Year in and year out, some of the best racing takes place in the two days leading up to the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

This year, a brand-new class debuts that has never before competed in North America—the LM P3 series, a closed-cockpit car powered by a muscular 420-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8, connected to a sophisticated sequential gearbox.

Born in Europe, the LM P3 cars are sanctioned there by the French Automobile Club de l’Ouest, or ACO, which governs the cars that race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A total of six manufacturers have been approved by the ACO to build the cars, and models from four of those manufacturers will be represented in the two Prototype Challenge Presented by Mazda races, with the second one taking place on March 17 at 10:45 a.m.

Since 2018 is the final season for the Prototype Challenge class that races on Saturday in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours, IMSA saw the need to develop a new series that will give racers some experience in prototype cars similar to the ones that race in the top class of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and even use tires from the same manufacturer, Continental.

The LM P3 cars share the same configuration with the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototypes, which will be battling for the overall win at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours on Saturday.

The existing Mazda Prototype Challenge class has sent plenty of graduates to the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series, and that number will only grow as the LM P3 class takes root.

The brand-new LM P3 class will be sharing the track with the Mazda Prototype Challenge series, formerly the Lites 1 class. That class has graduated multiple drivers to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series, including Tristan Nunez, Misha Goikberg, Sean Rayhall, Kenton Koch and Ed Brown.

The entry list for the LM P3 class, along with details on the entrants, are below.

Among the entrants is Paul Fix, who will move over from the top class in the Trans-Am Series, where he missed the season championship by a few points in the past two seasons. Fix will be the only entry racing the Ave-Riley AR-2, which is the only American-built LM P3 car. It was designed by sports car legend Bill Riley and is being manufactured under the leadership of Tony Ave.

Entrant Doug Peterson also has years of experience in the Trans-Am Series, winning two championships. He’ll be driving an HP-Tech Ligier JS P3 for 3-Dimensional Services.

Entrant Colin Thompson is also a familiar name to sports car racing fans. Thompson competed in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, winning championships both in IMSA competition and World Challenge. His brand new Norma M30—the only one in the field—will be prepared by Kelly-Moss Road and Race, the 2016 champions in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA.

“Having the only Norma M30 in the world, we are taking a pretty big risk,” said team owner Jeff Stone, “but even though this car is newest to market, I believe it will rise to the top quickly, and possibly even be an advantage.”

Lonnie Pechnik is another entrant with a long resume in sports car racing, having raced with teams that include Flying Lizard, The Racers’ Group and Speedsource. He’ll be behind the wheel of the P1 Motorsports Ligier JS P3.

Entrant Alan Wilzig won a couple of titles in the Mazda Prototype Challenge series and, several years ago, made the news for building his own personal 1.1-mile race track in his front yard in New York state. He will be driving the only Ginetta LMP3 car in the field, backed by Wilzig Racing Manor and fielded by Performance Tech Motorsports.

The rest of the 12-car LM P3 field includes Naj Husain, driving under the Extreme Speed Motorsports banner—the same team that won the 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. He’ll be in a Ligier JS P3.

Matthew Dicken, who has multiple Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge races under his belt, will be racing a Ligier JS P3 fielded by ANSA Motorsports and backed by the company he founded, Strategic Wealth.

Another entrant, Andrew Guiterrez, will be driving a Performance Tech Motorsports-prepared Ligier JS P3.

Veteran racer Joel Janco is entered for a Ligier JS P3 with JDC Motorsports. He has raced in the Mazda Prototype Challenge Series since 2013, and he also plans to race the LM P3 in Europe this season.

Rob Hodes is in the K2R Motorsports Ligier JS P3 and is moving up from the Ferrari Challenge series.

Gerry Kraut is in the Dougherty & Company Ligier JS P3, as a teammate to Joel Janco. Kraut, who has raced in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series as well as the Mazda Prototype Challenge series, was the first to buy a new LM P3 car after IMSA made the announcement about the 2017 season.

Juan Perez rounds out the roster. He’ll be in the P1 Motorsports/Sonic Tools Jigier JS P3.

Flowmaster, in 30 years of business, has established a strong presence in the automotive aftermarket by focusing on sound solutions through exhaust technology. This year, however, the company sees new opportunity in air intakes.

Vice President of Marketing Dale Dotson explained that this direction will ultimately allow Flowmaster to maximize its existing scope in the performance category.

“Flowmaster has always been a performance oriented company and has consistently offered state-of-the-art exhaust products with leading edge technology. And it’s no secret that the moving more air and fuel into and out of an engine, is the key to maximizing an engine’s power,” he said. “Since we already have the exhaust side of the equation covered, the most logical product expansion would be addressing the getting more air in the engine.

“The factory air filter assemblies have restrictions, such as built-in silencers, tight and reduced bends, disposable cheap paper elements, etcetera, so improving upon those limitations by offering less restrictive air intake designs just makes sense,” Dotson added. “Especially when matching them with our proven cat-back exhaust systems to maximize the engine's power and efficiency.”

Customer demand was another major contributing factor. Sales staff had consistently received feedback asking when Flowmaster would be offering cold air intakes to enhance its exhaust systems.

Dotson believes it’s a huge benefit to customers to offer performance matched packages. It gives “proven results working together, adding value, quality and peace of mind when spending their hard-earned dollars,” he said.

The Flowmaster Delta Force Cold Air Intakes will begin shipping in May, starting with a number of popular late model vehicles such as, Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers, Chargers, GM 1500 trucks and SUVs, Dodge/Ram trucks, Jeep Wranglers and Toyota Tundra trucks; followed by late model Ford trucks along with other late model car and trucks.

Flowmaster’s R&D team is also currently developing more applications to add to Delta Boost Electronic Modules to further enhance turbo applications and offer vehicle specific performance packages for a one-stop shopping experience, according to the company.

“The Delta Boost Modules have been a huge hit and we’ve had a hard time keeping them in stock since introducing them at the 2016 SEMA show,” Dotson said.

Next in line for release is a filter cleaning maintenance kit and replacement filters.

The products will be available through the company’s extensive dealer network and applications will expand monthly, Dotson said.

Delta Force is made in the US.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has hired longtime Lucas Oil Stadium director Mike Fox as its senior director of facilities. Fox worked his last day at the Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, completing a total of 33 years at the facility.

“Mike has been here since 1984—that’s crazy,” said Barney Levengood, executive director of the Capital Improvement Board, which oversees Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center. “He’s been here through so much. The Pan Am Games, seven [NCAA] Final Fours, a Super Bowl. It would take a half an hour to get through his career.”

Levengood told CIB members Friday morning that a search for Fox’s replacement has already begun, but added, “he will be hard to replace.”

As director of Lucas Oil Stadium, Fox was the main operations point person for the 67,000-seat venue, which hosts everything from football and basketball games to monster truck shows, concerts and conventions.

He began his new job with a walk-through of the facility with Speedway President Doug Boles.

Boles said he's eager to use some of Fox’s experience to enhance the Speedway’s presentation of events.

“We think Mike will bring a fresh set of eyes to this facility and will have some great ideas and help us really execute in a better way,” Boles said.

Fox will be in charge of the “preparation and presentation of the facility,” Boles explained.

“He and his team will be responsible for setting the stage for everything that happens at the Speedway,” he said.

Those events, of course, include the Indianapolis 500 and Grand Prix of Indianapolis in May, but also the track’s annual NASCAR and airplane races, all pre- and post-race festivities as well as a growing list of non-racing events, including concerts.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am about Mike joining the staff here,” Boles told IBJ. “He’s ready to go and has a crazy good work ethic. He’s already been out here at the track multiple times even before his official start date, and I know he’s going to bring us some good ideas.”

One reason the Speedway was attracted to Fox, an Indiana University graduate, was his deep local roots.

“One of the most important things about Mike is he understands the community,” Boles said. “That’s an important part of this position.”

Fox replaces the Speedway’s previous facilities director, David Shaw, who departed in February to take a job as director of concessions and air services at the Indianapolis International Airport.

Chelsea Lazzari has been named the coordinator for media and community relations at Sonoma Raceway.

The Justin-Siena graduate will work to expand awareness and media coverage of Sonoma Raceway and its major events, according to Sonoma Raceway officials.

Before joining the raceway full time, Lazzari worked as a media relations intern at Sonoma Raceway for the 2016 race season.

Lazzari received her B.S. in Journalism and Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations from the University of Oregon. She lives in Sonoma.

Former Formula 1 and motorcycling world champion John Surtees has died at the age of 83. Surtees is the only man to have won the Grand Prix World Championship on both two wheels and four.

He won four 500cc motorcycling titles —in 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960—and the F1 crown with Ferrari in 1964.

Surtees died at St. George's Hospital, London, on Friday afternoon after being treated for an existing respiratory condition, a family statement said.

"We deeply mourn the loss of such an incredible, kind and loving man as well as celebrate his amazing life," the statement added.

Legendary F1 commentator Murray Walker told Radio 5 live: "It's an absolute hammer blow for me and for British motorsport in general.

"I have been privileged to commentate on him and to know him as a friend and he's undoubtedly one of the greatest people who's ever lived in the history of motorsport."

Surtees was awarded an MBE in 1959, the same year he won the Sports Personality of the Year award, the OBE in 2009 and the CBE in 2016.

He won six F1 races in 111 starts between 1960 and 1972, and also drove for Honda, Lotus, Cooper, Lola and BRM.

Surtees was world champion in the 350cc motorcycling category as well as 500cc from 1958-60.

He later set up his own F1 team and was behind the wheel when it made its debut at the 1970 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. Team Surtees managed two podium finishes but never won a race before folding in 1978.

Surtees went on to become chairman of the British team in the now-defunct A1 Grand Prix series, while his son Henry began competing in Formula Two but was killed in an accident at Brands Hatch in 2009, aged 18.

The family set up the Henry Surtees Foundation in aid of people recovering from brain and physical injuries and to support motorsport-related educational programs.

Surtees remained involved in motor racing into his eighties, competing in classic car and bike events up until last year.

Humboldt Speedway in Kansas has joined the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for the 2017 season.

Humboldt Speedway, a .387-mile D-shaped high-banked clay oval, will kick off its NASCAR action this weekend with the Battle At The Bullring. The track, which sits less than two hours south of Kansas City, draws more than 130 cars from 13 different states as well as Canada for its B-Mods Division main event of the weekend.

“We are very excited about this weekend and the start of our relationship with NASCAR,” said track owner Ryan Whitworth. “We provide a family-friendly, action-packed program on Friday nights and look forward to extending the benefits of being a NASCAR track to our competitors. It’s a big show to kick off the season for us and having NASCAR as part of it takes it to another level.”

“Ryan and Rhenda Whitworth operate a first-class facility and we’re proud to have them join the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series,” said Kevin Nevalainen, NASCAR director of weekly racing. “Humboldt Speedway is an exciting place to watch a race, and it’s always great to welcome another dirt track to the program.”

The track is two and a half hours north of Salina Highbanks Speedway in Pryor, Oklahoma, giving competitors in the region a pair of tracks to run on a weekly basis for NASCAR Whelen All-American Series points. Drivers at Humboldt will also compete for track championships, as well as the first Kansas title in NASCAR history.

The McCarthy Auto Group Modifieds will be the track’s Division I and will take the green flag for the track’s NASCAR-sanctioned racing with a 20-lap feature on Saturday. While the 25-car, 50-lap A Main for the B Modifieds Saturday will be an open show, the Rays Metal Depot B-Mods will be the track’s Division II for the season, with Pitt Steel Stock Cars as the Division III.

The track was built in 1976 by Dale and Deana Hobart and operated as D&D Speedway with Wednesday shows until 1987. The facility changed hands a couple times before the Whitworths purchased it in 1990. The Modifieds have been the top division since 1992 at the facility, which is nicknamed “Hummer.”

The Central Iowa Fair Board and race promoter of Marshalltown Speedway Toby Kruse have signed an agreement to continue their relationship for another 10 years. Kruse has been pro­moter of the Marshalltown Speedway since 2006.

Central Iowa Fair President Tyler Wollam indicated that the new agreement will be beneficial for both parties.

“Toby has long been one of the most sought-after race promoters in the entire country. We have been thrilled with the work he has done over the last decade as well as the improvement projects we have been able to collaborate on,” he said. “I am confident that under his continued leader­ship, Marshalltown Speedway will remain a destination location for race teams and spectators from all over the country for many years to come.”

The new contract became effective on Jan. 1 of this year and will run through the 2026 racing season. Fans of the speedway will be happy to know that there will be more improvements on the hori­zon for the historic dirt track.

“Both Toby and the fair board have been committed to the success of the speedway,” Wollam stated. “Together we have already invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into facility up­grades. There is still more to be done and this new contract will allow the needed improvements to occur.”

Weekly racing at the high-bank quarter mile track occurs every Friday night from March to Septem­ber and is sanctioned by IMCA. In 2017, the weekly racing program will feature five IMCA-sanctioned divisions including Modifieds, Late Models, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods.

The Stock Car division at Marshalltown has been sanctioned by IMCA since 1984, longer than any other track in the country, while the IMCA Late Models return to Marshalltown as part of the weekly program for the first time since 1990.

“Our relationship with Toby extends to his announcing days at Boone Speedway to his employment as our director of track relations before he took over as the promoter at Marshalltown,” IMCA president Brett Root said. “Toby has done an excellent job there and the return of Late Models will be a great addition to weekly racing at Marshalltown.”

“The terms of this contract give everyone, the fair board, Toby and drivers, a sense of security,” Root continued. “We look forward to sanctioning those divisions during the next decade as well.”

Marshalltown Speedway is located at the Central Iowa Fairgrounds at 1308 East Olive Street in Marshalltown. For more information regarding the Marshalltown Speedway, including a 2017 rac­ing schedule, visit www.marshalltownspeedway.com.

WC Vision, producers of the Pirelli World Challenge, announced the addition of Samantha Gillespie to the series’ communications staff for the 2017 road racing season beginning with this weekend’s season opener, the PWC Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by Case-It.

Gillespie is a Chicago native and a graduate of Concordia University, Chicago, where she majored in Communications and Public Relations. Gillespie’s PWC duties will include Social Media activation with Erica Baldwin, PWC’s social media manager, video features and PWC Victory Lane presentations.

Gillespie is no stranger to the motorsports world as her grandfather, Arlen Gillespie, was a longtime stock car competitor in the Chicagoland area. In addition, Samantha was a member of the famed “Umbrella Girls USA,” a popular contingent of women who donned the pit lane and paddock area at major motorsports events.

Most recently, Gillespie served as a spokesperson and presenter for the Yamaha Racing/MonsterEnergy team in MotoGP and Moto America road racing series. In addition, Samantha has been a member of the Pirelli presenting group for various events.

“I am very excited to being a part of the Pirelli World Challenge series this year,” said Gillespie. “I come from a racing family and have a background at a variety of motorsports events in the past five years. The sports cars in the Pirelli World Challenge are many of the world’s most exotic machines and I can’t wait to assist Erica on the social media side in giving the racing fans some new storylines of the outstanding racing series. This year should be very thrilling.”

TOPP Performance Race Parts announced the acquisition of the engine powerhouse Gaerte Engines. TOPP Performance Race Parts, under the leadership of Kevin Birchmeier, is now the sole owner of Gaerte Engines, which was previously owned by Joe and Brenda Gaerte.
 
The services, quality, and the products will be sold in the same way, sustaining the reputation that Gaerte has built over the past 48 years, according to TOPP Performance. The Gaerte name will continue to be a part of the TOPP Performance Race Parts business, having Gaerte Engines sold as an exclusive line by TOPP Performance Race Parts.
 
“We are so blessed for the opportunity to welcome the Gaerte Engine name into our business,” said Birchmeier. “We are really looking forward to the great opportunities that lie ahead with both businesses coming together as one.”
 
“We are excited for the opportunity to continue manufacturing and producing quality racing engines,” said Joe Gaerte, former owner of Gaerte Engines. “We are ready to grow and expand our products and services to the racing community.”
 
Birchmeier is a well-known business owner in Rochester, Indiana. He is president and CEO of TOPP Industries, TOPP Motorsports and TOPP Performance Race Parts. TOPP Performance Race Parts was established in 2016 and started as a small track trailer business at Plymouth Speedway. Today, TOPP Performance Race Parts offers racing products from many well-known names in the industry.

“Bringing the Gaerte Engine name into our TOPP Performance Race Parts brand truly magnifies the opportunities that we can offer for our customers. There are big things to come from us,” said Birchmeier.
 

NASCAR announced the 20 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018, as well as the five nominees for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

Each name made an indelible mark on the sport, whether from behind the wheel or atop a pit box… or even from inside a broadcast booth. After long careers that have helped shape NASCAR, all are now one step closer to its highest honor–enshrinement into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
 
Included among the list are five first-time nominees, all racing heroes who earned race wins, championships and also, millions of fans.
 
Among them are two owners who have each eclipsed the 100-win mark (Joe Gibbs and Roger Penske), a driver who combined for four championships in NASCAR’s Modified and Late Model Sportsman division (Red Farmer), an extreme talent who collected 19 wins before his too-soon passing (Davey Allison) and the 2000 premier series champion (Bobby Labonte). For a full list of nominees, please see below.
 
The nominees were selected by a nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks and the media. The committee’s votes were tabulated by accounting firm EY.
 
From the list of 20 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees, five inductees will be elected by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.com. Voting Day for the 2018 class will be Wednesday, May 24.
 
Added to this year’s list of Landmark Award nominees are Jim France and Alvin Hawkins. Three nominees return for the Landmark Award: Ralph Seagraves, Janet Guthrie and Ken Squier. Potential Landmark Award recipients include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.
 
Following are the 20 nominees for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, listed alphabetically:
 

• Davey Allison, won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup) series, including the 1992 Daytona 500
• Buddy Baker, won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier series, including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500
• Red Byron, first NASCAR premier series champion, in 1949
• Ray Evernham, three-time NASCAR premier series championship crew chief
• Red Farmer,three-time Late Model Sportsman champion; 1956 Modified champion
• Ray Fox, legendary engine builder, crew chief and car owner
• Joe Gibbs, combined for nine car owner championships in premier and XFINITY series
• Ron Hornaday Jr., four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion
• Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR premier series championship crew chief
• Alan Kulwicki, 1992 NASCAR premier series champion
• Bobby Labonte, won a championship in both the premier series and XFINITY Series
• Hershel McGriff, 1986 NASCAR west series champion
• Roger Penske, combined for four car owner championships in premier and XFINITY series
• Larry Phillips, only five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
• Jack Roush, five-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
• Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR’s premier series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400
• Ken Squier, legendary radio and television broadcaster; inaugural winner/namesake of Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence
• Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships
• Waddell Wilson, won three NASCAR premier series championships as an engine builder
• Robert Yates, won NASCAR premier series championship as both an engine builder and owner

The five nominees for the Landmark Award, listed alphabetically, are as follows…
 

• Jim France, worked closely with father and NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.; current chairman of International Speedway Corporation
• Janet Guthrie, the first female to compete in a NASCAR premier series superspeedway race
• Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.
• Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
• Ken Squier, legendary radio and television broadcaster; inaugural winner/namesake of Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence