St. Thomas Dragway, the longest continually running drag racing facility in Canada, has renewed a multi-year sanctioning agreement with the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).

Located in Sparta, Ontario, Canada, the facility opened in 1962 as the nation's first purpose-built drag strip. Track founders Robert and Helen Harvey held the first race on the 1/4-mile drag strip on May 28,

In 1962, track founders Robert and Helen Harvey opened the 1/4-mile strip as Canada’s first purpose-built drag racing facility. The track was later run by Helen and Judy Burgess after Robet's passing and until the 1989 season, when John and Sharon Fletcher purchased the facility. 

The track then went through different hands of ownership, including Dave and Linda Mathers, the late Jason “Jay” Morse, and finally the current owner Paul Spriet, who purchased the drag strip with his family this year. 

Recent updates include a new concrete guard wall, track repavement, and updates to the wiring, lighting, PA System, washroom facilities, and more.

For more information, visit StThomasDragway.ca or IHRA.com.

RANDYS Worldwide Automotive, the parent company of Yukon Gear & Axle, has announced Ted Caldwell as its new chief operation officer (COO) and Tim Spiller as its new director of distribution operations.

In his new position with the Everett, Washington-based drivetrain product provider, Caldwell will focus on creating a scalable operational structure, optimizing warehouse growth, system automation, and supply chain management, and more, according to published reports.  

“RANDYS is proud to enhance our overall management strength by introducing a senior leader with global operations experience,” RANDYS Worldwide president and CEO Kevin Kaestner said in a published release. 

Spiller, who has been coordinating distribution and logistics involving mass-market fulfillment for a decade, comes to RANDYS from Europe-based Funko, where he was responsible for its expansion in the US.

For more information, visit RANDYSWorldwide.com.

Officials with the FASTRAK Racing Series Northeast have announced the launch of the new tour is being postponed to 2021. 

The races scheduled for Latrobe Speedway, Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex, and Hagerstown Speedway have been canceled for 2020. Those tracks, along with Tyler County Speedway and Virginia Motor Speedway, are part of the FASTRAK Racing Series Northeast. Tyler County is still holding a FASTRAK special event in September.

“This is not a decision that was taken lightly,” FASTRAK Vice President DJ Irvine said. “After much thought and discussion, it is in the best interest of our partners, tracks, and teams to postpone the launch of the FASTRAK Racing Series Northeast to next season. We appreciate the tracks who stepped up to host events in 2020, and all have stated they intend to be a part of the tour in 2021.”

The doubleheader weekend at Tyler County Speedway, part of the Hillbilly Hundred weekend September 5-6, is still on the schedule for the FASTRAK Racing Series powered by Chevrolet Performance. The event was originally slated to be a co-sanctioned race with the FASTRAK Racing Series Northeast.

For more information, visit FASTRAKracing.com.

Takumi USA, a division of HURCO, has named Superior Equipment Solutions (SES) of Franklin, Ohio, as its exclusive full-service distributor for Kentucky and Southern Ohio.

“We’re excited to be representing Takumi USA,”  Andy Roeder of SES said. “We have been very impressed with the high-speed machining and outstanding surface finish of the Takumi U-Series 5-Axis machining centers. Takumi has truly created durable CNC machines that result in higher productivity through speed, accuracy, and reliability. With industry-standard CNC controls (Fanuc or Heindenhain), we will be able to help customers find the right machining center to meet their needs.”

With the announcement, SES will now be able to offer sales, service, parts, training, and application support for Takumi USA customers in Kentucky and Southern Ohio.

“Superior Equipment Solutions is a great addition to the Takumi USA dealer network,” Takumi USA General Manager Cory Miller said. “We know they’re going to help us sell machines, but even more important, we know they have the knowledge and experience to provide customers with the tools and machinery options they need to succeed.”

For more information, visit TakumiUSA.com.

The sale of Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, South Dakota, has been finalized with Minnesota businessman Tod Quiring acquiring the 3/8-mile dirt track along with its assets. Quiring also owns Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minnesota, which he purchased in late 2015.

Huset’s Speedway will continue its tradition of Sunday programs featuring 410 Outlaw sprint cars.

The first event under the new ownership will be Sunday, August 2, during the C & B Operations Grand Reopening presented by Folkens Brothers Trucking. A $20,000 top prize will be awarded to the winner of the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions main event, which also pays $1,000 to start. The Late Model Street Stock Touring Series is also on the program.

The event will mark the first time since 2014 that the All Star Circuit of Champions has competed at the track.

Tickets and more information are available at HusetsSpeedway.com. Race fans can keep up to date on social media at facebook.com/HusetsSpeedwaySD.

The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame located in Knoxville, Iowa, has announced that this year’s 31st annual National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum induction banquet will be postponed until 2021.

“With Iowa being listed as a red state, and quarantines being placed on travelers from several states who visit Iowa, it just wasn’t fair to our inductees, their families, friends, and our inductees who travel from Pennsylvania and other states to be with us,” stated Bob Baker, the museum’s executive director.
 
Originally scheduled for May 30 earlier this summer, the 31st Annual National Sprint Car Hall of Fame induction banquet was previously moved to Saturday, August 1, due to COVID-19 regulations placed on social gatherings. 

Now, the induction banquet will move back to Saturday, June 5, 2021, the traditional weekend after Memorial Day.

This year’s inductees include Drivers Greg Hodnett, Tim Shaffer, Sammy Swindell; Owners-Mechanics-Builders-Manufacturers-Car Builders Walt Dyer and Paul Leffler; Promoters-Officials-Media Members-Event/Series Sponsors Don Lamberti and Spencer Riggs; and Pre-1945 Inductee Bill Cummings.  

Previously purchased tickets will be honored at the rescheduled event. For more information, visit SprintCarHoF.com.

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) has announced its schedule through August for the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West, following NASCAR’S recent schedule update for the top three national tours.

The ARCA Menards Series will run a doubleheader at the sanctioning body’s hometown track in Toledo, Ohio, on July 31 and August 1. The doubleheader will mark the first time since 1956 that the series has run a pair of races on the same weekend in Toledo, and it will also be the series’ first weekend doubleheader since 2003.

The latest installment of the 2020 schedule is as follows:

Date            Series              Track    
Saturday, July 18      AMS      Iowa Speedway    
Friday, July 24      AMS      Kansas Speedway    
Friday, July 31      AMS      Toledo Speedway    
Saturday, August 1      AMS      Toledo Speedway    
Friday, August 7      AMS West      Evergreen Speedway    
Saturday, August 8      AMS West      Douglas County Speedway    
Sunday, August 9      ARCA      Michigan International Speedway
Friday, August 14      ARCA      Daytona International Speedway Road Course    
Friday, August 21      AMS East      Dover International Speedway    
Saturday, August 22      AMS West      Colorado National Speedway    
Saturday, August 29      ARCA      WWT Raceway at Gateway    

Both races at Toledo, the race on the Daytona road course, and the race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway will also be part of the Sioux Chief Showdown, a 10-race "series-within-a-series" that brings together the best of the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East and West.

The ARCA Menards Series races at Madison International Speedway, originally set for August 7, and the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, originally set for August 23, have been postponed. Additionally, series officials are working to confirm a date for the West series race at Meridian Speedway in Meridian, Idaho. Event promoters and series officials are currently working on securing alternative dates. Races at Mid-Ohio and Elko have officially been removed from the 2020 schedule with plans to return in 2021.

For more information, visit ARCARacing.com.

For a running list of motorsports series and racing organization schedule updates, visit performanceracing.com/magazine/industry-news/07-13-2020/race-series-organizers-update-2020-schedules.

Bombtrack Fabrication, the welding, fabrication, and CNC machine shop that specializes in drag racing, has acquired Power Cool Systems machine shop, formerly known as Saldana Racing Products.

Bombtrack has also announced that the company will transition is current operations in Brownsburg, Indiana, to Power Cool Systems' location in Indianapolis, Indiana, allowing them to increase their shop size from 4,000 sq. ft. to 9,000 sq. ft. 

"Expanding our shop to nine CNC machines was a no brainer. Doubling our machines will allow us to reduce lead times and take on new opportunities with this increased capacity," Bombtrack Fabrication President Joe Barszcz said. 

For more information, and to "follow the move," visit BombtrackFabrication.com or facebook.com/bombtrackfabrication/. 
 

Tenneco Inc. has announced that its board of directors has appointed Kevin Baird as the chief operating officer, effective August 3, 2020. In this role, Baird joins the executive leadership team and will lead and support critical strategic and operations initiatives that deliver margin expansion and cash generation improvements.

Baird joins Tenneco from Guardian Industries, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc., where he served since 2014 as president and chief executive officer of its Guardian Glass business.

“I am pleased to welcome Kevin to Tenneco and the addition of his automotive industry, global operations management, and private equity background to the deep experience and strength of our executive leadership team,” said Brian Kesseler, Tenneco CEO. “He brings a proven track record of delivering strong top and bottom-line results, driving cash flow and increasing return on invested capital.”

In addition, Tenneco has also announced that its board of directors has appointed Matti Masanovich as the chief financial officer, effective August 10, 2020. He will succeed interim CFO Ken Trammell.

Before joining Tenneco, Masanovich was the chief financial officer of Superior Industries International, Inc., a global supplier of light vehicle aluminum wheels for the original equipment and aftermarket. 

For more information, visit Tenneco.com.