Management of the Jennerstown Speedway has named veteran motorsports public relations consultant and race broadcaster Mike Lysakowski as the track’s promoter.

“My family and I drove two-and-a-half hours almost every week to enjoy racing at such a top-notch facility [Jennerstown] when I was young. I’ve had the opportunity to work during various events at Jennerstown in recent years, but I am very excited to be part of the team permanently,” Lysakowski stated.

Lysakowski began working in the racing industry as a writer and photographer for RPM Magazine and RPM Racing News. Soon after, he was a recurring co-host of Don Gamble’s “RappinOnRacin’” radio broadcasts—a position he still holds.

Lysakowski also founded Motorsport Aspects Limited, which published the Oval Track Annual magazine, known as “The Encyclopedia of Short Track Racing.”

More recently working as a broadcaster, Lysakowski has been a play-by-play announcer for racing events on the radio, internet and television, and has served as an at-track P.A. announcer.

The current owners of Jennerstown Speedway rescued the facility from potential dormancy before the start of the 2015 season. The half-mile oval has seen an increasing number of competitors and crowds each Saturday of the race season, which prompted the addition of Lysakowski.

Every Saturday night starting May 13, Jennerstown Speedway will offer five different divisions of stock car racing beginning at 6 p.m. Children under age 12 are admitted free.

Sonoma Raceway in California is hosting a celebration for “The King” Richard Petty’s 80th birthday during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 on Sunday, June 25.

"Party with Petty" will serve as the centerpiece of the Pre-Race show powered by Friedman's Home Improvement just hours before the green flag falls on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series main event.

Fans will have stage-front access for the party, which includes a Q&A with Petty, the presentation of a birthday cake and a chorus of "Happy Birthday.”

The only way to access the special celebration is to purchase the raceway's NASCAR Total Access pass which includes a Sunday reserved seat, NASCAR Drivers' Meeting access, Pre-Race Pass and a FanVision unit for $149.

As a driver, Petty made only four starts in Sonoma (1989-92), but as a team owner, the legend made his mark on the road course with Kasey Kahne's 2009 victory. The win marked Kahne's first Cup Series road-course victory and the first victory for Richard Petty Motorsports since 1999.

The Pre-Race Show will also feature the Patriots Jet Team six-jet air show, an aerial stunt performance by Brad Wursten, driver introductions and a dynamic anthem flyover. The Total Access pass also includes exclusive access to the NASCAR Drivers' Meeting, which will be held on Turn 11 of the road course.

“Party with Petty” is part of a 10-month long campaign to celebrate the 80th birthday of the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and owner. The Petty family, well known for giving back to local communities and race fans, is now turning the table, allowing fans to give their thanks to "The King.”

The Petty family has introduced a celebration calendar at www.KINGs80th.com. For more information or to purchase your tickets today, call 800-870-7223 or visit www.sonomaraceway.com/nascar.

Keystone Automotive Operations, Inc., a wholesale distributor and marketer of specialty automotive equipment in North America, announced the sponsorship of GReddy Racing’s Ken Gushi in Formula Drift.

Keystone now also offers GReddy Performance as one of the sport compact brands available to its customers.

“GReddy is well-respected in the segment, and we’re pleased to offer them through our vast distribution system,” said Ahad Mirza, Category Manager of Sport Compact at Keystone. “We’re passionate about supporting Team GReddy as an associate sponsor and excited to partner in the quest for a Formula Drift Pro Championship.”

The 2017 Formula Drift Pro Championship took place on the streets of Long Beach, California last weekend.

The FIA is planning to launch an official Hall of Fame later this year to help celebrate motor racing names past and present.

Despite more than a century of history, the motorsports governing body has never previously sanctioned such an idea—one that has been adopted by a number of other sports.

But FIA president Jean Todt has revealed that it would open two halls of fame—one in Paris and another in Genevea—before the end of this year.

"In December we will open an FIA Hall of Fame," explained Todt. "It is something that we have been working on now for two or three years.
 
"We will have one Hall of Fame in Paris and one in Geneva, but when you see some of the people who could be represented—some have unfortunately passed away, but when you see the images around it, it is fascinating."

While they would exist as a physical entity, it is not clear whether the public will be able to visit either hall of fame.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway currently has a museum with a dedicated hall of fame, while NASCAR and the Australian Supercars series also have their own versions.

MotoGP also appoints 'Legends' to recognize the achievements of grand prix riders.

Jack Roush, an icon of American motorsports and a distinguished automotive entrepreneur, will be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame on July 20 at the 2017 Induction & Awards Gala Ceremony in Detroit, Michigan.

As a racing team owner, Roush has won championships in NHRA and IHRA Drag Racing, SCCA Trans Am, IMSA GT and NASCAR stock car racing. In total, Roush’s teams have won over 400 races across numerous disciplines of motorsports.

In addition to his racing successes, Roush oversees Roush Enterprises, which encompasses a freelance engineering firm, an aftermarket automotive supplier and ROUSH CleanTech, a manufacturer of propane fuel systems.

Roush will be inducted alongside Alberto Bombassei, August Fruehauf and Edward Welburn. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first Automotive Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 1967, a class which included automotive icons Henry Ford, Alfred P. Sloan, William C. Durant and Walter P. Chrysler.

The 2017 Automotive Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Gala Ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 20, at Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan. Tickets for the black-tie event are available at www.automotivehalloffame.org.

Genuine Parts Company (GPC), a distributor of automotive replacement parts, has acquired a 35 percent stake in Inenco Group, a distributor in the Australasia market. The investment is worth approximately $70 million and will come into effect on April 3, 2017.

GPC will have the opportunity to acquire the remaining 65 percent stake in Inenco at a later date, subject to certain conditions being satisfied.

Inenco Group, founded in 1954 and headquartered in Sydney, Australia, is an Australasia industrial distributor of key product categories such as bearings, power transmission and seals. It has 161 locations across Australia and New Zealand as well as an emerging presence in Asia and generates estimated annual revenues of approximately $325 million.

Photo of Toyota Gazoo Racing courtesy Andrew Lofthouse Photography.

Both Toyota and Porsche have unveiled their Hybrid vehicles set to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Toyota Gazoo Racing unveiled the latest evolution of its TS050 Hybrid, which the Japanese manufacturer hopes will return them to the top of the FIA World Endurance Championship for the first time since 2014.

A joint effort between engineers in Germany and Japan, Toyota’s new LMP1 challenger has undergone extensive development over the winter to comply with the ACO’s new technical regulations.

The car boasts a new 2.4-liter V6 turbo-charged petrol engine, combined with a smaller, lighter, 8MJ hybrid system delivering 1000 horsepower. A raised nose and sharp undercuts to the sidepods are among the raft of modifications to the bodywork aimed at improving aerodynamic efficiency.

Porsche also revealed its updated 919 Hybrid, which the German team hopes will defend its FIA World Endurance Championship Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ titles in LMP1.

The new 919 Hybrid car features a radically revised aerodynamic package, in compliance with new regulations from the FIA placing limitations on downforce, and will be powered by a 2-liter V4 combustion engine, the most efficient in Porsche’s history to date.

This will be combined with an 8MJ hybrid system which recovers energy during acceleration and braking, generating 900 BHP.

The challengers were revealed to the world media at Monza, where the official two-day Prologue will be staged over the weekend.

Kentucky Speedway has hired Matt Alexander as the new vice president of corporate sales. Alexander will report to Mark Simendinger, the track’s general manager.

A graduate of Miami of Ohio, Alexander has previous experience with NASCAR, IndyCar Series, NHRA and more.

In 2001, Alexander led all sales/marketing efforts for the inaugural NASCAR race at the Route 66 Raceway. During his tenure, he achieved sell-outs for many events including NASCAR, IndyCar and ARCA, in addition to co-hosting a weekly ESPN 1000 motorsports radio show.

Beginning in 2007, he served six years as president of Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway, motorsports complexes that are owned by International Speedway Corporation (ISC).

The 2017 season at Kentucky Speedway begins in July with the return of a NASCAR tripleheader weekend. The Camping World Truck Series starts the weekend with a Buckle Up in Your Truck 225 event Thursday, July 6. The XFINITY Series Alsco 300 is on Friday, July 7. The weekend is anchored by the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts, which takes place Saturday, July 8.

The General Tire Super Weekend returns in September with the ARCA Racing Series Crosley 150 on Friday, September 22. The XFINITY Series VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 is run on Saturday, September 23, which will conclude the track’s racing season.

Tickets, Kroger Fan Zone passes and campsites are on sale here or by calling (859) 578-2300.

The Malaysian state of Sabah is planning to build a one-kilometer (1km) drag strip, not just to satisfy the appetite of high-speed enthusiasts, but also to stimulate the growth of its own automotive industry.

Supported by State Industrial Development Minister Datuk Seri Raymond Tan, the drag strip would be one of the first steps to making Sabah a strategic center for racing and the automotive business in general.

"We have already come up with a project plan. I will work with Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) on how we can quicken the process," Tan said of the drag strip during the 2017 Thailand-Sabah Business Matching and Networking organized by the Kadazandusun Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

The drag strip will be part of a proposed KKIP Auto City project, which would serve as a hub that brings automobile enthusiasts together. Around 200-acres of land have been designated for the project.

The project will also hopefully promote closer ties between Sabah and Thailand, which already has a strong drag racing presence.

As of now, the project is in its infancy and planning stages with an emphasis on driver safety.

Tan added that he is still talking with established automobile assembly companies in Malaysia while at the same time welcoming other potential partners, including from Thailand.

For more information, visit here.

The 2017 Skip Barber Racing School Championship Series will launch in May at Carolina Motorsports Park and conclude in October at Palm Beach International Raceway.

The series will travel to a total of six iconic tracks and allow competitors to test their skills in either the Formula Skip Barber or MAZDASPEED MX5 Cars.

The upcoming 2017 season will be lucrative for racers with the high purse of a $100,000 scholarship match.

With its "Arrive and Drive" format, every racer has access to the same equipment regardless of their ability to spend. Schedule and prizes are detailed below.

2017 Championship Series Schedule (Formula and MX5 Cars)
    •    Carolina Motorsports Park - Season Opener - Rounds 1, 2 & 3 May 25 – 28, 2017
    •    Pittsburgh International Race Complex - Rounds 4, 5 & 6 June 22 – 25, 2017
    •    Road America - Rounds 7, 8 & 9 July 24 – 27, 2017
    •    National Corvette Museum - Rounds 10, 11 & 12 August 17 – 20, 2017
    •    Autobahn Country Club - Rounds 13, 14 & 15 September 11 – 13, 2017 (Formula Cars ONLY)
    •    Palm Beach International Raceway - FINALE - Rounds 16, 17 & 18 October 5 – 8, 2017


Overall Prizes – Formula
    •    First place: $100,000 Scholarship - matching dollar/ dollar
    •    Second place: $15,000 SBRS Credits
    •    Third place: $10,000 SBRS Credits
    •    Most improved: $5000 SBRS Credits
    •    Rookie of the year: $5000 SBRS Credits
Formula Masters (End of Year)
    •    First place: $12,500 SBRS Credits
    •    Second place: $7500 SBRS Credits
    •    Third place: $5000 SBRS Credits
Overall MAZDASPEED MX-5 Prizes
    •    First place: $15,000 SBRS Credits
    •    Second place: $10,000 SBRS Credits
    •    Third place: $7500 SBRS Credits
    •    Master winner: $3000 SBRS Credits
    •    Most improved: $3000 SBRS Credits
    •    Rookie of the year: $3000 SBRS Credits