Both the Western and Southeast Conferences’ 2020 SCCA US Majors Tour competition calendars have been released.

Six different venues will host Western Conference events this year for a total of 12 races. The season again opens in Southern California in January and travels up the Pacific Coast over five months to finish in Washington.
 
Half of the six events will be three-day weekends. Two events on the Western Conference schedule are Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour series dates, with those events being at Buttonwillow Raceway Park and Portland International Raceway. Competitors should be aware, however, that the annual Buttonwillow Raceway Park event has been moved up from April to February.
 
The following calendar is subject to change, but the current 2020 U.S. Majors Tour Western Conference schedule includes the following:

* January 24-26: Auto Club Speedway; Fontana, California
 
* February 21-23: Buttonwillow Raceway Park; Buttonwillow, California
 
* March 21-22: Willow Springs Raceway; Rosamond, California
 
* April 3-5: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca; Salinas, California
 
* May 16-17: Portland International Raceway; Portland, Oregon
 
* May 23-24: Pacific Raceways; Kent, Washington
 
Meantime, a total of six weekends, 12 races in all, make up the Southeast Conference schedule that runs from January to early June.
 
All but two race weekends on the Southeast Conference schedule are again three-day events. Two-day events are slated for June at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Roebling Road. Three events on the Southeast Conference schedule will also again be Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour dates.
 
While the calendar below is subject to change, the current 2020 U.S. Majors Tour Southeast Conference schedule is comprised of the following:

* January 3-5: Homestead-Miami Speedway; Homestead, Florida
 
* January 10-12: Sebring International Raceway; Sebring, Florida
 
* March 20-22: Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta; Braselton, Georgia
 
* April 10-12: VIRginia International Raceway; Alton, Virginia
(Dual Southeast/Northeast Conference Event)
 
* June 6-7: Charlotte Motor Speedway; Concord, North Carolina
 
* June 27-28: Roebling Road; Bloomingdale, Georgia

For more information, visit scca.com.

United Engine & Machine Co. (UEM) has announced the addition of Nick D’Agostino as its director of product development. In his new role, D’Agostino will be managing development of both cast and forged piston applications for the Carson City, Nevada-based business.

In addition to his work with the ICON Forged Piston lineup, D’Agostino will head up developments for product lines including Silivolite Pistons and KB Hypereutectic Pistons, as well as the reintroduction of the new Dualoy Diesel Piston lineup.

“I am putting the industry on notice that UEM is quickly evolving,” said company Vice President Christopher Sulprizio. “Nick is one of those guys that has proven his value within the industry. By combining his expertise with our legacy of quality and innovation, UEM expects great things over the years to come.”

For more information, visit UEMpistons.com.

Wouter Nijenhuis has joined Dayco, accepting the role of Executive Vice President of OE Sales and Business Development and reporting directly to the Dayco CEO Joel Wiegert.

“This is an exciting time for Dayco as momentum grows from our Original Equipment customers for products that enable hybrid electric systems,” Wiegert said. “I am delighted Wouter has joined our team. His expertise in electric and internal combustion propulsion solutions, combined with his strong relationship with customers globally makes him an ideal commercial leader to accelerate Dayco’s growth.”

Nijenhuis has joined Dayco from Oerlikon/Dana Limited, where he served as the Executive Vice President of Global and Aftermarket Sales, Marketing and Business Development, Drive Systems. Prior, he was the Vice President of Global Engineering, Sales and Program Management at BorgWarner Inc. In this role, he oversaw all sales, engineering and program management activities for the turbo systems segment for commercial and industrial applications.

Fluent in French, German and English, Nijenhuis will direct all aspects of Dayco’s global OE sales, business development, program management, and OE marketing functions in order to deliver its organizational strategy and objectives.

“It is very exciting to join a company with such a rich history, and strong brand, that is now intensely focused on providing innovative hybrid system solutions for our customers,” Nijenhuis said. “I am excited to work with the more than 4,000 talented and passionate Dayco employees to deliver growth through building strong partnerships with our customers around the world.”

For more information, visit dayco.com.

Thunder Mountain Speedway has officially joined the elite ranks of DIRTcar-sanctioned race tracks in the Northeast for 2020. The Southern New York speedway will sanction the competitive DIRTcar 358 Modified division as well as DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds.

DIRTcar Northeast Director Dean Reynolds visited Thunder Mountain officials last Sunday for their rules meeting at the Town of Lisle Fire Department conference center. Reynolds and track owners including the Spoonhower family came to the agreement, which will include support from Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels and increased promotional outreach for their weekly racing provided by DIRTcar.

“The response to these changes, moving to Hoosier and DIRTcar, has been really good so far. We have loyal racers and fans who I hope will stick with us, they are like family. They understand that the sport of racing is changing and if we don’t look toward the future we’ll be left behind,” Track Owner and Promoter Karl Spoonhower said.

Thunder Mountain Speedway will now be a part of the Hoosier Racing Tire Weekly Championship for both the 358 and Sportsman Modifieds. Hoosier puts up $11,250 for weekly 358 Modified drivers and another $4,550 for their Sportsman Modified counterparts every year.

All DIRTcar members at DIRTcar-sanctioned tracks have their top 16 finishes calculated for the standings. DIRTcar Northeast and Thunder Mountain management are currently looking at dates for Series races.

For more information, visit dirtcar.com or thundermtnspeedway.net.

Photo courtesy of DIRTcar Racing

The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and the Pro All Star Series (PASS) announced that both series will open the 2020 race season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) in Loudon, New Hampshire, on April 17–18, for the inaugural Northeast Classic.

ACT and PASS are partnering up as co-promoters of the event, which will feature the ACT Late Model Tour and PASS North Series competing during twin 75-lap main events. Both will be point-counting events that open the 2020 title chases for their respective series.

The event is ACT’s first visit to NHMS since the 2017 ACT Invitational. It will be the second-ever point-counting event for the series at the 1.058-mile speedway, joining the ACT All-Star Challenge in 2011. PASS returns to the Magic Mile for the second straight year and third time overall after running National Championship Series events in 2015 and 2019.

The Northeast Classic will also feature a 75-lap main event for tour-type Modifieds and a 40-lap event for 8-cylinder Street Stocks.

“We’re beyond excited to return to NHMS,” ACT Managing Partner Cris Michaud said. “A few months ago, an event like this wasn’t even on our radar. But Tom Mayberry and the folks at NHMS worked with us to make it happen, and we’ve put something together that we think racers and fans will love. ACT had a great run at NHMS with the Invitational for nine years, and we’re happy to start a new chapter at this great racetrack.”

More details will be announced closer to the event. For more information, visit acttour.com or proallstarsseries.com.

Photo courtesy of ACT

The Race Track Business Conference (RTBC) has released additional details for its 2019 gathering in Indianapolis, Indiana, during Race Industry Week ahead of the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show.

The December 11 event at the Indiana Convention Center will feature a session about electronic ticketing and waivers, which will cover requirements of the digital platform, trends, and how promoters can embrace the change.

Speakers on the topic include TicketSocket Executive Vice President Keal Blanche, Apollo Sports Law Group Lauri Eberhart, and Winston-Salem University Assistant Professor Clay Harshaw.

Additionally, Ascension Protection Services Owner Jason Dierdorff, PittRace Director of Operations Aaron Hmel, and Palo Alto Networks Field CTO John Kingervag will cover facility security, including topics about how to develop event plans, cybersecurity, and securing track, sanctions, and team systems.

Discussing driver development—including trends, simulation technology, and on- and off-track performance—will be World Racing Group President Tom Deery, Motum Simulation Managing Director Steve Hoinville, and PitFit Training President Jim Leo.

Finally, Turn 3 Media President and host of this year’s PRI Grand Opening Breakfast Ralph Sheheen will join SPEED SPORT Columnist Bones Bourcier to cover media in racing. Topics will cover the move to digital platforms, the best format to tell a story, and more.

The cost to attend RTBC-2019, which includes lunch, is $250.

For more information, visit racetrackbusinessconference.com or contact Tim Frost at twfrost@speedwaysonline.com or 847-853-0294. To register for the 2019 PRI Show, visit pri2019.com.

Lee Ann Gliha, who has a strong business background in live event companies, has been elected to the NHRA Board of Directors.

Gliha will join current board members Michael Cohen, Ed Desser, NHRA Board Chair and CEO Peter Clifford, and Glen Cromwell, effective December 3, 2019.

Gliha’s background includes serving as Executive Vice President, Corporate Finance at Live Nation, a leading live entertainment company. Gliha has applied her business skills both at Live Nation and in investment banking, including her current position as Managing Director at Jefferies LLC where she focuses on media and entertainment companies.

Gliha graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Economics from Claremont McKenna College. She is very familiar with NHRA, its business and events, including its historic facility and events in Pomona, California.

"We are honored and excited that Lee Ann has agreed to join NHRA’s board of directors. We think her business experience and her love of the sport will help NHRA confidently stride forward and continue to grow,” Clifford said.

“I had the chance to work with NHRA several years ago, and through that, I gained a strong understanding of the sport and the business,” Gliha said. “NHRA events are truly fun for everyone and I hope more people will get out to an NHRA event. I’m honored to join the board and be in a position to learn even more and contribute to the sport’s continued prosperity.”

For more information, visit nhra.com.

LSI President Brett Tennar has announced the appointment of Nikki Stoughton as the company’s new Director of Marketing. Lubrication Specialties Inc. (LSI) is the manufacturer of performance chemicals and specialty lubrication products in the US. Additionally, LSI provides new product development for private label and oversees the performance brand Hot Shot’s Secret, and more.

Stoughton, hired in October, is an award-winning brand manager with a history of developing data-driven, “big picture” marketing strategies to identify new product or market opportunities. Stoughton has a background in account-based, integrated marketing for many industries, including hospitality, chemical, financial, education, and pharmaceutical.

Prior to joining LSI, Stoughton worked as a solutions marketing manager and later brand marketing manager for CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society, where she managed the company’s flagship brand SciFinder.

“We are very excited to have Nikki join our team. She is smart, talented and has an obvious technologically advanced background in marketing chemical products. She is a master at integrated marketing techniques and can quickly assess where we need to focus to capture new market share. We look forward to her contribution expanding the Hot Shot’s Secret line of products and identifying products or companies ripe for acquisition in the chemical category,” Tennar said.

For more information, visit lubricationspecialties.com.

Brainerd Motorsports Park (BMP), the 1/8-mile concrete drag strip in Ringgold, Georgia, has announced the formation of a new drag racing series named Four-Forty Bad Boyz.

The seven-race series will be featured at the track on the third weekend of every month April through October. Track officials expect teams to compete from all around the tri-state area and even as far away as Florida, Michigan, the Carolinas, and Virginia.

The series will feature a 4.40 index race with two rounds for qualifying, and an all run field put on a pro ladder.

Additional details—including a monthly purse structure and series sponsors—will be announced during the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis, Indiana. For the latest information on the announcement, follow Brainerd Motorsports Park on social media.

For more information, visit brainerdmotorsports.com.

Photo courtesy of Brainerd Motorsports Park, Facebook

Jon Shakill has joined Performance Racing Industry (PRI) as the company’s new Marketing Manager, where he will oversee strategic promotional and communications efforts for the motorsports industry’s leading Trade Show, held annually in Indianapolis, Indiana, as well as its supporting publication and media channels.

Shakill brings with him nearly 15 years of marketing, content, and publishing experience, along with an entrepreneurial spirit that embodies today’s racing industry. Prior to serving as Marketing Manager for Experian, where he spearheaded marketing initiatives and partnered with Fortune 500 clients to build consultative relationships, Shakill held management and publishing positions in a variety of industries, including the financial, entertainment and consumer markets.

“Jon has a unique combination of B2B experience along with impressive publishing, creative, and strategic marketing credentials,” said PRI General Manager Bill Miller. “His passion and proven track record of serving and helping businesses thrive will be highly valuable for the PRI community.”

Shakill will play a key role in the PRI Trade Show’s growth both domestically and internationally. He will also help bring greater value to exhibitors through new initiatives and partnerships, while directing the organization’s strategies and messaging through PRI’s monthly magazine, weekly eNewsletter, social media, website, email campaigns, advertising, and media outreach.

“For more than three decades, PRI has served as the voice of the motorsports community by showcasing the latest trends, ideas, products and strategies for racing businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Shakill. “I plan to build upon that success and deepen the engagement between PRI and the professionals who represent its core. I’m inspired and motivated by their passion, and I’m excited to be a part of such an innovative industry.”

Shakill, who graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a double major in mass communications and political science, will work out of the PRI offices in Aliso Viejo, California.

For more information on PRI, visit performanceracing.com.