Champion Oil, one of the industry leaders in specialty motor oils and lubricants, has announced the title sponsorship of the U6SA Micro Sprint Point Series Championship.

The Champion Oil U6SA Series incorporates over 50 different race tracks and over 200 events with hundreds of individual teams and drivers.

Champion Oil has also announced the sponsorship of the Hyper Racing 600 Micro Sprint Speedweek as an event sponsor.

Champion's fully synthetic micro sprint racing oils are non-street legal and are said to be the first purpose-built engine oils specially formulated to provide unmatched protection and performance in wet-clutch micro sprint engines.

Champion recommends its fully synthetic micro sprint racing oils for micro, Lightning non-winged and winged Outlaw, "A" class, stock non-winged, restricted "A" class, Jr. sprint, 1200CC winged and non-winged sprint engines. Available in SAE 20w-50 and 10w-40 viscosities.

Crowley’s Ridge Raceway, which opened last weekend, has added IMCA Modifieds to its weekly racing lineup.

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Jet Racing Central Region, Arkansas State and track points will be awarded through September 29.

“My dad raced and when I came back to Arkansas in 1986, I decided to build a track,” said Trent Francis, who now operates the quarter-mile red clay oval with his wife Brenda and daughters Paige and Peggy. “I went to the Race For Hope (at Batesville Motor Speedway) last fall and met with IMCA about sanctioning.”

“We average 100 cars and have a capacity crowd every night,” continued Francis, who talks racing regularly with I-30 Speedway promoter Tracey Clay. “We have been a Modified track for 16 years but basically in the last five years guys have gotten crazy with big engines racing for $400 to win. I got tired of handing the check to the guy who spent the most money. IMCA keeps the costs down and keeps the class competitive.”

New scales were installed and new pitside bleachers are already in place.

A frequent subject of articles in national racing publications Crowley’s Ridge Raceway recently hosted on-track filming for an episode of ABC Television’s The Bachelor.

Scenes for the movie Ridge Runners, released earlier this year, and numerous commercials have been filmed there as well.

“Crowley’s Ridge Raceway is a great addition to IMCA and to our Central Region. It’s been great to work with Trent and his entire family,” said Jim Stannard, vice president of operations for IMCA. “I am extremely impressed by the facility and I look forward to many more visits there in the future.”

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) will have a new U.S. broadcast home for its flagship IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, what is currently known as the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and the IMSA Prototype Challenge Presented by Mazda as NBC Sports Group and IMSA today announced a six-year partnership starting with the 2019 season.

Three races will broadcast on NBC and there will be more than 45 hours of WeatherTech Championship races televised on the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) throughout the season. NBC Sports will present more than 100 hours of IMSA coverage across its broadcast, cable, and digital platforms.

The NBC Sports App and NBCSports.com will also offer flag-to-flag live streaming coverage of every WeatherTech Championship race to authenticated subscribers.

“The resonance and gravity of this new partnership with NBC Sports Group for IMSA fans and our stakeholders cannot be overstated,” said IMSA CEO Ed Bennett. “This agreement is the culmination of a comprehensive process to align ourselves with a media rights partner that will capitalize on the tremendous momentum IMSA and the WeatherTech Championship are enjoying and will help our sport reach new heights.

NBC Sports Group is the home of motorsports in the U.S., with this agreement adding to its extensive portfolio of auto racing that includes NASCAR and INDYCAR.

The 2019 season begins with the 57th Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 26-27, 2019 and the entire season broadcast schedule will be announced in the coming months.

Motovicity Distribution announced the addition of industry racing and performance expert Rob Weir as its new vice president of Sales & Marketing.

“Motovicity is very excited to add Rob to our leadership team this May,” CEO Brian Lounsberry said. “Rob’s wealth of performance industry knowledge and automotive sales expertise is going to help us to increase business opportunities for both our customers and brand partners.”

Weir spent the last 12 years at Subaru of America, working his way through parts, service, and sales roles, eventually being promoted to motorsports marketing manager where he oversaw factory racing efforts, performance marketing, and motorsport communications for the brand.

Before Subaru, Weir worked for agency Campbell Marketing on various projects for Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT) and Ford Racing Performance Parts. Weir holds a Bachelor of Science in Advertising & Public Relations from Grand Valley State University and has claimed multiple video content awards for Subaru in recent years.   

Weir officially joins Motovicity May 14.

The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) has released an updated version of the 2018 Time Trials Nationals Rules. The event is set for September 28–30 at NCM Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The rule update includes:

    •    Finalized language for allowed modifications at all four levels of preparation
    •    Finalized classing guidelines for the Max and Unlimited levels
    •    Proposed classing for Sport and Tuner, available for comment until May 10

The removal of the engine swap allowance at the Tuner level is one of the bigger changes included in this release. The decision to do so was based largely upon the survey data collected by the SCCA, which is said to have shown a strong preference that Tuner cars be restricted to original equipment configurations.

Survey data also led to the decision to keep the Max category on 200TW tires, which means that three of the four categories will be competing on street tires. Director of Experiential Programs Heyward Wagner expects that, as the program matures, people will build vehicles for Sport, Tuner and Max that are not street driven, but sees the emphasis on “streetable” vehicles as a means of access.

Also included in this update is the specific language for the classing of vehicles prepared for SCCA Street, Showroom Stock, Touring and Improved Touring classes as well as some allowances intending to encourage and ease the installation of safety equipment by allowing interior removal.

For more information, visit www.sccahq.com/time-trials-rules.

The Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) has debuted a unique burnout competition.

During the last rounds of qualifying runs on Friday night races, Pro Stock and Top Sportsman drivers will show off smokey burnouts.

The Pro Stock Burnout Competition is sponsored by Race Hard Apparel, while the Sportsman Burnout Competition is sponsored by Classic Graphix.

The winner of each class receives $300 and a trophy. At the season opener at GALOT Motorsports Park Jeff Dobbins won the Pro Stock Burnout Competition.

“We’re very excited for this new competition,” PDRA Marketing Director Will Smith said. “We are grateful to Don and Callie at Race Hard Apparel and Scott and the crew at Classic Graphix for supporting the racers in the effort to bring back long burnouts. We had a lot of fun with it at GALOT and I know it’s going to be a favorite part of the program all year long.”

The PA announcers judge the winners, but the fans will also help determine the winners by their reactions to each burnout. Fans can show appreciation by cheering on their favorites at each event.

All racers who make the last qualifying pass on Friday evening are automatically entered into the competition. Winners are announced at the conclusion of that round.

In a move designed to strengthen a relationship that dates back more than 60 years, NASCAR announced today the acquisition of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA).

Both NASCAR and ARCA, a Midwest-based sanctioning body for stock car auto racing, share a long history: ARCA founder John Marcum raced against Bill France Sr. and worked as a NASCAR official. More recently, the series has provided a valuable platform for talented drivers looking to make it to NASCAR’s national series.

“Our NASCAR family has long had a special connection with our friends at ARCA, and this is a logical step in demonstrating our commitment to the next generation of racers,’’ France said.

France was the driving force behind the merger of GRAND-AM and the American Le Mans Series in 2012, creating the modernized International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) in 2014.

ARCA will continue to operate under its current structure through the 2019 season. Details of the 2020 season and beyond will be forthcoming.

This year’s schedule of 20 races includes nine events at NASCAR national series venues and three others at NASCAR Whelen All-American Series tracks.

“We are proud of the history and tradition of the ARCA Racing Series and the relationship we’ve built over six decades with NASCAR,” Ron Drager, ARCA president and grandson of John Marcum, said. “We look forward to the opportunity to be more fully integrated with NASCAR and help shape the future of our sport.”

Promoting from within, the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) has appointed Brett Becker as its new communication director.

In addition to his role as the editor of Speed News, the official publication of NASA, Becker will operate in a multifaceted role, from planning communication strategies that accompany NASA initiatives to assisting management in marketing events. He will also serve as the media contact and spearhead the company’s efforts to publicize and garner media coverage for its races, drivers and series.

“It made perfect sense for us to expand Brett Becker’s role with NASA,” NASA Vice President Jeremy Croiset said. “He joined NASA as a member in 2007 and came up through our HPDE program and races a Spec Miata in our Southern California Region, where he is the series leader. He knows our programs and our people, and we’re glad to have his as part of our NASA family to see him grow in his role within NASA.”

Becker took over as editor of Speed News shortly after it launched in 2012. He developed the magazine’s editorial content to include in-depth profiles of NASA drivers and classes, hands-on tech stories and driving instruction. He also expanded and improved coverage of NASA’s signature events, such as the NASA Championships and the 25 Hours of Thunderhill.

“This new position is a great way to further two of my passions: motorsports, and clean, lively copy,” Becker said. “To represent NASA and its members, and to act as its liaison to the media is a great honor, and I’m proud to be part of the NASA team.”

The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) has announced a June 15 deadline for this year’s 2019 SCCA Hall of Fame nomination submissions.

Any SCCA member can submit a nomination to the Hall of Fame Committee. Submissions should be approximately two pages in length and summarize the nominee’s background and reasons for consideration. The goal should be to help the Nomination, Legacy and Selection Committees understand why and how the nominee was impactful.

Nominations must be submitted to SCCAHoF@scca.com or can be mailed to SCCA Hall of Fame, 6620 SE Dwight Street, Topeka, KS 66619.

The purpose of the SCCA Hall of Fame is said to be to preserve, protect and record the history and accomplishments of the Club for current and future members.

Reasons for a nomination may include service to the national organization, achievements in competition, advancement of the sport, or bringing recognition to the SCCA that inspires enthusiasts to seek out and become SCCA members.

Since 2005, a wide array of individuals have been nominated to the Hall of Fame.  Candidates have been indispensable members from a Region or Division, as well as those who have made an impact on a national level. Some people have been nominated based on the fact they attracted others to the Club or have even been role models.

In related news, the SCCA has also launched its veteran outreach program through a grant from the SCCA Foundation. The program, which will again be run in partnership with the award-winning non-profit VETMotorsports, works to help reduce the suicide rate among injured veterans by engaging them in transformative motorsports experiences.

As part of the program, post-9/11 veterans with service-connected injuries are placed inside the ropes and behind the wheel at select SCCA events and mentored by SCCA members and staff.

For more information, visit www.scca.com.

The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) announced that Saskatchewan International Raceway (SIR) has reached a multi-year agreement with the drag race sanctioning body.

The track, located on 77 acres outside of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, first opened in 1966 and is said to be the oldest track in Western Canada.

Initially built by the Howard Family and managed by Les Howard, the track has been home to Hall of fame racers and National Champions throughout the years.
 
In 1986, the Saskatchewan Drag Racing Association (SDRA) became the new track owners and changed the name from Southwinds Dragway to Saskatchewan International Raceway. 

The SDRA is made up of approximately 250 members which makes it a club-owned track. During the racing season, SIR features over 30 events each year averaging nearly 165 cars at each event.
 
In 2016, the track was resurfaced from the 480 feet concrete launch pad to the end of the shutdown area and the return road. At the same time, the seating capacity was increased to hold 5,000 fans.

The next items on the list for improvements are said to be upgraded concession areas and washrooms.