Thermal and acoustic specialist Design Engineering, Inc. (DEI) in Avon Lake, Ohio, has announced the addition of Eric Baun and Will Farkas to the company’s inside sales department. Baun and Farkas will work with existing and new automotive and powersports accounts in North America. Both report directly to Tom Miller, DEI’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing.

“We are very fortunate at DEI to have employees with a passion for everything automotive from off-road to classics and motorsports, which is one reason Will and Eric fit in great with our team. In addition to having a solid background in customer service and sales, we are impressed with their strong work ethic, positive attitude and creative ideas on how to grow sales,” Miller said.

Baun formerly worked as a senior production engineering technician with the Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing division of Thougus Products Company in Avon Lake, where he was responsible for quoting jobs, production scheduling, employee training supervision of the 3D printing department and production of customer parts to print. A motorsports enthusiast, Baun has also been involved in Champ Car Endurance racing for the past four seasons and regional karting.

Farkas formerly worked for Porsche Beachwood in Beachwood, Ohio, preparing new and used cars for delivery and assisting with inventory. There, he had daily direct contact with customers in their purchase of high-end vehicles, including exotics and vintage cars.

For more information, visit designengineering.com.

Lancaster Dragway at New York International Raceway Park, the former Lancaster National Speedway and Dragway, has renewed its drag racing sanctioning agreement with the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).

Veteran drag racers Mike Swinarski and Vito Antonicelli and his wife, Sylvia, purchased the upstate New York track, located 15 miles outside Buffalo, earlier this year. With a full schedule of events, the facility features a 1/8-mile drag strip and a 5/8-mile paved oval, which was originally a 1/2-mile dirt track.

The track hosts some of the top drag racing events in Western New York, including the Buffalo Street Outlaws and the IHRA Summit SuperSeries bracket racing program.

“The IHRA Summit SuperSeries fits our track well,” Track Drag Race Director Sharon Hughes said. “Last year, we had a lot of drivers join the program who weren’t a part of it before. They liked the opportunity to go to Memphis and race in the World Finals at the end of the year. It’s a great program for us.”

For more information, visit ihra.com or lancasternationalspeedway.com.

The National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA), which is owned by Pro Media and based in Santa Ana, California, released the following statement regarding its Advanced Fuel Dynamics Limited Street Class:

Based on NMRA Limited Street performance data from the 19th annual NMRA Ford Motorsports Nationals on June 27-30, 2019, the NMRA Technical Department made the following adjustments effective immediately for these Limited Street combinations:

TVS Gen3R supercharger approved upper pulley size changed from 3.228 to 3.400. This changed the 2.317:1 lower/upper pulley ratio to the now approved 2.200 lower/upper pulley ratio.

Motorsports professionals from all over the world will discover the newest racing and performance products, hear from leading experts, and connect with industry professionals during the 2019 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show, held December 12-14 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. With a vast array of exhibitors, expanded educational program, and dedicated international business center complete with interpreters, the PRI Show provides incredible value and opportunity for overseas attendees.

"Thousands of industry members from more than 70 countries attend the PRI Show every year to see the hottest products, newest technology, and latest trends in racing," said PRI Trade Show Director Karin Davidson. "Because of this worldwide appeal, the Show offers plenty of services to further facilitate international communication, business and exposure.”

New for 2019, the Show’s International Center inside the Indiana Convention Center’s 500 Ballroom will feature private meeting rooms, free Wi-Fi, printer access, and interpreters from several countries who are available by appointment at no charge to assist during meetings.

The Global Media Awards program returns for a second consecutive year, too, to give PRI Show exhibitors increased international exposure. As part of the program, international media from key regions of the world will identify Featured Products Showcase entries that are likely to be well-received in their home country. Journalists will then have an opportunity to meet with the winning parts manufacturers during an International Reception at the Show.

Also taking place at PRI 2019, the International Council of Motorsport Sciences’ (ICMS) Annual Congress brings the worldwide motorsports community together for two days to learn about the latest innovations and advances in scientific research on human performance and safety in racing. Nearly a dozen industry experts will discuss various motorsports safety-related topics, including Motorsport Circuit Design and Construction, Track Medical Services from an International Perspective, and Drivers with Disabilities, among others.

All new for 2019, PRI’s International Trade Roundtable, part of the PRI Show’s expanded education program, will feature overseas dealers and distributors representing key motorsports markets across the globe discussing international racing trends and business opportunities. Attendees will learn about exports, shipping and communication, and gain strategies and tips to help them succeed in the international marketplace.

Visas are required for all international travel into the United States, and PRI can provide a Visa letter to attendees once they have registered for the Trade Show. Hotel reservations can be made online at prishow.com or directly with Visit Indy Housing via email at prihousing@visitindy.com or phone at 317/262-8191 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET).

This year’s 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 offer unlimited business opportunities and provide invaluable insight into 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.

Formula 1 has announced that Silverstone will continue as the British Grand Prix venue until at least the end of 2024. The circuit near the Buckinghamshire/Northamptonshire border in England played host to the very first World Championship Grand Prix in 1950.

A five-year agreement between Formula 1, the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) and Silverstone Circuit was recently signed in London ahead of this weekend’s Formula 1 Rolex British Grand Prix 2019.

“We have always said that, if it is to have a long-term future, our sport must preserve its historic venues and Silverstone and Great Britain represent the cradle of this sport, its starting point back in 1950,” said Chase Carey, Chairman and CEO of Formula 1.

Seven of the ten teams competing in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship are based in the UK, with motorsports being a significant economic and technological contributor to the country.

“2020 will be the 70th anniversary of the first round of the World Championship which took place at Silverstone on 13th May 1950 and will make next year’s event all the more special. This is great news for the BRDC, Silverstone and Formula 1—and for millions of British motor racing fans,” said John Grant, Chairman of the BRDC, which owns and operates the Silverstone Circuit.

For more information, visit formula1.com.

“Big Daddy” Don Garlits, one of the most legendary names in drag racing, will attempt to set a world speed record in his Swamp Rat 38 electric dragster Saturday, July 20, at Palm Beach International Raceway, Jupiter, Florida.

Garlits, the first man to break the 200-mph barrier in a Top Fuel dragster, is now on a quest to reach the 200-mph milestone in a battery-powered dragster on PBIR’s 1/4-mile drag strip.

Garlits made a world-record pass of 7.25 seconds at 185.6 mph in an electric dragster in 2014. July 20 will be his attempt to break the 200-mph barrier. 

Known as one of the most innovative racers in drag racing history with his series of Swamp Rat dragsters, the Florida icon has earned 17 World Championship titles and is the owner of 144 national-event wins. His record-breaking Swamp Rat 30 is enshrined in the Smithsonian Museum of American History. 

Tickets are available for the attempt, which will take place during IHRA Summit SuperSeries bracket racing. General admission tickets are $10 and children 12 and under are free.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit racepbir.com.

Race Winning Brands (RWB) has announced the addition of 20-year industry veteran Dick Boyer to the RWB family. An expert in the field, Boyer is renowned for his superb technical product expertise and extensive manufacturing background.

With his vast experience in machining processes, fixture design and implementation of rigorous quality control procedures, Boyer will be an asset to the growth of the Dart Machinery brand and help accelerate penetration into key marketplaces across all of RWB.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to join the RWB team representing Race Winning Brands' companies with an emphasis on Dart Machinery. I am confident my experiences and product knowledge will assist in bolstering relationships and brand dominance with engine builders in the field," said Boyer.

RWB is based in Mentor, Ohio, and Dart Machinery is based in Troy, Michigan.

“With Dick Boyer joining our team, Race Winning Brands will have an elevated voice direct to our engine builder customers, fortifying relationships and supporting their wants and needs,” said Dart Machinery President, Ted Keating.

For more information, visit racewinningbrands.com or dartheads.com.

RANDYS Worldwide, the provider of aftermarket drivetrain components based in Everett, Washington, has announced the addition of Ryan Brancheau as its new director of national accounts.

Brancheau holds 21 years of experience in the automotive industry. He previously worked with Valvoline in account management and growth, where he spent time working on customer relationships along with sales and marketing projects and spent time building relationships both inside and outside of the organization.

For more information, visit randysworldwide.com.

The US Trade Representative (USTR) will accept exclusion requests for "List 3" products imported from China beginning June 30 and ending September 30, 2019, as reported by the SEMA Washington, D.C. staff. Any exclusions granted will be retroactive to September 24, 2018, when the duties were first put in place and will last for one year after it has been accepted.

The List 3 group of Chinese imports covers nearly $200 billion worth of products, including auto parts from engines and metal fasteners to tires, transmission belts, brake pads and suspension springs.

The deadline for submitting exclusion requests for about $50 billion worth of Chinese products covered under Lists 1 and 2 has already closed. The USTR is still reviewing Lists 1 and 2 claims, which include some miscellaneous metal, rubber and plastic parts for auto equipment.

Companies seeking requests will be asked to demonstrate that the product is available only from China, that the tariff will cause severe economic harm and that the good is strategically important. If a request is granted, it will apply to all imported products within the tariff subheading, not just the company making the request.

For more information on submitting a List 3 exclusion request, visit here. For more information, visit sema.org or contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

Image courtesy of Auto Care Association, BusinessWire

Liberty Media Corporation, the owner of the Formula One Group and its subsidiary, Formula 1, has announced changes to its management structure.

Mark D. Carleton has retired as Chief Financial Officer of Liberty, a position he has held since 2016. Carleton becomes a Senior Advisor and will remain focused on several of Liberty’s key portfolio companies.

“Mark’s relationship with Liberty and TCI goes back to 1987 and his efforts as Chief Financial Officer and leading the Corporate Development team have provided great value to the company. I’m pleased that he will continue as a Senior Advisor,” said Greg Maffei, Liberty President and CEO.

Brian Wendling, who has been at Liberty since 1999 and Controller since 2011, has been appointed to the additional role of Principal Financial Officer. Wendling also serves as Chief Financial Officer to Liberty TripAdvisor.

Rich Baer, Liberty’s General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer who has been at Liberty since 2013, will assume the added title of Chief Administrative Officer, with an additional emphasis on recruiting and developing talent across Liberty and our portfolio companies.

Courtnee Chun, who has run Liberty’s investor relations group since 2008, will assume the additional title of Chief Portfolio Officer and continue to be involved with many of Liberty’s companies, including monitoring and enhancing their operating performance.

All will report into Maffei.

For more information, visit libertymedia.com.