Buena Vista Raceway (BVR), the 3/8-mile high banked track in Alta, Iowa, has a new promoter.

Trent Chinn takes over the speedplant, which first opened in 1961 and has been sanctioned by IMCA for over 30 seasons.

“This track really started to come back to its glory days under (previous promoter) Joey Ciechanowski,” said Chinn, who saw much of the country while crewing for Tim Ward and Ricky Thornton Jr. “This is already a very nice facility. One of the main things is that the racing surface has been so smooth from top to bottom every night and we’re going to do everything we can to continue that.”

Both the IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars will run at BVR for the 31st season in 2020. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks are sanctioned for the 28th consecutive season, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods for the 14th and Mach-1 Sport Compacts for the 13th.

The first night for track points is scheduled for June 3, with season championship night on Aug. 26. The Jimmy Squibb Memorial is set for June 17, the Kyle Suter Memorial on July 15 and the Dirt Knights Tour show on July 22. The inaugural Battle at the Beaver special is also set for Sept. 18-19.

Buena Vista Raceway is part of IMCA’s Side Biter Chassis North Central Region for Modifieds, EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region for Stock Cars, and Big Daddy Race Cars Northern Region for Hobby Stocks.

For more information, visit buenavistaraceway.com and imca.com.

Speedway Motorsports Executive Chairman Bruton Smith, who built Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway into a one-of-a-kind world-renowned sports and entertainment destination, will be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

Smith’s company purchased the Northeast Tennessee half-mile oval and quarter-mile dragstrip in 1996.

“To be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame is a true honor,” said Smith, who was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2016. “My goal was to help grow Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway into a state-of-the-art facility and I’m proud that it has become an iconic Volunteer State venue that hosts world-class events for fans all over the globe. Our mantra of ‘we work for the fans’ continues to this day and it’s amazing to see what the state of Tennessee means to the sport of auto racing.”

Under his ownership, Smith has created NASCAR’s only 360-degree seat facility, increased suites from 20 to nearly 200, and grown the facility workforce to 70 full-time employees and around 5,000 part-time workers on NASCAR weekends. Enhancements also include the 2016 debut of Colossus TV, the world’s largest outdoor, center-hung, four-sided video display.

In addition, the legendary “Thunder Valley” drag strip has hosted some of the biggest events in drag racing history and continues to host major events throughout the year.

And in 2016, the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol became the biggest game in college football history with 156,990 guests in attendance and featuring the Tennessee Volunteers and the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Smith joins 10 other individuals on a 2020 induction list that also includes names such as NCAA National Championship Vanderbilt baseball coach Tim Corbin, longtime Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher, Tennessee football great and former U.S. Congressman Heath Shuler and former East Tennessee State and Auburn basketball coach Sonny Smith.

For more information, visit bristolmotorspeedway.com.

BorgWarner's Seneca, South Carolina-based plant was struck by a tornado on Monday morning, which took the life of a contract worker and caused significant damage to the facility.

Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis identified the man who died as 77-year-old security guard Jack Harvill of Walhalla, South Carolina, according to the Detroit Free Press.

"Earlier this morning, BorgWarner's facility in Seneca, South Carolina, was struck by a tornado and sustained significant damage. We are deeply saddened by the loss of a contractor that was working on site this morning and extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to his family," BorgWarner Spokesperson Michelle Collins said to the Detroit Free Press. "Four other employees were on site at the time, and each of them has been reported safe, with minimal injuries.

"Prior to the tornado, the company has been and continues to follow guidelines set by the government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety and welfare of our employees. I cannot give any further info on a restart date.

"We are grateful to the local authorities in Seneca who responded quickly and are working with us to ensure that what remains of the building has been secured. The safety of our employees and the community is our No. 1 priority, and our thoughts are with all of those impacted by the tornado," Collins said in an interview with the Detroit Free Press.

XS Power Batteries announced the acquisition of all of the assets of New York-based ultracapacitor manufacturer, Ioxus, Inc.

Ioxus will continue to manufacture the same products through Systematic Power Manufacturing, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Systematic Power Solutions, LLC d/b/a XS Power Batteries.

Existing Ioxus orders will continue to ship on schedule with no foreseeable delays. The company will also be able to continue new product developments and advancements in the ultracapacitor industry.

“For many years XS Power Batteries has partnered with Ioxus to offer ultracapacitor products to our customers because Ioxus has always offered the most reliable, powerful and longest-lasting product suitable for the rigorous demands of our customers,” said Scottie Johnson, the founder and CEO of XS Power Batteries. “The opportunity to combine the synergistic technologies and expertise of both companies to develop and manufacture cutting edge new products, including high tech lithium batteries, smart charging solutions, and new hybrid capacitor and battery solutions will propel both brands forward much further than ever possible individually.”

“For most applications, ultracapacitors were always intended to complement batteries, not replace them. With the streamlined collaboration under common ownership, XS Power Batteries and Ioxus will be able to expand their offerings to their respective customers and supply more advanced hybridized energy storage options in the future," Chad Hall, Co-Founder of Ioxus, Inc. said.
 
XS Power Batteries is a manufacturer and distributor of high-performance batteries, chargers, capacitors, cable, and accessories located in Knoxville, Tennessee. Offering AGM, lithium, and custom-made power solutions, as well as a complementary line of accessories to the automotive, powersports, marine and commercial markets worldwide.

For more information, visit xspowerbatteries.com.

Sparta Evolution has announced the addition of Tony Mason to its staff as its European Sales Manager.

Mason has worked in the automotive aftermarket industry for over 20 years, having worked in management roles for various OEM manufacturers and component distributors.

As the European Sales Manager, Mason, who lives in the United Kingdom, will be responsible for customer strategy and development, product strategy, directing special projects and continuing to grow the Sparta Evolution brand in the European market.

Sparta Evolution, located in Kent, Washington, is a manufacturer of high-performance brake systems, specifically engineered for motorsports and high-performance street applications globally.

For more information, visit spartaevo.com.

Formula E and the FIA have confirmed that the championship will reduce the financial burden on its teams amid the global health crisis by lowering development costs.
 
As part of the plans to reduce costs, Formula E, the FIA, the teams, and manufacturers unanimously agreed to postpone the launch of the Gen2 EVO car until the 2021-2022 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
 
Following an e-vote, the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) ratified the decision to extend the homologation period, with manufacturers only able to alter powertrain components once over the next two seasons.

Teams can either introduce a new car in season seven for a two-year cycle or continue to use existing technology for the next season before homologating a new car the year after for a single season.

Formula E and the FIA have taken a flexible and collaborative approach to decrease spending, which will see car development costs cut by half over the next two seasons.

For more information, visit fiaformulae.com.

Photo courtesy of FIA, Formula E

Motorsport UK, the governing body of four-wheel motorsports in the United Kingdom, announced a US$1.2 million funding package to help its member clubs.

The funding is one of a number of measures that the organization is implementing to offset the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including suspending events through June 30.

The funding will support its 720 member clubs, responsible for organizing and promoting motorsports at all levels in the UK. The aim is to mitigate immediate financial risk and help to aid recovery towards a strong and sustainable future.

A Motorsport UK panel will review each application and decide an amount to be awarded.

For more information, and to review the application form, visit here.

Photo courtesy of Motorsport UK

Hurco CNC Machines will provide online training classes to help hone programming skills in response to customer requests. This Friday's topic will cover Miscellaneous Data Blocks.

The Hurco Applications Team has organized a series of webinars that will be live-streamed online and available to those that register. Those that cannot watch will be able to have a recording sent to them. To register, visit here. Past webinars, including topics on using Helix and Threadmill, may also be viewed here.

Hurco also announced a financing program in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, visit here.

DIRTcar and Pace Performance in Boardman, Ohio, have recently combined forces and announced eight certified repair centers for DIRTcar crate racers. The network of engineers and mechanics now available to the Northeastern racers means more efficient repairs, saving time and money.
 
“The eight regional certified repair centers will provide a lot of stability. This program shores up the entire foundation of the crate engine program in the Northeast,” DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series Director Cory Reed said. “As a sanctioning body, we need to keep internal control of the engines. We’ll keep a better handle on every engine when it comes to being broken in or repaired and sent back out. That’s where the racer is going to benefit.”

Crate racers in the DIRTcar Northeast will have to verify and enter their engines into the sanctioning body's database by 2022. Whether it is new or used, DIRTcar and Pace will have a full record of all repairs and dyno results.

“You can buy a crate engine anywhere but you’ll have to get it verified at one of our repair centers,” Reed noted. “Your best bet is to buy directly from one of the shops themselves and have it already verified.”

DIRTcar Sportsman and DIRTcar Pro Stock divisions in the region run with crate engine rulebooks. Local tracks, including Bear Ridge, Humberstone, Glen Ridge, Genesee, and Airborne Park feature the DIRTcar Sportsman crate engine class as its headlining event. And, each of DIRTcar's 26 sanctioned tracks in the Northeastern US and Canada run a crate engine division in its weekly schedule.

For more information, visit dirtcar.com.

NASCAR today announced the 15 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021, introducing the Modern Era and Pioneer Ballots for the first time.

The list includes five first-time NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees – three on the Modern Era Ballot and two on the Pioneer Ballot.

Jeff Burton (21-time Cup Series winner), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (15-time most popular driver) and Carl Edwards (28-time Cup winner) join seven previous nominees on the Modern Era Ballot. Three-time Cup champion crew chief Jake Elder and renowned car builder Banjo Matthews join three previous nominees on the Pioneer Ballot, designed to honor those whose careers began more than 60 years ago (prior to 1961 for the Class of 2021).

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021 will consist of two inductees from the list of Modern Era nominees, and one from the list of Pioneer nominees – for a total of three new inductees in 2021.

Janet Guthrie returns as a Landmark Award nominee, rejoining Alvin Hawkins, Mike Helton, Dr. Joseph Mattioli and Ralph Seagraves. Potential Landmark Award recipients include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.

The Modern Era Ballot and Landmark Award nominees were selected by the Nomination Committee, which consists of representatives from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks. The new Honors Committee, largely comprised of all living Hall of Famers, Landmark Award winners and Squier-Hall Award winners, selected the Pioneer Ballot. Both committees’ votes were tabulated by accounting firm EY.

Following are the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021 nominees and Landmark Award nominees:

Modern Era Ballot

• - Neil Bonnett, won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories
• - Jeff Burton, won 21 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s
• - Dale Earnhardt Jr., 15-time NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver and two-time Xfinity Series champion
• - Carl Edwards, winner of 28 NASCAR Cup Series races and 2007 Xfinity Series champion
• - Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories
• - Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief
• - Larry Phillips, first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
• - Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400
• - Kirk Shelmerdine, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief
• - Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships

Pioneer Ballot

• - Jake Elder, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief
• - Red Farmer, three-time NASCAR Late Model Sportsman champion; 1956 Modified champion
• - Banjo Matthews, built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships
• - Hershel McGriff, 1986 NASCAR West Series champion
• - Ralph Moody, two-time NASCAR Cup Series owner champion as mechanical genius of Holman-Moody

Landmark Award

• - Janet Guthrie, the first female to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway race
• - Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.
• - Mike Helton, named third president of NASCAR in 2000; career included track operator roles at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway
• - Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway
• - Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

For more information, visit nascarhall.com and nascar.com.