An electric kart built under the watch of the FIA was demonstrated ahead of last weekend's Berlin Formula E round.

The kart has been made by German manufacturer Mach1 and uses a 20kW powertrain built by Bosch that will allow it to recuperate energy as well as deploy it. Its 48-volt lithium battery is housed in a container inside the left sidepod, with the starter generator inside the right sidepod.

The project is being overseen by the FIA Electric and New Energy Championships Commission.

It is understood it will most likely be used at senior level nationally but could also form the basis of the proposed FIA eKarting Cup.

The demonstration run was carried out by Bruno Correia, the Formula E safety car driver.

"The acceleration is unbelievable," said Correia after driving the kart on the FE track. "And its top speed is also really exceptional. I had great fun driving this prototype and I am sure it will be a great success."

The FIA has had the possibility of electric kart engines on its radar for some time, with several indoor events already utilizing the technology.

The FIA eKarting Cup would be based around a single-chassis and single-powertrain concept. Formula E boss Alejandro Agag has backed the plans and said he would welcome it as a support event to his series.

"Karting would be very good," he said. "It should definitely come very quickly, it's there and the karts are really good. They are as fast as normal karts. I think they should do it. We'd love to have it here, definitely. You'd need a karting track but if you could have that next to us, it would be fantastic.

"We have struggled to find support events because they need to be electric and this would be fantastic."

London could return to the Formula E calendar in 2017/2018 if a plan for a race on the streets of the English capital is successful.

This season's Battersea Park title decider is set to be FE's last race at the venue and there is no immediately viable replacement for a race in the UK. It is understood the series has had no renewed contact with officials at the ExCeL Centre [in London's Docklands] that was seriously considered for season one.

A London ePrix is considered crucial to FE but the series' partners and teams are understood to have accepted the city's absence from the 2016/2017 calendar on the grounds it returns in season four.

Series CEO Alejandro Agag said that he thought the Battersea race was "a great event" but admitted the south London park did not fit with the championship's city-center ethos.

"I think it's possible," he said when asked of the chances of organizing a race in London itself. "You need to race in a location comparable to Berlin and Paris. We work very well with the English. Each [country] has a different way of looking at things, the English are more meticulous. But they love racing and the environment so I think there's a good chance.

"The dream would be [a track comprising] the Mall, Birdcage Walk and Horse Guards Parade."

Battersea will not be part of the 2016/17 calendar as a compromise for keeping it as the season-two finale.

The judicial review into Wandsworth Council threatening the July 2-3 event has been dropped, with the series now awaiting formal confirmation from the authority.

A Monday-night statement issued by the Battersea Park Action Group, which was supporting claimant James Jackson, confirmed "a satisfactory agreement has been reached over the future use of Battersea Park.”

If you’ve ever wondered: "When are IHRA events going to be live on television?"

Here’s your answer: When the International Hot Rod Association has a major event, there's another way to check out the action if you can't attend in person.

Go to IHRA.com, and there’s a button on the right that says "Summit Racing Equipment," and just beneath it, "LIVE webcast."

Click that button it will take you to MotorMania TV2, a live stream outlet that broadcasts a feed of the national IHRA events—and it's all for free.

Furthermore, click the MotorMania TV2 button or the logo on the upper left side, and you'll find archived highlights of multiple races, including the first two races of the IHRA Drag Racing Series 2016 season: the IHRA AMSOIL Spring Nitro Nationals from Orlando, and the Good Vibrations Texas Nationals from San Antonio.

There's also the IHRA Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour from Orlando that ran in April, and other IHRA races dating back to last year.

IHRA President Mike Dunn said that broadcast plans for 2017 and beyond are under discussion as the series moves forward, but for now, events are well-covered by MotorMania TV and crew.

Three Federated members have been recognized for exceptional performance and commitment to select Federated programs, according to Rusty Bishop, CEO of Federated Auto Parts. Each member received their honor during the recent Federated Auto Parts national meeting.

Keystone Automotive, headquartered in Exeter, Pennsylvania, was presented with the Federated Co-Man Member of the Year award. David Burke accepted the award on behalf of Keystone. This annual award is presented to a member that has shown outstanding support of the member-owned Federated Co-Man warehouse operation and its programs.

Arnold Oil Company of Austin, Texas, received the Federated Car Care Excellence award. This award honors a Federated member that has excelled at implementing the Federated Car Care Center program and has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to Federated service provider customers. Jim Arnold accepted the award on behalf of Arnold Oil.

A new award introduced this year, the Federated National Accounts award, was presented to John Berrodin of the Berrodin Parts Warehouse, based in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. This top award recognizes a Federated member for excellence in serving national accounts customers.

“Co-Man, Car Care and National Accounts are among the key programs that help make Federated stand out in the marketplace, so it is our distinct honor to recognize three outstanding members with these special awards,” said Bishop. “We congratulate Keystone, Arnold Oil and Berrodin and thank them for their dedication to making Federated and its programs highly successful.”

Daytona International Speedway, which has spent an estimated $500 million on upgrades and improvements to its facility since 2005, is one of the top driving forces of the area economy.

Over the years, International Speedway Corp., the Speedway’s parent company, has commissioned studies on the economic impact the track and its events have on the local economy.

In its most recent estimate, ISC says the Speedway and its events generate an estimated $1.6 billion for the area each year.

The value is based on the fact that dollars spent by the Speedway and its hundreds of thousands of guests in the community change hands in the area for several months.

When ISC issued an economic report in 2008 that quoted a number above the $1 billion mark, the County Council of Volusia County was so giddy it issued an official proclamation, which read in part:

“This report highlights something we’ve known for a long time—that ISC, NASCAR, and Daytona International Speedway are an incredible economic engine for Volusia County and the State of Florida. They truly drive our economy in a way that benefits all our residents and businesses.”

ISC pumping money into the area economy reached new heights with the construction of Daytona Rising, which over a nearly three-year period transformed the Speedway into the world’s first motorsports stadium.

The Speedway produced a media handout with facts and figures about the $400 million project, which broke ground on July 8, 2013, and was officially finished on January 12, 2016.

The fact page showed that 75 percent of the contractors and vendors used were from Florida and that the project created 4800 jobs with 92 percent of the workforce from the Sunshine State.

Most of that money went into labor income, $320 million, according to ISC. Because of Daytona Rising, 500 permanent jobs were created, according to the Speedway.

The 2015 Daytona 500 attracted people from all 50 states and from other countries around the world and over half of those stayed in Florida five or more days.

“Our fans spend money in restaurants, hotels and on entertainment and as we continue to provide more activities and entertainment opportunities, they will stay longer and spend more money,” said ISC CEO Lesa France Kennedy in a recent interview. “That’s what we all are trying to do together in the community.

“It’s a very strong story in the State of Florida, and I feel like it’s good for the region. We have been very pleased.”

Former Speedway president Joie Chitwood III said the true economic impact in this area is “heads in beds.”

Chitwood made these comments as Speedway president. He has since been promoted to ISC Chief Operating Officer.

“The more people we get from outside our community and stay in our community, those are the dollars so important and give us the ability to excel as a community,” he said.

David Spitzer, who has a background in motorsports, teaches engineering and business at Embry-Riddle. He said the Speedway gives this area a unique status among Florida coastal towns.

“We have assets in this community that set us apart,” he said. “People come here and look around and they feel good, they had a good time.

“Those people might have never stopped here if it wasn’t for these assets that we have. It is pretty cool to know there are generations of people who have been coming here, leaving here happy and hoping to return down to the road."

A newly forged business relationship means that American-made ididit steering products are now available through Tognotti's Auto World in Sacramento, California.

Michigan-based ididit has manufactured steering columns and related components since 1986, and has earned a reputation for top quality products, excellent technical support and superior customer service.

The performance retailer offers over 30,000 square feet of aftermarket accessories for cars, trucks, street rods, boats, SUVs and race car parts. Tognotti's Auto World, which has been owned and operated by the prominent Tognotti family for over 50 years, shares its philosophy of offering large amounts of quality merchandise to select from at the best prices available. In addition they offer expert technical advice along with exceptional customer service.

Florence Henderson, a part of Indianapolis 500 race day for a quarter-century, will serve as the Grand Marshal of the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.

Henderson, a native of Dale, Indiana, will complete various official duties as Grand Marshal including greeting drivers and dignitaries on the pre-race stage, delivering the “drivers to your cars” message over the public-address system and riding in a Grand Marshal Parade Car at the front of the field prior to the start of the race.

“We wanted to have a Grand Marshal as part of our buildup to the green flag of the 100th Indy 500, and Florence Henderson was the perfect choice,” said Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles. “She has been an integral part of the IMS family and ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’ and this is a great way to thank her for her many contributions over the years to the Indy 500 and IMS. I’m so glad Race Day will pay tribute to such a legendary Hoosier icon for the 100th Running.”

Henderson will be just the second Grand Marshal in the history of the Indianapolis 500, after U.S. Olympic gold-medal gymnast Nastia Liukin in 2015.

With Henderson’s new role for the 100th Running as Grand Marshal, the Indianapolis Children’s Choir will now sing “God Bless America.”  They are also accompanying Josh Kaufman for the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana.” Darius Rucker will sing the national anthem.

Daytona International Speedway’s (DIS) new $400 million motorsports stadium was named Sports Facility of the Year last night at SportsBusiness Journal’s 2016 Sports Business Awards in New York City. 
 
The Sports Business Awards recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in the business of sports. DIS topped a competitive field consisting of Avaya Stadium (San Jose Earthquakes), Bill Snyder Family Stadium (Kansas State University Wildcats), Kyle Field (Texas A&M Aggies) and Petco Park (San Diego Padres).
 
“We’re honored to receive this prestigious award for our new motorsports stadium,” said International Speedway Corporation Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy. “Our employees, fans and partners deserve the credit for helping us transform the vision into reality.”
 
The motorsports stadium officially debuted during the 2016 Rolex 24 At Daytona and 2016 DAYTONA 500. DIS has a full calendar of events scheduled for the remainder of the year, including the Country 500 Music Festival (May 27-29), Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola (July 2) and the Ferrari World Finals (December 1-4).
 

Adam Confer grew up watching his dad burn rubber racing at the Bunker Hill Dragstrip in the 1970s.

Little did he know that 40 years later he’d end up owning the place and, at the same time, saving the state’s oldest continuously running dragstrip from closing forever.

That’s just what he did last month, when he and his wife, Stacey, moved back to the area and purchased the historic track to become only the third owners in the dragstrip’s 60-year history.

“I never really believed that this would happen,” Adam said. “Pretty soon you look around and you’re like, ‘We actually own a racetrack.’ I remember being here as a little kid, so it’s pretty surreal.”

It was in March 2015 when the dragstrip’s previous owners, Steve and Darlene Daniels, put the 23-acre property on the market for an asking price of $650,000.

At that time, the Confers lived in Michigan. Adam had moved there in 1999 from Peru, and it’s where he met Stacey.

In 2002, Adam decided to follow in his dad’s footsteps and started drag racing in Michigan. That led him back to the Bunker Hill Dragstrip for a race last year, when he learned the place was for sale.

Purchasing the place was an intriguing prospect, Stacey said, and it’s one they decided to act on in November.

“We were at a position in our lives where we were able to do it,” she said.

That included owning a successful finance and real-estate business in Michigan.

But the Confers said at that time, they couldn’t reach a deal with the Daniels. Even so, they decided to follow through with their plans and move back to Indiana to be closer to family.

Then in April, the former owners finally accepted an offer from the Confers. Adam said the Daniels gave them the keys to the place, and, just like that, they owned the dragstrip, along with a house and a full-service restaurant located on the property.

In a lot of ways, the Confers are the ideal owners for the track. They both have decades of business experience, and Adam has a life’s worth of racing experience, as well as an intimate knowledge of the area.

Now they plan to use that experience to turn the dragstrip and restaurant into top-notch facilities. But that’s going to take work, Adam said. A lot of work.

After taking over, the Confers quickly realized the track was in dire need of an upgrade. Adam said the dragstrip was repaved five years ago, but some of the paving in the pit area was substandard, leaving parts of it in shambles.

“It’s made it atrocious out here,” he said. “We’re celebrating our 60th year at the track, but that means your equipment is celebrating its 60th year, too. You can look around here and see that. This place needed some elbow grease to get going.”

The subpar track has led many racers who called the place home to leave and race at other dragstrips like the ones in South Bend, Muncie and Indianapolis.

Adam said he wants to get the eighth-of-a-mile track back up to a professional-grade level, and start building back up the list of racers who consider the dragstrip their turf.

Stacey said she also plans a big marketing push to get the track and restaurant back out into public view. That’s especially true for the restaurant called Outpost Bar and Grill, which the previous owners opened around five years ago to diversify the business.

She said her goal is to turn the full-service restaurant and bar into a place with great food and a great atmosphere that draws customers to the property throughout the week when there aren’t races going on.

“Our list is real long on what we want to work on and improve here,” Stacey said.

That’s led to some long days for the Confers, who are also still managing their real-estate and finance business. Adam said he’s been working from 6:30 a.m. to midnight since buying the track to make sure it succeeds.

And the Confers said they are confident the track will succeed.

“A lot of places come and go, but we’re sitting on 60 years of history,” Adam said. “We’ve got a goldmine here to work with. It’s just a matter of taking your washrag and cleaning it up. That’s all it needs.”

Of course, the Confers are in the business to make money. But, Adam said, it’s more than that. He said it’s about keeping alive a historic landmark in the area that was an important part of his life when he was a kid.

And if no one would have bought the place when it was still up and running, Adam said, there’s a very good chance the dragstrip would have closed and never opened again.

“So many people felt that this wouldn’t be here,” he said. “For me, this had a lot to do with preservation. If this isn’t here, where else are people going to race? This track going away would have been bad. I don’t think it ever would have come back.”

Adam said not only is the dragstrip back in business, but he also plans to make it better than it’s ever been.

He said that may take a year or two, but racers and spectators can expect to see some major upgrades in the future.

“In the next five years, we’re going to build this up to become a premier organization that knows what it’s capable of,” Adam said. “I want this track to be as big as it’s capable of being … I’m excited. Not so much about where we are today, but where we’re going. There’s so much opportunity here.”

Watkins Glen International announced that Jaguar Cars North America will sponsor the United States Vintage Grand Prix weekend, one of the largest vintage racing events on the national calendar, September 9–11, 2016.

“We are very excited to confirm Jaguar as our entitlement partner for the United States Vintage Grand Prix in September,” Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup said. “Jaguar’s existing relationship with SVRA (Sportscar Vintage Racing Association) made this a natural fit, and we look forward to building on their participation in last year’s event and welcome them to the WGI family.”

Jaguar has a storied history at Watkins Glen International, with legendary drivers such as Hurley Haywood, Chip Robinson, and Martin Brundle, among others, piloting the marque at various events around the historic New York circuit.

Pre-race ceremonies at the weekend event will also showcase Jaguar’s racing success, with Davy Jones serving as Grand Marshal. Jones, who won the 1990 24 Hours of Daytona driving a Jaguar XJR-12, is currently the Lead Driving Instructor for Jaguar.

“We are thrilled to continue this partnership with SVRA and Watkins Glen International,” said Kim McCullough, Vice President, Marketing, Jaguar Land Rover North America. “This partnership allows us to engage an audience that is enthusiastic about the Jaguar marque and provide an excellent autocross experience featuring the Jaguar F-TYPE and the All-New XE sports sedan.”

The SVRA United States Vintage Grand Prix presented by Jaguar returns to its traditional fall weekend at Watkins Glen International, September 9-11, 2016. The weekend kicks off on Friday with practice and qualifying rounds and continues on Saturday and Sunday with eleven race groups scheduled to compete on the 3.4-mile long course.