NASCAR has announced several changes within its leadership structure.

Steve Phelps now assumes the role as NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Global Sales and Marketing Officer. The business areas that Phelps oversees include Global Marketing, Partnership and Series Marketing, Business Development, Integrated Marketing Communications, Licensing & Consumer Products, and NASCAR Digital Media. He will continue to serve as NASCAR’s top Officer in the Charlotte, North Carolina, office.
 
Phelps will now lead a strategic global marketing effort, as NASCAR digital and social platforms create the potential to lead further global growth and direct engagement through NASCAR.com and key social platforms.
 
Jill Gregory has been named Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. Gregory joined NASCAR in July 2007 after working in executive roles at Bank of America and Sprint. The business areas that Gregory will oversee include Brand and Consumer Marketing, Brand Platforms, Entertainment Marketing, Driver Marketing, Team Marketing, Social Media and Analytics and Insights.
 
Norris Scott has been named Vice President, Analytics and Insights, a new position within NASCAR. Scott, who joined NASCAR in 2005 in Partnership Marketing after working at ESPN and the NFL, now will oversee the growing consumer research functions at NASCAR including Social Analytics (NASCAR Fan & Media Engagement Center), Digital Research, Sponsorship Valuation, and Media and Market Research.
 
Lou Garate has been promoted to Vice President, Partnership Marketing. Garate has been at NASCAR for nearly 10 years, working closely with official partners such as Chevrolet, Ford, Goodyear, MillerCoors and Toyota. He has developed and strengthened many partner assets including the Coors Light Pole Award, Coors Light Silver Bullet Bash, NASCAR Evening Series and Victory Lap fueled by Sunoco.

For more information, visit www.NASCAR.com.

The World Short Track Championships, an all-new, three-day event featuring the best weekly racers from throughout the United States, was announced this week by DIRTcar Racing. The event, hosted at the Dirt Track at Charlotte (N.C.), Thursday, Oct. 20 to Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, will put on center stage nine divisions in pursuit of a purse in excess of $120,000

The mega event takes place the weekend before the Bad Boy Off Road World of Outlaws World Finals, creating two-weeks of season-ending action featuring many of dirt racing’s top drivers, series and divisions.

“The World Short Track Championships is sure to be ‘lots of laps’ and ‘lots of fun’ giving weekly drivers  from 9 different divisions the chance to stand on the big stage at Charlotte,” said World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter. “This massive event will make Charlotte the epi-center of dirt track racing in the United States and bring the best and brightest from around the country together for two incredible weeks.”

Participating divisions at the World Short Track Championships include:

    1.    DIRTcar/SECA Pro Late Models – A full-bodied late model with a Chevrolet Performance 604 engine
    2.    DIRTcar UMP Modified – Open wheeled modifieds as raced in all of North America
    3.    DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds – Northeast open-wheel modified with center steer Northeast modified body style with Chevrolet Performance 602 engines
    4.    DIRTcar/SECA Pro Modifieds – Open wheel Modifieds with a Chevrolet Performance 602 engine.
    5.    360 Sprint Cars –Winged Sprint cars with 360 cubic inch engines
    6.    DIRTcar Pro-Sprints – Winged sprint cars with Chevrolet Performance 602 engines
    7.    SECA Crate Sportsman – Full-bodied American stock car with Chevrolet Performance 602 engine
    8.    MMSA Mini-Stocks – Monster Mini Stock Association 4-cylinder stock cars
    9.    FWD/Hornets – Front wheel drive sports compacts modified for dirt track racing

Each entry will receive a free pit camping permit in the pit area for the entire weekend and an invitation to the Friday night bonfire worthy of a true homecoming. Competitor registration for the World Short Track Championships opens on Thursday, Oct. 20 at noon.

Thursday’s slate of events will feature a four-hour open practice with rotating divisions. On Friday, there will be qualifying events for all divisions with six of the nine divisions running all-star invitational features. Saturday though will be unlike any other event in the country, with all nine divisions competing for an inaugural World Short Track Championship victory.

Complete competitor information, including division payouts, will be available after Aug. 21 by visiting DIRTcar.com.
 

The 2016 qualifying season for the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge is now over, and there are 43 teams readying themselves for the 2016 Dual National Championship happening this fall at the SEMA and PRI shows.

The last qualifying event for the 2016 season took place at the 11th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl at Joliet’s Route 66 Raceway July 30–31.

In the end, Team Howards Cams, an all-girls team from Belvidere North High School, took 3rd place with an improved time of 24:10. Coming in second place, Team Comp Cams from Burton Center for Arts & Tech enhanced their time to 22:00. Team Vibrant from C D Hylton High School took 1st Place with an enriched time of 19:42.

With these teams improving their time during competitions, they advance in the ranks of the 2016 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Playoff Standings.

Team Mr. Gasket from Parkland College came in 5th place with a great time of 27:51. Coach David Charney from Team Mr. Gasket states, “The students work really hard to qualify for the Dual Championship this year.” Charney mentioned, “It feels amazing to qualify for the first year and be able to go to the SEMA Show this year!”

Coming in 7th place, Team Aeromotive from Fremd High School qualifies with a time of 29:05. Coach Steve Elza from Fremd High School mentions, “This will be the first year out of all 8 years of being involved with Hot Rodders where I will take two teams the Dual Championship.” These two teams now advance to the 2016 Dual Championship held later this year.

To qualify, a team must tear down and rebuild the engine within 34 minutes.

For additional information in starting a team or sponsorship opportunities, contact Rodney Bingham at RBingham@hotroddersoftomorrow.com.

Wellness Center USA, Inc. has announced that its wholly‐owned subsidiary, StealthCo, Inc. (Stealth Mark) is working with SFI Foundation, Inc. (SFI), the non‐profit organization established to issue and administer standards for the quality assurance of specialty performance and racing equipment.

The SFI Foundation has served the automotive aftermarket and motorsports industry since 1978 with a system of developing and administering various standards, certifications and testing criteria for use in motorsports. SFI strives to equally serve the manufacturers, consumers, sanctioning bodies, racers and government agencies through fairness, efficiency and respect.

The agreement reached between SFI and Stealth Mark signifies significant advancement in SFI's technology in their certification process, ensuring compliance to SFI quality standards, and to thwart the emergence of counterfeit parts and non‐compliant parts in the motorsports industry. Initial efforts to integrate into SFI's existing processes are already underway and production‐level activities utilizing the complete Stealth Mark technology suite, including its software, hardware, and marking systems, are scheduled to commence immediately and expand at various intervals over the coming year.

"Our decision to Stealth Mark our label is nothing less than our concern for the safety of racers around the world", stated Jennifer Faye, Vice President of SFI. "With this in mind, it is so very important that we do everything possible to not allow non‐compliant parts on track. We recognize the importance of our role in the racing industry and the team at Stealth Mark shares our passion and respect for motorsports which helps us do our job efficiently and to our fullest potential. We are pleased to be working with them to upgrade and enhance our quality assurance program."

SFI has an international presence with approximately 250 member and affiliate sanctioning bodies and well over 500 individual equipment manufacturers who participate in more than 110 specification programs. The primary users of SFI standards, or specifications (specs), are equipment manufacturers whose products are tested and self‐certified to the appropriate procedures. SFI Specs are included as part of the rules of race sanctioning organizations. Ultimately, the consumer benefits from the SFI program because it establishes recognized levels of performance or quality for a given product which results in a safer racing environment.

Stealth Mark Intelligent Microparticles are unduplicatable and undetectable to the human eye, providing absolute authentication. They have been successful in both covert and overt operations used primarily for authentication, anti‐counterfeiting and diversion tactics. Stealth Mark is the only Intelligent Microparticles available with virtually unlimited codes and supported by a security management portal, code verification software that is portable, fast and accurate.

For more information, visit www.sfifoundation.com.

Converting the Kyle Larson’s Outlaw Kart Showcase Presented by ParkerStore into a two-day event has resulted in the addition of a race on the first night, the Prelude to the Showcase.

As last year’s opening night of the inaugural Outlaw Kart Showcase saw a full night of practice laps at Chico, California’s Cycleland Speedway, this time around the Prelude will serve as a standalone initial event for the Open Division contestants on Monday, September 5. The Box Stock and 250 Intermediate divisions will also be included in the racing program that night.
 
“Last year’s one-night race was a huge success all around, but we listened to many longtime racers who wanted to also race on Monday,” said Larson. “Taking that into account, we came up with the Prelude to the Showcase, which will pay $1,000 to the winner in the Open Division. It should turn out to be another highly anticipated portion of the Outlaw Kart Showcase event.”
 
The structure for the Open Division will also now see a draw format on each night. With an enormous kart count of 164 in the division last year, qualifying has now been eliminated to provide the best racing surface possible. Also new, the Box Stocks and 250 Intermediates—which run the same format as last year—will see their qualifying and preliminary events on Monday. Their A-Main events will be held Tuesday, September 6, joining with the Opens in the Outlaw Kart Showcase.
 
Box Stock and 250 participants will only pay one pre-entry fee that covers both nights of racing, while the Opens will pay a $30 entry fee at the pit gate for the Prelude race on Monday. Open Division participants are not required to race in the Prelude, however every Open driver that plans to race in Tuesday’s Showcase must be pre-entered. Everyone will need a pit pass each day, available only at the gate on race days.


For more information about Kyle Larson's Outlaw Kart Showcase Presented by ParkerStore, including entry forms and driver’s rosters, visit www.outlawkartshowcase.com.

Mazda has announced details for the inaugural Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Invitational, where racers from Europe, Asia and North America will compete against one another at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.

The event is a non-points, invitation-only race, outside of the US-only 2016 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. The invitational races will be held September 9-11, 2016, as part of a Mazda-exclusive weekend that features both the Mazda Road to Indy and the Mazda Road to 24.
 
John Doonan, director of motorsports, Mazda North American Operations, said, “When we launched the 2016 car and series, we included ‘Global’ for a reason. Mazda affiliates and racers from abroad have wanted to get involved in what had previously been North American exclusive. We can’t wait to have our overseas friends join us at our home track for what we hope will be the first of many such events in the years to come.

“Combining the weekend with our Mazda Road to Indy and Mazda Road to 24 championships means that we’ll likely have more than 100 Mazda-powered race cars on one weekend,” he added. “With all cars being as identical as possible, it’s a perfect showcase for racers to prove that no matter if you are on the highway, or on the track, driving matters.”

For more information, visit www.mazdamotorsports.com.

The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHOF) recently announced its Class of 2016.

Twenty members of the off-road community met to evaluate a record number of nominations and have selected the following individuals to be inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame for 2016: land use advocate Don Amador, racing pioneer Bud Feldkamp, Trackside Photos' Jim Ober, five-time Baja 1000 winner Larry Ragland, and racing team innovator Tracy Valenta.

The inductees will be celebrated at the ORMHOF Induction Ceremony on Monday, October 31, 2016, at the South Point in Las Vegas to kick off SEMA week.

South Point owner and ORMHOF Inductee Michael Gaughan will host an open bar during the cocktail hour and silent auction, followed by the banquet and Induction Ceremony. The event is open to the public.

The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame was established in 1978 by racing promoter and NORRA founder Ed Pearlman to recognize and honor those individuals and organizations whose lifelong contributions to off-road motorsports have set a standard for others to follow.

In 1995, legendary off-road racer Rod Hall began working to find a permanent home for ORMHOF. The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame display in the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada, is the result of Hall’s efforts.

ORMHOF is funded through donations, individual memberships and industry partners, including BFGoodrich, FOX, Glen Helen Raceway, Jackson Motorsports Group, NORRA, Skyjacker, Best in the Desert, Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series, McMillin Racing, South Point Hotel Casino and Spa, Rod Hall Drive, Ultra4 Racing and the National Automobile Museum.

For more information, visit www.ormhof.org.

For the first time, Oswego Speedway officials will apply a traction compound to the outside groove of the 5/8 mile Steel Palace oval in anticipation of this weekend’s racing program to be held on Saturday, August 6.

The LC7 compound will be applied to the surface on Friday morning in anticipation of Fast Friday testing, which will run from 4:30-8:30 p.m.

After Friday night and Saturday afternoon hot laps, officials are hoping to see extra rubber and added bite through the outside lane of the Speedway’s corners prior to race time.

“We’ve been taking in feedback from racers, teams, and fans this season and have been looking for ways to improve the second lane of racing at the Speedway,” said Oswego Speedway co-owner, John Torrese.  “After researching with manufacturers and others that use such a compound, we determined that using this traction was worth a shot.  If we see positive results we will continue with the usage accordingly.  If we find it is not a fit for our Speedway, then we can easily remove it.”

Several paved short tracks have moved to utilizing traction compounds on their racing surfaces, including New Hampshire’s Lee Speedway, and have yielded positive results.

“The end goal is to provide the best, most exciting racing for our fans,” said Torrese.  “Two groove racing is what fans and drivers alike want.  Drivers want to be confident to know they can race on the outside, and fans want to see it happen.  This is a step in our team’s process of trying to improve that.”

Before the race program gets underway on Saturday, the annual Oswego Speedway Old-Timers Reunion will take place at Lighthouse Lanes in Oswego.

The reunion, once again coordinated by longtime Speedway faithfuls Jim Ferlito and Jim Liccardi, will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on August 6 at Lighthouse Lanes, located directly across from the Speedway on Jim Shampine Drive.

Drivers, owners, racing families, officials, media members and longtime fans will be available throughout the afternoon to help celebrate Oswego Speedway and Supermodified racing for the 11th year.

For more information on Oswego Speedway and the weekend’s events, visit www.oswegospeedway.com.

The purse for this week’s 39th annual Belleville Midget Nationals on Aug. 5-6 at the Belleville High Banks exceeds $86,000 for the two-day midget portion of the event.        

"The Fans of the High Banks,” a group of race fans who follow and attend Belleville events, have again gone the “extra mile” this year and raised money through sponsorships and donations to increase the payoff for the midget events. The 17 individuals have contributed $1000 each to be used as added incentive for more high-quality drivers, owners, and crews to return to the "world's fastest half-mile dirt track.”
 
The contributors are: Brad Boyer, Belleville; Ken Ebert, Salina; Dennis Erkenbrack, Republic; Scott Hoard, Courtland; Kevin Jensen, Courtland; Wade Jensik, Belleville; Tanner Johnson, Courtland; Don McChesney, Munden;  Jim McDonald, Belleville; Arlen Mickelsen, Superior, NB; Adrian Polansky, Belleville; Jon Russell, Courtland; Brent Scott, Belleville; Jeff Sothers, Courtland; Jeff Strnad, Scandia; Darrell Wineinger, Belleville; and one anonymous donor.

The event has the largest posted purse for an outdoor midget auto race for the 2016 season.

Opening night, Aug. 5, features qualifications preliminary races, and a 25-lap midget feature race. The winner’s share will be $3,000, with tenth place collecting $800, and last place $450. The popular two-person cruiser stock car division will race on the track’s infield quarter-mile track.
 
Saturday, Aug. 6, will feature last chance races, along with a trophy dash to set the 40-lap feature. A check of $12,500 awaits the winner, with $1,000 minimum for each feature starter. The United Rebel Sprint Car Series again returns for the "4th annual 305 Sprint Nationals.”

Thursday night, Aug. 4, will feature a Tim Dugger Concert in the infield. Admission is $10 per person, under 14 years old free. Also, a free BBQ meal will be provided while supplies last.

For more, visit www.bellevillehighbanks.org.

The Trans Am Race Company (TARC) has announced that Parella Motorsports Holdings has assumed a significant ownership stake in TARC, officially seeing Tony Parella join the Trans Am Series ownership group.  

Parella is the CEO of both Parella Motorsports Holdings and the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), with which Trans Am holds joint weekends throughout the year. While the move will create additional synergy on those joint weekends, Parella and Trans Am are aiming much higher.  

“We’re all overjoyed to have Tony joining us as we continue our momentum in Trans Am,” said John Clagett, President of The Trans Am Race Company.  “Tony has been a longtime friend and fan of the Series; between the existing Trans Am platform and the business acumen which Tony brings to the table I’m confident we can continue to grow the Trans Am Series and continue building an increasingly bright future for competitors, teams and fans.”

The Trans Am Series and Parella Motorsports will focus integration of additional media production, marketing and sales resources into the Trans Am Series—all while continuing to build the Trans Am event platform.  

“We see an opening in the marketplace for motorsports festivals on a national platform,” said Parella. “Fans are responding to a show with a variety of automotive designs and engine sounds in both wheel-to-wheel competition and on display. SVRA and Trans Am have tremendous cultural synergies, including drivers crossing over between the two series. All of this promotes sponsorship investment.”

Parella has already seen growth in sponsorships from both premium, automotive and motorsports-related brands in SVRA, and will look to continue that momentum in the pro-racing world with the Trans Am Series and its growing platform. From the induction of The Trans Am Race Company nearly five years ago, the Trans Am Series has grown from 10 car fields to 60-plus car entries and multi-race weekends, but now both Trans Am management and Parella are ready to take the Series to the next level.  

Parella’s addition to the ownership coincides with a restructuring of the ownership group, with Tony Parella, through Parella Motorsports Holdings, Jim Derhaag, David (DJ) Jans and Mike Miller all holding equal shares while John Clagett now joins Simon Gregg as a minority shareholder.  Tony Ave will remain as a management consultant and advisor to the TARC Ownership going forward while maintaining his vast base of operations within the Trans Am paddock.