The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow 2016 Season came to an exciting end this past weekend at the Performance Racing Industry Show in Indianapolis, IN.

After 39 teams participated in the National Dual Championship, 20 teams went to compete at the SEMA Show and 19 teams had gone to the PRI Show. Starting on Friday, Dec. 9, the top four SEMA teams went head to head against the top four PRI teams in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Dual National Championship Elite Eight. Each team competed a total of three times, and had their rebuild time averaged to determine the overall winner.

Team Howards Cams, an all girls team, coached by Jill Arata from Belvidere North High School, took fourth place from the Elite Eight Finals at the 2016 PRI Show with an average time of 21:05.  This was the first ever all girls team to make it to the Elite Eight Finals.

Team Fragola, from Peach County High School, took third place with an average of 19:12. Team Fragola also won the Parts Pro Perfect Engine award with the fastest time of 16:46. The Parts Pro Perfect Engine Award is earned when a team rebuilds the engine accurately and efficiently.  Four out of the five Fragola teammates have been competing in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge for the past 4 years.

Coming in Second Place was team Holley, from Forsyth Central High School, with an average time of 18:50. Jacob Cochran from Team Holley said, “I have learned leadership skills and how to work with new people. I have learned that communication is key to being productive as a whole. Hot Rodders of Tomorrow impacted my life experience as well. The friendships I have built with Hot Rodders have impacted my life greatly.”

Team Comp Cams, from Burton Center for Arts and Technology, took first place, with a time average of 17:43. Chris Overfelt, coach for Team Comp Cams, has previously won the 2014 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Championship.

Coach Chris Overfelt stated, “This year, my team practiced hard to be accurate and quick. During the Elite Eight Competition, I was overwhelmed by being in such a tight group of times. I am very proud of my team and their effort to become the 2016 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Champion.”

Each team earned scholarship opportunities from OTC, SAM Tech, UNOH, and UTI.
 
Below is the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Championship Elite Eight Final result.

School, State, Team, Instructor, Time Average
1st: Burton Center for Arts & Technology #4, VA, Comp Cams, Chris Overfelt, 17:43.3
2nd: Forsyth Central High School #1, GA, Holley, Marlo Miranda, 18:50.0
3rd: Peach County High School, GA, Fragola, Johnny Rickerson, 19:12.7
4th: Belvidere North High School #1, IL, Howards Cams, Jill Arata, 21:05.3
5th: Fremd High School #1, IL, Taylor, Steven Elza, 21:20.3
6th: Elkhart Area Career Center, IN, Be Cool, Ryan Gortney, 21:23.3
7th: C D Hylton High School, VA, Vibrant, Eddie Stevens, 23:44.0
8th: Fremd High School #2, IL, Aeromotive, Steven Elza, 24:56.3

NASCAR released the 2017 schedules for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West, featuring several events covering 27 races, anchored by the annual combination race with the East and West at Iowa Speedway in July.
 
“The NASCAR K&N Pro Series have been an exceptional proving ground for our sport’s up-and-coming drivers,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president of touring & weekly series. “The 2017 schedules for the East and West feature an assortment of tracks that will test the drivers and provide a platform to showcase their talents.”
 
The season will open with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at New Smyrna Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 19 as part of the Florida track’s 51st Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. The event will be part of a day that starts with Coors Light Pole Award Qualifying for the DAYTONA 500 at nearby Daytona International Speedway.
 
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West begins its season with a unique four-race swing that parallels the NASCAR premiere series swing out West. The opening race will be at Tucson Speedway on Saturday, March 18, as the premiere and XFINITY Series visit Phoenix International Raceway. The West will then run at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, Calif., on Thursday, March 23, before racing in twin 100-lap features at Irwindale Speedway on Saturday, March 25. The premiere and XFINITY Series will be competing at nearby Auto Club Speedway that weekend.
 
Like their California counterpart, Virginia’s South Boston Speedway has a reputation in racing as a top-flight facility, according to a NASCAR press release. Similarly, South Boston – which has undergone a multi-million dollar improvement process, including a track repave this offseason – will host twin 100-lap championship events for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East on Saturday May 6.
 
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will also make its first trips to Memphis International Raceway (June 3) and Berlin Raceway in Michigan (July 1); and will be featured in a throwback weekend at Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on Saturday, July 8. Thompson has held 27 K&N Pro East events, dating back to the series’ second year (1988) when it was the NASCAR Busch North Series.
 
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West will feature its 54th trip to Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., on Saturday, Aug. 12 and a return to Washington’s Spokane Country Raceway on May 13. The series will crown its champion with a second trip to Kern on Saturday, Nov. 4.
 
Other highlights of the 2017 schedule include:
·         The K&N Pro Series will be part of five companion weekends with the NASCAR national series, including road-course events for the East at New York’s Watkins Glen International (Aug. 4) and for the West at Sonoma Raceway in California (June 24). In addition to the combination race at Iowa, the K&N Pro East will also race at Bristol Motor Speedway (April 22), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 15) and complete the season at Dover International Speedway (Sept. 29).
·         Leading up to the finale at the high-speed half-mile at Kern, K&N Pro Series West championship contenders will have to navigate a string of bullrings in the second half of the season, beginning with Evergreen before traveling to Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg, Ore. (Aug. 26), Idaho’s Meridian Speedway (Sept. 30) and All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif. (Oct. 14).
·         The K&N Pro East will make its traditional spring stop at South Carolina’s Greenville Pickens Speedway. One of the oldest tracks in NASCAR, Greenville has proven to be a title test in recent years. The eventual series champion has won at Greenville in each of the last four seasons.
·         Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino, Calif. (May 20), Colorado National Speedway (June 10) provide an early season test for the K&N Pro West, while the K&N Pro East will host its penultimate race of the season on the road course at New Jersey Motorsports Park (Sept. 16).
 
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series television broadcast schedule on NBCSN will be announced at a later date.

2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Schedule

Date	Track	Location
2/19	New Smyrna Speedway	New Smyrna, Fla.
4/8	Greenville Pickens Speedway	Greenville, S.C.
4/22	Bristol Motor Speedway	Bristol, Tenn
5/6	South Boston Speedway*	South Boston, Virginia
5/6	South Boston Speedway*	South Boston, Virginia
6/3	Memphis International Raceway	Millington, Tenn.
7/1	Berlin Raceway	Marne, Mich.
7/8	Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park	Thompson, Conn.
7/15	New Hampshire Motor Speedway	Loudon, N.H.
7/28	Iowa Speedway	Newton, Iowa
8/4	Watkins Glen International	Watkins Glen, N.Y.
9/2	TBA	TBA
9/16	New Jersey Motorsports Park	Millville, N.J.
9/29	Dover International Speedway	Dover, Del.

*Twin 100-lap features

2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Schedule

Date	Track	Location
3/18	Tucson Speedway	Tucson, Ariz.
3/23	Kern County Raceway Park	Bakersfield, Calif.
3/25	Irwindale Speedway*	Irwindale, Calif.
3/25	Irwindale Speedway*	Irwindale, Calif.
5/13	Spokane County Raceway	Airway Heights, Wash.
5/20	Orange Show Speedway	San Bernardino, Calif.
6/10	Colorado National Speedway	Dacono, Colo.
6/24	Sonoma Raceway	Sonoma, Calif.
7/28	Iowa Speedway	Newton, Iowa
8/12	Evergreen Speedway	Monroe, Wash.
8/26	Douglas County Speedway	Roseburg, Ore.
9/30	Meridian Speedway	Meridian, Idaho
10/14	All American Speedway	Roseville, Calif.
11/4	Kern County Raceway Park	Bakersfield, Calif.

*Twin 100-lap features

Schedules subject to change.

The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series solidifies its 2017 season not only on familiar grounds, visiting some of the most storied tracks nationwide, but also by adding three new tracks to an already big stage.

The series is scheduled to visit 25 states and one province for its upcoming season. Notably, the Greatest Show on Dirt will leave its usual tracks at some of dirt racing's most prestigious venues.

The grand introduction of the Outlaws' 40th season will be at the DIRTcar Nationals from February 17-19 at Volusia (Fla.) Speedway Park. In the event's 45th running, the Sprints will be accompanied by the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series, and the Super DIRTcar Series, among others. All divisions will be seeking the coveted "Big Gator" trophy, along with bragging rights to start off the season.

As usual, the season will be headlined by its stops at Eldora (Ohio) Speedway and Williams Grove (Pa.) Speedway. Eldora will host six days of action-packed racing, including the #LetsRaceTwo blockbuster show May 12-13 and Kings Royal to conclude a triple-header on July 15. Williams Grove Speedway will host seven days of racing, including the Champion Racing Oil National Open from September 28-30.

A highly anticipated mid-season event will feature Sprint car's cream of the crop, as the 5-Hour Energy Knoxville Nationals hits the scene August 9-12 at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway. The Outlaws will seek to extend the event's storied 57-year history with yet another barn-burner for the books. Last season of the racing series saw regular Jason Johnson celebrate an emotional victory after beating out superstar Donny Schatz.

Traditionally, the Outlaws have invaded Calistoga (Calif.) Speedway for the Wine Country Outlaw Shootout in April. However, in the series' 26th year making the stop, the event at the stoic half-mile has moved forward to September 15-16 in hopes of more reliable weather. This will be the first time the Outlaws return to Calistoga for an early-September race weekend since 2007.

Continuing a streak of 15 stops in Canada since 2011, the series will make its annual stop at Ohsweken (Ont.) Speedway for the Arrow Express Six Nations Showdown. Schatz, the reigning race champion, has won the show three times since the series’ inaugural stop in 2007.

Tracks making their debut in the series include: Gator Motorplex (Tex.), Cocopah (Ariz.) Speedway and West Liberty (Iowa) Speedway.

The series will make a cameo appearance at “Racing’s Biggest Party” in the Northeast to headline Fulton Speedway’s Saturday Night Special. The sprint car showdown on October 7 will be a part of the 46th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week in Upstate New York.

To conclude a rigorous 90-plus race schedule, the Outlaws will settle the points championship at the Bad Boy Off Road World Finals from November 2-4. Last season, Schatz solidified his eighth championship campaign at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, a series best. Not only was a champion crowned in front of a jam-packed crowd, but the three-day extravaganza also decided the final finish for a narrow points battle between the following three positions in points.

The complete 2017 schedule can be found at the World of Outlaws website. Tickets for select events are on-sale now at dirtcar.ticketforce.com or by calling 844-DIRT-TIX (347-8849).

Charlotte Motor Speedway received the Race Track Business Conference’s “Outstanding Facility of the Year” award on Friday at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Indianapolis.

“We are honored to receive the Outstanding Facility of the Year award,” said Shaun Johnson, the executive director of operations for CMS. “The entire Charlotte Motor Speedway team works hard to offer a wide variety of fun and excitement for our fans and racers.”

The speedway, located just outside of the Charlotte city limits in Concord, N.C., has become a racing oasis with the dirt track and zMax Dragway that combine to host NASCAR and NHRA weekends, the World of Outlaws, the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout, the Charlotte AutoFair and an annual Christmas light show.

“Charlotte Motor Speedway has been a longtime innovator in motorsports facility development,” Timothy Frost, National Speedway Directory Publisher, Director and President, said. “Charlotte's wide array of competitive racing circuits with varied surfaces and configurations has transformed the speedway into one of the most entertaining venues in the world.”

The award has been won by Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park, and Daytona International Speedway over the past three years.

Roush Yates Engines announced a new Technical Partner, The L.S. Starrett Company, a precision measuring solutions provider.

Over the past 13 years, Starrett has been a long standing supplier to Roush Yates Engines, providing measuring tools including micrometers, calipers, tapes, levels, electronic gages, dial indicators, gage blocks and granite surface plates and custom engineered products. Starrett tools are made to the highest standard of quality and workmanship, earning Starrett the title of “World’s Greatest Toolmakers,” according to a press release by Roush Yates Engines.

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with the Roush Yates Engines team. Their consistent pursuit of excellence shows in the engines they produce for the industry and they are exactly the kind of technical partner we look for, one that will help us maintain our focus on providing world-class metrology solutions for the most demanding applications,” said James Taylor, Vice President of Operations at Starrett.

“Starrett is a global leader in precision measuring devices,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Passion and high quality standards is what we look for in a partner. We could not be happier about how this relationship has evolved over the years and look forward to the future with Starrett.”

Since the relationship began back in 2003, Starrett has been an integral part of a combined 13 championships, 283 wins and 251 pole positions in NASCAR and Road Racing.

The activation strategy around the partnership includes event marketing activities and branding at all 2017 NASCAR and Road Racing events domestic and abroad; as well as integration into social media and website platforms. Roush Yates Engines will showcase the Starrett brand and products to others in the motorsports industry.

“We are honored to welcome Starrett to our partnership family,” said Todd English, VP Business Development of Roush Yates Engines. “In an industry where ounces and millimeters make the difference on Sunday, it is imperative to have world-class partners like Starrett.”

Race industry professionals from throughout the world gathered last week in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the three biggest business days in racing, also known as the 2016 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show. Featuring thousands of manufacturers, new products and industry announcements, the annual trade event was a resounding success, as Showgoers left prepared and eager for more business heading into the 2017 racing season. 



From the pre-Show seminars and special events, to the Grand Opening Breakfast with Rick Mears and Jeff Gordon, and the product debuts and unveilings on the Show floor, the race industry’s premier Trade Show was filled with education, networking and sales. 



“This year’s show has been awesome,” said Bryce Mulvey of CP-Carillo in Irvine, California. CP-Carillo was among the more than 1,200 companies exhibiting at the 2016 PRI Show. “There’s been more foot traffic than ever,” said Mulvey. “It’s great to see all of our customers, and we look forward to the show every single year.”



Ashley Garrett of U.S. Legend Cars International in Harrisburg, North Carolina, agreed. “It’s been a great show. The attendance has been off the charts—even from last year, which was great. We had a lot of traffic and a lot of success. We had more domestic customers this year, while in the past it’s been more of the overseas market.” 



Nonetheless, Garret noted, “We also had some of our foreign dealers from Japan, England and Ireland here that we don’t typically see during the year.”



International attendees, in fact, make up a significant group at the annual event. Attendees, who come from more than 70 countries, are often drawn to the world-renowned conferences that take place in conjunction with the Show. 



Phil Pagen from Track Sport Engines in New Zealand, for example, attends PRI primarily for the two-day Advanced Engineering Technology Conference (AETC), which is held just prior to the PRI Show’s official opening day. 



“We’re here (at AETC) just to get some ideas and hear what people have to say,” said Pagen. “The presentations are good, and there are a lot of interesting questions. There’s no place else for us to go and meet these types of people and make these contacts. This is another level for us.” 



Pagen and the Track Sport Engines team stays for the PRI Show afterward, meeting with exhibitors and looking for new products. “It’s a big week for us,” he said.



In addition to brisk business on the Trade Show floor, the 2016 PRI Show featured:
    
• RPM Update: The SEMA government affairs team updated attendees on the status of the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act.  The bill was introduced in Congress in 2016 to clarify that it is legal under federal law to modify the emissions system of a street vehicle for exclusive racing purposes.  While optimistic about working with the incoming administration and the new Congress, the SEMA team nonetheless urged racing professionals - especially business owners - to continue reaching out to lawmakers when the bill is reintroduced for consideration in 2017.
    
• Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) Engine Challenge: Showgoers watched in awe throughout the week as students from all over the country competed for the quickest time disassembling and reassembling a small block Chevy engine. As they twisted, turned and bolted, Team Comp Cams, led by instructor Chris Overfelt, bested the competition with the fastest average time of 17 minutes and 43.3 seconds. Also of note was Team Fragola, which placed third and received the fastest perfect engine run time.

• Seminars: Complimentary seminars featuring numerous industry experts took place throughout the Show. Many were technical in nature and touched on engines and performance, while others were more general and focused on digital marketing and eCommerce. Among the most popular sessions was Corey Perlman’s seminar titled “Social Media Overdrive.” Attendee Stephanie Leonard of Southsidemachine.com in Akron, Ohio, found several helpful pointers from the seminar that she planned to implement when she returns to her business. “As a small company trying to use social media to get our products out there, it’s really made sense to use social media to drive customers to our website instead of just showing new products or describing what we have going on, but go here to buy them,” she said.

Additional recaps from the 2016 PRI Show, including a photo gallery, can be found at www.performanceracing.com/tradeshow. 



Showgoers and organizers are now looking ahead to the 2017 PRI Show, set for December 7–9 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

ProMedia Events & Publishing has announced that Kurt E. Johnson has joined the team roster as Competition Director for the NMRA and NMCA event series. Johnson takes over for longtime ProMedia staffer Shannon Murphy, who will be stepping away from the role, but remains a part of the ProMedia family.

As Competition Director, Johnson will run on-track operations for both ProMedia series events, and will be working directly with Racing Operations Director Gene Bergstrom and General Manager Rollie Miller.

Johnson’s extensive experience began as a youth racing at drag strips in the Northwest, and he eventually worked his way up the ranks and into the NHRA national event team. From there, he served as Operations Director at both Don Schumacher Racing, and at Lucas Oil Raceway Indianapolis, where he created the successful Friday Night Race program and was integral in bringing the NMCA program to the facility.

After accepting an offer from the Bader family to be Track Manager at Summit Motorsports Park, Johnson brought the NMCA and NMRA to Norwalk, and was able to secure the rights to the popular Shakedown event as well. In 2015, Johnson ventured out on his own as proprietor of Total Venue Concepts, a mobile company that provides all manner of racing event services.

“When it comes to track prep, facility preparations, and running events, Kurt is beyond compare,” said ProMedia General Manager Rollie Miller. “He’s one of the most talented event operators in the country today.”

In addition to having worked with Miller during their time with the NHRA, Johnson’s Total Venue Concepts was contracted by ProMedia to provide its services at a number of NMCA and NMRA events in 2015.

“I believe in the NMCA and NMRA,” Johnson said. “They have the potential to be game changers in the long run. The company has the best team out there right now. Rollie and I work together really well, and I’m confident that we can make good things happen.”

Johnson will direct his first event in March 2017 with the 23rd Annual Nitto Tire NMRA Spring Break Shootout presented by Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords magazine at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida. For more information about the NMRA season opener, visit www.NMRAdigital.com/FL.

Larry Pritchett, owner of Mid-South Racing Engines in Clarkrange, Tennessee, was named the 2016 High Performance Engine Builder of the Year at the 2016 Performance Racing Industry Trade Show.

This marks the fifth year for the Performance Engine Builder of the Year Award, which is presented in conjunction with Federal-Mogul Motorparts’ Speed-Pro POWERFORGED Pistons and Fel-Pro Performance Gaskets brands and Engine Builder magazine.

Pritchett was presented the award by Engine Builder magazine publisher/editor Doug Kaufman during a press conference at PRI 2016 on Friday, December 8.

Larry Pritchett started his career as a drag racer, racing in Stock Eliminator, Super Stock and Comp Eliminator series. Along the way he also built winning race engines, leading to 30 race wins and 32 records in NHRA competition.

As winner, Pritchett received $1500, a recognition wall plaque, two nights lodging at this year’s PRI Show, as well as a prize package from Federal-Mogul Motorparts’ brands Speed-Pro POWERFORGED Pistons and Fel-Pro Performance Gaskets.

A triad of PRI-sponsored seminars featuring performance engine and turbocharging guru Ken Duttweiler; world-class racer, broadcaster, entrepreneur, speaker, and author Derek Daly; and bestselling author and digital marketing expert Corey Perlman kicked off Day 3 of the 2016 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis.
 
Duttweiler provided insight into his days as a racer and subsequent experiences running his engine-building business, Duttweiler Performance, discussing everything from new technology and the machinery in his shop to how he runs his business and, naturally, land speed racing. (Duttweiler's engine powered the piston-driven Speed Demon to a record 462 mph pass on the Bonneville Salt Flats.)
 
"I'm pretty bad at delegating authority. If I can't do it myself, I don't want anyone else doing it," he said. "I can envision some of these interesting things that I can do and the results that I'll get from them, and I have a good clientele that afford me the ability to do that."

Down the hall of the Indiana Convention Center, Perlman brought his dynamic program to a capacity room of racing professionals eager to absorb what's new, what's now, and what's coming in the world of social media.

Attendee Stephanie Leonard of Southsidemachine.com in Akron, Ohio, discovered several helpful pointers that she plans to implement once she returns to work. “As a small company trying to use social media to get our products out there, it’s really made sense to use social media to drive customers to our website instead of just showing new products or describing what we have going on, but go here to buy them,” she said.

Meantime, the "Derek Daly Academy Driver Development Seminar: What If It’s You?" session schooled attendees on what it takes to become a racing champion. Touching on topics like fundraising for programs, positioning for success, and turning current relationships into sponsorships, Daly used his past driving experiences in Formula 1 and IndyCar to educate a packed house of racers and parents.

"This was our biggest and our most interactive [turnout], with the strongest comments after the seminar that we've ever had," Daly told us. "One guy said 'I wish I knew this 40 years ago,' so I was very pleased."

Attendees of the 2016 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in pursuit of overseas business heard from a panel of top international buyers and manufacturers selling internationally during the inaugural International Motorsports Trade Seminar on Friday.
 
A capacity crowd of racing professionals vied to hear Wilfried Eibach of Eibach Springs, Brian Patrias of Motovicity Distribution, Rob Herrod of Ford Performance Parts Australia, and Darrick Dong of Performance Friction Brakes (PFB) speak about purchasing international products for the US market, selling US products internationally, buying US products for the international market, and selling foreign products into the US.
 
For his part, Patrias discussed pricing for products introduced for sale in the US. "When you bring it into the United States, everyone is going to take a cut," he said. "When you price a product, you need to have a whole package. That’s what's going to allow you to get into multiple distributors."
 
Dong, director of motorsports at PFB, addressed US manufacturers seeking to sell overseas, as well as international distributors trying to sell products in the US, during his segment.
 
"US manufacturers, the biggest thing that you have to learn is the culture of the international market where you're trying to sell," said Dong. "For distributors, know who creates the demand and who the customer is. You capture markets not because of distribution, but because of information you acquire from the markets you are approaching."
 
During his presentation, Herrod, owner of Ford Performance Parts Australia, talked about the importance of a positive relationship for a successful international partnership.
 
"My biggest thing is support from the company I'm dealing with," he said. "If I'm in Australia selling your product, I want to be you in Australia, and I need you to be me in your country."
 
Legendary Eibach, who this year is celebrating his 65th in business, shared some of the knowledge he has acquired over an illustrious career in motorsports.
 
"If you have a superb product and a personal commitment, which sometimes is just as important as the product, the market is there," said Eibach. "But you need to have a complete line of products in the market.
 
"Succeeding in the US was tough, and took a lot of patience and courage," he added, "and it took us 30 years to get to the point where we are today. But the biggest risk in life is taking no risk at all."