Texas Motor Speedway (TMS), the premier Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) race facility in Fort Worth that features a 1.5-mile banked oval, has announced Blake Hardy as the property’s new director of operations.

Hardy holds 25 years of experience in live event operations, previously working with Feld Entertainment’s Monster Jam and Monster Energy AMA Supercross. He also worked with Live Nation, Clear Channel Entertainment, SFX Entertainment and PACE Entertainment.

For the past two years, Hardy has worked as the owner of Hard Line Event Productions in Aurora, Illinois. He and his family will relocate closer to the track.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series returns to TMS on Sunday, November 3, for the AAA Texas 500.

For more information, visit texasmotorspeedway.com.

Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (UTI) announced that Troy R. Anderson will join the technical training education company on September 23 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, permanently filling the role held on an interim basis by Scott Yessner.

Anderson, reporting to UTI's President and CEO Kim McWaters, will lead financial strategy and oversee the company's financial operations. In addition, he will work closely with business leaders to further the progress made to date in the company's multi-year transformation plan.

"We welcome Troy Anderson to our team," said McWaters. "He joins us at an important time in our transformation as we continue to streamline our cost structure with focus on reducing SG&A, maintaining discipline in capital deployment to generate free cash flow, and optimizing our balance sheet. Troy is an experienced, strategic executive with a record of delivering results, and his financial leadership will make a positive impact across the organization.

"We also want to thank Scott Yessner for his leadership and valuable contributions as our Interim CFO. To ensure a seamless transition, Scott will continue to support the company through the 2019 fiscal year-end financial reporting cycle."

Anderson has more than 25 years of progressive experience in accounting, financial planning and analysis, external reporting, investor relations, expense management and financial strategy.

"UTI has generated significant momentum improving its key business drivers and implementing an efficient and effective operating process," stated Anderson. "I am excited to join UTI at such a pivotal time and look forward to working with the team to capitalize on the opportunity for significant growth."

For more information, visit uti.edu.

Young professionals and students interested in a career in motorsports can learn about the many paths available in racing through exclusive programs offered at this year’s Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show, held December 12-14 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

“The PRI Trade Show is the epicenter for motorsports business and provides the perfect backdrop to get attendees excited about careers in racing and performance,” said Zane Clark, SEMA-PRI Senior Director of Education. “The Show and the opportunities available to connect with industry leaders creates an unparalleled learning experience.”

Included in an expanded PRI Education Program at the 2019 PRI Show, the all-new Opportunities in Racing seminar will cover various career paths and options in motorsports, from wrenching to reporting and all points in between. PRI Editor Dan Schechner will moderate an esteemed panel of speakers that includes Clark, Trent Schanen (Performance Instruction & Training), Alan Reinhart (NHRA), and David Hakim (Consultant – Dodge/Mopar Brands).

A Student Breakfast and Career Day (Friday, December 13, from 8-10 am in Sagamore 3) will provide high school and college students with a rare opportunity to connect with established motorsports professionals and businesses exhibiting at the PRI Show. During the Breakfast, hundreds of students will hear from noted industry professionals on their career experiences and how they got to where they are. Students will then have an opportunity to meet with representatives from exhibiting companies to learn firsthand about job openings and internship programs.

Additionally, Show goers can witness high school students from around the country compete for a national championship in the fast-paced Hot Rodders of Tomorrow engine build competition. The program is the culmination of a year-long contest between high schools to see which team can disassemble and reassemble a small-block engine with aftermarket components in the fastest time.

“Professional outreach and youth engagement are essential to the growth of the motorsports industry,” added Clark. “It’s important to get them excited about careers in racing and performance.”

The 2019 PRI Trade Show will feature over 1,100 companies exhibiting in more than 3,300 booths and showcasing the latest products, services, machinery, simulation and testing technologies, and trailers for the racing industry in a single location. Now in its 32nd year, PRI encompasses all forms of racing and attracts attendees from all 50 states and all over the world, including professional race teams, retail shops, warehouse distributors, engine builders, fabricators, dealers, installers, jobbers and media.

Known as Race Industry Week, the days leading up to and including the Show will offer a range of motorsports-related activities in and around the Indiana Convention Center beginning on Monday, December 9. Numerous conferences and seminars, among them the Race Track Business Conference and International Council of Motorsport Sciences’ Annual Congress, offer unlimited business opportunities and provide invaluable insight on the latest technologies and how to apply them throughout the racing world.

To register for the 2019 PRI Trade Show, secure hotel reservations, and sign up for free business seminars, log on to prishow.com.

The NMCA Muscle Car Nationals Series have released its 2020 national event schedule. Each national event offers drag racing categories ranging from 4,000 hp Xtreme Pro Mods to entry-level drag and street racing classes, a late and early-model Car Show, Manufacturer’s Midway, and more.

“We are extremely excited about our 2020 NMCA schedule, including a return to World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in St Louis, along with our long-standing events at premiere tracks like Bradenton Motorsports Park, Atlanta Dragway, Route 66 Raceway, Summit Motorsports Park and our finals at Lucas Oil Raceway,” NMCA General Manager Rollie Miller said.

For more information, visit NMCAdigital.com or call 714/444-2426.

NMCA 2020 SCHEDULE
March 5-8, 2020
18TH ANNUAL NMCA MUSCLE CAR MAYHEM,
Bradenton Motorsports Park, Bradenton FL

April 2-5, 2020
12TH ANNUAL NMRA/NMCA ALL-STAR NATIONALS
Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, GA

May 28-31, 2020
INAUGURAL NMCA MIDWEST MUSCLE CAR NATIONALS,
World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Madison, IL

July 30 – Aug 2, 2020
15TH ANNUAL NMRA/NMCA SUPER BOWL OF STREET-LEGAL DRAG RACING
Route 66 raceway, Joliet, IL
 
August 27-30 2020
19TH ANNUAL NMCA ALL-AMERICAN NATIONALS
Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, OH

Sept. 24-27, 2020
19TH ANNUAL NMCA WORLD STREET FINALS
Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

Photo courtesy of NMCA

Officials for the Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Race Fuels have confirmed the series will return to the same four venues from this year in 2020. 

The Series will open it’s 2020 season at the PPL Center in downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Friday and Saturday, January 3–4, 2020.

Tickets for the fifth annual event will go on sale on September 18 at the PPL Center box office and will also be available online or over the phone at 610/347-TIXX(8499).

Two complete racing programs, including qualifying and feature events, will be held on back-to-back nights headlined by the TQ Midgets, which will be joined by the Champ Karts on Friday and the Slingshots on Saturday.

After the event opener in Allentown, the “Concrete Series” moves to Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on January 31–February 1 for the 18th annual NAPA Auto Parts Classic. 

The third annual East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals will return to CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, New Jersey, with a new date. This event, held the last two years in December, has been moved to February 21–22 and will feature nearly 100 wingless 600cc sprints on the banked, clay oval. 

The season finale will take place March 13–14 in a second-year return to the brand new Expo Center located on the property of the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York. Tickets for the New Jersey and New York events will be announced at a later date.  


For more information, visit indoorautoracing.com.

The AAM Group has added Top Street Performance (TSP) to its Parts Pro line card. A privately-owned company based in Southern California, TSP offers a wide range of products to dial up the power on any application, from resto-mods to performance upgrades. TSP’s catalog covers categories such as ignition, cooling and heating, dress-up, LS and Coyote swaps, steering, electrical, air and fuel delivery, and more.

The AAM Group, headquartered in Piney Flats, Tennessee, is one of the largest distribution groups in the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) marketplace. The company manages product purchasing and marketing for manufacturers affiliated with three flagship retail marketing programs: Parts Pro, Performance Corner, and Total Truck Centers.

For more information, visit theaamgroup.com.

Officials of the Dallas/Fort Worth-based Sprint Car Bandits (SCB) series and Texas Sprint Series (TSS) have announced the formation of a new alliance for the 2020 racing season and beyond in an effort to increase fan attendance.

The SCB is a 360 ci sprint car series and the TSS is a RaceSaver IMCA sprint car group. Neither series’ rule books will change because of the collaboration.

Along with the announcement came the schedule for the 2020 racing season, which features 38 dates of separate competition, meaning race fans in the DFW and surrounding areas do not have to pick or choose one track or another, like in the past, when they want to watch a TSS or SCB series event.

A limited number of events for each series are still open. Area track promoters that would like to book either of the series are encouraged to contact Darin Short at dssm93@msn.com.

2020 Texas Sprint Series Schedule as of 9/13/19:   
SAT 3/07       TSS - KSP 1 (Kennedale Speedway Park)
FRI 3/13         TSS - MONARCH 1 (Monarch Motor Speedway)
SAT 3/14       TSS - 82 SPEEDWAY 1
FRI  3/27        TSS - BOYD RACEWAY 1
FRI 4/10         TSS - HOT 1 (Heart O’ Texas Speedway)
SAT 4/11       TSS - KSP 2
FRI 4/17         TSS - MONARCH 2
FRI 4/24         TSS - BOYD 2
SAT 5/2          TSS - ABILENE SPEEDWAY 1
SAT 5/16       TSS - 82 SPDWY. 2
FRI 5/22         TSS - MONARCH 3
FRI 5/29         TSS - BOYD 3
SAT 6/6          TSS – KSP 3
SAT 6/13       TSS – GRAYSON COUNTY SPEEDWAY
FRI 6/19         TSS - MONARCH 4
SAT 6/20       TSS - 82 SPDWY. 3
FRI 6/26         RAINDATE
FRI 7/3           TSS - BOYD 4
SAT 7/11       TSS - ABILENE 2
FRI 7/24         TSS - HOT 2
SAT 8/1          TSS - ABILENE 3
SAT 9/12       TSS - GRAYSON 2
FRI 9/18         TSS - MONARCH 5
SAT 9/19       TSS - 82 SPDWY. 4

2020

360 ci Sprint Car Bandits Schedule as of 9/13/19: 
FRI 3/20         SCB - HOT 1
SAT 3/28       SCB - KSP 1
SAT 4/4          SCB - 82 SPDWY. 1
SAT 4/18       SCB - ABILENE
SAT 4/25       SCB - 82 SPDWY. 2
FRI 5/1           SCB - HOT 2
SAT 5/9          SCB - MONARCH 1
SAT 5/30       SCB - 82 SPDWY. 3
FRI 6/12         SCB - BOYD 1
SAT 6/27       RAINDATE
SAT 7/4          SCB - 82 SPDWY. 4
FRI 7/10         SCB - HOT 3
FRI 9/25         SCB - BOYD 2
SAT 9/26       SCB - KSP 2
SAT 10/10     SCB - 82 SPDWY. 5
SAT 10/31     SCB - MONARCH 2

For more information, visit sprintcarbandits.com.

The NHRA Technical Department has announced new Junior Drag Racing League safety requirements for the 2020 season.

Beginning June 1, 2020, all drivers in the Trainee, Youth, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Jr. Comp categories will be required to wear a head and neck restraint/system meeting SFI 38.1 specifications.

Additionally, beginning January 1, 2020, roll-cage padding meeting SFI 45.1 or SFI 45.2 specifications will be mandatory anywhere a driver’s helmet may come in contact with roll-cage components while on the track or during an accident.

For more information, visit nhra.com.

FloSports, the producer of live digital sports and original content, has announced the acquisition of DirtonDirt.com and its entities. FloSports currently streams more than 10,000 live competitions per year.

DirtonDirt.com, which is based in Bloomington, Illinois, and was founded in 2007 by Michael and Amber Rigsby, is a website that provides news coverage, results and features on all types of Dirt Late Model racing via videos, articles, photos and more.

The website will continue to operate with free content along with pay-per-view and subscription-based content. With the acquisition, Michael Rigsby will retain his position with DirtonDirt.com and also become the general manager of FloRacing.com.

For more information, visit dirtondirt.com or flosports.tv.

William “Mac” DeWaine McGunegill, the founder of McGunegill Engine Performance (MEP) based in Muncie, Indiana, has passed away at the age of 79.

McGunegill, who was born in Muncie, was interested in cars and auto racing from a young age and spent time with his father in the garage learning about the mechanics of engine building.

He founded McGunegill’s Engine Service (later renamed McGunegill Engine Performance) after selling three area National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA) stores that he owned and operated. MEP is a short track engine builder specializing in sealed engines and crate engine technology.

Many thought of McGunegill as a “second dad” and would often seek advice on racing and life in general, according to his obituary.

McGunegill’s celebration of life service will be held on Monday, September 16 at 11 a.m. at Center Chapel, 900 W Royerton Rd. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given to Center Chapel UMC 900 W Royerton Rd., Muncie, IN 47303.

For more information, visit mcgunegillengines.com.

Photo courtesy of the McGunegill Family, Pitman-Richman Funeral Home