The 2015 POWRi Season-Ending Banquet will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2016, at Andre’s Banquet Facility in St. Louis, MO. The event opens at 7:30 pm with an open bar, dinner at 8:00 pm, and awards at 9:00 pm. 
 
Drivers and car owner champions from the POWRi National Midget and 600cc Micro-Sprint divisions, as well as the top 10 in points and the Rookies of the Year in both classes, will be honored and will receive their year-end awards, contingencies, and point funds.  
 
In order to receive an award, participants must be present. Tickets will cost $25 and can be purchased at the door. RSVP by e-mailing POWRi at info@powri.com with the number of guests that plan on attending.
 
Andree’s Banquet Facilities is located at 4254 Telegraph Road St. Louis, MO 63129

Four of the leading figures in land speed racing today will take the stage at PRI 2015 for a unique panel discussion on the state of this electrifying market.

The PRI-sponsored seminar, “Opportunities in Land Speed Racing,” will examine this distinctive racing segment through the lens of those who know it best—”LandSpeed” Louise Ann Noeth of Land Speed Productions, Steve Watt of Maxwell Industries (and Speed Demon), Stuart Gosswein of Save the Salt and SEMA, Dennis Sullivan of the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association (USFRA).

Moderated by PRI Magazine editor Dan Schechner, this seminar will feature lively dialogue on the state of land speed racing, efforts currently underway to ensure a bright future for the sport, business opportunities for racing professionals—including parts retailers, tuners, engine builders, fabricators and manufacturers—how racing entrepreneurs can get involved in the sport, and more. It will take place from 8–9 a.m. on Saturday, December 12, in Room 239 of the Indiana Convention Center.

“This is a special occasion for PRI Show attendees to hear firsthand from some of the most knowledgeable insiders in land speed racing,” said Schechner, who also organizes educational programming for the Trade Show. “These industry leaders know where the business opportunities lie—and why so many participants consider it such an addictive form of racing. This session is guaranteed to be both informative and entertaining.”  

Since establishing LandSpeed Productions in 1984, Louise Ann Noeth has become one of the world’s foremost authorities on land speed racing. Noeth’s award-winning writing and photography have been published around the world in several languages, and in publications including The New York Times, Sports Illustrated and Performance Racing Industry Magazine. Dubbed “LandSpeed Louise” by the late Gray Baskerville of HOT ROD Magazine, she also authored the critically acclaimed, award-winning “Bonneville Salt Flats: The Fastest Place On Earth.”

Maxwell Industries president Steve Watt starting building race cars soon after attending his first race back in 1977. Ventura, California-based Maxwell is involved in many forms of racing, including sprints, midgets, off-road and land speed cars. The company got involved in land speed racing by building headers for Kenny Duttweiler, the engine builder for a streamliner called the Flatfire. Today, Watt is a key crew member for the Speed Demon, which holds the title of World’s Fastest Piston Engine Car. Following a test-session crash in 2014, the Speed Demon has been rebuilt from the ground up, with Maxwell Industries in charge of the effort.

Stuart Gosswein is SEMA’s Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs. He has been affiliated with SEMA for 32 years, specializing in federal regulatory issues, advocating positions that protect and advance the interests of SEMA members and car enthusiasts. He also serves on the board of directors for the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA) and is a primary contact for the Save the Salt Coalition, which is dedicated to preserving the racing venue at the Bonneville Salt Flats. He received the Bonneville 200 Mile an Hour Club “Man of the Year” award in 2013.

Dennis Sullivan is president of the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association (USFRA). A retired US Air Force aircraft inspector, Sullivan was named the new president of the USFRA in January 2015 after having been involved with all aspects of setting up and running the World of Speed event on the salt flats for 25 years. Sullivan started at Bonneville as a volunteer 25 years ago, and ended up running the “emergency crash truck” for 15 years. In 2006, he purchased a 1927 Model T style roadster and, after struggling for a few years, he set a new land speed record, which he has re-set four times since. Sullivan and his son Kyle are Land Speed National Record Holders in the G/STR class, with a two-way run of 143.8 mph.

“Opportunities in Land Speed Racing” is presented at no charge for registered PRI Trade Show attendees. For more information, visit www.pri2015.com or call 949/499-5413.

Pro All Stars Series (PASS) officials have announced the final three dates on the 2016 PASS South Super Late Model schedule. The South's longest running Super Late Model series will return to Anderson Motor Speedway in South Carolina, while Hickory Motor Speedway will receive a third PASS South Super Late Model event in the fall of 2016. East Carolina Motor Speedway in Robersonville, NC, joins the PASS South schedule for the first time in 2016 and will fill out the 11th anniversary season's slate of races.

The 2016 season will consist of 15 races at eight speedways in three states.

Anderson Motor Speedway in upstate South Carolina will host the PASS South Super Late Models on Friday night, June 17, on a night which will also see the NASCAR Late Model Stocks, BM Modifieds, Legends, and Front Wheel Drive divisions in action.

Hickory Motor Speedway, which has operated since 1951, will host the PASS South Super Late Models three times in 2016. PASS returns to its longest running speedway on Saturday night, September 24, joining the previously announced 11th Annual Easter Bunny 150 on Saturday, March 26, and the event scheduled for Saturday night, June 18.

East Carolina Motor Speedway in Robersonville, NC, will complete the 2016 PASS South Super Late Model with an event there on Saturday night, July 30.

The 2016 PASS South Super Late Model season will begin on the weekend of February 5-6 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway with the return of the Winter Meltdown, which will also feature the Limited Late Models and Trucks divisions. The final race of 2016 will be the 14th Annual North-South Shootout at Concord Speedway on November 4-5, featuring PASS along with the Tour-type Modifieds and additional support divisions.

For more information, visit www.proallstarsseries.com.

The first featured event of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Drag Racing Series season is set for Orlando Speed World and the debut of the Spring Nitro Nationals on March 5–6, 2016.

Owner Ozzy Moya was previously involved as a major sponsor at Orlando Speed World when the owner, Carl Weisinger, announced that the track would close upon his retirement and cease operations in December 2012.

“Carl introduced me to the property owners, and the next thing I know, here I am, owning the land and bought the assets from Carl.” Moya said,  “We immediately jumped in with numerous upgrades to Orlando Speed World, and this year, we just repaved with all new concrete to the 800-foot mark, along with grinding it smooth after settling.”

Upcoming improvements will include the addition of the newly minted IHRA Spring Nitro Nationals. “Orlando Speed World currently seats 7500, but we're buying another 8000 seats with aggressive plans to have them in place in March for the IHRA Nationals,” Moya added. “We are looking forward to hosting a packed house.”

Other improvement plans in place include timing system and spectator parking upgrades.

For more, visit www.ihra.com.

Ending an absence of more than a decade, Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds will return to Friday race programs at Michigan’s I-96 Speedway in 2016.

The sanctioned division first ran at Lake Odessa in 1988, and most recently there in 2005. Weekly point races will tentatively run from May 6 through Aug. 26 next season.

“We are super excited about sanctioning our Modifieds again with IMCA,” said promoter Mike Mouch, who anticipates sharing cars with Saturday venue Crystal Motor Speedway 45 minutes to the northeast. “We ran a pro mod class that had rules very similar to IMCA’s and averaged 16-18 cars a week this year. Those drivers will be able to race with us and at Crystal next year.”

“Dropping the IMCA sanction after I bought this track was probably the stupidest mistake I ever made,” he added. “The class went out of control cost-wise after that.”

The 3/8-mile dirt oval at I-96 has a configuration similar to the old half-mile track. Mouch brought in turns two, three and four along with the back stretch, and made the track 60-65 feet wide.

A new racing surface will be put on before winter. Other improvements made to the facility under Mouch’s tenure include new lighting, updated walk through concessions, air-conditioned VIP suites and new restrooms.

There’s also a kids’ club with licensed daycare and first-class playground.

NASCAR announced the 2016 schedule for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, which features 21 tracks hosting 23 events in the U.S. and Canada. As with the previously announced NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series schedules, agreements have also been reached with the tracks to host the Camping World Truck Series through 2020.
 
Iowa Speedway will host its first NASCAR national series companion weekend, with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series joining the NASCAR XFINITY Series on June 18-19. Other changes for 2016 are:

· The Dover International Speedway event moves two weekends earlier in the schedule (May 13).

· The first visit to Texas Motor Speedway moves one week later to June 10.

· The Gateway Motorsports Park event moves two weekends later in the schedule to June 25.

· The Canadian Tire Motorsport Park event returns to the Sunday of Labor Day (U.S.) weekend, on Sept. 4.
 
“For more than 20 years, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has been home to some of the closest side-by-side racing in the sport, and we’re committed to delivering that to our fans for many years to come,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “We expect that the stability of five-year agreements will benefit the entire industry, and anticipate the continuation of compelling NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship battles, like the one we’re watching unfold in 2015.”
 
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series kicks off the 2016 season during Daytona Speedweeks, as the iconic track welcomes fans to experience its $400 million redevelopment project, DAYTONA Rising. After Daytona, the trucks will race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in a double-header with the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the second consecutive season. Two popular Wednesday night events—at Eldora Speedway (July 20) and Bristol (Aug. 17)—also return to the schedule for 2016.
 
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series closes the 2016 season with five events in five weekends, including three triple-header weekends with the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR XFINITY Series at Texas Motor Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway, and Homestead-Miami Speedway. FOX Sports will provide broadcast coverage of every race event in the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck season.

2016 NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES SCHEDULE:

Date, Site
 
 2/19, Daytona International Speedway
 
2/27, Atlanta Motor Speedway
 
4/2, Martinsville Speedway
 
5/6, Kansas Speedway
 
5/13, Dover International Speedway
 
5/20, Charlotte Motor Speedway
 
6/10, Texas Motor Speedway
 
6/18, Iowa Speedway
 
6/25, Gateway Motorsports Park
 
7/7, Kentucky Speedway
 
7/20, Eldora Speedway
 
7/30, Pocono Raceway
 
8/17, Bristol Motor Speedway
 
8/27, Michigan International Speedway
 
9/4, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
 
9/16, Chicagoland Speedway
 
9/24, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
 
10/1, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
 
10/22, Talladega Superspeedway
 
10/29, Martinsville Speedway
 
11/4, Texas Motor Speedway
 
11/11, Phoenix International Raceway
 
11/18, Homestead-Miami Speedway

The annual Race Track Business Conference, held in conjunction with the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, provides a platform for industry leaders to collaborate, analyze, and conceptualize around the business of motorsports. Shared insights from all forms of racing creates dialogue and interaction in an unique intellectual environment.

Additional speakers and topics have been announced for this year’s event, on December 9, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

The topic of media discusses how the landscape changed and where we find racing content, as well as telling it like it is—can the true stories be told? This panel of industry professionals consists of Rick Benjamin, Principal, Carolinas Production Group; Dave Despain, Journalist, MavTV; Robin Miller, Journalist, Racer Magazine; and Ralph Sheheen, Founder Turn 3 Media.

Joie Chitwood, President, Daytona International Speedway, will be discussing facility redevelopment, which includes investing for the future, seating capacity and the cost of reconfiguration, enhancing the fan experience, technology and more.

Road courses will also be a topic of discussion—track design, demand, non-traditional events, hosting major races, etc. Presenting panelists are Dafydd Broom, Design Director, Apex Circuit Design; David Vodden, President, Thunderhill Raceway Park; and Mitch Wright, General Manager, NCM Motorsports Park.

The cost to attend RTBC-2015 is $250, which includes lunch and admission to the PRI Trade Show. Additional seminar information can be found at http://racetrackbusinessconference.com/.

Red Bull Global Rallycross has announced a racing entitlement program designed to allow team owners to build meaningful equity value in their GRC teams.

Key features of the Racing Entitlement Program include:

– Limited number of racing entries.

– Guaranteed entitlement to race in all series events.

– Racing entitlements can be sold or transferred.

– Racing entitlements participate in future television broadcast revenues.

– Racing entitlements participate in equity value created in the GRC series.

“The Red Bull GRC Entitlement Program is designed to solve one of the biggest issues in motorsport team ownership—the inability to monetize many years of investment in your team,” said Colin Dyne, CEO of Red Bull Global Rallycross. “In most other sports, teams build meaningful equity value alongside the leagues that sanction them, but in motorsports that is the exception, rather than the rule.  We intend to disrupt the status quo with this program.”

The Entitlement Program will share the benefits that come from all stakeholder efforts to build the next generation motorsports platform, and does so in a thoughtful manner, aligning the interests of the series with the team owners.

With a limited number of entitlements, new teams and manufacturers will have to partner with or purchase entitlements from existing owners once the slots are full, creating value from their multi-year investment in their teams.

“Many of our partners have been with us since the series’ inception,” continued Dyne, “and we look forward to sharing the benefits of our continued growth with them.”

KMC Wheels has added Robby Gordon to the KMC Wheels family of drivers.

“Wheel Pros and KMC Wheels are the leaders in the industry, have the best design/manufacturing capabilities and greatest distribution power of any wheel company,” said Gordon. “As a driver and builder of top-level race cars, I am looking forward to collaborating with KMC Wheels to develop some game-changing products over many years.”

“KMC Wheels is really excited to welcome Robby Gordon to the family. As a part of this partnership, KMC Wheels will be involved in Gordon’s desert endeavors, Dakar and Stadium Super Truck programs moving forward,” said Jody Groce, president of KMC Wheels. “Gordon is a true icon both behind the wheel and in product development.  For this reason, in addition to his role as a KMC Wheels driver, he will be highly involved in the development and technology put into XD Series by KMC Wheels off-road wheels.”

The first product to result from Gordon’s involvement with KMC Wheels will be the Robby Gordon collection within the XD Series wheel brand. In the coming months there will be a range of styles co-designed between KMC Wheels and Gordon. These styles will include truck, buggy and UTV (details for XD Series UTV wheels to be covered in a later announcement).

Built around technology and leading-edge design, KMC Wheels and Robby Gordon are developing new wheels for the defiant breed of drivers and truck builders that are committed to pushing beyond the limits of what was believed to be possible.

“The collaboration we have created with KMC Wheels showcases the level of commitment we are making in creating more than partnerships—we are creating traceable top line revenue,”  said Todd Romano Founder/Partner Speed RMG Partners.

Young race car drivers trying to make it big in motorsports face many hurdles along the way.
Team owner Chip Ganassi has now created a program to help foster young talent and hopefully make their path to the top levels of racing a little easier.

The Generation Ganassi (Gen G) program will help identify young racing talent and provide mentoring along the way. The program will work with drivers 13–18 years of age and focus on both personal and professional mentorship.

"I have always been very passionate about trying to give back to the racing community as it has given me so much throughout my life," said Ganassi. "I have always had a real interest in finding and trying to develop young racing talent and over the years have even experienced success in doing it. This is simply an effort to give young drivers a 'leg up' as they navigate the turbulent waters of auto racing. The hope is that a program like this can make a difference in some drivers' careers."

Fifteen-year-old go-kart racer Devlin Defrancesco is the first driver named to the Gen G program. Defrancesco was the 2013 Canadian National Junior champion, vice champion of the CSAI Italian Championship and finished third in the CIK FIA European Karting Championship.

"I couldn't be happier to be the first recipient of the Generation Ganassi award," said Defrancesco. "To be identified by Chip Ganassi is not only an honor but also something that I will use as motivation to live up to the standards that Chip and his organization has always had for their drivers. This is a big day for me."

Each year the Gen G program will select 10 young drivers and pair them with a current Ganassi driver, competition person and others from the team's business operations team.

For those young drivers hoping to be a part of the Gen G program, they must first go through an application process and submit a video essay explaining why they should be selected. The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2016, and the winners will be announced in March 2016.