Italian Grand Prix chiefs expect to sign a new three-year contract with Bernie Ecclestone this weekend to keep the race at Monza, ending fears the race could drop off the calendar.

During a press conference at the track on Wednesday, the head of the Italian motorsport federation (ACI), Angelo Sticchi Damiani, said a 68 million Euro agreement has been provisionally agreed to secure Monza's place on the calendar.

The final details of the contract that will run from 2017 to 2019 are still being finalised by lawyers, but it is hoped that a signing and announcement can be done over the Italian GP weekend.

While there has been much effort made to secure enough funding, in the end the local Lombardy Region has agreed to contribute around 15 million Euro to help close the contract.

Although the length of the deal is less than is normal for new race contracts, Sticchi Damiani did not see it as a cause for concern, and it could actually help in the future if Italy is in a stronger position against other venues.

"There are those who expected a longer period, but if the system will work then a further renewal will not be a problem," he said. "But there is another aspect. We know that Europe has so many organizers in crisis, while some destinations such as Turkey, Korea and India were short-lived.

"We have seen that it is a question of money, but also of culture. Here in Europe there is the 'DNA' of racing. So let's wait and see what happens."

While Imola is continuing to make a push to land the Italian Grand Prix, Sticchi Damiani said that he was happy Monza had come through.

"We did what we had to do," he said. "Imola would have been a good fallback solution if we had not arrived at a deal. And I did not see an alternation as a possibility because it would be illogical and would mean two organizers instead of none.

"When we get the signature, we can say that Ecclestone will have his choice. And the ACI's (Automobile Club of Italy) money is not state aid, but ACI money with the help of the Lombardy Region."

Monza chiefs also confirmed that there be a one-minute silence ahead of the Italian Grand Prix to remember the victims of the recent Italy earthquake.

The kickoff to the end-of-the-season string of big races is one week away.  The World Stock Car Festival at Indiana’s high-banked Winchester Speedway has eight features in two days of racing, and can be seen live on Speed51 TV for a fee.

The weekend is headlined by the 100-lap ARCA/CRA Super Series on Monday, September 5.  In addition to the Super Late Model race, five other features will be held on Monday, including the Top Speed Modified Series and CRA Late Model Sportsman.

Speed51 TV will also be live on Sunday, September 4, for the 100-lap JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour and the 20-lap Vores Compacts feature.  Sunday’s action will include qualifying for the ARCA / CRA Super Series and heat races for Monday’s racing action.

“It’s one of the most anticipated weekends of racing each year in the Midwest,” said RJ Scott, managing partner for the Champion Racing Association.  “All the great divisions that are involved make it a must see for real race fans.  We hope the racing on the pay-per-view will pique their interests to visit the legendary track, because we know the parties, camping and music will keep them coming back in person each year!”

“Winchester is one of the most exciting race tracks in the country,” said Bob Dillner, Speed51.com’s Executive Editor.  “Every single division to hit the track puts on a show at Winchester.  We’re glad that we are going to be able to bring every race from an exciting Labor Day weekend at Winchester to race fans all around the world.”

Each day of racing can be purchased for $19.99.  A two-day pay-per-view package can be purchased for $29.99 and can be purchased click here. 

International Speedway Corporation, the governing body of several major race tracks across the country, announced Tuesday that Roger Curtis, the president of Michigan International Speedway, is stepping down.

The ISC released a statement saying Curtis is pursuing new opportunities. No replacement has been named.

“We want to thank Roger Curtis for his many years of service with ISC, and the last 10 years, specifically, as the face of Michigan International Speedway,” ISC COO Joie Chitwood said in a released statement.  “We wish him much future success.”

Chitwood will oversee operations until a replacement is named.

Just a couple of days ago, MIS wrapped up its second of two annual visits from NASCAR, the main events on the calendar of the Brooklyn, Mich., track.

Curtis was brought to MIS in 2006, replacing Brett Sheldon, after a stint as vice president of marketing and sales for California Speedway. MIS lost its Indy Racing League tour stop, eventually giving way to the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix in 2008, according to Detroit Free Press.

During Curtis' tenure, MIS has seen improvements to its scoreboard, seating and camping areas. Most recently, it has been the exclusive home to this season's new aero package that led to faster racing.

Originally reported by Detroit Free Press.

Vintage Air, an automobile air conditioning company, enters its fourth decade of designing and producing performance air conditioning systems in the USA for classic, custom, and OEM cars and trucks.

In the muscle car era, few people ordered air conditioning on a new performance car. It was an expensive option, seen as adding weight to the car and sucking horsepower from the engine.

Today, however, the mature muscle car enthusiasts appreciate the comfort as much as the rumble of a hefty V8. Having power steering and power brakes no longer carries the negative stigma it once did, and now neither does air conditioning.

With 40 years of business, Vintage Air makes it easy to add aftermarket A/C to a vintage muscle car, classic, or custom. The days of making serious modifications to fit an A/C system are in the past.

Vintage Air have built a customer base of auto enthusiasts who count on them to keep their cars cool in all kinds of situations, ranging from days at the drag strip to a casual Sunday drive.

The long-standing company has also played a role in the development of air conditioning systems for some of today’s supercars including, the reintroduction of the Ford GT in 2003.

Skyline Speedway was forced to shut its doors on the venues 2016 season in July, but the track will once again see racing action this fall. The three-eighths mile oval will reopen under new management, CBMotorsports LLC, for two special events, with the Sarah Bond Memorial on September 17 and the long standing Harvest 50 on a TBA date.
 
With a complete supporting staff made up of new and old faces from various aspects of the sport, management is excited to approach the Sarah Bond Memorial and Harvest 50 events with the goal to produce two shows featuring many of the regions top talents to keep racing alive on the red clay of Skyline Speedway.
 
The Fourth Annual Sarah Bond Memorial, held on Saturday, September 17, will celebrate the life of a friend of the sport as well as feature a $2,000 to win AMRA Late Model special, plus a $1,200 to win AMRA Modified showdown, along with racing in the 4 Cylinder division. Elevated purses and cash bonuses are also expected.
 
Skyline Speedway will also host the season-ending Late Model special, which will see many of the regions top Late Model teams battle for a $4,000 top prize. The AMRA Modifieds will also be on the card for the Harvest 50 event, with a special elevated purse show to be announced. Like the Sarah Bond Memorial, this event will feature guaranteed purses and numerous cash prizes for drivers all throughout the event.
 
On top of these events, Skyline Speedway is expected to host a Test N Tune in the coming weeks.

Marvin Benoit, Quick Fuel Technology founder, created fuel system products that are easy to use, fast on the track and affordable for the racer, because, after all Benoit is a racer at heart, and he is building products he would want to use on his own race cars.


A few examples of his innovations include QFT’s QuickSet vacuum secondary adjustment, that eliminates the hassle of changing vacuum pod springs, high-flow 4-Door power valves that react faster and flow more fuel, die-cast and billet aluminum components for lighter weight and adding tuning features found in high-end carbs, like changeable idle and air bleeds to most QFT carbs, regardless of price.

Realizing that carburetors still offer some advantages over EFI, Benoit incorporated annular booster carb technology into Quick Fuel’s QFi to create an EFI throttle body.

When Benoit left Holley Performance Products in 1997 to start up QFT, his goal was to sell small carburetor components to racers. It wasn’t long before QFT was building its own line of carburetors and equipping them so that they were ready-to-race out of the box. Many a carb shootout against custom builders has been won by box-stock QFT carbs.

QFT’s product line evolved with fuel pumps, pressure regulators and most recently, EFI. Benoit was awarded 9 patents for fuel system innovations over those 19 years. As a result, Quick Fuel now sells in excess of 50,000 carburetors a year.

Benoit sold QFT to High Performance Industries in 2012.

Now, Benoit is planning on spending time with his family, traveling and of course racing his eclectic collection of race cars. He wants to thank his many employees and customers over the years for their loyalty and support.  He looks forward to seeing them at the racetrack and shows in the future.

Betty Jane France, a philanthropist in support of children's health causes, passed away on the Monday evening. France is the mother of NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa France Kennedy.
 
A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the former Betty Jane Zachary was the widow of the late NASCAR Chairman and CEO William C. France, who passed away in 2007. Betty Jane France was executive vice president and assistant treasurer of NASCAR and the chairwoman emeritus of the NASCAR Foundation.
 
"Last night, the NASCAR family lost a mother, a grandmother, a friend and the light that guided the sport's charitable arm," said Brian France. "My mother taught us incredible values, that of love, patience, compassion and joy. She embraced life every day, and nothing fueled her passion more than children. Her unmatched efforts in building The NASCAR Foundation improved the lives of millions of children throughout this country. And because of that, her legacy will live forever.
 
"My father leaned on my mother throughout his life, relying on her wisdom and calming demeanor to help grow the sport of NASCAR. She was there, every step of the way. When we lost my father, her positive presence remained, as she used her immense skill to grow NASCAR's heart and soul, The NASCAR Foundation.
 
"Our family thanks you for all of your thoughts, prayers and well wishes. My mother was a special woman, and an impressive person, and she will be dearly missed."
 
France became chairwoman of The NASCAR Foundation upon the foundation's inception in 2006. Headquartered in Daytona Beach, the foundation has a commitment to serving communities.
 
The Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Presented by Nationwide, recognizing outstanding charitable and volunteer efforts of NASCAR fans, was created in her honor in 2011.
 
France was a longtime community leader in Daytona Beach, Florida and best known as a steadfast champion of health care for children. She assisted in the establishment of "Speediatrics" children's care unit at Halifax Health in Daytona Beach and at Homestead Hospital in Homestead, Florida.
 
In 2003, France was presented the Halifax Medical Center Foundation’s Humanitarian Award in recognition of her advocacy, commitment, support and advancement of numerous area community service organizations including the Volusia/Flagler chapter of the American Red Cross.
 
She was a member of the Junior League of Daytona Beach serving on boards of numerous area community service organizations.
 
In July 2008, she was named as an honorary co-chairperson for the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, a project headed by longtime NASCAR team owner Richard Childress in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
 
Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming.

Watkins Glen International announced the promotion of Chris Cornett to Vice President of Facilities and Operations.

Cornett, a Crossnore, N.C. native, joined Watkins in February 2014 as Senior Director of Facility and Operations, where he was responsible for managing all operations and maintenance requirements of the facility and supervising security, guest services, operations, maintenance, fire, EMS and safety teams, while reporting to the track president.

Prior to his employment at Watkins Glen International, Cornett was the Director of Operations at Texas Motor Speedway where he was responsible for maintenance, operations and oversight of speedway properties and assets. He also served as the Director of Emergency Services at Texas Motor Speedway and was the Levy Restaurants Director of Concessions.
 

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) announced that it is increasing its presence in Central America through biweekly airings of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge races, in addition to debuting a magazine-style news show for key U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets.

FOX Latin America began airing many WeatherTech Championship races in Latin America live this season, in addition to airing many Continental Tire Challenge races. Now, IMSA has expanded these efforts to include terrestrial transmission of its races through “free-to-air” partners in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Biweekly coverage began this past weekend with a cut-down program of the 2016 season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, as well as the Continental Tire Challenge race. Sebring’s cut-down program is next, beginning on Saturday, September 3.

Also airing on a biweekly basis is a new magazine-style news and information show, “IMSA el Camino a la Velocidad,” (IMSA: The Road to Racing) for the U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets. Produced by Behrens Rhineheart Agency Motorsports Marketing, the show is designed to build IMSA’s brand awareness in this demographic market while supporting Hispanic and Latino drivers and their sponsors.

“IMSA recognizes the importance of these key markets and is working aggressively with its International Development team to attract this audience to our sport,” said IMSA Director, International Development, Alana France. “Providing our races and related original content that appeals to this audience with turn-key ease has proven to be successful. As a result, we have secured both national and international sports news coverage in these media outlet markets through TV, radio, print and online.”

Broadcasters in Latin America will have the opportunity to transmit delayed race cut-downs of IMSA WeatherTech Championship and Continental Tire Challenge races with the intent, in the future, to broadcast Continental Challenge races live. 

The National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) announces the official event schedule for the 2017 season with six events that cover the heartland of America.

“We’re thrilled about this exciting schedule for 2017,” said Rollie Miller, NMCA General Manager. “We have a great group of track partners and host cities and they’re all looking forward to the coming year with NMCA.”

Each event includes all-American car shows, manufacturers’ midways, vendors, burnout contests and celebrities as well as featured classes such as the Dave Duell Classic, Cobra Jet Showdown, Drag Pak Showdown, Super Bowl Shootout, Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series and much more.

The schedule includes:

March 9-12, 2017
15th ANNUAL NMCA MUSCLE CAR MAYHEM • Bradenton Motorsports Park, Bradenton, FL
 
April 6-9, 2017
9th ANNUAL NMRA/NMCA ALL-STAR NATIONALS • Atlanta Dragway, Commerce GA
 
May 18-21, 2017
16th ANNUAL NMCA BLUEGRASS NATIONALS • Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, KY
 
July 27-30, 2017
12th ANNUAL NMRA/NMCA SUPER BOWL OF STREET LEGAL DRAG RACING • Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL
 
August 24-27, 2017
16th ANNUAL NMCA ALL AMERICAN MUSCLE SUPERNATIONALS • Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, OH
 
September 21-24, 2017
16th ANNUAL NMCA WORLD STREET FINALS • Lucas Oil Raceway, Indianapolis, IN

For more information about the NMCA, visit www.NMCAdigital.com.