After more than two decades of work with IndyCar, World of Outlaws, and USAC race teams, Geoff Buxton has joined Wilwood Engineering’s team of field sales and support representatives. The team of experts spends weekends at tracks around the country for trackside brake system support.

Originally from Australia, Geoff had become a full-time resident of the United States following a stint with an Australian sprint car team. In the US, he became a member of Randy Hannagan’s World of Outlaws crew until later working on IndyCar and Champ Car World Series teams. His resume also includes time with the Andretti and A.J. Foyt racing teams, as well as Indy Lights, Global Rallycross, Sprint, Midget, and other motorsports disciplines.

For more information, visit wilwood.com.

Racers, race fans, enthusiasts, and businesses that have joined the newly created PRI Membership will gather for the first time at the 2021 PRI Trade Show on December 9-11 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. For information on registration, visit pri2021.com/attend.

With the global motorsports industry uniting at the Show, PRI Members will connect at exclusive areas and events during the three-day trade show. The gatherings will mark a historic moment as PRI Members unite in solidarity to protect against unfair legislation and government overreach.

“PRI Membership creates a unified voice for the racing industry. Now more than ever, given the challenges the motorsports community currently faces, it is important that we unite to advocate on behalf of the industry,” said PRI President Dr. Jamie Meyer. “And of course, I’m looking forward to connecting in person with all of the businesses and individuals who will be at the Show in Indy.”

Individuals who are part of the new PRI Membership program will connect for the first time since it was launched earlier this year. Pro members – as well as Champion and Founding Members – will have access to several exclusive areas and benefits, including:

• Admission to the Members Lounge during all Show days and hours: The ideal location to take a break during the show, charge your phones or laptops, and meet with other members.
• Admission to attend the Save Our Racecars Rally, Friday, December 10, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.: This first-ever event includes complimentary hors d’ouvres, open bar, and special guest appearances and activities.
• Discount at the PRI Gear Store: PRI Pro Members enjoy 10% off all merchandise from the PRI Gear Store, while PRI Champion Members get a 25% discount.
• Founding Members are invited to the Founding Members Reception, Thursday, December 9, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.: After a busy first day of the PRI Show, this exclusive Founding Members Reception is the ideal place to unwind and connect with other Founding Members.

PRI Show attendees who registered for the complimentary credentials can upgrade to become Pro Members during the Show and will receive the benefits afforded to all PRI Members.

The 2021 PRI Show marks the motorsports industry’s first and largest in-person business gathering since the pandemic. Exhibitors will showcase the latest products, services, machinery, simulation and testing technologies, and trailers, available for the racing industry in a single location. PRI encompasses all forms of motorsports and attracts attendees from all 50 states and all over the world, including professional race teams, retail shops, warehouse distributors, engine builders, fabricators, dealers, installers, jobbers, and media. 

To learn more about the PRI Show, visit pri2021.com/tradeshow. To register for the 2021 PRI Show, visit pri2021.com/attend.   

Safety-Kleen—the provider of waste management, used oil recycling and re-refining, and more—will host The Garage Shop and Racing America, powered by Speed51.TV, from its Booth #5349 during the 2021 PRI Trade Show in downtown Indianapolis, Dec. 9–11.

The partnership will give short tracks and industry insiders the chance to see what the newly-launched RacingAmerica.com website offers in content and live-event coverage. Plus, they will be able to meet with representatives about livestreaming on Speed51.TV from their tracks. Racing America and Speed51.TV representatives will be on hand to meet with current short track partners and prospects to discuss broadcasting rights to livestream their events on its network.

Zaya Creations, the production company formed by The Garage Shop and Labware, Inc., will conduct recorded interviews with motorsports celebrities and industry leaders for future podcasts on The Garage Shop YouTube channel.

As part of the announcement, the NASCAR No. 71 Bobby Isaac Dodge Daytona Tribute car, built by The Garage Shop and recently raced at the historic Bonneville Salt Flats, will be on display.

“Safety-Kleen is proud to support the efforts of the Race Team Alliance the initiatives of Racing America and Speed51.TV at the PRI Show,” said Drew Patey of Safety-Kleen. “We already have a strong connection to the short tracks across America, and look forward to them stopping by to see the Dodge Daytona, talk with The Garage Shop and Speed51.TV to see what we all offer.”

Make sure you catch The Garage Shop’s NASCAR No. 27 Donnie Allison Ford Talladega Tribute car in the eBay Motors Booth #4809.

For more information, visit safety-kleen.com. To learn more about the PRI Show, visit pri2021.com/tradeshow. To register for the 2021 PRI Show, visit pri2021.com/attend.   

RaceQuip and Carolina Racing Supply (CRS) have announced a partnership to bring the all-new RaceQuip Super Store to Mooresville, North Carolina. As part of the partnership, CRS will devote a large portion of its retail showroom to showcase and sell RaceQuip brand safety equipment and accessories.

“We’re really excited to bring the RaceQuip name to Mooresville and it’s our intent to be able to fully outfit any racer that comes through our doors. Whether it be a five-year-old child, a seasoned veteran, or anybody in-between, we have hundreds of suits, helmets, shoes, harness assemblies, and more in stock to take care of their safety needs,” CRS President Tom Sandal said.

For more information, visit carolinaracingsupply.com and racequip.com.

E3 Spark Plugs—the manufacturer of spark plugs, wire sets, ignition coils, batteries, and related components—is proud to debut its new line of ultra-lightweight lithium batteries for racing applications at the 2021 PRI Trade Show, Dec. 9–11 in downtown Indianapolis.

The new line is run by some of the top racers in the nation, including NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jeremy Clements, third-generation ARCA racer Will Kimmel (pictured), and Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) driver Earl Pearson Jr.

“We’ve run the E3 Lithium batteries in our cars all season long this year and never had an issue. They’re an outstanding piece, the best battery out there and we’ve tried them all,” says third generation ARCA racer Will Kimmel, pictured above. 

The SuperLite 1200—and its bigger, brawnier brother, the SuperLite 1600—offer faster starts, lighter weight, and, according to E3, three times longer life than traditional lead-acid/AGM batteries. Plus, each battery contains a double redundant battery management system that protects from overcharging, over-discharging, short circuits, and excessive cranking—all detrimental to a battery. 

The SuperLite 1200 weighs in at just 6.9 pounds and offers 1,200 cranking amps of power and 24.8 amp-hours of capacity. Meanwhile, with 32 amp-hours of capacity, the SuperLite 1600 tips the scales at 8.9 pounds and offers a whopping 1,600 cranking amps, enough juice to start even finicky motors. NASCAR star Jeremy Clements favors the SuperLite 1600 for his Xfinity Series Chevrolet.  

“I love my E3 battery! It has increased both the dry cranking and heat soak engine speed and stabilized my voltmeter to a consistent 14.0 volts. It has increased my brake fan speed and volume, which helps decrease brake temps, which is critical at places like Martinsville. Heck, this battery even helped increase my helmet blower speed, which keeps me cool when it matters most,” Clements said.  

Visit the E3 Ignition Booth #3901 in the Yellow Hall to learn more about their new line of lithium batteries and see one for yourself. Also, be sure to ask about the E3 Spark Plugs giveaway, where one lucky winner will score a brand new SuperLite 1200 Lithium Battery and E3 Swag Bag! Contest details, including how to enter, can be found in the Instagram post below.   

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The giveaway will close on 12/17/21 at 8:00 a.m. PST. The winner will be chosen at random and notified through DM and updated on the original post on 12/18/21. For full terms and conditions, visit pri2021.com/rules. 

For more information, visit e3sparkplugs.com.  To learn more about the PRI Show, visit pri2021.com/tradeshow. To register for the 2021 PRI Show, visit pri2021.com/attend.  

The NMCA Muscle Car Nationals has introduced Drag & Drive Shootout to bring select long-haul street car participants to three events in 2022.  

The 2022 Gear Vendors Drag & Drive eight-car shootout presented by Sick the Magazine will take place during the NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem at Bradenton Motorsports Park (March 17–20), NMCA All-American Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park (August 25–28), and the NMCA World Finals Presented by Chevrolet Performance at Lucas Oil Raceway (September 22–25). 

The invitational will feature cars driven by Tom Bailey, the founder of Sick the Magazine, social media influencer Alex Taylor, and two-time Drag Week champion Dave Schroeder. 

For more information, visit nmcadigital.com. 

PerTronix Performance Brands—the provider of aftermarket automotive products including ignition, exhaust and fuel systems—has announced a new investment partner, Charger Investment Partners private equity firm based in El Segundo, California.

“Charger’s operational knowledge and investment background brings value to our organization and will support the growth of our brands and the ability to leverage future opportunities,” PerTronix CEO Robyn Hetland said.

The announcement follows PerTronix’s acquisition of Aeromotive and Taylor Cables.

For more information, visit pertronix.com.

Photo of the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 driven by Erik Jones courtesy of RPM

Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM)—owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty—has sold a majority interest to GMS Racing owner Maury Gallagher.

A statement from Gallagher and RPM reads: “Richard Petty Motorsports has agreed to sell a majority interest to Maury Gallagher, owner of GMS Racing. Two charters are included in the agreement and will be operated during the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. This is a special moment for both organizations as the Next Gen car allows a new chapter to be written.”

GMS Racing had previously announced that it would expand its NASCAR operation into the Cup Series level in 2022. Ty Dillon was revealed as the driver of the brand-new No. 94 Chevrolet. RPM, meantime, confirmed two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Erik Jones will return to the No. 43 Chevy. 

RPM began racing in 2000 under a different name, Evernham Motorsports, and took on its current branding in honor of “The King” in 2009 following a merger between Gillett Evernham Motorsports and Petty Enterprises. Since 2009, RPM has won five Cup races and two Xfinity Series races. 

For more information, visit gmsracing.net and richardpettymotorsports.com. 

Arnott, the provider of air suspension products for passenger vehicles, has announced the acquisition of JRi Shocks based in Mooresville, North Carolina. 

JRi Shocks will continue to serve its existing markets and customers, “but will now be better positioned to grow those markets even further while also expanding into new ones,” according to Arnott. Customers should see no change in the day-to-day operations of the business.

JRi Shocks, known for its shock absorber technology, was founded in 2007 by Jeff Ryan. Ryan, JRi Shocks VP of Operations Det Cullum, and JRi President and CEO Ray Evernham were all partners at the time of the acquisition. Ryan will stay on to continue managing all engineering activities for the company, while Cullum and Evernham will remain involved with the company in advisory roles.

“After three years of owning JRi, we arrived at a point where our growth potential was being held back by the resources we had at hand. We needed a partner to take the company to the next level,” said Evernham. “Arnott’s enthusiasm for what JRi stands for and its track record of leading companies to extraordinary growth made Arnott the perfect fit to become that partner. I look forward to continuing to support the company’s growth.”

For more information, visit jrishocks.com or arnottindustries.com.

Here’s what I think about the all-new Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Buyers Guide:

I think there is no better time than the present to roll out this re-imagined version of our annual motorsports industry source book. For more than three decades, the Buyers Guide has provided readers with a comprehensive directory of parts, equipment and services across every product category imaginable. If you wanted to know which companies supplied camshafts, intakes or rocker arms, you’d just flip to the Engine Components section and there they were. The same could be done for Chassis, Driveline & Suspension (clutches, rearends, torque converters, etc.), Racing Components, Accessories & Services (fasteners, helmets, tie-downs, etc.), Machinery, Tools & Equipment (balancers, dynos, valve spring testers, etc.), and Race Track Equipment & Supplies (audio systems, signage, traction conditioners, etc.). And the issue served its purpose, directing readers to the high-performance products and suppliers of their choosing in a clean, easy-to-use format. But developments of the past several years led us to begin questioning whether this setup was as effective today as when it launched back in the late 1980s. The advent of the Internet, for one, and with it search engines like Google, meant you could now locate race parts manufacturers as quickly as your WiFi connection allowed. In addition, we had also observed that more and more companies no longer fit so neatly into their designated categories. Was a business that specialized in stock car engine building, but that recently began producing cylinder heads, now considered a manufacturer? 

Questions like these are the result of an industry’s natural evolution. So, it was by no means a negative. It just meant we had to re-examine whether PRI’s year-end directory issue was still accomplishing its intended goal. Or whether there was an alternative approach that could better serve the industry. 

After a number of internal discussions and examining data from reader surveys and the like, we decided that yes, it was indeed time for a change. Which ultimately led to the all-new PRI Buyers Guide, a showcase of the latest products and services from scores of the industry’s leading suppliers across dozens of key categories. While we retained the sections noted above—and kept the listing of Sanctioning Bodies, Manufacturers’ Reps and Warehouse Distributors from previous editions, albeit updated for 2022—the concept has evolved to better reflect today’s dynamic motorsports marketplace. As you can see, the response from participating suppliers was overwhelming: More than 400 new parts, equipment and related offerings are included in this issue! With companies organized alphabetically by section, and product images, descriptions and contact information accompanying each one, we feel this new presentation gives you, our readers, a solid jumping-off point in the search for innovative components and solutions to help your business or race program succeed in the coming year. 

A couple of additional notes about the Guide: For quick reference, a Suppliers Index beginning on page 192 lists out the hundreds of companies represented in this issue. And, at the start of each section you’ll find expanded entries from select manufacturers that took the opportunity to display multiple products and support our mission to provide a valuable new resource for you, the racing and performance professional. Enjoy! a