Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH), the owner of the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) and majority owner of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, has announced a partnership with two SCCA Pro Racing open wheel series, Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda and Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda.

“SCCA Pro Racing has proven the viability of FR Americas and F4 U.S. and we are confident that through a combined effort we can take both to the next level,” SVRA President and CEO and majority owner of Trans Am Tony Parella said. “I want to thank our newest PMH board member, Nick Craw who was instrumental in making this deal come together. His exceptional executive leadership experience in SCCA, ACCUS, and FIA proved invaluable.”

PMH takes ownership of all commercial aspects of both series under the SpeedTour event brand. F4 U.S. and FR Americas will finish the season under SCCA Pro Racing promotion. PMH will take over as the series promoter starting January 2021.

“This agreement greatly expands our community of competitors, team owners, fans, and sponsors,” Chairman of the SCCA Ventures Board Peter Jankovskis said. “That means significant opportunity for everyone. The SpeedTour brand delivers a genuinely unique market positioning with an unmatched diversity of categories of racing. We believe adding our proven and established open-wheel racing will enhance what is already a potent mix that includes SVRA, VROC (Vintage Race of Champions) and the revitalized Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli.”

F4 U.S. and FR Americas are both scheduled to visit VIRginia International Raceway on July 17-19, for the Andy Scriven Memorial.

For more information, visit f4uschampionship.com or framericas.com.

Garrett Motion Inc., the technology provider for the automotive industry, has announced that Sean Deason has been named Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Deason will relocate to the company’s global headquarters in Switzerland.

Previously, Deason was the CFO of WABCO Holdings Inc., a global supplier of advanced technologies for commercial vehicles. Deason will assume responsibilities as the principal financial officer of Garrett from Peter Bracke. The latter served as Interim CFO for Garrett since September 2019 and will remain with the company in the newly created position of Chief Transformation Officer.

“Sean’s impressive record of contributions as a financial analyst, strategist and senior leader is a welcome addition to our already talented Garrett senior leadership team,” Garrett President and CEO Olivier Rabiller said. “He brings more than 20 years of financial leadership developed from experiences with a diverse set of successful companies within the automotive industry. Sean’s talents and perspectives will positively influence Garrett’s businesses as we support the near-term recovery of the industry from the COVID pandemic and the long-term growth of the industry with new technologies and innovations.”

Before joining WABCO, Deason spent four years with Evraz N.A., a steel products manufacturer, where he served as vice president of Financial Planning and Analysis. Deason also worked 12 years with Lear Corporation, a global automotive technology manufacturer, where he held finance, treasury, and corporate planning roles covering multiple regions.

Deason also holds a Masters of International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management and is a Certified Management Accountant.

For more information, visit garrettmotion.com.

After reviewing numerous options and further analysis of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation with Baja California and Ensenada authorities as well as Private Sector Organizations, SCORE International has announced new dates for the BFGoodrich Tires 52nd annual SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts.


Season opener of the 2020 SCORE World Desert Championship will be held from August 4-9 in Ensenada, B.C. Mexico and will include qualifying for SCORE Trophy Truck, SCORE TT Legend, Class 1 and the Trophy Truck Spec classes to be held midway through race week.


The detailed race schedule will be available next week on the SCORE website under race info at www.score-international.com.

“SCORE International will continue to monitor the COVID-19 status and will apply an officially approved Health Protocol plan for race logistics,” stated Jose A. Grijalva, SCORE President/Race Director. ‘We are also working in coordination with official Health Protocol plans from Hotels, Restaurants and other services in Ensenada to implement all requirements.


“SCORE International acknowledges the support and patience of everyone involved and is continuing to focus on the health and safety of our racers, sponsors, media, fans, staff and the citizens of Baja California in these unprecedented times. SCORE will diligently adhere to all of the health protocols established for our race by the Mexican government.”


Because of the fluidity of the COVID-19 situation, SCORE will continue to provide additional updates as warranted through its website at www.score-international.com.


When fans attend next week’s World of Outlaws three-day mega-event July 2-3-4 on the high-banks of Cedar Lake Speedway, track and race series officials will not only be giving them a double dose of the Greatest Show on Dirt, but a preview into the future of sports and live events with state-of-the-art walk-through screeners and free at-track COVID-19 testing.

The Independence Day Weekend celebration of speed featuring $274,000 in prize money—the first major sporting event in America contested in front of a capacity-crowd since sports were shut down in March by the pandemic—features three nights of the 900hp winged-warriors of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars and door-banging stock cars of the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models. Located just 30 minutes East of Minneapolis, incidence rates of the virus in heavenly St. Croix County, Wisconsin, are well below national benchmarks.

Still, the World of Outlaws and Cedar Lake Speedway have partnered with IMPACT Health, a trusted national biometric screening and testing provider, award-winning experiential event firm NEXT Marketing, and Soter Technologies, developers of SymptomSense, an advanced, non-invasive, airport-style biometric walk-through scanner that in a matter of seconds aggregates risk factors associated with COVID. Dr. Jack Faircloth MD, a COVID response expert who has played an integral role in the ‘Return to Racing’ will be available to fans on-site and will be coordinating with area healthcare professionals. The result is a 360-degree approach to the screening of fans and participants before they enter the facility.

“We have been working behind-the-scenes with world-class providers to deliver some comfort and a small sense of normalcy inside the gates at Cedar Lake Speedway,” World of Outlaws CMO Ben Geisler said. “The process will be simple and quick. While the screening technology is state-of-the art, it is actually faster and easier than a metal detector, and the 15-minute free COVID testing won’t look much different than the free health screenings that might take place at nearby Mall of America.”

Prior to entering the venue, fans will pass through screeners set to detect potential COVID warning signs, generating a red light/green light. A green light will proceed through the gates while a red light will trigger a consult with a licensed medical professional. Fans receiving a red light will have the choice of having a free COVID test administered with results available in about 15 minutes, or opting out and receiving a complimentary DIRTVision subscription to watch the races from home.

The event itself, which is similar to the championship-crowning Can-Am World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte, will span three-days beginning Thursday, July 2, with Qualifying and unique $3,000 to win Features for each Series. Friday and Saturday will each include Heat Races, Last Chance Showdowns and a pair of $20,000-to-win, $1,000-to-start Features, one for each Series.

“Independence Day celebrates the birth of our great nation, and we look forward to honoring that as part of our ‘Return to Racing’ in front of a capacity crowd,” World of Outlaws CEO Brian Carter said. “When the energy of a full grandstand combines with 25,000 horsepower, I still get goosebumps and I can’t wait for the fireworks on the track and after the races.”

The event will be broadcast on DIRTVision, with all three huge nights included at no additional cost with a Fast Pass subscription. CBS Sports Network will air a 2-hour Features-only special presentation LIVE at 9pm ET on Saturday, July 4.

Tickets and on-site camping are available at CedarLakeSpeedway.com. A three-day advance reserved ticket is $119; a two-day advance reserved ticket is $99. Single-day walk-up tickets will start at just $29 for Thursday and $49 for Friday and Saturday on a first-come, first-served basis. Kids 12-and-under are FREE in general admission. Camping is just $50 for the entire weekend.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials confirmed their commitment to welcoming spectators to the 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, August 23, with the venue capacity limited to 50 percent attendance.

“The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” was postponed from its original date of Sunday, May 24 due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

“We’re committed to running the Indy 500 on Sunday, August 23, and will welcome fans to the world’s greatest racing venue,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “We will be limiting attendance to approximately 50 percent of venue capacity, and we are also finalizing a number of additional carefully considered health and safety measures. We’ll unveil the specific details of our comprehensive plan in the coming weeks.”

IMS is communicating with existing ticketholders to learn of their intent to use their race tickets. Credits will be available for ticketholders who choose to adjust their order. Individuals in high-risk groups are encouraged to consider staying home and returning in 2021.

In close consultation with public health officials, the IMS team is also working diligently to finalize a comprehensive plan of health measures that will be unveiled for spectators in the near future.

Professional racer and TV personality Jessi Combs, who was killed last year while attempting to break the women’s land speed record, has been posthumously named the fastest woman on earth by Guinness World Records.

The "fastest land-speed record (female)" mark has now officially been set at 522.8 mph.

Combs’ new record was established during her fatal attempt in Oregon’s Alvord Desert on August 27, 2019. During that run, the Guinness Book of World Records certified that Combs reached 522.783 mph before the crash. Combs’ accident was attributed to a front wheel failure after it struck an unidentified object on the course while traveling upwards of 550 mph.

The previous land-speed record was 512.710 mph, set by Kitty O'Neil in a three-wheeled, jet-powered car. Combs’ four-wheeled North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger had already made her the fastest woman on four wheels, achieving 398 mph in 2013.

Andy Cowell, who has overseen the production of the V6 hybrid power units that have won six consecutive Formula 1 double world championships for Mercedes, is set to leave his role as managing director.

Cowell has headed the Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) department for the last seven years, having worked there in total for 16; he reportedly informed the team of his intention to depart in January.

Since then, Cowell—who also worked on the Cosworth engine Johnny Herbert used to win the 1999 European Grand Prix with Stewart, and the BMW engine that powered Williams to four wins in 2001—has been collaborating with Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wollff and Daimler’s Markus Schafer to define a new management structure, officials said.

Cowell’s responsibilities will be split among the senior leadership team, with Hywel Thomas taking over as managing director, with direct responsibility for the F1 Power Unit.

Mercedes has said Cowell will continue to work alongside Thomas to “support the transition” and will consult on “a major future project until at least early 2021”.

For more information, visit formula1.com.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, closed since March 16 due to COVID-19, will be reopening to the public on Wednesday, July 1. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

The museum will be following all of the Los Angeles County Department of Health guidelines and will be putting additional precautions in place, officials said. Museum employees will be equipped with personal protective equipment; plexiglass panels will be installed at the ticket counter and gift shop; the museum will enhance sanitizing procedures; and a clear flow path will be marked for visitors to help implement social distancing.

The museum also will be following L.A. County recommended guidelines for the safety of guests, employees, and volunteers. All guests will be required to wear face masks and encouraged to wash/sanitize their hands before entering the museum; visitors are encouraged to stay at home if they are feeling sick.


For more information, visit nhra.com.

American-Canadian Tour (ACT) officials have announced that the debut season of the New England Late Model Challenge Cup presented by American Racer has been postponed to 2021.

The decision was made due to continuing uncertainty about when multiple Southern New England tracks that signed up for the program can officially get their season underway.

Guidelines and restrictions related to the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak had already delayed the racing season across the region. While three of the five tracks originally planning to participate in the Challenge Cup have since been able to start their seasons, two others—Seekonk Speedway in Massachusetts and Thompson Speedway in Connecticut—are still waiting for the go-ahead from state officials. The latest indications are that neither track will be reopening before late July at the earliest, likely resulting in a further-shortened season for both.

This situation would put their home track drivers who registered for the Challenge Cup at a significant disadvantage compared to what was expected when the program was announced, ACT officials said. As such, out of basic fairness to these racers, officials decided to put the Challenge Cup on hold until 2021 so its first season could be held on a more level playing field.

All teams that registered for the Challenge Cup will be sent a full refund of their entry fee within the next two weeks. It is expected that all sponsorships, contingency awards, and raffle prizes announced for 2020 will carry over into the 2021 season.

For more information, visit acttour.com.

Some four months since the thunderous roar of American-made Trans Am machinery rattled the ground, the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli is ready to return to race action in a big way this weekend.

After staging a successful 2020 season-opening weekend at Sebring International Raceway on the last weekend in February, the season went on pause following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. But, on June 26-28 the fire breathing beasts will awake from their extended slumber for Round 2 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Vintage Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio.

With nearly 45 cars and five classes (TA, TA2 powered by AEM, Xtreme GT, Super GT and GT) set to compete in races on Saturday and Sunday at the Northern Ohio circuit, the event will be live streamed worldwide from the Trans Am by Pirelli Racing App.

While Trans Am drivers have been keeping busy with the Trans Am by Pirelli Esports Championship during the break in action, Ernie Francis Jr. (No. 98 OneSouthFloridaWealthAdvisors Ford Mustang) is ready to get back to real-world racing, especially at Mid-Ohio. The reigning Trans Am champion holds a six-year win streak, in his respective class, at Mid-Ohio and is coming off a win from the season-opener at Sebring.  

“The entire team is excited to get back on the track," said Ernie Francis Jr. "The last two months have been difficult for everyone and we are all glad that society is starting to open back up. I’ve just been sitting here staring at my race car, getting ready to get back behind the wheel again We are delighted that our sponsor One South Florida Wealth Advisors is aboard and is also looking forward to Mid-Ohio.”

Even with his stout record of success at the undulating natural terrain circuit, Francis Jr. will have to overcome a deep field of competitors to make a return to victory lane.

Amy Ruman finished on the podium at Sebring in the No. 23 McNichols Co. Chevrolet Corvette, and has been eyeing the Mid-Ohio race date for a long time. Ruman has a lot of history on the technical 2.4-mile, 15-turn course through her career. As an Ohio native, Ruman only lives about an hour away from the track that she calls home, and is determined to do well in front of her hometown crowd that will cheer her on from their couches this season instead of in the stands.

“I’m so happy and excited to finally get back to racing, I know I’m not the only one,” Ruman said. “The Sebring race seems so long ago- I feel like we’re starting a whole new TA season. Hopefully we can continue our podium momentum here at my home track Mid-Ohio. My crew took advantage of the off time and made some changes to the No. 23 McNichols/Cornertech Chevrolet Corvette so I’m confident we will have a good car for the upcoming race weekend. Things will definitely be different at the track and I’m extremely disappointed there will be no spectators and a hometown crowd to race in front of, but right now safety is key for all of us. I’m glad the race will be streamed on the new Trans Am Series Racing App and online so people can tune in and watch the race as it happens!”

Mike Skeen, winner of the opening TA2 round at Sebring, will return to racing under the Stevens-Miller Racing banner, looking to defend his points lead in the No. 77 Liqui Moly/Turn 14 Chevrolet Camaro.

 “Coming away from the season opener with a victory is always good, but that certainly puts a target on our No. 77 Liqui Moly Turn 14 Distribution Howe Racing Chevrolet Camaro for the rest of the field. The Stevens-Miller Racing guys did everything right for me at Sebring and I expect nothing less at Mid-Ohio. I'd love to keep the momentum going with a solid run. We are pretty much restarting the year, so we need to set the pace for the rest of the championship run!

“Given all the incredible events in our country and around the world, it will be great to get back to racing,” Skeen continued. “It will be good to offer the fans at home some great action even if they can't come see us in person just yet. Trans Am’s new live streaming could not have come at a better time for the series or the fans.”

Ken Thwaits is third in standings after securing a third-place finish at Sebring in XGT, the newest Trans Am class. Thwaits, who was monumental in launching the XGT class, took advantage of the downtime by taking his No. 5 Franklin Road Apparel Audi R8 GT3 Ultra out west to stay fresh behind the wheel.

"We've been keeping busy and kept the cars ticking over but there's no substitute for competitive action and frankly, I can't wait to get started again,” Thwaits said. “We took advantage of an unexpected chance to take the car out to California and compete with some of the best GT3 cars in the country. The GT Celebration was a great opportunity to stay active and jump in the cars out west.”

SGT points leader Lee Saunders is on the hunt for his second win of the season, driving the No. 84 Landsearch LLC Dodge Viper in the SGT class, but the podium will be left wide open in the GT class as defending GT champion and current points leader Steven Davison will miss Round 2.

The weekend kicks off on Thursday with a mixed-class test. Friday opens with an official practice with split qualifying sessions in the afternoon for TA/XGT/SGT/GT, followed by a late practice session for the TA2 group.

Saturday TA/XGT/SGT/GT opens the day with a 100-mile (or 65 minutes) feature starting at 1:25 p.m. Eastern, followed by a 20-minute TA2 qualifying at 5:55 p.m. Eastern. The weekend concludes on Sunday with the TA2 100-mile race (or 65 minutes) at 1:45 p.m. Eastern.