Mechanics and engineers at the Bertil Roos Racing School have spent over four months redesigning, re-engineering and rebuilding the former Skip Barber fleet of open-wheel cars which will only be available at the Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR).

The first round of testing for those cars began last Wednesday with Bertil Roos Racing School’s instructors behind the wheel on PBIR’s 2.2-mile road course. The cars, which were rebuilt and upgraded to meet high performance and safety standards, will become the in-house formula car fleet for the new Palm Beach Performance Driving Education Center, presented by Bertil Roos.

With more than 70 dates and a dozen different driving and racing programs held at Palm Beach International Raceway, the cars will see a substantial amount of track time during the 2018 season.

“When the Skip Barber Racing School declared bankruptcy in 2017, we and many others attended the auctions that ensued,” Bertil Roos Racing School President Dennis Macchio said. “What stood out as a positive to us was the fleet of formula cars. We saw a great opportunity to rehabilitate those cars and rebuild them to the highest industry standards.

“Our thinking was confirmed by many former Barber employees and we now feature an impressive inventory of top-of-the-line vehicles to best learn the art of high-quality, European-style road racing.”

Testing of the cars will continue throughout February and into early March. The newly rebuilt vehicles will make their debut at the Roos 3-Day beginning March 12.

For the complete list of programs available this year Palm Beach International Raceway and more info on the Bertil Roos Racing School, call 1-800-722-3669, or visit racenow.com.

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) appointed veteran race officials Todd Snyder and John Maesky to new race director roles for IMSA-sanctioned single-make and challenge series.

Maesky, a fixture in IMSA race control over the past several seasons, takes on new responsibilities as race director for both the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama for the 2018 season.

Snyder, who currently serves as race director for two additional IMSA-sanctioned series, Lamborghini Super Trofeo and Ferrari Challenge, will add the role of IMSA Prototype Challenge Presented by Mazda race director to his responsibilities for the 2018 season.

“IMSA is fortunate to have a number of talented individuals throughout its entire team, so when these race director positions opened up, we had outstanding internal candidates to fill them,” said IMSA Vice President, Competition, Simon Hodgson.

Both Maesky and Snyder will be present in their new roles for two days of IMSA-sanctioned testing next week at Sebring International Raceway. Their first races on the job also will come at Sebring International Raceway in March as the 2018 season gets underway for both the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA and Canada series, while IMSA Prototype Challenge Presented by Mazda contests its second round of 2018 at Sebring.

(Photo courtesy of Brembo SpA.)

Brembo SpA has announced its new carbon factory facility is set to open in Curno, Italy.

Brembo SpA Chairman Alberto Bombassei placed the first stone of the new flagship facility intended for the processing of carbon fiber materials for competition use. Bombassei was joined by the Director of the Performance Group Mario Almondo, Vice President Matteo Tiraboschi and CEO Andrea Abbati Marescotti.

Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2018, with production activities expected to be fully operational by the end of 2019.

The building will be dedicated to the design, development and production of the company's competition carbon brake pads and discs, bringing the carbon brake process under one roof.

The new facility is an addition to the already-existing Brembo operations in Curno which develops and manufactures race braking components.

The plant will occupy an area of approximately 23,000 sq. ft. in addition to the 33,000 sq. ft. for green belt, parking, logistics and storage areas.

In the Curno location, Brembo will produce semi-finished carbon-carbon discs and pads, which are different from the carbon-ceramic discs destined for super-performing road cars produced at Stezzano and in Germany.

The new facility's production will be dedicated to equipping the cars and motorcycles of teams competing in all the major racing disciplines, including Formula One and MotoGP.

(Image of Steve Beitler, left, and award presenter Jody Deery, right, courtesy of Racing Promotion Monthly.)

Steve Beitler, promoter of Skagit Speedway and Grays Harbor Raceway, the Summer Thunder Sprint Tour and Washington Modified Tour, has been named as the recipient of the 42nd Auto Racing Promoter of the Year Award.

The award, sponsored by Racing Promotion Monthly and Charlotte Motor Speedway, was awarded at the Hilton Daytona Beach.

Readers of Racing Promotion Monthly, the idea newsletter for auto racing promoters, chose Beitler from among six regional nominees.

Honored as Regional Auto Racing Promoters of the Year were Beitler, Lyle Devore with Albany-Saratoga (N.Y.) Speedway, Paul Purvis with Swainsboro (Ga.) Speedway, Ron Flinn with Crystal (Mich.) Speedway, Gregg McKarns with Madison Int’l (Wis.) Speedway, and John McCoy with Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway.

Devore, Purvis, Flinn, McKarns, and McCoy received first-time nominations, and Beitler his fourth nomination.

Talladega Short Track’s annual January Ice Bowl, the first race of the new year in the southern United States, which this season celebrated 27 years, received the Racing Promotion Monthly Award for Outstanding Annual Short Track Event.

The Auto Racing Promoter of the Year is said to be short track racing’s most prestigious award. It is awarded each year after voting by promoters. The award was originated in 1976 by the editor of Racing Promotion Monthly.

AmericanMuscle.com will host it’s 10th annual Mustang car show, the AM2018, at the Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Saturday, June 23, is set as a tentative rain date.

The event, typically held in August in previous years, has been moved up for 2018.

The AM2018 is said to be the nation's largest one-day Mustang show and has raised funds for various charities since its inception. This year, proceeds will go to Philadelphia’s Make-A-Wish Foundation, which has been the charity of choice since 2015.

Thousands of Mustang enthusiasts will converge on Maple Grove's fairgrounds to share their interest in the Mustang brand and participate in activities such as burnout competitions, revving contests, drag racing, show and shine and more.

A variety of AmericanMuscle.com product experts and vendors will be on hand to answer technical questions and meet with attendees. Special guest Chip Foose of Velocity TV's show Overhaulin' will be in attendance signing autographs.

"It's been really incredible to see this event grow over the years. People travel from all over to take part in this event, and it's exciting for us to see the enthusiasm and the passion they have for the Mustang brand," Stephanie Wood, AmericanMuscle.com video host, said.

General car pre-registration is $25, VIP car registration is $75 and day-of car registration is $35. For additional details, visit www.americanmuscle.com/am2018.

Turn 14 Distribution announced the addition of Wilwood Engineering and its line of high-performance disc brake systems and components to its line card.

“Wilwood is recognized as a premier manufacturer of quality performance brake components that are used in all forms of motorsports. From complete brake systems to brake lines and pedals, Wilwood offers a variety of braking products for an extensive range of applications,” said Kyle Shelley, Turn 14 Distribution’s director of sales.

Wilwood Engineering designs and manufactures high-performance disc brake systems. Since the company’s inception in 1977 by Bill Wood, it has developed a substantial matrix of brake components and engineering techniques that allow the company to quickly and reliably create brake systems for almost any application, according to Turn 14 Distribution.

Wilwood has on-shelf stock of more than 300 different brake calipers, 200 rotor designs, 100 master cylinder designs and a wide assortment of brackets, fittings, valves and brake lines. Wilwood's engineering department is said to use the latest computer-aided design and manufacturing techniques in conjunction with finite element analysis, dynamic test and cycle test equipment.

Now that we’re a month and change into 2018, here’s a question: Who out there has stuck with their New Year’s Resolutions?

Better yet, who still remembers them?

Did you promise to eat healthier? Get more sleep? Maybe spend a little less time on social media? All admirable goals, to be sure. (And let me be the first to admit that I, too, have pledged to reduce my current number of visits to the local Chick-fil-A.)  

That said, a recent survey of stakeholders in the stock car market yielded, shall we say, slightly more ambitious intentions for the months ahead.

For example, at Jennerstown Speedway in Western Pennsylvania, promoter Mike Lysakowski and his team have exciting plans for 2018, among them a big-money Late Model shootout on August 11. The track’s first-ever “Motor Mountain Masters” is expected to draw teams from the Northeast, the South, the Midwest and Canada for the 150-lap feature. What’s more, the event is open to cars of varying specs—crate and unrestricted engines, perimeter and offset chassis, etc.—that will compete head-to-head.  

Meantime, officials at Huntsville Speedway in Alabama are working to stress a family-friendly atmosphere for the ’18 season. “I’m after the kids,” promoter Robbie Edger told us for our report on the Stock Car Market that begins on page 8 of PRI Magazine's February issue. “Things that I’m doing right now [include] going after the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts,” he added. We’re giving them free admission, even giving them a free hot dog and drink. We just want to get ’em down there.” The idea being if they enjoy the experience, they’re likely to return on their own dime, Edger explained.

Speaking of what’s new for 2018, the above-referenced feature represents a resolution of sorts for PRI. Indeed, one of our main goals here has always been to provide motorsports businesses with real insight into the customers and markets they serve. And this year we’re doubling (quadrupling?) down by presenting quarterly, in-depth reports on specific market segments. Following this month’s entry, PRI will explore Sprint Cars & Midgets in May, Vintage Road Racing in August, and the Youth Racing Market in October.

We hope you enjoy reviewing these articles, and in the process are able to find some actionable information that may be applied to your racing operation in the coming months. And, hey, even if it’s too late to make adjustments this season, worst comes to worst you can always start on an early list of resolutions for 2019!

Manatee County, Florida’s DeSoto Speedway is available for purchase online through a foreclosure auction that is set for March 27 at 11 a.m. EST. Currently, the track website states "DeSoto Speedway has and will be closed until further notice."

The 3/8-mile asphalt track was sold to Dennis Meyer of Clearwater in February 2014 for $1.082 million, according to Manatee County records. Meyer purchased the track from Full Throttle Speedway, which acquired the facility from John Sarppraicone in 2013.

Sarppraicone still held the financing end of the track and set in motion the upcoming auction, according to the Bradenton Herald. If no bid is placed matching the minimum of $1.17 million, then Sarppraicone Land Development Inc. will take over the 65-acre property.

The auction is scheduled to take place online at www.manatee.realforeclosure.com.

Tragedy struck the 3/8-mile track when longtime driver Dave Steele succumbed to injuries during the Southern Sprintcar Shootout Series race on March 25, 2017.

Casper Speedway (Casper, WY) is now operated by new track promoters Faye and Ray Nash.

With IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks returning to race night programs, the new promoters are in charge of a busy schedule to build on an already solid car count foundation.

The Nashes come to Casper following a five-year stint at Valentine Speedway in Glenrock, Wyoming.
 
The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season for both divisions starts May 11 at the half-mile dirt Wyoming speed plant with season championship night set for Aug. 31.

“We started with about 20 cars there and built it up. What we want to do here is build on the car counts that have already been established,” Mrs. Nash said. “Casper is a tremendous facility and what it needs now is just some TLC. We want people to drive in and say ‘this is awesome.’”

Regular race night at Casper is Friday. Both the Modifieds and Hobby Stocks are on midweek July 3 and 4 Bob Shierkolk Memorial programs.

Track points will be awarded to Modified drivers on 10 nights and Hobby Stocks on 20 nights.

“What we like best about IMCA are the rules,” noted Mrs. Nash. “They’re right there in black and white.”

Casper also hosts June 12 and 13 IMCA Modified Gunslinger Tour dates, with the second show a $1,000 to win qualifying event for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot.

The Bill Burnside Memorial special for Hobby Stocks is July 27, the O’Reilly Auto Parts special for Mod­ifieds is Aug. 17.

Modified points earned at Casper count toward Larry Shaw Race Cars Western Region stand­ings, Hobby Stock points toward Big Daddy Race Cars Northern Region standings.

This past weekend during the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Midwest Division Convention in Independence, Missouri, the 2017 Member of Excellence Award was presented to Ron and Monica Shaw of the Des Moines Valley Region. This award is given to SCCA members who provided a great contribution to the Club during the previous 12 months.

Members of the SCCA since 1991, the Shaws have been an integral part of racing in the Midwest Division for many years. Without them, some events simply would not have been possible, the SCCA says.

The pair has volunteered as corner workers, flag chiefs, course marshals, communicators, worker coordinators and more. The couple travels many, many miles for Club race weekends. They have arranged their business hours around Club events and have a level of passion that is very rare.

The SCCA Member of Excellence award, chosen by the SCCA Board of Directors, is presented to volunteers who show the greatest commitment to SCCA motorsport activities. Winners are provided up to $5000, funded with a 20-year private endowment by an anonymous SCCA member, to attend any motorsport event in the world.

The Member of Excellence Award has only been given out 10 times.