Kooks Headers and Exhaust (KHE) has announced three new hires within its performance aftermarket and racing company. 

Kyle Cook has been hired as Manufacturing Engineer. He will be tasked with overseeing the design and manufacturing of fixtures and improving manufacturing efficiency and finding ways to ease the flow of production.

KHE has also hired Shelbie Huffman as Marketing Coordinator. Huffman will be tasked with implementing social media programs, website promotion and development, digital marketing, and coordinating special events. She will work collaboratively with the sales team to grow the brands’ overall sales and profit objectives. 

Ryan Reed, meanwhile, was appointed as Sales Rep/Business Development for Kooks Industries (KI) and Private Label. Reed will be tasked with managing existing businesses and growing future business for KI and private label sales. Reed previously competed in NASCAR for Roush Fenway for seven years, winning Daytona twice.

For more information, visit kooksheaders.com.

Photo of Katie Lucas, Megan Burakiewicz, and Dan Robinson courtesy of Lucas Oil
 

Lucas Oil Products Inc., the distributor of high-performance automotive additives and lubricants, has announced the promotion and addition of three key members to its leadership team. 

Katie Lucas has been named the Vice President of Strategy and Philanthropy, and Megan Burakiewicz is now the Director of People Operations. Additionally, the Lucas Oil racing division has promoted Dan Robinson as Vice President of Motorsports Operations.

Lucas will oversee company strategy and business development initiatives, as well as design and implement a corporate social responsibility strategy with a concentration on philanthropy and employee engagement. She will also focus on structuring and delivering an effective communication strategy both internally and externally to ensure alignment with corporate culture and business objectives.

Burakiewicz will foster the continued growth and progression of the company from within, working closely with Lucas Oil employees to ensure the most effective and rewarding work environment possible.

Meanwhile, Robinson will be responsible for all operational aspects of three unique large-scale motorsports operations, including financial performance, operations, marketing, sponsorships, staffing, human resources, safety, scheduling, and event planning. 

“Dan’s knowledge and experience of the grassroots motorsports industry will help us build on what is an integral part of our marketing strategy,” said Morgan Lucas.

For more information, visit lucasoil.com.

Photo of Timothy McGrane courtesy of M1 Concourse

M1 Concourse, based in Pontiac, Michigan, has announced that its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jordan Zlotoff will step down from his position effective March 1, 2021, to pursue new professional ventures. Timothy McGrane, a seasoned automotive and motorsports executive, will step up as the new CEO. 

Zlotoff has been with M1 Concourse since the initial construction of the private garage community began in 2015. Zlotoff served as the Director of Business Development and Director of Operations prior to assuming the role of CEO in March 2019. He will remain a part of the family ownership structure at M1 Concourse and an informal advisor to its operations.

“I am extremely proud of how far we have come. I am in awe of what the M1 Concourse team has accomplished and beyond grateful to the M1 Garage Owners, clients, and sponsors that have partnered with us throughout our development,” Zlotoff said. 

McGrane is the former Executive Director of the Blackhawk Automotive Museum and most recently served as the CEO of Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California.

“I am looking forward to furthering the M1 Concourse mission by growing the experiences for our M1 Garage Owners and Motorsports Club members as well as developing new and dynamic event concepts,” said McGrane. “We have a unique opportunity to host the 2021 Motor Bella event and bring the eyes of the automotive world to M1 Concourse.” 

For more information, visit m1concourse.com.

Driven Racing Oil, which traces its roots to blown NASCAR engines, and Boostane, which was spawned from a college term paper, will pool engineering and marketing resources to help each other expand into additional territories like grassroots racing, diesel, and powersports.

Officials from both companies confirmed the collaborative partnership to PRI and also stressed that a merger or acquisition is not part of the agreement as the companies explore additional market possibilities.

“We are still completely separate entities,” said Ian Lehn, owner and founder of Boostane Octane Engineering, Bonita Springs, Florida. “We will share some resources because we’re looking to utilize our expertise and develop projects together.”

Driven was born near the turn of the 21st century when Joe Gibbs Racing suffered failures with the flat-tappet camshafts and lifters in its NASCAR engines. The team then developed its own break-in and race oils to solve the problem and named the product Driven Racing Oil. A couple of years later, Driven became available to other race teams, followed by national distribution. The company was then sold to Ron Coleman and Scooter Brothers, who headed up COMP Cams at the time. Driven shared some resources with COMP Performance Group (CPG) but was never folded into the company.

Driven recently hired certified tribologist Bill Alexander (CLS) (OMA), who brings a deep performance background, and the company is targeting new markets outside of high-end racing specialties.

“We can now address opportunities in the market where product is not currently available. The beauty of our brand is that we’re a niche player,” said Kyle Fickler, director of sales and business development at Driven.

The concept of Boostane was Lehn’s senior year exit thesis, with the premise of developing a fuel concentrate that not only would help his father’s offshore racing team but also be an affordable alternative to race gas. In 2014, the idea won the Launchpad competition at SEMA. One of the judges was Ron Coleman.

“We’ve always been for the guy that did not have the capability to buy real expensive race fuel,” said Lehn. “What I am hoping for, working with Ron and Scooter, is that we can bring some of that to Driven and use our collective resources to be more effective in grassroots racing.”

Fickler said Driven’s product line will expand by offering specific engine oils along with gear lubes and transmission fluids into more markets. “Including a real meaningful and broad product line for powersports,” he added. “Not just side-by-sides but snowmobiles and personal watercraft. Much of the powersports stuff ends up in the micro and mini-sprint market. So, that’s a logical choice, given our strong penetration into sprint cars.”

“I know our engineering team is working very closely with Driven’s engineering team on developing a line of diesel products for fleet and commercial application,” Lehn added. “The way we look at it, between our two companies there is no part on an engine that we do not touch in one way or the other. So we want to make sure that there are products out there that show that type of collaboration.”

For more information, visit drivenracingoil.com and boostane.com.

Stäubli Group is a mechatronics solutions provider with three core activities: Connectors, Robotics and Textile. It is an international group that currently operates in 29 countries, with agents in 50 nations on four continents. Its global workforce of 5,500 shares a commitment to partnering with customers in nearly every industry to provide comprehensive solutions with long-term support. Originally founded in 1892 as a small workshop in Horgen/Zurich, today Stäubli is an international group headquartered in Pfäffikon, Switzerland, that delivers solutions to industrial sectors around the world.

Since 1892 the Stäubli Group has expanded technologically and geographically. As early as 1909 Stäubli set up its first manufacturing site in France, followed by further expansions to European countries, the Americas, Japan, China and Korea. Starting in the weaving industry, Stäubli expanded its expertise to connection solutions, at first with quick couplings for pneumatics and hydraulics and later for electrical power and data. With the acquisition of Unimation — a pioneer in industrial robotics — in 1989, Stäubli moved into one of the most advanced industrial sectors. The company partners with its customers worldwide to provide the most efficient solution for their application.

Stäubli’s history in mechatronics gives them a strong foundation. Its passion for innovation lets the company provide leading-edge solutions. This is made possible by its research-and-development departments with more than 600 specialists around the world.

Customer service is at the center of Stäubli’s efforts and defines its products and services. The company is committed to delivering what is promised and supporting its customers with any issues that arise and to find reliable solutions for any application, even years after the product has been purchased.

To learn more about check out Stäubli Group’s international presence and aspirations, visit: https://www.staubli.com/

Kooks Headers & Exhaust dates back to 1962 when George “Papa” Kook used a gas torch to build his first set of headers for his family race car. Kook competed weekly at the Islip raceway on New York’s Long Island in his red 1958 Skylark and wasn’t happy with the speeds the car was hitting in the quarter-mile. He made his own headers and racked up more than 200 wins. It wasn’t long before his competition was asking for some headers.

For the ensuing 50 years, Kooks has concentrated its efforts in the racing world.  From drag to circle track to road racing, motorcycle, and even offshore powerboats, Kooks Headers has helped set records and win races. Some of the dominant names in NHRA, IHRA, NMCA, NMRA, NASCAR, SCCA, and NASA continue to run Kooks headers. 

Kooks Headers & Exhaust also offers production applications for many late-model domestic automobiles. Kooks prides itself on being pioneers in stainless-steel header design and fabrication and has become an innovator in the exhaust industry as a whole. Kooks designs, tests and manufacturers all its own equipment. 

A diverse skillset gives the company the ability to offer an array of custom services. The company’s craftsman are capable of bending mandrel tubes, welding, forming, notching, burning custom flanges and producing specialty collectors. Kooks can also finish off the package with racing mufflers and tips. In addition, they offer private-label work for your exhaust or tube bending needs. 

To learn about everything Kooks has to offer including its Custom/Specialty page, visit: https://kooksheaders.com.

Officials have revealed the dates for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 2022 Speedweeks, set for January 27 through February 12 in Georgia and Florida.

Competitors will visit four tracks over 17 days, with 14 nights of racing action at Golden Isles Speedway, Bubba Raceway Park, All-Tech Raceway, and East Bay Raceway Park. 
 
Event purses range from $5,000 up to $15,000, and Wrisco Industries, Inc. has announced a $4,000 Speedweeks Points Fund, which will allow teams the chance to earn bonus money at the end of the event.

For the complete schedule and practice dates, visit here. For more information, visit lucasdirt.com.

NASCAR and Rev Racing have selected eight talented young drivers from various backgrounds for the newest class of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program.

The 2021 roster for the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program includes returning veterans, a rising iRacing competitor, two FB y BOHN Mikel’s Trucks drivers, and the 2020 World Series Dirt Nationals champion.

Nick Sanchez, Rajah Caruth, Isabella Robusto, Lavar Scott, and Regina Sirvent are Rev Racing veterans returning to the program in 2021. This season will mark the first year for drivers Justin Campbell, Andres Perez de Lara, and Jaiden Reyna.

“We are thrilled to welcome these accomplished drivers to our successful development program,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR Director, Racing Operations and Event Management. “We’re enthusiastic about their future and look forward to working with each driver as they advance their racing careers.”

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program was created in 2004 to develop and train ethnically diverse and female drivers both on and off the track. NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suárez, and Kyle Larson are alumni of this program operated by Rev Racing in Concord, North Carolina.

For more information, visit nascar.com and revracing.net.

Nine racing legends, including an unprecedented three female honorees, were named to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) as the 33rd class.

The Class of 2021 includes one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers, Davey Allison (Stock Cars), three-time land speed record holder John Cobb (Historic), three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon Jr. (Drag Racing), Indy and NASCAR trailblazer Janet Guthrie (Open Wheel), 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky “Kentucky Kid” Hayden (Motorcycles), legendary Indy correspondent Robin Miller (Media), seven consecutive APBA Gold Cup winner Fran Muncey (Powerboats), multi-time USAC and NASCAR champion Ray Nichels (Historic), and world-class timer/scorer Judy Stropus (Sports Cars).

“The Class of 2021 is history-making in so many respects,” said MSHFA President George Levy. “Janet Guthrie, Fran Muncey, and Judy Stropus comprise the first-ever class with three female inductees. Fran joins inaugural class inductee Bill Muncey as the only husband and wife inductees. And Davey Allison, Bobby Allison, and Donnie Allison join Bobby Unser, Al Unser, and Al Unser Jr. as the only families with three individually inducted members.”

Each of the MSHFA’s inductees is elected by a vote of 200 motorsports experts—many inductees themselves. Regular voters include Hall of Famers Mario Andretti, Tom D’Eath, Chip Ganassi, Don Garlits, Parnelli Jones, Scott Parker, Richard Petty, Don Prudhomme, and other titans of the sport.

The Class of 2021 celebration will be announced in the near future. For more information, visit here or mshf.com.

Edelbrock's San Jacinto, California location

Aftermarket parts supplier Edelbrock is closing its Torrance, California, headquarters and manufacturing plant and shifting its operations to separate facilities in-state and across the country. 

Edelbrock’s administrative offices will be moved to a 300,000-square-foot facility in Olive Branch, Mississippi, while most manufacturing processes will be transferred to its San Jacinto, California, plant, located about 95 miles east of Torrance.   

When asked about the move, Edelbrock Group Chief Commercial Officer Chris Douglas cited the company’s merger with COMP Performance Group in early 2020 as a primary factor. “We had seven campuses between us across the country,” he explained, “so it made a lot of business sense to sit down and ask, ‘What skill sets do we have at these various locations, and where can we make our organization stronger and combine efficiency?’ 

“Unfortunately, the decision-making process did impact Torrance, but it’s part of building a foundation and future expansion for our company,” he continued. “It’s bittersweet. Torrance has been the home for Edelbrock for many, many years, and we fully acknowledge that it may be difficult for the market to understand. But it is critical to fuel future growth.”     

With the news, the company announced the expansion of its San Jacinto facility, which currently houses foundry and casting processes for its aluminum products. Douglas also revealed plans to open a new technical center in Cerritos, California, which is set to be fully operational by the time the Torrance facility officially shuts down on March 31. The Edelbrock Southern California Tech Center will house approximately 15 engineering and compliance employees to oversee some development and testing efforts, he said.     

“We feel [Cerritos] is a great base of operations,” Douglas added. “When that facility opens, we will be back to seven facilities from coast to coast.”    

Meantime, Edelbrock has offered to relocate many of its 270 Torrance-based employees to either Olive Branch, Cerritos, or San Jacinto. 

“Those numbers are constantly evolving, as some employees are still weighing their options,” Douglas said. “For many, it’s a great opportunity to get to a different area of the country, or even a different part of California, out of LA and closer to Palm Springs.”     

The shift in operations is not expected to affect production or shipping times for most of its core products, Douglas told us, although COVID-19 may still be an issue. “[Production] was a big part of the planning process, which started in fall of 2020. But the ‘unknown’ is the amount of production and raw material delays due to COVID, of course. It has been challenging in the last month in LA County alone, so there might be a shortfall as we get into the peak spring selling season. But we are working in earnest to try to mitigate that and continue delivering products to our loyal Edelbrock customers.”     

The shift and expansion align with Edelbrock’s push to return to its racing roots while branching out into additional Late Model performance segments. The company’s recent renewal of its partnership with Pat Musi Racing, plus the opening of the Edelbrock Race Center in Mooresville, North Carolina, are in line with those objectives, Douglas noted.     

“One of our goals is to get Edelbrock back to hardcore racing,” he confirmed. “I’ll candidly say that we lost some of our racing focus over the years and have been known as a hot rod company. 

“But we’ve got some announcements coming over the next few months that’ll further align us with this goal and get us back to our racing and performance roots, while continuing to serve the passionate hot rod community,” Douglas added. “We want to make sure that Edelbrock remains one of the most respected names in performance for the next generation of enthusiasts.”   

For more information, visit edelbrock.com.