Watkins Glen International, the famed asphalt and concrete track in New York, announced the addition of Michael Gardner as its public relations manager, effective immediately.

Gardner's responsibilities will include drafting press releases, creating print and digital marketing materials, managing social media channels, pitching media on story opportunities, and scheduling on-air appearances with local and regional affiliates for drivers and WGI staff.

During event weekends, Gardner will assist with the operation of the WGI media center along with pre- and post-race activities.

“We are excited to welcome Michael to the Watkins Glen International team and know he will be a valuable asset to us moving forward,” WGI President Michael Printup said.

Gardner comes to WGI from Zimmerman Advertising where he worked on Nissan’s national partnership in collegiate sports. He has also spent time at Texas Motor Speedway assisting the media relations department during NASCAR and Verizon IndyCar Series race weekends. Gardner fills the position previously held by Chris Banker, who was promoted to director of Public Relations in December.

I-64 Motorplex and Sumerduck Dragway are the latest to renew their commitments as International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) member tracks.

I-64 Motorplex features a 1/8-mile track in the rolling hills on 692 feet of elevation. The Owingsville, Kentucky, track features a state-of-the-art timing system and a family-oriented atmosphere.

Sumerduck Dragway features a 1/8-mile drag strip in Sumerduck, Virginia, and has a history of being a top IHRA facility, winning the IHRA Promoters of the Year award in 2006 and named the IHRA Division 1 Summit SuperSeries Track of the Year in 2009.

Mason Ludwig has been named the “On The Track” grand prize winner for the 2018 Search for a Champion contest, while Jon Corrall has been named the “In The Garage” winner.

As the track winner, 15-year-old Ludwig will receive a $50,000 sponsorship from Champion, as well as a spot on #TeamChampion. Ludwig defeated 29 other finalists.

“I’m still a little bit in shock,” said Ludwig. “I am completely honored to have been chosen as the Grand Prize winner with so many other great drivers competing for the same prize. It feels great. I am so proud of my team and of all my fans for their dedication to the contest and so thankful to Champion for giving me this opportunity. I can’t thank everyone enough.”

As the garage winner, Corrall will receive a $5,000 sponsorship from Champion. He beat out nine other finalists.

For more information, visit here.

Motorsports entrepreneur and veteran off-road racer Robbie Pierce has acquired Jimco Racing Inc.

Jimco, a manufacturer of off-road racing vehicles, has developed more than 500 race cars, trucks and UTVs and hundreds of victories and championships around the world.

Pierce made news last year after selling Impact Racing Inc. and its associated brands (MasterCraft Safety and MasterCraft Defense) to the Italian-based Sparco.

Founded in the mid-1970s by former Navy civilian engineer Jim Julson, Jimco’s roots were planted in a home garage in nearby El Cajon, Calif. Julson’s son Mike would later take over the rings in 1989, with his son Matt Loiodice taking over in 2016 when Mike entered semi-retirement.

Jimco Racing will continue its evolution of modern race car and trucks, including the debut of a new mid-engine Class 1 car by Wilson Motorsports at this weekend’s SCORE San Felipe 250. Additional plans call for a higher presence within the side-by-side UTV market, as well as offering customers immediate delivery of Jimco race vehicles right from its showroom floor.

NASCAR has released the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) schedule.

The MENCS season will kick off next year with The Clash at Daytona International Speedway (February 10) and the season-opening Daytona 500 (February 17).

The All-Star Race in Charlotte will take place on May 18, with the Coca-Cola 600 set for May 26.

The NASCAR Playoffs will start on Sept. 15 in Las Vegas, and the season will conclude on Nov. 17 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The NASCAR off-weekend will remain on Easter weekend (April 20-21).

The Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series schedules will be released at a later date.

To view the complete schedule, visit the NASCAR website here.

Some topics are just more fun to talk about than others.

For instance, if you’re looking to engage yours truly, I’d suggest a conversation starter along the lines of, “Did you hear NMCA is partnering with Dodge/SRT and Mopar to offer the nameplate’s late model drag racers a free…” or, “Were you aware that three separate race tracks were purchased by new owners in the last…”  

Or even, “My vote for the best cheeseburger in Orange County would have to be…”

Amirite, folks?

For a racing retailer, kicking off his or her sales pitch may be as simple and straightforward as, “Can I help you find something?” From there, most sellers of motorsports parts and accessories have no problem dialoguing with customers on just about any subject or SKU in their inventory. It comes with the territory: “You need a new gasket? Copper or aluminum?” “Looking for coilover springs? We’ve got a number of the top brands in stock, from 8- to 16 inches long.”

However, as noted above, and using the example of our speed shop, we can probably agree that most racers would rather talk about suspension setups, or how to add another 10 horsepower than, say, which brand or style of fire-retardant underwear to buy. Which isn’t at all to say that one is more important than the other. It’s just the established order of racing, and racers, where making power and putting it to the ground are unquestionably the top priorities—the cheeseburgers of goods and services, as it were.

And while driver safety gear may never reach the status of turbochargers or shock absorbers, our report in this issue on the market for fire suits, gloves, shoes, head-and-neck restraints and related products suggests that retailers who do their homework on what’s new and trending in the category can reap lucrative rewards.

Beyond the latest developments in materials, printing processes and more, we explain why some suppliers advise carrying a selection of driving suits at multiple price points, and how others handle custom orders.     

Meantime, we learned how top manufacturers like RaceQuip focus on making their products easily accessible through a global network of distributors and retailers: “We do not compete with our dealers,” Patrick Utt told PRI contributor Jeff Zurschmeide for his feature piece that begins on page 58. “We actually send them customers every day through our website, online store, and our phone sales and tech departments.”

Racers know the safety requirements for the sanctioning bodies and tracks at which they compete. Their local speed shop should, too. And when those same entities propose or debate new rules governing safety gear, it would behoove local merchants to participate in the process—and stay up-to-date on any resulting changes that could impact their business.

We’d also like to highlight the fact that some product makers have taken their mission a step further. To wit: Later this month (on Saturday, April 14), safety equipment supplier Stand21 and its Racing Goes Safer foundation will hold a free driver safety seminar during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach to educate and inform racers, their teams and family members on best practices for health and safety at the track. Speakers at this year’s 7th annual seminar will include IndyCar Medical Advisor Dr. Steven Olvey, IndyCar Director of Engineering/Safety Jeff Horton, and IndyCar and Formula E racer Oriol Servia, with additional panelists to be announced after this issue goes to press. And while the session is offered at no charge, reservations are required (just visit www.racinggoessafer.org).   

We’ve attended this seminar—and others like it—in the past and found it incredibly interesting and informative, and well worth the time if you’re in the neighborhood on April 14. Who knows, you may just pick up a good tidbit of information to help start that next conversation on fire-retardant underwear.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. (pictured at left) and Willy T. Ribbs (pictured at right), the first black driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, recently announced they are forming a business partnership, Unser-Ribbs Vintage Racing.

The two drivers have become increasingly involved in vintage racing since they both stood on the podium of the first Sportscar Vintage Racing Ass’n (SVRA) Brickyard Invitational Indy Legends Charity Pro-Am in 2014 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Initial services of Unser-Ribbs Vintage Racing include coaching, mentoring, and even dining and recreational activities with Unser and Ribbs. They are supported with car set-up and engineering services by their friend and business partner Steve Erickson, owner of Automotive Business Solutions. Erickson is a long-time Indy car engineer.

“All of us at SVRA are proud to have Al and Willy as part of our family,” said Tony Parella, SVRA president and CEO. “When we first reached out to them about racing with us in 2014, I never dreamed it was the beginning of a warm relationship that has very much flourished. As they became familiar with our paddock they saw the business opportunities our growing number of sponsors have recognized.”

The two drivers also announced they would enter the fifth running of the Pro-Am during the June 13–June 17 Brickyard Invitational.

Jan Monchaux has been named the head of aerodynamics of Sauber’s Formula 1 team.

Monchaux most recently served as the head of vehicle engineering and aerodynamics of Audi Sport, and before that served as Ferrari’s aero team leader.

The French-German engineer graduated from Supaero, a French engineering school of aeronautical and space.

Monchaux will work in the team led by Technical Director of Sauber Motorsport AG Jörg Zander.

“I’m very much looking forward to the arrival of Jan Monchaux as the new head of aerodynamics. It marks an important step of a wider project that aims at strengthening and implementing the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team in line with the targets and the results we want to achieve on tracks,” Zander said.

The International Roll Racing Ass’n (IRRA), a sanctioning body for the sport of roll drag racing, will make its debut April 28 at Palm Beach Int’l Raceway in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Instead of starting from a complete stop like traditional drag racing, a roll drag heads-up race starts with both cars rolling at an agreed speed (40 mph). There are said to be over 20 roll racing organizations or events worldwide.

IRRA organizers point out that, with roll racing, less stress is put on vehicle components, which can be less costly than traditional forms of drag racing.

“The IRRA gives the average person the opportunity to be a professional racer,” IRRA President Christopher Harris said. “For years, many have dreamed [of] being a professional racer, and due to the high cost of owning a dedicated race car, those dreams didn’t come true. The IRRA now provides that opportunity.”

Racers will compete in four events in 2018 to earn points and be crowned the champion of their class at the end of the season.

Visit here for more information or to register.

NASCAR has promoted Steve Phelps to the role of chief operating officer. Phelps will oversee all NASCAR commercial and media operations. This role was previously held by Brent Dewar prior to his promotion to the president last year. Phelps will work out of NASCAR’s headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 
“Steve has worked passionately over the years to lead the sport and it’s clear his impact is felt in all corners of the industry,” said NASCAR President Brent Dewar. “We could not be more thrilled for him to step into the pivotal role of COO and we look forward to welcoming him back to Daytona Beach, where he’ll continue to work closely with myself and the other members of the executive leadership team, including the Board of Directors.”
 
Phelps' direct reports will be Executive Vice President, Chief Sales & Partnership Officer Daryl Wolfe, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Jill Gregory, Senior Vice President, Broadcasting & Production Steve Herbst, Senior Vice President & Chief Communications Officer Eric Nyquist, and Vice President, Digital Tim Clark.
 
Phelps joined NASCAR in 2005 after nearly two decades of sports business experience as a senior executive with the National Football League and Wasserman Media Group.