Champion Racing Association (CRA) officials recently announced the “CRA Road to Bristol” program for teams in the ARCA/CRA Super Series powered by JEGS, the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance, and the Lawrence Towing/CRA Street Stocks.

While the U.S. Nationals of Short Track Racing presented by Vore’s Welding at Bristol Motor Speedway, May 19-21, is being hailed as the biggest short track racing event for 2017, officials see the events prior to Bristol as having major significance as well.

For the Super Late Models in the ARCA/CRA Super Series, there are four events prior to their inaugural event at Bristol Motor Speedway (co-sanctioned by the CARS Tour and the Southern Super Series). Those events are CRA SpeedFest 2017 at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Georgia, the Southern Super Series co-sanctioned event at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville in Tennessee, the 7-UP 100 at Toledo Speedway in Ohio and the 125-lap tune up for the Anderson 400 at Anderson Speedway in Indiana.

For the U.S. Nationals of Short Track Racing, CRA officials plan to have provisionals for the top two in series points that don’t make it through Saturday’s qualifying. In addition, guaranteed starting spots in Sunday’s 100-lap feature will go to the winners of each one of the events previously mentioned, if those teams do not make it in through Saturday’s qualifying.

The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour teams will also find a number of different ways to be guaranteed a start in their respective Bristol event. First, the top two in 2017 series points that don’t make the event through other qualifying opportunities will have provisional starting spots. Additionally, the top two finishers in the SpeedFest event and the Baer Field Motorsports Park season opening event will have a guaranteed spot in the main event field if they do not make it in through other qualifying opportunities.

For the CRA Street Stocks, the three events leading up to Bristol are Cabin Fever at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, the $3,000 to Win 200 lap event at Shady Bowl Speedway in Ohio (the first event in the CRA Street Stock Four Crown Championship), and a 75-Lap event at Anderson Speedway. The top two in series points that have been to all the events, which fail to make the main feature through other qualifying opportunities, will have a guaranteed starting spot in the U.S. Nationals of Short Track Racing main feature. In addition, the top two finishers in the previously mentioned first three events of the season will also have a guaranteed starting spot if they do not make the main feature through other qualifying opportunities.

Officials also announced that all main features will have a minimum of 36 cars if necessary to accommodate the guaranteed starters; therefore, plenty of spots are available for any team to make the main feature through qualifying on Saturday. Officials expect to have multiple features in every division, therefore every racer present with a legal car, will have the opportunity to race in a feature, with a special “U.S. Nationals of Short Track Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway” trophy to honor their victory at the legendary track.
 
Full purse details and entry forms are expected to be released on www.cra-racing.com later this month (January).

In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of its Motorsport Management degree program, Belmont Abbey College brings the leadership of the racing world to its campus for the inaugural Motorsport Symposium and Wheeler Awards on Tuesday, January 17.

"We are very excited to gather our students, alumni and industry veterans to celebrate ten years of hard work and dedication in building this program," said Pat Wood, Executive Director of Belmont Abbey's Motorsport program.

Featuring a VIP panel of team presidents and leaders from IndyCar, NASCAR and other racing series, the symposium will discuss various topics vital to the industry, such as the state of the racing industry and the promise of a great future in its youngest drivers. Notables such as Steve Lauletta/Chip Ganassi Racing, Jonathan Gibson/Penske Racing, Dave Alpern/Joe Gibbs Racing, Chris Traeger/NASCAR and Ben Geisler/World of Outlaws will give their insights into the world of Motorsport.

The Symposium will kick off at 7 a.m. with the Charlotte Sports and Business networking group, followed by a session titled "Millennial Marketing in the Social Age" featuring NASCAR young guns Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace, Jordan Anderson and Justin Marks. The morning will continue with a Belmont Abbey College Alumni Panel featuring several industry veterans including Jessica Fickenscher/Speedway Motorsports, Inc., Ian Moye/Chip Ganassi Racing and Dan Guffey/Jeff Gordon, Inc.

The final session of the morning will be the presentation of the Wheeler Award for Excellence in Motorsport. Humpy Wheeler, racing legend and Belmont Abbey College Motorsport board member, is the namesake for the honor and will present the inaugural recognition to legendary promoter, agent and team owner Cary Agajanian for his lifetime contributions to Motorsport.

The Motorsport Symposium is free and open to the public. For a complete agenda, visit www.motorsportprogram.com.

Building on the success of the past several seasons of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series throughout Europe, the series has announced the creation of a new division in the popular series.

Drivers and stock car newcomers will be able to experiment the NASCAR-sanctioned series by contesting four events in a new division.

In addition to the regular Elite 1 and Elite 2 classes, the new Elite Club division has been specifically designed to attract drivers wanting to discover this NASCAR-sanctioned stock car championship based in Europe.

The new division will stage meetings on Thursday and Friday at the following four road courses: Valencia (Spain), Hockenheim (Germany), Franciacorta (Italy) and Zolder (Belgium). Each meeting will feature three, 30-minute track sessions.

There won’t not be races per se, but track sessions where speed and lap time consistency will be crucial. Each driver will be offered 90 minutes of track time at each of the four events. The first session will be a practice one to learn the race track, while the other two will be timed lapping sessions.

Series’ officials will determine a “Reference Lap Time” for the track and the objective for each Elite Club driver will be to constantly produce lap times that are as close as possible to the Reference Lap Time.

The difference between the driver’s lap times and the “Reference Lap Time,” being it negative or positive, will count as a “penalty.” The classification of every session will be established according to the smallest combined penalty times, taking into account each driver’s five closest laps to the Reference Lap Time.

Each meeting will conclude with a podium ceremony.

Season points will be awarded as this: 43 points to the leader and a one-point gap to the following positions, plus a three-point bonus for the win and a one-point bonus for the closest lap to the Reference Lap Time.

At the end of the year, the top three drivers in the Elite Club final standings will receive an invitation to attend the NASCAR Night Of Champions Touring Awards, plus an invitation for two persons to attend the upcoming NASCAR Daytona 500 or a contribution to the budget needed to compete in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series race weekend in 2018.

Performance Racing Industry would like to wish motorsports professionals around the world a healthy and happy new year. Here's to a prosperous—and victorious—2017!

Gateway Motorsports Park recently released the NHRA-sanctioned Dragplex in Madison, Illinois racing calendar for 2017.

The main event of the 2017 season is the annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals for the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The event draws the world’s biggest names in professional drag racing and will be held September 29 to October 1.

A number of high-profile special events are on tap for 2017, including the signature throwback meet known as the St. Louis Nostalgia Rendezvous. The May 12-13 Rendezvous will feature many classes of nostalgia drag racing (including Gassers and Super Stocks), a traditional car show, DJs, rockabilly bands and a pin-up girl contest.

The prestigious Protect the Harvest Midwest Junior Super Series presented by Lucas Oil for Jr. Dragsters will make its way twice to GMP in 2017, on April 7-9 and October 6-8. The long-running United Black Drag Racers Association meet — a St. Louis drag racing tradition — takes place September 8-10.

The Mid-America Super Chevy Show — the annual celebration of all things Chevrolet — will converge on the Dragplex October 13-14.

GMP’s Dragplex also will host to an unprecedented five 5k running events in 2017.
 
MARCH
4          DriftSTL
10        Midnight Madness (street-legal-only special edition)
18        Test ‘n’ Tune
19        NASA Autocross (pit area)
24        Midnight Madness
25        Test ‘n’ Tune
26        SCCA Solo (pit area)
 
APRIL
1          Bracket points race No. 1, Jr. Dragster points race No. 1
2          Bracket points race No. 2, Jr. Dragster points race No. 2, Heads-Up Street Cars
7-9       Protect the Harvest Midwest Junior Super Series presented by Lucas Oil
14        Midnight Madness
15        Color Vibe 5k
21        JEGS Super Quick Test ‘n’ Tune (noon-5 p.m.)
21        PSCA Heads-Up Hootenanny qualifying (5-11 p.m.)
22        JEGS Super Quick qualifying, Bracket points race No. 3, Jr. Dragster points race No. 3
22        PSCA Heads-Up Hootenanny eliminations (5-11 p.m.)
23        JEGS Super Quick, Bracket points race No. 4, Jr. Dragster points race No. 4
26        Wide Open Wednesday
29        Bracket points race No. 5, Jr. Dragster points race No. 5
30        Import Face-off
 
MAY
3          Wide Open Wednesday
5          Midnight Madness
6          Bubble Run 5k (8 a.m.-2 p.m.)
6          Model T Swap Meet (move-in and set-up, 2-10 p.m.)
7          Model T Swap Meet
10        Wide Open Wednesday
12        St. Louis Nostalgia Rendezvous qualifying and time trials
13        St. Louis Nostalgia Rendezvous (nostalgia drag racing, bands, DJs, traditional car show, pin-up contest) and Brew Bash
17        Wide Open Wednesday
19        Midnight Madness
20        Black Light Slide
21        SCCA Solo (pit area)
24        Wide Open Wednesday
27        Street Car Takeover
 
JUNE
1          ADRL Test ‘n’ Tune
2-3       ADRL
4          Bracket points race No. 6, Jr. Dragster points race No. 6, Heads-Up Street Cars
7          Wide Open Wednesday
9-11     NHDRO Motorcycle Drags (track rental)
18        SCCA Solo (pit area)
21        Wide Open Wednesday
23        Midnight Madness
24        National Hot Rod Diesel Association (NHRDA)
25        BimmerFest: Drags, Heads-Up Street Cars, drifting and car show
28        Wide Open Wednesday
30        Bracket points race No. 7: Holiday weekend late-night special
 
JULY
1          Bracket points race No. 8, Jr. Dragster points race No. 7
5          Wide Open Wednesday
7          Friday Night Gambler and Fun Ford time trials
8          Fun Ford event and Jr. Dragster points race No. 8 (8 a.m.-3 p.m.)
8          Bracket points race No. 9 (begins at 3 p.m.)
9          SCCA Solo (pit area)
12        Wide Open Wednesday
14        Midnight Madness
15        Night Nation 5k
16        SCCA Solo (pit area)
19        Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series (LODRS) move-in and set-up
20        Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Test ‘n’ Tune
21        Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series qualifying
22        Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series: Hot Rod Showdown (Admission: $20 per car load)
26        Wide Open Wednesday
28        Friday Night Gambler, Heads-Up Shootout
29        Bracket points race No. 10, Street Driven Tour drags
30        SCCA Solo (pit area)
 
AUGUST
3          Nostalgia and Street Car Super Nationals Test ‘n’ Tune
4          Nostalgia time trials and qualifying (1-6 p.m.)
4          Street Car Super Nationals qualifying (6 p.m.-1 a.m.)
5          Cavalcade of Speed Spectacular, Nostalgia eliminations (11 a.m.-6 p.m.)
5          Street Car Super Nationals Eliminations (6 p.m.-1 a.m.)
9          Wide Open Wednesday
11        Midnight Madness
12        Doug Foley Racing Experience (8 a.m.-4 p.m.)
12        Bracket points race No. 11: Late-night special (4 p.m.-1 a.m.)
13        DriftSTL
16        Wide Open Wednesday
19        Go STL 5k
20        NASA Autocross (pit area)
28-30   NHRA testing
30        Wide Open Wednesday
 
SEPTEMBER
1          Midnight Madness End-of-Summer Special
2          Bracket points race No. 12: NHRA King of the Track Qualifier, Late-night special
3          Final Bracket points race, Final Jr. Dragster points race, NHRA King of  the Track Eliminations
 6           Wide Open Wednesday
 8           UBDRA Test ‘n’ Tune
 9-10      United Black Drag Racers Association (UBDRA)
 13         Wide Open Wednesday
 16          Optic 5k
17        Import Face-off
20        Wide Open Wednesday
22        Midnight Madness
29-Oct 1 AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals – NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series national event
 
 OCTOBER 
 2           Professional team testing
 4           Wide Open Wednesday
 6-8        Protect the Harvest Midwest Junior Super Series presented by Lucas Oil
 11         Wide Open Wednesday
 13         Mid-America Chevy Dealers Super Chevy Show Test ‘n’ Tune (noon-5 p.m.)
 13         Box and No-box Bracket Shootout (5-10 p.m.)
 14         Mid-America Chevy Dealers Super Chevy Show
 15         National Dragster Challenge bracket race, Street Heads-Up championship
 18         Wide Open Wednesday
 20         Friday night grudge racing and Test ‘n’ Tune
 21         Great American Truck Rally: drags, show, pull (8 a.m.-4 p.m.)
21        SloptoberFest mud bogs and truck obstacles at the Gateway Dirtplex
21        Concert in the Corn at the Dragplex (4 p.m.-10 p.m.)
 22         SCCA Solo (pit area).
 2 7         Midnight Madness.
29        SCCA Solo (pit area).
 
NOVEMBER
2          ADRL Dragstock test session.
3-4       ADRL Dragstock.
10        Midnight Madness street-legal special.
19        NASA Autocross.

Please note: Schedule is subject to change. Please visit here for updates and additions.

The POWRi/WAR Sprint Cars have partnered with Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces, NM and Aztec Speedway in Aztec, NM to sanction the Lucas Oil POWRi 305 sprints series in 2017.

This 305 wing sprint series will consist of fifteen races in the “Land of Enchantment.” The series will utilize a passing points format. The top eight in passing points will also compete in a $200 to win Trophy Dash each night sponsored by American Linen to add extra incentive for each competitor.

The May 27 event at Southern New Mexico Speedway will be televised as an episode of the MAVTV “Dirty 30” program.

“I am excited to work with some really passionate dirt track people like Royal Jones and Rue Stone at Southern New Mexico Speedway,” said POWRi/WAR Series Director Casey Shuman, “We’re also looking forward to having Aztec promoter Chad Tenski join us with this new partnership. It’s a great opportunity to gain exposure for POWRi/WAR as well as the dedicated racers in that region.”

For more information on the series, visit www.snmspeedway.com.

April 15	Aztec Speedway Aztec	New Mexico
April 29	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
May 13	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
May 26	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
May 27	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
June 10	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
June 24	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
July 8	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
July 22	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
August 5	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
August 19	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
September 1	Aztec Speedway Aztec	New Mexico
September 2	Aztec Speedway Aztec	New Mexico
September 16	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico
September 30	Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces	New Mexico