Lubrication Specialties Inc. (LSI), a manufacturer of lubricants, fuel and oil additives for the automotive aftermarket branded under Hot Shot’s Secret, has announced that two key management positions—Director of Marketing and Director of Sales—have been filled.

Robert “Bob” Miller recently was hired as Director of Sales to work with the distribution of Hot Shot’s Secret sales through the company’s network of manufacturer representatives. Miller will also work directly with the company’s numerous retail accounts to introduce new products, promotions and training.

Prior to accepting his position at LSI, Miller served as the national sales manager for WVNO/WRGM radio and WOHZ/WMFD TV in Mansfield, OH. A graduate of The Ohio State University, he has over 25 years of experience in developing accounts, presentations, marketing and training to successfully build brands and expand markets.

LSI’s new Director of Marketing, Kyle Fischer, has close to 20 years of experience in marketing, sales and management positions. A self-professed gearhead, he spends his free time drag racing and attending car club events.

Fischer has a B.S. in Marketing and Business Administration from Franklin University in Columbus, OH. Prior to joining LSI, Fischer served as the Regional Marketing Manager for Trident Marketing where he oversaw lead generation, trade shows and business development partnership programs while effectively growing his territory to be the top market for sales and revenue.

LSI offers a full line of oil and fuel additives for gas and diesel engines under the brand Hot Shot’s Secret with over 30 products sold online and at major retailers.

UK-based brakes and clutches specialist Alcon has announced the recent completion of the first stage of an investment program in US brake specialists Pro-System Inc.

Alcon will take a substantial stake in the well-known North Carolina-based brake system components manufacturer Pro-System Inc., which will pave the way to a considerable expansion of both Alcon’s and Pro-System’s business in the US.

“The Pro-System team has remarkable talents which we aim to nurture and build upon. Alcon has been enjoying significant strategic growth in recent years in the USA and the acceleration that this investment represents gives a real opportunity to us,” Alcon’s US President Phil Stubbs said. “Growth in the NASCAR market will doubtless come with Pro-System becoming the exclusive Alcon distributor adding to their portfolio of top-of-the-line products.”

Officials from NASCAR’s JTG Daugherty Racing have announced the purchase of the charter from the #77 Furniture Row Racing (FRR) team.

FRR initially announced in September that they would be closing the operations of the #77 Toyota team following the conclusion of the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season.

During their only season as a two-car full-time operation, FRR announced the team would be selling the #77 charter to an undisclosed team.

Erik Jones drove the #77 Toyota for Furniture Row Racing this past season in his rookie season alongside this 2016’s Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. in the #78 Toyota. Jones will drive the #20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing in the 2018 season.

A Chevrolet team, JTG Daugherty Racing has confirmed two drivers for the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season, although a driver for the #77 charter has not been named.

Chris Buescher is will return for the second full-time season as the driver of the #37 Chevrolet, and AJ Allmendinger is set to return to the team for the fifth full-time season as the driver of the #47 Chevrolet.

It’s been 30 years since Laguna Beach, California-based midget team owner and entrepreneur Steve Lewis launched a fledgling expo for buyers and sellers of hardcore motorsports goods in, of all places, Louisville, Kentucky. Some 169 exhibiting companies turned up for that first-ever PRI Trade Show—a modest precursor of what would become, in the decades to follow, the three biggest business days in racing. And make no mistake: We wouldn’t be here without you. We wouldn’t be here without the backing of top manufacturers like COMP Cams, Jones Racing Products, MAHLE Motorsports, and dozens of other exhibitors who believed the racing industry deserved its own dedicated showcase for new products and services under one roof… even if that roof changed zip codes a few times along the way. We wouldn’t be here without the support of retailers, engine builders, fabricators, distributors, and professional race teams who understood that a marketplace of new trick parts and equipment could help unlock the secrets to faster ETs and lap times, decreased drag, a better setup, or any of countless other solutions to elevate their customers or programs to new levels of efficiency and performance. And we wouldn’t be here without the spirit and vision that began with Lewis and took flight in the programs of PRI’s Race Industry Week—events like the Advanced Engineering Technology Conference, the International Council of Motorsport Sciences’ Annual Congress, the Race Track Business Conference, the Grand Opening Breakfast, and the Sunnen Engine Charity Sweepstakes, which to date has raised an estimable $374,925 for the kids of Victory Junction. There’s a mantra we like to repeat here at PRI come Trade Show season: Our goal is not to be the biggest, but rather the best. And while our footprint has expanded to near Yeti-like proportions when compared to those salad days of Louisville circa 1988, that’s only because this industry demands it. You’ll see exactly what we mean in the ingenious displays of longtime exhibitors and newcomers alike throughout the halls, corridors and rooms of the Indiana Convention Center beginning December 7. You’ll see it in the connections that are forged, and reinforced, during the many networking opportunities we offer in concert with our great host city of Indianapolis. You’ll see it in the energy and passion of fellow attendees who tell us year after year, “There’s nothing in the world like PRI.” We couldn’t agree more. But we also know it’s because of you, the innovative, dedicated and unflinching industry professionals, that we’re able to celebrate this milestone 30th Anniversary Trade Show. So to all, thank you, and welcome to PRI 2017!   

In a change said to improve parity in the sport, NASCAR Executive Vice President Steve O’Donnell announced that pit crew numbers in NASCAR’s three national series will be reduced from six to five in 2018.

Part of a “multi-layered change,” there will also be limits on NASCAR’s organizational and road crew team members.

The organizational category includes competition directors, team managers, technical directors and similar positions. Teams with one- or two-car operations will be allotted three roster spots for organizational personnel, while teams with three or four may have four.

The road crew category includes crew chief, car chief, mechanics, engine tuners, tire specialists and similar positions. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ limit is 12.

The team’s refueler will also no longer be allowed to perform duties other than fueling—such as helping with tires or chassis adjustments—during timed pit stops.

FIA Formula One officials have revealed a new logo for the top-tier international touring series.

The logo, which replaces the previous logo that was used by Formula One for the last 23 years, features red F-1 letters with a white background.  

The new logo made its debut during the podium ceremony for Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which was won by Valtteri Bottas, along with an accompanying Twitter announcement.

After a 14-year pause, the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is headed back to Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2018, according to a 2018 schedule released by the series. The 21st ARCA race at Charlotte is coming May 24, part of the Coca-Cola 600 race weekend.

“Charlotte Motor Speedway is all about entertaining the fans, so we’re thrilled to add ARCA racing to our lineup of unmatched motorsports entertainment during the 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder,” said Greg Walter, Charlotte Motor Speedway executive vice president. “The ARCA Racing Series has showcased some spectacularly successful drivers in the recent past like Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. We’re sure that another rising star will make a name for himself on our world-class stage during Pole Night next May.”

The ARCA-Charlotte union is one that reaches way back to 1964 when the late Curtis Turner turned in a dominating performance to win the inaugural Charlotte ARCA 200. Thirty-two years would pass before the ARCA Racing Series returned to Charlotte in 1996 when Tim Steele won the first of three straight on the 1.5-mile superspeedway. ARCA remained on Charlotte's annual schedule up through 2004.

To see a list of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ARCA Racing Series Champions, including top lap leaders, visit here.

2018 ARCA Racing Series Schedule
Feb. 10—Daytona Int’l Speedway—Daytona Beach, Fla.
April 7—Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville—Nashville, Tenn.
April 22—Salem Speedway—Salem, Ind.
April 27—Talladega Superspeedway—Talladega, Ala.
May 20—Toledo Speedway—Toledo, Ohio
May 24—Charlotte Motor Speedway—Concord, N.C.
June 1—Pocono Raceway—Long Pond, Pa.
June 8—Michigan Int’l Speedway—Brooklyn, Mich.
June 15—Madison Int’l Speedway—Madison, Wis.
June 22—Gateway Int’l Raceway—Madison, Ill.
June 28—Chicagoland Speedway—Joliet, Ill.
July 7—Iowa Speedway—Newton, Iowa
July 14—Elko Speedway—Elko, Minn.
July 21—Berlin Raceway—Marne, Mich.
July 27—Pocono Raceway—Long Pond, Pa.
Aug. 19—Illinois State Fairgrounds—Springfield, Ill.
Sept. 3—DuQuoin State Fairgrounds—DuQuoin, Ill.
Sept. 7—Lucas Oil Raceway—Clermont, Ind.
Sept. 15—Salem Speedway—Salem, Ind.
Oct. 19—Kansas Speedway—Kansas City, Kan.

Legendary French racing driver Alain Prost and the architect of the Paris climate agreement Christiana Figueres will join forces to chair the newly-formed Global Advisory Board, helping to steer the future direction of the FIA Formula E as a key player in influencing the global uptake of electric vehicles and its impact on reducing emissions.
 
The Global Advisory Board has been established to bring a list of the leading names together in various sectors worldwide to provide input and expert advice on topics such as sustainability, media and business.
 
In addition to Figueres and Prost spearheading the group, they will also be joined by Founder & CEO of Formula E Alejandro Agag, Chairman & CEO of SINA Charles Chao, CMO of Jaguar Land Rover and Chairman of Jaguar Racing Gerd Mauser, CEO of Land Rover BAR America's Cup team and ex-McLaren Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh, Head of Global Sponsoring and Deputy Head of Marketing at Julius Baer Marco Parroni, and reigning Formula E champion and Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler driver Lucas di Grassi.
 
“In order to meet the objectives set out by the Paris agreement and prevent global temperatures spiraling out of control, we must have a need for speed and react quickly. If we don’t see the emission levels starting to plateau by the year 2020, it’s unlikely we’ll collectively hit the agreed targets,” Figueres said. “This unique forum at Formula E will allow us to bring great minds together with the same common goal, speeding-up the transition and use of electric vehicles in everyday life.”
 
“I’m proud to be a part of this expanding movement with Formula E and working together with Christiana on the Global Advisory Board…I look forward to working closely with the other members and maintaining Formula E’s prime position as part of the electric revolution,” Prost said.

Performance parts distributor Turn 14 Distribution has announced the addition of the renowned brand Edelbrock to its ever-growing line card.

“We are pleased to partner with such a well-established brand that is synonymous with performance and quality in the marketplace,” said Kyle Shelley, Turn 14 Distribution's Director of Sales.

Edelbrock is a state-of-the-art manufacturing corporation, with six different locations in California covering over 500,000 square feet of space, with a solid foundation rooted in the past and a vision for the future.

In addition to their wide range of manufacturing, the company has invested in research and development, testing, advertising, and technical support. From fuel pumps, head gaskets, throttle bodies, manifolds, timing covers, carburetors, and other various transmission and engine components for performance cars, Edelbrock manufactures it all in their facilities here in the U.S.

"Build it right, or don't build it at all" has been a mission for Edelbrock since conception. That same pursuit of perfection is what has helped them become recognized as one of the industry's top manufacturers for high-quality automotive performance parts, according to Turn 14.

Road America’s Board of Directors has appointed Dan Ariens, chairman and CEO of Ariens Company to join the board effective immediately.

Ariens will replace current director, Charles B. Hill III, who has chosen to retire in accordance with company bylaws.

“A priority of ours has been to add exceptionally talented leaders to Road America’s board to bolster the continued growth of this facility and our company. We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Dan to the board,” said Jonathan Laun, Chairman of the Board for Road America.

Ariens plays a leadership role in the Wisconsin business community, serving on several Boards of Directors for non-profit economic development groups in the state, including Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (Past Chair); the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Council on Workforce Investment; and the UW System Business Council.

He currently holds the position of Corporate Secretary as a member of the Executive Committee of the Green Bay Packers’ Board of Directors. He is also on the Board of Directors for Research Products Corporation; Sartori Company; and the Shrine of Our Mother of Good Help.