Coming off of its first NASCAR XFINITY Series win of the season last weekend at Watkins Glen International with driver Joey Logano, Team Penske announced plans to return its XFINITY Series operation to a two-car Ford Mustang effort in 2017. The second Team Penske entry also clears the way for Ford Performance to use this entry as an extension of its new driver development program as both organizations continue to build for the future.

"Our NASCAR XFINITY Series program has been one of the best in the series since we started running full-time in 2009," said team owner Roger Penske. "For several years, we ran it as a two-car operation and then decided to focus primarily on the No. 22 for the last few years.  Along the way, we developed a lot of people that have moved into our Cup programs, including all of our current NASCAR Sprint Cup crew chiefs. We want to win another XFINITY Series Championship while continuing to utilize our program to build human capital."

Team Penske's NXS program ran sparingly between 2001 and 2008, winning nine races with drivers Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch. The team began competing full-time in 2009 and earned the NXS Driver's Championship with Brad Keselowski in 2010. Since joining Ford in 2013, Team Penske has earned 29 XFINITY Series wins and has won back-to-back-to-back NXS Owners' Championships.

"Obviously, we've really enjoyed our relationship with Team Penske and the success that they've brought to the Ford family in the NASCAR XFINITY Series," said Dave Pericak, Director of Ford Performance. "The addition of a second Team Penske XFINITY Series car will allow all of us to work on developing talent behind the wheel and across the board.”

A driver and sponsorship on the second Ford Mustang will be announced at a later date.

Since its inception, Team Penske has earned 55 NASCAR XFINITY Series wins, 53 pole positions and four championships. Newman, Busch, Justin Allgaier, Keselowski, Sam Hornish Jr., Logano, AJ Allmendinger and Ryan Blaney have all visited victory lane for Team Penske in the XFINITY Series.

In it’s 65th year, Eibach has completed the largest investment of the company’s history with the construction of an advanced new production plant in Wiethfeld, Germany, only 7 km from the main plant in Finnentrop.

Through this, capacities have expanded significantly. By means of the new production facilities, technologies and necessary structures, Eibach has qualified as a valued partner for manufacturers of the automotive industry (OEMs). OEM clients include the best known manufacturers of sports cars—with suspension springs as well as stabilizers.

With its Wiethfeld plant, the Sauerland company avails as one of the most modern production plants for suspension components worldwide. With the use of interlinked production lines, quality at the highest level is being produced for the business units “Aftermarket Suspension” and “OEM.”

In addition, Eibach is currently an important development and manufacturing partner in the automotive industry with a new, innovative suspension system “active roll stabilization” (respectively “eAWS,” “electro-mechanic anti-roll-system”).

The Wiethfield production plant, has allowed Eibach air and space in Finnentrop to reallocate the manufacturing of high quality springs for demanding applications in the business units “General Industry” and “Engine Components” to “lean production.”

At the founding location in Rönkhausen, Eibach has produced millions of special torsion springs for belt tensioning elements (engine compartment) and continues production to this day.

Also the next five years, until the next anniversary, will go down in Eibach history as some of the most exciting for the 350 plus Eibach’ers in the Sauerland.

Recently, the company was awarded the certificate “Outstanding Training Company” for the third consecutive year.

In various market segments, Eibach is recognized and awarded as world market leader, e.g. in motorsports, where the brand “Eibach” is known worldwide as a premium brand due to their focus on quality and product variety. The company Eibach Springs in the USA deserves special honor—with more than 1,000 race tracks in the US and Canada alone. ENA (Eibach North America Inc.) will celebrate its 30-year anniversary next year and is considered one of the most successful German family-owned businesses in the USA. In its own 16,000 sqm building in Corona, CA, near Los Angeles, over 100 employees from different nationalities (“The United Nations of Eibach”) produce suspension springs, stabilizers and dampers.

According to its own claim to be the worldwide leading brand, Eibach also has established itself in China—now the largest automotive market in the world—not due to lower costs, but because of all the current and additional customers in the entire Asia-Pacific Region.

During the past five years, Eibach has set up the production plant in Taicang, near Shanghai, allowing EST (Eibach Springs Taicang) to establish itself as a hub for all activities in the Asia-Pacific-Region and already operating in the black.

In addition to the three production sites, there are Eibach owned sales companies in the UK, Australia and South Africa. Currently Eibach has approximately 500 employees worldwide—complemented by independent sales partners in 80 countries around the globe.

The company aims towards market leadership in all major business areas and intends to continue diversification into many smaller and interesting market niches. The large number of customers and the countless, also new applications represent constantly refreshing challenges.

As a traditional family business, emotional intelligence is part of Eibach’s corporate culture, as well as loyalty, trust and mutual care. The daily contact of the shareholders and the management with employees and business partners mostly takes place on a trusting and often even friendly level.

The Sauerland people have embraced the generation change. The third generation of the family are now shareholders as well as involved in the management of the Holding Company Eibach Industries GmbH, alongside of managers who are far more part of the family than mere employees.

Engine & Performance Warehouse Inc. (EPWI) recently named its 2015 “Vendor Of The Year” and “Representative Of The Year” at an awards dinner during EPWI’s annual summer conference on Thursday, August 4 in Vail, Colorado.

EPWI named Proform (Specialty Auto Parts) as the EPWI 2015 Vendor of the Year. Diana Gill, national sales manager for Proform, was present to accept the award. The annual Vendor of the Year award is presented to the supplier or manufacturer based on performance scores during the prior year in seven categories. Categories include distribution/sales policies, pricing policies, inventory, returns, labor claims, office support and shipping/packaging. Past recipients of this award include Federal-Mogul, S.A. Gear, Total Seal, Pioneer, B&P Rods, COMP Cams, Cylinder Head Center, Clevite Engine Parts, Dura-Bond Bearing Co., Damper Doctor, Melling Engine Parts, Joe Gibbs Racing, Howard Enterprises, SB International, Hastings Piston Rings and Quick Fuel.

Engine & Performance Warehouse named Brian McCullough of Scat as the EPWI 2015 Representative of the Year. McCullough, who handles Crankshaft sales and technical support for Scat, was present to accept the award. The Rep of the Year is selected annually, on a rotating basis by region, using combined votes based on performance scores during the prior year in three categories: sales support, distribution philosophies and timely and accurate follow-through.

Engine & Performance Warehouse is a full-service warehouse distributor specializing in engine kits and parts, high-performance parts, related components and shop supplies. Founded in 1972, EPWI serves customers from warehouses in Denver; Phoenix; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Oklahoma City; Dallas, San Antonio and Houston; Memphis, Tennesee; Anaheim and Oakland, California; Portland, Oregon; Tacoma, Washington; and Anchorage, Alaska. EPWI is a member of the Engine Pro distributor network.

Pocono Raceway, home to the next race on the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule, will remain on the calendar through 2018, as announced today by track president and CEO Brandon Igdalsky.

“The Tricky Triangle,” a 2.5-mile triangular oval, will host the ABC Supply 500 weekend on Aug. 20-21. Race dates for 2017 and 2018 will be announced at a later date.

“We are thrilled to share this great news that we will host the Verizon IndyCar Series through 2018,” Igdalsky said. “Our track was originally designed for open-wheel cars and our fans really enjoy the action on the track. When you see these cars going six and seven wide, it is incredible. We also received positive feedback from teams and drivers and worked together with INDYCAR to make sure Pocono Raceway stays on the schedule.”

Indy car racing enjoys a storied history at Pocono. This year’s race will be the 23rd in the Pennsylvania track’s history, with previous events run from 1971-89 and every year since 2013. A.J. Foyt, the all-time leader in Indy car wins with 67, also holds the record for most Pocono victories with four.

Other winners at the three-turn oval include the likes of Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, Bobby Rahal, Johnny Rutherford, Danny Sullivan and Al Unser.

"We're thrilled to announce today's two-year extension with Pocono Raceway, an iconic oval track with a long history of hosting great open-wheel racing events,” said Jay Frye, INDYCAR president of competition and operations. “It's very clear that Pocono is one of the favorites amongst the drivers, teams and fans of the Verizon IndyCar Series and we look forward to competing there for the foreseeable future. We'd also like to thank Brandon Igdalsky and his entire team for all their efforts to make this event a success and we look forward to our race there on Aug. 21."

Ryan Hunter-Reay is the defending race champion and happy to hear news of the extension.

“The on-track show, the product we put on here last year was phenomenal,” said Hunter-Reay, driver of the No. 28 DHL Honda for Andretti Autosport. “Lead changes throughout the race, six wide throughout the straights, passing throughout the field. You couldn’t ask for a better product and hopefully we can do it again for the fans.”

The extension news takes on added meaning for Andretti Autosport driver Marco Andretti, who hails from nearby Nazareth, Pa.

“This is my home track so selfishly this is great news,” Andretti said. “There is a great, long history of racing here at Pocono Raceway and I am excited we will continue to come back. I think our cars were made for this track.”

Scott Dixon won at Pocono in 2013 to kick-start the run to his third Verizon IndyCar Series championship. The driver of the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet added a fourth season title in 2015 and is glad Pocono will remain part of the series’ fabric in the future.
“Pocono Raceway needs to be a place we visit each year,” Dixon said, “and to build on the product we need to come here for a while. We need some longevity here.”

Tickets for this year’s ABC Supply 500 start at $25 for adults and $12.50 for children ages 12 and under. They may be purchased online www.poconoraceway.com or by calling (800) RACEWAY.

NMCA WEST announces that VP Racing Fuels will be returning as the series title sponsor for 2017. VP Racing Fuels is a tremendous supporter of west coast drag racing and the official spec fuel of NMCA WEST, NMCA, and NMRA. National event director, Rollie Miller, plans to release the 2017 VP/NMCA WEST event schedule by middle to late September. Next year will continue to feature the West Coast’s Fastest Street Cars as well as the world class Hotchkis Auto-X presented by Nitto Tire.

Save the Date - the 2016 NMCA WEST Awards Ceremony will once again take place at the Edelbrock Museum in Torrance, California, on Saturday, January 21, 2017. This special event features highlight videos, celebrity appearances, class awards, Nitto Tire Diamond Tree champions rings and much more.

For more information on NMCA WEST, visit www.NMCAwest.com or call 714-444-2426.

Motovicity Distribution, an automotive performance aftermarket distributor, is announcing the addition of Dinan Fuel Injector Clinic to its line card.

Founded in 1979, Dinan has established itself as a BMW tuner. In addition to tuning engines, it develops, manufactures, and markets a comprehensive line of high-performance products and systems.

Operating from its headquarters in Hobe Sound, Florida, Fuel Injector Clinic is dedicated to achieving excellence in the pursuit of higher horsepower, faster trap speeds, and lower lap times while maintaining reliability and drivability. Fuel Injector Clinic offers high-quality performance fuel injectors and each set includes their Data Match Technology. The precise matching process that their injector sets go through and the comprehensive tuning data provided with them keeps Fuel Injector Clinic at the forefront of the performance injector market.

Currently, Fuel Injector Clinic offers fuel injector options for various makes and models from BMW, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen. They also make custom injectors, as well as fuel rails, fuel system kits, injector adapters, plug & play/pigtails, seal kits, and apparel.

“We look forward to working with the Motovicity Distribution team,” said Bryan Troll, Marketing Coordinator. “The technical knowledge of their sales team and the expansive network that Motovicity brings to the table has us excited about our high-performance fuel injectors making their way into the hands of more tuners and racers across the country and beyond.”

“We, at Dinan, are very excited about partnering with Motovicity Distribution, to expand the distribution of Dinan performance products to their broad wholesale network,” said Jim Hodgman, Sales Manager for Dinan. “Motovicity Distribution won SEMA's 2013 WD of the Year and is one of the best two step distributors in the industry! Their sales team is made up of professional and knowledge ASE certified automotive enthusiasts, and their well-earned reputation for helping the best builders, performance shops, and retailers in North America satisfy the demands of their customers has us looking forward to watching this partnership grow.”

Dinan Fuel Injector Clinic products are now available for wholesale purchase through Motovicity Distribution. For product inquiries, call 888.SPEED.16 to speak to a representative.

After getting rained out on June 4, Hall of Fame Night for Baer Field Motorsports Park will be held Saturday night for Billy Cunningham, Lee Harpe, Mike Kline and Clarence Schmuck.

Cunningham attended his first race in 1965 at age 16 and soon started working on Dave Sorg's pit crew and became a part-owner of a car, but he's best known throughout the area as a flagman at Angola, Avilla, Bryan, Warsaw and Baer Field along with several other tracks throughout his career. He later became general manager at Baer Field from 1997 to 2004. He came out of retirement to return as Baer Field's flagman in 2008.

After working side-by-side with his father Larry from the age of 11, Lee Harpe started his own career as a car builder, engine builder and crew chief at age 18. Along with his father, he opened Harpe Racing in 1985 and continued as a managing partner for 22 years. After wins and championships in many divisions, Harpe Racing closed in 2007, but Lee continued his career as crew chief and consultant for many teams over the next nine years.

Kline raced for 33 years, starting in 1957 and building his first car at age 14. He won two championships at Baer Field, one at Bryan, three at Aville and four at Angola, including 156 feature races. According to an article in Marc Times Racing News, Kline won more features from 1976 to 1984 (when he raced for Clarence Schmuck's Garage) than any driver in the state. A motorcycle accident in 1984 ended his racing career.

Schmuck, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 93, started his racing career in 1953 and opened Schmuck Garage in 1962 working on passenger cars, trucks and racecars. From 1957 to 1964 he build cars for Howard Bice, Cecil Wells, Kenny Bodenhafer, Jesse Yates and Joe Wallace. From 1976 to 1984 he worked with Mike Kline, helping Kline win 10 track championships. After Schmuck retired in 1985, he was inducted into the Avilla and Steuben speedway Halls of Fame.

There have been 47 inducted into the Baer Field Hall of Fame since 1993.

Competitor gates will open at noon Saturday as cars begin arriving and going through the inspection process before getting on track for practice at 1:30 p.m. Spectator gates and time trials will begin at 4 p.m., with the opening ceremonies and preliminary racing set to begin at 6:30 p.m. Admission for the event is $13 for adults and $6 for kids ages 8-12.

Lisa Noble has resigned as president and CEO of the Sports Car Club of America to pursue other challenges, the SCCA Board of Directors announced.

Noble had previously served on the Board of Directors, including as Chairman of the Board, for six years before transitioning to the President’s role in October of 2013. An SCCA member since a teenager, Noble will continue to compete in the Club’s road racing and U.S. Majors Tour program in her Formula Vee.

Hired as an agent of change, under Noble’s watch, the SCCA saw a resurgence in membership and launched a series of experiential initiatives to introduce new participants to motorsports, including the Tire Rack Starting Line autocross school and Track Night in America driven by Tire Rack. A rebranding of National road racing, the U.S. Majors Tour, also evolved under her leadership.

“While the board and I had philosophical differences, I know the Club is now positioned for growth and have confidence that the staff and board will keep our programs alive and well,” Noble said. “SCCA will forever be a part of my life and I will contribute in every way I can to the success of our Club.”

“We want to sincerely thank Lisa for the time and energy she has put into the SCCA, first as a member, and then with the Board of Directors, and finally piloting the staff as President,” John Walsh, Chairman of the SCCA Board of Directors, said. “We look forward to seeing her at the race track again as a friend, Club member and competitor.”

ProMedia Events & Publishing announced the promotion of Lonnie Grim to the post of Event Technical Director for the NMRA, NMCA, and NMCA WEST event series. Grim is currently the Technical Director for the Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series and will continue those duties as well.

Grim is a 20-year veteran in the sport of drag racing, assuming many roles through those years. The Arkansas resident currently holds an NHRA Silver level SFI certification and has been an NMRA/NMCA tech inspector since 2007. In addition to sitting on various SFI and NHRA councils, Grim is just as experienced in the driver's seat after spending seven years as a full-time Sportsman racer in NHRA drag racing and he also operates Lonnie Grim Motorsports, a multi-faceted drag racing and street rod custom shop.

"Promoting Lonnie to the Event Technical Director is a great pleasure for us as he has been an important part of the ProMedia family for nearly a decade," said Rollie Miller, General Manager of ProMedia. "His experience in both the safety and class-specific technical inspection processes are nearly unmatched in the industry."

Grim's resume includes current positions as Event Director for Drag Week and Engine Masters Competition and Competition Director for Holley LS Fest, Roadkill Nights, Car Craft Midnight Drags, ADRL in Qatar Winter Series, the Mod Nationals, and select Super Chevy events.

"I've been around most of these racers for many years and I am looking forward to taking on a bigger role at the events," said Grim. "We will continue to provide a fun and organized environment and keep the racing fair, which is what our competitors expect from us."

The promotion takes effect immediately as all four national event series under the ProMedia brands are wrapping up the 2016 season and planning for 2017.

Racers will continue to communicate with NMRA/NMCA officials through the email addresses NMRArules@ProMediaPub.com and NMCArules@ProMediaPub.com.

The 25th annual Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame class was inducted on Monday evening at Weedsport Speedway. The ceremony was conducted on behalf of people dedicating their lives to dirt racing.

Like all hall of fame ceremonies, it was an emotional night for the inductees. The gathering was headlined by drivers Billy Pauch and Jeff Heotzler.

Preparation for the event begins in January. This class was special to another hall of famer, Buffy Swanson, chairwoman of the hall of fame committee, because she knows each inductee personally, making it much more emotional.

“We do it because it’s the right thing to do and to keep the sport alive,” Swanson said of the ceremony. “If you don’t keep the records and the photos, there are no memories. If you don’t recognize these guys acknowledgements, they are just going to get lost in the shuffle and that’s something we don’t want to happen.”

The quarter-century class, including Pauch and Heotzler, also inducted Theresa Rogers, George Caruso Jr., Marty Beberwyk, Bob Dini, Eugene Mills and Don Diffendorf. The category of inductees varies from drivers to mechanics to the media and contributors.

Like most of the recipients, Pauch has been around racing since the age of 17. Still competing, the Pennsylvania native has over 600 career feature wins, including over 100 triumphs at New Egypt Speedway in New Jersey.

Turning 60 next year, Pauch believes he is getting toward the end of his racing career. Back then, he believed that he would be retired by 40, but he can’t leave the sport he loves.

“I’ve raced all my life and never really thought about it,” Pauch said of the special night. “There are a lot of neat drivers. It’s all a part of it. Certain races I look at as special, but being inducted is special, too.”


Inducting Pauch was three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion crew chief Ray Evernham. The two have known each other since the early 1980s and regularly stay in touch.

Evernham is well known for being the crew chief of four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon. The duo won 47 races together, leading over 10,000 laps.

“Billy and I have been friends for 40 years,” Evernham said. “We were teenagers when we started hanging out together. It certainly means a great deal, not only because we our friends but because I’ve watched him throughout his career and I also worked with some of the best drivers in the world and I know they know Billy Pauch. Racers know racers.”

While the Hall of Fame is put together by volunteers and corporate sponsors, it would not be right if a hard-working engineer and mechanic didn’t get inducted. That’s exactly what Dini was.

Recently being appointed as director of technical operations for DIRTcar Racing Northeast, Dini still travels to many of the big events in the Northeast. But, this was a night of remembrance for him.

“It’s an honor,” Dini said with a smile. “It’s a shock that I got the call. I’m speechless. It means a lot because I put a lot into dirt racing. It’s always been my life.

For one of the top classes in the 25-year history of the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame, the turnout was as expected. Friends and families of all the inductees were in attendance, which made it that much more special.

2016 DIRT Awards

Outstanding Woman in Racing: Theresa Rogers

Andrew S. Fusco Award for Media Excellence: George Caruso, Jr.

Leonard J. Sammons Jr. Award for Outstanding Contributions to Racing: Marty Beberwyk

Mechanic/Engineering Award: Bob Dini

Gene DeWitt Car Owner Award: Eugene Mills

Pioneer Driver Inductee: Don Diffendorf

Driver Inductee: Jeff Heotzler
   
Driver Inductee: Billy Pauch