The importance of technical training, marketing, and social media were among key topics discussed during Friday's International Motorsports Trade Seminar (IMTS) at the 2017 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show.

The PRI-sponsored session, which delivered invaluable information and insights for international buyers seeking to do business with US manufacturers and exporters, featured panelists Brett Kinsfather (Motovicity Distribution), Kirk Miller (AEM Performance Electronics), Max Papis (Max Papis Innovations), Marc Wesler (VP Racing Fuels), and Linda Spencer (SEMA) discussing business elements that make for great international partnerships.

"Technical training is critical. We have a technical product line, and we actually do field training with our distributors," said Miller. "That does two things: One, it educates them on a product, how it works, and to assist on any technical issues that might arise in the field. And two, it gives them the ammunition to make a competitive analysis on some of the advantages that one part may have over another. Having people who are technically trained by the factory who can then train their customer base is incredibly valuable."

Papis, meantime, stressed the importance of finding the right marketing partner to help you succeed overseas.

"The No. 1 thing we learn when trying to increase the bottom line is finding the right dealer and people with knowledge to lean on them. Marketing is important, but you need to be humble enough to understand which type of marketing works in a specific country," said Papis. "It takes a lot of research and a lot of footwork to understand which are the right partners that fit your business model. You need to have a partner that has the ability to represent you the same way that you do."

Attendees of the second annual IMTS seminar were upbeat over the content from this year's seminar, noting several takeaways to apply in their respective businesses.

"I'm an international manager for a US manufacturing company, and I wanted to hear other perspectives," said Mike Sre of Murray Corporation in Hunt Valley, Maryland. "What I talk about is what I hear, so to hear people from the same type of background was valuable."

In addition to acquiring valuable information at the seminar, Eddie Smith of Motor State Distributing in Watervliet, Michigan, took the opportunity to discuss ideas with fellow attendees.

"The seminar was very good, very enlightening," he said. "It was good to hear from manufacturers and distributors and dealers. I'm doing international business, and I'm going to talk to a couple of the guys that were in the seminar and continue to research some more."

The inaugural Featured Products Showcase at the 2017 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show spotlighted some 500 of the hottest racing products on the market today.

The Showcase, situated on the west side of the Indiana Convention Center’s Green Hall near the new 8,000 exhibitor area, is designed to increase exposure and enhance connectivity between exhibitors and buyers at the world's premier event for motorsports professionals.

“It’s an excellent idea," said attendee Jeff Spraker of Spraker Racing Enterprises in Mooresville, North Carolina. "It gives us a broader range of what’s happening out there, and it takes away a lot of the leg time hunting down some of the products.

“We do a lot of drivetrain work and chassis work, everything from turnkey cars to components," he added, "and all the products in the Featured Products Showcase are areas we address, from clutches to gauges to chassis components.”

Attendees at the PRI Show will be able to visit the Showcase throughout the Show and use scanning devices to create personalized lists of products that interest them.

“I like the Showcase because we get to see new products without having to go booth to booth. We can just look around the Showcase and see what’s new,” said Jared Johnson of Kennards Speed Freakz in South Shore, Kentucky. “It’s all in here for you in one area, as opposed to having to walk the entire Show trying to find all the new products. It’s going to save me some time.”

The Featured Products Showcase is open all three days of the PRI Show, providing unprecedented product access and exposure for exhibitors, attendees and media.

Exhibitors and attendees at the 2017 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show had an opportunity to share their thoughts and perspectives on the PRI Show and key issues affecting the motorsports industry during the inaugural PRI Town Hall Meeting on opening day of the Show.
 
Youth engagement, race track support, growing the motorsports industry, and using available resources to address concerns were among the topics of conversation brought up by those in attendance during the forum, which featured SEMA Chairman Wade Kawasaki, COMP Performance Group Co-owner and COO Scooter Brothers, Power Automedia CEO James Lawrence, and C&R Racing President Chris Paulsen.
 
"Hosting the Town Hall Meeting was worthwhile and a good idea to get some input and steer some future direction," said attendee Dan Agnew, President of Composite Performance Technologies and Principal Engineer at EngSim Corp. "Getting the younger crowd and education are some of the more pressing issues in the industry. We need to get high school and college vocational kids to the PRI Show and get them excited. If they come here and see and get excited, they are going to go home, tell all their friends, and be addicted for life.”

Kawasaki, who moderated the event, was pleased with the turnout and level of engagement among those in attendance.

“It was great. That was great feedback, great information, and I really look forward to getting with the PRI staff and charting a course to move forward,” said Kawasaki, who began his term as SEMA Board of Directors Chairman this year. PRI is owned by Diamond Bar, California-based SEMA.

“A lot of issues came up," Kawasaki added, "and one of the main things was youth engagement, which is something on my heart and on SEMA’s agenda. I think we can use the momentum that SEMA has gathered with youth engagement. We have also tried a number of different things, so we kind of know what works and doesn’t work, and can just focus that on a different target audience.”

Legendary team owner Chip Ganassi regaled a captive Grand Opening Breakfast audience Thursday morning to help kick off the first day of the 30th Anniversary Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis.

The Q&A-style program hosted by MAVTV’s Dave Despain played to a crowd of more than 3,000 industry professionals who were treated to a catered breakfast that marked the traditional start of the world’s premier trade show for motorsports professionals.

Ganassi, who has won 17 championships and scored more than 160 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400, a 24 Hours of Le Mans, seven Rolex 24 At Daytonas and the 12 Hours of Sebring, shared stories about his early days in racing, his thoughts on the state of motorsports, and current endeavors, including his relationships with team drivers.

"I remember being in his shoes as a young driver -- and what's important and wanting to go fast -- and as a team owner the last thing I want to do is slow a guy down," said Ganassi when asked about his decision to allow NASCAR driver Kyle Larson to compete at the Knoxville Nationals, an event not in his contract. "It wouldn't be fair to a young man and his career. Certainly there is a lot of money and risks on the line, but is that a good reason to take a young guy and hold him back? I don’t think that's fair."

His response drew a thundering applause from the capacity crowd on hand.

"The breakfast was fantastic. Chip is a great speaker and he has great stories," said Charlie Clark of MK Racing in Battle Ground, Indiana. "Dave [Despain], being the interviewer that he is, makes the interviews about racing and all kinds of racing."

Attendees also used the opportunity to network and meet industry professionals before the start of the PRI Show.

"It's always fun seeing old friends and meeting new people. We met a couple of guys at our table from Sweden," said Bob Deister of Buhler Auto in Buhler, Kansas. "I've been doing this for 50 years, so it's interesting to hear how others got into it."

On day one of the 2017 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show, MAHLE Aftermarket Inc. unveiled a new branding and marketing initiative with the introduction of MAHLE Performance engine parts. The new business unit is intended to more fully serve the needs of performance engine builders, racers and performance enthusiasts with improved application coverage, product quality and availability, officials said.

MAHLE Performance will be the over-arching brand for a comprehensive line of performance engine parts beginning with MAHLE Performance gaskets, followed by MAHLE Performance piston rings and MAHLE Performance engine bearings.

Plans for the 2018 MAHLE “Drive with the Original” technician promotion were also revealed at PRI, including the rendering of the Grand Prize – an authentic MAHLE “Restomod” 1968 Chevy Camaro built by the team at Petty’s Garage – presented by the King himself, Richard Petty.

Elsewhere at PRI, Honda Performance Development announced the debut of the Civic Spec Series Concept Race Car, and the availability of fiberglass Civic bodywork for touring car and drag racing customers. These products create additional opportunities to utilize the modern, highly capable and aerodynamic Civic in other racing series, officials said.

The concept race car is being displayed at PRI, at the Honda Racing/HPD booth (#5157) to generate customer interest and input on performance parts, build options and potential racing series in which it might participate. SCCA Pro Racing is joining HPD in soliciting input to determine how such a series might run under SCCA’s sanctioning structure.

Also launching live at PRI, was Dodge Garage, a digital content hub and destination where muscle car and race enthusiasts can hang out to get the latest on all things Dodge, SRT and Mopar.

Dodge Garage (www.dodge.com/en/dodge-garage/) curates content from across hundreds of websites and forums, in addition to the Dodge brand’s digital and social channels, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to deliver the latest muscle car and racing news to enthusiasts.

For more news and information from the 2017 PRI Trade Show, visit PRI's Exhibitor Press Release page.

Day one of the two-day International Council of Motorsport Sciences (ICMS) Annual Congress offered a full curriculum to a standing-room-only crowd of professionals engaged in the scientific, medical and educational aspects of the human element in motorsports.

The 29th annual conference, held during the 2017 Performance Racing Industry (PR) Trade Show in Indianapolis, informs and educates the international motorsports community, different scientific and medical disciplines, sanctioning body personnel, automobile designers and constructors, race team managers and drivers, and industry corporations on improvements in safety and performance for motorsports participants and highway drivers.  

"It has been a wonderful experience to be able to broaden my horizons and listen to some of the other racing series' medical experiences," said Lynne Kushnirenko, a chiropractor from Mooresville, North Carolina, who works on the NASCAR side of racing. "It's great to be able to apply what we see from the NASCAR side and motorsports in general and take away some extra lessons."

Among the topics discussed on Wednesday were front protection for open cockpits in single-seat race cars, research in driver physiology, crisis management and safety updates in power boat racing.

 "Concussion awareness has really raised, especially through the work by ICMS and other associations," said Bob Wartinger, President of the Union of International Motorboating (UIM) Medical/Safety Commission. "We've put out a lot of material and have raised the awareness about the science and symptoms of concussions the day after. The work is starting to pay off."

Sessions to follow will address anti-doping, safety and rescue, and spinal immobilizations, among many others, making the ICMS' annual gathering extremely valuable for attendees.

"The information is very unique, very specialized, and something I can't get at another conference," said Richard Lynton, an ER doctor from Folsom, California. "Quite frankly, there is no other conference. I'm always happy to attend. This is my fourth ICMS, and I always come to get brought up to date or learn new information."

Dozens of PRI Trade Show guests enjoyed a unique experience at legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway during PRI's exclusive Day at the Speedway on Wednesday.

A favorite among Show goers, the day-long event took visitors on a tour of the landmark track, including areas typically open only to officials, drivers and teams during races such as the timing-and-scoring suite in the Pagoda, the media center, victory podium, Gasoline Alley garage area, and the famed "Yard of Bricks" at the start/finish line.

"It was an awesome and breathtaking experience to witness in person the behind-the-scenes of [Indianapolis Motor Speedway] and learn about its rich history and the evolution of Indy car racing," said Robert Wyrsch of That Guy Innovations in Ripon, California.

In addition to lunch, guests also were taken for a ride around the iconic 2.5-mile IMS oval, and given full access to the IMS Hall of Fame Museum, home to the Borg-Warner Trophy and dozens of historic display vehicles.

"It's very impressive, here, at the museum," said Fred Dupuis of Fred Dupuis Technical Services in Los Angeles, California. "The first time I came here I was 10 years old in 1958, and they had just built this museum, and the main straight at the track was still brick. The whole track has just changed completely. I liked seeing the engines because I'm an engine guy, but I'm also familiar with some of the cars that I helped put back together back in the shop."

For images of PRI's 2017 Day at the Speedway, visit our Facebook gallery.

IndyCar President of Competition & Operations Jay Frye headlined an esteemed panel of leading industry professionals who provided attendees with an outstanding overview on the current status of motorsports—on and off the track—during the Race Track Business Conference (RTBC) at the 2017 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show on Wednesday.

This year's RTBC featured nine sessions focusing on a wide variety of topics relating to race track management, including fan engagement, sanction risk management, sponsorship data analytics, media, and video technology, among other key subjects. Now in its sixth year, the RTBC provides attendees a platform to learn, collaborate, analyze, and conceptualize around the business of motorsports.

Among the topics Frye addressed was the importance of technology in motorsports, and whether it results in better racing.

"You need to be careful with technology because you can go too far," said Frye. "Implementing or using technology can be expensive, and the cost can far outweigh the benefits. You have to act fast because it can be hard to bring something back."

In one panel, Summit Motorsports Park Owner Bill Bader III, Tailgating Sports Marketing Sales & Media Director Jenn Piokowski, and Kentucky Venues CEO Jason Rittenberry discussed engagement and the value in understanding the relationship between an event, the venue and spectators, including millennial racing fans.

"Every generation of race fan is different and has different wants, needs and expectations," said Bader. "They have a different set of values that they operate under. Some are more traditionalists, some are more innovative, and that makes our job really tough. We have to understand each generation and what their hot buttons are, and be able to create offerings that make us attractive to each generation of fans."

The session was especially valuable to attendees like Randy Peters, owner of Crossroads Dragway in Terre Haute, Indiana.

"As a track operator I'm interested in learning how I can improve my business," said Peters, who was attending his second RTBC after picking up ideas and tips at last year's conference. "I took pages of notes of ideas I can implement into my business. I'm always looking to better improve what I'm doing and my bottom line."

"We are good stewards of what's out there. We're making things better," said engine builder Jon Kaase as he addressed a packed room of engine builders, designers, engineers, manufacturers, business owners and racers Tuesday during day one of the Advanced Engineering Technology Conference (AETC) at the 2017 PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis.

"We were born too late to invent cool things," Kaase continued. "Most of the stuff we work on was invented a long time ago, so we're working on and improving what's out there."

Kaase, who shared some of the projects his company, Jon Kaase Racing Engines, is currently working on, was part of a two-day speaker lineup that included three-time NASCAR Cup Champion Crew Chief Ray Evernham, Automotive Specialists' Keith Dorton, VP Racing Fuels Senior Technical Director Freddie Turza, EngSim Principal Engineer Dan Agnew, Comp Performance Group's Billy Godbold, and Wiseco's Dave Fussner, among others. The industry experts shared with attendees technological breakthroughs and state-of-the-art advances in motorsports technology.

"I didn't realize how much some of the parts are moving around internally," said attendee Scott Handler of Handler Enterprises. "I was able to visualize how much parts are bending. To see some of the slow-motion stuff that Billy [Godbold] showed and how much things are deflecting, I didn't realize it was moving that much."

Attendee Tim Willming of Motor State Distributing was just as impressed with Fussner's presentation, which touched on topics such as forged aluminum piston material, forging processes and associated technology, billet racing pistons, and effective surface engineering technologies to enhance the performance of racing pistons.

"The armo coating that he's using is interesting," said Willming. "We distribute to engine builders, so I attend AETC to learn about the cutting-edge ideas these guys are on. We'll take this information and put it into our system, and hopefully people around us will find a good use for it."

This year's AETC also offered attendees an opportunity to exchange cutting-edge ideas and information on the latest in performance engine technology, as well as a chance to spend one-on-one time with colleagues and expert presenters.

"I've attended every AETC since 2002, and I learn something every time, including during lunch," added Handler. "Technology changes so much in our field, so it's a good way to keep up with it. Some of the speakers have forgotten more than I'll ever know."

PRI Trade Show exhibitor NHRA (Booth #3415) will allow Pro Stock racers to run any currently approved engine combination in any currently approved body, regardless of the manufacturer, during the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

The decision, which was announced this week in a letter to Pro Stock teams, should provide fans with a wider variety of entries in the class, including more Dodge Darts and Ford Mustangs. Chevrolet Camaros have been the bodystyle of choice the last several years.

The other basic rules of the class remain. Body choice must be from a 2009 or later NHRA-accepted 2-door or 4-door coupe or sedan (domestic or foreign) production vehicle. Body, drivetrain, chassis, etc. may not be altered, modified, or relocated, except as outlined in Requirements & Specifications in the Rulebook. Minimum weight at conclusion of run: 2,350 pounds, including driver. Minimum weight on the rear axle at conclusion of run: 1,100 pounds, including driver.

The engine still must be an internal-combustion, reciprocating, naturally aspirated, single camshaft, 90-degree V-8 (i.e., cylinder bank must be at a 45-degree angle from the camshaft/crankshaft centerline, creating a combined 90-degree angle) automotive-type engine with a maximum 500 cid. Aftermarket blocks permitted if designed and cast with OEM approval, and currently accepted by NHRA.

Once an engine is used in a vehicle at an event, that engine cannot be used in another vehicle for the duration of the event. Engine shall consist short block and heads, and will be serialized or otherwise identified at each event.

NHRA also clarified a rule regarding the mandatory fuel-injection units, citing that no part of an injector may protrude above the runner flange into the plenum area.