IRG Sports + Entertainment (IRGSE) announced the completion of its recapitalization with TPG Specialty Lending, Inc. (TSL). TSL is the U.S. direct originations investment platform of TPG Special Situations Partners, the credit and special situations platform of TPG, a $75 billion global private investment firm. TSL will assist IRGSE, a marketer and promoter of sports and live entertainment across the United States and Canada, in pursuing future growth. As result of the recapitalization IRGSE has a stronger balance sheet as well as access to the substantial resources and capital of a leading investment firm.

Since 2014, TSL has assisted with the current growth across all IRGSE properties including: Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR), Memphis International Raceway (MIR), Maryland International Raceway (MDIR),Cordova International Raceway (CIR) and the World Series of Drag Racing; as well as the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and the International Drag Bike League (IDBL).

The Executive Management Team will consist of current IHRA President Scott Gardner, IRGSE Chief Operating Officer Royce Miller and new Chief Financial Officer Louis F. Partenza.Prior to joining IRGSE, Partenza was the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Florida Panthers Hockey Club, Sunrise Sports and Entertainment and BB&T Center. All three individuals will be involved in the future expansion of IRGSE.

The venue for the World Rallycross Championship's final round in Argentina has been moved from San Luis to Rosario.

San Luis hosted World RX's first visit to South America last November but according to a championship statement "local elections have meant that the work required to the rallycross track at San Luis has not been completed.

"A new circuit in Rosario has now been chosen to stage the final round of the world championships, pending final approval of the circuit and final agreement between the championship promoter and local organiser."

The San Luis venue was one of five new circuits in the World RX championship in 2014, but did not live up to the standards set by other new venues such as Istanbul Park in Turkey and Franciacorta in Italy.

The Juan Manuel Fangio Circuit in Rosario was recently refurbished and currently hosts the Argentinian TC2000 championship. It is situated 180 miles north west of capital city Buenos Aires.

Ahead of the 11th round of World RX in Turkey this weekend, reigning champion Petter Solberg leads the title race by 35 points, while Team Peugeot-Hansen head the teams' points tally by 77 points.

Nate Shelton has announced that he will retire at the end of 2015, concluding an automotive aftermarket career that spanned 43 years. He currently serves as chief marketing officer of B&M Racing and Performance Products, a Driven Performance Brands company.

Shelton is currently in his second term as chairman of the SEMA Board of Directors, accumulating 18 years of serving on the board. In those 18 years, he founded the Motorsports Parts Manufacturing Council, and was inducted into the hall of fames for SEMA, MPMC and National Parts Warehouse Hall. He was also the recipient of the AAM Captain America Group Hero award.

Shelton is retiring to spend more quality time with his family, including his wife of 45 years, Jeannie, and, of course, his hot rods.

“I have met thousands of people over the years, but my best friends are all individuals from the automotive industry,” Shelton said. “I hope that I have been inspirational and somehow touched many of your lives.”

Shelton started his career with Hooker Headers in 1972. Over the years, he’s worked for a lot of the leading edge companies, like Koni shocks, Cam Dynamics and K&N Performance Air Filters. He has served as chief marketing officer for Driven Performance Brands during the past 10 years.

As the CEO for seven years at K&N, Nate transformed the small motorcycle company into a $100 million-plus per year company and won four PWA Manufacturer of the Year Awards.

Stewart-Haas Racing unveiled Clint Bowyer as Tony Stewart's successor Wednesday, shedding light on the plan to replace the three-time NASCAR premier-series champion upon his retirement at the end of next season.



Bowyer said when it became evident that there was a vacancy at Stewart's No. 14 ride, he didn't hesitate. "They didn't have to call me," Bowyer said with his patented grin.



The news also provided Bowyer with an opportune landing place after rocky recent weeks with his current team, Michael Waltrip Racing.



"I don't think I got fired; it just went away, and somehow you landed in a way better situation," Bowyer said to laughter in Wednesday's news conference at HaasF1's sprawling new headquarters. "Do you ever hear that term when you fall in a pile of cow manure and come out smelling like roses? That's exactly what this is for me."



Bowyer's timetable for inheriting the No. 14 Chevrolet ride in 2017 includes a one-year gap in his driving duties. He shied away from giving specifics regarding his 2016 plans, despite speculation he would shift to the two-car HScott Motorsports outfit for a one-year stint in the interim.



Bowyer hinted that next season's part of the equation could become clearer by this weekend at Dover International Speedway.



"Yeah, there's going to be some more announcements later in the week as far as where we're going for next year," Bowyer said. "But for this announcement, why I'm here today is to announce the long‑term future plan for me."



"You know, everything in racing is timing, and the opportunity to get somebody like Clint Bowyer, I mean, that's when you know you seize the opportunity. We're probably going to have a hard time working together and communicating with each other. We probably won't have any fun racing," Stewart said with trademark sarcasm. "It's the right time, it's the right opportunity, and when somebody in a scenario like Clint's this year came about, you jump on those opportunities, and you know that timing is everything."


In a compelling contrast, the details for Bowyer's future emerged as the fate of his campaign in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs simultaneously faced a crossroads just six miles away, where Michael Waltrip Racing was appealing P4-grade penalties against Bowyer's No. 15 team at the NASCAR Research & Development Center.



Bowyer qualified for this year's Chase on the basis of his rank in the Sprint Cup driver standings, but the team opened with a thud in the Chicagoland opener. Penalties stemming from a pre-race infraction for improper track-bar and suspension mountings essentially negated the team's 19th-place finish, digging a large deficit in the opening three-race Challenger Round.


The 25-point penalty was upheld Wednesday by a three-member panel, keeping Bowyer last in the 16-driver postseason field with bleak odds of advancing from the Chase's opening round this weekend at Dover International Speedway.



The appeal is another tipping point in Bowyer's final days with MWR. The team announced August 19 that it would shut its doors at the end of the season, granting Bowyer his release and freeing him to seek employment elsewhere. That freedom resulted in landing nicely on his feet, claiming what he called "one of the best rides ever in the history of the sport."


"I mean, this is a champion's seat that I'm filling, so that being said, this is an unbelievable opportunity," Bowyer said. "Just like I said earlier, to think of that door opening, and holy cow, the timing couldn't have been any better for myself. Just somebody was looking after me."


Bowyer has eight victories in NASCAR's premier series—five with Richard Childress Racing, where he drove from 2006-2011, and three with Michael Waltrip Racing (2012-2015), all coming in his first year with the team. Bowyer's 2012 campaign remains his most successful with a second-place result in the final Sprint Cup standings.



But besides the performance and accomplishments, Bowyer also brings an affable, cooperative element to the mix of personnel and personalities at Stewart-Haas. Though Bowyer said Wednesday that he would miss racing against Stewart—his future boss, but also his friend—he also looked forward to building chemistry in the next stage of his stock-car racing career.



"That being said, damn, I'm glad that you decided to retire and open this seat up for me," Bowyer said to Stewart, "but you know, it's just all about people, it's all about culture for me, and I think the fit factor couldn't be any better."

Despite retirement rumors, McLaren-Honda has confirmed that 2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button will remain with the team for the 2016 season.

“Over the past month or so I have done quite a lot of thinking, and it is no secret that I was at one point in two minds about my future,” said Button. “But I have been a McLaren driver for six seasons now [2010-2015], and in that time I have got to know Ron (Dennis, McLaren chairman and CEO) very well. He and I have had some very good chats these past few weeks, and during those chats it has become clear to me that Ron is both utterly determined and uniquely equipped to lead our team through its current difficulties to great successes in the future. That gives me great confidence, and it is for that reason that, together, he and I have decided to continue our partnership; and, as soon as I had made that decision, straight away I realized it was the correct one.

“OK, granted, this year has not been an easy one for us, but we know what we need to do to improve things and, in collaboration with Honda, we will work extremely hard over the next weeks and months in order to make sure that 2016 will be a much better season than 2015 has been.”

Button joined McLaren in 2010 after his championship season at Brawn GP in 2009. He has 15 career Formula One victories, including eight victories since joining McLaren.

“Jenson and I have been discussing his plans in private for the past few weeks, and the fact that our talks have led to today’s announcement is very pleasing to both of us and will delight and motivate all at McLaren-Honda,” said Dennis. “As I have made clear whenever I have been asked about the subject, Jenson’s current contract is of two years duration [2015 and 2016]. There is a ‘terminate after year one’ option that McLaren could have triggered if we had wished to do so, but, once it became clear from my many conversations with Jenson that he remained as enthusiastic and as committed and as focused as ever, that option immediately became an irrelevance. That being the case, Jenson will race for McLaren-Honda next year, under the terms and conditions as set out in the two-year contract that both parties entered into a year ago.”

CFH Racing announced that Josef Newgarden will return as the driver of the No. 67 Chevrolet for the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season.

The 2016 season will be Newgarden’s fifth year with the team on the heels of his best season, which saw Newgarden score his first two Verizon IndyCar Series victories.

“I am very excited to be back at CFH Racing,” said Newgarden. “It all really comes down to the confidence and belief that our owners Ed Carpenter, Sarah Fisher, Wink Hartman, Stuart Reed and Tony George have in me. They’ve given me all of the tools I could ask for to drive a racecar and to be successful. It’s easy to be excited about coming back to work with this group knowing the level that we are operating at. I can see the capabilities that we have and I think we are going to be able to fully execute in 2016.”

Newgarden has 67 starts in the Verizon IndyCar Series, all of which occurred with what is now CFH Racing. His IndyCar career started in 2012 with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR), one year after he captured the Firestone Indy Lights Championship. When SFHR merged with Ed Carpenter Racing prior to the 2015 season to form CFH Racing, Newgarden remained the team’s full-time driver.

“It was great to finalize a deal with Josef to keep him with CFH Racing for 2016. Just as he was a priority to sign before this past season, he was a priority for us again this year,” said team co-owner Carpenter. “We are focused on becoming a force in the Verizon IndyCar Series and we see Josef being a large part of that. It is our intention to have him in a CFH car for a long time.”

The Hendersonville, Tennessee-native is coming off the best season of his young IndyCar career. Newgarden earned his breakthrough first win in only the fourth race of 2015 with a dominating performance at Barber Motorsports Park. His second win came seven races later when he beat teammate Luca Filippi to the checkered flag in the streets of Toronto, leading CFH Racing to it’s first ever one-two finish. Two other podium results followed with second place finishes at Iowa Speedway and Pocono Raceway.

“It is with great pride that our team will support Josef behind the wheel of the 67 car in 2016,” said CFH Racing co-owner Sarah Fisher. “I’m certainly encouraged to see the energy, enthusiasm and dedication that Ed and our partners have given to the 67 car program to make this happen. I am looking forward to a second year of racing at a championship level!”

Heading into the final race of the year, Newgarden was one of six drivers that remained eligible for the Verizon IndyCar Series championship. He eventually finished seventh in the series standings. The 24-year-old also captured his first career pole position at The Milwaukee Mile and started on the front row of the season finale at Sonoma Raceway. He led five of the final seven races of the year on his way to leading the most laps (345) of all drivers in 2015.

Hartman, also a co-owner of CFH Racing, echoed the sentiments of Carpenter and Fisher.

“CFH is excited for the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Season to begin and to continue our on track success with Josef in the seat. Josef will be on the podium multiple times next year and I know he will challenge for the series championship,” said Hartman.

The FIA World Motor Sport Council has revised and ratified the 2016 Formula One schedule, which features a number of changes from the original version released in July.

In total, eight races have new dates, including the Australian, Chinese, Bahrain, British, Azerbaijan, Hungarian, Malaysian and Mexican GP events.

Bernie Ecclestone had been wrestling with the schedule changes over the past three months, after the original calendar released attracted concerns from teams and race promoters.

The opening race in Australia has been moved to March 20, two weeks earlier than when the schedule was first unveiled.

This change creates potential logistical problem for teams, who now have to change their research and development, car build, crash testing, and spares production schedules.

Full 2016 F1 schedule:

March 20 - Melbourne

April 3 - Bahrain

April 17 - Shanghai

May 1 - Sochi

May 15 - Barcelona

May 29 - Monte Carlo

June 12 - Montreal

June 19 - Baku

July 3 - Spielberg

July 10 - Silverstone

July 24 - Budapest

July 31 - Hockenheim

August 28 - Spa-Francorchamps

September 4 - Monza

September 18 - Singapore

October 2 - Sepang

October 9 - Suzuka

October 23 - Austin

November 6 - Mexico City

November 13 - Sao Paolo

November 27 - Abu Dhabi

IndyCar Team Owner, Sam Schmidt and Conquer Paralysis Now,  a non-profit organization, is hosting a special event fundraiser in Las Vegas on November 1–2.

Sunday, November 1, at Exotics Racing—Drive laps in the exotic car of your choice at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, enjoy some great food, cocktails and the opportunity to bid on some fabulous, unique auction items. Get behind the wheel of a Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati and other unique cars.

Monday, November 2, play a round of golf at the exclusive Southshore Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. The day-long program that includes breakfast, lunch, a round of golf, and participation in the awards banquet ceremony at the end of the day.

The golf and the pre-golf party are only $500 per person. For those who would like to attend the party on November 1 only, the cost is $275.

Support Conquer Paralysis Now, a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) nonprofit organization in its mission to finding a cure for paralysis restoring functional recovery for those living with spinal cord injuries.

To register, visit www.conquerparalysisnowgolf.org or call Nick Bella or Craig Williams at 609-737-1919.

Toyo Tires, the Official Tire of NASA, returns with its support of the 25 Hours of Thunderhill December 5-6 at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Northern California.

Toyo Tires will once again provide an on-site hospitality program for qualified competitors using Toyo Proxes tires.

The 25 Hours of Thunderhill is held annually by the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) and is considered the longest endurance road race in North America. Racers travel from around the continent to compete in this prestigious event.

This will be the fourth consecutive year that Toyo Tires will have its VIP rig on-site to provide free meals at the track on Friday–Sunday.

“The support Toyo Tires gives competitors at the NASA 25 hours of Thunderhill presented by Hawk Performance is unmatched,” said Jeremy Croiset, NASA’s Director of Business Development. “The race has quickly grown to become the preeminent pro-am endurance race in North America.  It is fantastic to have Toyo on board again this year to support competitors who choose the Toyo Tires brand, as they seem to really appreciate it.”

“We are proud to offer a VIP support program for competitors using Toyo tires,” said Marc Sanzenbacher, senior manager, motorsports, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.  “We recognize the extraordinary effort that goes into “Surviving the 25” and Toyo Tires is committed to helping make the 25-Hours of Thunderhill one of the most memorable and enjoyable road racing events each year.”

For the third straight year, Speed51.com will be challenging drivers from outside the Southeast region to make their way to Five Flags Speedway for the prestigious Snowball Derby in the form of a bounty.

In a partnership with event officials, Speed51.com will be putting up three bounties worth $551 each for the 48th Annual Snowball Derby the weekend of December 2-6, 2015. Each team must be based in the designated areas to be eligible for the award.

Three separate cash awards will be up for grabs for teams based in the Midwest, Northeast and, for the first time, the West as well. In 2013, D.J. Shaw failed to qualify for the Snowball Derby and still received the $551 bonus for being the highest finishing car from the Northeast.

“We truly appreciate Bob and his staff coming on board for a third-straight year to honor the teams that travel long distances to participate in the Snowball Derby. We hope this gives some teams a little extra incentive to compete in our event,” said Five Flags Speedway General Manager Tim Bryant. “Speed51.com has been a great partner of ours over the years and the exposure that they bring the event is second-to-none the event and team around the nation.”

Speed51.com is celebrating its 15th year of coverage of the nation’s most prestigious asphalt short track event by once again offering these bounties for drivers from the Midwest, Northeast and West.

“The Snowball Derby is where short trackers go to prove that they are the best in the country,” said Speed51.com Executive Editor Bob Dillner. “You could be the top dog at your track or your series, but the Snowball Derby is full of dozens of top dogs from all around North America. We are putting this challenge out there for the Midwest, Northeast and Midwest-based teams to hopefully get them more excited to come down to Pensacola and see where they stack up against the rest of the country’s top racers in the Snowball Derby.”

The $551 bonus for the highest-finishing Midwest racer will be open to cars that originate from race shops in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The Northeast bonus is for the highest-finishing driver with a team based in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Vermont or Rhode Island. Race teams from Canada will also be included in the Northeast bounty to encourage teams from the Maritime, Quebec and other provinces north of the border to make their way to Pensacola.