RAY EVERHNAM ACQUIRES JRI SHOCKS
NASCAR Hall of Famer Ray Evernham has acquired Mooresville, North Carolina-based shock absorber supplier JRi Shocks. JRi Shocks founder Jeff Ryan will continue to play a leading role in the organization as a partner and Vice President of Engineering.
“Since retiring from the competition side of NASCAR, I have been itching to find an opportunity to continue using my experience in business and engineering, so when JRi was presented to me it was a natural fit,” said Evernham, who is now CEO and president of JRi Shocks. “I have worked with Jeff Ryan for more than 30 years and have always known he was one of the most innovative shock designers in the motorsports industry. But what really drew me to JRi is the work Jeff and his team are doing outside of racing.
“From street performance to off-road, they are creating some of the most functional, highest-quality shocks on the market. I am really looking forward to working with Jeff to take JRi to the next level,” he added.
Evernham will be heavily involved in all areas of the business, including marketing and sales strategy, new product design and operations, noted a company source, adding that under its new ownership, JRi will focus on better serving existing customers, expanding product offerings in current markets, and gaining market share in the aftermarket shock industry.
JRi Shocks’ new headquarters will be located at 115 Eastbend Court, Mooresville, North Carolina 28117. For more information, visit jrishocks.com.
MELLING ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF PREFERRED COMPONENTS INC.
Jackson, Michigan-based Melling, which manufactures oil pumps and other powertrain components, recently announced the acquisition of Preferred Components Inc. (PCI), an aftermarket timing systems supplier.
Based in the Seattle, Washington, area, PCI will continue to operate in its current location as a separate division of Melling Tool Company.
“PCI is a perfect acquisition for Melling, bringing with it additional skills, knowledge and resources to strengthen our timing line,” said Melling CEO Mark Melling.
With the agreement, PCI’s timing line has now been added to complement Melling’s Mell-Gear brand, “providing our customers additional options under the Melling umbrella,” noted Laura Short, Melling’s VP of aftermarket sales.
Mike Rose, president of PCI, noted his decision to retire after 26 years, adding, “We have developed what we feel is the best quality timing line in the aftermarket. Knowing that Melling Tool Co. will continue business as usual with our same highly dedicated team should ease customers’ minds.”
For more information on Melling, visit melling.com.
NEW MW COMPANY COMBINES MOMO, WELD BRANDS
A newly announced business—the MW Company—officially combines multiple well-known aftermarket performance and racing brands under one unified, corporate identity.
In 2017, Cisneros Corporation, which owned the MOMO brand, purchased WELD Racing and all of its brands to combine them into what is known today as MW Company.
MW Company, which will stand as an independent organization, will be headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and be led by Henrique Cisneros, who was named chairman of the board. Cisneros was integral in bringing the MOMO and WELD companies together, officials said.
The formation of MW Company includes: MOMO, WELD Racing, ADV.1, Driven Motorsports, CCW Forged Performance, Reds, Forgestar, HiPer Technology and Tikore.
“Each of these brands has a strong history and carries a strong passion for driving and racing—and this will not change,” Cisneros said. “Bringing them together under the MW Company umbrella will only make them stronger. Our mission is to fuel the world’s passion for driving, and the launch of MW Company enables us to do exactly that, by increasing the global reach of these brands and providing our customers with more product options than ever before.”
MW Company’s product portfolio includes wheels, tires, steering wheels, shift knobs, helmets, gloves, shoes and racing apparel. The company will continue to operate facilities in Kansas City; Anaheim, California; and Milan, Italy.
For more information, visit mw.company.
BILL SMITH, RITCHIE LEWIS EARN LUCAS OIL SERIES PROMOTIONS
Bill Smith has been promoted to series director for both the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and the Lucas Oil Midwest Short Course League. He had been race director for those series the last two years.
Smith’s promotion was announced by Ritchie Lewis, who had been series director for both. Lewis has since been elevated to Lucas Oil director of racing operations.
“Bill Smith has proven he is the right person for the job,” said Bob Patison, executive vice president, Lucas Oil Products, Inc. “His knowledge of off-road racing is exceptional and his no-nonsense approach to management has proven quite effective. Ritchie Lewis will assume an expanded role within the company, overseeing the performance of a number of key Lucas Oil race properties.”
Before his hire as race director, Smith worked as a crew chief for several Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series drivers, including Carl Renezeder, Scott Douglas and Rod Millen. “I love off-road racing,” Smith explained. “It’s three-dimensional compared to most other forms of motorsports. You’re still doing it with 4000-pound trucks. Motocross with trucks is an analogy that I’ve often used. These trucks can do a lot more than most race vehicles can.”
Lewis, in his new position as Lucas Oil director of race operations, will oversee the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, Lucas Oil Midwest Short Course League, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and Lucas Oil Modified Series.
The Georgia native has been with Lucas Oil Products since 2007, when he became series director for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. He added the role of director of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series at the end of 2012.
3RD DIMENSION INDUSTRIAL 3D PRINTING ACQUIRED BY PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM
3rd Dimension Industrial 3D Printing Co. of Indianapolis, Indiana, was recently acquired by Generation Growth Capital Fund III, LP, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based private equity firm that invests in lower middle market companies. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
3rd Dimension is an industrial precision manufacturing operation that provides customers with value-added metal additive manufacturing solutions. It currently serves several large customers in the automotive aerospace, consumer branded goods and industrial sectors.
Bob Markley, founder and part owner of 3rd Dimension, will continue to manage the company moving forward.
“I am excited to be partnered with GGC for 3rd Dimension’s next phase of growth,” Markley said. “During my search for the right partner, it became apparent that GGC was well aligned with my goals and could offer more than just access to capital after the transaction. Their team’s background in manufacturing provides significant strategic advantages. They speak the same language and understand the business model.
“I believe this partnership will greatly benefit 3rd Dimension’s customers as we expand and invest in new equipment and technologies,” he added.
According to 3rd Dimension, the partnership will allow it to continue pushing boundaries in light of major acceleration in the additive industry. The company’s structure and day-to-day operations will remain the same, although plans are underway for a move to a larger facility to accommodate more equipment, people, and vertical integration.
For additional information, visit print3d4u.com.
SCOTT PETERSON NAMED PRESIDENT & COO OF SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT
Scott Peterson has been named president and chief operating officer of Summit Racing Equipment.
Peterson succeeds longtime President Ray Tatko, who retired at the end of 2018. Tatko will remain on Summit Racing Equipment’s Board of Directors, and act as an advisor to company officers.
Peterson was hired in 1995 as Summit Racing’s operations manager. He was instrumental in improving the efficiency of the company’s order fulfillment center, leading to quicker shipping times and order accuracy for its customers, even as order volume increased, according to Summit officials. He was promoted to general manager in 2008.
Prior to joining Summit, Peterson’s professional career included service as a Marine Corps officer, as well as a number of management positions with Gander Mountain and FTD.
He received his BS and MBA from Northern Illinois University.
For more information on Summit Racing Equipment, visit summitracing.com.
CLARENDON SPECIALTY FASTENERS NAMES FRANCO AS SALES ACCOUNT MANAGER
Clarendon Specialty Fasteners, Inc. (formerly Coast Fabrication), a stocking distributor of fasteners and components to the motorsports, aerospace, defense and industrial sectors, has announced the return of Donny Franco, who joins the business as sales account manager for the motorsport sector.
Franco brings a wealth of technical knowledge and experience in supplying the motorsports industry to his new role, which includes further strengthening the current team, according to a company statement.
We are delighted to welcome Donny back to the business,” Clarendon Specialty Fasteners Managing Director John Hunt said. “With over 20 years’ experience, his meticulous client relations and program management skills make him a great fit for our company ethos of providing the highest level of customer service and technical support. Donny joins us at an exciting time as we extend our geographical footprint and product offering in the US.”
Franco’s first racing job was in 1998, when he began working at Swift Engineering on its CART Indy car project. In 2001, Franco joined Coast Fabrication, traveling to domestic and international events as a technical consultant for the Formula Atlantic series.
In 2012, he entered the professional sports world as parts manager for an Indy car team, ensuring critical component availability at race tracks around the world.
For more information, visit clarendonsf.com.
PROMEDIA NAMES NEW EDITOR OF FASTEST STREET CAR MAGAZINE, DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER
Santa Ana, California-based ProMedia Events and Publishing has announced that veteran journalist, book writer, and photographer Steve Turner has joined the staff as editor of Fastest Street Car magazine. In addition, Steve Baur has been promoted to digital content editor.
Turner becomes the fourth editor in Fastest Street Car’s 18-year history. Baur’s digital content manager position is a new title meant to enhance the fast-growing digital division ProMedia formed last year.
The successful launch of ProMedia’s Digital Content division in late 2017 included the formation of the web-based magazine Race Pages Digital, new video production crew, and an expanded presence on social media. The growing demands of the digital division led to the creation of a digital content manager position.
Turner is a 25-plus year veteran of the automotive enthusiast editorial segment, rising to become editor of 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords magazine, a title he presided over from 1999 through 2014. From there, Turner helped launch digital content products at two prominent web-based magazines.
Baur most recently served as editor of Fastest Street Car magazine, a position he held for four years. He’s celebrating 20 years in the field as a journalist and photographer. Prior to joining ProMedia, Baur was editor of Modified Mustangs & Fords, and held senior editorial positions at Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords, GM High-Tech Performance, and High Performance Pontiac.
DEI HIRES NEW SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Heat and sound solution provider Design Engineering, Inc. has announced the addition of Jason Pokines as the company’s new social media specialist.
In his new role, Pokines will be responsible for developing social media campaigns supported by analytics across multiple platforms to enhance DEI’s complete line of heat control and sound insulation products, including DEI, Boom Mat, CryO2 and Radiator Relief.
Additionally, he will work with the company’s web manager, marketing, and graphics team to develop a social media strategy to integrate and improve content development and engagement for multiple markets, including automotive aftermarket, 12-volt/car audio, powersports, marine, and commercial/industrial channels for print and digital.
Prior to his new position at DEI, Pokines worked as a marketing coordinator for RW Beckett Corporation, an Ohio-based supplier in oil-fired home heating, and as a UI/UX designer with OverDrive, Inc., a worldwide digital reading platform for libraries and schools.
Pokines currently serves as chairman of the autocross program and is a member of the Board for the Neohio Region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).
“We are very fortunate to have someone with Jason’s unique blend of design capability and technical knowledge join our team,” said VP of Sales and Marketing Tom Miller. “To have someone with a passion for all things automotive coupled with his exhaustive design and technical skill set is a huge win for DEI.”
For more information on Avon Lake, Ohio-based DEI, visit designengineering.com.
LSI NAMES NEW MARKETING COORDINATOR
Mt Gilead, Ohio-based Lubrication Specialties Inc. (LSI), manufacturer of Hot Shot’s Secret high-performance fuel and oil additives, has hired Eric Trimble as the company’s new marketing coordinator.
Trimble, who will report to LSI Director of Marketing Kyle Fischer, is responsible for supporting all marketing endeavors including trade show support, media buys, public relations, advertising, social media and eCommerce.
Trimble previously worked as a freelance writer for the Akron Beacon Journal and communications specialist for the Jefferson Center in Minneapolis. In 2017, he joined LSI as an account executive in charge of growing and maintaining sales for the Hot Shot’s Secret product line to commercial and industrial accounts across a 12-state territory.
“We are very fortunate to have Eric join our marketing team,” Fischer said. “It was great to work from within to find the ideal candidate that already had the product knowledge and a good grasp of what it takes to promote and sell our products.
“This combined with his marketing skills, project management and ability to write for multiple platforms, has allowed him to step into the position seamlessly,” Fischer added.
For more information about Hot Shot’s Secret, visit hotshotsecret.com; and for more on LSI, visit lubricationspecialties.com.
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE VP & GENERAL MANAGER
Greg Walter, a 19-year veteran of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., has been promoted to the role of executive vice president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith announced.
With the promotion, Walter will oversee all operations of the motorsports megaplex campus, which includes the famed 1.5-mile superspeedway and the ROVAL, as well as zMAX Dragway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte. He will report to Smith.
Walter joined Speedway Motorsports in 1999 as vice president of sales for Atlanta Motor Speedway before being promoted to the national sales team in 2014. He was named executive vice president at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2016.
Walter graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in journalism and began his professional career working for a radio station in Wilson, North Carolina. From there, Walter worked in advertising sales for Raycom Sports, helped launch 96.1FM in Charlotte, and eventually became the head of affiliate sales for ESPN Regional.
After his time with ESPN, Walter moved to Capitol Broadcasting in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, where he oversaw advertising sales for national NASCAR radio networks, as well as the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes Television Network and the Duke University Sports radio network. After five years, he joined Speedway Motorsports in Atlanta.
Upon his promotion to the Speedway Motorsports national sales team he assumed responsibility for identifying and building partnerships at the eight world-class racing facilities in the Speedway Motorsports portfolio.
For more on Charlotte Motor Speedway, visit charlottemotorspeedway.com.
RWB ACQUIRES MGP CONNECTING RODS
Race Winning Brands, Inc. has announced the acquisition of Giannone Performance Products, Inc., also known as MGP Connecting Rods, a manufacturer of aluminum connecting rods for the racing and high-performance markets. MGP represents the fifth add-on acquisition for Race Winning Brands (RWB), a manufacturer of high-performance and racing-related components for the automotive and powersports markets.
RWB is based in Mentor, Ohio, and markets its products globally through brands including JE Pistons, Wiseco Performance Products, K1 Technologies, Diamond Pistons, Trend Performance, Dart Machinery, Rekluse Motor Sports, Falicon Racing and ProX Racing Parts.
“The company is set to reach full potential now as part of the Race Winning Brands family,” said Darcell Giannone, owner and wife of MGP founder Michael Giannone. “I am excited to see the brand continue to grow and prosper in alignment with Michael’s vision.”
RWB CEO Brian Reese added, “We continue pursuing our vision of leading racers to victory with the best engine parts in the market, MGP is further investment in our expansion to adjacent categories.”
Bob Fox, RWB’s President of Diamond Pistons and Trend Performance, will assume the role of President of MGP Connecting Rods. “MGP is a leader in aluminum racing rods, technology, and manufacturing,” said Fox. “Our plan is to offer customers a high-quality connecting rod that is co-engineered to work perfectly with our pistons.”
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