The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) has announced the promotion of Jeremy Croiset to the position of vice president.

Formerly the director of business development, Croiset has worked for NASA since 2005. Croiset’s duties now include strategic planning and managing daily operations of the company. The new promotion is said to mark an important milestone in NASA’s history and in Croiset’s motorsports career.

“Everything I’ve accomplished in motorsports has led me to this moment,” Croiset said. “NASA gave me the opportunity to join the company more than a decade ago and it’s been an amazing journey. I love working every day to bring new programs and ideas to fruition that NASA members can take advantage of on and off the track. My new role will provide me an even broader opportunity to continue that mission.”

Croiset was said to be instrumental in the development of the NASA Prototype Élan NP01 and the class in which it runs. Croiset also has played a major role in developing the NASA Championships, and creating prize packages and contingency awards that went into this year’s Toyo Tires Classic, said to be the largest purse in amateur motorsports history. The Toyo Tires Classic will take place at this year’s NASA Championships at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas.

In related news, NASA recently announced the launch of its newly created contingency portal. The system has been designed specifically to make the process of contingency redemption easier for NASA competitors. The updated look with improved functionality includes easier navigation and secure electronic forms that will be used to submit contingency claims.

The new website will be located at prizes.drivenasa.com and will be updated with new programs throughout the 2018 racing season.

(Photo of students at the Asia-Oceania Regional Final Hong Kong on September 17, 2017, courtesy of INFINITI Engineering Academy). 

INFINITI has announced the launch of the 2018 edition of its INFINITI Engineering Academy, the fifth consecutive year recruiting engineers worldwide to work both with INFINITI Motor Company and Renault Sport’s Formula 1 team.

With increasing registration numbers year-on-year (the 2017 edition attracted over 12,000 registrations from 41 different countries, a near-threefold increase on the previous edition), competition to secure one of the seven places available globally is said to be fiercer than ever.

This year, finalists chosen will also benefit from unprecedented access to Formula 1 circuits during Grand Prix weeks, with six of the seven Academy Finals being held trackside (Canada, Silverstone for the Europe Final, Singapore for the Asia & Oceania Final, U.S., Mexico, and Abu Dhabi for the Middle East Final).

As a result, the INFINITI Engineering Academy finalists (10 per participating region) will be granted access to the Renault Sport’s pit lane, garage and motorhome areas on the Thursday before their local Formula 1 Grand Prix, where they will carry out several challenges under the watchful eye of Bob Bell, Nico Hülkenberg, Carlos Sainz, and other members of the team.
 
INFINITI has also partnered with Harvard University Professor Dr. Julia Minson, who specializes in decision science. Dr. Minson will conduct research into decision making in engineering, and how some of the very best engineers perform under pressure to make decisions when faced with vast amounts of complex data. The learnings from the research will then be incorporated by both the INFINITI engineering and motorsport teams to optimize their decision-making processes.

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford will be honored by the Road Racing Drivers Club (RRDC) at the RRDC Evening with Johnny Rutherford Presented by Firestone in Long Beach, California, on Thursday, April 12.

A 10th annual event, the banquet honors auto racing’s most influential leaders and icons and will be held before the 44th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Previous honorees include Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Roger Penske, Jim Hall, Brian Redman, Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, George Follmer and Emerson Fittipaldi.

The dinner’s proceeds will help support the RRDC’s young driver initiatives, including its groundbreaking SAFEisFAST.com program and the Team USA Scholarship, which the RRDC has backed since 1997 and has been providing opportunities for talented young American race car drivers since 1990.

Born in Coffeyville, Kansas, in 1938, Rutherford is best known as a driver in what is considered IndyCar's golden era, competing against the likes of A.J. Foyt, Andretti, Parnelli Jones, Rick Mears and the Unsers.

Rutherford is also one of only nine drivers to have won the Indianapolis 500 three times or more. His victories came in 1974, '76 and '80.

Before the IndyCar victories, Rutherford raced modified stock cars and won his first NASCAR-sanctioned race in 1963 driving for the legendary Smokey Yunick. That victory made him the youngest-ever NASCAR winner at that stage. At the same time, Rutherford was marking himself as a driver to watch on the open-wheel ranks, especially on the dirt.

He was an accomplished road racer as well, piloting a Porsche 935 to second in the 1978 Daytona 24 Hours.

The RRDC Evening with Johnny Rutherford Presented by Firestone will be held on Thursday, April 12, at the Hilton Hotel, 701 West Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, California, with cocktails at 6 p.m., and dinner at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $200 per person and $175 for RRDC members. Space is limited. Contact Jeremy Shaw at rrdc2@cox.net for more information.

VP Racing Fuels, Inc., announced the appointment of Ron Wick as Business Development Representative to support significant growth by VP in the dirt racing market in the Midwestern United States.
 
“We’re excited to have Ron Wick on board,” VP Racing Fuels Regional Manager Jason Rueckert said. “With Ron’s experience and vast knowledge of dirt car racing we look to significantly expand our presence in that market.
 
“Being a race fuel distributor for over 35 years, I look forward to combining my experience and knowledge with VP Racing Fuels, the World Leader in Race Fuel Technology. I am excited to be working directly with the racers, tracks, dealers and sanctioning bodies to bring them all the products that VP has to offer,” Wick said.

NASCAR announced the 20 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019, as well as the five nominees for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
 
The list includes five first-time NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees, representing different facets of NASCAR racing, all of whom influenced the sport throughout their brilliant careers.
 
Included among the list of new nominees is a four-time champion (Jeff Gordon), a pair of owners who teamed to build a two-time championship winning organization (John Holman and Ralph Moody), a four-time championship winning crew chief (Kirk Shelmerdine) and a driver whose excellence spanned two decades and two series (Harry Gant). For a full list of nominees, see below.
 
From the list of 20 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees, five inductees will be elected by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.com. Voting Day for the 2019 class will be Wednesday, May 23.
 
Added to this year’s list of Landmark Award nominees are Barney Hall and Jim Hunter. Three nominees also return for the Landmark Award: Ralph Seagraves, Janet Guthrie and Alvin Hawkins.

Potential Landmark Award recipients include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.

Following are the 20 nominees for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, listed alphabetically:
Davey Allison, won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup) series, including the 1992 Daytona 500
Buddy Baker, won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier series, including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500
Red Farmer, three-time Late Model Sportsman champion; 1956 Modified champion
Ray Fox, legendary engine builder, crew chief and car owner
Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR premier series races, including two Southern 500 victories
Joe Gibbs, combined for nine car owner championships in premier and XFINITY series
Jeff Gordon, four-time champion and winner of 93 NASCAR premier series races
John Holman, won two NASCAR premier series championships as co-owner of Holman-Moody Racing
Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR premier series championship crew chief
Alan Kulwicki, 1992 NASCAR premier series champion
Bobby Labonte, won a championship in both the premier series and XFINITY Series
Hershel McGriff, 1986 NASCAR west series champion
Ralph Moody, won two NASCAR premier series championships as co-owner of Holman-Moody Racing
Roger Penske, combined for four car owner championships in premier and XFINITY series
Larry Phillips, only five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
Jack Roush, five-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR’s premier series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400
Kirk Shelmerdine, winner of four NASCAR premier series championships as a crew chief
Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships
Waddell Wilson, won three NASCAR premier series championships as an engine builder
 
The five nominees for the Landmark Award, listed alphabetically, are:
Janet Guthrie, the first female to compete in a NASCAR premier series superspeedway race
Barney Hall, legendary broadcaster for the Motor Racing Network; namesake of Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence
Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.
Jim Hunter, longtime NASCAR executive and former president of Darlington Raceway
Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

The physical model of the next generation FIA Formula E Championship car was revealed on the FIA stand at the Geneva Motor Show.

The new car will compete over the coming three seasons, starting with season five in late 2018.

The most notable change comes underneath the bodywork with the battery—doubling the range of the car. With almost twice the energy storage capacity available to the teams and drivers, there will no longer be the need for a mid-race car change.

The top potential speed has also increased to 174 mph, thanks to a maximum power output increase from 200kW to 250kW.

Integrated as part of the chassis is the new Halo head protection device, along with an innovative strip of LED lighting. The lighting system concept will enable fans to better follow the strategy of their favorite team or driver—indicating things such as different power modes and other race-related information.

In related news, Brembo has announced it has been appointed by Spark Racing Technology (SRT) as the exclusive supplier of the whole braking system for the FIA Formula E. SRT is the exclusive supplier of chassis for season five, six and seven of Formula E.

"I am particularly satisfied for this achievement because it represents the final crowning of Brembo's strong and continued commitment, and in particular of the Racing and R&D groups, to the development and production of the system selected by SRT, which I want to personally thank for the trust granted to Brembo,” Chairman of Brembo Alberto Bombassei said.

Motovicity Distribution, one of the leading automotive performance aftermarket distributors, has added Nitrous Express to its line card.

Nitrous Express supplies nitrous oxide injection systems built and tested in the United States.

“At NX we live and dream Nitrous Oxide. Our company is comprised of experienced and passionate people who use our products every day. Since 1996, it has been our commitment and our mission to provide the best performance, quality, and value,” Nitrous Express National Sales Manager Mike Abney said.

Nitrous Express’ Next Generation Nitrous System products are now available for wholesale purchase through Motovicity Distribution. For product inquiries, call 888.SPEED.16 to speak to a MotoRep and visit Motovicity.com.

Irvington, Alabama's US 90 Dragway has joined the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) as a Division 2 Track in the Southeast region.

Seasoned race promoter Charlie Lyons has taken over ownership of the track, re-branding it to US 90 Dragway with a number of facility upgrades. Lyons runs daily operations with his son, Kody Lyons, who is classified as the track operator and co-owner.

"We are very excited on becoming an NHRA member track because of the history behind the NHRA, and what the NHRA means among the families that race and watch on a daily basis,” Kody Lyons said. “We are looking forward to providing an enjoyable family atmosphere at our track, with the hope of growing every genre of racing in the years to come.” 

A staple in the Alabama racing community, the track was opened as Mobile International Dragway in 1985 but was later shortened to Mobile Dragway. The track was built near the half-mile paved oval called Mobile International Speedway.

NHRA-sanctioned tracks are eligible to offer racers a variety of NHRA racing opportunities, including the NHRA Summit Racing Series, the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, NHRA Jr. Street and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. Additionally, the tracks have the opportunity to host NHRA’s specialty events where racers compete for the coveted Wally trophy.

Racers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Tennessee make up the NHRA Division 2 category. For more information, including schedules, point standings, and more, go to the Division 2 website, NHRADiv2.com.

The Dodge//SRT and Mopar brands are teaming up with the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) to offer complimentary customer drag racing experiences exclusively at NMCA race events for the 2018 season.

Mopar-powered competitors in model-year 2005 and newer FCA US LLC vehicles will receive complimentary entry to battle it out in the NMCA Dodge/Mopar HEMI Shootout category, giving owners the opportunity to race their cars in a sanctioned and secure drag strip environment.

The category is expected to draw a unique mix of modern-day FCA US vehicle nameplates, such as Dodge Challenger and the wide-reaching variety of Dodge Charger models, including the 485-horsepower Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack models, and more.

The NMCA season kicks off with the 16th annual NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida, March 8-11, 2018.

For more information on the Dodge/Mopar HEMI class, including rules, visit here.

WISSOTA officials have announced the sanctioning body’s tech members spent a day working with and learning more about a new tech tool, the Quick Cam Checker.

The Quick Cam Checker is designed to allow WISSOTA and track officials to quickly and accurately check camshaft timing, lift, duration and other characteristics such as centerlines and lobe separation. It will be used in a variety of WISSOTA classes where specific camshaft rules apply, such as in the Midwest Mod and Street Stock Concept engines, and crate engines as well.

“We think this will be a nice addition to the tech department’s tool box,” said WISSOTA technical director Bill Engelstad. “This will give us the chance to make sure [drivers throughout the region are following another vital rule.] If you see a WISSOTA tech official in the pits in 2018, chances are good this is one of the things we’ll be ‘teching.’”

For more information, visit here.