Musi Racing has begun construction on a new state-of-the-art facility near Mooresville Dragway in North Carolina.

In September, the race team broke ground on its new 9,000-square foot building, which is scheduled to open in early 2021.

The new building will serve as the race shop for the Musi Racing cars, including the Frank Brandao-owned Edelbrock/Lucas Oil “King Kong 7” 2018 Dodge Dart and the Edelbrock-equipped “Aftershock” Camaro, both driven by Street Outlaws star Lizzy Musi. Customer cars will also be kept at the new facility, while Pat Musi Racing Engines will remain in its current 10,000-square foot building near downtown Mooresville.

The two shops will be within ten minutes of each other.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun, and we’ve got a lot of good ideas for this building. There’s definitely a lot of excitement coming,” Pat Musi said. “We were really crunched for space, and this new building gives us a great spot for the race team and to set up cars for customers. It’s all coming together really well.”

For more information, visit musiracing.com.

Roush Fenway Racing has named Jimmy Fennig executive vice president in charge of competition. Fennig, who joined the organization in 1997 and played a major role in several of the team’s greatest successes, will oversee all aspects of competition for Roush Fenway’s racing operations that currently fields two entries in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The Milwaukee native served as a crew chief at Roush Fenway for almost two decades, working with a parade of all-star drivers, including NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, and Kurt Busch. He most recently oversaw the team’s superspeedway racing program, growing Roush Fenway into a recurrent powerhouse at Daytona and Talladega.

“I’m certainly humbled at the opportunity provided to me by Jack (Roush) and everyone at Roush Fenway Racing,” said Fennig, who in 2018 was awarded the prestigious Smokey Yunick Award for his impact on the motorsports industry. “I’ve been a part of this organization for a long time, and during that time we’ve experienced a lot of highs and lows, but I believe in the team, I believe in Jack, and I believe in the people we have here to help us get back to the top.

“Make no mistake, our goal is to get these Roush Fenway Fords to the front,” added Fennig. “We know we have a lot of work in front of us, but I believe we owe that to Jack, and we owe that to ourselves as racers, and I know the entire team embraces that challenge.”

For more information, visit roushfenway.com.

Speedway Motorsports' Bryan Hammond, who serves as its primary liaison to NASCAR premier partners, has been selected as the executive director for the inaugural NASCAR weekend at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), set for May 21-23. 

Hammond will work closely with the COTA staff, officials from the community, and event sponsors beginning in December. He will relocate from Concord, North Carolina, to Austin, Texas, for the position. 

The inaugural NASCAR event at Circuit of The Americas will see all three of NASCAR's premier national touring series take to the iconic 3.426-mile race track. Speedway Motorsports may announce additional racing, entertainment, and camping options in the coming weeks.

Hammond will continue his role as the Executive Director of Partnerships and Entertainment for Speedway Motors and will also support the production efforts for the annual NASCAR All-Star Race weekend, set for June 11-13 at Texas Motor Speedway.

For more information, visit circuitoftheamericas.com.

Officials from Crandon International Raceway have announced that the historic facility and all its assets have been purchased by off-road racer, business owner, and Crandon native Jamey Flannery. 

One of the most iconic motorsports venues in the world, the 400-plus acre track located in the Northwoods of Wisconsin has hosted some of the largest off-road races in motorsports since first opening in 1984. Flannery will operate the track as a business venture, replacing the current non-profit club structure. 

Crandon International Raceway features a 1.75-mile short-course off-road track, more than 2,100 designated grass camping sites, a modern grandstand and a hospitality facility, a designated off-road park, corporate hospitality suites, a trap range, and a VIP center and office at the location’s original barn. 

The track plays host to two major race events each year, including June’s Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run and Labor Day’s massive Polaris World Championship Off-Road Races and Crandon World Cup. This event saw a record crowd of just over 70,000 people at its 50th anniversary running in 2019. Both the new Champ Off-Road and Ultra4 series are also scheduled to run at Crandon as part of their 2021 race seasons. 

For more information, visit crandonoffroad.com. 

Evergreen Speedway, the super-oval race track based in Monroe, Washington, has hired longtime Everett AquaSox executive Brian Sloan as the Director of Business Development.

Sloan is a marketing specialist who has established and cultivated high-profile community and advertising partnerships in the Puget Sound area. 

"I've had the pleasure of working with Brian over the past twenty years. His vision and business sense are complemented by his friendly rapport. We look forward to introducing his network of contacts to the motorsports community," said Doug Hobbs of Evergreen Speedway.

As an executive with the Everett AquaSox, Brian was honored in 2010 as the Northwest League's Executive of the Year. Most recently, Brian worked as Director of Business Development with a local promotions company in Bellevue, working with over 100 professional and collegiate teams, helping each partner with their annual promotional calendars.

"I am extremely honored to be named Director of Business Development for Evergreen Speedway and to be a part of the rich motorsports tradition in the Northwest. I look forward to connecting with friends and business colleagues to educate them on the many opportunities to be involved with Evergreen Speedway and build upon the great success that Doug and Traci have established over the years."

For more information, visit evergreenspeedway.com.

Permatex, the provider of chemical technology for automotive maintenance and repair, has appointed Dan Clarke to the Director of Marketing position for the Engine Repair Division. 

In his role, Clarke will be responsible for driving the development and execution of all marketing activities for the engine repair business to meet strategic objectives and deliver financial goals. The announcement was made by Lee Burtelson, VP/GM Engine Repair.

During his five years with the company, Clarke mostly recently served as the Sales Director for the traditional US channel. Before Permatex, Clarke was a Business Unit Manager at Coburn Technologies Inc., a South Windsor, Connecticut-based manufacturer.

“Dan has done an exceptional job in helping us to expand our Engine Repair Business and strengthening our position in the traditional aftermarket. We are delighted to now have him as the leader of our marketing team and look forward to his contributions to the growth of the AAM Engine Repair Business,” Burtelson said. “Dan knows Permatex very well from both the sales and product management perspectives and is in an excellent position to help us meet our goals and objectives.”

Clarke holds a BS in Business Management from Albertus Magnus and an MBA from The University of Hartford Barney School of Business. He will be based out of the Solon, Ohio headquarters.

For more information, visit permatex.com.

Beta Utensili S.P.A., the Italian manufacturer of high-quality professional tools, has announced a new subsidiary named Beta Tools USA, which will serve the North American market. 

Established in July 2020 to support American and Canadian customers, Beta Tools USA operates out of a 20,000-square-foot combined office and warehouse space on 210 Chestnut Street in Columbia, Pennsylvania. The facility accommodates Beta Tool USA’s customer service, finance, sales and marketing, and warehousing and shipping operations. 

Beta Tools USA is led by general manager Randy Booth, who brings decades of experience in the professional tool industry from his previous positions at Bosch Power Tools, Klein Tools, KNIPEX Tools, and HD Supply. 

The company offers over 14,000 SKUs across more than 30 product categories, including workshop organization equipment, tool storage, and various professional hand tools ranging from wrenches and sockets to motorbike and bicycle repair tools. 

“We are excited to bring this incredible line of Italian-designed, professional tools, and equipment to the tradesmen and enthusiasts that appreciate high quality to get their jobs done efficiently and safely,” said Booth. “It’s a privilege to help expand Beta Tool’s global presence to North America.”

For more information, visit betatoolsusa.com. 

NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A.), INC. has announced two promotions within its executive team. 

Brian Norko has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Commercial Business. In this role, he will be responsible for all sales, product development, and marketing strategies for the NGK Commercial Busines' automotive aftermarket, OEM, and OES channels. Prior to this promotion, Norko served as the Vice President, Aftermarket for three years.

Lesley Skinner has been promoted to Vice President, Culture, Communication and People. In this newly created role, Skinner will be responsible for driving the company culture, corporate communications, and administration strategies. Skinner was previously the Senior Director of Human Resources & Administration and has been with NGK for nine years. 

“We are structuring our executive team to maximize our growth potential and lead our company for many years to come,’’ NGK President and CEO Mike Schwab said. “This change is led by a desire to prepare for and create the future.”

For more information, visit ngksparkplugs.com. 

Brembo, the disc brake technology provider, has acquired SBS Friction A/S, a Danish company that develops and manufactures innovative and eco-friendly sintered and organic-material brake pads for motorbikes. 

Brembo will integrate the company’s brake pads into its current product range, strengthening its position in the motorbike sector.  

“We are particularly glad to welcome SBS Friction in our group,” Brembo Chairman Alberto Bombassei said. “Despite the highly complex market context, Brembo has maintained its natural propensity to invest in innovation. This acquisition is an important step in our strategy: it enables us to integrate even more specific competencies in a key sector, to further strengthen our range of ‘made-in-Brembo’ solutions for the benefit of our customers.” 

“Brembo has long been a trustworthy partner that knows the value of SBS Friction’s technological know-how and its strong niche position” SBS Group Chairman Peter Eriksen Jensen said. “We are pleased that SBS Friction will get a strong, long-term, industrial owner who will support the company’s continued development. The transaction is a good solution for SBS Group, SBS Friction, the employees, and the city of Svendborg.”

The agreement is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of 2021.

For more information, visit brembo.com.

“CRASH!”, the novel chronicling the story of the widespread use of the HANS (Head and Neck System) device in motorsports, will be added to the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute.

The book, written in 2019 by Jonathan Ingram with Dr. Robert Hubbard and Jim Downing, will be a permanent addition to the Smithsonian and will be used by researchers, museum staff, and visitors.

“It is a privilege to have this book recognized by the Smithsonian and made available to researchers and others,” said Ingram. “This book features the incredible work done by Jim Downing and Bob Hubbard to develop the HANS device, and I am grateful to the Smithsonian for inclusion in its library.”

The HANS, which prevents deadly basal skull fractures, was pioneered by five-time IMSA champion Downing and invented by the late Dr. Hubbard, his brother-in-law. 

“We have received awards over the years for the HANS Device,” said Downing. “But having a book about what it took to be successful in one of the libraries at the Smithsonian is truly a special honor. Jonathan Ingram did an incredible amount of research and really captures the story of what was happening in racing during that time when we kept losing drivers, starting in the 1990s. But there was still a lot of resistance to the idea of a head restraint.”

For more information or to purchase a copy of “CRASH!” signed by Jim Downing, visit jingrambooks.com.