JE Pistons has announced the official rules for the 2020 AMSOIL Masters of Motors competition. Masters of Motors is set to take place at JE Pistons’ Mentor, Ohio headquarters September 28 through October 1, and all applications are required to be submitted by April 1. The official competitor list will be announced on April 10.

In addition to the rules, JE Pistons also announced the current event purse stands at $72,500, thanks to support from the industry including AMSOIL, Holley, ARP, and ATI Performance, which signed on as a banquet and contingency sponsor.

There are two classes available for competitors, the ARP Early Iron Class and the Holley Performance Everyman’s LS Class.

The ARP Early Iron class is designed for vintage engine enthusiasts and “encourages innovation, ingenuity, and reinvigorate power” into the iconic engine platforms that launched hot rodding.

With the goal of encouraging innovation without breaking the bank, the Holley Performance Everyman’s LS class will be heavily focused on inspiring builders to push the factory LS architecture into the stratosphere.

If the purse monies remain at $72,500, first place will receive $30,750; second place will get $3,500; third place will get $1,000.

To apply for 2020 AMSOIL Masters of Motors presented by JE Pistons, visit the webpage at info.jepistons.com/mastersof-motors-sign-up.

Officials have announced changes to the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series' format for the 2020 season, which began last week during Volusia Speedway Park’s 49th annual DIRTcar Nationals.

Among the most significant changes include:

Turn 14 Distribution has announced the addition of Rywire Motorsports Electronics to its line card.

Rywire Motorsports Electronics, based in Garden Grove, California, specializes in wire-tucked, high-performance Mil-Spec engine harnesses and related electronics. Its components are used in a variety of applications, including off-road racing, land speed, drifting, drag racing, road racing, and more.

“Our partnership with Rywire Motorsports Electronics represents Turn 14 Distribution’s first venture into this market segment. Rywire’s impeccable reputation in the industry makes the partnership a natural fit for Turn 14 Distribution’s philosophy,” said Alex Lesslie, the divisional purchasing manager for Turn 14 Distribution, according to published reports. “The company’s background in problem-solving enables it to provide customers with wiring solutions that work the first time properly, regardless of the intended use of the vehicle. We are looking forward to building a lasting partnership with the Rywire team.”

For more information, visit turn14.com or rywire.com.

The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame (WCSCHoF), based in Bakersfield, California, has announced the election of retired US Auto Club Western Vice President Tommy Hunt and Silicon Valley Attorney Jesshill (Duke) Love to its Board of Directors.

Hunt, who practices law, is a lifelong member of the motorsports industry and currently promotes open wheel events at historic Calistoga Speedway in Northern California. Previous experience also includes time as the West Coast Director for USAC. Hunt was also inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2015 and currently serves as the group’s Vice President and board member.

Hunt’s son, Tony, is a nine-time USAC Sprint Car champion and was among nominees for the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020.

Love’s expertise includes real estate development, finance, and more. He has formed hundreds of real estate partnerships and has an extensive background in real estate syndications, syndicating more than $300 million in structured real estate projects in the last decade.

In addition to practicing law, Love is a career entrepreneur. He is acting CEO of HomeSmiles Inc., a growing regional home maintenance franchise operation.

Love’s son, Jesse, currently competes in a variety of open wheel racing series and, in 2020, the ARCA Menards Series West.

“Our team continues to grow, adding a variety of experience and expertise both from within and outside the motorsports industry,” said WCSCHoF Chairman and CEO Ken Clapp. “The election of Tommy Hunt and Duke Love exemplifies and furthers this synergy.”

For more information, visit westcoaststockcarhalloffame.com.

The International Series of Champions (ISOC), owners of the Championship Off-Road series, has announced the hiring of Frank DeAngelo as the new Series Director.

A 2013 inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, DeAngelo has spent the past 41 years in motorsports, with his main areas of responsibilities tied to the off-road industry. He spent 10 years working directly for renowned tire manufacturer BFGoodrich before starting and managing his own motorsports marketing firm for a decade.

For the past 21 years, DeAngelo has been the executive director of motorsports and client services for Jackson Motorsports Group, based in Greenville, South Carolina. DeAngelo is also an accomplished off road racer himself, picking up two class wins at the Baja 1000 and three Vegas to Reno class victories.

“Off-road racing needs top-tier leadership to grow, and the one name that kept popping up on everyone’s list to help us achieve that was Frank DeAngelo’s,” said ISOC President, Carl Schubitzke. “His knowledge in building significant relationships is invaluable to Championship Off-Road, and he will make an immediate impact that will be key to our series’ success both now and in the future.”

DeAngelo has also worked with some of the big names in the industry, including Michelin, Ford Motor Company, Toyota, Wiley X, and Pro Truck. He was named the SCORE Off-Road Person of the Year in 1986 and 2016 and won the Vic Van Ella Award in 2018. He currently also serves on the Board of Directors for the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame.

The 2020 Championship Off-Road series season will host five weekends of racing this summer, starting June 20-21, in Crandon, Wisconsin. The ten-round series will also make stops at ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Minnesota, Dirt City Motorplex in Lena, Wisconsin, and Bark River International Raceway in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula before ending the season back at the Crandon World Championships on Labor Day weekend.

For more information, visit champoffroad.com.

Doe Run Raceway, the 1/6-mile dirt track in Doe Run, Missouri, has been sold to Tom and Nicole Harris, the operators of Harris Wholesale.

The facility, which sat dormant for nearly four years, was listed for sale last year with an asking price of $239,900.

The pair, along with the help of the local racing community, will begin making repairs and updates.

“As everybody knows, it needs a lot of work. It sat four years, dormant. It’s grown a lot of weeds, a lot of potholes. I know we’re a big racing community around here. So, I know we will get this going again,” Harris said according to published reports.

Among the changes will be a new track entrance for racers near turn four, as opposed to the entrance that is between grandstands now.

Friday night weekly races will return to the schedule, which will feature winged outlaws, B modifieds, street stocks, Pro 4/mini stocks, two-seater cruiser cars, youth karting, and more. Special events will also feature Mod lites and vintage builds.

The 2020 season will begin with a practice event on Friday, April 17. A tentative opening night date is set for the following Friday, April 24.

For more information, visit the Doe Run Raceway social media page.

Photo courtesy of Doe Run Raceway

Pocono Raceway CEO Nick Igdalsky and President Ben May have announced recent staff additions, promotions and strategic employee movement. The changes come ahead of the Raceway’s historic 2020 NASCAR Doubleheader Week, featuring five NASCAR and ARCA races in four days from June 25-28.

Christine Wolosz was hired as Raceway’s Coordinator, Marketing Communications in October 2019. Wolosz, an East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania-native, is a recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management from East Stroudsburg University. She was previously a Winter/Spring intern with the Raceway and extended her internship to include all of ‘The Tricky Triangle’s’ major 2019 summer events. Her new role will include email marketing, promotions and content creation.

Bo Hickey, starting his second season at the Raceway, is the Manager, Event Services & Operations within the Operations Department. Hickey is a Chambersburg, Pennsylvania-native and graduated with a master’s degree from The George Washington University. Hickey manages the track’s expansive lease and track rental program. Pocono Raceway hosts approximately 200 events each year, outside of its annual NASCAR and ARCA events, including large festivals, car clubs and racing schools.

In addition to the new hires, the Raceway announces the following promotions and strategic moves:
    •    Tammy Gower has been promoted to Sr. Director, Ticketing and Camping. Gower has worked at Pocono since 2006, climbing the ladder within the Ticket Office.
    •    Kevin Heaney, entering his 10th season at Pocono, has been promoted to Sr. Director, Marketing Communications. Heaney will continue to lead the track’s communications, media relations, promotions and social media.
    •    JJ LaRose has shifted from his previous Marketing Communications roles and has been named the Manager, Partnership Sales & Services. LaRose, who begins his seventh season with the track, started as a summer intern before being hired full time in 2014.
    •    Ricky Durst will continue to lead the Raceway’s marketing, fan engagement and government affairs efforts. Durst, entering his ninth season, will also focus on the data and analytics associated with the track’s revenue stream.
    •    Kevin Teel, entering his eighth season at the Raceway, has been named Manager, Marketing Communications. Teel will manage the daily social media efforts, as well as the Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital Kids Club, Pocono Raceway Fan Council and many of the track’s at-track fan experiences.

For more information, visit poconoraceway.com.

Formula 1 officials have announced plans for a complete overhaul of the championship’s sporting, technical and financial regulations. As part of this revamp, F1 motorsport boss Ross Brawn says there will also be tweaks to the way the sport is governed to allow the FIA and F1 to make changes to the rules more quickly if a team has found a loophole.

Currently, all ten competing teams must agree to a rule change if it is made during the season. If a team discovers a loophole under the current rules, officials must wait until after the season ends to make changes to the regulations. In 2021, officials will have the ability to make changes when necessary throughout the season.

"The governance in the past has been the teams have to all agree to make a change. We’re pushing through governance where we can make changes much more on short notice than at the present time,” Brawn said to foruma1.com.

“If you exploit a loophole in the future, you can be shut down at the next race, which you could never do now… If one team stands out there with a solution that has never been conceived, and has never been imagined, and destroys the whole principle of what is trying to be done, the governance would allow, with sufficient support from the other teams, to stop it. This is a whole different philosophy.

“Then what happens is someone who has a loophole thinks, ‘Do I want to use it or do I want to tell the FIA about it as it wasn’t intended?’ You’ve found a loophole in the regulations and you turn up at the first race and the FIA say, ‘Sorry chap, that wasn’t intended, we’re going to hold a meeting now and if everyone agrees, apart from you, we’ll stop it’.”

For more information, visit formula1.com.

NASCAR has announced several leadership promotions across the breadth of its business. Ben Kennedy has been promoted Vice President, Racing Development; John Martin has been promoted to Vice President, Media and Event Technology; Patrick Rogers has been promoted to Vice President, Marketing Services; and Chris Schwartz has been promoted to Vice President, Media Properties.

Kennedy oversees strategic racing development initiatives for each of NASCAR’s series, including the development of future national series’ schedules and international expansion. He will remain based in Concord and will continue to report to Steve O’Donnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer.

“Ben is a true racer at heart and has a tremendous understanding of what contributes to a strong race from a driver and a fan’s perspective,” said O’Donnell. “His love of motorsports and his commitment to delivering great racing for our fans comes through in everything he does. The sport is fortunate to have a rising leader like Ben and I look forward to his future leadership in this important area.” 

Martin will oversee all technology related to the fan and industry at-track experience and across NASCAR’s media platforms and products. He will remain based in Charlotte and will report to Craig Neeb, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer.

Rogers will oversee all marketing services across teams, drivers and tracks, serving as the main point of leadership with industry stakeholders in implementing NASCAR’s integrated marketing strategy and maximizing the potential impact of all industry assets. He will remain based in Charlotte and will continue to report to Pete Jung, Senior Vice President, Marketing.
 
In his elevated role, Schwartz will continue to lead MRN and Racing Electronics and work closely with NASCAR’s media functions to integrate that technology across NASCAR media platforms. His focus will be working with NASCAR’s media partners and senior leadership to build upon strategies to distribute live audio content and dynamic in-venue technology to race fans both at home and at the track. Schwartz will be based in Charlotte and will report to Brian Herbst, Senior Vice President, Media and Productions.

For more information, visit nascar.com.

Dayco, the provider of essential engine drive systems and aftermarket services, has announced the addition of Jay Buckley to its company. Buckley joins Dayco as its new director of Heavy Duty and Specialty Markets for the US Aftermarket team.

Working out of the Troy, Michigan, office, Buckley reports to the US Aftermarket VP of Sales & Marketing Mike McTeer. He will be responsible for HD, powersports and off road product management, as well as leading the technical and training resurgence for end-user technicians.

Buckley comes from XToolUSA, where he held led the Sales, Marketing and Product Management department. He is a graduate of the Denver Automotive and Diesel College, and also earned a certification from ASE as a service consultant and a master tech in diesel.

For more information, visit dayco.com.