New Braunfels, Texas-based  Simpson Performance Products, Inc. has completed the acquisition of Stilo S.r.l., an Italian auto racing helmet manufacturer.

Founded in 1999 by Ludovico Fassitelli and Elena Perini and headquartered in Pedrengo, Italy, Stilo is a manufacturer and designer of helmet and communications systems for rally racing, stock car racing, karting and powerboat racing.

Simpson anticipates the acquisition of Stilo will enhance its market position in racing safety products and extend the company’s global reach.

“The Stilo acquisition accelerates the growth of Simpson by adding another reputable brand to the portfolio and expanding our presence in Europe,” said Simpson CEO Chuck Davies. “Further, we are excited that the combination of Simpson and Stilo will enhance both Simpson and Stilo helmets in future product advancements. Stilo will continue to be based in Pedrengo, Italy, with its current management team led by Guglielmo Belotti. HMS Motorsports, led by Joe Marko will continue to be the US importer for Stilo helmets.”

Added Guglielmo Belotti, Stilo’s Director General: “Two of the most famous brands in racing safety have joined forces. Simpson Performance Products has been keeping drivers and crew members safe for many years, and Stilo’s mission directly aligns with Simpson’s mission to keep racers safer. We are proud to become part of the Simpson team and look forward to combining our technology and talents to the good of our industry.”

For more information, visit simpsonraceproducts.com.

Future engine technology and innovation will be on display once again at this year’s 28th annual PRI Trade Show, and future engine builders and technicians will take center stage, too, as part of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge National Championship.

For the second consecutive year, the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow engine build competition has been split into a Dual Championship format, with qualifying teams competing in semifinals at both the recently completed SEMA Show and the PRI Trade Show at the Indiana Convention Center, December 10-12. The top four teams from the SEMA Show and PRI Show will then face off twice on Friday, December 11, and then once more on Saturday, the 12th. The team with the best average time will be crowned the 2015 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge National Champion.

“The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has become one of the most popular events during Race Industry Week,” said John Kilroy, producer of the PRI Trade Show. “It’s amazing to see high school students fully take apart and put together an engine in less than 17 minutes. Even more important, the scholarships provided to every competitor can change a young person’s life. This is an incredible program that provides a terrific entry into the sport, while also helping to develop the sport’s future innovators.”

The HROT engine challenge is the premier engine build competition for young automotive talent. Six-person teams of automotive technology students from high schools across the country compete to disassemble and reassemble a small-block engine with aftermarket components in the fastest time.

More than 150 teams from across the nation competed in 12 qualifying events across eight states to work their way toward the championship, with $3.8 million worth of scholarships available to competitors. Four teams have already advanced from the SEMA competition, with Team ARP from Peach County High School in Fort Valley, Georgia, emerging as the top seed. The team won the SEMA Dual Championship with a time average of 17:20, and set a new national record of 16:11.

Burton Center for Arts and Technology from Virginia earned last year’s Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine National Championship at the PRI Trade Show.

The PRI Trade Show will feature approximately 1200 racing industry suppliers occupying 3200 booths while exhibiting the latest developments in auto racing technology. Buyers from throughout the US and 70 countries are anticipated for the world's premier trade show for motorsports professionals.

For additional information on the 2015 PRI Trade Show, or hotel and travel information, visit www.pri2015.com.

The Stand 21 Racing Goes Safer Foundation invites PRI Trade Show goers to attend their Driver Safety Seminar on Friday December 11, 2015, from 10 am to 1:30 pm in Rooms 208 & 209 of the Indiana Convention Center.

Conducted by internationally recognized motorsports safety experts and drivers, this program offers practical information for all race drivers, pit crew, and safety staff.

As a motor-racing safety source, the Stand 21 Racing Goes Safer Foundation is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to enhance motorsports safety. It achieves this goal in collaboration with the medical and scientific community, as well as with major series organizations (FIA, SFI, NHRA, SCTA, SCCA, SCORE) to bring awareness of safety issues and solutions to the forefront of the motorsports world.

"As our understanding of the dangers in motorsport keeps evolving, we want to offer all racers the opportunity to hear directly from the people doing the work, and providing practical ways on how racers can better protect themselves," said Foundation president Yves Morizot. "And to do this, we are privileged to have some of the most respected names in the field, from the US and Europe, speaking at our seminar."

For more information on Stand 21's Driver Safety Seminar, click here.

Brothers Kevin and Vernon Sauer, lifetime residents of Lakeville, Indiana, and racers themselves, have purchased South Bend Motor Speedway.

The westside landmark is located on Indiana 2 west of Mayflower Road in South Bend, Indiana. The change in ownership was announced recently on both the racetrack's website and its Facebook page via the following letter:

My name is Kevin Sauer and my brother's name is Vernon Sauer. We are the proud new owners of South Bend Speedway. We have lived in Lakeville all our life. We have been attending races at the SB Speedway since my Dad raced there when we were little kids. Many of you have posted some changes and advice for the track. Thank you for all your suggestions. Please understand that you may not see all these changes immediately.

Obviously we are risk takers but we are not quitters. Failure is not part of our vocabulary. We are looking forward to the challenges the track will bring. Vernon and I both are very hard working and dedicated men. Family is very important to us as well. We hope to provide a fun and friendly atmosphere with respectable drivers and clean racing. We know that it seems far fetched to have that but it only "seems" that way. We all have to work together at this. Because we all know without the fans there would be no racing. In closing, we will do our part to get this track known as the track to go to for family fun. We ask that you do your part as well.

FOCUS ON THE FUN

Sincerely,
Kevin and Vernon

The quarter-mile asphalt stock car track was built in 1946 for open wheel midget racing. Over the years it has changed ownership several times, and added events like demolition derbies and nights of destruction.

In 2007, the track closed for weekly racing. But after three years, the Brown family purchased the track, according to an April 2011 story in the South Bend Tribune.

In the years since, Jennifer and Scott Brown — who operated the track and owned the property — upgraded the facilities, including the sound system, bleacher boards, scoring tower and concession stands.

For more information, visit racesouthbendmotorspeedway.com.

PRI's online Exhibitor Press Release Center has all the latest Trade Show-related news, product releases, company announcements, booth appearances and more from dozens of exhibiting companies.

Information can be accessed via this link (www.performanceracing.com/press) on the PRI website.

News releases are displayed chronologically, and can be sorted by Type (Product Release, Company News, etc.) or Category. Journalists and attendees are encouraged to check back regularly for the latest news and information on the Trade Show floor.

Editors working on specific stories, or those who need more information about the upcoming PRI Trade Show, can contact pr@performanceracing.com or 949/499-5413.

The PRI Trade Show runs from December 10-12, 2015, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

The march towards the 2016 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season progressed on Friday with the unveiling of the brand new Ford Mustang at a development session at Fontenay Le Comte, France, where the new “game changing” 2016 package was put to the test, providing exciting results.

The Ford Mustang features strong visual ties with its production counterpart, which made its European in 2015 and represents the perfect match for the Chevrolet SS the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series presented at the Circuit Zolder Finals in October.

The “Next Level” 2016 package, including improved aerodynamics, brakes, suspensions, Dexwet air filter and safety, designed to increase performances and the car’s already unmatched cost effectiveness, provided highly positive results, with an average gain of 0.7 seconds per kilometer on the previous configuration.

“Everybody is very excited with the new 2016 cars! They really look amazing and I’m proud of the job done by our organization and our friends at NASCAR USA. This new package also deliver great gains in performances and driveability, giving the Euro-NASCAR the best Performance / Cost effectiveness / Pure Driving Enjoyment ratio,” said Jerome Galpin, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series President / CEO.

The next public NASCAR Whelen Euro Series test session will take place once again at Fontenay Le Comte on January 15, 2016 and drivers willing to take the wheel of the new Chevrolet SS and Ford Mustang will be able to book their session by filling the PDF booking form (http://nas.cr/1NdLDhu) and sending it to info@euronascar.com.

QA1 won the Materials and Process Innovation Award from the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) during the 2015 Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) in Dallas, Texas. CAMX, produced by ACMA and the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE), is the premier conference for composite material products, solutions, networking, business, and advanced industry thinking.

During CAMX, ACMA presents its Awards for Composites Excellence (ACE) to companies who implement innovation in three categories: composites design, manufacturing or market growth. QA1 won in the manufacturing category for its nanosilica infused resin for use in performance automotive carbon fiber driveshafts. They partnered with 3M™ to develop this exclusive Matrix Resin that has improved compressive strength, fracture toughness and reduced water absorption. These enhancements allow for redesign of composite structures, eliminating weight while improving strength and stiffness.

“3M and QA1 have worked hard to revolutionize the racing industry,” said Jeff Lonergan, 3M Advanced Composites Global Business Manager. “By working closely with QA1 engineers, 3M was able to provide new materials, processes, and recommendations to ensure success. The result of two years of testing and scale up have led to this industry recognized award.”

QA1 manufactures carbon fiber driveshafts for drag racing, street performance and dirt late model racing. They are designed and manufactured in-house at QA1’s Lakeville, Minnesota, facility using the latest filament-winding equipment. QA1’s carbon fiber driveshafts are lighter, stiffer and stronger than aluminum, steel and other carbon fiber driveshafts, all while providing dramatic safety benefits.

“We build the best performing and most advanced driveshafts in the industry,” said Travis Gorsuch, Director of Advanced Materials at QA1. “They have proven themselves on the track time and time again winning several championships across the country and it’s great to have them recognized by the composites industry as well.”  

Learn more about the technology used in QA1’s carbon fiber driveshafts at www.QA1.net/driveshafts.

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and Sebring International Raceway today confirmed a four-day open test session featuring the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and four additional series. Testing will begin Tuesday, Feb. 23 and run through Friday, February 26, 2016.
 
The first two days of open testing (Feb. 23-24) will be reserved for the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, both IMSA-sanctioned Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge series (USA and Canada) and the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites powered by Mazda. The final two days (Feb. 25-26) will feature exclusive testing for the WeatherTech Championship ahead of the 64th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida on Saturday, March 19, 2016.
 
“Sebring International Raceway has a long history as a popular facility for sports car testing,” said IMSA Managing Director, Racing Operations Simon Hodgson. “We did not offer a sanctioned test at Sebring in 2015, but a number of our teams conducted private tests at the facility. At the request of many competitors across our series, we have elected to offer sanctioned-testing at Sebring once again in 2016.”
 
WeatherTech Championship testing at Sebring gets under way exactly four weeks after practice and qualifying day for the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona. The twice-around-the-clock race opens the 2016 season on Saturday and Sunday, January 30-31.
 
“Especially for teams and race cars that haven’t competed at Sebring previously, these test days will be crucial,” said IMSA WeatherTech Championship Series and Technical Manager Geoff Carter. “We also will be testing the implementation of electronic upgrades for Prototype Challenge (PC) cars, including any fine tuning to Engine Control Unit (ECU) mapping and calibrating the new traction control option. Sebring offers unique opportunities for all competitors to test the limits of their race cars and their durability.”
 
A detailed schedule of specific times for all test sessions will be announced later.

The FIA-certified F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda continues to gain momentum even as the weather turns cold in much of the country, with Crawford Composites continuing to build the chassis that the entry-level open-wheel series will race in 2016.

Max Crawford, the Director of the Racing Division for Crawford Composites, recently sat down to discuss the current status of the car.

As it stands now, 97 purchase agreements have been sent out to teams and individuals wanting to become part of the new series. A total of 30 of those agreements have been returned to Crawford, finalizing a commitment to buying a chassis.

“The response we’ve had is phenomenal,” Crawford said. “We only announced this series three months ago, and our hope was to sell a total of 12 cars in the first year. Right now, we’ve sold 30 cars in three months, and we’re still six months away from racing.

“I know a lot of the people involved with these teams, since I have been in the business for more than 30 years. I know many of them personally, and the quality of the teams behind them is very high. This is going to be a wonderful series because of the upper echelon of people and teams involved in this.”

Crawford got a leg up on the development of the Formula 4 car with the 2015 build of the SCCA Pro Racing Formula Lites chassis. While the chassis will be subject to changes to fit the worldwide Formula 4 model and earn approval from the FIA, some of the test data collected as part of the Formula Lites program will help designers by giving them a real-world picture of the performance.

Included in the price cap of the chassis is the Honda power plant. The engine will be a version of the 2.0L Honda K20C Type-R engine, turning out an FIA-mandated ~158 bhp. Following some dyno tests, this stage of development can be crossed off the list.

“The motor is on the dyno, as of today,” Crawford said. “We have the engine installation kit complete. That includes the electronics and prototype parts for engine installation. That marks quite a big stepping stone for us as it took many hours of hard work to complete.

“On Dec. 10 and 11, we are doing a preliminary crash test of some of the new parts. Then, from Jan. 11 through 15, we are doing the FIA-mandated crash test. Once that crash test is passed, we will start assembling cars. Those cars will be delivered at the end of January.”

One of the unique aspects of this creation process has been the involvement of the FIA. As this is a tightly controlled spec series ultimately governed by the worldwide sanctioning body, there are some steps that must be taken to satisfy their requirements. One of the largest tasks includes homologation of all parts of the car. That requires that each affected part be drawn and submitted to the FIA to ensure that changes are not made by either the teams or manufacturers before a certain point in time.

“Obviously the 2016 FIA requirements are a little stiffer than the 2015 ones [for the Formula Lites car],” Crawford said. “For that reason we’ve had to change some things we did originally, but the organization doesn’t create a bunch of needless hoops to jump through. On the whole, our dealings with the FIA and their personnel have been absolutely fabulous.

“Our contacts with the FIA have been exceedingly helpful to us. Without the help of these folks, getting a car up to the standards required of FIA would be more of a challenge.”

On-track testing of the F4 car is set to begin in late December or early January. In addition to tests performed by Crawford Composites, the company will also work with teams through May to help each of them in their individual testing and development efforts.

Crawford touted the importance of the F4 worldwide program. Not only is the classification of racing a world-wide one, but there is a mandated price point for each car. That allows racers, who are so inclined, to gain racing experiences in different parts of the world at a reasonable price point.

“If one looks at how this class has performed in other parts of the world, it is fantastic,” Crawford said. “If you look at the fields in England, it is absolutely staggering. I have pictures of starting grids with upwards of 30 cars. I think the only reason more cannot be seen is that the picture is not big enough. This is the perfect series in which to make the move from racing karts to cars in a cost-effective manner.”

“In addition to that, SCCA Pro Racing has made it possible for us to race with some great series including Trans Am and Pirelli World Challenge. It will be a really great opportunity for everyone.”

From another perspective, Crawford said this is one of the most important projects in his company’s nearly 30-year history.

“We have been involved in several different projects from the time we built our first car in 1987,” Crawford said. “It has been a unique project for us because we actually have a complete rulebook to build the car to. Most of our other cars, we have had to do our own design work.”

“But, this is up there with what I would call the phenomenal projects with which we have been involved. Not only are we building a car, but we are building a new series here in America. We also have a fantastic product to offer. One can’t find a negative in this. You have an FIA-compliant car that runs in a series recognized around the world.”

In addition to the new car and series, the winner of the 2017 United States F4 Championship will go onto race in a worldwide F4 championship race. Crawford said he thinks that is one of the ultimate selling points of the series.

“Tell me another series where that happens,” Crawford said. “This is the perfect pipeline for talented young drivers to grow. A current kart racer can move into these cars, and come 2017 be named a worldwide champion, for a very affordable price. He could then get picked up by an Indy Lights or IndyCar team. That driver could even get picked up for GP1 or GP2. I believe it’s the right ingredient for American racing.”

SEMA has created a new website resource to help the motorsports community understand state and federal law governing trailers and tow vehicles. The website provides guidance on how racing enthusiasts can avoid citations for a trailer that is too long, a trailer that is not properly registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), or for other related issues.  
 
When issued, citations generally fall within two categories:

1) the size of the trailer violated state law, or

2) the vehicle/trailer combination was considered “commercial” by enforcement authorities but had not been registered with the DOT or state-equivalent agency. The webpage divides the resource material into three sections: a comparison of state laws, folders containing laws/regulations for each individual state, and an explanation of federal laws triggered by commercial activity or vehicle weight.
 
The material is posted in the “RESOURCES” menu under “Motorsports Trailers.” The direct link is http://www.semasan.com/page.asp?content=motorsports_trailers&g=SEMAGA. You are encouraged to share this new resource.
 
For more information or if you have any questions, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

Stuart Gosswein is SEMA’s Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs. He has been affiliated with SEMA for 32 years, having worked for both the association and its general counsel’s office, Trainum, Snowdon & Deane. He specializes in federal regulatory issues, advocating positions that protect and advance the interests of SEMA members and car enthusiasts.