The Lamborghini Huracán GT3 will make its North American GT3 racing debut with confirmed entries into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona (GTD) class in 2016.

The official debut will be in the 24 Hours at Daytona on Jan. 30-31 with multiple customer teams, continuing Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s tradition of customer support. There will be no factory entries, but all customer-racing teams will have factory support.

Lamborghini’s move into GTD comes as the class adopts the 2016 FIA GT3 specifications for all of its entries.

“We are only focused and committed to customer racing,” Automobili Lamborghini Head of Motorsport Giorgio Sanna said. “For us, GT3 is the pinnacle of our strategy. We are excited to make this next step in North America as our motorsport program competes for the first time in Lamborghini history in the 24 Hours at Daytona and in multiple full-season GTD efforts.”

The 585-horsepower Huracán GT3 was born from a desire to offer factory-built and supported cars to customers worldwide. It is the first GT3 car to be fully engineered, developed and assembled internally by Automobili Lamborghini.

The move to GT3 racing in North America is the exciting next step as the Lamborghini Motorsport program continues to build its racing ladder. The GT3 program is the top step of an impressive pyramid, which includes Lamborghini Esperienza and Accademia and three Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series worldwide.

There are direct connections between two of the confirmed GT3 entries and Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America, which is in its third season. Change Racing and O’Gara Motorsports both will add Lamborghini Huracán GT3 programs in addition to their existing Super Trofeo North America efforts in 2016. In addition Konrad Motorsport, a powerful Super Trofeo Europe team, has confirmed participation in the 24 Hours at Daytona with the Huracán GT3.

Change Racing has been in the fold since the North American series inception in 2013. Change Racing is a past team champion and has fielded the driver champion two years in a row, in addition to winning the 2014 Pro-Am Super Trofeo World Finals.

“I’m very proud to have the opportunity to grow our relationship with Lamborghini and complement our Super Trofeo program with a GTD effort for 2016,” Change Racing Team Principal Robby Benton said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to build a resume and footprint in the North American Super Trofeo Series and this is a logical next step for us. Lamborghini Squadra Corse has a very talented group supporting its customer-racing program. I have a lot of confidence in Lamborghini Squadra Corse and its vision for 2016.”

O’Gara Motorsport team owner Tom O’Gara has been involved with the Super Trofeo series in North America since 2013, but this is the first year for the team as a solo entrant. The team leads the championship in the team and Pro and Amateur driver categories.

“We are very excited that O’Gara Motorsport will be participating in the inaugural season of the Lamborghini GT3 program in North America,” O’Gara Motorsport Team Owner Tom O’Gara said. “We’ve won several races this season and have led the championship since the first race of our inaugural season of competition as a team. I’m confident that our GTD team next year will continue to showcase their hard work and commitment to achieving the winning tradition that we expect in our organization. We are also happy to create an opportunity for drivers to advance their careers after achieving success in our Super Trofeo program. Our team and I are looking forward to this next challenge.”

Konrad Motorsport fields a three-car effort in Super Trofeo Europe this season. This will be a return appearance to the 24 Hours at Daytona for the team, which is no stranger to endurance racing, but the first with Lamborghini.

“I’m very happy to be back at Daytona with such a famous brand as Lamborghini,” Konrad Motorsport Team Owner Franz Konrad said. “We do have a strong relation with Lamborghini that started back in 1991. We know Daytona well. We have raced there 16 times including the last three years. We also managed to win our classes and we are confident we can keep up our positive streak. Here in Europe we race in Super Trofeo and we are very happy with the product. The natural choice was to move on to GT3 racing. We will line up a car with the possibility of adding a second one.”

The Huracán GT3 will be eligible for all GT3 racing in North America.

USAC open-wheel racing star Tracy Hines will make a fulltime move to NASCAR next season, but not behind the steering wheel.

Hines, the 2000 USAC Silver Crown Series champion and 2002 USAC National Sprint Car Series champion, will take over as competition director at ThorSport Racing next season.

The Ohio-based NASCAR team owned by Duke and Rhonda Thorson, fields three entries in the Camping World Truck Series and has won the past two series championships with driver Matt Crafton.

“This decision wasn’t an easy one, it took the whole summer to make, but it is time,” Hines said in a statement. “I get to take my love for racing to a great place with great people that share my passion. I look forward to this new step in our lives.

“I have been so lucky to have amazing owners, sponsors, and fans that have made my career such a blessing. They have stuck with me through many years of ups and downs. I have gotten to do so much in our sport and am truly thankful for each and every experience.

“The knowledge and skills that I have gained during my years as a driver and car owner from everyone in my racing family will help me in my next chapter of my racing career.”

Hines does have some experience racing in NASCAR competition. Between 2000 and 2013, Hines made 17 starts in what is now the Xfinity Series and 53 in the Truck series.

His career-best performance is a pair of fifth-place finishes in Trucks—at Mansfield, Ohio, in 2004 and Richmond, Virginia, in 2005. Hines ran full season in Trucks in 2004 and 2005 with ThorSport Racing.

“Tracy has been an integral part of our organization in the past, and we are honored to have him back at ThorSport,” said team owner Duke Thorson. “His experience as a driver and his knowledge of our series, and our sport, will be a valuable asset to our team.

“Tracy will be a liaison between our driver's, crew chiefs, and engineers, a move that will add depth to our organization.”

Hines, who plans to race at least 15 times before the end of the year, has 47 career USAC National Sprint Car Series wins—third all-time behind Dave Darland and Tom Bigelow. He has 35 National Midget Series wins. He entered the 2015 season having won at least one USAC National feature event in 19 straight years.

PRW Industries Inc., a manufacturer of high-performance engine components for hotrods and race cars, welcomes Bryce Kirk to the PRW team as its new Director of Operations. 

Kirk has many years of experience on and off the track circuit, working on both Domestic and Import performance vehicles. With numerous years of experience in the automotive performance industry, he has worked behind the scenes as an enthusiast and professional. He is passionate for all makes, models, and styles in the automotive culture.

Kirk is a contributing writer in his spare time, for an automotive performance publishing company and avid sportsman participant. He has a bachelor’s degree in Business from Cal. State Channel Islands, with a focus on Business Operations.

Kirk is no stranger to the automotive performance business environment, and to the operational forces that drive it.

Hyundai Motor introduced the company’s new high-performance N sub-brand at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in Germany.

Hyundai Motor aims to build on its motorsport experience with the new N brand, according to the company. In debuting the brand, Hyundai previewed its 2016 Hyundai i20 WRC race car, alongside two concept cars that demonstrate the company’s performance ambition.

The Hyundai N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo concept demonstrated the brand’s perspective on future performance characteristics, according to Hyundai. Created exclusively for PlayStation’s Gran Turismo video game series, the concept car boasts total power of 884 PS from Hyundai Motor’s hydrogen fuel cell system and an additional super capacitor system.

In addition, the mid-engine turbo-powered 300 PS Hyundai RM15 concept with a lightweight construction represented how the N sub-brand’s driver-focused technologies could come into production, according to Hyundai.

“Design, quality and product value have become established as key pillars of our brand,” said Jochen Sengpiehl, vice president of marketing at Hyundai Motor Europe, “and we are adding the emotional characteristics of performance and driving pleasure with Hyundai N.”

Southern National Motorsports Park will again host the season opening race for the Championship Auto Racing Series (CARS) in 2016.

The CARS Tour, which features Late Model Stock Car and Super Late Model touring races, will start their second season of racing on April 2, 2016 at the 4/10th mile oval in Lucama, North Carolina. The series’ first race was held at Southern National on March 28, 2015 with Cole Timm (Super Late Model) and Todd Gilliland (Late Model Stock Car) scoring victories.

Along with hosting the series opening race, Southern National Motorsports Park also hosted an encore appearance for the CARS Tour back on May 30th when Christopher Bell (Super Late Model) and Deac McCaskill (Late Model Stock Car) visited victory lane.

Chris Ragle, director of operations and marketing for the CARS Tour, made the announcement on Saturday prior to the tour’s ninth race of the 2015 season in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
For more information about the CARS Tour, check out their website at www.carsracingtour.com.

Super Late Model racing will headline the racing program on Saturday night, September 26th, when the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) takes to the track for their 150-lap race. PASS Pro Late Model racing and USAC Midget racing will also be on display at Southern National Motorsports Park on Saturday night. General admission tickets are available for just $20.

For more information about the PASS Super Late Model Series, check out their website at www.proallstarsseries.com.

Eight new inductions for the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame include a pair of drivers, a car owner, four officials and a pair of brothers who were long-time sponsors, participants and supporters.

Alphabetically they are: Boots Archer, Tommy Hunt, Ed and Zeke Justice, Wendell Kelley, Roy Morrison, Jim Rieder, Randy Roberts and Bobby Unser. They will be officially inducted during ceremonies in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on January 15 during the week of the Chili Bowl Nationals Midget event.

Archer stepped forward in 1945 to assist the fledgling Bay Cities Racing Ass’n (BCRA) as its business manager. Through the years he was the “go-to” guy for stats and historical info and his dedication never wavered. He passed away in January of 1996, but he was a guiding force behind BCRA Midget racing for many years. Just before his death, he was instrumental in constructing the history for a book which was released covering the history of Oakland, California, racing.

Hunt, who was primarily responsible for the creation of the USAC HPD Midget Series, which has conducted races all across the country for the past 13 years, recently became the race organizer at the spectacular Calistoga (California) Speedway and now heads up HMC Promotions in northern California. Named in 1988 to the post of USAC Vice-President/Western Operations, he was formerly the president of Hunt Magnetos, the company founded by his late father. After a stint racing sprint cars and midgets, he ended up purchasing the family company in 1982. A past participant board member with CRA, Tommy became USAC’s Western States Supervisor in 1986, a post he held for two decades. His son Tony is one of only two drivers who owns at least 10 USAC driving titles, the other being A.J. Foyt.

The Justice Brothers (Ed and Zeke) were among the sport’s most ardent followers and supporters. Through their California company and the continuing dedication of Ed Justice, Jr., they have spread their support throughout the motorsports world.

Their involvement in the sport reached many levels and included significant participation in many of the famed Kurtis-Kraft racers which were so popular in the early years. In 2015, the Justice Brothers celebrated their 70th year of participation in the Indianapolis 500. As sponsors of the Petersen Motorsports Porsche, they claimed the 2003 and 2004 24 Hours of LeMans. Their collection of vintage racing vehicles stands as one of the finest in America. Justice Brothers continues to this day to service the racing fraternity through their line of car care products, fleet, farm and industrial lubricants and cleaners.

Morrison was instrumental in perfecting the art of timing and scoring and served numerous capacities as an official after a stint as a driver and car owner. Working with associations such as the SRA (Southern Racing Association), IVMA (Imperial Valley Midget Association) and the United Midget Association, he and his wife Ethel were heavily involved in the sport and in 1946 and ’47, he served as the president of the URA. He passed away in 1970, but was a driving force in organization and rules implementation.

Kelley, affectionately referred to as Mr. NEMA, served as an official for 37 years with the Northeastern Midget Association and worked tirelessly to promote and advance the organization. At the time of his untimely death in 1989, he had attended 655 of 659 NEMA events to that point.

As secretary, chief scorer and treasurer, he earned the respect of everyone with his diligent record-keeping and integrity. As a car owner, he fielded cars for two-time NEMA champion Al Pillion and others and, in 1959, was the Non-Offy owner champion. He and his brother Ray were the first recipients of the Bay State Old Timers Award for Dedication to the Preservation of New England Auto Racing. He was one of the initial inductees into the Dick Gallagher Memorial Hall of Fame. A group of life-long fans honored him with their Johnny Thomson Memorial Trophy and NEMA established the Wen Kelley Memorial Award after his untimely passing.

Rieder is one of the sport’s most accomplished car owners. With over 50 years of experience in auto racing, he has built cars and guided the careers of many of the sport’s top drivers. He captured a half-dozen championships and in 1986 alone his cars won 23 feature events. Among his 14 USAC victories were the 1985 and 1987 Night Before the 500s and the 1986 Hoosier Dome classic with Nick Fornoro Jr. and the 1972 Hut Hundred with Pancho Carter.

He also fielded the USAC Championship cars for 1976 Syracuse 100 and 1977 Hoosier Hundred winner Carter. Midget championships included USAC (1972), ARDC (1985 and 1986), ESMRA and SMRC (1985) and All-Star Outlaw (1986). In 1971, he served as the President of the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC).

Roberts was one of the most accomplished Midget racers in the history of central America. The kingpin of the Rocky Mountain Midget Racing Ass’n (RMMRA) headquartered in Colorado, he claimed championships in 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999.

He was the 1979 RMMRA Most Improved Driver and in 1985 and 1988, he was the series “Mechanic of the Year.” In 2001, he was inducted into the Belleville High Banks Hall of Fame and in 2006, he was inducted into the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame.

A frequent competitor with the USAC National Midget series, his career was shortened when he was seriously injured in a highway crash in 2000. During his RMMRA career, he posted an all-time record of 80 victories.

Unser has driven most everything the sport has had to offer and his three Indianapolis 500 victories came in 1968, 1975 and 1981. The only driver in USAC history to post feature victories during five decades, Bobby won the first USAC race ever held in his native New Mexico, a 1963 Midget race at Speedway Park in Albuquerque.

Although he had an extensive career in Midgets, he never concentrated on Midget championships. A member of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, Colorado Sports Car Hall of Fame and Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, he won USAC’s “Fast Masters” championship in 1993, featuring the world’s greatest race drivers. In 1968 and 1974, he was USAC’s National Champion and 13 times he won championships at the prestigious Pikes Peak Hill Climb.

The 2016 World Endurance Championship calendar has been revealed at Circuit of The Americas by Pierre Fillon, President of l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), and Gérard Neveu, CEO of the World Endurance Championship (FIA).  Alongside the existing eight rounds that have become familiar to endurance racing fans around the world, an additional race will take place in Mexico, to be confirmed as the contract is still being finalized.

The 2016 schedule for the increasingly prestigious endurance series, a joint partnership between the FIA and the ACO, echoes that of 2015 plus the addition of the Mexican round, and will feature nine races in four continents. The 24 Hours of Le Mans continues to be the cornerstone of the championship, and all eight of the other rounds will be six-hour races. Two further significant points within the calendar are the reduction of the gap between races following the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, and the return to Latin America of the WEC.

The WEC is committed to paying special attention to guarantee that budgetary controls remain for the benefit of the constructors and other partners within the paddock.  

“We believe that the time is right to expand the WEC, and the nine-race calendar for 2016 allows us to continue to build the tradition of 6-hour events in the countries we visit—some of which were not so familiar with endurance racing when we began in 2012,” said Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO. “Each year we return, the Spirit of Le Mans is more and more obvious, with increasing entertainment and sporting action for larger numbers of spectators and TV audiences to enjoy. Of course, the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans is the race that everyone knows about and wants to compete in, but the legend is now being extended to the 6-hour races as well and moving into countries with strong historic links to endurance, such as Mexico City. We are very proud to have maintained the level of stability in the four years of the WEC, and we look forward to seeing you all in 2016.”

“The opportunity offered by Mexico City to take endurance racing back to Latin America was the right one at the right time,” said Gérard Neveu, CEO of the WEC. “In consultation with our partners and competitors, we believe that the countries in which we race have all fully embraced endurance racing and that was one of the considerations for any further rounds. The WEC Promoter will be responsible for the full freight costs for competitors from Europe to Mexico so that there will not be any significant impact on their logistic budgets.  Using the stability and consistency already in place with our other rounds, we will continue to ensure that the WEC continues to offer fans access to the most technologically relevant, competitive, and open championship possible. We are looking forward to welcoming Ford back to top level GTE racing in 2016, and we are confident that Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche are equally excited about their entry. We have worked with the teams and circuits to reduce the long summer gap following Le Mans, and this new calendar will keep the action going through the summer.”

As has become tradition, the 2016 season will start on the March 25–26 with The Prologue at Circuit Paul Ricard in France for the official pre-season test. It is the first opportunity for media and fans, and indeed competitors, to see all the new season’s cars in one place including the top manufacturer hybrid entries from Audi, Porsche and Toyota, and all the other LMP1 privateer, LMP2 and GTE teams.

The opening race of the year will be the 6 Hours of Silverstone at the home of British motorsport, where entrants will compete for the celebrated Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy. The 2016 WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps will be the fifth time that the Belgian round has taken place in early May. The race has become the traditional ‘dress rehearsal’ for teams and drivers in the lead up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

The 6 Hours of Nürburgring, which enjoyed a very successful introduction to the calendar this year, will once again be the fourth round of the WEC but in 2016 will take place on 24 July to reduce the length of time between races over the summer period.
 
As the championship moves into its second half of the season, the new, Mexican round on September 4 will be the first of five races overseas at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Lone Star Le Mans will once again be a joint race weekend with IMSA’s United Sports Car Championship. It will be followed by races in Fuji, Shanghai and the finale in Bahrain at the end of November.

2016 FIA World Endurance Championship Provisional Calendar**

March 25–26: The Prologue, Circuit Paul Ricard, France  

April 17: 6 Hours of Silverstone, GBR

May 7: WEC 6 Hours of Spa, BEL

June 5: 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day

June 18–19: 24 Hours of Le Mans, FRA

July 24: 6 Hours of Nürburgring, DEU

September 4: 6 Hours of Mexico City, MEX (To Be Confirmed)

September 17: 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas (Lone Star Le Mans), USA

October 16: 6 Hours of Fuji, JAP

November 6: 6 Hours of Shanghai, PRC

November 19: 6 Hours of Bahrain, UAE

** Subject to validation by the FIA World Motor Sport Council

SONIC Equipment, manufacturer of premium hand tool and tool storage systems, announced its expansion into the North American market with a new subsidiary, SONIC Tools, headquartered in Auburn, Alabama. SONIC Tools will serve the needs of US and Canadian automotive dealerships, independent service centers, competition and tuner shops, technicians and do-it-yourself automotive enthusiasts. The brand is also the official hand tool of the Tudor United SportsCar Championship and Continental SportsCar Challenge, as well as an official partner of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA).
 
SONIC Tools offers its world-class product portfolio of hand tools, toolboxes and storage systems, designed for increased service operation efficiency. SONIC products will be available for purchase online, through tool truck distribution with targeted territories, Amazon.com, and distributors around the country. IMSA attendees can purchase tools onsite. SONIC Tools is the only brand to offer a 24-hour tool replacement guarantee in the unlikely event of breakage, along with a lifetime warranty on all tools and storage products.
 
“SONIC hand tools and storage systems are designed to increase efficiency at every level of the modern automotive service operation, from higher productivity to stronger talent retention,” said Colby McConnell, Chief Marketing Officer, SONIC Tools. “As a leader in the hand tool and storage system industry in Europe, SONIC has built a strong reputation as the brand of choice among performance-focused automotive manufacturers, and we’re ready to prove to North American professional customers and consumers why our products should be in their workshop.”
 
Unique features such as the SONIC Foam System (SFS), the company’s custom-molded and tagged tool box trays, ensure that professionals have the fastest possible access to the right tools, at the right time. The system also reduces costs associated with misplaced or missing tools. Exceptional European design, world-class manufacturing quality and ultra-competitive pricing all combine to create the best hand tool and tool storage value.
 
In Europe, SONIC Equipment partnerships include Volkswagen Automotive Group, BMW, and Mercedes. SONIC is one of only a few suppliers throughout Europe to have been awarded a VW parts number.
 
With a range of organizational solutions that fit professional workshops, home garages and on-the-go do-it-yourselfers, SONIC Tools and storage systems meet multiple repair job needs.  The company’s line of portable toolboxes, both filled or ready for a cherry-picked selection of hand tools, means the SONIC customer is always ready for fast repair – at the track, at home or on the job.
 
As part of SONIC Equipment’s North American introduction, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and Sonic Equipment have announced a multi-year agreement that presents SONIC Tools as the Official Hand Tool Supplier of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, beginning with this past weekend’s  Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas.
 
Automotive enthusiasts are also invited to visit SONIC Tools at the 2015 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (SEMA) show, November 3–6, 2015 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas (Booth #16607), as well as Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show, December 10–12 in Indianapolis (Booth #7212).

Watkins Glen International announced the creation of the R.A.C.E (Racing and Community Enrichment) Foundation, a donor-advised fund of the NASCAR Foundation, geared to lead all community outreach and charitable giving for the historic road course facility located in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

According to its mission statement, R.A.C.E will use the backing of a close-knit community to foster meaningful fundraising efforts, while leaning on support from the international motorsports family.

R.A.C.E. intends to facilitate event planning as well as charitable giving. The foundation will participate in community-wide events, in addition to the organization and execution of its own.

“Watkins Glen International’s R.A.C.E Foundation will bring together our staff, resources, and ideas to benefit some great causes,” said Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup. “RACE has been in the planning stages for quite a while, and we’re now ready to tackle our objectives and implement our mission.”

For more information on the Watkins Glen International’s R.A.C.E Foundation, visit www.theglen.com.

The Utah Alliance and Save the Salt Coalition met with a variety of stakeholder groups at the Bonneville Salt Flats (BSF) in Utah to discuss potential solutions for restoring the historic raving venue. The BSF has been in the spotlight following cancellation this year of five major racing events due to weather and deteriorating salt conditions.

In response, the Utah Alliance organized a tour of the area with government officials who oversee the BSF, mine operators, geologists, engineers and other stakeholder groups. The tour allowed the parties to then engage in follow-up discussions and begin identifying tangible restoration actions.

“Everyone displayed a willingness to come together to find a solution,” said Dennis Sullivan, Chairman of the Utah Alliance. “There was a mutual respect demonstrated among the public agencies, private entities and racers. We all need to learn more from each other as well all have specific observations and experiences that need to be combined with scientific data to provide a viable was forward.”

The Utah Alliance and Save the Salt Coalition were joined by staff from Utah Governor Herbert’s office, Senator Mike Lee’s office, Bureau of Land Management, Intrepid Potash-Wendover, Utah Department of Natural Resources, University if Utah’s  Dr. Brenda Bowen, Brent Bingham, Mayor of Wendover, Utah, Councilman of West Wendover, Nevada and a number of land speed racers.

The Utah Alliance and Save the Salt Coalition will next present a position statement to the stakeholders identifying a number of short- and long-term actions to be considered. Priority will be given to determine how to expand brine pumping and mitigate mud contamination.

“Although concerns about deterioration at Bonneville have existed for decades, today marked the first time officials representing government, industry and racers sat at the same table to discuss solutions,” said Doug Evans, Chairman of the Save the Salt Coalition. “We are finally at the starting line in the race to save Bonneville.”

The groups indicated that no quick fixes existed to resolve issues related to the condition of the salt. However, they believe that given the high level of cooperation, the historic, internationally famous speedway will eventually be restored to safe racing conditions.