The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced that Thad Ewald has been hired as vice president, Strategy and Business Development, reporting to Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Darren Wells, effective August 23.

 “Thad brings significant expertise in strategy development that will help the leadership team at Goodyear drive our long-term strategy and pursue growth opportunities for both our traditional and emerging businesses,” said Wells.

Before joining Goodyear, Ewald was vice president, Corporate Strategy and Development for Cummins, Inc., a Fortune 500 manufacturer of power products. In that role, Ewald was responsible for developing the company’s global strategy and the company’s growth office that invested in new technologies, including products, services, and digital business initiatives.

During his tenure, Ewald also led the development of Cummins’ start-up in the electrified and hydrogen power segment and was responsible for joint ventures, acquisitions, and divestiture transactions.

For more information, visit goodyear.com.

After a one-year hiatus, the NTT IndyCar Series will return to Iowa Speedway in 2022 as part of a doubleheader event set for July 23–24. The series will return as part of a wide-ranging partnership with Hy-Vee, a grocery chain based in the Midwest.

“We’re extremely pleased to return Iowa Speedway to the NTT IndyCar Series calendar,” said Roger Penske, founder and chair of the Penske Corporation and owner of the series. “Over the years, Iowa has proven to be a fitting showcase for North America’s premier open-wheel series. A key oval and a hallmark on our schedule, we deeply missed seeing our fans in Iowa this year and look forward to what’s ahead.”

The NTT IndyCar Series was among the first to race on the D-shaped layout when it made its debut in Newton, Iowa, in 2007. A fan favorite for fans and drivers, IndyCar has held 15 races at the track known as “The Fastest Short Track on the Planet” since it opened in 2006.

The Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 will take place Saturday, July 23, and the Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 will occur Sunday, July 24. Officials say the entire 2022 Series calendar will be announced at a later date.

For more information, visit indycar.com.

Mercedes-EQ will leave the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the end of Season 8, which concludes August 2022.

“Mercedes has been a valued partner to [Formula E] during Gen2. We look forward to working with the team to explore options for their entry for Gen3, which commences from 2023,” Formula E Chief Executive Officer Jamie Reigle said.

The news aligns with the German manufacturer’s July announcement that the brand will move to electric-only vehicle development “at the end of the decade, where market conditions allow.” As part of this decision, Mercedes also announced the development of three EV models set to be launched in 2025. 

“Mercedes will reallocate resources away from its ABB FIA Formula E World Championship program and towards applying the lessons learned in competition to product development,” Mercedes stated in a press release. 

“In motorsport, Formula E has been a good driver for proving our expertise and establishing our Mercedes-EQ brand, but in the future, we will keep pushing technological progress—especially on the electric drive side—focusing on Formula One,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG.

For more information, visit fiaformulae.com.

NHRA has teamed up with Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and the Gila River Indian Community to announce the return of the NHRA Arizona Nationals, slated for February 25–27, 2022.  

The NHRA Arizona Nationals traditionally serves as the second event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series tour. The facility has seen record-breaking performances and is a fan-favorite of the circuit. 

“With over 35 years of NHRA racing history at the Motorsports Park, we are eager for the Arizona Nationals to return to Wild Horse Pass and the Gila River Indian Community,” General Manager Henry Moreno said. “We are dedicated to making the event the best possible experience for the fans and racers alike.” 

“We missed the NHRA Arizona Nationals in 2021,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “We are thrilled to return to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and put on a great show for the Phoenix fans.” 

Updates for 2022 include free event parking with the purchase of an NHRA Arizona Nationals ticket. Ticket renewals for 2020 ticket holders will begin in September, with new ticket sales opening in October. 

NHRA officials plan to announce the full 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule in the upcoming weeks. 

For more information, visit nhra.com. 

The Japanese Grand Prix will not take place in 2021, Formula 1 has announced. Race organizers have cited “ongoing complexities” related to the pandemic.

The event—which was set to be part of a tripleheader with the Russian GP and the Turkish GP—was also canceled in 2020. 

A statement from Formula 1 read: Following ongoing discussions with the promoter and authorities in Japan the decision has been taken by the Japanese government to cancel the race this season due to ongoing complexities of the pandemic in the country.

Formula 1 is now working on the details of the revised calendar and will announce the final details in the coming weeks.

Formula 1 has proven this year, and in 2020, that we can adapt and find solutions to the ongoing uncertainties and is excited by the level of interest in locations to host Formula 1 events this year and beyond.

For more information, visit formula1.com.

MAVTV Motorsports Network, the US-based motorsports TV network owned and operated by Lucas Oil Products, has announced the executive promotion of Kevin Asbell to Chief Operating Officer (COO) and General Counsel. He was previously General Counsel of Lucas Oil Products.

In his new role, Asbell will be responsible for managing the day-to-day affairs of the network with direct accountability for operational planning, accounting, forecasting, administrative affairs, information technology, and human resources. 

Additionally, he will continue to oversee the business and legal operations in relation to MAVTV while retaining his responsibilities as General Counsel of the network.

“Kevin is a seasoned results-oriented General Counsel and COO with over 19 years of experience in the legal, business, and entertainment fields,” Lucas Oil President Morgan Lucas said. “He has a history of successfully delivering innovative business and legal solutions based upon sound and resourceful strategies. I look forward to seeing him execute our mission.”

For more information, visit mavtv.com.

Image courtesy of IMS

Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, the largest single-day sporting event in the world, is now a certified responsible event by the Council for Responsible Sport (Council). The announcement marks the first time a motorsports event has achieved the distinction and is a milestone for the Indy 500.

The achievement of silver-level responsible sport certification was awarded to Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and Penske Entertainment Corp. following the May 30, 2021 NTT IndyCar Series race, which had successfully implemented all mandatory standards and 37 of the social and environmental impact considerations recommended in the Responsible Sport Standards for Events.

“This is an impressive first-time certification level and clearly shows the dedication of IMS, Penske Entertainment Corp., and their partners to building an increasingly sustainable approach for their famed event,” said Shelley Villalobos, managing director, Council for Responsible Sport.

IMS also announced the venue would become among the earliest adopters of the newly released responsible sports standard for organizations and venues. 

Elements of the plan ranged widely—from venue upgrades completed this spring that increase the efficiency of energy and water use on-site, such as LED lighting, water-conserving faucet retrofits, and paper-free hand dryers in all public restrooms—to growing the “Bike to the 500” event, which gathers spectators to cycle to “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” 

The social responsibility initiatives earning credit included physical accessibility services for spectators, serving as a COVID-19 vaccination site, and the ongoing partnership with NXG Youth Motorsports Inc. Additional credit was earned by waste prevention efforts such as donating 2,562 unserved meals to Second Helpings for redistribution and donating used banners to People for Urban Progress, which makes them into products such as messenger bags.

In addition to the Indy 500 and the GMR Grand Prix in May, the new standard of operation at IMS will include the three races of the NASCAR/INDYCAR Brickyard Weekend—the Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix, the Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard, and the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard.

For more information, visit the IMS release here or indianapolismotorspeedway.com.

Centerforce, the manufacturer of performance clutches and flywheels for classic and late model cars and trucks, has hired Trent McGee as marketing manager, effective August 30.

In his new role, McGee will oversee the company’s marketing efforts, including advertising and event marketing, where he will play a key role in leading the second annual Centerforce Adventure Run, an “overland-style trip exclusively for manual transmission vehicles.” 

“Trent is a natural fit and excellent addition to the team,” said Centerforce General Manager Bryan Wilson. “Trent’s knowledge of the aftermarket and specific expertise in the off-road market is crucial as we continue to grow our presence in the Jeep and 4x4 segments.”

McGee brings over 25 years of automotive industry experience, including serving as a technical writer for several major automotive publications such as 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine, and marketing experience with leading aftermarket companies like Daystar Products and Airaid.

For more information, visit centerforce.com.

I have been to more race tracks in the last 30 days than at any point in my life. Racing is wild in America right now, and I could not be happier to see this industry at full throttle. A lot of my most recent visits have been in conjunction with the wildly successful PRI Road Tour—an across-the-country road trip that is bringing the world’s best content creators to you and your favorite race track. Check out any of your favorite social platforms or the PRI website (performanceracing.com) for daily updates from the road. I also recently attended the SEMA/PRI Council Summit, where over 400 industry leaders from around the country gathered to discuss the latest strategies that will drive the industry forward. This event was hosted by and celebrated the new Chairman of the Board (congratulations to James Lawrence) as well as the new SEMA/PRI Board of Directors. From all of these interactions, I can give you a look at the challenges that we face as well as what PRI is doing to help. 

Of the priorities presented by SEMA/PRI leadership, the preservation and growth of the motorsports industry was one of the top initiatives. You have already seen significant investment in staffing, programs, legal support, and entire programs (PRI Membership) designed to unite and protect the racing industry. This work will not stop, as the Board has pledged a long and continued devotion to motorsports professionals, track owners, sanctioning bodies, racers, and all of the people that make up the performance racing industry. 

There are legislative challenges as well. At the local level, you may see this with city boards limiting the use of race tracks or, in some cases, banning the track from operating completely. We have also seen an increased enforcement of the Clean Air Act by the US Environmental Protection Agency. In some cases, this has spilled over into the racing industry with race shops seeing significant fines for putting race parts on race cars. This can happen to you, and it will unless we come together to push back on this government overreach. PRI’s legal team is on the job, and we have spent thousands of hours over the past year working to pass the RPM Act, as well as helping individual race tracks get back up and operational after being shut down by the pandemic. 

There are other challenges in our industry that are not unique to racing. We are hearing from manufacturers that are experiencing shortages in staff (especially skilled technical help), raw materials of many types, and several key race parts, most notably tires. In fact, the lack of tires has forced the cancelation of some races in certain areas of our industry. If you have similar issues at your business, send us a note so we know what’s going on with you and your company. 

The Board is committed to improving the PRI Trade Show itself with cutting-edge content, the world’s best race parts manufacturers, an educational program that is rivaled by no one, and a host city in Indianapolis that is very excited to hold the event. You will see several new Show elements this year, including a PRI Central area for all sorts of special activities, an electric vehicle (EV) racing area, and a reimagined area for content creators and influencers who shape the story of the racing industry. 

I will close this month’s letter as I started: I hope you are out there and actively participating in motorsports. For the racers, I know you have as many or more choices than you have ever had. For manufacturers and sponsors, the sport has never been so hot. Until the Show, I’ll see you at the races.

Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisconsin, is advocating for racers and fans to join the effort to protect the future of motorsports by hosting SaveOurRaceCars.com Championship Night on Friday, August 20.  

As the title sponsor of the event, the Save Our Race Cars initiative and efforts to stop government overreach will be promoted directly to race fans and consumers at the Friday night event. All those in attendance will learn about the threats facing the racing industry, including challenges race tracks have had holding in-person events during the pandemic, current legislative issues, and the future evolution of automobiles.  

“The racing industry has endured more challenges in the past year than it has in its entire history, and it’s not going away,” said Gregg McKarns, Madison International Speedway Track Owner. “We’re grateful that PRI is fighting for our rights to race.”

SaveOurRaceCars.com Championship Night represents an established relationship and partnership between Madison International Speedway and Performance Racing Industry (PRI), the organization promoting to Save Our Race Cars and advocating for the worldwide motorsports industry. When Dane County prohibited outdoor events from taking place last summer, Madison International Speedway leaned on PRI’s lobbying efforts to secure approval for hosting a limited number of events. SaveOurRaceCars.com Championship Night is the latest initiative between PRI and Madison International Speedway.

The August 20 event features three division races that include vehicles that began as street cars before being converted into dedicated race vehicles. As such, the MISfitz, Bandits, and 6shooters series are at risk from the EPA’s National Compliance Initiative, which specifically targets and enforces against aftermarket companies that produce, market, and install parts for dedicated race cars. To protect the motorsports industry against EPA overreach, the Save Our Race Cars campaign is pushing for passage of the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. The bipartisan bill will clarify that it is legal to convert street vehicles into dedicated race cars, and that businesses can legally produce, market, and install racing products.  

The RPM Act (H.R. 3281) just reached a milestone with 100 members of the US House of Representatives agreeing to cosponsor the bill. The outpouring of bi-partisan support for the RPM Act is a direct result of racers and the motorsports parts community sending over 1.3 million letters to Congress in support of the bill.

“Passing the RPM Act into law is the only way to guarantee the future safety of the racing industry,” said Dr. Jamie Meyer, PRI President. “We need everyone at Madison Speedway to join in the effort. It’s critical we unite to protect our racing rights.”

PRI representatives will be onsite at Madison International Speedway on August 20 to help fans in attendance pledge their support of the RPM Act. In addition, race fans will learn how they can join in a new effort to unify the worldwide racing community. Through PRI Membership, race fans are able to join racers and motorsports businesses in demonstrating their passion, commitment, and support for racing. The inaugural program is a groundbreaking movement that will amplify the industry’s ability to advocate and protect motorsports.   

“It is by working together that our industry will survive and thrive,” said Meyer. “There is a lot of uncertainty in the world, but the only way to ensure the future of racing is through a unified voice. We must band together and take action.”

To learn more about the Save Our Race Cars initiative, visit SaveOurRaceCars.com. To attend the August 20 SaveOurRaceCars.com Championship Night event, visit Madison International Speedway's website MISRacing.com.