Michelin has renewed its confidence in the Asian Le Mans Series for the fourth year running, and has extended its involvement in the whole platform put in place by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest on the Asian continent.  

This year the French manufacturer will be the exclusive supplier for the whole field in the ACO’s two Asian series: the Asian Le Mans Series, the ACO’s main championship in Asia that will now be run to a four-hour format, and the Asian Le Mans Series Sprint Cup, the new series reserved for LM P3 and CN prototypes and GT Cup cars, which will have a sprint format with two one-hour races.

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest announces not only the renewal, but also the extension of its partnership with Michelin in Asia. This agreement fits in with both parties’ common intent to develop motor sport in Asia, as well as promoting the French manufacturer’s and the Le Mans label’s products through performance.

The 2016-2017 Asian Le Mans Series comprises seven events and 10 races as follows:


Asian Le Mans Sprint Cup
•    Round 1: 27/29th May 2016 – Sepang (Malaysia) // 2x60'
•    Round 2: 5/7th August 2016 – Sepang (Malaysia) // 2x60'
•    Round 3: 2/4th September 2016 – Sepang (Malaysia) // 2x60''

Asian Le Mans Series
•    Round 1: 28/30th October 2016 – Zhuhai (China) // 4 hours
•    Round 2: 2/4th December 2016 – Fuji (Japan) // 4 hours
•    Round 3: 6/8th January 2017 – Buriram (Thailand) // 4 hours
•    Round 4 : 20/22nd January 2017 - Sepang (Malaysia) // 4 hours

Patrick Dias, Motorsport Manager, Michelin Asia-Pacific, said, “We’re delighted to renew this partnership. The ACO’s strategy to develop motorsport on this continent is in line with our values. After a very successful 2015-2016 Asian Le Mans Series in terms of both quality and quantity, Michelin is also supporting the new Asian Le Mans Series Sprint Cup, which will enable teams running prototypes to organize a full program with no fewer than seven events. In addition, this series will allow certain teams to test their level before moving up to the Asian Le Mans Series. The sprint races as well as the four-hour endurance events on the ACO program enable us to demonstrate the quality of Michelin products and their ‘total performance’ capacities without compromising safety or lap times.”

Cyrille Taesch Wahlen, Asian Le Mans Managing Director, added, “It’s important here to thank Michelin for its loyalty and its determination to contribute to the success of our platform in Asia. It’s an honour to be able to count on the prestige and the backing of a company like Michelin, whose presence alongside us in both series will provide the teams and drivers with consistency in terms of service and performance. This involvement helps not only to reinforce our presence but also to structure our offer on the continent.”

The NASCAR Foundation and Nationwide were honored at the Cynopsis Social Good Awards in New York City, winning the award for Nonprofit/Corporate Partnership with a Brand for The NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide.
 
Cynopsis Media hosted the second annual Social Good Awards Breakfast April 7 at the New York Athletic Club to celebrate achievements by brands, networks and digital entities over the past year.
 
“Winning this award is a true testament to the amazing work that The NASCAR Foundation is doing with the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award,” said Mike Boyd, senior vice president of marketing at Nationwide. “Nationwide is honored to partner with The NASCAR Foundation and assist with their efforts to honor those NASCAR fans who strive to make their communities a better place to live.”
 
The NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide honors a NASCAR fan who embodies the ideals of charity and community that France, the foundation’s founder and chairwoman emeritus, has championed throughout her life. This year marks the sixth annual presentation of the award and NASCAR Official Partner Nationwide’s second year as presenting sponsor for the award.
 
Since the award’s inception in 2011, The NASCAR Foundation has donated more than $875,000 to children’s charities across the country in honor of outstanding volunteers.  And, through all finalists’ combined efforts, the lives of nearly 200,000 children have been positively impacted.
 
“We are so pleased to receive this recognition for our Award and the partnership with Nationwide.  Impacting the lives of children by honoring volunteers who are the heart and soul of charitable work is one of our most meaningful programs,” said Lorene King, executive director, The NASCAR Foundation.
 
With a panel of judges who benchmark excellence in the area of social good in the TV and entertainment industry, Cynopsis Media’s Cynopsis Social Good Awards honors everything from sustainability partnership and PSA’s, to diversity campaigns, environmental initiatives and more.

Building on 35 years of experience providing vehicle manufacturing end-of-line testing and service diagnostics, MAHLE has announced that its Test Systems division is being integrated into the MAHLE Service Solutions division of MAHLE Aftermarket Inc.

Previously, MAHLE Test Systems was part of MAHLE Powertrain, a leader in the development of advanced engine technology. MAHLE Test Systems provides vehicle and system diagnostic testing with a footprint in more than 50 vehicle manufacturing plants and 20,000 dealership and aftermarket locations on five continents and in 33 languages. More than 28 million vehicles around the world are tested with MAHLE software solutions each year.

“MAHLE Test Systems has decades of experience providing diagnostics for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) end-of-line manufacturing test systems and diagnostics tools,” said Andreas Huber, general manager, MAHLE Service Solutions. “This heritage, combined with the strong aftermarket know-how of MAHLE Service Solutions, provides the opportunity to strengthen our focus on the needs and expectations of our customers.”

Developed in cooperation with MAHLE Test Systems, MAHLE Service Solutions recently launched the TechPRO diagnostic scan tool that is now available for sale exclusively through NAPA until the end of July. A game changer in the aftermarket vehicle diagnostics arena, TechPRO brings workshop productivity and a lower total cost of ownership to the industry to provide quicker diagnostics and repairs with comprehensive navigation and a low cost of entry.

“With the addition of Test Systems to MAHLE Service Solutions, we have truly moved from an aftermarket parts supplier to a vehicle service solutions provider,” said Jon Douglas, general manager of MAHLE Aftermarket Inc. North America. “With our current solutions in service workshop equipment and the launch of TechPRO, our new aftermarket diagnostic scan tool, the addition of Test Systems products and solutions in OE manufacturing test and vehicle diagnostics now provides our customers with a full vehicle life cycle of service solutions.”

As the team looks forward to the festivities of May in Indianapolis kicking off in just over a month, Jonathan Byrd’s Racing, which will be contesting the Indianapolis 500 with Bryan Clauson in partnership with Dale Coyne Racing, introduces its newest sponsor, Race Deck Garage Floors.

RaceDeck Garage Floors (www.racedeck.com) is a division of SnapLock Industries (www.snaplock.com), the industry leader in modular flooring. If you have a modular flooring need, their motto is “we’ve got you covered.” 

For nearly four decades, the family at SnapLock has manufactured innovative and premium brand modular flooring products on the planet. In addition to RaceDeck Garage Floors, SnapLock Industries products include SnapSports Athletic Floors & Multi-Courts, SnapLock Dance Floors, SnapLock Event Floors, DuraGrid Safety Matting & Decking, and FastDeck Portable Flooring.

Bob Vandergriff, team owner of Bob Vandergriff Racing (BVR), which has been fielding two Top Fuel dragsters on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour, has announced his retirement from the sport following the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas. The Top Fuel cars had been driven by Dave Connolly and Leah Pritchett. Effective immediately, the entire BVR organization has been shut down, and all employees have been released from their duties.

Vandergriff issued the following statement:

“I've been considering retirement for a few years now, and I’ve actually done it once already when I retired from the driver’s seat at the end of the 2014 season. Now it’s time to retire from the sport altogether. The recent unexpected death of BVR supporter and close friend Josh Comstock, from C&J Energy Services, has made me reflect and seriously reevaluate my priorities in life.

"I’ve missed a lot of things in my children’s lives over the years, and the desire to spend more time at home with my family has weighed on me greatly the last few years, and when combined with the struggles the oil and gas industry has been facing over the last 12 to 18 months, it seemed like now was the right time to retire. C&J Energy Services CEO Randy McMullen and I sat down recently, and after lengthy discussions, he was in agreement and fully supported my decision.

"I want to thank everyone who supported BVR, from our sponsors to our vendors, employees, and most of all my father, Bob Vandergriff Sr. My father has been the bedrock throughout my career, and without any hesitation, he has supported our efforts through the many challenges we've faced over the years. We’ve had a tremendous group of people at BVR, and I expect and wish for great things in the future for each and every one of them. I've enjoyed spending the last 22 years of my life in drag racing. I owe a lot to the sport, its fans, and the individuals who have played key roles in my career."

McMullen issued the following statement from C&J Energy Services: "We have enjoyed and greatly benefited from our relationship with Bob over the last eight years, both on and off the track. We support Bob in his next steps and look forward to continuing to work with him for many years to come on other ventures.”

* Membership Has Its Privileges: You’d be hard pressed to top the Specialty Equipment Market Association when it comes to the quantity and/or quality of its member benefits. (Disclosure: SEMA owns this company, this magazine, and the equipment this column was produced on.)

Nonetheless, the plethora of year-round services, events and opportunities afforded by the venerable aftermarket industry association would be impressive by anyone’s measure. For my money, a clear frontrunner is the annual Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference. The three-day gathering held each winter offers journalists like yours truly unparalleled access to dozens of leading performance parts suppliers—and their latest wares—in an up-close setting under one accessible roof, in this case the Embassy Suites in Santa Ana, California.

In fact, PRI Managing Editor Meredith Kaplan Burns and I discovered several interesting product developments and informational tidbits with wide-ranging implications for the 2016 racing season. For example, we discussed changes in fuel pump technology and the emerging off-road market, in addition to challenges posed by the importation of counterfeit goods, with Vic Wood, Kyle Fickler and Jackson Lueg from Aeromotive Inc. We learned about PRW Industries’ new series of flexplates for Dodge Cummins diesel engines, as well as the company’s aggressive private label program and uncompromising MAP policies.

Elsewhere, Ryan Hunter told us the most frequently asked question for SCE Gaskets’ tech support is easily, “Why is my head gasket leaking?” (The answer, according to Hunter: It’s almost always insufficient clamp load.)

Another eye-opening conversation came by way of JE Pistons’ Sean Crawford and Nickolaus DiBlasi, who explained that because the market for their core product is fairly mature, new developments tend to be incremental. Enter the industry’s first off-the-shelf asymmetrical forged pistons. Utilizing two different sized piston skirts, the parts represent a migration of higher-end technology from custom to stock product. At the same time, Crawford and DiBlasi pointed to JE’s $2.5 million investment in machining equipment over the last year and change, resulting in greater one-off design flexibility and reduced turnaround time.

Meantime, Ed Law could hardly wait to show us Total Seal’s latest innovation in piston ring design—the Radial Notch Technology of its Total Conform rings. In order to ensure the ring face stays in constant contact with the cylinder bore—even when fuel, air and ignition create heat and pressure that changes the geometry of the cylinder—Total Seal developed a ring with a series of radial notches around the inner diameter, so the ring behaves like it’s a very shallow radial wall ring. This way, Law explained, it conforms to the bore distortions while maintaining a wide radial wall that allows it to remain firmly sealed to the piston in the ring lands. Law said the new rings are ideal for Pro Stock applications, among others.

A few minutes later, Mike Downs of Trick Flow Specialties noted that while the bulk of his business is LS-centric, he’s observed significant pent-up demand for Mopar (especially Big Block) products. Ten-second bracket racers and those in search of added street performance take note: Trick Flow’s recently introduced PowerPort 240 aluminum cylinder heads helped a 10.4:1 compression, 446 cubic inch Mopar BB spit out 620 horsepower at 6200 rpm’s on a Superflow dyno. Also new to Trick Flow’s line card for Big Block Mopar are Cast Aluminum Valve Covers made from durable A319 aluminum; Track Heat Intake Manifolds; Track Max Hydraulic Roller Camshafts; and complete Top-End Engine Kits, not to mention newly available SKUs for GM and Ford engines.

It was a whirlwind event, to be sure, and one we’ll most certainly have circled on our calendars for 2017 and beyond.   

* Liftoff At NASA: A long-awaited road racing class was officially christened last month when competitors in the National Auto Sport Association’s NASA Prototype (NP) Series took to Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, California, for a non-points spin around the 2.5-mile course.

Introduced at the 2014 PRI Trade Show, the NP Series features a purpose-built, closed-cockpit, prototype-style race car—the NP01—developed by Georgia-based Élan Motorsports and priced at just $72,500. Pretty impressive, when you consider on-track testing has placed the NP01’s performance alongside that of top-level Super Touring race cars.

The series itself consists of two individual championships—an 11-race Pacific program and a nine-race Atlantic version. Points-earning events actually begin this month, when West Coast drivers visit Southern California’s Buttonwillow Raceway Park on April 16–17; Atlantic racers kick off their season June 10–11 at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Jennings, Oklahoma.

According to NASA Business Development Director Jeremy Croiset, sponsor interest has spiked as well. “We’ve got a great contingency package set up this year for the competitors,” he told us. “Toyo Tires, Hawk Performance and Mazda have all stepped up to offer competitors a great prize package worth well over $100,000. Anyone that does well in the series and collects on contingency will seriously decrease their yearly operational costs.”

For more information, visit nasaprototype.com.

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship, announced a multi-year partnership agreement with Motul, which sees the renowned international lubricant specialist become the official lubricant company to the entire championship including its cornerstone event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The links between Le Mans and Motul stretch back over six decades and endurance racing has contributed greatly to the development of the high-tech, high-performing products now available to its customers on both road and track. This bond has been strengthened through Motul’s support of the ACO and WEC, becoming an Official Partner to one of the oldest and most prestigious motor races in the world. At each of the WEC’s eight 6-hour race events, there will be a Motul corner featuring trackside signage plus the podium girls will be in Motul’s colors.



Hervé Amelot, Motul President of Management Board, said, “Le Mans is a central pillar to our four-wheel motorsport strategy, and this exclusive agreement is the outcome of more than six decades of collaboration and loyalty between Motul and Le Mans. It also comes as a result of the desires of everyone at Motul who attends this magic event each year, who wish to stay closer to our supported teams and help them technically day and night. By becoming involved with the FIA WEC, as well as a deeper collaboration with the ACO, Motul can spread the magic of Le Mans throughout its international distribution network, which includes our subsidiaries, distributors and importers in more than 100 countries worldwide.”



Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, added, “2016 is an anniversary year for the Automobile Club de l’Ouest as the club is celebrating being in existence for 110 years, always at the forefront of endurance racing. The same can be said of Motul’s involvement at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the greatest motorsport event in the world, and now with the WEC, offering a constant, reliable and high quality presence to teams over many decades. Endurance racing has always had a real-world relevance to advances in road car design, performance and safety, including the development of new and improved lubricants and fuels: all have their roots in developments made by racing at Le Mans. Motul recognise this, as we recognise their contribution, and we are delighted to welcome them to the Le Mans and WEC family.”



Gérard Neveu, CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship, said, “The combination of committed major automotive manufacturers to the WEC, and some of the finest drivers anywhere in the sport, ensures that spectators are privileged to be watching some of the highest level endurance racing of all time. To this family we welcome companies which display commitment, quality and considerable international standing, attributes which Motul has regularly demonstrated so well through its many involvements with motorsport, and particularly at Le Mans. As the WEC moves into the next stage of its growth and development, we are honoured to have companies such as Motul alongside us.”

The ACL Board of Directors announces the appointment of Juan Bez as the new President of ACL Distribution, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bez assumes the position and responsibilities from Tim Vehlewald who retired in January.

The enhanced position includes the duties of administrative and operations management of ACL USA, as well as responsibility for Aftermarket sales in Mexico from ACL's new bearing production facilities in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The Mexican factory, scheduled to begin production in May 2016, will be devoted to bimetal passenger car bearings. Race Series performance bearings will continue to be designed and manufactured in Tasmania, Australia. Bez also will continue to oversee worldwide sales and marketing.

Bez has been involved in the automotive aftermarket since his 1974 discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps where he served a 13-month tour of duty in Vietnam (1969 to 1970). He learned the aftermarket engine parts business as a parts store counterman while attending Florida International University. Upon earning his bachelor's degree from FIU, Bez became a District Manager for Sealed Power Corporation, assigned to the South Florida marketing region. He also was employed for 10 years by TRW International's European Section where he became Director of Sales for North and South America, before starting his own business in 1988 as an automotive parts manufacturers' representative for Central and South America. In 2012 he joined ACL as an ownership partner.

Thursday morning, April 14, at 11 a.m., Bruce Flanders, along with the legendary Team Penske will be inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame and his plaque (bearing the image of a microphone) will join an honor roll of 26 entities that have been named to the honor since it was dedicated in 2006.

Among the already honored are legendary drivers the like Phil Hill, Dan Gurney, Brian Redman, Mario and Michael Andretti, Al Unser, Jr., Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Robby Gordon, and Scott Pruett; racing teams like Target Chip Ganassi, Galles Racing, and Newman/Haas Racing, and team owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe. Race founder Chris Pook was honored in 2007.
 
Known far and wide as "The Voice of the Grand Prix,” Flanders has served at that position since 1978, coming aboard when the race was still run down Ocean avenue and his announce booth was a ultra claustrophobic converted freight container perched precariously trackside on some spindly scaffolding about 30 or so feet off the ground. 
 
This 2016 event will make this one Flanders’ 39th consecutive Long Beach race doing what he does best for a whole weekend worth of racing action.  A consummate information-giver, Flanders also has a fun side with his annual "Ugly Hawaiian Shirt Contest" that he stages for the fans. The contest has become a regular Long Beach Grand Prix tradition and the cause of a massive bump in business for thrift shops in the three counties surrounding Long Beach during the days leading up to the event.
 
The versatile Flanders has been the regular Saturday night voice for NASCAR short track events at Irwindale Speedway since it opened in 1999 and has announced major motorsports events across this country as well as in Europe. His buttery baritone voice has been featured in hundreds of radio ads for a variety of products, many of which are totally unrelated to motorsports.
 
"We're very proud to have an icon like Bruce working for us," said Irwindale Event Center's Bob Klein. "He's a true pro, nothing ever bothers him ... I think if our PA system ever broke down, Bruce would just open a window and speak loud enough for everyone in the crowd to hear his call of the race.”
 
Fittingly, Flanders' unique Walk of Fame medallion will feature a microphone, while the Team Penske plaque will have one of that teams' winning race cars emblazoned on it.
 
The public-invited event will take place on South Pine Avenue in front of the Convention Center.

Earlier this year, the White House was flooded with nearly 170,000 signatures from racing enthusiasts and industry stakeholders concerned about an over-reaching regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Obama Administration’s “We the People Team” recently responded, noting that the EPA is still considering the proposed standards and that the issue is still in review. But we need to keep the pressure on Washington.

While the battle regarding the EPA proposal continues, the U.S. Congress has introduced the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act, legislation which – if enacted into law – will ensure that street vehicles can continue to be modified for the race track. Even if the EPA removes the provision to prohibit the conversion of motor vehicles into racecars from its regulation, the RPM Act is the only way to guarantee that the practice of modifying street vehicles into dedicated racecars is protected not just today, but in the future as well.

Many legislators and government officials have voiced support for the RPM Act. However, many elected officials are still undecided. It is crucial that the entire racing community continues to send letters to their congressional lawmakers demanding support for the RPM Act.

Take a minute to visit www.sema.org/RPMAct to write your legislators.

Every letter counts!