The Formula E car will sport a bold new look for the 2016–2017 FIA Formula E Championship thanks to the introduction of a stunning new front wing.

The new two-tier wing makes the fully electric single-seater look more aggressive and unlike any other racing car in the world.

“Formula E aims to be different, and this new front wing creates a look that’s different to every other car out there,” said Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag. “I think this is a great addition to our car and further emphasizes the fact that this is a modern, forward-thinking championship that is taking a completely different approach to all other racing series.”

“The FIA Formula E Championship is not just a great environment in which to develop a completely electric powertrain with new battery technologies, but it is also a platform for experimenting with innovative solutions when it comes to designing single-seater racing cars,” said FIA President Jean Todt.

Reigning Formula E champion Sebastien Buemi added: “I like the look of the new front wing—it looks a little bit more futuristic, and from inside the car you can see the top part of the wing, so visually for the driver there is also a small change. We want Formula E to look different and be different, and the new wing is a good way of showing that. I don’t think it will make too big of an impact on aero which isn’t in the ethos of this championship — but it’s a good way to show visual development heading to Hong Kong for the start of season three.”

The first public outing for the new-look Formula E car will be at the opening group test at Donington Park on August 23.

More than six months before the start of the 2017 NASCAR season, the sanctioning body and its television networks have announced the starting times for all events on next season’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series schedules.

Through collaborative efforts with broadcast partners (FOX Sports and NBC Sports), race teams and tracks, NASCAR finalized full 2017 start times for all three national series almost six months earlier than in recent seasons.

Seventeen national series events will start closer to primetime, helping to bring NASCAR’s photo finishes and close, side-by-side racing to larger audiences.

Seventeen NASCAR Cup Series points races will air on broadcast television next year, including the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on FOX; and the Brickyard 400 and the NASCAR Cup Series championship race, the Ford EcoBoost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway, on NBC.

“It’s our responsibility, collectively as an industry, to ensure the sport is healthy, strong and growing by delivering great racing in a way that best meets the needs of our fans,” said Steve Herbst, senior vice president, broadcasting and production at NASCAR. “Earlier insight on start times benefits not only fans, but also our teams and tracks, as it provides more opportunities to plan travel and to purchase race tickets.”

Since the initial release of the 2017 schedule, NASCAR and its partners have shifted two dates for the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Road America will move to Sunday, Aug. 27, on NBC. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park will now take place on Sunday, Sept. 3, airing on FS1 prior to the NASCAR Cup Series event at Darlington Raceway on NBCSN.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams will get another chance to try out the provisional 2017 aerodynamics rules package during the August 28 event at Michigan International Speedway.

The reduced downforce rules package will be the same rules package that was used in the series’ June 12 stop at Michigan. Similar rules packages were also used during the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the event at Kentucky Speedway earlier this month.

The biggest changes to the current rules package are a smaller rear spoiler, which will now be reduced to one inch to 2.5 inches, and the removal of the rear-axle offset, otherwise known as “skew.” These changes will continue the trend of NASCAR limiting the effects of downforce and sideforce on cars.

Previously the Kentucky event earlier this month was slated to be the final test for the 2017 rules package.

The schedule for the inaugural season of the Formula 4 United States Championship powered by Honda has been finalized with New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, hosting the series August 26-28.

The F4 US Championship, a new youth-driven open-wheel championship series, debuted July 1-3 at Mid-Ohio and the addition of the event at NJMP finalizes the schedule at five race weekends.

"New Jersey Motorsports Park is unfinished business for the F4 U.S. series because we had to postpone our race there earlier this summer," said SCCA Pro Racing President and CEO Derrick Walker. "We certainly appreciate their patience and willingness to work with us to have us back for an exciting round coming up in August."

The F4 US Championship will join three additional SCCA-sanctioned open-wheel divisions in New Jersey: the Formula F1600 Championship, the F2000 Championship and the Atlantic Championship Series. The F4 US Championship joined the same three championship series during its inaugural weekend at Mid-Ohio.

The next scheduled race for the F4 US Championship takes place August 11-13 at Mid-Ohio, leaving less than two weeks before the start of the event in New Jersey.

"The amendment of the schedule will leave 13 days between our second showing at Mid-Ohio to the third event held in New Jersey," Walker said. "Typically teams have a month or longer to prepare for a race. Putting the time constraint on these new drivers will help develop them for the real world of professional racing."

A comprehensive schedule will appear shortly on www.F4USChampionship.com.

Maine’s oldest stock car racing facility has been sold.

Longtime Unity Raceway owner Ralph Nason, who has owned the stock car racing oval in Unity for more than 35 years, has agreed to a sale of the track to George Fernald.

“As of January 1, he’s going to be in control of it,” said Nason, who would not disclose the purchase price. “It’s just kind of time for me. It was one of those things where the longer it goes where I don’t (sell) it, then comes the time where I’m forced to do something with it.

“I didn’t want it to come to that.”

“We have done a deposit. It is final,” Fernald said. “I’m going to see him later with more money.”

Unity Raceway opened in 1948 for auto racing. The horse track was converted into a dirt track for stock cars, and it was eventually paved with asphalt in the late 1960s. According to the Maine Vintage Race Car Association, Unity Raceway is the state’s longest-standing race track.

Nason bought the track in 1980 from original owner Ed Knowles, who had bought the property from the town of Unity in 1947. Knowles, according to Nason, acquired the track when it was held by the town because back taxes were owed on the land.

Fernald, of Benton, previously leased the track for operation from 2004-2009. Prior to that, he competed in weekly racing events at the track while the Nason family operated it. He said talks to buy the track became most serious within the last month.

“I’m really excited. It’s always been my home,” Fernald said. “I love the place. I know Nancy and Ralph are getting up there in years, and I wanted to make sure it always stayed a race track.”

Like Nason, Fernald wouldn’t disclose the final purchase price for the track and surrounding land. “All I’ll say is that it’s a lot of money for me,” he said.

While Nason had never actively shopped the track to potential buyers, he had entertained several offers over the past decade. His son, Ralph Nason Jr., ran the track during the early-2000s, and later Fernald leased the track from the Nason family.

More recently, Nick Huff of Orrington leased the track from Nason beginning in 2015. Huff is operating the track on a week-to-week basis this season.

Nason, 76, said he’s probably spoken with “about 50” interested parties over the last decade. Ultimately, part of his reasoning for selling the 35-acre property the speedway sits on now is because Fernald is committed to short track racing.

“I just got done building 10 one-bedroom apartments across the street,” Nason said, “I’m really sick and tired of building. That’s the only other option that’s there for that property, in my mind. It’s low-income housing or it’s a race track, which I really wanted to see.”

Both Nason and Fernald confirmed that Huff will continue holding the race events he has promoted throughout the remainder of the season.

“It’s really nothing against Nick or what he’s doing (at Unity),” Fernald said. “It really was just an opportunity for us to make sure that it stayed a race track (in the future), which is what we all want.”

As for next year, Fernald said he expects Unity Raceway to be closed for much of the spring and summer.

“We are planning on closing it for most of next year for repairs,” Fernald said. “Maybe we’ll have two or three races toward the end of the summer, but I think most of the year it will be closed for repairs so that we can come back with a whole fresh new look.”

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow for the first time will be competing at the NMRA/NMCA Superbowl at Route 66 Raceway, in Joliet, Illinois, July 28–31.

This will be intense competition between automotive high school students in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow last qualifying event of the season. 

This will be the last chance for teams to qualify for the National Dual Championship at the SEMA Show and the PRI Show later this year, held November 1–4, and December 8–10, respectively.

Ford is poised to continue its four-car factory GTE-Pro effort at the 24 Hours of Le Mans through 2019, as part of the recently announced two-year extension of its FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship programs.

Ford Performance global director Dave Pericak confirmed plans to again submit four entry requests, in what would be an identical program seen this year with Ford Chip Ganassi Racing.

“I would love to come back next year with four cars for Le Mans,” Pericak said. “As you know, two of them have to be invited in, so we will make our intention known that we would love to see all four cars return again, but that will be up to the sanctioning body.”

Three of the four entries are already locked in for the French endurance classic, with Ganassi’s two season-long WEC cars automatically included in the points-paying race and the IMSA-based No. 68 car receiving an auto invite for its 2016 Le Mans class victory.

Pericak said the budget is already in place for a four-car Le Mans assault for the next three years.

“The things that I think people will recognize [are]; yes, we conquered the race this year and that was fantastic; there’s a championship that we’d love to win; and wouldn’t it be great to come back and win Le Mans more than once? We’re committed to this for four years,” he said.

While Ganassi is set to again operate the cars next year in both series, as part of its initial agreement, Pericak said it’s not yet been confirmed for the 2018 or 2019 seasons, but would be the plan to continue with the championship-winning team.

Pericak, meanwhile, has ruled out customer Ford GTs for next year, but admitted it’s something they are looking at “in the years after.”

The Ford GT, along with all other 2016-spec GTE-Pro cars will be eligible for the GTE-Am class beginning next year.

Target is withdrawing from IndyCar at season’s end, after 27 years on Chip Ganassi Racing’s Indy cars, although it will continue sponsoring the team’s NASCAR entries.

The partnership has seen a Target-sponsored driver win the Indy car championship 11 times since Michael Andretti scored Ganassi and Target’s first two wins back in 1994.

Since then, Scott Dixon, whose #9 IndyCar currently carries the Target colors, has amassed four titles, Dario Franchitti took three, Alex Zanardi two, and Jimmy Vasser and Juan Pablo Montoya one apiece.

However, Target cut back from sponsoring the #9 and #10 cars in 2014 to just Dixon’s from 2015, as Tony Kanaan’s machine took on the NTT Data brand. But the Kiwi again delivered with a sensational last-gasp title win at Sonoma last year.

It is believed that Dixon’s future at Chip Ganassi Racing is unaffected, and a team spokesperson said it is Chip’s intention to again run four full-time cars next year, as it has since the start of 2011.

Scott Dixon, who has scored 38 race wins for the Target Ganassi partnership, commented: "I can’t thank Target enough for their partnership on and off the track over the years.

"They have been with the IndyCar team for an amazing 27 years, which is unheard of in professional sports, and on the car I’ve driven for the past 15 seasons. I have nothing but great memories and much thanks for Target being great partners for so long.

"I’m looking forward to being in the #9 car for years to come and fighting for more wins and championships with Chip and the team.”

Chip Ganassi commented: "It's the greatest sponsor in racing, ever.  They've been nothing but good to me. They developed me personally and professionally. I've developed lifelong friends and relationships. 

"It is unfortunate they will be leaving the IndyCar Series but rest assured that the No. 9 Chevrolet and the reigning IndyCar Series Champion Scott Dixon will still be in the IndyCar Series next year and beyond, the car will just have different colors on it.  We are working through some of those options now. 

"Also, we are happy Target will remain in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Kyle Larson and the No. 42.  I understand things change and people have different marketing efforts. It's one of the longest running sponsors in racing and they delivered for me and the team, and the team delivered for them."

Following the conclusion of the inaugural 400 Thunder Drag Racing Season, the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is set to increase its commitment to Australian drag racing, with a goal to move the sport to greater heights.
 
Owned by IRG Sports + Entertainment (IRGSE), one of the largest sports marketing companies in the world, the IHRA is the second largest drag racing sanctioning body in the world with more than 100 member tracks across the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Caribbean.
 
IRG Sports + Entertainment Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Chris Lencheski said, "The Australian market has become a major focus for IHRA as a result of the success of 400 Thunder Series and the quality of the tracks and passionate memberships that have come into the IHRA family of members. Our international membership is way up year-over-year and our IRGSE board and TPG, our parent and global investment company, wholly support this movement by the IHRA.
 
"It's exciting to see a renewed interest in Australian drag racing through 400 Thunder and new IHRA member tracks, we're delighted to expand our association with the 400 Thunder through ownership of the IHRA Australia, as well as introducing our established sponsors into the 400 Thunder Series. Our goal is to take the 400 Thunder Series across Australasia and do whatever is needed to make this happen.
 
"In addition to building on the 400 Thunder brand, we are looking to grow our investment into the Australian market as we look to secure more tracks under the IHRA banner and expand our IHRA membership base Down Under. As part of this initiative, we intend to establish a locally based IHRA office and local staff with the goal to provide member services second to none," Lencheski continued.
 
The IHRA is the current sanctioning body for 400 Thunder as well as Australia's four world class quarter-mile venues: Perth Motorplex, Sydney Dragway, Willowbank Raceway, located near Brisbane and the recently opened Springmount Raceway, near Cairns, Queensland.
 
The growth in license holders has seen unprecedented support as racers flock to the world-renowned organization, with approximately 1,500 competitor licenses issued since IHRA entered the Australian market in December.
 
The introduction of IHRA sanctioning to the Australian market, also led to a significant decrease in competitor and venue costs, as a result of reduced sanction and license fees as well as the abolition of levies.
 
With the Australian IHRA office to be based out in Sydney, this guarantee's direct ties to existing IHRA sponsors in overseas markets, as well as expanding our own 400 Thunder Series both domestically and internationally.
 
IHRA President Mike Dunn said, "Australia will play a key role in the IHRA's future new global class of drag racing, and we are committed to making the 400 Thunder Series the pre-eminent drag racing championship in the Asia Pacific region under our sanction.
 
"We have a vision of delivering a round of our new World Championship to one of our Australian tracks, and the establishment of an Australian office will ensure we keep up with the growth of 400 Thunder Series and coordinate our member services," Dunn continued.
 
Shawn Hackman, IRGSE Chief Revenue Officer added, "Our Australian expansion will provide additional opportunities for current and future partners to reach new racers and fans furthering our commitment to provide a platform with more value and reach."
 
Chairman of the Australian Professional Drag Racing Series Board (APDR), Tony Wedlock is excited by these developments. "Both IRGSE and IHRA are a global force within drag racing worldwide. The benefits provided to APDR and our member tracks as we lean on both IRGSE and IHRA's expertise, and contacts in the areas of sports marketing, as well as their business strategy development is immeasurable.
 
"Both IRGSE and IHRA are highly professional organizations that see the importance of re-investing into our sport and we look forward to an even tighter partnership as well look to build the 400 Thunder Series into its second season.”  

The bumper first season saw entry lists of around 1400 professional and sportsman teams across nine events held at Perth Motorplex, Sydney Dragway and Willowbank Raceway, as well as boasting more than 85,000 spectators at its nine events.

Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), the championship-winning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, will expand into the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2017.
 
The organization will field a full-time, single-car team in the XFINITY Series with a driver and sponsor lineup to be announced prior to the conclusion of the 2016 season. The XFINITY Series team will be run from SHR’s headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina.
 
“In order to maintain the competitiveness that has earned SHR two championships since our debut in 2009, we needed an outlet to develop drivers and team personnel for the Sprint Cup Series,” said Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition, SHR. “People make the difference between winning and losing. An XFINITY Series team gives us added depth that will allow us to promote from within whenever necessary.”
 
SHR won its first Sprint Cup championship in 2011 with Tony Stewart and earned its second title in 2014 with Kevin Harvick. Since its inception in 2009, SHR has won 33 point-paying races, two non-point races and 28 poles.
 
“An XFINITY Series team has always been something we would consider when the time was right, and that time is now,” said Stewart, who co-owns SHR with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. “Staying successful in this sport means staying ahead of the curve, and having an XFINITY Series team provides an in-house driver development program and a new channel for personnel to make a positive impact with our race team.”
 
“This is a natural progression of SHR’s growth and one that allows us to be more self-sufficient,” Haas said. “If you look at all the teams that are successful in Sprint Cup, they have a direct connection to the XFINITY Series where drivers, engineers, mechanics and pit crew members are developed. We’re an established team with a strong infrastructure that is ready for this endeavor.”