PRI exhibitor the National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA) has invited the racing community to nominate friends and family for the 2018 NMRA Specialty Awards, which is set to be celebrated during the 2018 NMCA Awards Ceremony at the 2018 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The NMRA is accepting open nominations from its membership base for individuals that displayed exemplary performance, sportsmanship and dedication to the NMRA throughout the season. The chosen nominees, along with the top ten racers in each class, will be recognized.

Nominations must be submitted online before October 3, 2018, at 11:59 p.m.

Following a sold-out crowd on Saturday of the 58th Annual 5-hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store, Knoxville Raceway officials immediately began discussions on changes to the event for 2019 and beyond. After consulting fans, drivers and partners, two changes will be made to the Friday format of the 410 Knoxville Nationals.

After 25 years of international competition, the SPEED SPORT Challenge will no longer be held at Knoxville Raceway. The exhibition race featured international drivers competing in the 5-hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store against American drivers who competed in the Grand Annual Classic at the Sungold Stadium Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia.

Knoxville Raceway and Premier Speedway will continue to work together to honor the drivers that compete internationally. Knoxville Raceway also will award a bonus to the highest finishing international driver (not living in the US) in the 5-hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store.

Friday continues to be a pivotal night of racing action in the 5-hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store. Following format changes in 2012, drivers who find themselves not locked into Saturday’s A-Main have a “second chance” to qualify for the finale. The top-four finishers in Friday’s feature event have previously made up positions 17-20 in Saturday’s A-Main. Beginning in 2019, the four transfers will now start 21-24.

The 59th annual 5-hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store will be held August 7-10, 2019. Four-day ticket renewals will be available starting on October 1. Tickets will be on sale to the general public starting on December 3. More information can be found at knoxvilleraceway.com, at the Knoxville Raceway ticket office or by calling 641/842-5431.

Bill Smith has been promoted to series director for both the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) and the Lucas Oil Midwest Short Course League. Smith had served as race director for those series the last two years.

Smith's background in motorsports and, specifically off-road racing, runs deep. He previously worked as a crew chief for several Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series drivers, including Carl Renezeder, Scott Douglas and Rod Millen.

Smith's promotion was announced by Ritchie Lewis, who had been Series Director for both Lucas Oil racing series. Lewis has been elevated to Lucas Oil Director of Racing Operations.

Lewis, in his hew 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. Dirt Late Model Magazine named Lewis as one of the “Top Ten Most Influential People in Dirt Racing” in 2010. He added the role of Director of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series at the end of 2012.

For more information on the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, including the latest news and schedule information, visit LucasOilOffRoad.com. Information on the Lucas Oil Midwest Short Course League can be found at MidwestShortCourse.com.

Road America's Senior Vice President Mike Kertscher announced Road America's 2019 season schedule today. The four-mile, 14-turn road course will host 10 racing weekends throughout the 2019 season, with some encompassing several series and providing non-stop action.

"Road America is known for having the most active schedule of any road race circuit in the US, and we look forward to hosting the MotoAmerica Series, INDYCAR Series, Pirelli World Challenge Series, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, NASCAR XFINITY Series, Stadium SUPER Trucks, the Sports Car Club of America and three separate vintage events in 2019," Kertscher said.

Road America season passes and 2019 event tickets are now available. Campsites go on sale November 7. Reservations are also being accepted for Road America's new on-site cabins, allowing fans to stay and play at America's National Park of Speed.

For more information or to purchase season passes, tickets, reserve cabins and campsites, visit roadamerica.com.

Road America 2019 Season Schedule
May 17–19, 2019 — SVRA Spring Vintage Festival Weekend
May 31–June 2, 2019 — MotoAmerica Series presents the Dunlop Championship at Road America
June 14–16, 2019 — WeatherTech Chicago Region SCCA June Sprints
June 20–23, 2019 — IndyCar Series
July 18–21, 2019 — The WeatherTech International Challenge with Brian Redman presented by HAWK (Vintage Cars)
July 26–28, 2019 — Vintage Motofest featuring AHRMA Vintage Racing and Rockerbox
August 1–4, 2019 — IMSA Road Race Showcase
August 22–24, 2019 — NASCAR XFINITY Series / Stadium Super Truck Series / SCCA Pro Trans Am
September 13–15, 2019 — Ariens Art On Wheels Weekend, featuring The VSCDA Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival
September 20–22, 2019 — Pirelli World Challenge

Racing will resume at Carteret County Speedway, the 4/10-mile asphalt track in Swansboro, North Carolina.

The remainder of the track’s 2018 season—which features Limited Late Models, street stocks, mini stocks, and more—was in question after track owner Bobby Watson was hospitalized in early September. The track also sustained damage during the recent Hurricane Florence. Watson has since returned home, and repairs to the facility are underway.

Carteret County Speedway will be ready to race on Saturday, October 27, for the Solid Rock Carriers Race for Recovery presented by C&S Paint Center and Sportsman’s Wholesale.

The final event of the season is also back on, slated for November 17. The race will be headlined by the finale for the Carolina Mini-Stock Challenge. Other classes for the Carolina Mini-Stock Championship will be Mini Cups, Legends and Champ Karts.

For more information, including race day schedules, visit carteretspeedway.com.

PRI exhibitor JE Pistons, one of the industry leaders in high-performance forged and billet racing pistons, has announced Cindy Verkooij as the brand’s new general manager. A 21-year veteran of the performance aftermarket industry, Verkooij has leadership experience in both sales and marketing, along with intimate knowledge of the performance piston and connecting rod marketplace.  

“Cindy brings industry veteran leadership to JE Pistons, reinforcing our commitment to increase focus on customers and lead racers to victory. We’ve spent the last year innovating leading-edge piston technology and making significant investments in manufacturing; adding Cindy is the next strategic move for JE Pistons,” Race Winning Brands CEO Brian Reese said.  

Verkooij comes to JE after 11 years in a senior leadership position with CP-Carrillo. In her new post, she will fulfill a valuable role in the executive leadership team and further JE’s commitment to, and investment in, bolstering their leadership market position.

“There is a huge opportunity for growth here and I’m working with a forward-thinking leadership team that wants to continuously evolve,” Verkooij said. “That is what I value, and that is what’s represented here. The leadership is putting forth a tremendous effort to strengthen and grow the JE brand, and I’m excited to be a part of that growth.”

For more information, visit jepistons.com.

BD Motorsports Media LLC announced Tuesday a three-year lease agreement with the Fonda Fair Board to operate Fonda Speedway in Fonda, New York, beginning next year.

BD Motorsports Media LLC operator Brett Deyo will assume the role of track promoter at the fairgrounds facility.

Weekly auto racing is planned for Fonda Speedway next season on Saturday nights. A tentative open practice date is set for Saturday, April 13. Opening night will take place one week later on Saturday, April 20. Racing continues through mid-August before breaking for the 178th annual Fonda Fair.

The season will conclude in September with the return of the Fonda 200 for modifieds, paying a massive $20,000 to win plus a full weekend of racing. The 200-lap year-end classic at Fonda has not been contested since 2002.

The divisional lineup will include modifieds, sportsman, limited sportsman, pro stocks and street Stocks. Special attractions will be added to select nights with at least one high-paying midweek event on the schedule.

Bob Cook Sales (BCS) has announced a new addition to the company. Mike Katz is now a junior partner of the aftermarket manufacturer representative firm.

Katz holds a “wealth of knowledge and commitment that is unsurpassed within BCS."

“This solidifies our succession planning and will aid in the management of the agency with new ideas and perspectives,” a company release said. “We are proud and excited to add him to our management team.”

For more information, visit bobcooksales.com.

PRI exhibitor Motovicity Distribution announced this past weekend at the 2018 Speed Ring that the warehouse distributor recently acquired a garage at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan.

“Club Moto represents Motovicity’s commitment to investing in our future and to furthering our industry,” Motovicity CEO Brian Lounsberry said. “Our company is evolving the way we experience, learn, network, collaborate and sharpen the business for the next generation.”

The new garage at M1 Concourse, called Club Moto, is an opportunity to explore new ways to develop product and brand training, hold industry and media track days, launch new lines and items, install and test product, host OEM/aftermarket industry mixers, STEM Program events, product category shootouts, and much more.  

Club Moto is set to open in spring of 2019. For more information, visit motovicity.com/clubmoto.

Officials from stock car sanctioning body CARS Response Energy Tour have released the 2019 season schedule consisting of 11 point races and one non-points race for Late Model stocks and eight championship point races for Super Late Model stocks.

The CARS Response Energy Tour will once again host events in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee, with a series debut at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia.

Highlights of the schedule, detailed below, include an increased overall purse paying $10,000 to the winner at Southern National Motorsports Park and the third annual Throwback 276 at Hickory Motor Speedway. Late Model racers will see one of the highest paying purses in history with $30,000 going to the winner during the inaugural Old North State Nationals.

In related news, CARS officials announced the series will go road course racing for the first time next year during its visit to Dominion Raceway in Thornburg, Virginia. The CARS Tour’s late model stock car division will compete on Dominion’s 12-turn road course in a non-points event to close out the season.

2019 CARS Response Energy Tour Schedule
March 9—Southern National Motorsport Park—Kenly, NC (SLM-$10,000/LMSC-$10,000)
March 23—Hickory Motor Speedway—Hickory, NC (SLM/LMSC)
April 6-7—Orange County Speedway (Old North State Nationals)—Rougemont, NC (LMSC-$30,000)
May 3—Ace Speedway—Elon, NC (LMSC)
May 4—Fairgrounds Speedway—Nashville, TN (SLM*)
May 18—Motor Mile Speedway—Radford, VA (SLM/LMSC)
June 1—TBA—(SLM*)
June 8—Langley Speedway—Hampton, VA (LMSC)
June 22—Dominion Raceway—Thornburg, VA (LMSC)
July 13—Carteret County Speedway—Swansboro, NC (LMSC)
August 2-3—Hickory Motor Speedway (Throwback 276)—Hickory, NC (SLM/LMSC)
August 24—Orange County Speedway (Mid Atlantic Classic)—Rougemont, NC  (SLM-$10,000/LMSC)
Nov. 2—South Boston Speedway—South Boston, VA (SLM/LMSC)
Nov. 16—Dominion Raceway Road Course—Thornburg, VA (LMSC**)
 
*Co-sanctioned race with CRA, SSS, and CARS Tour
**Non-points race