The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) sportsman program will be moving to an all-bracket racing format for the first time in the organization's history in 2018. The IHRA will produce both the Summit SuperSeries and the new Summit Sportsman Spectacular programs next season.

The major change in the IHRA lineup will be the switch from the class racing-based Summit Sportsman National Championship series to the newly-created Summit Sportsman Spectacular. The new bracket racing-based program consists of 20 races over ten weekends. Summit Racing Equipment will support the program through a new multi-year sponsorship.

The change to an all-bracket racing program is a result of input from racers, partners and tracks and comes after a five-year effort to improve participation levels in IHRA class racing. The previous touring series saw multiple format changes all aimed at keeping the series viable for the racers, host tracks and sponsors. While there continues to be a core group of dedicated class racers who supported certain events, there simply hasn't been enough entries to make a series work.

The new Summit Sportsman Spectacular bracket events will be targeted to Top, Mod and Junior racers looking for a value-oriented and fun double-race weekend. The series will work in conjunction with the Summit SuperSeries to provide tens of thousands of grassroots bracket racers new opportunities and events that are designed to provide maximum value for the participants.

Full details of the Summit Sportsman Spectacular will be released as soon as the event dates are confirmed, according to the IHRA.

Image courtesy of HHP/Harold Hinson.

Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) officials presented veteran crew chief Tony Eury Sr. with the speedway’s Smokey Yunick Award on Sunday morning.

Eury—who spent several years as the crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr.—guided Earnhardt to two NASCAR XFINITY Series championships and 15 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories during his career.

As a crew chief Eury won 25 NASCAR XFINITY Series races with drivers like Earnhardt Jr. and his father, Dale Earnhardt. A native of Kannapolis, N.C., Eury was Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief when he became the first rookie to win the Monster Energy All-Star Race in 2000.

“Coming from a mill town, I never really realized what I was getting myself into when I started,” Eury said. “The list of names to have won this is pretty incredible. Being in a class with Leonard Wood, Junior Johnson, Ray Evernham and those guys is an honor. It’s a real honor.”

Presented since 1997 to honor famed mechanic Henry ‘Smokey’ Yunick, the award recognizes an individual who rose from humble beginnings to make a major impact on the motorsports industry.

Steve McDonald, a valued member of the SEMA executive team, passed away unexpectedly on September 26. He was 56. As Vice President of Government Affairs for SEMA, McDonald was the chief association advocate on legislative and regulatory issues that impact the $41.2 billion specialty automotive industry. Over the past 20 years, he played a primary role in promoting and expanding SEMA’s government affairs missions at both state and federal levels.

McDonald helped create the SEMA Action Network (SAN), with outreach to auto enthusiasts nationwide, along with the State Automotive Enthusiasts Leadership Caucus, a nonpartisan group of more than 700 lawmakers who share a common love for automobiles. He also drafted model state legislation covering issues like vehicle titling/registration, exhaust noise, inoperable vehicles, altered height and nitrous oxide. Most recently, he played a key role in the passage of the federal replica car law and industry efforts to enact the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act.
 
Among his co-workers and throughout the industry he was known as a loyal friend with a wry sense of humor and a fierce dedication to his work.

Prior to joining SEMA, McDonald was a government affairs consultant for the Redding Firm, where he helped serve advocacy needs for a divergent client list. A former U.S. Department of State staffer, he served as a legislative assistant for a prominent Washington D.C.-based law firm, where he helped represent trade associations and business groups. He attended the Ecole Internationale de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland and earned his degree in Government and Politics at the University of Maryland College Park.

The son of Vincent C. McDonald and the late Ann Noel McDonald, Steve McDonald is survived by his brother Vincent T. McDonald (Natalie), Kerry M. D'Ascoli (Gerry), John K. McDonald (Kristin); and Kelsey, Norah, Gerry, Noelle, Jack and Annie. He will also be remembered by his fiancée, Manya Petropaki, and devoted friend Marley.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Living Beyond Breast Cancer (www.LBBC.org), 40 Monument Rd., Suite 104, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004.

The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and Summit Racing Equipment have entered into a multi-year agreement to extend one of the longest running and most successful partnerships in motorsports history, according to the IHRA.

Summit will continue as series sponsor of the Summit SuperSeries, which will enter its 17th season in 2018. The Summit SuperSeries is held at nearly 100 IHRA-sanctioned tracks throughout North America with more than 8000 racers competing in the program annually.
 
This season, IHRA Sportsman racers earned points at their local tracks for an opportunity to compete in the $200,000 IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals, Oct. 20-21 at Memphis International Raceway. There, track champions from participating IHRA tracks will race in Top ET, Mod ET and Junior Dragster divisions against the best Sportsman drivers from North America.
 
"The Sportsman racer, at every level, has been and will continue to be one of the most important components of the Summit Racing Equipment family," Summit Motorsports and Events Manager Jim Greenleaf said. "We are proud to support the men, women and kids who gather at their local IHRA tracks to participate in the Summit SuperSeries. It is a great feeling for us to see champions from all over North America show up at Memphis for the Summit World Finals to race head-to-head for an IHRA World Championship.”

"The partnership between the IHRA and Summit Racing Equipment goes back two decades," IHRA Vice President Skooter Peaco added. "They are a part of the IHRA family and we're thrilled for their continued support of our Sportsman racing programs. Our Sportsman racers are the backbone of our company and Summit continues to help us grow that program."

Red Bull Global Rallycross and Total Specialties USA, Inc. have announced a multi-year agreement that will see Total become the Official Lubricant Partner of Red Bull GRC.

Through its TOTAL Quartz brand, Total will leverage Red Bull GRC’s nationwide live events, broadcasts and digital and social content platforms to grow its footprint in North America.

“Across the globe, the TOTAL Quartz brand is known for excellence in its oil and lubricants, and excellence in motorsport,” said Red Bull GRC CEO Colin Dyne. “We are beyond excited to reveal a multi-year partnership with Total as the Official Lubricant Partner of Red Bull Global Rallycross, and we look forward to writing the next chapter in its incredible racing heritage.”

Total has a long and storied motorsports history, according to Red Bull Rallycross, including partnerships in Formula 1, 24 Hours of Le Mans, World Rally Championship, and Dakar Rally, among others. Drivers from Sebastien Loeb to Sebastian Vettel have also campaigned the brand’s red-and-white colors to countless race wins and world championships.

“This is a significant time for Total as we embark on our sponsorship as the Official Lubricant Partner of Red Bull Global Rallycross. We are very pleased to partner with such a strong and influential brand as Red Bull GRC, and we look forward to growing the relationship in years to come,” commented Christophe Doussoux, Senior Vice President, Lubricants for Total Specialties USA, Inc.

Performance Racing Industry (PRI) offers an invaluable opportunity for international buyers interested in doing business in the US, as well as those who want to improve their current relationships with US-based motorsports parts and equipment suppliers.

The second annual International Motorsports Trade Seminar (IMTS) at the PRI Trade Show offers invaluable information and insights on what it takes to develop great overseas partnerships. This highly acclaimed seminar will showcase an expert panel of international exporters—including Max Papis of Max Papis Innovations (MPI), Wade Kawasaki of The Coker Group,  Brett Kinsfather of Motovicity Distribution, Kirk Miller of AEM Performance Electronics, Marc Wesler of VP Racing Fuels, and Linda Spencer of SEMA—speaking on a range of topics covering the import-export of motorsports products.   

Subjects will include—but are not limited to—what exactly US companies look for in international buyers, what buyers bring to the table, and what benefits US companies bring to the partnership.

“This session was created specifically for international buyers seeking to do business with US-based race parts and equipment manufacturers,” said PRI Editor Dan Schechner, who also manages the Show’s educational programming. “We’ve got experts in the field whose knowledge and insights will help equip motorsports professionals from around the world with the tools they need to establish successful business relationships with suppliers here in America.”  

The program is designed to enlighten and engage audience members on all sides of the international commerce spectrum. Indeed, PRI annually draws buyers from more than 70 countries in search of US-manufactured goods, from engine parts to shop machinery, suspension components, steering systems and much more.

The IMTS is scheduled from 8 to 9 a.m. on Friday, December 8, in Room 239 of the Indiana Convention Center. There is no cost to attend for registered PRI Show guests, but seating is limited, so early arrival is encouraged.  

For more information or to register for the PRI Trade Show, which takes place December 7–9, 2017, in Indianapolis, visit www.pri2017.com or call 949/499-5413.

The NBC Sports Group has announced it will stop broadcasting Formula 1 races on American television after the end of the 2017 season, with ESPN taking over.

NBC, which has held the exclusive rights to the sport's broadcasts in the United States since 2013, revealed on Wednesday that it had chosen not to enter a new agreement with new F1 owners Liberty Media.

The announcement comes amid plans from Liberty Media to push for OTT (Over The Top) streaming in the near future, offering fans a direct-to-consumer service akin to Netflix or Amazon Video.

"Although we take great pride in having grown Formula 1's visibility and viewership since we became its exclusive US media rights holder in 2013, this will be our last season with the series," said the NBC Sports Group in a statement.

"In this case, we chose not to enter into a new agreement in which the rights holder itself competes with us and our distribution partners. We wish the new owners of F1 well."

From 2018, ESPN will broadcast all races live in the United States after signing a new multi-year partnership.

All 21 races will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC.

The cable and satellite sports channel said it will broadcast all practice and qualifying sessions for over 125 hours of F1 programming during the year.

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) has announced that the Pro Stock car category, which will compete at all 24 2018 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events, will feature eight-car fields at nine selected events and 16-car fields at the other 15 events.

The change in field size is intended to elevate competition and spark renewed interest in the Pro Stock car category, bringing more exciting qualifying to events with historically fewer entries in the category. The eight-car fields will be at the following events: Houston, Topeka, Epping, Englishtown, Bristol, Denver, Sonoma, Seattle, and Brainerd.

NHRA has been working closely with Pro Stock teams for several years on initiatives to improve fan engagement and interest. Changes have included switching to fuel injection; facing cars forward in the pits so fans can see the teams work on their engines; holding burnout contests and more.

“We hope this change in field size at selected events will help increase excitement and fan interest,” said NHRA president Peter Clifford.

NHRA will continue to work with Pro Stock teams and manufacturers this year, carefully evaluating key metrics and supporting targeted initiatives by the teams to generate interest.

The National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA) announced its official schedule for its 20th-anniversary series tour in 2018. The largest all-Ford motorsport series features a line-up of drag racing classes, car shows and special events.

The 2018 NMRA Ford Nationals series includes six events starting with the 24th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA Spring Break Shootout, presented by Steeda Autosports, held at Bradenton Motorsports Park, March 1-4, 2018. The season will conclude with the 20th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World Finals at Beech Bend Raceway, September 27-30, 2018.

“We’re thrilled with our 2018 season schedule,” said Rollie Miller, NMRA General Manager. “It will be an exciting season that also includes events at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia, Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania, National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio, and our annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing that rewards the winning team with prestigious Nitto Tire Diamond Tree rings at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois”.

Top-10 and championship awards will be presented in Street Outlaw, Renegade, Coyote Modified, Limited Street, Coyote Stock, Factory Stock, Open Comp, Modular Muscle, Truck & Lightning, Super Stang, and Ford Muscle. Additionally, True Street will be a featured category at every event with its world-famous 30-mile cruise and three consecutive runs down the drag strip.

Since 1999, NMRA events have offered competitive grassroots all-Ford drag racing combined with large sized all-Ford car shows, manufacturers’ midways, burnout contests, and street racing categories, specialty classes, VIP appearances and more.

NMRA 2018 20th Anniversary Season Schedule
March 1-4, 2018
24th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA Spring Break Shootout Presented by Steeda Autosports • Bradenton Motorsports Park, Bradenton, FL
 
April 5-8, 2018
10th Annual NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals • Atlanta Dragway, Commerce GA

May 3-6, 2018
18th Annual NMRA Ford Motorsport Nationals • Maple Grove Raceway, Reading PA
 
June 7-10, 2018
15th Annual NMRA Ford Supernationals • National Trail Raceway, Hebron OH
 
July 26-29, 2018
13th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing • Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL
 
September 27-30, 2018
20th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World Finals • Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, KY

Trick-Tools announced a recent acquisition of ProLine Metal Shaping Tools, a manufacturer of versatile workstations for hand shaping and forming metal.

After the passing of ProLine owner and renowned metal shaper Clay Cook, Trick-Tools will continue the manufacturing and distribution of the ProLine Planishing Hammers, MiniMax Power Hammer, along with other Pullmax and CP style tooling.

"Trick-Tools is honored to keep Clay's tradition of quality alive. Clay built this equipment with the utmost quality and detail, using precision components and keeping all production in the United States. These top of the line machines fit perfectly with our MetalAce products and our large selection of metal shaping equipment," President of Trick-Tools Bruce Van Sant said.

Trick-Tools is owned by Van Sant Enterprises Inc. in Pella, Iowa.