After 30 years of racing in Africa and over a decade in South America, officials with the Dakar Rally have announced a new chapter in its history, as “the world’s biggest rally” will make its Middle Eastern debut in Saudi Arabia next year.

“I’m already inspired and delighted to have to design a course in such a monumental geography, made for the most audacious itineraries. We are spoilt for choice,” Director of the Dakar Rally David Castera said. “Sports, navigation, a will to surpass oneself: all these aspects will naturally be glorified on this territory made for rally raids.”

Event organizer ASO is believed to have signed a five-year agreement with Saudi authorities, according to Autosport. This marks the end of the sport’s South American chapter, which saw the late withdrawal of both Bolivia and Chile in the 2019 edition of the event. Organizers created a Peru-only route for the early January 2019 rally.

“In hosting Dakar Rally, we aim to produce an unbelievable and unforgettable experience for drivers as they discover the beauty of Saudi nature and a unique spectacle for motorsport fans...,” His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki AlFaisal Al Saud, Chairman of the Saudi Arabia General Sports Authority, said.

More information about the 2020 Dakar Rally will be announced on their official social media pages on April 25.

For more information, visit the Dakar Rally website.

(Photo courtesy of Dakar Rally).

Working together with global branding supplier CSM Live, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship rolled out revolutionary new sustainable trackside signage for the 2019 GEOX Rome E-Prix on April 13, and beyond.

The all-electric championship will use non-PVC material for its trackside signage to reduce plastic production and waste.

Tasked by Formula E, CSM Live developed the sustainable signage solution after 12-months of intensive research. The strong alternative will be applied to the barriers lining each circuit—starting in the Italian capital for the GEOX Rome E-Prix.

The adhesive film has been tailor-made in conjunction with the specialist manufacturer and established supply chain partner HEXIS and will replace any previously-used materials to significantly limit the environmental impact of the series by cutting back on over 21 miles of potential PVC waste.

With the same high-quality performance as its PVC predecessor, the innovative product is made of polypropylene, a material widely used across a number of industries due to its recyclable properties.

Both Formula E and CSM Live—part of CSM Sport & Entertainment —have a shared commitment to sustainable practice and working methods, with the ABB FIA Formula E Championship being recognized as the first category in motorsport to receive third-party ISO 20121 certification.

"Not only does the non-PVC material provide similar levels of strength but each aspect has also been carefully considered in order to fully limit its impact - from production line to re-use and recycling,” FE Senior Sustainability Consultant Julia Palle said. “Introducing new and innovative ways of branding allows the ABB FIA Formula E Championship to continue accelerating positive change in the events industry.”

For more information, visit the Formula E website.

(Photo courtesy of Formula E).

Roush Yates Engines announced a multi-year partnership extension agreement with CNC Software, Inc. for Mastercam to continue as the official CAD/CAM software of Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions. After starting the partnership in 2015, this extension will partner these two innovative companies together until 2025.

Mastercam—one of the industry leaders for more than 35 years in CAD/CAM software—delivers CNC programing solutions in 75 countries around the world.

“Their strategy of combining superior software programming with continuous development and support makes their product the best in the industry. This is why Roush Yates Engines selected Mastercam as their CAD/CAM software to program more than 50 CNC machines in a newly renovated, climate controlled, 88,000 square foot facility in Mooresville, North Carolina,” a statement from Roush Yates said.

Mastercam software is invaluable to the production of more than 40% of the engine components that power the Ford NASCAR FR9 EFI and IMSA Ford EcoBoost race engines. Thousands of components are milled and drilled with the use of  Mastercam software programming, and it is critical to Roush that these parts meet the tightest of tolerances.

For more information, visit the Roush Yates website or the Mastercam website.

American Rally Association (ARA) has added the Empire State Performance Rally (ESPR) to its 2019 calendar.

Scheduled for October 25-26, in Narrowsburg, New York, ESPR will be a Super Regional event within the ARA East Region Championship.

Based in New York’s Hudson Valley Region near the Delaware River and the state border with Pennsylvania, ESPR has been a tradition in the region for seven years. The rally’s proximity to Manhattan makes it a popular event for drivers from the NY Tri-State Area and for teams looking to take on more stage miles after September’s National Rally Championship Presented by AMSOIL stop in nearby Wellsboro, Pennsylvania.

For 2019, ESPR will feature 73 miles of dirt and gravel stage road along a 165-mile route through land owned by the Boy Scouts of America. Divided into 14 stages, the quick tests of the rally will challenge drivers to master variable weather and stage conditions.

For the fans, ESPR will offer spectator viewing locations along 10 of its 14 stages in 2019.

The rally joins the 2019 ARA season as it’s third Super Regional event for the year. Super Regional rallies are a new event classification for events that fall in-between national rallies and one-day regional rallies in scope and are not considered a national championship stop.

For more information, visit the American Rally Association (ARA) website.

Stanadyne LLC announced it had acquired Pure Power Technologies Inc., the engineers and manufacturers of diesel fuel injectors and turbochargers headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina.

The combined companies bring together complementary product lines and form a global company delivering broad fuel and air management systems directly to OEMs and OES/aftermarket channels.

“Pure Power’s experience and expertise in high-precision engineering, testing and manufacturing of diesel fuel injectors and turbos is a perfect fit for our business,” Stanadyne CEO David Galuska said. “This transaction provides us the opportunity to better leverage our market-leading technologies, global presence, business processes and products to our customers across all channels.”

Stanadyne has a long history of manufacturing fuel systems, with a strong emphasis on pumping technology in both diesel and high-pressure gasoline. An engineering-centric company with expansive R&D capabilities, the company serves the light vehicle, off-road and various other industrial markets.

Pure Power, bringing its years as an OEM to the aftermarket, is well-known for its high-precision, fuel, air-management and after-treatment systems for light-, medium- and heavy-duty diesel engines, having produced more than 30 million precision diesel fuel injectors since 1999. Recently, the company launched an expanded product line of new and remanufactured turbochargers that are assembled in Pure Power’s IATF 16949 and ISO 14001-certified manufacturing facility in Blythewood, South Carolina.

For more information, visit the Stanadyne website.

Babcox Media Inc., based in Akron, Ohio, has announced that Scott Shriber, group publisher, will be assuming new responsibilities across all brands in the company’s portfolio.

As Group Publisher of Content, Shriber will be responsible for orchestrating the effective utilization of content resources across all Babcox brands and media formats.

“Content is at the core of our business. We’ve developed this position to further serve our readers and advertisers with quality content across a variety of platforms. With his background and experience in the industry, Scott is the ideal executive for this important role,” said Bill Babcox, president of Babcox Media.

Shriber is a 46-year veteran of the automotive industry, beginning his career at Shriber Auto Parts in Akron, Ohio. In his 11 years at Babcox Media, he has served as the publisher of BodyShop Business, Counterman, Aftermarket News (AMN), Engine Builder and Professional Carwashing & Detailing. Prior to that, he spent 29 years with Ford Motor Co., where he held a variety of management roles.

In related news, Sean Donohue will assume the group publisher role for the Engine Builder and Professional Carwashing & Detailing brands, while Jim Merle will assume the group publisher role for the Counterman and AMN brands.

For more information, visit the Babcox Media website.

OMAX Corporation, a manufacturer of abrasive waterjet systems, and Hypertherm, a US-based manufacturer of industrial cutting systems and software, have joined forces.

The pair announced this week the successful establishment of OMAX as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hypertherm.

The agreement, first announced in late March, formally combines OMAX’s direct drive pumps, software, and applications technologies with Hypertherm’s complementary portfolio of intensifier-based pumps and abrasive recycling systems to form a waterjet technology company.

“As one of the world's top waterjet manufacturers, we are excited to officially join forces with a company that shares our values and vision to deliver the industry’s broadest and most technologically advanced line-up of waterjet products,” OMAX Co-Founder and CEO John Cheung said. “The Hypertherm culture and business philosophy is remarkably similar and complementary to OMAX, and I have no doubt, the company I founded will keep a keen focus on the needs of our valued customers, as we have done for the past 25 years. The OMAX Corporation, and all it stands for, is in great hands with a very bright future ahead of it.”

OMAX Corporation, based in Kent, Washington, is the owner of the OMAX, MAXIEM, GlobalMAX and ProtoMAX brands.

Hypertherm designs and manufactures industrial cutting products for use in a variety of industries such as shipbuilding, manufacturing, and automotive repair. Its product line includes cutting systems, in addition to CNC motion and height controls, CAM nesting software, robotic software and consumables.

For more information, visit the Hypertherm website or the OMAX website.

NASCAR announced that Friday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) Busch Pole Qualifying session at Richmond Raceway (Richmond, Virginia) will see the first two rounds shortened from 10 minutes to five minutes.

The first round will see all cars go out in group style for a lap or laps with the top 24 moving to Round 2. The top 12 from Round 2 move to the final round, which is also five minutes in length.

This is not a permanent change to qualifying, according to NASCAR.com, as discussions are continuing to take place regarding NASCAR’s top series stemming from issues that arose during previous qualifying rounds, including an incident at Auto Club Speedway (Fontana, California) in March where no driver posted a time in the final qualifying round.

The format for NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying at Richmond is unchanged.

The enhanced weekend schedule will also see inspection take place Saturday afternoon, which will officially set the lineup for Saturday night’s Toyota Owners 400 (7:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

For more information, visit the NASCAR website.

Warren Kosikov has been named Vice President of Sales for the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) and Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), where he will lead the sales team and guide the day-to-day sales strategy for both the PRI and SEMA Shows, along with PRI Magazine and SEMA News and related media content.

Kosikov, who joined SEMA in 2014, has more than 30 years of industry experience.  

“Warren has tremendous industry knowledge, experience and expertise—he’s a valuable asset to the association and the industry,” SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting said. “We’re pleased to have him expand his role and help our members and customers accomplish their goals through the association’s events and services.”

Prior to joining SEMA, Kosikov held a variety of executive sales management positions for Source Interlink Media, Buckaroo Communications and Petersen Publishing. His most recent role at SEMA included serving as the key contact for automakers, where he worked with OEMs on SEMA Show participation and activation along with Measuring Sessions, the Technology Transfer Program and project vehicles.

“I’ve been fortunate in my career to have worked for some of the industry’s top publications and events,” Kosikov said. “I’m excited to further my journey with SEMA. The association offers a number of valuable resources to help companies grow and succeed, and I look forward to working with an amazing team to deliver benefits to our members and stakeholders.”

Kosikov works out of SEMA’s Headquarters in Diamond Bar, CA.

For more information, visit the SEMA website or the PRI website.

Two Indianapolis 500 legends, one of the last century’s most versatile competitors and a pair of California stock car racing pioneers comprise the 2019 Heritage Class of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.

Bill Vukovich and Bob Sweikert, winners of three Indianapolis 500s between 1953 and 1955, are set for induction later this summer. They are joined by sports car champion George Follmer, two-hemisphere modified campaigner Marshall Sargent and Rick Henderson, NASCAR’s first West Coast national champion.

Their election brings to 11 this year’s West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame class of inductees. Induction ceremonies, presented by Gateway Motorsports Park, will be held June 20, at the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, California. The event serves as the kickoff to Sonoma Raceway’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West weekend.

Previously announced 2019 inductees are NASCAR team owners Gary Bechtel and Bob Bruncati; the late Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs; four-time NASCAR premier series champion Jeff Gordon; NASCAR weekly series national champion Doug McCoun and NASCAR K&N Pro Series champion Eric Norris.

For more information, including short biographies of the new members, visit the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame website.

(Photo of Bill Vukovich, center, courtesy of IMS Archives, SPEEDSPORT).