INDYCAR has formed a partnership with Red Bull Advanced Technologies to design an aeroscreen for enhanced driver cockpit protection that will be implemented for the outset of the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series season, the two organizations announced in a joint news conference at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Aeroscreen is being developed by Red Bull Advanced Technologies to reduce the risk of driver injury from debris or other objects striking the cockpit area. The driver safety innovation that will encompass the cockpit consists of a ballistic Aeroscreen anchored by titanium framework.

The Red Bull Advanced Technologies Aeroscreen is the second phase of INDYCAR’s objective to further enhance driver safety in the open-cockpit race cars. INDYCAR debuted the Advanced Frontal Protection (AFP) device for the INDYCAR Grand Prix that was held May 10-11 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. The AFP is designed to help deflect debris away from the cockpit area and the driver.

“This collaborative effort on the Aeroscreen between Red Bull Advanced Technologies, Dallara and INDYCAR truly exhibits an unrelenting commitment and passion for enhancing driver safety,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “We would like to thank everyone at Red Bull Advanced Technologies for creating a design that will be significant in the evolution of motorsports safety, not only for the NTT IndyCar Series but from a global perspective.”

The Red Bull Advanced Technologies design will consist of a polycarbonate laminated screen that includes an anti-reflective coating on the interior of the screen, an anti-fogging device through an integral heating element and possibly tear-offs, all of which will be produced by integrated third-party companies. Another feature for the drivers will be a cockpit cooling option that will be designed by Dallara, an INDYCAR official supplier, in conjunction with Red Bull Advanced Technologies.

The titanium framework will mount in three areas around the cockpit—the chassis centerline, two-rear side mounts and roll hoop integration—to provide enhanced load-bearing capabilities. The load bearing is expected to be 150 kilonewtons (kN), which would equal the FIA load for the Halo design currently used in Formula One. A kilonewton is equal to approximately 225 pounds, which is a force of gravity rating, not static weight or mass. Force is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration.

Upon completion of the Aeroscreen design by Red Bull Advanced Technologies, INDYCAR is tentatively planning on-track testing by selected NTT IndyCar Series drivers this summer and the approved Aeroscreens delivered to all teams by the fall.

Visit indycar.com for the latest.

Image courtesy of IndyCar

Cleanup continues at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri, from Monday night’s severe storm and track officials plan to reopen for racing on June 8 with the next scheduled Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series program.

General Manager Danny Lorton said next weekend (June 1) already was a scheduled off week and that works to help ensure some additional time to have things ready for racing to resume the following week.

“We’ve had a lot of inquiries about how we’re doing and I want everyone to know that things are progressing well. We’re making good progress,” Lorton said of cleanup from the storm. “We thank everyone who has sent thoughts and prayers our way, to the community of Wheatland and to all those affected by the storms.”

Lorton said there has been an outpouring of offers from the public to volunteer to help the speedway cleanup, but he asks that people instead offer their services to the community as a whole.

“The town of Wheatland can also use some support with volunteers and donations,” Lorton said. “They can contact Wheatland City Hall (417/282-6552) to see where help is needed or how to make donations for those who have lost property and need assistance with covering cost of clean up. We want to show our support to them as well.”

Lucas Oil Director of Racing Operations Dan Robinson said he encourages fans to support local racing at the track of their choice this Memorial Day Weekend.

“Please go support another short track this weekend while we repair our facility and work to get reopened on June 8th,” Robinson said. “There are many excellent tracks around that deserve your business and we want the industry as a whole to succeed and prosper. These owners and promoters work just as tirelessly as we do and we hope you have a great holiday weekend at one or more of them.”

A rescheduled date for the 27th annual Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtecttheHarvest.com – postponed from Memorial Day Weekend – will be announced next Tuesday. Tickets purchased in advance for the Show-Me 100 will be honored at the rescheduled date.

With the off-road track suffering the worst of the storm damage, a decision will be announced shortly on the status of the 3rd annual GEICO Off-Road Shootout Presented by General Tire, scheduled for June 28-30.

For more information, visit lucasoilspeedway.com.

After months of speculation, Eldora Speedway officials announced the 36th annual Kings Royal would pay a blockbuster $175,000-to-win.

The Kings Royal Weekend featuring the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and all of sprint car racing’s royalty takes place Thursday through Saturday, July 18-20.

Renowned for its unique victory lane filled with pomp and circumstance surrounding the post-race crowning of the “King,” the winner’s purse has remained steadfast at $50,000 since the inaugural Kings Royal in 1984.

With the announcement, the posted awards for the week, including point fund contributions and specialty awards, bring the 2019 Kings Royal Weekend purse to $594,275. A massive increase from just a few years ago when the purse monies stretched to $181,000.

In keeping with the theme of ‘To the Victor Goes the Spoils,’ the prize money for second place will remain at $20,000.

The 2019 edition of Kings Royal Weekend actually kicks off on Wednesday, July 17, with the re-scheduled World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Series and USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Cars “#LetsRaceTwo Doubleheader” that was interrupted by rain on Saturday, May 11. The #LetsRaceTwo event will be restarted in its entirety.

For more information, including reserves seats, tickets and campsites, call 937/338-3815 or visit EldoraSpeedway.com.

PRI offices in Aliso Viejo, California, will be closed on Monday, May 27, for Memorial Day. We will return the office on Tuesday, May 28.

We would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Memorial Day!

For more information on the 2019 PRI Trade Show, including registration, visit pri2019.com. 

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Energy Systems Network (ESN), the advanced energy technology initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), hosted some of the world's leading autonomous vehicle technology researchers at the Racing Capital of the World on Thursday, May 23, to explore the potential for a global autonomous vehicle competition to be hosted in Indianapolis.

The goal of the workshop is to develop potential objectives and rules for such a competition, and to discuss prospective timelines, vehicles and other core elements. IMS and ESN envision using the input gathered from the workshop to further refine the concept, examine a potential competition framework, and work to engage additional stakeholders to support its possible implementation.

"This gathering at the Racing Capital of the World provides an opportunity to embrace our heritage and again serve as a catalyst for the next generation of vehicle technologies in both motorsports competition and wider consumer platforms,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said.

Nearly 15 years ago, the DARPA Grand Challenge gave birth to the modern-day autonomous vehicle (AV) industry by awarding a $1 million prize to the team that could first complete a 132-mile course in the southwestern U.S. desert. Today, a group of more than 20 researchers from industry and academia is gathered to develop what may become the successor to DARPA, spurring a new wave of innovation and AV commercialization.

The first phase of this exploration started in the fall of 2018 in Mountain View, California, with a gathering hosted by Sebastian Thrun, whose Stanford University team won the DARPA Grand Challenge in 2005. Thrun, the CEO of KittyHawk and co-founder of Udacity, is among a group of stakeholders advising the development of this potential new competition.

For updated information as it becomes available, subscribe for email updates at indyavchallenge.com. For more on Energy Systems Network, visit energysystemsnetwork.com.

The experts and researchers participating in the workshop include:

• Ariel University
• Clemson University - International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR)
• Dallara Automobili
• Elevate Ventures
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
• Kennesaw State University
• Kettering University
• Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST)
• LHP Engineering Solutions
• Michigan State University - Autonomous and Connected Vehicle (CANVAS) Research Center
• Ohio State University - Center for Automotive Research (CAR)
• Purdue University
• Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
• Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI)
• Toyota Mobility Foundation
• University of Alabama
• University of Florida Transportation Institute
• University of Virginia
• University of Waterloo
• Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) - Center for Advanced Automotive Research

Long-time modified powerhouses LFR and Troyer Race Cars have announced the intent to combine forces and merge.

The plan is for a new company to be formed, Troyer Manufacturing, which would focus solely on manufacturing.

Another new company—Troyer Dirt—would focus on the manufacturing and distribution of race cars for the dirt racing customer base. LFR and Troyer will continue their respective brands and combine forces to offer the best in manufacturing and distribution.

“It’s no secret that I have been trying to do something of this magnitude for quite some time now,” said Rob Fuller, owner of LFR. “The timing seemed right, so Billy (Colton, owner of Troyer Race Cars) and I came together and discussed options and put a killer package together.”

“The move is necessary in today’s market to be successful in all aspects of the sport,” continued Fuller. “We will continue to service both LFR and Troyer dealers with a predetermined dealer structure. Myself and the LFR staff will provide at-track support for all Modified customers.”

LFR will distribute both LFR and Troyer products out of a new 7,000-square-foot facility in West Boylston, Massachusetts, equipped to provide engineering and set-up support for modified race teams. LFR will continue the distribution of the Troyer product line through much of the current well-established Troyer Dealer network.

“I believe that both the Troyer and LFR customers will benefit in this merger in several ways, between the tech support that will be available to them along with better inventory along with other product availability it seems like a definite win-win,” Troyer owner Bill Colton said.

For more information, visit lfrchassis.com or troyerracecars.com.

Following a national talent search at universities across the country, NASCAR and Rev Racing have invited 12 collegiate athletes to compete for roles as tire changers, carriers and jackmen at the fourth annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity National Pit Crew Combine in Concord, N.C., on Friday, May 24.

The annual event will be held at the NASCAR Research and Development Center and features athletes with aspirations of a professional career in NASCAR. This year’s competitors include football, soccer and baseball student-athletes.

Led by Phil Horton, Rev Racing director of athletic performance, the four-hour combine will test the athletes in a series of strength, agility and flexibility exercises to assess their fitness for a NASCAR pit crew. Additionally, each athlete will learn how to perform tasks required of over-the-wall crew members.

In related news, NASCAR recognized the industry’s pioneers of diversity at the 12th annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards hosted at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Thursday, May 23.

The awards ceremony honors NASCAR drivers, pit crew members and industry partners and ambassadors for their work promoting diversity and inclusion across the sport.

This year marks the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards’ first ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte after several years at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.

2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Award recipients:
 
National Series Driver Award: Martin Truex Jr. – The 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion established the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation in 2007 with long-time partner, Sherry Pollex, with a mission to support those who have been affected by cancer, specifically ovarian and pediatric cancer. The foundation began its partnership with Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, N.C., in 2015.
 
Diverse Driver Award: Ruben Garcia Jr. – K&N Pro Series East driver Ruben Garcia Jr. is a native of Mexico City and is in his fourth season with Rev Racing as a member of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. A NASCAR Next alum, Garcia is the reigning two-time NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series champion and the youngest driver to win the series title.
 
Partner Award: Dow – Dow’s commitment to diversity is highlighted through its program support and engagement with Richard Childress Racing. Dow’s sponsorship of Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team has provided a platform to highlight teamwork and diversity at trade shows and industry events across the country.
 
Crew Member Award: Derrell Edwards – Baltimore native Derrell Edwards is the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development Program affiliate to win the Daytona 500 as an over-the-wall crew member. Following a successful career as a basketball player at High Point University, Edwards became a jackman at Richard Childress Racing. Since joining the team, Edwards has embraced the sport and has served as a positive ambassador. He volunteers to attend partner and philanthropic events within the local community and uses his experiences to shine a light on NASCAR and the opportunities the sport has afforded him.
 
Young Racer Award: Lacy Kuehl – Sarasota, Fla., native Lacy Kuehl is a 13-year-old member of the 2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program. In 2018, she raced in a dirt oval flat kart at tracks such as Florida Dirt Motor Speedway, Crossroads Motorplex, Ambassador Racing School and Space Coast Full Throttle Speedway. She and her family started the charity Drive for Diabetes Awareness, dedicated to Type 1 Diabetic Ketoacidosis education, after losing her younger brother, Rocco, to the disease at the age of one.
 
Outstanding Intern Award: Maxwell Miranda and Isaiah Wright – Maxwell Miranda and Isaiah Wright made an impact as standout participants in the 2018 NASCAR Diversity Internship Program. Miranda interned in NASCAR’s licensing and consumer products department where he excelled with key contributions around NASCAR’s gaming efforts and trackside reporting, as well as researching new business opportunities. Miranda received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Sports Marketing and Analytics from Mercer University in May and was recently hired to work full-time in NASCAR’s Analytics & Insights department. Wright interned at Richmond Raceway in the consumer marketing department. His commitment to diversity was displayed in his recruitment of Virginia State University classmates, fraternity brothers and professors to support the nearby track. His relationships led to more than 20 students working at Richmond Raceway throughout the season. Wright is a current graduate student at Old Dominion University.
 
Institution Award: The NASCAR Foundation’s Speediatrics Children’s Fund – The NASCAR Foundation’s Speediatrics Fun Day Festival began in 2017 as a small effort and grew to a multi-city program reaching hundreds of children. The event takes place in six race markets (Phoenix, Dover, Chicago, Daytona, Michigan and Martinsville) with more than 100 children participating in each. The Fund provides more than $100,000 in grant funding to local community organizations focused on the overall health and well-being of children, and directly impacts children in the community with NASCAR-themed programming.
 
Track Award: Richmond Raceway – Richmond Raceway’s relationship with Virginia State University, a nearby Historically Black University, grew rapidly in 2018. Richmond strategically aligned its marketing efforts to reach the local colleges and universities within its market through on-campus promotions and a pre-race concert with local artists. While the students received real-world work experience at the track, Richmond has found a valuable local community partner.
 
Team Award: Stewart-Haas Racing – Stewart-Haas Racing has continued to grow its reach into Hispanic markets with the addition of Daniel Suarez, driver of the No. 41 Ford Mustang. In the four months since Suarez joined the team, Stewart-Haas Racing has supported the Daniel's Amigos campaign at Auto Club Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Returning Stewart-Haas driver Aric Almirola has continued his community involvement with partner Smithfield through its Helping Hungry Homes initiative targeting race markets such as Dallas/Ft. Worth, Charlotte and Las Vegas.
 
Industry Ambassador Award: Jose Cervantes, Watkins Glen International –Jose Cervantes has been instrumental in creating various relationships within the Latino community at Watkins Glen International. Since joining Watkins Glen, Cervantes has coordinated appearances with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez in each of the track’s key markets – Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse. He established a new partnership between the City of Buffalo, the Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade of WNY Association and Watkins Glen International in 2017. As part of the partnership, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown proclaimed Wednesday, July 12 “Daniel Suarez Day” in Buffalo.

For more information, visit nascar.com.

Edsel B. Ford II was named the winner of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR as part of the 2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee announcement Wednesday afternoon.

Ford is a member of the Ford Motor Co. board of directors and was selected over fellow nominees Alvin Hawkins, Mike Helton, Dr. Joseph Mattioli and Ralph Seagraves.

“It means a great deal to me. I’m honored to be given this award and I feel I have an ambassadorial role within Ford Motor Co. and NASCAR, so it’s wonderful,” Ford said on Wednesday evening. “I’m truly honored.”

“It was a surprise. I love this sport. I love being around NASCAR,” he explained. “I told my boys when they were growing up I said, ‘From my experience, the one group of people that won’t disappoint you are racers.’ I say that because they’re transparent, they’re frank, they bring their families to the races. I’ve known a lot of race car drivers all my life. I’m going to Jackie Stewart’s 80th birthday in two weeks, so I’ve known them a long time. My kids love racing as much as I do, so it’s fun.”

“I think he’d be thrilled,” Edsel Ford II said, speaking of his great-grandfather Henry Ford. “He was a racer and he knew the benefit of automobile racing, so I think he would be thrilled. At least I hope he would be.”

For more information, visit nascarhall.com.

Photo courtesy of NASCAR

The provisional entry list for the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans has revealed that a record-breaking 186 drivers will compete in this year’s race, which is set to take place June 15–16, at the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France.

Amongst the competitors in the 87th running of the event are last year’s winners Fernando Alonso, Kazuki Nakajima and Sébastien Buemi, who will each be vying for the FIA World Endurance LMP Drivers’ Championship as well as defending their 2018 Le Mans title.

This year’s entry list also includes former WEC Drivers’ Champions including André Lotterer, Anthony Davidson, Loïc Duval, Neel Jani, Romain Dumas, Earl Bamber and Marcel Fässler.

There are also various 24 Hours of Le Mans class winners entered including Nicolas Lapierre, Thomas Laurent, David Heinemeier Hansson, Gianmaria Bruni, Harry Tincknell and Nicki Thiim.

New entrants also include ex-Formula One driver Stoffel Vandoorne, while Paul di Resta makes a return to the grid for the second year in a row.

In related WEC news, two teams—Racing Team Nederland and Signatech Alpine—have confirmed they have submitted entries to continue their WEC programs.

Racing Team Nederland will compete in collaboration with TDS, while the Signatech Alpine team has also confirmed they will continue in the WEC’s highly-competitive LMP2 category next season.

For more information, visit fiawec.com.

Photo courtesy of FIA WEC

W Series announced a new partnership with NBC Sports to broadcast the entirety of the series’ inaugural season in all 50 states.

The new deal includes six, one-hour encore presentations of W Series races, broadcast in HD by NBC Sports. This partnership will provide over 80 million US households access to W Series racing in its first season.

“We are making history each time our W Series drivers—20 of the world’s fastest female drivers—line up on the grid,” W Series CEO Catherine Bond Muir said.

“So, it’s important we make this incredible show available to as many fans as possible from all around the world, and we are delighted to add NBC Universal to our growing portfolio of leading broadcast partners for this important global market.”

“NBC Sports is excited to announce this new partnership with the W Series for its inaugural season,” said Michael Perman, VP, Programming, NBC Sports. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to add more women’s sports and racing to our portfolio, and continue to give our consumers new and exciting content to enjoy.”

Last month, UK broadcaster, Channel 4, announced plans to screen all six W Series races live and in HD on their free-to-air terrestrial channel. The season started at Hockenheim, Germany, on May 4 and finishes at Brands Hatch Circuit in West Kingsdown, England, on August 11, 2019.

For more information, visit wseries.com.

Photo courtesy of W Series