The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) Engine Challenge’s 10th anniversary season recently kicked off at the 11th annual Race & Performance (RP) Expo in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Twenty-five teams competed at the RP Expo with four advancing to the Dual National Championship held later this year at the SEMA Show (October 30 – November 2 in Las Vegas) and PRI Trade Show (December 6 – 8 in Indianapolis).
 
To qualify for the Dual National Championship, a team must finish disassembling and reassembling a small-block Chevrolet engine in less than 33 minutes (including penalties).

The RP Expo is home to the first ever HROT event which took place in 2008.

Team ARP from McHenry Community High School in McHenry, Illinois, placed fourth with a qualifying time of 32:02.

“Our teams performed well given the short amount of time we had to practice and that it was Mchenry's first time ever at the competition. The students handled the pressure well,” Team ARP Instructor Martin Molina said, mentioning both the winning Team ARP and another team which competed from the school.

Coming in third place with a time of 30:27 was Team Fragola from Lockport High School in Lockport, Illinois. In second place with a time of 20:45 was Team Canton from Lakeshore High School in Stevensville, Michigan.

Team Meziere from Fremd High School in Palatine, Illinois, placed first with a time of 20:18.

Visit HotRoddersOfTomorrow.com to see the complete results from this past weekend.

According to reports in the Monterey Herald and elsewhere, the renowned Laguna Seca road course could be getting a new title sponsor by April 1.

Published reports indicate that the Monterey County Board of Supervisors is considering a five-year, $5 million rights deal that would see the track renamed WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca.

WeatherTech, which also sponsors the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, is owned by Illinois-based MacNeil Automotive Products.

WeatherTech would replace Mazda, which told track operators that it would end its 17-year sponsorship of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca when its contract expires March 31.

After more than three years at the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, Laurent Mekies, FIA Safety Director and Deputy to the F1 Race Director, is set to leave the Federation.

Mekies joined the FIA in October 2014 as Safety Director, taking responsibility for all Safety and Medical matters for the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile across all its Championships, as well as R&D and homologation activities for both track and road.

At the start of 2017 he was appointed Deputy F1 Race Director in addition to his existing duties. In this capacity he worked alongside F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting throughout the 2017 F1 season, dealing principally with sporting matters.

Until his departure from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile at the end of June, Mekies will continue to act as FIA Safety Director. However, he will immediately cease all Formula 1 duties and will no longer be involved in any Formula 1 matters, stepping down from his role as Deputy F1 Race Director immediately.

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) has notified drivers of a rule change regarding centerline crossing and/or the striking of timing blocks. In addition to the current centerline policy of disqualifying runs/times, additional penalties will be imposed on drivers crossing the centerline or striking the timing blocks during any qualifying or elimination round.

The following penalties apply to all drivers in every NHRA category contested at each NHRA national event:

First Violation of the season will result in:

•    Loss of five (5) NHRA series points.



Second Violation of the season will result in:

•    Loss of ten (10) NHRA series points.



All Subsequent Violations of the season will result in:

•    Loss of fifteen (15) NHRA series points per violation.

Crossing the centerline and/or striking timing blocks is a serious safety concern and causes delays in racing due to cleanup time required for such incidents.

This policy encompasses the distance from the starting line to the quarter-mile finish line at 1,320 feet. Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers crossing the centerline after the 1000-foot finish line but before the 1320-foot finish line WILL be subject to the points penalty. However, they will not be subject to the standard disqualification/loss of elapsed time policy for this specific violation.

In the case of an oil-down plus a centerline/timing block violation in the same run, the oil-down points policy (and DQ of the run) will apply. It will not result in a double points penalty.

Crossing the centerline on a burnout is not considered a violation.

Polaris GRC, a new class for side-by-side vehicles in Red Bull GRC competition, will feature the new Polaris RZR RS1. The driver-focused platform will compete on the full schedule of the Red Bull GRC season in a 12-race championship.

“This class opens up GRC rallycross racing to a whole new world of competitors, and we’re sure that our future champions will be born in this class,” said Colin Dyne, Red Bull GRC CEO.

To prepare the Polaris RZR RS1 for GRC competition, certain modifications are required focused primarily around driver safety and making the vehicle ready for GRC racing. All vehicles must be fitted with the Polaris GRC Competition Pack, developed in partnership with PJ’s Performance in Scottsdale, Arizona, headed by off-road, Indycar, IMSA and NASCAR driver PJ Jones. The Competition Pack includes a custom roll cage, racing seat, wide-track suspension, brakes and performance modifications and is available on a first-come, first served basis for $28,500. The series is now open for reservations for all interested parties.

Polaris GRC will also be fully supported with trackside service provided at each round of the Polaris GRC championship featuring technical assistance and spare parts available to all competitors.

All Polaris GRC rounds will be aired on NBC television and a soon to be announced Turner digital platform.

The 2018 schedule for the Polaris GRC championship is as follows:

Rounds 1-2: Buffalo, NY (June 9-10)

Round 3: New Orleans, LA (June 23-24)

Rounds 4-5: Los Angeles, CA (July 7-8)

Rounds 6-7: Indianapolis, IN (August 11-12)

Rounds 8-9: Atlantic City, NJ (August 25-26)

Round 10: Seattle, WA (September 15-16)

Rounds 11-12: Lydden Hill, UK (October 27-28)

For more information, visit the series website at www.redbullglobalrallycross.com.

Nearly 500 middle school students from thirteen schools in San Bernardino and Riverside counties in California will learn about why science, technology, engineering and mathematics (S.T.E.M.) are essential to the motorsports industry at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.

The event is set for Friday, March 16, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying Day as part of the Auto Club 400 race weekend and will be held in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Fan Zone from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

NASCAR Xfinity drivers Cole Custer, Garrett Smitley, Ross Chastain, Vinnie Miller and Matt Mills will kick-off STEM day by sharing wisdom and insight on the critical roles science, technology, engineering and math play in NASCAR. The driver appearances and Q&A take place 9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
 
The students will later spend the day participating in a series of hands-on math and engineering exercises with student volunteers from local colleges and universities demonstrating how concepts are used in the sport of racing.

As part of their sponsorship for the third year in a row, Jersey Mike’s Subs will once again sponsor the S.T.E.M. Day lunch hour by serving their signature subs. In addition, for the sixth year in a row, King Taco will reward students with a pair of reserved grandstand tickets to the Auto Club 400 race that will take place on Sunday, March 18, 2018.

The Auto Club Speedway S.T.E.M. Day program is part of Auto Club Speedway’s major youth initiative which provides area youth with a positive and enriching outlook on life inspiring achievement and education to build future race fans. Auto Club Speedway S.T.E.M. Day is coordinated and implemented by the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools’ Alliance for Education.

The annual Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series event kicks off April 5 at the 10th Annual NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia, followed by races in Joliet, Illinois, Norwalk, Ohio and two events in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The series ends September 9 in Bowling Green.

Requirements for race car modifications vary throughout five different race categories and range from mildly modified to completely rebuilt cars. Cars can race with crate or modified production LS or LT engines.

Representatives from Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center will be at the series events, answering questions about technology, engines, accessories and components.

In addition to mild and heavily modified engines, the series also showcases the Chevrolet Performance DR 525 drag racing sealed crate engine in the Chevrolet Performance Stock class, said Steve Wolcott, President & CEO of ProMedia LLC, which runs the series.

The Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series takes place alongside the NMCA Muscle Car Nationals. The race series features many attractions, including drag races, car shows, swap meets and manufacturer midways.

The Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series features four racing categories and one shootout, running at each Challenge Series event. Categories are Chevrolet Performance Stock, Street King, Rumble, Street Car Challenge, and the Real Street Shootout.

Quarter Midgets of America (QMA) series officials have announced the dates for the 2018 Grand National Events.

The Western Grands return to Tri-Valley Quarter Midget Association (TVQMA) June 24–30 in Livermore, California. TVQMA is hosting The Legends of the West event and is said to be planning to incorporate “fun, fast cars and NASCAR” into the event.

The Eastern Grands will take place at I-70 Quarter Midget Speedway in Greenville, Illinois, July 8–14. The host club will feature track accommodations located at the Bond County Fairgrounds. I-70 will also be hosting a welcome dinner with racer Thunder Grams.

The Dirt Grands conclude the National Event schedule, taking place July 22–28 at Capital Quarter Midget Association in Rio Linda, California. The “Fastest Dirt Track in the West” will offer $25 parking for motorhomes.

“The National Board and Grands Committees are planning to make the 2018 Grant National events one for the memory books,” QMA President Denise Smutny said. “The continued support of Honda HPD to provide water for our racers at each of the events will quench their thirst to continue the drive to that coveted QMA Grand National checkered flag. Hoosier Tires will once again be a part of the award ceremony and is the official tire of Quarter Midgets of America.”

For the complete 2018 QMA race schedule, visit here.

After nearly 30 years in business, Jack Burns and Rick Popovits, partners and owners of Burns Stainless, have transitioned the company’s ownership to longtime technical partner Vince Roman. The company has also changed addresses, noted below, but will remain in Costa Mesa, California.

Roman has been a part of the Burns Stainless team for over 17 years, with the transition in the planning stages “for quite some time,” says company officials.

Rick Popovits will retire while Jack Burns will remain at Burns Stainless “doing what he loves best, creating in the fabrication shop.”

"It is a great pleasure for me to turn the reigns of Burns Stainless over to Vince," Burns said. “I have the utmost confidence that Vince will continue our legacy at Burns Stainless to supply the finest quality parts to the motorsports industry."

Officially Roman Werks Inc., the company is continuing to do business as Burns Stainless. The official transition began on September 1, 2017, and is now complete.

"I am very excited to step into Jack and Rick's shoes," Roman said. "Jack has been a great mentor and friend over these past many years, and I look forward to continuing the tradition of innovation, quality and service that Burns Stainless is known for."

Burns Stainless LLC is a provider of exhaust components for professional racers and fabricators. Customers include race teams in NASCAR, NHRA, ALMS, FIA and other top-tier race series. The company also provides engineering services for specific racing applications including exhaust collector and header design.

The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series has announced it will “correct history” by retroactively crediting all previous full-field preliminary victories as official series victories.

For the majority of its lifespan, the World of Outlaws credited only the winner of the finale of any multiple-day show with an official win. This new list changes that to include victories made on the previous days of racing.

“With it being our 40th anniversary we felt there was no better time than to do this right now,” World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series PR Coordinator Anthony Corini said to SPEEDSPORT. “These wins, I believe personally they should have always counted. As long as it was a full field, it’s being added.”

The biggest change was at the top of the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series all-time win list, with Steve Kinser’s total jumping from 577 victories to 690 victories. Sammy Swindell also added 100 victories, moving his total from 294 to 394.

To view the complete list of World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series all-time feature winners, visit here.