Tickets to the 2018 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony are now on sale to the public. Red Byron, Ray Evernham, Ron Hornaday Jr., Ken Squier and Robert Yates will be honored during this year's ceremony set for Friday, Jan. 19, 2018.

Induction ticket prices range from $45 for general seats to $350 for the Exclusive Driver Dinner Package (plus tax and applicable service fees).

Prior to the ceremony, a special Induction Dinner at the Charlotte Convention Center, which is connected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, will include a jacket presentation for the living inductees and an award presentation honoring Norma "Dusty" Brandel, the recipient of the seventh Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. Returning this year, fans also have the exclusive opportunity to purchase a seat for the dinner that puts them at a table with a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver (a limited quantity is available).

After dinner, the Induction Ceremony will take place in the Crown Ballroom at the Charlotte Convention Center and will honor the five Class of 2018 inductees as well as Jim France, the fourth recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

A special NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day will take place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018. More details on driver appearances, activities and programming for this day will be announced at a later date.

For short biographies on the Class of 2018 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductees, visit here. For ticketing information for the 2018 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, visit here.

VP Racing Fuels and HyperCar announced an official partnership in the pursuit of developing vehicles that achieve the highest level of performance.

“With the amount of horsepower HyperCar is developing with their project cars, we are working closely with their team to test different blends of fuel to achieve optimum horsepower output. We are excited to help fuel them to push the boundaries of speed and take their cars to the next echelon of speed and control,” said Bruce Hendel, vice president of VP sales, North America.

“What better fuel partner to team up with than the world leader in racing fuel technology to get the most out of your McLaren? Stay tuned as we collaborate to develop unique formulas that guarantee the fastest 1/4-mile and lap times for your HyperCar performance system,” said Thad Norman, HyperCar Development.

Sonoma Raceway will open its 50 Acres campground to evacuees seeking temporary refuge from the Northern California fires.
 
The raceway, which is equipped to handle up to 2000 campers during its major event weekends, opened its largest campground to evacuees in RVs on Tuesday afternoon. The 50 Acres campground is located directly across from the raceway on Highway 121 and has not been affected by the fires.
 
Those in need of RV camping at Sonoma Raceway should enter the campground at Gate 6 on Highway 121, a quarter-mile north of Hwy 37. The raceway will team up with United Site Services to offer basic RV services, including water/sewage service, to campers during their stay. The campground is dry with no hookups.  
 
For on-site assistance or directions, visit the Sonoma Raceway main office or front gate at 29355 Arnold Dr. in Sonoma. For more information, contact Sonoma Raceway at 800/870-7223 or email sonomaraceway@sonomaraceway.com.

WELD Racing has acquired Forgestar Performance Wheels in a move designed to strategically position both brands for a stronger future in the custom, tuner and boutique aftermarket wheel industry.

This addition to the WELD Racing portfolio is expected to enhance Forgestar’s place as a leader in producing custom flow formed wheels, according to company officials.

“We are pleased to add Forgestar Performance Wheels to the WELD Racing family,” said Norm Young, President and CEO of WELD Racing. “Both WELD and Forgestar have a great reputation among enthusiasts and racers on the street and on the track. The two brands will complement each other in numerous ways such as design, engineering and manufacturing.”

Forgestar Performance Wheels will retain its Anaheim, California, location and continue with their custom flow forming technology that bridges the gap between forged and cast wheels. Forgestar Performance Wheels provide customers with a range of styles, custom offsets and widths.

“With their increased engineering and production resources, WELD Racing is the ideal partner to continue Forgestar’s growth,” said Vincent Wong, Vice President of Lifestyle Business Unit. “With the added support, we will be able to push the boundaries of wheel manufacturing and continue to reinvent this exciting product segment.”

Management from Devil’s Bowl Speedway and the Catamount Mini Sprint club have jointly announced the winged 500cc Mini Sprint division will serve as an official “home track” division in 2018.

Mini Sprint racing previously returned to Devil’s Bowl in 2017, running under the Catamount banner. Going forward, the Catamount banner will no longer race at Devil's Bowl.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway officials will manage the Mini Sprint class as one of its own divisions in 2018. Minimal changes, if any, are expected for the technical rulebook. The division will continue to use the same chassis, wings, tires, 500cc engines, and other components that were used in 2017.

“We’re proud to have the 500cc Mini Sprints as one of our own divisions in 2018,” Devil’s Bowl Speedway promoter Mike Bruno said. “The Catamount club served an important purpose in getting Mini Sprint racing back at Devil’s Bowl, and my thanks go out to the officials and volunteers who made it a success. We’re looking forward to the future and we welcome all competitors from near and far to come join us on the new dirt track in 2018.”

The Devil’s Bowl Speedway will host an informational meeting for the 2018 racing season for all divisions on Saturday, October 14 at American Legion Post 49 in Fair Haven, Vt., at 1 p.m.

The Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of US Route 4, Exit 2. For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call 802/265-3112.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame during November's AAA Texas 500 NASCAR tripleheader playoff weekend.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will become the 19th member inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame when he is honored during a special ceremony held in The Grand Ballroom of The Speedway Club on Saturday, Nov. 4, beginning at 11:30 a.m. CT.

Earnhardt Jr. took an immediate liking to Texas Motor Speedway, earning his first career XFINITY Series win on April 4, 1998, at the 1.5-mile speedway. He earned the victory with a thrilling last-lap pass of Joe Nemechek and then held off Elliott Sadler to capture the Coca-Cola 300.

Nearly two years later to the day Earnhardt Jr. would strike again, winning his first Cup Series race on April 2, 2000, in the DIRECTV 500. Jr. led 106 of 334 laps to become the first Cup rookie driver to win at Texas Motor Speedway. The celebration that ensued in Victory Lane on that day with him and his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., provided moments that are embedded in NASCAR history.

Other honorees during the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame event include Vice Chairman of NASCAR Mike Helton, Texas Motor Speedway's winningest NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and Verizon IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe

The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame event, traditionally held during Texas Motor Speedway's April NASCAR weekend, will now become part of November's NASCAR playoff tripleheader weekend. The race weekend features the Camping World Truck Series JAG Metals 350 Driving Hurricane Harvey Relief on Friday, Nov. 3; XFINITY Series O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 on Saturday, Nov. 4; and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 on Sunday, Nov. 5.

Kalitta Motorsports Funny Car pilot Alexis DeJoria will retire from NHRA competition following the conclusion of the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

“It’s one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make and I will miss everyone so much. My reasoning behind this decision is simple, it’s time for me to switch my focus towards my family,” said DeJoria, driver of the Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry.  

DeJoria began her NHRA career in 2005, working her way up the ranks in the Super Gas, Super Comp and Top Alcohol Funny Car categories before making her professional debut at the Texas NHRA FallNationals in September 2011.

In her six-year Funny Car career, DeJoria has earned five event wins (including the prestigious U.S. Nationals), four No. 1 qualifiers, and eight final-round appearances. Among her many achievements, DeJoria was the first female Funny Car pilot to break the four-second barrier, and the first woman to compete in 100 Funny Car events.

Prior to competing in the professional Funny Car category, DeJoria found success throughout each level of her Sportsman career, including winning the SPORTSnationals in Super Comp within the first eight months of her NHRA debut. In the Top Alcohol Funny Car category, DeJoria won both a divisional and national event, becoming the second woman in history to earn a national TAFC event title.

DeJoria plans to fight hard and collect as many round wins and Wallys as possible in the remaining three NHRA races before hanging up her helmet following the 2017 Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona.

“We still have three races left,” said DeJoria, the only driver to have claimed a win in each of the Funny Car, Top Alcohol Funny Car and Super Comp categories. “By no means is it over yet. We still have a fighting and winning attitude. I’ve got a great car and an excellent team.

“I want to thank our incredible fans and everyone who has supported our team along the way.  A huge thank you to The Patrón Spirits Company, Toyota and all of our sponsors who have had our backs these years.”

DeJoria and the Kalitta Motorsports Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car team compete next at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, Oct. 13-15.

A dozen drivers from across the United States and Mexico will converge on northeast Florida to vie for an opportunity to follow in the tracks of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers Daniel Suarez and Kyle Larson.

The 2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine presented by Honda Generators will be held at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona and New Smyrna Speedway on Oct. 16–18, and will serve as a key element in the selection process for setting the driver lineup for Rev Racing in 2018. Both the combine and the team will feature an enhanced focus on seat time to increase competition at the combine and on the track next season.

The drivers invited to the combine will be competing for four seats with Rev Racing.

Among the drivers invited are Brittany Zamora, from Kennewick, Washington, and Ryan Vargas from LaMirada, California. Zamora, 18, became the first female to win the championship in the Northwest Super Late Model Series this season, while Vargas, 16, is the youngest race winner at California’s Irwindale Speedway and finished 16th in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national standings.

Other invitees include Macy Causey, Madeline Crane, Ernie Frances Jr., McKenna Haase, Nicholas Sanchez, Fabian Welter and Armani Williams.

The drivers will take part in media and physical assessments on Monday at Bethune-Cookman. They will undergo driving evaluations at New Smyrna on Tuesday in a Late Model Stock Car and Wednesday in a NASCAR K&N Pro Series car.

In addition to being sponsored by Honda Generators, the Combine received sponsorship support from partners Bethune-Cookman, Perry’s Ocean Edge Resort in Daytona Beach, M2 Promotions and Sunoco.

From the 12 combine participants, four will be selected for the 2018 season. Three of those drivers will race full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, while also running full-time in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in a Late Model – totaling more than 30 races next season. In addition, the fourth driver will compete full-time in the Late Model program and serve as an alternate for the K&N Pro Series program.

2017 NASCAR Drive For Diversity Combine Drivers:
DRIVER & HOMETOWN
Chase Cabre; Tampa, Fla.
Collin Cabre; Tampa, Fla.
Macy Causey; Seaford, Va.
Madeline Crane; Meansville, Ga.
Ernie Francis Jr.; Dania, Fla.
Ruben Garcia; Mexico City, Mexico
McKenna Haase; Carlisle, Iowa
Nicholas Sanchez; Homestead, Fla.
Ryan Vargas; La Mirada, Calif.
Fabian Welter; Mexico City, Mexico
Armani Williams; Grosse Pointe, Mich.
Brittany Zamora; Kennewick, Wash.

This year’s NHRA Breakfast at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas will be featuring “Untold Stories of the NHRA,” and some of the most prominent names in drag racing.

The can’t-miss event will feature drag racing pioneers Shirley Muldowney and Don “the Snake” Prudhomme as well as current NHRA drivers John Force and Antron Brown. Joining this all-star line-up will be NHRA’s senior vice president, racing operations, Graham Light. Broadcasting legend Bob Frey will serve as the panel moderator, asking probing questions to provide attendees with a revealing glimpse into some of the "best-kept" stories in drag racing.

The NHRA Breakfast at the SEMA Show will be held Wednesday, November 1 from 7:30—9 a.m. at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino Paradise Events Center. NHRA Legends will be available to sign autographs after the breakfast at the NHRA Booth (#10000) from 10–11 a.m.

The annual NHRA Breakfast is part of the 2017 SEMA Show, the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world which draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, 2017.

The NHRA Breakfast is open to all registered SEMA Show attendees at no cost—however, reserved tickets are required. To order your NHRA Breakfast tickets or register for the SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com/register.

About The Panel

Shirley Muldowney – A three-time NHRA world champion and winner of 18 NHRA national events, Muldowney was the first woman to receive a Top Fuel Dragster license from the NHRA. Her willingness to buck the system changed the sport of drag racing and paved the way for many other women drivers.

Don “the Snake” Prudhomme – Prudhomme had 49 national event victories – 35 in Funny Car and 14 in Top Fuel – as well as four consecutive Funny Car world championships. As a team owner, he garnered 63 victories and two Top Fuel world championships with Larry Dixon as his driver in 2002 and 2003.

John Force – A 16-time Funny Car world champion, Force has 148 career victories and counting, making him the winningest driver in NHRA history.

Antron Brown – Although Brown began his professional racing career in Pro Stock Motorcycle, he is currently a 3-time Top Fuel world champion and has more than 60 career victories under his belt. Additionally, he is the co-host of Top Gear America, a popular TV series focused on cars and motorsports.

Graham Light – As NHRA’s Senior Vice President of Racing Operations, Light oversees competition and operations for all aspects of NHRA drag racing. He is a former Top Fuel racer and track operator as well. Light currently serves on the NHRA Board of Directors and as president of the FIA Drag Racing Commission.

Performance Automatic Inc. of Frederick, Maryland recently announced the appointment of Matt Jewell as an associate of Product Sales and Marketing.

Jewell is a 25-year-veteran of the performance industry and holds an extensive speed shop experience. He also helped organize a racing series in Maryland.

“I appreciate the opportunity given to me by Performance Automatic Inc. and look forward to expanding relationships within the performance industry,” Jewell said. To contact Matt Jewell, email mjewell@performanceautomatic.com.

Performance Automatic Inc. offers street level and high performance transmissions for the racing industry.