John Force Racing (JFR) announced the hiring of Justin Kamm as its new director of corporate partnerships.

Relocating to California from West Palm Beach, Florida, Kamm will manage JFR’s corporate sponsorships.

Kamm will work with Director of Marketing Kelly Antonelli at the team’s racing headquarters in Brownsburg, Indiana, and Director of Public Relations Sara Slaughter at the team’s Yorba Linda, California, corporate headquarters.

“It’s important to us that we have a point person for our great sponsors and for that person to be able to create new partnerships and grow this team. We can’t do what we love to do on the race track if we don’t have their support and are able to accommodate them. Justin is a great fit for that role,” said John Force Racing CEO and the driver of the PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevy Camaro SS Funny Car John Force.

Kamm most recently worked for IRG Sports + Entertainment (IRGSE) as the director of corporate partnerships, where he developed and managed corporate relationships—ranging from event and facility sponsorship to advertising agreements—as well as handled all contract negotiations, execution and contract deliverables.

For more information, visit the John Force Racing website.

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed into law legislation (S.B. 667), which creates the West Virginia Motorsports Committee, a group aimed at the development of racing events and facilities throughout the state.

The West Virginia Motorsports Committee will seek new opportunities to promote economic growth and manufacturing jobs related to the motorsports industry.

The new law marks a major step towards the expansion and preservation of racing in the state. It also recognizes the important economic and civic value that additional motorsports can provide.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

Chili Bowl Nationals officials have announced a rule change in regards to the use of wheel covers for the 2020 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire.

All cars competing must now be equipped with a minimum of three bolts holding the wheel covers to the beadlock.

The change comes after reviewing instances over the past three years where loose wheel covers have come very close to clearing the fences that surround the Chili Bowl venue, Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as well incidents where wheel covers have shot up the entry/exit ramp.

“The Chili Bowl is so unique in how confined and close everything is, and we’ve just seen too many times where wheel covers either were not installed correctly, or there is contact that causes the Dzus to break or back off, which lets the cover come off,” Chili Bowl Director Matt Ward said. “Safety is always our biggest priority, and this is a small change to try and minimize someone getting severely injured.”

For the wheel covers, much like rules set by the American Sprint Car Series, IRA Sprints, All Star Circuit of Champions and the World of Outlaws, a minimum 5/16″, flanged steel bolt and an approved fastening (nut assembly) system must be used.

Approved fastening (nut assembly) systems are as follows:
–Keyser Manufacturing, part #100 7-101

–Wehrs Manufacturing Part # (WM377S-312 Steel 5/16)

–Triple X Chassis Part # SC-WH-7810 (for a 1″ spring) / SC-WH-7820 (for a 1 3/8″ spring)

–Smith Precision Products Part # MC-516-18
– Speedway Motors part # 910-07119

For more information, visit the Chili Bowl website.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Mario Andretti's legendary Indy 500 win and his overall contributions to the automotive motorsports industry, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California, will host the Andretti 50th Anniversary Indy Tribute ceremony.

The four-hour event—set for Wednesday, April 10, at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles—will feature a sit-down reception that will also include a video presentation on Mario’s accomplishments, as well as a VIP meet and greet.

A unique, three car display highlights the night, which is set to include the midget car that Andretti piloted to win three features at two different tracks in one day. Live entertainment, a three-course Drago Brothers dinner, an exclusive Q&A with Andretti (moderated by Justin Bell), and a live auction are also on the evening's schedule.

Doors will open 6 p.m., with the event expected to end 8:15 p.m.

Tickets are available for complete tables (10 seats) or for individuals. For more information, including a schedule and to purchase tickets, visit the Petersen Automotive Museum ticketing website.

(Photo courtesy of Petersen Automotive Museum).

The L.S. Starrett Company—one of the leading global manufacturers of precision measuring tools and gages, metrology systems and more—has announced the appointment of Jon-Michael Raymond as its new director of sales for industrial products in North America.

Raymond will be responsible for the sales of the company’s core products including precision measuring tools and gages, hand tools and saw blades in North America.

He succeeds the current Vice President of Sales Tony Aspin, who will be retiring on June 30 after serving the company for 28 years, including 18 years in his current position. Aspin and Raymond will be working together on a transition plan until the end of June.  

“I am pleased to announce that Jon-Michael is joining Starrett,” President and CEO Douglas A. Starrett said. “He brings a strong sales and marketing background as well as experience with distribution and end users, and will be instrumental in growing the sales of our broad range of products in North America. We welcome him to the Starrett team and wish Tony Aspin the best in his retirement.”

Raymond has worked in the industrial market space for over 12 years, with the past three years serving as Vice President of Sales for PFERD Inc. He has also held various sales and finance positions for Osborn and Norton | Saint-Gobain Abrasives. Raymond is a graduate of Worcester State University and Assumption College, where he received a Masters of Business Administration. He will be based out of Starrett corporate headquarters in Athol, Massachusetts.

For more information, visit the Starrett website.

Richmond Dragway, the 130-acre motorsports facility featuring a 1/4-mile drag strip in Sandston, Virginia, has renewed sanctioning agreements with the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).

The facility was founded by Dan Weis in 1964 and remains a family operation with the current track owner being Weis’ nephew, Johnny Davis, and his wife, Allison.

“We’ve been part of the Summit SuperSeries since it was created,” Davis said. “There is a high level of affinity with us and our racers for the SuperSeries. Last year, we not only sent our three track champs, but one of our racers won the Division 1 Summit Team Finals in Maryland.

Richmond Dragway features a full-service concession stand, a three-story timing and scoring tower. It utilizes a state-of-the-art Accutime Timing System along with large scoreboards and LED dial-in boards for drivers to verify their dial-ins.

For more information, visit the IHRA website.

Chris Payne, the owner of Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas, has announced the track will not leave the city.

Previously, Payne explored the possibility of relocating over concerns that the track was being overtaxed. Instead, the owner plans to stay and fight. He told The Topeka Capital-Journal he plans to file legal action against the appraiser’s office in the near future.

“It’s our town, it’s our track and this is where it needs to stay and I’m not going to let outside elements change that,” Payne told the Capital-Journal.

Earlier this year the Shawnee County appraiser told The Capital-Journal that Payne agreed to the current tax rate after the state Board of Tax Appeals effectively lowered it from $10.4 million to $7.5 million for the tax year 2017.

FY18 valuations and property tax levels would levy upwards of $28,600 per month on Heartland and more than 25 properties Payne owns around the racetrack, according to the county appraiser’s website.

Since purchasing the track three years ago, Payne has paid nearly $300,000 in taxes. The track has a positive relationship with Topeka, according to Payne, who stressed that the dispute is specifically with the appraiser’s office.

“The appraiser’s office is the issue,″ Payne said to the Capital-Journal. “It’s not necessarily Shawnee County. It is the county appraiser’s office. They have been withholding certain items and they can’t support the value they put on Heartland. They can’t support it, so we’re going to let the legal system decide and deal with it.”

For more information, visit the Heartland Motorsports Park website.

After 19 years as a broadcaster on NASCAR television broadcasts, Darrell Waltrip has confirmed he is calling it a career.

Waltrip, a three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion during a driving career that spanned 29 years, confirmed in an interview with The Tennessean on Thursday that he’ll end his broadcast career when he calls his last race for FOX on June 23, 2019, at Sonoma (California) Raceway.

“I could’ve waited until Charlotte or somewhere else down the road, but it’s been hanging over my head,” Waltrip told The Tennessean. “I just wanted to clear the air, let people know what my plans are and then other people can make plans accordingly. Like who’s going to take my place or is somebody going to take my place?”

Waltrip ended his NASCAR driving career at the end of the 2000 season when he made the last of 809 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The following season he joined FOX as an analyst, a position he has held for the last 19 years.

At 72 years old, Waltrip’s trademark “Boogity, boogity, boogity” phrase that he exclaims at the start of every race he covers has become his calling card.

“Darrell has been the heart and soul of the FOX NASCAR booth since day one, so it’s incredibly bittersweet to know this is his final season,” said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports CEO & Executive Producer. “DW’s unmatched charisma and passion helped FOX Sports build its fan base when we first arrived at Daytona in 2001, and he has been the cornerstone of our NASCAR coverage ever since. We look forward to celebrating DW at Sonoma.”

For more information, visit the FOX Sports website.

Irwindale Dragstrip, the 1/8-mile, NHRA-sanctioned drag strip in Irwindale, California, has announced plans to improve the racing surface.

"I feel it is imperative that we continue to improve our facility each year. The new three-phase project will help give racers an outlined plan of what's to come at Irwindale Dragstrip,” Drag Strip Manager Charles Myers said.

The first phase, which has begun, included adding the PJ1 traction compound to the strip, the same formula used by the 330 mph NHRA Top Fuel Dragsters.

Part two, which will also be one of the largest capital investments in the track, includes the addition of a track scrubber, which will assist in cleaning up rain, oil downs and other fluid spills that are of a safety concern to drag strip competitors.

"One of the areas of improvement we are concentrating on is the amount of time it takes to clean up an oil down. With the addition of a track scrubber, the downtime will decrease drastically along with providing a cleaner surface to apply the traction compound,” Myers said.

The final phase of the project includes the addition of a tire dragging machine, which is designed to “even the rubber” across the track and create an improved surface for racers.

Irwindale Dragstrip is part of the Irwindale Event Center, which also includes the Irwindale Speedway. For more information, visit the Irwindale Dragstrip webpage.

(Photo courtesy of Irwindale Event Center).

Motor State Distributing hosted the first AERA Tech & Skills Conference of 2019 at its Watervliet, Michigan, headquarters last week.

Attendees representing more than 40 different companies came together with 34 manufacturers to gain insight into the latest engine building techniques and components. Industry experts from seven different companies also shared valuable insights on topics ranging from failure analysis to boosting power and performance.

With attendees from throughout the Midwest and Canada—some traveling as much as 12 hours to attend—and manufacturers from all over the country, the conference brought together a diverse mix of specialties, expertise and interests.

Performance Racing Industry (PRI) was also represented, with editor Dan Schechner taking part in the day-long event.

Attendees, including many first-time AERA Tech & Skills Conference guests, reported positive feedback about the event. Many also indicated they want to return to another Conference in the future, according to Motor State.

For more information, visit the Motor State Distributing website.