NMCA announced its all-new Stock / Super Stock class that will debut at the at E3 Spark Plugs Muscle Car Mayhem season opener at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida, the weekend of March 9-12, 2017.

After receiving hundreds of phone calls and e-mails from NHRA and IHRA Stock and Super Stock racers over the offseason, NMCA made the call that a Stock / Super Stock class made sense for the series and the motorsport community.

NMCA’s new Stock / Super Stock class is a handicap breakout eliminator based off NHRA and IHRA Stock and Super Stock classes. NMCA’s Stock / Super Stock class will qualify based on NHRA and IHRA indexes as of March 1, 2017, and these indexes and weight factors will remain in effect without change during the entire 2017 race season.

Stock / Super Stock is an NMCA championship category that will compete at all six NMCA national events in 2017. Racers competing in Stock / Super Stock will receive valuable racer contingency payments from NMCA sponsors, compete for the opportunity to win coveted Victor awards in the Aerospace Components winners circle, receive complete class coverage in Fastest Street Car magazine, and battle for the chance to be crowned class champion at NMCA’s awards ceremony held each year at the PRI trade show in Indianapolis. The overall class champion will be presented with a championship Victor award as well as the Nitto Tire Diamond Tree champions ring at the awards ceremony.

NMCA's Muscle Car Mayhem event features heads-up Xtreme Pro Mods, Radial Wars, Factory Super Cars, Street Outlaws, Nostalgia Super Stockers and much more as the season kicks in Bradenton, Florida. Muscle Car Mayhem also features a large manufacturers' midway and swap meet, burnout contest, the Muscle Car & Hot Rod Car Show Saturday & Sunday, and special race classes including Outlaw 632 and the Nostalgia Muscle Car vs. Nostalgia Super Stock Shootout.

For more information on NMCA's Muscle Car Mayhem at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida, the weekend of March 9-12 visit www.NMCAdigital.com/FL or call 714-444-2426.

The official 2017 Tire Rack SCCA ProSolo rules were released on the Sports Car Club of America website.

Changes were minimal, mostly focused on updates to the ProSolo index factors. The Christmas tree-style start, a trademark of ProSolo competition, requires index adjustments that vary from the PAX index used in other Tire Rack SCCA Solo events.

“Our goal was to have stability in the rules and only make changes to better describe processes so they are better understood by the participant,” said Howard Duncan, SCCA Senior Director of Solo and Rally. “The ProSolo Index factors have been revised after another year of data collection for fine tuning the Index.”

Any questions or clarifications should be directed to Doug Gill at dgill@scca.com or (800)770-2055. Visit here for the SCCA website.

The American Canadian Tour has revealed the six-race Serie ACT schedule.

The series will operate under a new management team this season, with Marc Patrick Roy named managing director for the series based in Quebec.

“M.P. Roy is a familiar presence at short tracks in Quebec and the northeastern U.S., and brings a wealth of knowledge and renewed enthusiasm to his new position,” ACT President Tom Curley said. “We are delighted to have him join our team. He brings with him a strong team of officials who have been involved in ACT racing for many years, in a variety of capacities. We look forward to the 2017 Serie ACT events.”

“I am excited to put my team of officials together,” said Roy. “I had the opportunity to work with each of them in the past.  These are very honest, professional individuals, with a tremendous knowledge of stock car racing and know what is expected to run a smooth show.”

The schedule kicks off on Saturday, June 10 at the Autodrome Montmagny and the series will crown its champion at Montmagny on September 2. The series will also visit Montmagny on June 24 and July 22.

Autodrome St-Eustache will host the series twice, with events scheduled for July 8 and August 19.

“I want to thank the drivers who mobilized themselves in favor of the continuation of the Serie. Without their work, especially that of Donald Theetge, Patrick Laperle, Dany Trepanier and Jonathan Bouvrette, this reorganization would have been much more difficult and complex,” said Roy.

The competitive NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will go four-wide racing for the first time in class history at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, which takes place April 28-30 at the state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway
 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals presents one of the biggest spectacles in motorsports as four cars power down zMAX Dragway at once. The growing NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will now get to experience the one-of-a-kind race for the first time, as four cars will go down the track at more than 250 mph at once, providing another surreal viewing opportunity for fans at the unique race.



“The NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series continues to show impressive growth and the chance to race at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will provide even more excitement for the talented racers in the class and its fans,” said Graham Light, NHRA senior vice president of racing operations. “The Pro Mod class features tremendous drivers and thrilling side-by-side racing, and the added element of four-wide racing will showcase that even further.”



Racing at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals is part of the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series’ expansion from 10 races to 12 events for the 2017 season, adding a race in Topeka, Kansas as well. 

All Pro Mod races on the 2017 schedule will air on FOX Sports 2 after enjoying a 319-percent growth in television ratings in 2016 compared to the previous year. The Pro Mod season opens on March 16-19 as part of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, and the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will be the third of 12 events in 2017.



“The anticipation and excitement of having four lanes, three different power-adder combinations, and clutch-equipped cars staging and leaving with converter-equipped drivelines, will be challenging for a driver and will be a truly a unique experience for the fan,” said Steve Matusek, who pilots the Aeromotive 1969 Camaro Pro Mod car, which he drove to a No. 5 finish in points last year. He is also the President of Aeromotive, Inc, a major Contingency Sponsor with the NHRA.



“Putting a 900 plus cubic-inch behemoth nitrous power plant next to both the popping and banging of turbos, and deep whine and ground-pounding tone of a supercharged combo will be difficult, but I know my teammate Danny Rowe and I are more than up for the challenge.”



Featuring some of the world’s fastest and most unique door slammer race cars, the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series offers something for every kind of hot-rodding enthusiast. Historic muscle cars, like ’67 Mustangs, ’68 Firebirds, and ’69 Camaros, as well as a variety of late-model American muscle cars highlight this growing class. With more than 3,000 horsepower, the suspended door Pro Mod cars travel the quarter-mile in less than six seconds at speeds exceeding 250 mph.



Performance Motorsports International (PMI), which includes the JE Pistons, Wiseco Performance Products, K1 Technologies, Innovate Motorsports and ProX Racing Parts brands, has been acquired by private equity firm Kinderhook Industries from Dover Corporation.  

This is New York-based Kinderhook's 40th automotive aftermarket acquisition, and its third public/private equity partnership in the past 24 months. Kinderhook manages over $2 billion in committed capital.

With the acquisition comes the new performance parts platform, Race Winning Brands, headquartered in Mentor, Ohio, which manufactures performance and racing pistons and related engine components, marketing its products through the abovementioned brands.

As part of the transaction, Dover will maintain a minority ownership stake in Race Winning Brands.

Brian Reese, Kinderhook Operating Partner, former Vice President of COMP Performance Group and most recently Divisional Vice President of Sears Holdings Corporation, will be joining Race Winning Brands as the Chief Executive Officer. Reese has over 20 years of experience fueling premium brands with innovative products.

“I have long admired PMI and considered their brands as preeminent leaders in the automotive and powersports performance markets. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Kinderhook and the management team to lead Race Winning Brands in its next phase of growth,” said Reese.

Bob Romanelli, a Kinderhook Operating Partner, will be joining Race Winning Brands as Executive Chairman. Romanelli has over 30 years of industry experience, including previously serving as President and CEO of the Mr. Gasket Performance Group, COO of RAM Products, Inc., and as Director of Operations of Echlin's Fuel Systems Group.

“As an active member of the automotive industry, both as an executive and as a racer, I have always been impressed with PMI,” Romanelli said. “As Chairman of the Board, I look forward to working alongside Kinderhook and the management team to complete strategic acquisitions across the automotive and powersports performance markets.”

As part of the transaction, Kinderhook will also be adding David Ropp, a Kinderhook Operating Partner, to the Board of Directors. Ropp has over 35 years of industry experience, including previously serving as President and CEO of Dover Industrial Products, a former segment of Dover, and Director of Operations of Ingersoll-Rand. Ropp currently serves on the board of directors of Superwinch, a Kinderhook portfolio company manufacturing industry leading winches for off-road enthusiasts.

The AAM Group is announced that Bruce Baier from Competition Muffler & Shocks in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is the winner of the 2016 Flowmaster “Race 2 Daytona” contest. Baier, who sold the highest dollar amount of Flowmaster product from July 1 to December 31, 2016, will be joined by six guests at the 2017 Daytona 500. All expenses—including travel, lodging, event tickets, and official meals—will be covered by Flowmaster.
 
Winning Jobber and Guest
Bruce Baier and Tammie Baier (Competition Muffler)
 
Winning Jobber’s WD Salespersons
Brennan Clark, William Robertson, and Corey Rogers (Dix Performance)
 
Winning Jobber’s Biggest Flowmaster Customer and Guest
Bobby Joe Wilson and Deborah Wilson
 
“AAM would like to congratulate our winners and everyone who participated in the ‘Race 2 Daytona’ event,” said David Ayers, director of marketing and technology with The AAM Group. “I’m proud of everyone who helped to make this promotion exceed our expectations. A special thanks to Flowmaster for their sponsorship and for working with us to create exclusive opportunities to engage and reward our program jobber base.”
 
Flowmaster Marketing and Motorsports Manager Dale Dotson added, “We’re very excited to personally be able to spend time with the AAM ‘Race 2 Daytona’ contest winners and share in this awesome NASCAR race experience. Congratulations, and we’ll see you at the race!”

Stage 8 Locking Fasteners, a company that has been in the business of keeping things from moving since 1985, recently launched a new website.

Focused on product education, optimized dealer location, and captivating visuals, the all new www.stage8.com is said to better be able to serve both industrial and recreational customers in the coming years.

“It’s important that our online presence reflects our product’s benchmark values of simplicity and reliability,” states Bruce Bennett, Founder and CEO of Stage 8 Locking Fasteners. “And we are excited to launch a new website worthy of the world’s best locking fasteners we have produced here in America for more than 30 years.”

The all-new www.stage8.com will continue to grow in step with upcoming releases of new products from the company and is designed to scale in the ever-changing online landscape, including social media integration, allowing customers to find the right solution for their specific application.

For 31 years, Stage 8 Locking Fasteners has built locking fasteners in a myriad of industries including automotive, industrial, railroad and military. Since 1985, Stage 8 has consistently delivered measurable increases in equipment reliability and safety as well as dramatic reductions in maintenance costs and equipment failures, especially header, exhaust and turbo applications.

The Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) announced that Lee Sebring will join PDRA staff as the series’ promotions director. The first order of business for Sebring, who has been the Quarter-Max Top End Zone reporter since late 2015, is to host PDRA’s “Live with Lee,” a new Facebook Live program that will be held every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern.

“I’m excited to expand my involvement with the PDRA through this position,” stated Sebring. “PDRA’s ‘Live with Lee’ will be an exciting inside look at current happenings with the series, our racers and our sponsors. We’ll go over rumors, points, race recaps and everything that’s happening in the PDRA. We’ll have call-in guests and hopefully visit some of our partner locations to highlight their companies.”

Sebring will continue his role of top end reporter, but as the new Promotions Director will support Director of Marketing, Will Smith, while also being heavily involved in fan interaction, social media, and guerilla marketing. On top of PDRA’s “Live with Lee,” fans and supporters can expect to see an overall increased social media presence from the series.  

“We welcome Lee on board and look forward to what he’s going to bring to this series and our fans,” stated PDRA Race Director, Bob Harris. “We’ve enjoyed his announcing and know that he will be a great asset to this organization.

“We encourage everyone to tune in on Tuesday and Thursday nights at 7 p.m. to watch PDRA’s ‘Live with Lee’ and let us know how much you like it!”

To learn more, visit the website here. Visit the PDRA Facebook page here.

Dover International Speedway will extend SAFER barriers across the frontstretch and backstretch of the facility in preparation for the 2017 NASCAR season, track officials announced.



Work will be complete on the project before the June 2-4, 2017, NASCAR tripleheader weekend at the Monster Mile, which includes the “AAA 400 Drive for Autism” Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, June 4.



Facts on the project plans include:
   
  
•    Approximately 1800 feet of Steel And Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barriers will be added to the one-mile, high-banked, concrete oval. Outside walls along the frontstretch and backstretch, including the gates for track entry, will now include SAFER barriers. With this project, all of the Monster Mile’s outside walls will have SAFER barriers installed.
   
•    The installation company will be Smith Fence of Clearwater, Florida.
   
•    Construction will begin in March.



“Continued improvements to our facility, particularly in the areas of fan and driver safety, are of the utmost importance to us,” said Mike Tatoian, president and CEO of Dover International Speedway.

“The decision to add more SAFER barriers is a collaborative decision with NASCAR and various stakeholders and collectively we felt this is something that needed to be completed prior to NASCAR’s return to the Monster Mile this spring.”



Before the NASCAR tripleheader weekend in October 2016, Dover International Speedway added approximately 500 feet of SAFER barriers along the outside wall in Turn 2, under the walkover bridge, and along the outside wall of Turn 4 entering the frontstretch.



“Dover has really done a great job in making the facility as safe as possible for us as drivers,” said Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Ford Fusion for Team Penske. “The Monster Mile is an extremely fast track. For only being a one-mile track, the high-banked corners and concrete surface produce really high speeds and with that, you increase the risk for heavier impacts.



“As a driver, I really appreciate the investment in safety. The initiative to add 1,800 feet of the SAFER barrier to completely cover the outside walls is another great step.”



The June 2-4, 2017, NASCAR tripleheader weekend at Dover International Speedway includes the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday, June 2 and the NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, June 3.



The Monster Mile is also hosting a NASCAR tripleheader weekend from Sept. 29-Oct. 1, including the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, Oct. 1, the “Drive Sober 200” presented by the Delaware Office of Highway Safety NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, Sept. 30 and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race on Friday, Sept. 29.



KRC Power Steering has partnered with Leavine Family Racing as a product and technology sponsor for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Season. LFR will exclusively utilize KRC Pro Series III Power Steering Pumps and High Performance KRC Power Steering Fluid.

In turn, KRC will incorporate LFR into their marketing plan for 2017. Technical knowledge developed in conjunction with the alliance will be funneled to Short Track Racers completing the circle of information sharing.

KRC Pro Series III Power Steering Pumps are manufactured in Kennesaw, GA and are engineered to perform at the highest levels of motorsports. Nine levels of adjustable feel allows LFR driver, Michael McDowell, to tailor his steering system feel to turn through 500 tough laps at the Bristol half mile to the high speeds found at the 2.5 miles of the Daytona 500.

LFR Team Crew Chief, Todd Parrott, has 31 wins in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

“We are very excited to partner with the team at KRC Power Steering. Cutting edge KRC Pro Series III Power Steering Pumps save us up to 6 Horse Power while giving us adjustability for increased corner speeds - 6 HP can be the determining factor in pulling off a win in the Daytona 500,” Parrott said.

 “The Technical Alliance built by KRC Power Steering and Leaving Family Racing creates a formalized program where shared information connects product enhancements to increases in on-track speed. Our Alliance with LFR leverages the NASCAR Team Alliance established between Leavine Family Racing and legendary RCR - the technical prowess developed at RCR results in a long history that defines a competitive program,” Jeff Butcher, Marketing Director for KRC Power Steering, stated.

KRC Power Steering Pro Series III Pumps are manufactured from high strength aluminum alloy and weigh only 2.58 lbs. Coupled with High Performance KRC Power Steering Fluid, the package provides Crew Chief Todd Parrott with new tools to move ahead of the competition. Pairing the most efficient Pump Flow to each track on the series manufactures new speed. A quick change of the KRC Adjustable Flow Valve presents LFR driver, Michael McDowell, with nine levels of adjustable feel producing the optimal feel for a competitive car all season long.

KRC Power Steering Pumps have won from all levels of NASCAR to the 24 Hour LeMans events.