A Portage, Michigan race car driver has won the 10th performance engine to be given away by Engine Pro and its partners at US 131 Motorsports Park. Scott Taylor used a .002 package to beat Jeff Green of Grand Haven, Michigan, in a final round contest during the 12th annual Funny Car Nationals presented by Discount Tire. The $17,000 fully assembled, race-ready engine was awarded to the winner of a special race between the eight most successful Top ET and Modified drivers in the track’s points series.

“The Race for the Engine program has been a tremendous success,” said US 131 General Manager Jason Peterson. “All of our racers look forward to it. It definitely is a big deal and we hope it means as much to Engine Pro, Pro-Filer and Performance Engineering as it means to the track and the racers.”

Taylor says he’ll install the new engine in the ARC dragster that won him the track championship in Top ET. Although this is the 10th engine give-away, Taylor is the ninth different winner of the engine. Rick Morley of Holland, Michigan, won twice: in 2012 and again in 2014.

Engine Pro is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Wheat Ridge, Colorado; Pro-Filer Performance Parts in New Carlisle, Ohio and Performance Engineering, that built the engine, is located in Jenison, Michigan.

The engine is equipped with high performance parts supplied by Engine Pro partners including Clevite bearings, Fel-Pro gaskets, Comp Cams valve train, Melling oil pump, JE pistons, Ferrea valves, Hastings piston rings, Milodon oil pan, Scat connecting rods and crankshaft, and Driven racing oil.

Andy Wrobleski of South Bend, Indiana, won last year’s contest. Other winners include Tracy Muchler of Grass Lake, Michigan (2013), Rick Baad of Mattawan, Michigan (2011), Dave Lorentz of Benton Harbor, Michigan (2010), Justin Wanamaker of Kalamazoo, Michigan (2009) and Dennis Geeting of Muskegon, Michigan (2008).

Greg Walter, a 17-year veteran of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., was promoted from within the company to the role of executive vice president of Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In his new role, Walter will oversee daily operations of the motorsports campus, which includes the famed 1.5-mile superspeedway as well as zMAX Dragway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte. He will report to Charlotte Motor Speedway President Marcus Smith.

Built in 1960, Charlotte Motor Speedway is home to diverse calendars of motorsports, including NASCAR, NHRA, World of Outlaws and Legend Car racing.

“At Speedway Motorsports, we take great pride in our people and strive to promote leadership from within,” said Smith. “During his time with the company, Greg has proven himself as a dedicated leader with a passion for excellence and a strong vision for our future. I am confident that he will embrace this new role with enthusiasm and look forward to all that he will bring to Charlotte Motor Speedway.”

Walter joined Speedway Motorsports in 1999 as vice president of sales for Atlanta Motor Speedway before being promoted to the national team in 2014.

“Charlotte Motor Speedway has always been the gold standard,” Walter said. “The people who work at the speedway and the passion they have makes all the difference. I’m humbled to be part of the team and look forward to getting to work to ensure that Charlotte Motor Speedway remains the benchmark for motorsports entertainment.”

Motor State Distributing, a worldwide wholesale distributor of racing equipment based in Michigan, has added two new vendors to their performance racing products inventory. Motor State Distributing will now start selling Sunoco Racing Jugs products and accessories and Total Power Racing Batteries products and accessories.

Buyers interested in those products can now purchase them through Motor State Distributing’s website, www.motorstate.com, or by calling 269-463-4113.

Lost in the shuffle Sunday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway was an important NASCAR milestone for Toyota Racing.

Kyle Busch’s sixth-place finish in the Sprint Cup Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway allowed Toyota to win its first manufacturer’s championship in the Cup series in its 10th season of competition.

Toyota drivers won 16 of the 2016 season’s 36 races and two of its drivers on its way to the manufacturer’s crown, which snapped Chevrolet’s streak of 13 consecutive titles.

“Capturing our first Cup Series manufacturer’s title is a tremendous accomplishment, and one that has been a goal for Toyota since entering the series 10 years ago as underdogs in this ultra-competitive series,” said Ed Laukes, Vice President of Integrated Marketing Operations for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA.

“With the partnership of great teams like Joe Gibbs Racing and Furniture Row Racing, Toyota has been able to breakthrough and become the first different manufacturer to earn this championship in 13 seasons. “We’re proud of the effort put forth by each of our Toyota teams, and all of the Toyota team members that have allowed us to reach this goal.”

Joe Gibbs Racing collected 12 of the wins while newcomer to the Toyota camp, Furniture Row Racing, added four more.
Busch and Martin Truex Jr. led the group with four wins a piece, followed by Carl Edwards (three), Denny Hamlin (two) and Matt Kenseth (two).

Toyota also had two drivers competing for the series championship in Sunday night’s season finale – Busch and Edwards.
Toyota has now won manufacturer’s titles in all three NASCAR national series – Cup, Xfinity and Trucks. Toyota driver Daniel Suarez won the 2016 Xfinity championship on Saturday night.

Toyota first entered NASCAR competition in the Trucks series in 2007. Since joining the Cup series, Toyota has won 95 races and 90 poles in 360 races.

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow announced the addition of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Junior Dragster Series. In 2017, Hot Rodders will partner with Protect the Harvest Midwest Jr. Super Series, which is run by Dave Beimfohr, and is currently scheduled to have nine events next year.

Protect the Harvest Midwest Jr. Super Series is greatly supported by Trevor Wiggins from Comp Cams and three-time NHRA Top Fuel Champion Antron Brown. With its partnership with the Protect the Harvest Midwest Jr. Super Series, Hot Rodders will be on its way to establishing a Nationwide Program for Junior Dragsters.  Both Antron Brown and Trevor Wiggins currently have their children competing in the Protect the Harvest Midwest Jr. Super Series.

Protect the Harvest Midwest Jr. Super Series will bring an additional 600 students into the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Program. With the growth of Hot Rodders of Tomorrow, and the addition of the Protect the Harvest Midwest Jr. Super Series, The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Program will have approximately 1,600 students enrolled in 2017.

"This new alliance between the HROT and the MJSS will allow us to reach a much larger segment of our young enthusiasts, giving them more opportunities to become involved with this great industry and sport.  This is just the beginning,” said Dave Beimfohr.  

Hot Rodders will use this blueprint to expand the Series over the next few years to become a Nationwide Jr. Dragster Program.

“MJSS teaches great life lessons using Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics as its back bone.That is why the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow and MJSS are a perfect fit,” said Antron Brown when informed of Hot Rodders merging with the Jr. Dragster Series.

For more information on Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Jr. Dragster Series contact Dave Beimfohr at dave@midwestjrseries.com or Rodney Bingham at rbingham@hotroddersoftomorrow.com.

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow is a non-profit and S.T.E.M. program whose mission is to develop the future of today’s youth for the aftermarket racing, performance and automotive accessory industry.  High school teams from across the United States compete against a clock to accurately tear down and rebuild an engine, teaching them not only mechanical knowledge, but the ability to work together as a team.  The organization has awarded over $20.3 million in scholarship opportunities to deserving students.  Learn more at HotRoddersofTomorrow.com.

Attendees of the 2016 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show will have ample opportunities to listen and learn from an array of industry leaders when the world’s premier event for motorsports professionals comes to Indianapolis, Indiana, in early December.

 Known as Race Industry Week, the days leading up to and including the PRI Show offer more than 45 conferences, seminars and special events in and around the Indiana Convention Center beginning December 5. Among the week’s informational and educational opportunities are:

    •    Advanced Engineering Technology Conference (AETC), December 6-7. This conference focuses on the latest engineering ideas and gives those in attendance a chance to spend one-on-one time with experts, including Gale Banks Engineering President & CEO Gale Banks, Gary Patterson of ECR Engines, Roush Yates Engines Technical Director Jamie McNaughton, and Star Racing CEO George Bryce, among many others.

    •    Race Track Business Conference (RTBC), December 7. Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles, Red Bull Global Rally Cross President Chip Pankow, and Racer Magazine CEO Paul Pfanner will be among the industry leaders taking part in eight presentations on the current status of motorsports, covering topics such as motorsports market research and legislation, risk management, and track operations.

    •    Grand Opening Breakfast, December 8. Hosted by MAVTV’s Dave Despain, this year’s breakfast provides a unique opportunity to hear from IndyCar legend Rick Mears and NASCAR star Jeff Gordon in a casual and intimate stage setting. It is offered free of charge to registered attendees and exhibitors.

    •    Student Breakfast, December 9. New for this year, top-performing students and future industry leaders from throughout the country will join established experts in the racing industry during this free breakfast. NASCAR driver David Ragan will be among the featured speakers.

    •    International Motorsports Trade Seminar, December 9. Wilfried Eibach (Eibach Springs) and Darrick Dong (Performance Friction Brakes) will lead a panel of top international buyers and sellers who will share their insights on purchasing international products for the US market, selling US products internationally, buying US products for international markets, and selling foreign products in the US. This inaugural seminar is offered free of charge, but RSVP is required.

    •    This year’s PRI Show-sponsored seminars will include four of the industry’s most accomplished professionals—IndyCar legend Lyn St. James, driver/fabricator/TV personality Jessi Combs, Jennifer LaFever of Roush Yates Engines, and Jeanette DesJardins of Car Chix—discussing opportunities for women in motorsports on Friday, December 9. The following day, performance engine and turbocharging guru Ken Duttweiler will sit down for an exclusive Q&A with PRI editors, while in an adjacent room, world-class racer, broadcaster, entrepreneur, speaker, and author Derek Daly delivers his acclaimed “Derek Daly Academy Driver Development Seminar” for young drivers and parents eager to learn the critical skills required to become a complete champion. Additional seminar topics on Friday and Saturday include digital marketing, social media, and building successful business relationships.  

The 2016 PRI Trade Show will feature over 1,100 companies throughout 3,300 booths showcasing the latest developments in auto racing technology. Tens of thousands of buyers from all 50 states and 70 countries will be on hand for the three biggest business days in racing.

For a complete list of events, visit www.pri2016.com/events. To register, or for more on the 2016 PRI Trade Show, including hotel and and travel information, visit www.pri2016.com.

Four local residents who share a passion for short-track auto racing are the new managers of Big Country Speedway in south Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Dan Adkison, Amanda Jagoditsh, Perry Kinard, and Pamela Schliske recently created Race Day Makers, LLC to support the sport of short-track oval racing in Cheyenne.

Dennis Cauley of Cheyenne owns the quarter-mile track at 4820 S. Greeley Highway. The facility can seat up to 2,000 people.

The Wyoming Auto Racing Club had previously managed the speedway, and will now serve as the speedway’s booster club.

Big Country Speedway, which opened around 1948, is the only paved asphalt track in Wyoming, said Adkison. Facilities in Rock Springs, Glenrock, Rawlins and Casper have dirt tracks.

“We want to keep Saturday night short-track racing alive. We want to get the word out to drivers” to bring their cars out, Adkison said.

For Adkison and Schliske, the new management role continues their devotion to the speedway. They started coming to the track when they were kids, helping out family members and enjoying the races.

“My dad was out here for Greg Cederberg and pitted for him back when I was 8 or 9 years old,” Adkison said. “That was 1969 or ‘70.” (Cederberg of Cheyenne is a well-known local race car driver.)

Adkison will take the position of scheduling director at Big Country Speedway. Adkison, who works at Airgas in Cheyenne, and his wife, Carol, are racing fans. Their daughter BreAnn, 26, started racing about eight years ago.

Schliske, who works at First American Title, heads the operations part of the team. She has done several jobs at the track and was its flagwoman for many years.

“My husband was my assistant,” she said. Her daughter and son also race cars.

Kinard, who works at Douglas Towing, has provided the Big Country Speedway with towing service for more than 10 years.

Jangoditsh, who works in public relations, became interested in racing after she got married. Her husband races at the Cheyenne track.

The Big Country Speedway track is typically open Saturday nights from May to the end of September. The new management group hopes to add activities like concerts and BMX events to the lineup as well.

McLaren Technology Group recently announced that Zak Brown has accepted the position of Executive Director, McLaren Technology Group, effective in December.

In this senior role, Browns's appointment will be a significant part of a restructuring program that will align the Group's commercial and strategic operations relating to achieving success in Formula 1 racing.

Reporting directly to McLaren Technology Group's Executive Committee, both Jonathan Neale (Chief Operating Officer) and Zak Brown (Executive Director) will jointly lead the businesses as part of the first step in the Group's transition to a new and strengthened organizational structure. The process of identifying and recruiting a new Group Chief Executive Officer will continue.

"As founder of Just Marketing International (JMI)—now the world's largest motorsport marketing agency—I've often worked closely with McLaren," Brown said, "and I've developed some excellent relationships across the company. Together we've delivered some great sponsorship deals, including Johnnie Walker, GSK, Hilton, Lenovo, Chandon and NTT.

"Best of all, in my new role I'll be able to combine my absolute passion with my unparalleled area of expertise—respectively motorsport and marketing—while ensuring that the two stay totally aligned," he added.

Beginning January 2017, The Thermal Club will be finalizing its third and final phase of track development, complete with top modern safety technology in the industry.
 
Previous additions to Thermal—the North and South Palm Circuits—received high accolades. Phase 3, the Desert Circuit, is poised to have the same response.
 
One of The Thermal Club’s main concern was the wellbeing of its drivers, so they outfitted all three track phases with barrier technology pioneered by Impact Safety Systems (ISS). The barriers were placed in critical locations around the courses—red and white Kart Impact Safety Systems (KISS) barriers outline one mile of the South Palm Circuit and three miles of the karting track; blue and white ProLink barriers by ISS cover three-quarters of a mile of the North Palm Circuit; and more than half a mile of the Desert Circuit is bordered by green and white ProLink barriers. In total, there are nearly 3000 ISS barriers creating kaleidoscopic rows of protection.
 
ISS Barriers were created by long-time champion pro-racer, RJ Valentine, who saw a need for barricade reform to increase driver survival. Over the past 16 years, these barriers have been placed at multiple tracks across the country. The new composite polyethylene plastic barrier technology not only delivers maximum safety, but is also extremely cost effective and easy to install.
 
On Thermal’s tracks, ISS barriers are more than mere aesthetic enhancements— they serve as buffers against Armco and cement, they may make the difference between life or death, minor rather than critical injuries, and minimal versus major vehicle damage. ISS barriers act as the first line of defense by providing enough safe deceleration to avoid hitting the last line of defense—hard walls. The system is designed to absorb impact energy and distribute it down the line of linked barriers to cushion the blow and reduce ricochets.
 
Participants at The Thermal Club have personally been involved in or witnessed serious collisions that ended with very little vehicle damage and, more importantly, less harm to its occupants. ISS barriers are engineered to optimize safety and mitigate impact, enduring high-speed hits with less deformation, primarily due to sidewall impact ridges that support structural integrity. Additionally, the UV-stabilized, weather resistant barriers are reinforced when filled with water or sand to ballast, which can be adjusted for varying levels of resistance depending on the speed and weight of the vehicles.
 
When Thermal’s events require track changes, the ISS barriers can easily adapt, as they are one of the only systems that can be arranged in any configuration or either direction, including curves and 90° angles. Because of its lightweight plug-and-play design, installation of 1000 linear feet of barrier only takes two workers one day to accomplish.
 
“Our barriers are the result of years of testing resulting in one of the safest, most cost-efficient, and practical solutions there is.  A premium facility like Thermal demands only the highest quality equipment. ISS strives to not only meet but exceed those standards," said Ken Murphy, COO of ISS.