PRI exhibitor International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has announced that IHRA-member track Prescott Raceway in Prescott, Arkansas, has been named the Division 2 West (Heatwave) Track of the Year.

The Southwest Arkansas facility features a 1/8-mile drag strip and a full schedule of racing from March through October. There are special events throughout the year including the IHRA Ironman Classic from September 21-23, and the Thanksgiving Weekend Bracket Race from November 22-25.
 
Since becoming an IHRA member track last November, Prescott Raceway has fully embraced the IHRA Summit SuperSeries program.

“Jackie Lewis is the owner and operator of Prescott Raceway. By being a racer himself, he knows what racers want and need for a great weekend with friends and family,” IHRA Division Director Frank Kohutek said. “You will not find a more dedicated track operator. He has done an outstanding job this season getting his team together to make their presence felt in Memphis at the IHRA Summit World Finals.”

For more information, visit ihra.com.


 

NASCAR drivers will no longer be able to make in-race trackbar adjustments from their cars in 2019.

The news emerged from a Monday morning appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio by Scott Miller, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition. Miller said that drivers had pushed for the change.

“We’ve had the driver-adjustable trackbar for quite a while now and many of them came to us and said, ‘Hey, look. This really didn’t do what we’d hoped for and we’d rather not have it,’ ” Miller told SiriusXM. “So part of the 2019 rules is that the driver-adjustable, cockpit-adjustable trackbar is no longer in play for 2019.”

The driver-adjustable trackbar was introduced for the 2015 season, allowing drivers to alter their cars’ handling characteristics while on the track. The rule change means that teams will revert to the previous system of making those chassis adjustments during pit stops.

NASCAR and the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards have developed the initial competition framework, that includes NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series, beginning in 2020.

ARCA and the K&N Pro Series will operate as separate entities through 2019. In 2020, however, both series will race under a new competition framework with a model said to preserve both series’ short-track history stretching back more than 60 years.

The new layout, set to be implemented in 2020, will give drivers the chance to race in a total of four championships: NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, ARCA Racing Elite Series presented by Menards and the brand-new Stock Car Invitational.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule will feature a total of six to eight races on familiar short tracks as in years past.

The new ARCA Racing Elite Series championship calendar will be made up of around 20 races, with at least half of those races on speedways (longer than 1 mile), including traditional companion events in both ARCA and Pro Series.

The Stock Car Invitational will be made up of the remaining 10 races of the ARCA Elite Series on premier short tracks. In order to be eligible for the three-way combination series, East and West competitors must compete in a minimum number of races across those series  (the exact number will be announced at a later date).

In related news, NASCAR President Steve Phelps said the series would likely implement guidelines in the rulebook on sports betting next year.

Dover International Speedway, which hosted the Gander Outdoors 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) playoff race over the weekend, featured its on-site betting kiosks. Dover is the only track that allows sports gambling since Delaware launched full-scale sports betting in June.

Phelps noted next year would likely be different as drivers and team members were not prohibited from betting on the race over the weekend.

Motovicity Distribution announced last month that Theresa Evens joined the company to fill the role of Marketing Manager.

“We are excited to have Theresa join our team,” Motovicity CEO Brian Lounsberry said. “Her creativeness and experience in wholesale distribution brings a wealth of hands-on knowledge that will undoubtedly move Motovicity’s marketing efforts forward.”

Evens brings over 20 years of wholesale distribution experience to Motovicity with a proven track record in marketing and trade show coordination, event planning, co-op program management, merchandising, and vendor relations.

“I’ve been watching Motovicity from the sidelines and using them as a benchmark for quite some time now,” Evens said. “I knew that Motovicity was a growing momentum that I wanted and needed to become a part of and I’m honored that they’ve allowed me to join the team. I can’t wait to see where we go next as this company seems to have an unstoppable drive and is a unified group focusing on their core values as a wholesale distributor.”

Evens officially started with the company on September 6.

For more information, visit Motovicity.com.

During his press conference at the final round of the Blancpain GT Series in Barcelona, Stephane Ratel confirmed next year’s date for the Laguna Seca California 8 Hours, which will now take place during the first half of the season.

The first two editions of the American round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge have taken place at the end of the season—with the upcoming finale on October 26-28, 2018, deciding both Drivers' and Manufacturers' championships and the Bronze Drivers title fight.

The date for the third edition of the Laguna Seca California 8 Hours is now set for March 30-31. One of the advantages of this springtime date is that teams competing in the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour (February 2–3) will now have an easier time to transport their equipment to the US.

The complete 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge has been finalized.

2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge Calendar
February 2-3: Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour
March 30-31: Laguna Seca California 8 Hours
July 27-28: Total 24 Hours of Spa
August 24-25: Suzuka 10 Hours
November 2-3: Kyalami 9 Hours

V8TV Productions, Inc. will host a live stage at the 2018 PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis, Indiana, December 6-8. The stage (Booth #8908) will be buzzing with activities all day, each day of PRI, with attractions ranging from one-hour roundtable discussions, seminars, press conferences, live interviews and more.

The V8TV crew will be using content from the stage for online and V8TV television episodes, and PRI will also be sharing relevant content on its network of newsletters, social media platforms, website and more.

A series of seven round table presentations, detailed below, highlight the planned events. Approximately one hour in length and moderated by automotive host Kevin Oeste (SEMA, V8TV, Muscle Car Of The Week, Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals), these live shows bring racing personalities to the stage with manufacturers and engine builders to discuss some of racing’s hottest topics.

In addition, there will be at least six individual half-hour seminars, with additional hot topics in a shorter format. Topics are detailed below.

The remaining stage time will be dedicated to press conferences, new product reveals, PRI-scheduled interviews, daily recaps from the Show, and more. For more information, visit v8tvshow.com.

ROUND TABLE SHOWS (One-hour)
*All round table and seminar times subject to change.
 
1.  NMCA LEGENDS – THE BEGINNINGS OF STREET CAR DRAG RACING
A spirited discussion with stories from those who pioneered the street car drag racing scene as we know it today. Friday, 12/7, 3:30 p.m.
 
2.  SALT SHAKERS – THE FASTEST PEOPLE ON EARTH
We’re bringing some of the fastest people on the planet to the PRI V8TV Stage for tales and tips from the fastest sport on Earth.  Friday 12/7, 10:00 a.m.
 
3.  ROAD / AUTOCROSS RACING
With plenty of events all across the US catering to a wide variety of skill sets and cars ranging from vintage Pro-Touring to modern exotics, it’s no wonder that the sport of Autocross and Amateur Road Racing is so hot! Our panel will consist of drivers, manufacturers and event organizers of this insanely popular sport. Saturday 12/8, 1:00 p.m.
 
4.  ENGINE BUILDERS - PRESENTED BY COMP Cams
Technology is changing rapidly, and it’s amazing to see the huge power levels being churned out by LS, Coyote, Gen III Hemi, and other OE-based street and race engines. Throw in the giant custom billet blocks and ultra-flowing head designs from aftermarket companies, and it’s mind blowing to see what’s out there. We’ll have some of the leaders from the engine building world to share what’s new. Thursday, 12/6/2018, 2:00 p.m.
 
5.  SEVEN DAYS OF GLORY
The popularity of Hot Rod Magazine’s Drag Week cannot be denied, and we’re bringing some of the fastest competitors of this grueling event to see what it takes to run the number in a different city every night, and drive the car in between. Saturday, 12/8, 10:00 a.m.
 
6.  CIRCLE TRACK CHASSIS SETUP AND TUNING
Chassis setup and managing traction are huge challenges for any racer, and this roundtable aims to cover advanced topics in chassis tuning, part selection and application. Friday, 12/7, 1:30 p.m.
 
7.  TUNING FOR TROUBLE
The EPA has always been a looming presence in the high-performance world, as tuners and manufacturers learn to dance between the regulations for legal results on the street and track. Recently, some EPA fines ignited an explosion of questions about the future of tuning products, performance shops and ramifications for consumers. Our guests include all the above, including legal experts, help answer some of these burning questions. Thursday, 12/6/2018, 10:00 a.m.

SEMINAR TOPICS (Half-hour)
Seminar topics include, but are not limited to:
 
    •    TOWING LAWS, SAFETY, AND GEAR
    •    RACING THE LS ENGINE - PRESENTED BY COMP Cams
    •    SAFETY THIRD - NEW TECHNOLOGY IN SAFETY GEAR
    •    RISING COSTS FOR RACERS
    •    OPEN WHEELS / MIDGETS ON THE RISE
    •    MUST-HAVE SHOP GEAR FOR RACERS
    •    ENGAGING THE NEXT GENERATION IN RACING

Talladega Superspeedway’s Vice President of Operations Mike McWilliams will transition this fall to owner’s superintendent of International Speedway Corporation’s (ISC) Design & Development team of Transformation–The Talladega Superspeedway Infield Project, which is scheduled for completion in October 2019.

McWilliams’ facility operations team is in charge of maintenance of all facilities at the 2.66-mile venue, which includes nearly 3000 acres of property. In addition, McWilliams oversees all aspects of fire and safety, security, parking and camping cleanup, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame operations, and the Talladega Airport operation. McWilliams will retain those duties through the track’s NASCAR weekend doubleheader (October 12–14) before moving to his new role. At the time of his transition, his son, Andy McWilliams, the current director of operations, will take the helm.

The nearly $50 million transformation redevelopment endeavor is part of ISC’s long-term capital allocation plan and reinvestment into its major motorsports complexes.

BorgWarner has announced that Deborah McWhinney and Paul Mascarenas have been named to the company’s board of directors.

McWhinney is the former division CEO of global enterprise payments, at Citigroup Inc. In this role, she was responsible for developing and implementing new mobile and online services around the globe for some of the world’s largest corporations and governments.

Mascarenas is the former chief technical officer of Ford Motor Co., where he led Ford’s worldwide research organization, overseeing development and implementation of its technology strategy and plans. He is currently a venture partner with Fontinalis Partners LLP.

In related news, current BorgWarner Executive VP and Chief Human Resources Officer Tonit Calaway has been promoted to executive vice president, chief legal of cer and secretary. She now reports directly to President and CEO Frédéric Lissalde and will oversee the company’s legal, and reliability and sustainability functions.

Calaway joined BorgWarner in 2016. Previously, she worked at Harley-Davidson for some 18 years, serving most recently as vice president of human resources.

DIRTcar Racing has announced a successor to replace Mike Perrotte as DIRTcar Northeast director following his retirement at the end of this season, naming Dean Reynolds as director of series and sanctioning, DIRTcar Northeast.

Reynolds has served as vice president of the Empire Super Sprints since 2006, and Perrotte, who announced his retirement in May, will continue to work with Reynolds until the end of the season in order to ensure stability.

“The biggest thing I want to look at is scheduling and make it a little more racer-friendly,” Reynolds said. “I want tracks to do well. I want the purse to increase. I want more cars following the tour. I want more people at the track. It’s an all-out effort. The pieces are here. I can’t wait to start.”

Added Perrotte: “Dean will do a great job. He knows the area. He knows the racers, the promotors, and runs a series now. It’s a natural fit.”

Reynolds has worn multiple hats with the Empire Super Sprints, creating 30-plus race schedules, attracting sponsors, managing public relations, and spearheading merchandise.

For more information, visit dirtcar.com.

Maryland International Raceway (MDIR) in Mechanicsville, Maryland, recently announced that Christopher Higgins has taken over as the facility's director of marketing and public relations.

Higgins has worked at MDIR for four years as an announcer and in event operations. He takes over for Rick Lindner, who recently left to become assistant general manager of Virginia Motorsports Park.

“Four years ago, if you told me that I would be in this position, I never would have believed you,” Higgins said. “This is one of the best tracks in the country and I am getting to learn from a top-of-the-line staff led by [General Manager of MDIR and COO of IRG Sports and Entertainment] Royce Miller. I am looking forward to the new challenges that this opportunity will bring while continuing to grow in my new role.”

For more information on Maryland International Raceway, visit racemdir.com.