Officials from the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) have announced November’s season-closing fixture in Australia has added an extra day’s competition in a route shake-up for the Coffs Harbor event.

Two blasts around the town’s revamped harbor-side stage will kick-off Kennards Hire Rally Australia (November 14-17) on Thursday afternoon, with another doubleheader event 24 hours later to close Friday’s action.

The extended stage, which is under 1 mile in length (1.33km), has been revised to include a hillside loop above the harbor.

Sunday’s finale also returns north for new stages in Mount Coramba and Lower Bucca ahead of the popular Wedding Bells, which has been lengthened by nearly 2 miles (3.10km) at the start. After service in Coffs Harbor, the three tests are repeated.

A total of 25 stages will cover 201 miles (324.65km) over the weekend.

For more information on the event, visit here or wrc.com.

The MAHLE Group is adding a new business unit for electronics and mechatronics in an effort to further develop its alternative powertrain technologies. Corresponding changes to the MAHLE Management Board will go into effect January 1, 2020.

MAHLE has concentrated all its electrics and electronics activities in its Mechatronics division, which has grown significantly in the last few years.

Wilhelm Emperhoff has been appointed as head of the new business unit, which will eventually also include the Compressors profit center and the Pumps profit center. Emperhoff is currently responsible for the Filtration and Engine Peripherals business unit, the current Mechatronics division and the Pumps profit center on the Management Board.

Meanwhile, Martin Weidlich was appointed by the Supervisory Board to succeed Emperhoff as the head of the Filtration and Engine Peripherals business unit and as a new member of the MAHLE Management Board.

For more information, visit us.mahle.com.

Photo of Weidlich courtesy of MAHLE

Meyer Distributing, the provider of automotive specialty products marketing and distribution based in Jasper, Indiana, has entered a distribution partnership with Dorman Products, the supplier of automotive parts, hardware and more based in Colmar, Pennsylvania.

“Meyer and Dorman are a dynamic duo. Dorman allows us to continue building-out our automotive parts profile through high-quality OE replacements,” Travis Mundy, the vice president of eCommerce and fulfillment for Meyer Distributing, said, according to published reports. “With over 100 years of industry experience, Dorman has stood the test of time. Dorman allows us to deepen our pool of repair parts and gives us the ability to cover all of our bases. This is hugely important with the thousands of installers and repair shops that are frequenting our B2B portal every day. Dorman has found a strategic partner with Meyer Distributing.”

For more information, visit meyerdistributing.com or dormanproducts.com.

Wiscasset Speedway, the 3/8-mile, high-banked asphalt track in Wiscasset, Maine, honored its inaugural Hall of Fame Class of 2019 last weekend during its 50th-anniversary celebration.

The induction ceremony took place Saturday, July 27, ahead of its Pro Stock, Super Street, Thunder 4 Mini, 4-Cylinder Pro and Flex event. The ceremony, which included the unveiling of the new Wiscasset Speedway Hall of Fame display, also ended with fireworks.

The following inductees are a group of individuals who have had a significant and lasting impact specifically to the success of Wiscasset Speedway:
Buster & Elaine Grover
Bill Bailey
Lawrence Reno
Doug Ripley
Dave St Clair
Ken Siegers
Teddy Palino
Vern Hodgkins
Harold Hinkley
Dale Chadbourne
Willis Alexander
Leo Tanger

Special recognition was also given to the Cronk family who started the speedway, as well as the History Committee, HoF Voting members, and Andy Austin and George Brockman of the Maine Vintage Race Car Association.

Track officials encourage fans to nominate individuals who contribute to the success of the track for its next class of inductees.

For more information, visit wiscassetspeedway.com.

The iconic Skip Barber Racing School (SBRS) will visit the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) for the first time October 8-18, 2019, offering three levels of instruction for aspiring race car drivers or experienced racers looking to advance their skills.

SBRS will offer One Day and Three Day Racing Schools, along with its Two-Day Advanced Race Licensing school on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course.

“We couldn’t be any happier than to provide the opportunity for participants to experience Indy at our school,” SBRS CEO Anthony DeMonte said. “What an experience.”

The One Day Racing School is designed for drivers new to racing and includes an in-depth classroom session followed by laps on the track.

The Three Day edition, SBRS’ signature instruction, is for established drivers and combines classroom sessions with practical, hands-on seat time. It is also a prerequisite for racers interested in obtaining a club, professional or international racing license.

The Two Day Advanced Racing School picks up right where the Three Day Racing School leaves off and helps the participant transition from student to racer.

Founded in 1975, the Skip Barber Racing School (SBRS) is one of the largest racing instructional schools in the world and has provided on-track and classroom education for some of the greatest drivers in nearly all disciplines of North American and global motorsports. 

Registration and more information are available at skipbarber.com/IMS.

Photo courtesy of IMS

Stephane Ratel of the SRO Motorsports Group has revealed exciting plans for the growth and development of the organization’s global racing activities during an annual press conference ahead of the Total 24 Hours of Spa.

GTX World Tour
First announced was the GTX World Tour, a new concept that draws inspiration from the Total 24 Hours of Spa. This series is reserved for machinery that uses alternative energy and will be split across four classes.

GT-X E will cater for electric power; GT-X H competitors will use plug-in hybrid equipment; GT-X H2 will utilize hydrogen-powered cars; while a GT-X A category for autonomous vehicles will be introduced at a later stage.

The overall classification will not be determined as in a traditional head-to-head race format but will instead give the win to  the fastest car that uses the least energy.

The European leg of the tour will launch in 2021. Further road shows will follow in North America (2022) and Asia (2023).

GT3 Championships
GT World Challenge America will retain its present format while also adding an endurance race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of the Indianapolis 8 Hours, introducing a long-distance contest alongside the existing sprint events. There will be a similar change in Asia, with the popular GT World Challenge Asia series remaining in its present form while also adding an endurance race in Shanghai.

GT2 And GT1 Concept
GT2 will take the latest step in its development throughout 2020. The concept will also make its full debut at the Spanish venue as part of Blancpain GT Sports Club. This will mark the first time that GT2 has competed as part of a mixed grid, allowing its relative performance with GT3 equipment to be measured. It will also be fully integrated into the renamed GT Sports Club Europe in 2020, while tje new GT Sports Club series in Asia and America will further expand the reach of the platform.

A new initiative for 2020 will also see the launch of the GT1 Sports Club project. Focused exclusively on gentlemen drivers, it will feature exclusive high-performance machinery such as the Porsche 935, Brabham BT62, McLaren GTR and Aston Martin Valkyrie, with top-of-the-range hospitality ensuring an unparalleled competitor experience.

Two rounds will be staged in 2020, each as support races to existing events. (Circuit Paul Ricard on October 3-4, and Kyalami November 20-22).

FIA Motorsports Games
Further plans have been revealed for the future of the FIA Motorsport Games, which is set to stage its inaugural event later this year with Rome as the host city. More information on that event here.

For more information on the press conference ahead of the Total 24 Hours of Spa, visit here. For more information, visit sro-motorsports.com.

ISM Raceway has announced two regional series races in 2020, including one championship event, as part of the track’s continued support of grassroots racing. The first of the two races will see the ARCA Menards Series visit during the FanShield 500 NASCAR weekend, March 6-8, 2020. The second event will be the return of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship race during the NASCAR Championship Weekend, November 6-8.

The Spring event (March 6) is a new addition to ISM Raceway’s schedule and will feature the best of the ARCA Menards Series as well as the top regional series stock car drivers from the East and West.

The series is the top developmental ladder for drivers looking to take the next step to one of NASCAR’s three national series as well as a proving ground for some of the best short-track veterans.

The returning Fall championship event for the West series is scheduled for November 7, 2020, as part of a Saturday doubleheader that also includes the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Desert Diamond West Valley Casino 200. The West series championship will be one of four series-crowning races in three days at ISM Raceway during the 2020 NASCAR Championship Weekend.

“I’m extremely pleased to add these grassroots races to our historic 2020 race season at ISM Raceway,” said Julie Giese, President of ISM Raceway. “We are committed to delivering to our ticket holders as much on-track action as possible during our race weekends and these races provide a great opportunity to showcase so many up-and-coming drivers in our sport.”

Tickets for ISM Raceway’s 2020 season will go on sale Monday, July 29. For more information, visit ismraceway.com.

Photo courtesy of ISM Raceway

The “arm’s length” interpretation in the NASCAR pit stop guidelines has been redefined, according to NASCAR officials, in an effort to make that officiating element less subjective.

The changes will go into effect this weekend at Pocono Raceway and Iowa Speedway.

“After discussions internally and with competitors and teams, NASCAR will adjust how we officiate the uncontrolled tire rule to focus on preventing a safety hazard rather than concentrating on the subjective ‘arm’s length’ criteria,” NASCAR said in a statement.

With the new language, tires will be considered under control if the tire(s) do not roll into the traffic lanes of pit road, removed tires do not return to the outside half of the pit box, and tires are handled safely, avoiding instances of bouncing or throwing tires.

Other changes also include removed tires from the track side of the pit box must not exceed proximity limits to neighboring pit boxes. Additionally, officials also mandated a safety measure across all three national series that will see teams changing outside tires first during four-tire pit stops. This will reduce crewmembers’ exposure to cars in adjacent pit lanes.

For more information, visit nascar.com.

Tri-City Raceway Park, the 1/2-mile dirt rack and 3/8 karting track in Franklin, Pennsylvania, is for sale, according to a post from the company’s official social media page.

All Star Circuit of Champions Sprints, World of Outlaws Sprints and Late Models, DIRTcar, RUSH Racing Series and more touring series have competed at the facility.

The sale of the 48-acre facility includes two complete kitchens and track equipment. Sellers are asking $399,000 or a “reasonable offer.”

For more information, call 814/967-2247.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) will host the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli sports car championship October 1-4, 2020, in conjunction with its North American series, GT World Challenge America.

The Indianapolis 8 Hours will combine the two series for the first time in an epic endurance classic on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at the Racing Capital of the World. The best International GT teams will battle GT World Challenge America teams to enhance the exciting #IntGTC schedule organized by SRO Motorsports Group that also features the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour (Australia), Total 24 Hours of Spa (Belgium), Suzuka 10 Hours (Japan) and Kyalami 9 Hour (South Africa).

The world’s only global GT3 championship—the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli—celebrates its fifth season in 2020 racing on five continents.

With the Indianapolis 8 Hours included in the 2020 GT World Challenge America schedule, this will be the series’ first long-distance endurance race that will count toward the championship in recent decades. This season, GT World Challenge America refreshed the series to feature a two-driver pairing in 90-minute SprintX races with full-service pit stops.

“We are excited to be bringing our leading brand of GT3 competition to the world-famous Brickyard,” Stephane Ratel said, the founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group, which organizes the series. “What better way to close out our 2020 season than at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – a track with such prestige and historical significance.”

In addition, the Indianapolis weekend will showcase drivers in SRO America’s Pirelli GT4 America, and the TC America series will crown its champions as they cross the world-famous Yard of Bricks start-finish line over the race weekend.

For more information, visit gt-world-challenge-america.com, intercontinentalgtchallenge.com or indianapolismotorspeedway.com.

Photo courtesy of IMS