Richmond International Raceway (RIR) will work longtime wrestling promoter and WWE advocate Paul Heyman for its fall NASCAR race, set to take place on September 9.

Mike Waddell, RIR’s vice president of marketing and communications, is promising something “bold and fresh,” both from his in-house promotional team and Heyman’s Looking 4 Larry promotional organization.

Heyman was on hand for the spring race, meeting with fans and filming videos that will be a part of the group’s promotional strategy leading into the Sept. 9 Federated Auto Parts 400.

Waddell emphasized that Heyman isn’t just bringing wrestling out to the track.

“People want to feel like this is the place to be,” said Waddell. “That’s our challenge: We have to make Richmond International Raceway the place to be on Sept. 9. If you don’t come at it with a fresh angle, nobody’s ever going to notice you. If you don’t make waves, you’re going to drown. So we got out the wave machine, and we’re going to get after it.”

Heyman, who spoke at the track about his desire to make the fall race the “premier event on the East Coast” that weekend, said his team will use online tools that allow him to target the demographics his group believes are the most interested in attending.

NASCAR will crown a regular-season champion for the first time after the race, and Waddell emphasized that NASCAR is the only professional sport that can be seen in Virginia.

Waddell said fans can expect Heyman’s “one-of-a-kind” energy to be pervasive on race weekend.

“People see him as the outrageous, the bombastic character he is in WWE,” said Waddell. “But I’ll tell you this: He might be one of the smartest and truly strategic businessmen that I’ve been around in a long time, including my 27 years in college athletics.”

Custom Automotive Network's (CAN) Board of Directors recently appointed Scott Wahlstrom of Motor State Distributing to the vacant director seat. He will serve through 2017.

"Scott brings automotive aftermarket expertise to our network and the CAN Board of Directors,” said JR Moore, chairman of CAN. “Motor State Distributing is one of the many premier warehouse distributors in the Custom Automotive Network.”

Wahlstrom began his career on May 7, 1990, at Lane Automotive/Motor State Distributing as part of the company’s newly created advertising catalog department. He was promoted to marketing manager in 2001 and is now responsible for maintaining the company’s presence in the motorsports markets. He also forecasts and develops new markets where the company is looking to expand sales and branding opportunities.

“I feel so fortunate to have been mentored by some of the best people in our industry. Bright, determined, and passionate people, those were the examples I had a chance to learn from and I hope to be that for our next generation,” Wahlstrom said.

CAN was formerly known as the Performance Warehouse Association (PWA). For more information, visit www.customautomotivenetwork.com or call 760-346-5647.

The inaugural St. Louis Speed Festival was recently announced by Gateway Motorsports Park (GMP) owner Curtis Francois and Verizon IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe.

The week-long Speed Festival, which will start on August 19, will kick off the inaugural IndyCar Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Valvoline on August 26 at the 1.25-mile oval in Madison, Illinois.

The announcement was made during a St. Louis Sports Commission meeting at the Missouri Athletic Club and was met with resounding support from the commission’s executive members, according to GMP.

“The people of the St. Louis region do an incredible job of hosting first-class national events,” said Francois, who purchased GMP in 2012. “With the Speed Festival, we want to capture the magic of the playoff atmosphere we see with the Blues and Cardinals and events such as the Winter Classic and NCAA games that take place here each season.”

Francois’ vision, since acquiring the racing facility, was to bring the biggest motorsports events to the region and engage the entire community in the thrill and excitement of racing. The St. Louis Speed Festival is an essential component of Francois’ long-term plans.

The Speed Festival, modeled after the Indy 500 Festival held prior to the Indianapolis 500 each year, is comprised of seven separate and unique events leading up to the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Valvoline. Events are detailed below.

GMP officials enlisted the help of former Anheuser-Busch sports marketing director Larry Albus to assemble a steering committee of community leaders from both Illinois and Missouri. The group is comprised of members of the St. Louis Sports Commission, area colleges, downtown St. Louis civic leaders and local media.

Tickets for the inaugural Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Valvoline may be purchased online at www.gatewaymsp.com/indycar/ or by calling the GMP ticket office at 618/215-8888.

2017 ST. LOUIS SPEED FESTIVAL EVENTS (more to be announced at later date)
Saturday, August 19 — The Speed Festival begins at Gateway Motorsports Park with the GO! St. Louis Run at the Raceway. Events include a 5k run/walk, one-mile fun run and beer relay. The Run is expected to attract several thousand runners.
Sunday, August 20 — Cycle the Raceway with Big Shark Bicycle and Cars & Coffee St. Louis. GMP will host several hundred cyclists for the Big Shark race as well as a special edition of Cars & Coffee St. Louis that regularly attracts more than 700 cars and thousands of spectators.
Monday, August 21 — Karting for Kids. The Gateway Kartplex will host a corporate karting challenge in which area businesses participate in a team competition as a charity fundraiser.
Tuesday, August 22 — The St. Louis Cardinals are hosting an INDYCAR Theme Night presented by Gateway Motorsports at Busch Stadium on August 22. Includes fan giveaways, driver appearances and on-field racing activity between innings.
Wednesday, August 23 — The long-standing American Cancer Society Golf Tournament. Conducted on two courses, including Gateway National, which is adjacent to the speedway.
Thursday, August 24 — INDYCAR Fan Fest will feature driver appearances, a pit stop competition and hauler parade.
Friday, August 25 — Miller Lite Pole Day. Practice and qualifying for the Verizon IndyCar Series, Indy Lights and Pro Mazda Series as well as post-race festivities at the track and nearby Ballpark Village.
Saturday, August 26 — The St. Louis Speed Festival concludes with the inaugural Verizon IndyCar Series Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Valvoline. Support races include the Pro Mazda and Indy Lights Series.

Design Engineering, Inc. (DEI), hosts of the Annual Cruise-In that takes place in Avon Lake, Ohio, has partnered with the City of Avon Lake for the 2nd Annual Cruise-In.

Combining forces, the two plan to make the 2nd Annual Cruise-in more visible with a downtown location at the Weiss Field. Like last year’s event, there will be a collection of hot rods, lifted trucks, classics and race cars to view with Team DEI race teams and cars on hand.

The event, free and open to the public, is scheduled for Saturday, June 10 beginning at 10 a.m. and concluding at 5 p.m. at the Weiss Baseball Fields located at 33401 Webber Rd. A rain date has been set for Sunday, June 11 in the event of inclement weather.

The GeezCats will provide musical entertainment featuring classic songs of the late 50s and 60s, followed by entertainment from It's Show Time D.J. services.

Later in the day, Revolution Pie, a popular Beatles tribute band, will perform. Jones Bones BBQ will be on site with tasty barbecue. Food trucks will also be on-site, a new installment of this event.

Other activities include raffles, dash plaques and DEI merchandise available for sale in an improved vendor area. A 50/50 raffle will be held to benefit the Love-A-Stray Animal Shelter.

“Last year’s event was a phenomenal success. We are very appreciative of the support we have from the City of Avon Lake. Our goal to build on this event every year and connect with all the enthusiasts we have in Ohio that have a passion for automotive,” DEI director of marketing and sales Tom Miller said.

For more information about DEI’s Cruise-In event, visit www.DesignEngineering.com, call 800-264-9472 or e-mail TimM@DesignEngineering.com.

Since 1967, auto racing at the Red River Valley Speedway has been a staple for the dirt track racing community in the upper Midwest. From the onset, the track's high speeds and close racing attracted the country's top drivers and fans nationwide. The track was quickly tagged with the nickname "the fastest track in the upper Midwest" as it was conducive to speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour down its long straightaways.

On Friday, May 5, that tradition continues as the speedway prepares to kick off its 50th anniversary of racing.

Since taking the reigns of Red River Valley Speedway last season, Nick Skalicky and Jake Bitker have taken a track that was once an afterthought, after sitting dormant on the Red River Valley Fairgrounds for nearly four years, and opened a thriving track.

With a debut 2016 season under their belts, the duo is set to open the doors on its 2017 season Friday. This year, the track will have more race dates, bigger events and more attractions for the fans.

Last December, the track announced the return of the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars and hometown favorite, Donny Schatz on June 17.

"Getting the World of Outlaws back is pretty huge," said Skalicky. "They have been a big part of the history of Red River Valley Speedway and we are happy to bring them back this year."

New to the weekly racing schedule this year will be the addition of the vastly popular IMCA stock car class. Since adopting IMCA sanctioning in 2016, there has been a big demand to introduce the stock cars into the weekly program.

The stock cars have a similar appearance to the street stocks that have previously run at the speedway in years past but allow for more aggressive suspension sets and engine packages.

The track will also provide entertainment for the kids including a candy toss, a rubber-duck toss and an autograph session with the drivers.

Other events at the speedway include:
• Dakota Cat 100 May 25-26. The event features a 42-lap IMCA Modified main event each night, benefitting local veteran driver Mike Bruns Sr., who was injured in a race at a dirt track in Minnesota last season.
• Starr Fireworks display following the races on June 23.
• On Sunday, July 16, there will be free admittance into the races with a Red River Valley Fair gate admission purchase. The Northern Outlaw Sprint Association 410c.i. winged sprint cars will join a lineup of IMCA modifieds and stock cars.
• The Northern Late Model Racing Association returns to the speedway on August 2, followed by the top modified event of the year, the Sanders Modified Challenge Tour, on August 18.
• August 25 concludes the regular Friday night racing season, with the final weekend of racing taking place September 29 and 30 with the INEX Legend Nationals.

For more information, visit redrivervalleyspeedway.com.

Thanks to Monster Energy, fans can enjoy all of the racing action and fun activities at Pocono Raceway on Friday, June 9 for free just by recycling any size Monster Energy can.

With Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying, NASCAR XFINITY Series practice and the ARCA Racing Series General Tire #AnywhereisPossible 200, Friday has a bevy of on-track activity.

“This first of its kind initiative in NASCAR continues to showcase our dedication to our fans, partners and the environment,” said Pocono Raceway President & CEO Brandon Igdalsky. “We are thrilled to know that anyone who chooses to recycle a Monster Energy can will enjoy a great day of NASCAR and ARCA racing, free of charge.”

“Monster Energy is really pumped for Pocono weekend of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and we are glad to offer this fun way to come out and enjoy the event. Bring your friends, family and come on out,” said Mitch Covington, Vice President of Sports Marketing for Monster.

Fan admission is free of charge with an empty Monster Energy drink can, as is grandstand parking.

Fans can bring their Monster Energy can(s) to be recycled at the redemption center outside of the Fan Fair behind the grandstands. They will be given a ticket and can enjoy a Friday at the racetrack for free. In addition to the on-track action, Monster Energy will also be promoting displays in the Fan Fair along with a number of vendors.

Pocono Raceway, along with Monster Energy and NASCAR, will ensure all cans are recycled, according to a press release by Pocono. Under the NASCAR Green umbrella, a comprehensive recycling effort has accounted for millions of bottles and cans being recycled annually thanks to designated bins in the grandstands, concourse, suites, garage, and campgrounds at almost every track NASCAR visits. For more information visit NASCAR.com/Green.

Pocono Raceway will host seven national motorsports events during the 2017 racing season, including a NASCAR XFINITY Series race on June 10. The Pocono 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race is set for June 11, the Pennsylvania 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on July 30 and the ABC Supply 500 Verizon IndyCar Series race on August 20.

The Pocono Mountains 150 NASCAR Camping World Truck race is scheduled for July 29 and two ARCA Series Presented by Menards races with General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 on June 9 and the ARCA Racing Series 150 on July 28 offered as well.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit poconoraceway.com or call 1-800-RACEWAY.

More than 1,900 North Bay, California students from 33 schools and clubs will take part in the 4th annual STEM Race Car Challenge, presented by Friedman's Home Improvement, according to Sonoma Raceway.

This curriculum-based event, which partnered with Sonoma, Kid Scoop News and Friedman's Home Improvement, focuses on educating students about the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Groups of student engineers from 33 North Bay elementary schools and youth groups, a record level of participation in the program, will be tasked with developing a gravity-powered race car utilizing recycled materials.

Kid Scoop News has worked closely with teachers to develop a STEM-based curriculum that challenges students to think critically and work collaboratively to build the quickest car.

Activities in the STEM Race Car Challenge are designed to introduce and reinforce both national common core standards and 21st-century job skills.

Students will put their purpose-built race cars to the test in a series of qualifying rounds at each school, which will narrow down to a group of students who will compete in the final round on Saturday, June 24, of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 weekend. The winning student engineers of the STEM Race Car Challenge will serve as VIPs during the Carneros 200 NASCAR West Series race on Saturday, receive a trophy and tickets to Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 race, courtesy of Friedman's Home Improvement.

Sonoma Raceway has partnered with Sonoma-based Kid Scoop News, a children's literacy non-profit that publishes and distributes a free monthly reader to 500 classrooms and 18,000 kids in the North and East Bay, on the race car challenge.

Kid Scoop News has been key to the program, as the organization is a leader in providing high-interest content that motivates kids to read and explore topics, including STEM. Through their effort, the number of participating schools has nearly tripled from 12 schools in 2016 to 33 schools in 2017. To view a list of the participating North Bay schools and clubs, visit here.

"The unique thing about STEM activities is that the students are able to connect the challenge of building a race car to the real world at Sonoma Raceway," said Vicki Whiting, content developer and publisher of Kid Scoop News. "While the students are having fun with race cars, it is reinforcing their core STEM curriculum."

NASCAR fans and guests are invited to watch the finals of the STEM Race Car Challenge, presented by Friedman's Home Improvement at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 24, in Sonoma Raceway's Sunoco Victory Lane located just south of the main grandstand. For tickets or more information on NASCAR's annual visit to Sonoma, visit www.SonomaRaceway.com/NASCAR or call 800-870-RACE.

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) Engine Challenge held two qualifying events last weekend on May 6.

On the West Coast at the Edelbrock Car Show, 16 teams competed on the cold and rainy day. Of those, three new teams qualified for the Dual National Championship held at the SEMA and PRI Shows later this year by disassembling and then reassembling a small-block Chevrolet engine in less than 33 minutes, which includes penalties.

Team Performance Quotient from Loara High School out of Anaheim, CA qualified with a time of 32:14. Team FAST from Rancho Alamitos High School of Garden Grove, CA had a time of 30:02. Team Comp Cams, Calabasas High School out of Calabasas, CA made it to the Dual National Championship with the time of 25:05.

Back in the Midwest in Champaign, IL at the Parkland College Car Show, nine teams competed with four new teams qualifying for the Championship.

Team Hooker Blackheart, a new team participating in their first HROT event from North Boone High School, Poplar Grove, IL qualified in fifth place with the time of 30:31.

Coming in first place was Team Speed Pro, Belvidere North High School from Belvidere, IL, with a time of 20:57. Belvidere has participated in the HROT program since its inception back in 2008.

As it stands at this time, 37 teams have qualified with times ranging from 17:47 to 32:14 to participate in the Dual National Championship held at the SEMA and the PRI Shows.

The students that participate in the Championship will compete for scholarships ranging from $5000 to $10,000 from five different colleges: Ohio Technical College, University of Northwestern Ohio, School of Automotive Machinists & Technology, Universal Technical Institute and WyoTech.

HROT is a 501-C3 nonprofit education organization helping educate students about the racing automotive industry. For more information, visit HotRoddersofTomorrow.com or connect with them on social media. For additional information, donations, or to start a team or sponsorship opportunities, contact Rodney Bingham at RBingham@hotroddersoftomorrow.com or call at 815/722-5460.

The World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series is adding to its 2017 schedule. On Sunday, September 24, the series will take the track at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas for the first time ever.

The 3/8-mile clay oval is the third and final stop during the series’ swing through the Great Plains. Fifteen full-time drivers and crews will invade Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas on Sept. 22 and Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, Oklahoma on Sept. 23 before touching down at 81 Speedway on Sept. 24.

The initial dates for the swing through the Great Plains were set for April, but, due to saturated grounds from excessive rain, have since been moved from the spring to the fall.

“We are trying to do the best with the best,” said 81 Speedway promoter C. Ray Hall. “…The opportunity to have the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Models is very special considering we haven’t had a big Late Model show here for probably five years. We are trying to address all different types of fans in our area, so it’s very important we have big shows with Sprint Cars, Late Models, Modifieds, and all of the big traveling programs; and it doesn’t get any bigger than the World of Outlaws Late Models.”

81 Speedway has hosted weekly racing for the past 59 years. Tickets for the event are available for advance purchase on the track's website and by phone at 316/755-1600.

Goodyear officials will look to do more than verifying the tire package for this year's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway when they hold a two-day test Tuesday and Wednesday at the 1.5-mile track.

"We've also got some things to try to actually promote a little more wear on a repaved surface, which is something we haven't been able to do," Greg Stucker, director of race tire sales for Goodyear, told NASCAR.com. "The guys have kind of taken a different approach on the compound formulation to see if we can't actually generate some wear on what we project to be a fairly smooth surface."

Kentucky Speedway will host the Quaker State 400 on Saturday, July 8 and will be preceded by NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (July 6) and XFINITY Series (July 7) races.

The 1.5-mile track was repaved before last year's tripleheader; a portion of the asphalt has since been replaced.

"From my understanding, they re-did the top two inches of it; they didn't go down and take up everything, they put a new top coat on," Stucker said of the changes. "We're going to go there with the same package that we raced last year. At the same time, we feel like that was probably conservative....We admit it was probably conservative but that's OK, it was a repave and I'd rather be that way than not."

"So we'll go back and see how different the surface is—it's supposed to be the same (asphalt) mix. We're going to verify that," Stucker continued.

Teams from Chip Ganassi Racing, Richard Childress Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Furniture Row Racing are scheduled to take part in the test. Drivers expected to be on hand are Jamie McMurray (CGR), Austin Dillon (RCR), Kurt Busch (SHR) and Erik Jones (FRR).

Two tire tests have been held this season, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A test at Michigan was postponed due to weather and has been rescheduled for July 10-11. Because of the date change, the MIS test will now be dealing with potential '18 changes rather than focused on this year's races at the 2-mile track.