Leah Pritchett will continue to compete in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, driving the Nitro Ninja Top Fuel dragster owned by the Lagana family at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals presented by Lowes Foods this weekend in Charlotte. The dragster will be primarily sponsored by FireAde 2000, with associate backing from Boninfante Friction and Aerodine Composites Group.


 
Until last week, Pritchett was driving for Bob Vandergriff Racing and won her first NHRA Top Fuel Wally at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals in Phoenix in February. Last Monday, team owner Bob Vandergriff Jr. shocked the drag racing community when he announced his immediate retirement, leaving Pritchett to explore new opportunities with other teams.


 
“It has been a whirlwind of a week, but continuation of my pursuit to compete in Top Fuel has been made possible by FireAde 2000, with joint efforts of longtime partners Boninfante Friction, Aerodine Composites, and of course the Lagana family,” said Pritchett. “Having partners able to come in clutch at the last moment enables me to enter one more race at this time and will help me stay relevant in the NHRA Mello Yello Series championship point standings. This will also buy me a bit more time to work on sufficient funding for the rest of the season to compete with a readily available team.”


 
Pritchett began her partnership with FireAde 2000 when it signed on to be a multi-race sponsor of Pritchett’s BVR dragster for 2016. Although circumstances have changed, the manufacturer of innovative and environmentally friendly firefighting, tank-cleaning, and dust-control products has stepped up to support Pritchett for this unique NHRA event.

Ron Thames, CEO and founder of FireAde, is also excited about this weekend, stating, "In a short time, Leah has proved to be an incredible ambassador for our company, on and off the track, and we are pleased to be able to continue our partnership with her and support her efforts during this time."

Pritchett is grateful for the opportunity to race this weekend in Charlotte and not let down her many fans who have supported her at a track that has delivered multiple Wallys in Pro Mod and numerous round-wins in Top Fuel. 


“Beyond working alongside and being close friends with the Laganas, I feel fortunate to bring the proper resources to their operation to compete at this event,” she said. “Experiencing this portion of my journey with people I know, respect, and trust makes this quick turnaround of a time that much more rewarding. I will even have a couple of my former crewmembers from my BVR dragster driving down and working on the car with me this weekend.”

Although the Nitro Ninja team competes on a limited NHRA schedule, the FireAde-backed Top Fuel entry, with John Stewart as crew chief, has a proven track record of being a quick and consistent contender. Ironically, Pritchett will be driving the same dragster against which she competed in the first round two weeks ago at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, where nitro newcomer Tripp Tatum drove it.

Mahindra and legendary design company Pininfarina have created a series of concept designs intended to inspire the look of the next-generation Formula E car.

The all-electric single-seater series launched a tender process last month for a new single-make chassis supplier, with at least one "futuristic" design part of the criteria. Mahindra wants its designs to influence serious debate over the aesthetics of the Formula E car, and wants fan feedback via the use of #FormulaEConcepts on social media sites Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Dilbagh Gill, Mahindra Racing team principal and head of the Formula E Teams Association, said there were other, more radical concepts in the pipeline.

"We thought to start with we'd put out the milder versions," he said. "We want to make it clear it's still at a very early stage, to facilitate the discussion. We have an interest in a car that's relevant four or five years down the line from season five, so 2022-'23. That's where we need this leap of faith. We are really keen to have something futuristic and not something similar to what's already out there."

Italian design house Pininfarina is most famous for its work with Ferrari. Fabio Filippini, the company's chief creative officer, said he was thrilled the firm was able to engage in a Formula E-based project after it was purchased by the Indian Mahindra Group in December last year.

"Formula E is one of the most exciting signs of the changes under way in the automotive world as well as in motor racing," he said. "Exercising our creativity on these sketches allowed us to imagine the evolution of this formula. A possible contribution of Pininfarina to the future development of a Formula E car would be a highly motivating challenge, fully consistent with our mission of creators and innovators in the automotive field."

Anand Mahindra, chairman of the Mahindra Group, added: "While these innovative designs are a creative project at this stage, I would be thrilled to see the M5Electro look like this."

In celebration of the racing industry’s wide ranging effort to protect the environment, NASCAR announced its fourth annual NASCAR Race to Green program on Monday.

The week-long initiative will culminate with Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway, and recognize many of the key stakeholders that care deeply about sustainability, including teams, tracks, partners, employees and fans.

“The foundation of NASCAR Green has been fortified by strategic partnerships designed to help reduce our environmental impact, validate green technologies, and educate our fan base,” said Brent Dewar, NASCAR chief operating officer. “Race to Green will recognize the partners and key stakeholders that share our passion to champion sustainable practices for the benefit of our country, climate and fans.”

For the first time, NASCAR Race to Green will feature a week-long spotlight series on NASCAR.com/green highlighting the sustainability efforts of partners that work closely with NASCAR year-round to help protect the environment. Fans can follow these stories and the Race to Green social conversation this week using #NASCARGreen.

In addition to several tracks and teams, the following partners will be recognized for their green efforts:

– American Ethanol and Growth Energy will celebrate six years as a NASCAR Official Partner and will eclipse 10 million miles of racing on Sunoco Green E15 in 2016, the equivalent of more than 400 trips around the circumference of the earth.

– Elgin Sweepers save roughly one gallon of diesel fuel per hour, which relates to about 22.4 pounds of CO2. This technology offsets about 16 metric tons of CO2 being put into the environment over the course of a full NASCAR season, the equivalent of planting 372 new tree seedlings.

– Safety-Kleen – the official waste remover of NASCAR – will collect approximately 180,000 gallons of oil. That oil is transported to one of four Safety-Kleen oil refineries and processed, making the oil clean and usable again.

– Mobil 1 is serving as a NASCAR Race to Green initiative partner for the third consecutive year, further extending its promotion of sustainability through its fuel-efficient motor oils – Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy and Mobil Delvac 1 LE 5W-30.

– Toyota has partnered with Richmond International Raceway to create a Toyota Green Space, a newly beautified area that includes nearly 38,000 square feet of fresh grass, a picnic area and newly planted trees and plants, for fans to visit during the Toyota Owners 400 race weekend.
During NASCAR Race to Green week the color green will be displayed on the A-post of race cars across the NASCAR national series and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. NASCAR Green flags will be displayed at all tracks hosting NASCAR events this weekend, including Richmond Int’l Raceway, Stafford Motor Speedway and the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain (NASCAR Whelen Euro Series).

After a successful pilot program in 2015, Richmond International Raceway will once again focus its sustainability efforts towards food rescue and recovery. Last year, the track and Americrown Services donated more than 3,300 meals to local food shelters and soup kitchens, diverted more than 24,700 pounds of food scraps and waste to composting and recycled more than two tons of cardboard, resulting in nearly 33 metric tons of CO2 Greenhouse Gas Reductions.

Since 2008, NASCAR has planted enough trees to completely offset carbon emissions for all  racing for the past six years, plus the next 40 years; will eclipse more than 10 million competition miles on Sunoco Green E15, a biofuel blended with 15 percent American-made ethanol from American-grown corn; and features a substantial amount of NASCAR teams and tracks that rely on solar power as an energy source, including: Daytona Int’l Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Michigan Int’l Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Sonoma Raceway, Roush Fenway Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, JR Motorsports and Kyle Busch Motorsports.

The sport’s commitment to sustainable behavior continues to resonate with fans. According to a 2015 study commissioned by NASCAR and conducted by Toluna, when compared to non-fans, NASCAR fans are approximately twice as likely to indicate their household is very green – always looking for new ways to positively impact the environment.

Legendary motorsports figure and team owner Roger Penske will drive the pace car, a 2017 Camaro SS 50th Anniversary Edition, during the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

No other racing team has recorded more wins at the Brickyard than Team Penske, and it started with driver Mark Donohue’s victory in 1972. Penske and Donohue established their relationship six years earlier, when Penske transitioned from driver to team owner. They quickly found success in SCCA’s Trans-Am Series, with Donohue piloting an early Camaro Z/28 race car, winning three of 12 races in 1967 and 10 of 13 in 1968.

Penske tackled the Indianapolis 500 for the first time in 1969, while still campaigning a Camaro in Trans-Am. Donohue was his driver for both series. Later, racers including Mario Andretti, Al Unser and Rick Mears drove for Penske, with Mears winning four Indianapolis 500 races and helping solidify Team Penske as an Indy powerhouse in the 1980s. Juan Pablo Montoya delivered Penske’s 16th Indianapolis 500 last season and Penske will seek his 17th victory in the legendary event this year.

“Chevrolet and Roger Penske are inextricably linked to the heritage of the Indianapolis 500,” said J. Douglas Boles, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “When he leads the pack on May 29, behind the wheel of the Camaro SS, he will drive the race into its next 100 years and strengthen the bond Chevrolet and Indianapolis forged a century ago.”

It’s the ninth time Camaro has served as the pace car and the 27th time for Chevrolet, dating back to 1948.

“Chevrolet and the Indianapolis 500 have a long, storied history and it’s an honor to mark the respective milestones of the Indy 500 race and the Camaro simultaneously,” said Mark Reuss, executive vice president of Global Product Development and Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. “It’s also a privilege to have Roger Penske perform the driving duties, as his team has helped Chevrolet earn four consecutive IndyCar manufacturer titles since 2012.”

Four identically prepared pace cars will support the race, all with exclusive Abalone White exteriors featuring “100th Running of the Indianapolis 500” graphics on the doors and the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway wing-and-wheel logo on the quarter panels. They also incorporate the exterior cues and graphics that are unique to the Camaro 50th Anniversary package that goes on sale this summer.

With 455 horsepower on tap, the Camaro SS pace cars require no performance modifications to lead the racing field.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Firestone will honor all winners of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” at Legends Day Honoring Champions of the 500 presented by Firestone on Saturday, May 28.

A total of 69 men, from Ray Harroun in 1911 to Juan Pablo Montoya in 2015, have won the Indianapolis 500. Twenty-eight are still alive, from 82-year-old Parnelli Jones to 35-year-old Ryan Hunter-Reay.

“On the eve of the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, we’re appropriately honoring everyone who has become part of racing immortality in winning the previous 99 installments,” said J. Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. “Legends Day presented by Firestone has become a great way for our fans to celebrate the race’s history and this will be one not to miss, just like the race itself.”

Living legends A.J. Foyt, Arie Luyendyk, Danny Sullivan, Al Unser, Al Unser Jr. and Bobby Unser are among those scheduled to appear as part of the Legends Day presented by Firestone activities.

Other featured events on Legends Day include the annual Public Drivers’ Meeting on pit road adjacent to the Tower Terrace grandstand, autograph sessions with the Indianapolis 500 starting field of 33 drivers and former Indy 500 drivers and an Indianapolis 500 memorabilia show. The day is capped by the third annual Legends Day presented by Firestone Concert featuring Blake Shelton.

Leading up to Legends Day, IMS.com will host a “Champions of the 500 Bracket” where fans can vote for their favorite Indy 500 legends. Sixteen drivers are featured, with two at a time facing off over a five-week period.

PAC Racing Springs, a division of Peterson Spring, in Detroit Michigan, announced the opening of its new facility located in Mooresville, North Carolina.

The Mooresville facility located at 255 Raceway Drive, will bring an expanded level of factory support, centered in the heart of the North American racing community. The facility, opening on August 1, 2016, will house suspension spring manufacturing onsite, as well as a new chassis product development center.

The new facility will also provide for additional product growth and availability, as well as improve new technology for advancements in suspension springs and chassis systems. The Mooresville region provides an exceptional dynamic with global recognition as a hub of racing technology.

In addition to this new facility’s opening, the PAC Racing Springs Sales staff, Product Engineering staff, and technical support will be relocated to Mooresville, thereby allowing for further services and customer support.

“The opportunity to be situated in the heart of the racing community offers our customers a unique development where we can work directly with Engineers to manufacture the suspension products they require. Having the suspension spring manufacturing, engineering, and sales onsite will allow for additional support for our customer base worldwide,” stated Jason Youd, PAC RACING Springs’ Manager of Business Development.

Michelin North America and Virginia International Raceway have announced that Michelin will become the title sponsor for the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR, the track’s largest race of the year.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race takes place as the culmination of a premier racing weekend at VIR, August 26–28.

“VIR has become one of the top racing venues in the country,” said Sarah Robinson, Motorsports Marketing manager at Michelin North America. “Fans enjoy seeing production-based cars from the world’s top manufacturers race on one of the most challenging circuits.

“VIR isn’t just a place we go racing but we also utilize the track to test street tires,” added Robinson. “Collaborating with VIR is a great fit for a GT-only race weekend. The car clubs and fans from across the region all gather here for the fierce competition and the opportunity to see an incredibly diverse field of top drivers and teams compete in the WeatherTech Championship.”

VIR is the only track in the greater Mid-Atlantic area and one of only 12 tracks nationwide selected to host the WeatherTech Championship in 2016.  The race weekend will feature GT Le Mans and GT Daytona classes, serving as the only race of the year featuring only GT cars.

The GTLM class is the only class featuring open tire competition and is widely recognized as the most competitive in the world. Based upon manufacturers’ top production models, the class features factory-backed teams from Corvette, Porsche, Ferrari, Ford and BMW, all of which have chosen Michelin as their technical partner.

The GTD class, which features a Pro-Am format, includes – Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Dodge, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus and Porsche.

“The partnership with Michelin is a perfect match with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at VIR,” said Connie Nyholm, owner and CEO of VIR. “This is going to be a weekend of premier class racing. The GTLM teams can pick their own tires, and all of those teams choose to run on Michelin. The brand offers trusted, exceptional tires with a dedication to both innovation and sustainability. We look forward to welcoming back our Michelin friends for a fun, family-friendly race weekend done right with southern hospitality.”

Late last week, SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting released the following reaction to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement that it would withdraw its proposed regulation on modified racecars:
 
"We want to thank Congress for pushing EPA to withdraw an ill-conceived proposal. However, confusion reigns: the agency continues to assert new-found authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate modification of vehicles for use in competition. This means that those converting and racing competition vehicles, and the parts and services industries that support them, do so under new EPA policy that considers the activity illegal. Only clarifying legislation, such as that offered under the RPM Act, will confirm that such activity is legal and beyond the reach of future EPA regulations. The racing industry and public need a long-term solution to eliminate any uncertainty regarding how the Clean Air Act is interpreted."

Race fans and industry stakeholders can support the RPM Act by visiting www.sema.org/rpm.

Officials at recently reopened Tomahawk Speedway in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, announced a multi-year agreement naming VP Racing Fuels as the track’s Official Fuel beginning in 2016. The agreement calls for Remington Oil, VP’s distributor based in Antigo, Wisconsin, to be the track’s exclusive supplier of race fuel.  VP’s HP101 and VP110 will be available on site in pails and drums, along with other blends to be determined. 
 
The agreement also designates VP as the primary sponsor of the track’s points fund.  To be eligible for end-of-year points prizes, racers must purchase one 5-gallon pail of VP fuel per race or one 54-gallon drum to cover 11 points races.
 
“We’re pleased to bring VP on board as our Official Fuel given its well-deserved reputation for quality products and unsurpassed service,” said Andrew Bartelt, Co-Owner of Tomahawk Speedway. “VP’s race fuel blends are second to none and we’re confident our racers will appreciate having convenient access to them here at the track.”
 
“VP has a long history of supporting dirt track racing and we’re excited to partner with Andrew and Marilyn Fanetti as they breathe new life into Tomahawk Speedway,” said JP Remington, Vice-President of Remington Oil. “Andrew and his team have a solid plan and are doing all the right things to ensure it remains viable.  We look forward to working together with them to grow the track and its programs for years to come.”
 

Turn 14 Distribution, a performance parts distributor, has expanded upon its off-road merchandise assortment with the debut of ReadyLIFT Suspension Inc.’s massive product line to its warehousing operations.

“This is Turn 14 Distribution’s first foray into the off-road suspension market,” said Kyle Shelley, Turn 14 Distribution’s Director of Sales.

“The addition of ReadyLIFT combined with our recent inclusion of SOTA Offroad Wheels positions Turn 14 Distribution to supply the market. ReadyLIFT’s products have been engineered for each application and are guaranteed to fit, simplifying the process for the installer.”

ReadyLIFT Suspension Inc.’s product line encompasses leveling kits, Smart Suspension Technology lift kits, off-road kits, and even Jeep and Big Lift Kits designed to maintain the factory ride quality while providing the appearance, ground clearance, and performance desired by the enthusiast.

The high-quality Off-road kits make use of fabricated steel control arms with uniball pivots, extra heavy duty track bars, and other components designed to get the off-road fanatic deep into the dirt without compromise.

The Smart Suspension Technology kits are designed to provide a lifted, level stance and provide clearance for larger wheel and tire combinations. These install in one-third the time of a conventional lift kit.