The COMP Performance Group and its portfolio of automotive aftermarket brands have experienced unprecedented growth throughout the past decade, according to the company. With this rapid growth, company owners Ron Coleman and Paul “Scooter” Brothers have identified the need for two new executive leadership roles to manage the daily operations of the automotive aftermarket organization.

Effective May 1, 2017, the company announced Chris Douglas will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer with day- to-day responsibility for the operations and overall efficiency of the organization. Douglas enters the new role after nearly 15 years with the company, most recently serving as the Vice President of Marketing since 2009.

“I am honored to serve our employees and customers in this new capacity. The COMP Performance Group brands are recognized as leaders within the automotive aftermarket, and my mission is to ensure that we continue this legacy forward while also evolving to meet a rapidly changing marketplace. Over the last four decades, exceptional customer service has been key to the growth of this organization, and we plan to once again make this a priority moving forward,” says Douglas.

In addition to his new role as COO, Douglas will continue to serve the industry through his position on the SEMA Board of Directors.

In addition, company veteran Kevin Feeney has been named to the newly formed Chief Product Officer position. In this role, Feeney will utilize his 30 years of industry experience to oversee the development, improvement and manufacture of all products within the CPG portfolio of brands. Feeney enters this role after serving as the Vice President of Engineering & Product Development for the past two years.

States Feeney, “As a lifelong racer, I understand how our products impact the end user. My charge is to ensure that we not only develop great products but that we set the bar for every phase of the product lifecycle from concept to consumer. I look forward to working alongside the talented employees of the COMP Performance Group as we deliver an exceptional product experience to our customers.”

Both Douglas and Feeney will interface directly with company ownership (Ron Coleman and Paul “Scooter” Brothers) and Chief Sales Officer Rick Sparks to define and execute the strategic direction of the overall organization.

The first LS Fest West is happening in a week at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Organizers of the Holley Performance Products' event, set for May 5-7, have produced a very detailed schedule for the weekend and is detailed below.

Those arriving to Vegas early will be rewarded on May 4 with early-bird check-in and registration at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. LSXTV.com is also hosting a cruise to Hoover Dam at 5 p.m. on May 4.

The LSXTV.com Hoover Dam Cruise takes off from the registration parking lot. Participants must meet in the parking lot at 4 p.m. to experience the scenic cruise to Hoover Dam via Lake Mead Blvd (tolls included). The non-toll routes take I-15 to I-515 to the Hoover Dam. Participants will stop at Lake Mead Visitor Center for pictures and arrive at Hoover Dam from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Cruisers will meet at Lake Mead Visitor Center at 7:45 p.m. before departing to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

For more information on LS Fest West, visit www.lsfest.com/west/.

LS Fest West Hour-by-Hour Schedule
Thursday, May 4
    •    Noon-7 p.m. – pre-registration at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
    •    4:45 p.m.—LSX Magazine LS Fest West Hoover Dam Cruise takes off from the registration parking lot
Friday, May 5
    •    6:30 a.m.—Gates Open
    •    7 a.m.-3 p.m.—Registration – all drag race, autocross and grand champion competitors
    •    8 a.m.-6 p.m.—Spectator Gates OPEN; All competitor tech
    •    8 a.m.-6 p.m.—Manufacturer’s Midway
    •    8 a.m.—Check-in & tech—Autocross/Grand Champion at autocross grid
    •    8:45 a.m.—Grand Champion/All access/Autocross participant drivers meeting
    •    9 a.m.-6 p.m.—Show-n-Shine; check-in and register at Show-n-Shine tent
    •    9 a.m.-3 p.m.—Drag Race Test & Tune ALL CLASSES
    •    9 a.m.-3 p.m.—Dyno Challenge (first come first serve)
    •    9 a.m.-noon—Autocross
    •    9 a.m.-noon—Off-Road Challenge practice at LVMS dirt oval
    •    10 a.m.-noon—Grand Champion Road Course challenge
    •    Noon—Chevy High Performance Magazine High Noon Shootout; Autocross
    •    1 p.m.—Ron Sutton Race Technology tech seminar at the SpeedTech corral
    •    1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.—Autocross
    •    2-4 p.m.—Off-Road Challenge qualifying at the LVMS dirt oval
    •    3:45 p.m.—LS Outlaw True Street Time Trial, Session No. 1
    •    4 p.m.—DA Dirt Tour Off-Road Desert Launch at the LVMS dirt oval
    •    4 p.m.—LS True Street Time Trial, Session No. 1
    •    4:30 p.m.—LS Rumble Index/Street King classes Time Trial,  Session No. 1
    •    5 p.m.—Late Model Heads Up, Qualifying Round No. 1
    •    5 p.m.—Cinco De Mayo Tire De Fry’O at the drift course
    •    5-7 p.m.—Vendor Poker Run card pickup at Aliante Hotel & Casino
    •    5:30 p.m.—Grudge Test n Tune, Session No. 1
    •    6-8:30 p.m.—Drift Challenge Practice
    •    6 p.m.—LS Heads Up LS Truck/LS Outlaw 1/8 mile, Qualifying Round No. 1
    •    7 p.m.—LS Rumble Index/Street King classes Time Trial, Session No. 2
    •    7:30 p.m.—Grand Champion Competitors drag race time trial
    •    8:30 p.m.—Spectator Gates CLOSED
Saturday, May 6
    •    7 a.m.— Gates Open
    •    7:30 a.m.-noon—Registration – All drag race, autocross, show-n-shine, Off-Road, and grand champion competitors
    •    8 a.m.-7 p.m.—Spectator Gates OPEN; All competitor tech
    •    8 a.m.-6 p.m.—Manufacturer’s Midway
    •    8 a.m.—Check-in & tech –Autocross/Grand Champion at the autocross grid
    •    8:45 a.m.—Grand Champion/All access/Autocross participant drivers meeting
    •    9 a.m.-6 p.m.—Show-n-Shine (check-in and registration at Show-n-Shine tent)
    •    9 a.m.-11:30 a.m.—Off-Road Challenge qualifying at the LVMS dirt oval
    •    9 a.m.-3 p.m.—Dyno Challenge, first come first serve
    •    9 a.m.-noon—Autocross
    •    10 a.m.-noon—Grand Champion Road Course challenge
    •    9 a.m.—LS True Street Time Trial, Session No. 2
    •    9:20 a.m.—LS Rumble Index / Street King classes Time Trial, Session No. 3
    •    10 a.m.—Outlaw True Street, Session No. 2
    •    10-10:30 a.m.—DA Dirt Tour Off-Road Desert Launch at the LVMS dirt oval
    •    10:20 a.m.—Late Model Heads Up, Qualifying Round No. 2
    •    11 a.m.—LS Heads Up LS Truck/LS Outlaw 1/8 mile, Qualifying Round No. 2
    •    11:30 a.m.—True Street/Outlaw True Street Drivers Meeting at the Optima Stage (MANDATORY)
    •    Noon-1 p.m.—Grudge Test n Tune, Session No.  2
    •    Noon—LS True Street/Outlaw True Street Cruise
    •    Noon-2 p.m.—Drift Challenge practice
    •    12:30 p.m.—Ron Sutton Race Technology tech seminar at the SpeedTech corral
    •    1 p.m.—Off-Road Challenge Eliminations at the LVMS dirt oval
    •    1 p.m.—LS True Street Eliminations
    •    1:30 p.m.-4:30—Autocross
    •    2-3:30 p.m.—Drift Qualifying
    •    3 p.m.—LS Rumble Index/Street King classes Time Trial, Session No. 3 (must have established index designation)
    •    3:30 p.m.—Outlaw True Street, Elimination Round No. 1
    •    4 p.m.—LS Heads Up LS Truck / LS Outlaw 1/8 mile, Qualifying Round No. 3
    •    4-4:30 p.m.—DA Dirt Tour Off-Road Desert Launch at the LVMS dirt oval
    •    4:45 p.m.—Outlaw True Street, Elimination Round No. 2
    •    4:45 p.m.—Autocross Shootout, Top 5
    •    5-7 p.m.—Vendor Poker Run card pickup at Aliante Hotel & Casino
    •    5 p.m. — LS Rumble Index/Street King classes Time Trial, Session No. 4 (TIME PERMITTING)
    •    5 p.m.—Drift Challenge Top 16 Competition
    •    6 p.m.—Outlaw True Street, Elimination Round No. 3
    •    6:15—Grudge Test n Tune, Session No.  3
    •    6:30 p.m.—Late Model Heads Up, Qualifying Round No. 3
    •    7 p.m. – Outlaw True Street – FINAL Round
    •    7-7:30p.m.—DA Dirt Tour Off-Road Desert Launch at the LVMS dirt oval
    •    7:15 p.m.—Grand Champion drag race time trials
    •    7:15 p.m.—Vendor Poker Run winners and prizes at the OPTIMA rig
    •    8 p.m.—Spectator Gates CLOSED
Sunday, May 7
    •    7 a.m.—Gates Open
    •    7:30 a.m.-10 a.m.—Registration (show-n-shine and autocross only)
    •    8 a.m.-8:45 a.m.—Chapel Service
    •    8 a.m.-3 p.m.—Spectator Gates OPEN
    •    9 a.m.-2 p.m.—Show-n-Shine
    •    9 a.m. – 2 p.m.—Manufacturer’s Midway
    •    8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.—3S Challenge
    •    9 a.m.-2 p.m.—Dyno Challenge (first come first serve)
    •    9 a.m.—Drag Race Eliminations All Classes (Scheduled rounds and run times determined by car count; Grudge Test & Tune will be included throughout the Sunday)
    •    10 a.m.—Off-Road course fun runs at the LVMS dirt oval
    •    11-11:30 a.m.—DA Dirt Tour Off-Road Desert Launch at the LVMS dirt oval
    •    Noon—Chevy High-Performance Magazine High Noon Shootout; Show-n-Shine
    •    Noon – 2:30 p.m.—Drift Challenge Exhibition/ride-along at LVMS outside road course (must sign up on Saturday)
    •    12:30–3:30 p.m.—3S Challenge
    •    3 p.m.—Drag Race Finals All Classes
    •    3-3:30 p.m.—DA Dirt Tour Off-Road Desert Launch at the LVMS dirt oval
    •    3 p.m.—Show & Shine Awards at the OPTIMA Stage
    •    4 p.m.—Drag Race Awards/Payouts (eliminations payout at Tower as completed). Champion payouts at OPTIMA stage (photos at Holley display trailer)
    •    4 p.m.—Grand Champion, Autocross, 3S Challenge Awards at the OPTIMA Stage
    •    4:30 p.m.—Spectator Gates CLOSED

Edge Products, an aftermarket performance electronics manufacturer, is hosting the “all things diesel” Weekend on the Edge on September 16, 2017, in Ogden, Utah. Attendees and spectators are welcome to experience the best in diesel performance.

Edge will be holding the event at the Golden Spike Arena. Included in the day’s events will be two dynos, a truck "show-n-shine," kids activities, food, vendors and sled pulling.

There is no charge to attend the dyno event, "show-n-shine" or kids activities during the day.

Sled pull tickets will be on sale at Golden Spike Arena. Adult tickets are $15, children between the ages of 6-12 are $10 and those under the age of 6 are free. Attendees with a Military ID are free.

Visit weekendontheedge.com for more details.

Paul McCoy has been hired as Amalie Oil Co.’s new regional manager for Amalie’s US Central Region.

McCoy began his lubricants career in Kansas City 35 years ago as a sales representative for Pennzoil Motor Oil. During his 25-plus years with Pennzoil, Pennzoil-Quaker State and Shell Lubricants, McCoy held various positions including sales representative, district manager and area sales manager.

After leaving Shell, McCoy worked as the automotive and industrial products sales manager for a local lubricants distributor and, most recently, held the position as regional sales manager for a private label motor oil manufacturer.

McCoy holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics from Missouri Valley College, where he graduated cum laude.

For more on Amalie Oil Co., visit www.amalie.com.

Betsy Grindlay has recently been named the director of marketing for Speedway Motors. In this position, Grindlay is responsible for leading the design and execution of Speedway's marketing strategy across all channels including direct mail, events, sponsorships and digital marketing (email, social, website and SMS).

Grindlay is also responsible for market and competitor analysis, design and implementation of marketing plans, marketing operations, media contract negotiation, P&L responsibility for marketing activities and short and long-term market and sales forecasts.

Grindlay has been with Speedway Motors since 2007, serving a variety of roles in eCommerce and marketing, including campaign analysis, leading Speedway's eCommerce content initiatives and launching Speedway's social presence across multiple platforms. In her most recent role as brand manager, she has overseen marketing campaigns across print, email and digital platforms.

In 2007, Grindlay graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with dual majors in finance and marketing; she is also a Lincoln native.

For more on Speedway Motors, visit www.speedwaymotors.com.

The recently announced DIRTcar Summer Nationals and Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals 2017 schedules mirror each other for all but one race during their 32 consecutive days on the road.

The two touring series will travel across eight states—including Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Michigan, and Ohio—in four-and-a-half weeks, with back-to-back racing nearly every night. The Late Model Series will take a break from racing only three times in 32 days, and the Modifieds will take four.

The 2017 DIRTcar Summer Nationals and the Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals will kick off at Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, Illinois, on June 14.

In fact, the 2017 DIRTcar Summer Nationals season marks its 30th consecutive year in the running. The schedule boasts 29 races, and is broken down into four weeks: Tri State Week, Independence Week, Midwest Week and Champions Week. Each week a new champion will be named based on a weekly points system. At the conclusion of the tour, one overall Summer Nationals Champion will be crowned based on the overall points accumulated. The Summer Nationals Championship will take place at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio, on July 14-15.

Additionally, the DIRTcar Summer Nationals will cross paths with The World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series in the 2017 season. The series collide at Terre Haute Action Track on June 30, and at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on July 1.

The Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals will have 28 races in 32 consecutive days before having two weeks to prepare for the championship, which will take place at Fairbury American Legion Speedway with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series on July 28-29.

The Modified Nationals Champion is calculated by the top eight finishes for each driver. The driver who finishes the highest within those eight races gets crowned Champion

For more information, visit the tour websites at TheHellTour.com and ModifiedNationals.com.

The Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) recently signed with GALOT Motorsports Park for the 2018 East Coast Nationals, which will be held April 6-8.

“Right now we’re creating the events and traditions that will become legendary to this organization,” said PDRA’s Bob Harris. “Our events at GALOT Motorsports Park are certainly part of that, and we couldn’t be more proud to continue our partnership with them into 2018. Our racers enjoy going there and know they are going to have a top-notch racing surface to lay down historical runs.”

The event will be held one week later than the 2017 date due to Easter falling on April 1, 2018. Harris and the PDRA staff will continue to develop the remainder of the 2018 schedule, seeking the locations and dates that are of mutual benefit to the tracks, sponsors, and racers, officials said.

For more information, visit www.pdra660.com.
 



Aeromotive announces that the company is sponsoring the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) Qualifier in conjunction with their annual open house and car show on Saturday, May 13.

The event will be held at 7805 Barton Street, Lenexa, Kansas, from 8:40 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., with HROT competition commencing at 9:00 a.m.

The car show is a Show ‘n’ Shine featuring classic, race and street performance cars.

Steve Gardner, Director of Heartland Park, Topeka is scheduled to share new information about the Menards Nationals presented by Minties to be held on May 19-21 at Heartland Park in Topeka.

For more information, contact Zan Martin at 615/330-5622 or zan.martin@martincoadvertising.com.

Simpson Performance Products has announced that NASCAR recently approved Simpson's Hybrid Pro Lite head restraint device for use in NASCAR's competition series.

The Hybrid Pro Lite is the third Simpson Hybrid to be approved by NASCAR and joins the HANS device in this distinction. The Hybrid Pro Lite features Simpson's patented multi-tether technology that allows for a small device, better suited for the tight cockpits of today's race cars.

In addition to NASCAR's approval, the Hybrid Pro Lite is also SFI approved and certified by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

"We appreciate the opportunity to continue our longstanding product development relationship with NASCAR,” said Chuck Davies, CEO of Simpson Performance Products. “This sharing of technology is invaluable in our mission to make racers safer. We place extreme importance on the testing and research that goes into our safety products."

Both the HANS and Hybrid head restraint brands are owned by Simpson Performance Products. More information is available at www.simpsonraceproducts.com.

Engine & Performance Warehouse Inc. (EPWI), a distributor of engine parts, engine kits and related components, has announced that it has added Air Flow Research to its line card of vendors.

“As every engine builder will attest to, the secret to increasing horsepower and performance lies in the cylinder head,” Engine & Performance Warehouse said in a news release. “This complete commitment to performance has enabled Air Flow Research's cylinder heads to find themselves on the fastest race cars and the most powerful street machines in the country.”

The company added, “For over 45 years Air Flow Research has been defining technological leadership in cylinder head manufacturing and flow dynamics. We have had a lot of our customers request this line and we are proud to be able to finally put it in.”

Engine & Performance Warehouse now stocks all the popular numbers and will also add new parts as they are being developed.

For more information and purchasing of this product line, contact Engine & Performance Warehouse at 800-888-8970 or www.epwi.net.