Turn 14 Distribution has added Race Star Industries to its extended wheel brand selection.

The distributor continues its method of selective expansion to include products that are highly desired by consumers. Therefore, the designs offered by Race Star Industries are a good fit for the company’s Domestic and Truck Performance customers, according to Turn 14 Distribution.

“Turn 14 Distribution is excited to add Race Star’s wheels to our growing lineup of aftermarket wheels. Their designs are popular and attractive, with a large following of enthusiasts in the Domestic performance and Truck segments,” said Kyle Shelley, Turn 14 Distribution’s director of sales. “The partnership with Race Star Industries allows us to add another well-engineered, high- quality offering to our line card, and gives Turn 14 Distribution entry into the drag wheel market.”

Race Star Industries is a manufacturer and supplier of high-performance alloy wheels for cars, trucks and a variety of racing vehicles. Located in the Kansas City area, the company offers cast-aluminum alloy wheels which are engineered to fit popular late model muscle applications featuring large diameter brake packages.

New lines by Race Star Industries are constantly being developed. The company expands applications through all the early and late model muscle cars focused on aggressive large diameter fitments with limited brake caliper modifications required.

In addition, Race Star’s Drag Star and Dark Star designs are street and drag strip performance wheels, which offer lightweight designs with out-of-the-box direct fit applications, according to Turn 14.

From Daniel Suárez’s historic NASCAR XFINITY Series championship to the efforts from NASCAR tracks, teams, sponsors and partners, the last year represented tremendous progress in the areas of diversity within the sport, according to NASCAR.
 
NASCAR and industry leaders gathered at the Daytona International Speedway to recognize those leading the efforts in shaping a multicultural sport with the 10th Annual NASCAR Diversity Awards.
 
“Diversity and multiculturalism is a top priority at NASCAR, and the NASCAR Diversity Awards is a great event to honor all those from across our industry who are making tremendous strides in this area,” said NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian France. “As we continue to see more diversity on the track, in the boardroom, and in the stands, we will see a rise in talent and we will appeal to an even wider fan base.  We want to thank our stakeholders and partners for their dedication to the continued growth of our sport.”
 
To be recognized for their outstanding achievements will be:
 
• Daniel Suarez will receive the NASCAR Ignition Award, given to a minority or female NASCAR national series driver that demonstrates leadership both on and off the race track while making contributions to the advancement of the sport. In addition to being the first Mexican-born driver to win a race in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and becoming the first foreign-born driver to win a NASCAR national series championship, Suarez has been active away from the track in reaching new young and diverse fans.
 
• Jesse Iwuji will be given the NASCAR Diverse Driver Award, given to a minority or female NASCAR developmental driver that exemplifies outstanding performance both on and off the race track in encouraging awareness and interaction with NASCAR and motorsports. A graduate of the Naval Academy and a first-generation Nigerian-American, Iwuji has taken NASCAR directly to the community, whether it’s raising Naval recruitment efforts, STEM education or support of NASCAR Green efforts at a local California school.
 
• Peri Karslioglu will receive the NASCAR Diversity Internship Participant Award, presented to the student who has exhibited outstanding performance and leadership skills in academics as well as during their experience in the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program. Karslioglu is a cum laude graduate of Syracuse University and interned with The NASCAR Foundation last year. Karslioglu impressed with her fresh perspective on social media and, industry engagement and marketing efforts, landing a full-time position with the Foundation as a marketing coordinator.
 
• ALPFA – the Association of Latino Professionals For America, will be presented the NASCAR Institution Award, which goes to a company that demonstrates a commitment to NASCAR diversity and inclusion goals through its program support and engagement with NASCAR. ALPFA has worked closely with NASCAR since 2014 to promote business-to-business efforts throughout the motorsports industry. Through exclusive events and at-track immersions, ALPFA has led the way in increasing Latino participation in key NASCAR programs.
 
• Hailie Deegan will be awarded the Young Racer Award, presented to a minority or female youth between the ages of 8-15 years old that has partaken in some form of competitive racing and has overcome adversity in pursuit of his or her dream of participating in the motorsports industry. The 15-year-old from Temecula, California, Deegan competed in 2016 for Rev Racing in a Legends car in the Bojangles Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway and was one of the youngest drivers to earn an invitation to the 2016 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine.
 
• Smithfield will receive the NASCAR Partner Award, given to a company that demonstrates a commitment to NASCAR diversity goals through its program support and engagement. With goals of making better communities throughout our county, Smithfield’s sponsorship of Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) and driver Aric Almirola has amplified its outreach efforts and created a difference-making partnership. Last year, Smithfield and RPM partnered for school events in California and Illinois to promote staying in school, working directly with schools with a high percentage of Hispanic and low-income students.
 
• Kenyatta Houston will be presented the NASCAR Diverse Crew Member Award. The award goes to a minority or woman crew member that inspires awareness of NASCAR through competitive performance and outreach activities. A former football player and 2005 graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew program, Houston has been to Victory Lane in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series. Outside the race track, Houston continues to give back to the community – from helping the Drive for Diversity Pit Crew program to train the next generation of crew members to volunteer with Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity and Mooresville Christian Mission.
 
• Pocono Raceway will be presented the NASCAR Track Award. The award goes to a track that identified and activated programming geared toward engaging a multicultural fan base by utilizing staff, community outreach and track assets. The “Tricky Triangle” has made significant efforts to reach out to an increasingly diverse population in the Poconos. Last year, it added a Spanish-language promotion for its NASCAR XFINITY Series race and included a video spotlighting NASCAR Diversity intern Antonio Russo as part of its overall activation to highlight family participation.
 
• Patriot Motorsports/Circle Track Racing will receive the NASCAR Team Award. The award goes to a team that engaged the driver, OEM and sponsor support to effectively reach fans on and off the track in support of NASCAR’s diversity and inclusion goals. Circle Track Racing, owned by John Wood, a driver himself, has provided an opportunity for drivers to gain valuable seat time and experience. Wood and driver Jesse Iwuiji’s Patriot Motorsports are actively involved in self-funded promotion and activation around the race weekends and have continued to go above and beyond in driving awareness to a young and diverse audience.
 
• Josh Avila will be recognized with the Industry Ambassador Award. The award spotlights a representative who displays a personal effort to incorporate multicultural initiatives as part of his or her job. Avila has made the track’s multicultural initiatives a major focus for the last decade. Josh has built meaningful relationships with the Hispanic community and his successes have profound impact beyond his track. He spearheaded the first Spanish language section of the FanZone, incorporated Mexican celebrities and drivers into the track’s events and media outreach, and has worked to expand the track’s engagement with the Asian market.
 
The NASCAR national series championship season gets underway at Daytona International Speedway on Friday night with the NextEra Energy Resources 250 for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, followed by Saturday’s Powershares QQQ 300 for the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The 59th running of the DAYTONA 500 will be Sunday, with the green flag for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season at 2 p.m. ET, live on FOX, Motor Racing Network Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
 
Tickets for the Daytona 500 are available online at DaytonaInternationalSpeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Officials from the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) and MAVTV announced a new multi-year broadcast rights agreement for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards under which racing events will be televised on MAVTV during 2017 through 2019 racing seasons.

Ten races will be telecast on MAVTV in 2017, the first of the three-year agreement. Coverage begins Saturday night, April 8 with the first live broadcast from Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tennessee.

In addition to Nashville, races from Elko Speedway in Elko, Minnesota, Madison International Speedway in Wisconsin and the Illinois State Fairgrounds will also air Live on MAVTV in 2017.

“MAVTV continues its long-term commitment to motorsports,” said Bob Patison, president of MAVTV. “We see the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards as a premier property on our network, and are happy to begin our ARCA relationship with this new contract.”

In addition to the Live events, MAVTV will provide coverage from an additional 6 ARCA Racing Series events, including delayed broadcast coverage from the 4-mile Road America road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, plus great short track action from Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, Winchester Speedway in Indiana, the dirt mile at DuQuoin Fairgrounds in Southern Illinois and both Salem Speedway events in Indiana.

MAVTV can be found in the US on major cable providers, including Cablevision, Charter Communications, GCI in Alaska, select cable systems within the Caribbean Co-op, Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, AT&T U-verse and DirecTV. MAVTV is currently available in 62 million homes.

The ARCA Racing Series aired on MAVTV in the early 2000s, with delayed coverage from Salem.
 
“ARCA has a well-established history of investing in long-term relationships, and that certainly holds true in the case of our television network partnerships,” said ARCA President Ron Drager. “We’re very pleased that MAVTV will become a broadcast partner, and are proud to be a part of their programming mix. As we build our plan for the future of the series, we’re especially enthused to make this major, multi-year announcement. This mutual commitment between ARCA and MAVTV provides our series a high-quality television platform available to deliver a tremendous value for viewers, race teams and sponsors.”

Despite winning multiple NHRA Championships, Antron Brown has not forgotten his roots and remains committed to giving something back to his sport. In a new video released by VP Racing Fuels, the reigning NHRA Top Fuel Champion and founder of the Midwest Junior Super Series explains how his philosophy meshes perfectly with VP Racing Fuels, a company that is likewise committed to supporting the sport of drag racing.
 
“What sets VP apart from all the other fuel vendors is they start off with the grass roots. That was true in my case as a young motocross rider, where I learned from my dad to do things right the first time and only buy the best, and he always bought VP,” said Brown. “VP has become a big part of our Midwest Junior Super Series, getting involved in the early stages because VP cares about the youth and teaching them how to win by being consistent and always choosing the right ingredients to put in the race car to make it happen.”
 
“We couldn’t be more pleased to support Antron and his Junior Dragsters. He is a true champion who shares our passion for performance and giving back to the sport,” said Chris Wall, VP’s Chief Marketing Officer.
 
In connection with its new video, VP will be giving away 50 hats signed by Antron for VP fans that submit short videos showing how VP is a part of their life. Fan videos can be submitted online here and the best 50 will be selected to receive an autographed VP hat.
 
In addition to supporting Junior Dragsters, VP will again be an NHRA Major Contingency Sponsor in 2017, continuing its 41-year practice of posting substantial contingency awards for all NHRA Sportsman classes. The company also will continue its “Top 10” program which awards free or half price fuel to racers ranked in the Top 10 of each Sportsman class the previous year.
 
For more information about VP Racing Fuels, its contingency programs or products, contact the nearest VP Regional Distribution Center, listed online at https://vpracingfuels.com/contact/.

In related VP Racing Fuels news, VP Racing Fuels recently introduced its newest distributor—oils4cars s.r.o., based in Košice, Slovakia. As VP’s authorized dealer, oils4cars will service customers in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Austria with a full line of VP’s race fuel blends, including unleaded R5, Motorsport 109, Motorsport 103 and much more.
 
VP Madditives, formulated for petrol and diesel engines, will also be available from oils4cars. The family of additives includes VP Fuel System Cleaner, VP Power Boost combustion enhancer and VP Octanium octane boost for petrol engines, along with VP Diesel All-In-One Fuel Conditioner and VP Cetanium cetane boost for diesel engines.
 
“Over the last years, oils4cars has proved to be a strong and reliable partner to many businesses in Europe. We are convinced that the same business approach will enable us to serve VP Racing Fuels customers in an effective and professional manner. We believe that VP represents world-class quality, as evidenced by its cooperation with M-SPORT and also based on our own experiences in rally. With both companies fueled by a passion for motorsport and successful business experiences, oils4cars sees great potential in our cooperation with VP. We are happy to open a new chapter of business together with VP Racing Fuels,” said Stanislav Brindza, Sales Manager for oils4cars.
 
“We’re very pleased to welcome oils4cars to the VP family,” said Marc Wesler, International Sales Manager for VP Racing Fuels. “Stanislav Brindza and his team are well-respected in the industry and very knowledgeable about performance products as reflected in the success of their Red Ants rally team. We’re confident they’ll represent the VP Racing Fuels brand well and look forward to growing our businesses together.”

Lincoln Technical Institute, a specialized automotive training institution, announced it will be an associate sponsor of the No. 5 Arrow Electronics Honda driven by James Hinchcliffe for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (SPM) in the 2017 season of the Verizon IndyCar Series competition.
 
Lincoln Tech's sponsorship of SPM goes far beyond the placement of logos on the car, the driver's firesuit and team uniforms. The most significant element in Lincoln Tech's sponsorship program with the Indianapolis-based team is the creation of its groundbreaking Mentor Program.

Lincoln Tech will be carefully selecting one student and an instructor for each of the six races occurring between April 9 and June 10 who will become completely immersed within the SPM team. They will be provided with full pit and garage access, have the opportunity to meet James Hinchcliffe, attend team meetings and be a part of the team during the entire race weekend.

Lincoln Tech's auto campuses will each nominate deserving students for this incredible opportunity based on the student's GPA, attendance, conduct and their overall commitment to becoming outstanding automotive technicians.
 
Scott Shaw, Lincoln Tech's CEO and President, said: "James and team owner Sam Schmidt's perseverance, integrity and professionalism are traits we look to instill in all of our students. We could not think of two better brand ambassadors to represent Lincoln Tech and to help mentor our students. We have been approached over the years by many racing teams looking for sponsorship. However, SPM presents the most comprehensive program and one that we felt fully engaged our campuses and our students."

Piers Phillips, general manager of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, said, "The Lincoln Tech arrangement broadens our opportunity to find fresh talent. Being able to work with, guide, expose and tutor their students, as well as giving them access and exposure to the behind- the-scenes of our industry is a huge opportunity; I wish I had such an opportunity at that age."

"For us, to have a look at the upcoming classes of students and their ideas is only going to strengthen SPM. This new partnership is a huge opportunity for our team, and as a forward-thinking organization, we're always looking for new opportunities to help further our program."

Award-winning journalist Jeff Birchfield has been named the director of public relations for IRG Sports + Entertainment (IRGSE), the company announced. Birchfield joins IRGSE from the Johnson City (Tennessee) Press.

Birchfield will lead the public relations efforts for IRGSE-owned properties including the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), Palm Beach Driving Club, Palm Beach International Raceway, Memphis International Raceway, Maryland International Raceway and Cordova International Raceway. Located at IRGSE's West Palm Beach, Florida, headquarters, Birchfield will report to IRGSE chief revenue officer Shawn Hackman.
 
"Jeff's award-winning sports-writing experience and understanding of the motorsports industry will be a tremendous asset to our IRGSE team," Hackman said. "His passion for motorsports and the importance he places on relationship building will be well received by the industry and members of the media."
 
Birchfield brings with him 20 years of journalism experience having worked at the Johnson City Press and the Elizabethton Star. He also has a background in customer service and has done freelance work for a variety of outlets including multiple Motorsports publications and the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. During his time at the Johnson City Press, he was a two-time winner of the prestigious Tennessee Press Association's sports-writing award. Among his additional accolades, he was recognized by Bristol Motor Speedway and Bristol Dragway for outstanding media coverage. Birchfield is a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA).
 
"I am honored to join the IRGSE team in what promises to be an exciting time for the IHRA and the IRGSE properties," Birchfield said. "I look forward to working with all of them to serve the media, promoters, racers, fans, sponsors and others involved in the sport."
 
Birchfield, a native of Burnsville, N.C., attended East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and served nine years in the Tennessee Army National Guard. He will relocate to south Florida at the end of February.

Ardmore Dragway, located in Ardmore, Oklahoma, has joined Division 4, the NHRA South Central Division as an NHRA member track.

Ardmore Dragway was originally built as the Ardmore Municipal Airport. After the Ardmore Municipal Airport moved locations, the Ardmore Timing Association was created and together with the Slowpokes’ Car Club, the land was leased to be redesigned into a racetrack.

In 1954, the first race was conducted at Ardmore Dragway. The track changed ownership several times but in 2007, long time racer, Rick and Brenda Carrell purchased the track. The next generation of Carrell’s took over ownership and operations afterward. They are now on the 4th generation of Carrell’s to be involved in Ardmore Dragway since Rick’s father, Joe Carrell, was one of the original co-owners & founders of Ardmore Dragway in 1954.

“We are very excited to be a newly sanctioned NHRA member track and look forward to a great year of drag racing,” said Rick Carrell. “We are dedicated to making Ardmore Dragway a place that others would consider to be a great place to race and we appreciate all of the racers & fans that have supported us over the last 64 years. We hope they too will share in our excitement of taking Ardmore Dragway to the next level.”

The dragstrip has been through major renovations since 2007 including a complete resurfacing of the track, asphalt of pit roads, new grandstands, renovated tower, new concession stand, new concrete bathrooms which are also safe rooms, a spectator entry gate, concrete barrier walls, a new fuel building and digital scoreboards.

“Ardmore Dragway has a rich history in the region and is well known for the family approach they take in running the facility,” said Trey Capps, Division 4 director. “We welcome them into the member track family and look forward to the start of the busy race season.”

Ardmore Dragway will host one of their key events, the 46th consecutive Cowpasture Nationals, in October of this year. The name comes from the fact that Ardmore Dragway used to be a cow pasture where cattle grazed and roamed the land.  Many still remember Ardmore Dragway as the dragstrip in the middle of the pasture.

As an NHRA-sanctioned track, the facility will be eligible to offer racers a variety of NHRA racing opportunities, including the NHRA Summit Racing Series, the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, NHRA Jr. Street and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. Additionally, the track has the opportunity to host NHRA’s specialty events including the NHRA All Access Challenge, NHRA Summit King of the Track, and NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Challenge, where racers compete for the coveted Wally trophy.

NHRA’s Division 4, the South Central Division, features tracks from Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Division 4 facilities host NHRA-sanctioned competitions throughout the year. For more information including schedules, point standings and more, go to the Division 4 website: www.nhradiv4.com.

After a successful inaugural season for the Sprint Car Bandits (SCB) Series, the series is now joining forces with the National Championship Racing Association (NCRA) for the upcoming season.

The two series are partnering for the upcoming racing season to help expand their footprint from a marketing and advertising standpoint.

Several other independent 360ci Sprint Car series are also in the process of announcing their alliance as well, according to a press release from the series.

For competing drivers, there will be no rule changes as part of the partnership. Each series group will retain the ability to control its own rules and regulations.

Be on the lookout for more announcements regarding this and future partnerships.

Visit www.SprintCarBandits.com and www.raceNCRA.com for more information.

The Board of Directors of Federal-Mogul Holdings, an original equipment and aftermarket automotive supplier, announced the appointment of Bradley S. Norton as co-chief executive officer of the company and chief executive officer of its Motorparts division, effective March 8, 2017. Rainer Jueckstock will remain as the co-chief executive officer of Federal-Mogul Holdings LLC and CEO of Federal-Mogul Powertrain.
 
Norton has more than 25 years of global automotive experience in both original equipment and the aftermarket. He joined Federal-Mogul Motorparts in 2014 as senior vice president and general manager, chassis & service. Norton previously served as president and a board member of Freudenberg-NOK, the America's joint venture between Freudenberg GmbH and NOK Corporation. Prior to joining Freudenberg-NOK, he held a series of increasingly responsible leadership positions in operations, supply chain, commercial and organizational strategy with BorgWarner, Nissan North America, AlliedSignal and other companies. Norton will report to the company's board of directors.
 
Norton succeeds Daniel A. Ninivaggi, who had served as co-CEO and CEO of Federal-Mogul Motorparts since 2014. Ninivaggi will return to Icahn Enterprises L.P., Federal-Mogul's parent company, where he will serve as managing director of IEP's automotive segment. Ninivaggi previously served as CEO of Icahn Enterprises from 2010 until 2014.

WELD Racing announced the appointment of Vic Wood as its new Senior Director of Sales. Wood will assume the role of managing WELD Racing’s top accounts, providing leadership over many of its strategic sales initiatives.
 
“We are extremely honored to welcome Vic to our team,” said Norm Young, President and CEO of Weld Racing. “Vic brings more than 40 years of experience from his previous roles with leading performance aftermarket manufacturers, and also as a highly active member of the performance aftermarket community.”
 
Wood has established an unmatched record of developing and growing distribution relationships and sales strategies in the performance aftermarket domestically and abroad, according to WELD. These accomplishments began in his native country Australia and continued with business development across the Pacific Rim including Japan, China, New Zealand and South East Asia.
 
Prior to joining WELD Racing, Wood held numerous leadership positions in the performance aftermarket and is the current Immediate Past Chairman of the SEMA Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC). He also serves on numerous industry Committees and Task Forces.
 
"I am thrilled to be joining the Weld Racing team. Norm Young and I have known each other for many years and really like the team he is building at WELD Racing,” said Wood. “WELD Racing is an iconic brand in drag racing, Sprint Cars, and Street vehicles. They’ve been the leader in performance aftermarket wheels for decades and have set the benchmark high within the industry.”
 
Wood is also an accomplished racer and shares his passion for motorsports in all his endeavors.