Hyundai is making its return to racing in the United States. 

Bryan Herta Autosport recently announced a new partnership with Hyundai to field two Hyundai i30 N TCR class sedans in the 2018 Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) Touring Car road racing series. The TCR class makes its PWC debut in the US in 2018 after three years of TCR competition throughout the world.

Ending its Global Rallycross factory program after the 2014 season, Hyundai continued to race overseas in the aforementioned TCR class as well as in the World Rally Championship. 

Bryan Herta Autosport, a two-time Indy 500-winning organization, will field two versions of Hyundai’s i30 N TCR race cars currently available only to customers in Europe.

Veteran PWC drivers Mark Wilkins of Toronto, Ont., Canada, and Michael Lewis of Laguna Beach, Calif., will drive the new Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai i30 N TCR machines in the 12-race PWC TCR division in 2018.

“Hyundai is thrilled about the prospects for our new N branded racing team competing in the Touring Car Racing class of Pirelli World Challenge,” said Dean Evans, chief marketing officer, Hyundai Motor America. “Our new partnership with world-renowned Bryan Herta Autosport and their phenomenal drivers coupled with the proven capabilities of our Hyundai i30 N racers puts us in a great position for success in the 2018 TCR season.”

The TCR Series, originated in 2015, was marketed as a cost-effective spin-off of the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), targeted at C-segment hatchbacks production-based touring cars. The title TCR follows the naming convention now used by the FIA to classify the vehicles that compete in touring car racing.

The PWC Touring Car divisions will compete in six doubleheader weekends (12 rounds total) beginning March 23-25 at the state-of-the-art Circuit of the Americas (COTA) followed by VIRginia International Raceway April 27-29, Lime Rock Park May 25-28, July 13-15, August 10-12 and Watkins Glen International Aug. 31-Sept. 2. Each TCR race will be 40 minutes in length and one rolling start and one standing stand each weekend.

Organizers of the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Automobile Club de L'Ouest (ACO), have announced the appointment of Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich as a special advisor.

Recently retired at the end of last year as the head of Audi Sport, Ullrich will advise Le Mans management, including ACO President Pierre Fillon, on budgetary, technical and PR matters.  

Ullrich helped restructure Audi Sport following the ending of its LMP1 endurance racing project in 2016, according to RACER.

Under Audi, Ullrich produced 13 Le Mans 24 Hours wins, plus the consecutive wins in the FIA WEC Manufacturers and drivers world championships in 2012 and 2013.

NASCAR announced the 2018 stage lengths for its three national series.
 
In the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, all 2018 stage lengths will remain consistent with 2017. The race and stage lengths for the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course race in the Playoffs will be announced at a later date.
 
Following feedback from NASCAR Xfinity Series race teams, there will be slight updates to the stage lengths at both ISM Raceway in Phoenix and Dover International Speedway. At both Phoenix races, the stages will end at Lap 45, Lap 90 and Lap 200. For the Dover events, the stages will end on Lap 45, Lap 90 and Lap 200.
 
In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, both Las Vegas Motor Speedway races are scheduled for 134 laps, with stage lengths set to end at Lap 40, Lap 80 and Lap 134.
 
“Our primary goal every season is providing the best race for our fans, and to that end, we will remain consistent in terms of stage lengths for the majority of our national series events,” said Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition. “Last year’s debut of the race format was a strong one, and we look forward to building on that foundation in 2018, starting with Speedweeks at Daytona.”

After 34 years of service, Graham Light, the National Hot Rod Association's (NHRA) senior vice president of racing operations, announced that he would retire at the end of 2018. Light will continue to serve on NHRA’s Board of Directors and as a consultant to the sport.

Stepping up to fill Light’s role will be current NHRA vice president of racing administration Josh Peterson and former NHRA director of racing operations Ned Walliser, who will be named vice president of competition. Walliser will rejoin NHRA in May 2018 to work and train with Light. Current vice president of technical operations Glen Gray will round out the team.

Light joined NHRA in 1984 and progressed upwards, taking over all racing operations in 1993. His institutional knowledge and passion for drag racing are said to be a mainstay in NHRA and the drag racing community. The Edmonton, Alberta, Canada-native started out drag racing in Competition Eliminator before owning and operating a racetrack of his own.

“We can’t thank Graham enough for all he has done for the sport. We are fortunate that he has put in place a great team to support our racing operations when he begins his well-deserved retirement. With Josh Peterson heading up racing administration, Ned Walliser focusing on competition, and Glen Gray heading up technical services, we will still have the best team in all of motorsports,” said NHRA CEO Peter Clifford.

NASCAR announced leadership changes at Iowa Speedway and a key appointment to its international development efforts.
 
Jimmy Small has been named the senior director of International Business Development and Partnerships, and will be charged with developing strategic international opportunities in new and existing markets.

Small, who has served as the president of Iowa Speedway for the past four years, will be based out of NASCAR’s Los Angeles office and will report to Chad Seigler, the vice president of International Business Development.
 
“Jimmy brings over a decade of NASCAR experience and great passion for growing our sport internationally to this important position,” Jim Cassidy said, NASCAR’s chief international officer. “His understanding of the opportunity for NASCAR growth globally, coupled with his experience running a race track, make him an ideal fit.”
 
Replacing Small as president of Iowa Speedway will be NASCAR industry veteran David Hyatt. Hyatt brings nearly 30 years of industry experience, most recently serving as president of The Motor Racing Network. In that role, Hyatt developed, oversaw and executed the network’s operational budget, business plan and growth strategy.
 
“I am honored to join the Iowa Speedway team and build upon the momentum this talented group of people has established,” Hyatt said. “There is a great passion for motorsports in Iowa and we will continue fueling that passion while showcasing The Fastest Short Track on the Planet.”

Hyatt will report to Brandon Igdalsky, the managing director of Event Marketing & Promotion. Igdalsky, who served for many years as president & chief executive officer of Pocono Raceway, will remain based in Daytona Beach, FL, and will provide strategic direction to Hyatt and the Iowa Speedway team.

International Speedway Corporation (ISC) has announced the promotion of three officer positions.

Frank Kelleher was promoted to vice president of ISC Sales and Marketing, promoted from his role as the managing director of ISC Sales and Marketing. As VP, he will lead all ISC partner marketing and activation, partnership sales, media sales, and partnership insights/strategy.

Kelleher graduated from Marywood University in 2003, earning a BA in Business Administration. Kelleher is a two-time national champion with the World Karting Association.

Benjamin Odom has been promoted to vice president of ISC Legal and Deputy General Counsel, promoted from his role as managing director of Associate Counsel for ISC Legal. As VP, he will lead the Company’s legal department on all legal matters including contract drafting and review, litigation, and regulatory compliance.

Odom earned his Juris Doctorate from Florida State College of Law in 2004 and joined the company in 2006.

Lastly, ISC Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Greg Motto has been promoted to executive vice president.

ISC is one of the leading promoters of motorsports events, currently promoting more than 100 racing races annually as well as numerous other motorsports-related activities. The ISC owns and/or operates 13 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities including Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Speedway, Michigan International Speedway and more.

The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has announced the addition of two U.S. drag strips to its membership.

Mid-Michigan Motorplex of Stanton, Michigan, is the first of the two additions and features a 1/4-mile track with a Compulink timing system and recent pavement upgrades.

“Our schedule is set up around our bracket racers and that’s who we cater to. For what we’re trying to do, the IHRA and the Summit SuperSeries is a great fit for our track and our racers,” track promoter Mike Ledford said about the agreement.

The Motorplex, which supplies drivers with Sunoco brand racing fuel, has a points program already for their weekly racers with prizes from track partners. Now, however, they will also partake in the $200,000 Summit SuperSeries program with eligible Box and No-Box champions having the chance to race for $20,000 and other prizes at the IHRA Summit World Finals in Memphis.

Empire Dragway of Leicester, New York, also entered a multi-year agreement with the IHRA. Competition Coordinator Patrick Budd explains how the IHRA’s commitment to grassroots, Sportsman racing directly affects those who race at his track.

“It saves the racers significant costs racing through the IHRA,” said Patrick Budd, competition coordinator at Empire Dragway. “All the way through membership costs, certifications and more tech items, it’s a more Sportsman-friendly environment. It works with the racers here in the Finger Lakes region. Anything we can do to present the racers with lower operating costs helps both of us.”

Opened in 1970, the 1/4-mile track has undergone significant upgrades—including improved safety measures and facility updates—since current owners Jerry and Clara Scaccia purchased the facility nearly five years ago.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has invited industry professionals to its Town Hall Meeting hosted by K&N Engineering in Riverside, California, on February 27, 2018, from 6 – 9 p.m.

The one-night event will see both members and prospective members gather for an evening of tours, shop talk and networking with local industry leaders. These personal interactions give members a chance to share the business challenges and opportunities they face.

SEMA's Town Hall Meetings also provide industry professionals with the opportunity to learn about the Association's current programs.

Seats are limited. For more information and to register, visit here.

SEMA has also announced its Hall of Famenominations are now open. SEMA members have the opportunity to nominate an “exceptional candidate” for the 2018 SEMA Hall of Fame.

The SEMA Hall of Fame Award honors outstanding individuals in the automotive specialty-equipment industry whose creativity, dignity, integrity, industriousness and accomplishments have significantly contributed to the industry's growth.

Last year’s Hall of Fame inductees were GiGi Carleton of the Robert E. Petersen Foundation, Doug Evans of High Performance Advisors, and Barry Meguiar of Meguiar’s.

Submit your 2018 SEMA Hall of Fame forms before the March 9 deadline.

To learn more, visit www.sema.org/hof or contact Lindsay Bianco at lindsayb@sema.org or 909/978-6692.

Hastings Manufacturing Company has announced the expansion of its sales team servicing the North and South American aftermarket regions dubbed “the Americas.”

As part of the company’s global growth focus, 33-year Hastings veteran Jeff Guenther has been appointed to oversee the Americas. This organizational change will allow for a focused sales and support effort at a regional and global level, officials say.

“Hastings strategy is simple. It is to provide more value and service to the market focusing on one thing, piston rings, and doing it better than anyone else,” Guenther said.
 
Hastings also announced the addition of Dan Qualls to the Americas team, as well as Mike Jackson, a 13-year piston ring industry veteran.

Jose Segovia will continue to serve as the director of sales Latin America and will ensure advancing business in the region all under the umbrella support of Americas Team.

Britta Kingsley has been named the customer service specialist/customer-oriented driven manager, who will oversee all aspects of service and support for the Americas.

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) has announced that Shawn Meze will assume the position of technical director of racing at the start of the 2018 season.

Meze will be responsible for interacting with all NASA series leadership and assisting in cultivating growth in addition to continuing his role as the national series director for the NASA Spec E30 series.

Meze will also assist with the oversight and management of NASA’s top-level series, NASA Prototype, which runs NASA Prototype Elan NP01 vehicles, said to be the “world’s first affordable prototype race car.”

Joining NASA in 2005 and winning a regional championship with two podium finishes in the national championship, Meze took his first leadership role within NASA as the national super touring series director in 2010.

He later assumed the role as the SoCal Spec E30 series leader which eventually transitioned into the National Series Director for Spec E30 in 2015.

“We’re really pleased to have Shawn on board with us,” NASA Director of Business Development Jeremy Croiset said. “He’s a long time member of NASA, a respected member of our community, and a real team player. He should make a valuable addition to our growing team.”