Super DIRTcar Series officials have revealed a 32-race calendar for the touring big-block modified series.

The Super DIRTcar Series will make its annual pilgrimage to DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 13–17, to celebrate the Speedway’s 50th year of racing and unofficially kick off the season with five non-point events.

The quest for the Super DIRTcar Series championship will officially begin at Fulton Speedway on April 28, followed by a visit to New Jersey on Wednesday, May 16 for a date at Bridgeport Speedway. Additional highlights on the Super DIRTcar Series schedule include a second date for Brewerton (N.Y.) Speedway, now June 15 and Sept. 14, while Brett Hearn’s BIG Show 9 at Albany-Saratoga Speedway on June 26 is said to be a can’t-miss event.

One change to the series schedule that will benefit race fans will be when Mr. DIRT Track USA switches from a Thursday night to Saturday, Sept. 1 at Lebanon Valley Speedway. The 47th annual NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week big-block modified feature will take place on Oct. 7 at Oswego Speedway.

In addition to the release of the 2018 schedule, DIRTcar Racing also announced a change to the DIRTcar Hometrack program. Hometrack points will no longer be collected for the big-block modifieds starting in 2018.

Traditionally, in order to compete for the Super DIRTcar Series championship, drivers needed the bonus points they were able to collect from the DIRTcar Hometrack program. Without these points, teams outside of the Central New York hotbed, challenged by the lack of proximity to these weekly tracks, now have a chance to compete for the championship.

For more information, including the complete 2018 schedule, visit the Super DIRTcar Series website here.

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. officials have named Sonoma Raceway Director of Facilities, Lino Ramos, as the O. Bruton Smith Award recipient for this year.

In addition, Atlanta Motor Speedway President and General Manager, Ed Clark, was recognized as the Speedway Motorsports’ Promoter of the Year and Las Vegas Motor Speedway earned Speedway of the Year honors.

The awards were announced Wednesday during Speedway Motorsport’s Annual Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas. These awards are given out in an effort to recognize greatness across SMI’s motorsports facilities.

“Speedway Motorsports prides itself on being best-in-class in providing unforgettable entertainment experiences for visitors from around the world year in and year out,” said Marcus Smith, President and CEO of Speedway Motorsports. “We are blessed to have creative and passionate visionaries leading our company to set the industry standard and drive our company forward. It is a privilege to recognize Lino, Ed and the entire team at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for their hard work this year to once again answer that call to put fans first and be the very best.”

Two additional race weekends have been added to the 2018 Western Conference Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) U.S. Majors Tour schedule (shown below).

Now, a total of six weekends—12 races in all—make up the calendar, with the season still starting in January just outside Los Angeles.

Five of the schedule’s weekends are slated for California tracks. One highlight will be the Western Conference season-ending event in June at Sonoma Raceway, which is also the venue for the 55th SCCA National Championship Runoffs in October.

In related news, SCCA officials have announced that Rick Harris, a 15-year member of the SCCA and the 2008 F Production National Champion, will join the SCCA national staff beginning Dec. 1 as the Road Racing Technical Manager.

In his new role, Harris will be based in Topeka, Kansas and be responsible for managing member communications related to SCCA Road Racing rules and specifications. He will support and oversee member inquiries and the rule request processes, as well as work closely with and support the Club Racing Board. Harris will also be charged with developing and presenting training programs for scrutineers, and manage at-track compliance visits as required.

2018 SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Western Conference Schedule
Jan. 12-14: Auto Club Speedway – Fontana, Calif.
March 17-18: Willow Springs International Raceway – Rosamond, Calif.
April 7-8: Thunderhill Raceway Park – Willows, Calif.
April 27-29: Buttonwillow Raceway Park – Buttonwillow, Calif.
May 19-20: Portland International Raceway – Portland, Ore.
June 29-July 1: Sonoma Raceway – Sonoma, Calif.

Porsche is expanding its sustainable youth development program in international motorsports.

In 2018, four young racers will be sponsored on the international GT racing scene. Two Porsche Juniors will receive training to become a professional racing driver in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, which competes during the same event weekends as Formula One.

Norway’s Dennis Olsen and Australian Matt Campbell will be supported in the future as Porsche Young Professionals in international GT racing. The Porsche Young Professionals squad also includes Matteo Cairoli from Italy and Frenchman Mathieu Jaminet.

“All our young racing drivers have developed superbly in 2017. The one-make cups, in particular, have proven to be an outstanding springboard for the Porsche Juniors,” said Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars, Porsche.

For biographies on the four young racers, along with images, visit the Porsche website here.

The education program at the 30th Anniversary Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show, taking place December 7-9, 2017, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, features nearly 100 events and activities, including several free PRI-sponsored seminars by presenters who bring a unique perspective as proven business professionals with hands-on race industry experience.
 
Seven PRI-sponsored seminars take place before the Show floor opens, making it easy and convenient for all attendees and exhibitors at the three biggest business days in racing to participate.
 
PRI-sponsored seminars at the 2017 PRI Show:
  • International Motorsports Trade Seminar: Coker Group President and CEO Wade Kawasaki will join Brett Kinsfather (Motovicity Distribution), Kirk Miller (AEM Performance Electronics), Max Papis (Max Papis Innovations), Marc Wesler (VP Racing Fuels), and Linda Spencer (SEMA) to address international buyers seeking to do business with US manufacturers and exporters. Among the topics the expert panel will discuss are what US companies are looking for in an overseas buyer, what buyers bring to the table, and what US companies bring to the partnership.
  • Sponsorship Marketing On A Budget: Mike Brown, founder of the Brainzooming Group, will host a session focused on how motorsports businesses can get the best return on investment (ROI) from their sponsorship programs. Brown will discuss how to better link business and sponsorship strategies, identify their own set of innovative activation tools to make the most out of a sponsorship, and develop metrics to track sponsorship ROI.
  • Opportunities For Women In Motorsports: IndyCar driver Pippa Mann, Elaine Larsen of jet dragster team Larsen Motorsports, and 2015 IHRA Pro Mod Champion Dina Parise will converge for an hour-long program to discuss their careers, aspirations, challenges, triumphs, and continuing efforts to engage and raise awareness among young women interested in pursuing motorsports as a profession.
  • Business Essentials: Building A Successful Team: Paet Hidalgo, Chief Executive Officer of Applied Mettle Inc. and a former professional race car driver, discusses strategies and approaches to finding and hiring solid job candidates, proper training techniques, and incorporating new employees into the workplace.
  • Family-Owned Race Track Promoters Roundtable: This all-new session will feature Bill Bader Jr. (Summit Motorsports Park), Sporty Bandimere (Bandimere Raceway), Blake Bowser (Auto Club Famoso Raceway), and Scott New (Firebird Raceway) sharing firsthand accounts on marketing and media relations, financial obligations, working with sanctioning bodies, and other topics for owners and operators of independently owned racing venues.
  • Derek Daly Academy Driver Development Seminar: World-class racer, broadcaster, entrepreneur, speaker, and author Derek Daly reveals the skills required to become a complete champion, including positioning for success, fundraising for a racing program, turning relationships into sponsorships, and how to become indispensable to a race team.
  • Digital Marketing State of the Union—2018 And Beyond: Bestselling author and marketing expert Corey Perlman provides digital marketing tips, takeaways, and best practices for racing professionals to position their business for success in 2018. Perlman focuses on winning strategies in social media, how to create compelling online content, and effective website techniques.

In addition, numerous other conferences, seminars, and special events in and around the Indiana Convention Center will be held in the days leading up to and including the PRI Show, which have come to be known as Race Industry Week, beginning on Monday, December 4. For more information on all conferences and seminars, log on to https://pri2017.mapyourshow.com/sessions.
 
This year’s PRI Trade Show will feature over 1,100 companies exhibiting in more than 3,400 booths and showcasing the latest developments in auto racing technology. Tens of thousands of buyers from all 50 states and 70 countries will be on hand to conduct business, network, and discover innovative solutions to boost their bottom lines and racing programs for 2018 and beyond. To register, log on to www.pri2017.com/register.

Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, California, has announced the 2018 season schedule by track promoter Don Kazarian.

The 23rd consecutive year of racing at the now famous Riverside County speed plant opens January 13–14 with the annual Winter Heat Weekend, featuring IMCA Modifieds, Super Stocks, Street Stocks and American Factory Stocks.
 
The official PASSCAR season openers will be on February 10–11 and will also feature IMCA Modifieds, Super Stocks, Street Stocks and American Factory Stocks.

The regular season night opener will be on March 3 and will include World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars, USAC/CRA Sprint Cars and The PAS Senior & Young Gun Sprints, while the popular Night of Destruction has increased to seven races for 2018.

To view the complete schedule, along with classes run and ticketing information, visit here.

Aruba International Raceway Park has entered into a multi-year sanctioning agreement with the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).

In an exotic setting that’s just 23 miles from the capital city of Oranjestad, the racing facility in the Caribbean features a 1/4-mile drag strip and attracts over 30,000 spectators annually with an island population of fewer than 105,000 inhabitants, according to the IHRA.

The track’s marquee event, One Cool Summer, is an annual fundraising event which brings local and international racers together every August.

Every year, Top and Mod World Champions receive trips to the island country as part of the Summit SuperSeries prize package, and drivers from Aruba have taken part in the Summit World Finals.

“It’s a great racing facility in one of the most beautiful places in the world,” IHRA division director Frank Kohutek said. “The people of Aruba are passionate about drag racing as seen through the high number of participants and spectators involved in the sport. With the support of IHRA, track operator Frank Lobbrecht and his staff want to provide their racers with the best possible experience.”

Mark Webber will serve on the Australian Grand Prix Corporation board for the next three years, the Victorian government has confirmed to Motorsport.com.

The former Red Bull Racing driver has been named as one of two new additions to the AGPC board, alongside Saltwater Hotels general manager Kimberly Brown.

The appointment of Webber and Brown comes as Alan Oxley brings his 15-year stint on the board to an end.

“Alan has made a remarkable contribution, playing an integral role in the success we have achieved. We are sincerely grateful to Alan for his dedication and unwavering support,” Board Chairman John Harnden said.

Webber becomes the second retired racer to join the board, the other being five-time 500cc champion Mick Doohan.

INDYCAR has announced that longtime Vice President of Competition/Race Director Brian Barnhart is leaving his position to join the Harding Racing team as president as it works to become a full-time series entrant in 2018.

Barnhart has previously worked as a crew member on Galles Racing Team Penske and Patrick Racing from 1982-94 as a mechanic and tire changer on Al Unser Jr.’s two Indianapolis 500 victories in 1992 (with Galles) and 1994 (with Penske).

“I’ve been with INDYCAR for 23-plus years, obviously a huge part of my life, and makes the decision extremely difficult to make because of the opportunities that have been afforded to me by the Hulman-George family, INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They’re an incredibly loyal and supportive group of people in the family and I feel like a part of the family,” Barnhart said.

After a three-year stint as Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s track superintendent from 1994-97, he’s had various operations positions at INDYCAR. He was the race director for 14 years (1997-2011), a race steward in 2012 and ’13 and served as the company’s president of operations and strategy. He has been the vice president of competition since May 2013 and re-assumed the race director position in 2015 to oversee on-track operations on a race weekend.

Harding Racing enjoyed promising results last season with the 24-year-old Chaves, who finished ninth in the 101st Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil, fifth in the Rainguard Water Sealers 600 at Texas Motor Speedway and 15th in ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway.

Dimensional metrology equipment manufacturer and member of the worldwide Mahr Group, Mahr Inc. has announced two new positions have been filled within the company.

Brett Green has joined Mahr Inc. as Vice President Sales Americas, while Karen Gardner has joined the company as Director of Human Resources.

Green's responsibilities include overall management of the American sales region as well as general management of Mahr Inc.'s headquarters and manufacturing facility in Providence, RI. He will report to Manuel Hüsken, Vice President Sales for the Mahr Group in Germany.

Green comes to Mahr Inc. USA from the UK where he was General Manager - Director Sales & Marketing for Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence in 2016.

In her new role, Gardner will report to John Robinson, Chief Financial Officer, who said, "We are very pleased to welcome Karen. She has a diversified background in human resources and will be a great asset to our senior management team."

Gardner has over 26 years of human resource experience, most recently as the Human Resource Manager at Instron.