Onawa city officials in Iowa recently approved a plan to build a new racing and events complex, which will feature a 1/4-mile drag strip on a defunct airport runway just off I-29 in western Iowa.

The Onawa Racing Inc., a board of directors and racers across Iowa and Nebraska, proposed the complex, to be named Onawa Racing and Events Complex.



The Onawa Racing and Events Complex will be a financially viable alternative use for the underused Onawa Municipal Airport. With the support of the local community and city officials, the board has been able to begin building a multi-purpose entertainment venue.



In addition to weekly drag racing events, which the board hopes to receive NHRA or IHRA sanctioning for, plans also include construction of a permanent 9000 square foot building on the property to host community events, conventions, concerts, fairs and other events. The current roadmap also includes seating for 880 spectators, an outdoor vendor area and a playground.



The Onawa airport closed its doors in July of 2015 after more than 20 years of operation, citing its inability to turn a profit in that time. In May of that year when city officials announced the impending closure, the concept for the dragstrip was already in the works.



“If we can take this airport now and we can turn it back into industrial development and get some real estate taxes coming in on this… we are gaining maybe a lot of business out of this, a lot of tax basis. I think this is a big step in taking a challenge for what we can do for the area,” Vice President of Onawa Racing Inc. Phil Schroder told Siouxland News.



After getting the green light, The Onawa Racing Inc. group announced plans to invest $1 million to complete over three years. The track will create three full-time employment opportunities and 15-20 seasonal positions, with gross projected revenue estimated at $400,000 annually.

As it celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2017, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will continue to be in familiar management hands for the next three years.

The Monterey County (California) Board of Supervisors approved a three-year extension for day-to-day management of the racing facility by Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP).

SCRAMP originally built the county-owned facility in 1957, a relationship that reaches six decades this year.

“We have been working very closely with County Staff over the past several months to develop a plan that builds upon this iconic facility’s heritage of delivering significant economic impact to the Central Coast,” Michael Smith, president of the SCRAMP Board of Governors, said in a media release.

“We will celebrate this heritage throughout the year with 60th anniversary celebrations, culminating in a Racing Through the Decades feature at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion in August.”

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a major economic engine in the county. A 2015 study reported that the five major events at the facility generated $62.1 million in direct spending by event attendees, as well as generates $5.2 million in state and local tax revenues.

This year’s event season features the Ferrari Challenge (May 12-14), Spring Classic vintage car and motorcycle races (May 19-21), Superbike World Championship (July 7-9), Monterey Pre-Reunion (August 12-13), Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (August 17-20), Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix (September 21-24) and the Pirelli World Challenge (October 12-15).

The return of the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series will take the green flag in March in Monterrey, and the 2017 champion will be crowned in November at Mexico City, as part of a 12-race calendar.
 
The schedule for one of the top racing series in Latin America features a mix of six oval and six road-courses events, and includes stops at nine different venues throughout Mexico.
 
The NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series will open the season at Autódromo Monterrey, a 3.4 km (2.1-mile) road course in Apodaca, Nuevo León, on March 26. Daniel Suárez, a Monterrey native and the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion, is a two-time winner on the oval layout at his home track. The championship race for the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series will take place on the 1.63 km (1.013-mile) road-course circuit at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City on Nov. 12. The track has been a staple of the series since its inaugural season under the NASCAR banner in 2007.
 
“As we enter a new era in the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series, the 2017 schedule is a terrific blend of the top venues throughout the country,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president of weekly & touring series. “The fans will be treated with the exciting action that is the trademark of NASCAR racing, whether the drivers are speeding down the straightaways on the ovals or fighting for positions heading into the twists and turns of the road courses.”
 
“The 2017 NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series season will strengthen our rich history in motorsports and provide us the opportunity to engage a growing and passionate fan base in Mexico,” said Bryan Emrich, chief marketing officer at Old World Industries. “This year’s schedule promises to deliver the best racing in all of Mexico and we are anxiously awaiting the start of this momentous season.”
 
In addition to the 2017 schedule, Wednesday’s announcement was also highlighted by the news of the official merger between the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series and Súper Copa Telcel. The merger ensures the participation of the top drivers in Mexico as the series combine to form the national championship for stock car racing in the country.
 
"With the support of NASCAR and sponsors like PEAK, Telcel, FedEx and many more, the series is committed to offering fans all over Mexico great racing and family entertainment,” said Jimmy Morales, NASCAR PEAK Series director general. “We are thankful for the effort, experience and hard work from the motorsports community to put this together for the benefit of everybody involved.”
 
Other highlights of the 2017 schedule include:

• -The series will make two stops apiece Autódromo Miguel E. Abed in Puebla (May 14 and Oct. 15), and Autódromo Internacional Bernardo Obregón in Guadalajara (June 4 and Sept. 10). The Guadalajara venue is 1.207 km (three-quarters mile) tri-oval.
•  
• -The May race at Puebla will be on the 3.363 km (2.090) road course, while the penultimate race of the season in October will be run on the 2.01 km (1.25 mile) oval. Puebla hosted the 2014 championship race, which was won by Homero Richards and featured the title coronation of Abraham Calderon.
•  
• -Súper Óvalo Chiapas in Tuxtla Gutiérrez will host the Oct. 1 race. The 1.2 km (three-quarters mile) banked tri-oval was the site of the final race of the 2015 season, which saw current NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driver Ruben Garcia Jr. become the youngest champion in series history.
•  
• -The Aug. 6 race site is still being finalized and will be either at Autódromo Potosino in San Luis Potosí or Autodromo Moisés Solana in Pachuca. Potosino, a .804 km (half-mile oval) will also run the series on April 23, while Solano is a 1.75 km (1.08 mile) road course.
•  
• -In addition, the series will travel to Autódromo de León, a 1.2 km (three-quarters mile) road course on June 25; Autódromo Internacional de Aguascalientes, a 1.4 km (.875-mile) concrete tri-oval on July 16; and Autódromo del Ecocentro de la Unión Ganadera, a 1.275 km (.797) oval in Querétaro on Aug. 20.

 
The NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series television broadcast schedule on will be announced at a later date.

3/26	Autódromo Monterrey	Monterrey
4/23	Autódromo Potosino	San Luis Potosí
5/14	Autódromo Miguel E. Abed	Puebla
6/4	Autódromo Internacional Bernardo Obregón	Guadalajara
6/25	Autódromo de León	León
7/16	Autódromo Internacional de Aguascalientes	Aguascalientes
8/6	Autódromo Potosino / Autodromo Moisés Solana	San Luis Potosí / Pachuca
8/20	Autódromo del Ecocentro de la Unión Ganadera	Querétaro
9/10	Autódromo Internacional Bernardo Obregón	Guadalaraja
10/1	Súper Óvalo Chiapas	Tuxtla Gutiérrez
10/15	Autódromo Miguel E. Abed	Puebla
11/12	Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez	México City

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Officials with International Speedway Corp., and Phoenix Raceway jointly announced plans for a $178 million facelift for the 1-mile facility that focuses on improving the fan experience while also including a competition twist

The facility, located in Avondale, Arizona, annually hosts two NASCAR race weekends, and has hosted what is now the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series since 1988. The track's first 2017 race weekend is scheduled for March 17-19 and will feature the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as well as the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

The project, sponsored by XFINITY Series entitlement partner DC Solar, is expected to be completed in November of 2018.


Lesa France Kennedy, CEO of ISC, described the announcement as "a huge day for our company … as well as motorsports overall."


Kennedy said the project "brings us full circle with Phoenix Raceway.


"The track itself has a very long and successful history with motorsports with NASCAR and IndyCar. Since we took it on in the '90s … there has been a lot of evolution and a lot of changes. It's time to take it to an entirely different level."


ISC, which owns multiple motorsports facilities hosting NASCAR-sanctioned events, purchased the track in 1997.


"This region is so supportive. It is just time to modernize it and continue to keep up with the times," she said. "There is a lot of competition for the leisure dollar … you have to provide great, quality entertainment. Not just for the first-timers but to keep the fans coming back."


Among the fan amenities to be included in the project:


• A redesign of the infield to include a new Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Fan Zone that will allow improved access for fans

• New and upgraded seating and hospitality areas located in what is currently the Turn 2 portion of the facility

• Construction of a pedestrian tunnel to provide access to the infield for those seated in the new, expanded grandstand areas

• "Canyons" consisting of elevators and escalators to aid fan access, additional restroom facilities and expanded concessions located in a new midway area

• From a competition standpoint, the start/finish line will be relocated in what is now Turn 2, near the dogleg area

Track president Bryan Sperber said track officials spoke with approximately 30 drivers about moving the start/finish line, "and the feedback was universally positive," he said.


The expansion of the grandstands in Turns 1 and 2 should be more comfortable for fans not only because there will be individual seating instead of open grandstand seating, according to Sperber, but also the shading from the sun will be better and the majority of the parking is also located on the western end of the facility.


Plus, he said, "Being able to create an opportunity for the fans to sit in an area of the track that is really producing … some of the best racing … is big for us."


Moving the start/finish line will produce even more exciting restarts, according to Joey Logano, who won last year's Fall race in an overtime finish.


"There will be high-energy restarts," the Team Penske driver said. "You see us pull that dive bomb move and cut off the dogleg quite a bit (now) which makes Turn 3 pretty interesting. There will definitely be drivers short-cutting that."


Fellow driver Daniel Suarez (Joe Gibbs Racing) said "It will be interesting to see what will happen coming to the checkered (flag), because you can maybe win the race going sideways there.


"You know drivers; we are crazy sometimes."


The undertaking is the first major improvement project for an ISC-held property since the completion of the $400 million Daytona Rising effort. Kennedy said that project "exceeded our expectations."


No less is expected for the Phoenix project.


"It's a great sports market, it's a great media market," Kennedy said. "It’s a fantastic destination for the fans as well as the world class racing. Those combined provided compelling reasons (to move forward).


"There were also some areas there at the track that needed to be updated. Not only to get up with the times but also to propel us forward. We can’t lose sight of that. We have to have compelling reasons to come and be entertained.

"It starts with the fans, because that’s the most important thing. If the fans are coming and enjoying themselves, I think it really propels the rest."

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series will be showcased in 16 races throughout the season on FOX Sports 1 (FS2) and FOX Sports 2 (FS2), it was announced by NHRA officials. The programming will build upon the success of the 2016 season which featured a dramatic uptick in viewership during the season.

In 2017, FS2 will televise a one hour program of select Lucas Oil Series events in primetime following each national event. The programs will also have multiple re-airs on FS1 during the year, please check your local listings.

Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series races also will appear in Canada and the Caribbean through FOX Sports Racing, as well as being available through FOX Sports GO, the critically acclaimed app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content at home or on the go and now is available to 86 million subscribers.

“The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is where many champions hone their skills during the course of the season and is a valuable segment of the NHRA,” said Peter Clifford, NHRA president. “The broadcasts on FS2 allow them the opportunity showcase their skills and broaden the reach of the series.”

The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is NHRA’s marquee Sportsman series. Racing categories include Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator and Super Stock, among others. Prominent graduates of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series who have gone on to successful careers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series include Shawn Langdon, Courtney Force, Erica Enders, Brittany Force, Alexis DeJoria, and Jeg Coughlin.

The first Lucas Oil Series telecast will air from the season-opening Circle K NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California. (March 2, 9-10 p.m.) on FS2.

The season’s premiere event, the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Indiana, will be telecast on Sept. 14 from 9-10 p.m. and the season-finale Auto Club NHRA Finals at Pomona will air on FS2 on Nov. 23 from 9-10 p.m.

In related news, the 2017 NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series season will also air on FS1 and FS2. FS2 will televise each half-hour program in primetime on Thursday’s during the course of the busy racing season. FS1 will broadcast multiple re-airs of the shows during the year, please check your local listing.

The 2017 television schedule on FS2 will allow the series to build upon last season which saw increased viewership for the series. The highest rated show during the season was the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, which featured Bill Glidden defeating Bob Rahaim in the final.

Pro Mod Series races also will appear in Canada and the Caribbean through FOX Sports Racing, as well as being available through FOX Sports GO, the critically acclaimed app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content at home or on the go and now is available to 86 million subscribers.

“The continued growth of the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series is a key piece of the sport of NHRA Drag Racing,” said Peter Clifford, NHRA president. “The partnership with FOX allows the racers and their sponsors to be highlighted during the course of the season and brings the intense racing action to fans across the country.”


Featuring fast and doorslammer race cars, the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series offers something for every kind of hot-rodding enthusiast. The growing class is highlighted by historic muscle cars, like ’67 Mustangs, ’68 Firebirds and ’69 Camaros, as well as a variety of late model American muscle cars. 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.

The first telecast will be the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals from Gainesville, Florida. (April 6, 9 p.m.) on FS2.

The series will also be featured as they race at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals for the first time in the history of NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

Pro Mod coverage from the world’s most prestigious drag race, the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, will be telecast on Sept. 21 from 8:30 p.m. on FS2. The season-finale NHRA Toyota Nationals at Las Vegas will air on FS2 on Nov. 16 at 9 p.m.

The complete television schedule of both NHRA Drag Racing Series are below. For more information, please visit here.

2017 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES TELEVISION SCHEDULE

All times ET. Schedule is subject to change. Please check local listings.

Circle K NHRA Winternationals
Thurs., March 2, 9-10 pm (FS2)
Pomona, CA

Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Thurs., March 30, 8-9 pm (FS2)
Gainsville, FL

NHRA Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals
Thurs., April 13, 8-9 pm (FS2)
Las Vegas, NV

NHRA SpringNationals
Thurs., May 4, 9-10 pm (FS2)
Houston, TX

NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
Thurs., May 11, 8-9 pm (FS2)
Charlotte, NC

NHRA Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals
Thurs, June 1, 8:30-9:30 pm (FS2)
Topeka, KS

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals
Thurs., July 6, 8-9 pm (FS2)
Norwalk, OH

Route 66 NHRA Nationals
Thurs., July 20, 8-9 pm (FS2)
Chicago, IL

NHRA Northwest Nationals
Thurs., Aug. 17, 9-10 pm (FS2)
Seattle, WA

Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
Thurs., Aug. 31, 9-10 pm (FS2)
Brainerd, MN

Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals
Thurs., Sept. 14, 9-10 pm (FS2)
Indianapolis, IN

NHRA Carolina Nationals
Thurs., Sept. 28, 8-9 pm (FS2)
Charlotte, NC

Dodge NHRA Nationals
Thurs., Oct. 5, 9-10 pm (FS2)
Reading, PA

AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals
Thurs., Oct. 26, 9-10 pm (FS2)
Dallas, TX

NHRA Toyota Nationals
Thurs., Nov. 9, 8-9 pm (FS2)
Las Vegas, NV

Auto Club NHRA Finals
Thurs., Nov. 23, 9-10 pm (FS2)

2017 NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES TELEVISION SCHEDULE

All times ET. Schedule is subject to change. Please check local listings.

Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Thurs., Apr. 6, 9 pm (FS2)
Gainsville, FL

NHRA SpringNationals
Thurs., May 11, 9 pm (FS2)
Houston, TX

NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
Thurs., May 18, 9 pm (FS2)
Charlotte, NC

NHRA Southern Nationals
Thurs., May 25, 8:30 pm (FS2)
Atlanta, GA

Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals
Thurs., Jun 8, 8 pm (FS2)
Topeka, KS

NHRA Summernationals
Thurs., Jun 29, 10 pm (FS2)
Englishtown, NJ

NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
Thurs., Jul. 6, 9 pm (FS2)
Bristol, TN

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals
Thurs., Jul 13, 9 pm (FS2)
Norwalk, OH

Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals
Thurs., Sept., 21, 8:30 pm (FS2)
Indianapolis, IN

NHRA Carolina Nationals
Thurs., Oct. 5, 10pm (FS2)
Charlotte, NC

AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals
Thurs., Oct. 19, 7:30 pm (FS2)
St. Louis, MO

NHRA Toyota Nationals
Thurs., Nov. 16, 9 pm (FS2)
Las Vegas, NV

High performance parts brand obp Motorsport has joined forces with EDF Motorsports of Bourne, Lincolnshire to offer a fitment service for all obp Motorsport branded products.



EDF Motorsports is now an official dealer of obp Motorsport products, which will be offered through the first fitment center in the UK. This will enable obp Motorsport customers to speak with the experts and get help fitting products on their vehicle.



The company will be offering complete turn-key packages of ops Motorsports products, including pedal box assemblies, hydraulic handbrakes, alloy tanks and fuel systems. 



EDF Motorsports is familiar in race preparation and track support in many series. The company has experience within modern and classic race cars, and even had teams competing in the Silverstone Classic and Spa Classic. This March, its team is going to the Goodwood Members Meeting with a classic Mustang.

EDF Motorsports are an Ohlins and VBOX Approved Fitment Centre and have added obp Motorsport to both their supply and fit services.



“We here at EDF Motorsports, are hugely excited about the news from obp Motorsport, that we have been chosen to be their flagship Approved Fitment Centre, as this will continue our idea of giving our customers, existing & future a high quality product at a value for money price. Value for money is so important it’s not about being cheap for us, it’s about getting the right quality. We are achieving this and now having obp Motorsport on board means we can continue to do so,” Eddie Farrow, Senior Partner EDF Motorsports, said. 



“We are proud to announce our First Approved Fitment Centre, this is an idea we have been working on for the past 12-18 months and have found the ideal partner in EDF Motorsports. This is hopefully the first of many fitment centers around the world as we continue to innovate the services and products we offer from obp Motorsport,” James Oliver, Business Development Manager obp Motorsport, said.

More than 400 members of the motorsports industry gathered to honor Roger Penske during the 11th annual North Carolina Motorsports Industry Awards Ceremony at the Embassy Suites Hotel.

With his wife, Kathy, and current team Penske drivers Brad Keselowski, Will Power, Simon Pagenaud, Helio Castroneves and Josef Newgarden among those in attendance, Penske was this year’s recipient of the Achievement in Motorsports Tribute Award, which has been presented annually since 2007 by the membership of the North Carolina Motorsports Association.

The 79-year-old businessman and team owner accepted the award from Dave Morton, who represented award sponsor, Fifth Third Bank, after the full room watched a video recapping Team Penske’s 50 years in motorsports.

“It is really humbling when you see that video and this award is very special to me and my wife of 40 years,” Penske said. “But as was referred to earlier it is a team effort. And all of the wins and championships would not be possible without the people. You do it with people, or what I call human capital.”

Previous winners of the Achievement in Motorsports Tribute Award are Bill France Jr., Benny Parsons, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Richard Childress, Junior Johnson, O. Bruton Smith, H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, the Ned Jarrett family, Mike Helton and Jeff Gordon.

“It’s something to think I joined a group of people — Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson, Humpy Wheeler, Jeff Gordon — in earning this fine award,” said Penske.

Among the others in the room to honor Penske on this night were NASCAR Hall of Famers Rick Hendrick and Bobby Allison, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton and Team Penske President Tim Cindric.

Penske, who started as a driver and retired to focus on business before later becoming a team owner, talked some of the differences in motorsports during his more than 50 years in the sport.

“My first sponsor, Zerex, was $250,” he said. “Now a NASCAR sponsorship can cost as much as $500,000 for a single race.”

Penske, Mears, Cindric and Helton participated in a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Jerry Punch recapping Penske’s career. Mears said the biggest thing he learned from Penske through the years was “just taking care of people. He’s the best.”

Earlier in the program, longtime racing announcer Ken Squier, who was unable to attend, was presented with the Jim Hunter Memorial Media Award.

Motorsports Industry Awards went to the Cabarrus Convention & Visitors Bureau, Bojangles, SRI Performance, B.R.A.K.E.S. and Max Papis Innovations.

Officials with Rally America, the sanctioning body for performance rally racing in the US, announced an extension of its agreement with VP Racing Fuels, designating VP as the Official Fuel of the Rally America National Championship through 2019.

Under the agreement, VP will continue to provide technical expertise and fuel delivery for each Rally America national event, with VP’s Rally Max, MS100 and MS109E racing fuels designated as Spec Fuels for Rally America’s Open Class.
 
“I am pleased to continue our relationship with VP Racing Fuels,” said Bill Fogg, Sr, President of Rally America, Inc. “Our rally teams have benefited from having a level playing field and having consistency in the development of their engines. VP Racing Fuels is a valuable resource in technical expertise and providing fuel at our events located in some of the more remote parts of the country.”
 
The 2017 Rally America National Championship schedule includes the following upcoming national events:

March 17-18     Rally of the 100 Acre Wood - Salem, MO
May 19-20         Southern Ohio Forests Rally – Chillicothe, OH
July 21-22         Rally Colorado – Colorado Springs, CO
August 5           Sno*Drift Rally - Atlanta, MI
August 25-26     Rally Wyoming – Caspar, WY
October 7          Show-Me Rally – Potosi, MO
October 20-21   Lake Superior Performance Rally - Houghton, MI          
 
"We truly appreciate the confidence placed in VP by Bill Fogg and his team at the Rally America National Championship,” said Chris Wall, Chief Marketing Officer for VP Racing Fuels.   “Working with the teams on the dyno and in the field has been a tremendous experience and we look forward to continuing as the series’ fuel partner for years to come."
 
Both Regional and National rally teams must pre-order VP Rally Max, MS100 or MS109E Racing Fuel from VP’s regional distributors in advance of each round. Pre-ordered fuel will be delivered to teams at all events during a specified delivery time on the same day that Tech inspection occurs.

For more information, visit www.rally-america.com or www.VPRacingFuels.com.

Cirkuit Networks Inc., an internet business solutions provider specializing in e-commerce, website content management system and website design, announced the launching of its new Cirkuit Commerce website www.cirkuit.com.

The Cirkuit Commerce e-commerce platform was previously known in the racing industry as SEO-Cart.

Operations manager Clint Sparks stated that the re-branding of the SEO-Cart name to Cirkuit Commerce was done to consolidate the e-commerce services under the Cirkuit corporate name. This provides continuity with the various services that Cirkuit Networks offers its clients.

A leading e-commerce solution provider, Cirkuit Commerce continues to provide service for small to large businesses throughout North America, and works with numerous racing industry clients.

 

Permatex, a chemical technology manufacturer for automotive maintenance and repair, has named Paco Agrafojo as head of its marketing team.

As Director of Marketing, Agrafojo will be responsible for driving product innovation, engaging consumers through the brands and providing Permatex’s retail partners with viable solutions to drive their category growth. He will also support the sales team efforts in business development for the retail, traditional, and international channels.

The announcement was made by Andy Robinson, Permatex VP/General Manager, who noted, “We are very excited to have Paco join our management team. He comes to us with over 20 years of experience in marketing and sales and has worked extensively in the development of new products and the marketing and analytics of consumer goods. We look forward to the leadership and strategic vision for growth that he will bring to our business.”

Prior to joining Permatex, Agrafojo spent five years with Newell Brands/The Yankee Candle Company, serving first as the Director of Customer Marketing and then as the Director of Category and Customer Analytics. Before The Yankee Candle Company, Agrafojo worked as the Director of Trade Marketing for Med Foods, Inc., and as a Senior Category Manager for Heineken USA.

Paco Agrafojo holds a BA in Organizational Communication from the University of Central Florida. He is also a member of the Central Florida Alumni Chapter of Delta Upsilon Fraternity.

Permatex is a manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of chemical products to the automotive maintenance and repair markets. Permatex markets a wide range of products under ITW brand names such as Permatex, Fast Orange, Spray Nine, the Right Stuff, Gel Twist, Ultra Bond and Dr. Bond, Ultra Cherry, and Grez-Off.

Permatex currently operates in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the U.K. and exports products to more than 85 countries around the world. North American operations include Permatex’s headquarters in Hartford, CT and a manufacturing, distribution, and technical center located in Solon, OH.