The Iowa Speedway and the IndyCar series have reached a two-year extension through 2018.

Iowa Speedway president Jimmy Small announced Saturday that the short track, which is owned and operated by NASCAR, will host races in 2017 and 2018.

IndyCar has run races in Iowa since 2007, just a year after the Rusty Wallace-designed oval opened. The 10th annual Iowa race is set for Sunday.

Jay Frye, the president of competition and operations for IndyCar, said Iowa has become a staple of the schedule, adding that the track showcases some of the best racing the series offers.

The 0.875-mile oval has also hosted a pair of NASCAR Xfinity events and one Camping World trucks series race in recent years.

Hastings Manufacturing Company, a 100-year global piston ring provider, announces the appointment of Mike Flynn as its Director of OEM Business Development and Romy Laxamana as its new Vice President International Business Development.
 
Flynn comes to Hastings with 40 years of multiple engine component sales and marketing industry experience including years previously at Hastings. He also managed sales efforts for Goetze Corporation, T&N, Zollner, ACL, King, and most recently NPR of America. In his new role with Hastings, Flynn will provide full sales and marketing management of Hastings Piston Rings for original equipment as well as strategic aftermarket customers.
 
Laxamana comes to Hastings with over 30 years of multiple engine component sales and marketing industry experience. He has managed sales efforts for Beck/Arnley, Korody-Colyer, Grant Piston Ring, and most recently Nanjing Piston Ring. In his new role with Hastings, Laxamana will provide full sales and marketing management of Hastings Piston Rings for the international aftermarket.
 
Hastings Manufacturing Company designs and manufactures piston rings for the worldwide engine manufacturing and service industries. Hastings holds TS16949 and ISO14001 registrations, and is an approved piston ring supplier to OEMs and Aftermarket Specialists worldwide in over 40 countries.

Respected TV motorsports journalist Dave Despain will return to the PRI Trade Show’s Grand Opening Breakfast in 2016 as host of the event’s cornerstone “Good Morning, PRI” segment.

 Each year the Breakfast, held just prior to the exhibit halls opening for Day 1, serves as a traditional kickoff gathering for the world’s premier racing trade show.

Approximately 3,000 members of the motorsports industry attend the Breakfast, which consists of a catered meal and live entertainment. It is open only to members of the racing trade with attendee or exhibitor Show credentials.

Such legendary racing figures as Richard Petty, John Force, Don “Snake” Prudhomme and Tom “Mongoose” McEwen have joined Despain on stage in recent years, sharing their unique insights and colorful racing stories. Last year, NASCAR star Brad Keselowski joined Despain for a memorable Breakfast appearance.   

Universally recognized as an industry icon, Despain was host of the popular WindTunnel TV show on the old Speed Channel. A former motorcycle racer, he got his big break in the 1970s working on ABC’s Wide World of Sports for its coverage of the motorcycle race at Daytona International Speedway. His career evolved to eventually include NASCAR race reporting, as well as other forms of auto racing.

Since 2014, Despain has been a fixture on MAVTV as host of The Dave Despain Show.

Taking place in the Indiana Convention Center’s Sagamore Ballroom, this year’s Grand Opening Breakfast begins promptly at 8 a.m. on Thursday, December 8. Doors to the ballroom open at 7 a.m., and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

PRI 2016 will be held Thursday, Friday, Saturday, December 8–10, 2016, in the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. Over 1200 companies will exhibit their latest advances in racing technology and race shop machining equipment. Attending buyers travel from all 50 states, and 70 countries, to review the hottest new racing parts and make purchase decisions for the start of the next racing season.

To register or for more information, go to www.pri2016.com. To add this event to your PRI 2016 Show Planner, click here.

Continuing a fan-favorite culmination to its national series seasons, NASCAR announced the return of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards to Las Vegas and the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards to Miami Beach.
 
Carrying on a tradition that started in 2009, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards will return to Wynn Las Vegas on Friday, Dec. 2, 2016. The sport’s premier series will regale its champion in a week-long celebration that offers NASCAR fans interactive entertainment, access to the sport’s biggest stars and appearances from an assortment of musical and celebrity guests. A full lineup of activities for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week will be announced at a later date.
 
“We are excited to welcome NASCAR and the thrill of Champion’s Week back to Las Vegas,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, president/CEO of Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). “Las Vegas is one of the top tourist destinations in the world and the NASCAR community can look forward to nothing short of unprecedented entertainment and unparalleled hospitality.”
 
The NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will take place Monday, Nov. 21 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel located in the heart of South Beach. This year’s event will honor the champions of the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, both of whom will be crowned during the Homestead-Miami Speedway race weekend, November 18-20.
 
Currently, two NASCAR Next graduates—Daniel Suárez and William Byron—lead the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points, having locked up their respective spots in the Chase with stirring victories. Both captured their first NASCAR national series victory in 2016.

“Las Vegas and Miami are unrivaled when it comes to hosting premier events,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “Both cities were built upon big events and major celebrations, and we’re thrilled to once again honor our NASCAR national series champions along the Vegas strip and on South Beach.”
 

International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) officials announced the cancellation of the IHRA World Nationals event and the Summit Pro-Am Tour scheduled at Dragway 42 due to construction delays. The IHRA Drag Racing Series will host their championship event at US 131 Motorsports in Martin, Michigan August 12–13, 2016.

Dragway 42 located in West Salem, Ohio, was scheduled to be the last event of the 2016 IHRA Drag Racing Series season on September 23–24. Unforeseen construction delays have prevented the management at Dragway 42 to complete the rebuilding of the facility to host the IHRA events. The IHRA will look to host a national event at the quarter-mile dragstrip again in 2017 as well as sportsman events.

"Dragway 42 is a big part of the IHRA family and we will continue to monitor their progress in hopes of placing a national event there in 2017," stated Mike Dunn, IHRA President. "I know that Ron and his crew have worked very hard to try and get everything prepared but it has become apparent that it will not be ready for the scheduled September date so we needed to make a decision to accommodate our racers, fans and sponsors."

The IHRA Drag Racing Series "season ending" racer point fund will remain the same despite the elimination of the season-end World Nationals. In addition, the Summit Pro-Am Tour events scheduled for Dragway 42 will not be rescheduled. To assist Division 3 competitors in fulfilling their "in division" points claims, both events scheduled at Empire Dragway August 19-21 will count as "in division" events for those racers claiming Division 3 points in the Summit Pro-Am Tour.

The World Rally Championship could return to a control tire for the 2017 season.

The FIA opened the WRC up to multiple tire firms in 2011 after Pirelli ran its control tire for three years.

Though Michelin has supplied all the factory teams since then, DMACK and Pirelli are also active in the series, with DMACK coming close to ending Michelin's unbeaten run with Ott Tanak in Poland.
    
WRC Promoter chief Oliver Ciesla said a decision on whether to return to a single tire supplier will come in the next month.

"This is something we have been thinking about for several months now," Ciesla said. "We can see pros and cons for it, but a decision is on the agenda and we will make a decision soon, most likely in a month."

Volkswagen motorsport boss Jost Capito is adamant the WRC should keep open tire competition.

"I think it would be completely wrong," he said. "We have Pirelli, Michelin and DMACK in at the moment and we have good competition from those guys. Some are better in this rally, some are better in another rally; it gives us a variety on the results.

"I think it's perfect as it is now."

M-Sport client liaison manager Rich Millener suggested the promotional investment a single tire supplier might put into the WRC could be an attraction.

Pirelli was praised for its efforts during its period as control supplier and for initiatives such as the Pirelli Star Driver program that helped launch Hayden Paddon and Tanak.

"There are pluses and minuses," said Millener. "The drama of Rally Poland wouldn't be there without tire competition. DMACK is putting a lot into the championship, you only have to look around the service park to see that. The single tire would risk losing that.

"On the other hand, as we've seen from other championships, if there's help for the promoter and we can grow the championship via concentrated investment then it could work. Personally, after a rally like Poland, I'd like it to stay open."

The 33rd running of Kings Royal, expanded this year to include a full World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series race on July 14, already promises fans more racing and Eldora Speedway officials have announced more prize money for the racers.

The tradition of the $50,000-to-win Kings Royal main event and the pomp and circumstance that surrounds racing’s most unique victory remains untouched—but that is the only position that does not see a major increase. More than half of the 40-lap Kings Royal finishers will earn double the money posted in previous years.

Highlights include: 2nd) $20,000; 5th) $10,000; 10th) $5,000; 24th) $3,000 and the first non-transfer from the B-Feature will receive $2,000. All B-Feature and C-Feature positions received healthy increases as well.

Thursday’s “Jokers Wild” will pay $10,000 to the winner while Friday night’s “The Knight Before” has been increased to $12,000-to-win.

Eight different drivers have won the Kings Royal over the past eight years.  Shane Stewart is the defending winner of both the Kings Royal and The Knight Before.

Ferrari has re-signed Kimi Raikkonen to partner Sebastian Vettel for the 2017 Formula 1 season.

The 2007 world champion's future had been the subject of speculation over the first part of the season, but Ferrari ended the rumors on Friday morning at the British Grand Prix by confirming Raikkonen will remain at the team. The Finn's contract was set to expire at the end of the season, with several drivers including Sergio Perez and Romain Grosjean linked with the seat.

The second Ferrari drive was expected to be key to the 2017 F1 driver market, and Raikkonen's deal now means one of the most desirable seats on the grid has been settled.

In a statement, Ferrari said: "Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has renewed its technical and racing agreement with Kimi Raikkonen. The driver line-up for the 2017 racing season will still consist of the Finnish driver and Sebastian Vettel."

Raikkonen is currently level on points with Vettel in the third place in the drivers' standings, and he is the only driver in the top four to have scored more points at this stage in the season compared to last year.

Earlier this month, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne said it was up to Raikkonen to prove he deserves a seat with the team next year, and Raikkonen told reporters at Silverstone on Thursday he felt is driving as well as ever.

Ahead of this weekend's British GP Raikkonen said: "This is my 100th race with Ferrari, it doesn't sound like a lot but it's quite a few years. This is the best team in F1, together we won a title in 2007, we had good years and some difficult ones.

"I'm really happy to be part of Ferrari, the atmosphere is fantastic, we are always pushing each other forward and hopefully we'll get the team back where it belongs."

Raikkonen's second Ferrari stint (2014-present)

GPs: 47

Wins: 0

Podiums: 7

Points: 301

Team-mate comparison

2014 12th, 55 points (Fernando Alonso 6th, 161 points)

2015 4th, 150 points (Sebastian Vettel 3rd, 278 points)

2016 4th, 96 points (Vettel 3rd, 96 points)

NASCAR made a pair of small but significant rules changes pertaining to qualifying at Sprint Cup Series races.

From now on, if qualifying is rained out or cancelled for weather issues, current year team owner points for both Charter and Open teams will determine who makes the race. Up until now, practice speeds were used to see who got in and who didn't.

Owner points will also determine the starting order. For example, if qualifying is rained out at Kentucky Speedway on Friday, Kevin Harvick would start on the pole, flanked by Brad Keselowski.

Also, if an Open team makes the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, that team is guaranteed a starting spot in each of the Chase races.

The Open team that could benefit most from these changes is Wood Brothers Racing. Ryan Blaney is 15th in driver points and is the only Open team driver with a strong shot at making the Chase at the moment.

Classic Tube in Lancaster, New York, has announced the addition of Larry Barnard as production manager.

Barnard’s new responsibilities include the oversight, monitoring and scheduling of the plant’s many production and maintenance processes, as well as supervising and leading the team.

Barnard arrives at Classic Tube with extensive supervising experience. After seven years of overseeing the motorcycle division of Goodyear Dunlop Tires of North America, Barnard most recently acted as production supervisor at Compass Minerals in Lackawanna, New York.