, Sheldon (SC Performance) 
• Kuhns, Arnold (SFI Foundation Inc.) 
• Lahmann, Butch (American Specialty Equipment) 
• Larivee Sr., Bob (Promotions Inc.) 
• LeSage, Burke 
• Leslie, Roy (Kenz & Leslie Accessories Ltd.) 
• Light, Jerry (Speed Warehouse) 
• Lipper, Ray (Center Line Wheel Corp.) 
• Lohn, Els (Ansen Enterprises) 
• Mallory, Boots (Mallory Ignition) 
• Martin, Dick 
• Maxwell, Dick (Chrysler Corporation) 
• McClelland, Dave (Diamond P Sports) 
• McFarland, Jim (AutoCom) 
• McJannett, Bob (Performance Improvements) 
• McMullen, Richard 
• Meguiar, Barry (Meguiar’s) 
• Menzler, John (COMP Performance Group) 
• Moon, Dean (Moon Equipment Co.) 
• Moore, Marla (Coker Tire) 
• Moroso, Dick (Moroso Performance Products) 
• Offenhauser, Fred (Offenhauser Equipment Corp.) 
• Olson, Carl (SFI Foundation Inc.) 
• Parks, Wally (NHRA) 
• Patteri, Robert (Patteri Sales) 
• Perry, Bill (Bill Perry and Associates) 
• Petersen, Robert E. (Petersen Publishing) 
• Piggins, Vince (Chevorlet Motor Division) 
• Pink, Ed (Ed Pink Racing Engines) 
• Pisano, Joe (Venolia Pistons) 
• Prudhomme, Don (Don Prudhomme Racing) 
• Raleigh, Don (Don’s Speed Shop) 
• Reed, Alan (IMARC) 
• Richter, Roy (Cragar Industries) 
• Rifchin, Marvin (M&H Tires) 
• Roberts, Red (McLeod Industries) 
• Rollins, Rick (Superchips, Inc.) 
• Scafidi, John (Hurst Shifters) 
• Schiefer, Paul (Schiefer Equipment Co.) 
• Schubeck, Joe 
• Schwartz, Chuck (ConvExx) 
• Senter, Louis (Senter Engineering Corp.) 
• Shedden, Tom (Cragar Industries) 
• Shelby, Carroll (Shelby Automotives) 
• Shelton, Nate (B&M Automotive Group) 
• Sigman, Ben (Sigman-Pittman) 
• Simmons, John (SECO Performance Centers) 
• Simpson, Bill (Simpson Racing Products) 
• Smith, Bill (Speedway Motors) 
• Smith, Don (High Performance Distributors) 
• Spar, Bob (B&M Automotive) 
• St. Lawrence, Joe (RTM Studios) 
• Stroppe, Bill (Bill Stroppe & Son) 
• Thompson, Mickey (Mickey Thompson Enterprises) 
• Thomson, Chris (TMG Performance Group) 
• Towle, John (Performance Warehouse Association) 
• Van Cleve, Charlie (Hedman/TD Performance) 
• Van Cleve, Dick (Van Cleve & Associates) 
• Vandergriff, Robert (Hedman/TD Performance) 
• Vaughn, Jim (Mr. Phone) 
• Vaughn, Linda (Hurst Performance Products) 
• Warn, Thurston (Warn Industries) 
• Weber, Harry (Weber Cams) 
• Weiand, Joan (Weiand Industries) 
• Weiand, Phil (Weiand Automotive Industries) 
• Wells, Dick (SEMA) 
• Winfield, Ed (Winfield Carburetors) 
• Wirth, Jim (Wirth & Wirth Advertising) 
• Woodell, Van (Weathers Auto Supply) 
• Woomer, Steve (Competition Specialties) 
• Worthan, Rolan “Jeep” (Auto Meter Products, Inc.) 
• Xydias, Alex (SO-CAL Speed Shop) 
• Yunick, Henry “Smokey” 

In any given year, it’s not unusual for three or four people to earn induction. Nominations are open until March 18, 2022, and can be submitted here. 

For more information, visit sema.org/hof. 

Questions can be directed to Chris Standifer, Project Manager-Recognition Programs, at chriss@sema.org, 909-978-6692.