A golf tournament benefitting injured race car driver Kevin Swindell has been organized and will take place next month in the greater Charlotte area.

The #BulldogStrong Golf Tournament benefitting Kevin Swindell will be held at Rocky River Golf Club in Concord, North Carolina on Tuesday, October 6.

The benefit is designed to help raise donations for the long-term medical care and recovery of driver, Kevin Swindell, who sustained serious spinal cord and back injuries as a result of a racing accident on August 13. After two major back surgeries and eight days in an Iowa hospital, he was transported to Frazier Rehab Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, where he’s currently being treated for a spinal cord injury, which has left him without mobility below the waist.

There is a long road ahead for Swindell and donations from the Golf Tournament will help ease the burden of the medical expenses for Swindell and his family allowing him to focus solely on his health.

The #BulldogStrong Golf Tournament, which is open to the public, will be held at the Rocky River Golf Club located in Concord, North Carolina, in correlation with the October 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The event, which will be held days prior to the Charlotte Cup race, will draw support from many top racing industry professionals and drivers.

The #BulldogStrong Golf Tournament benefitting Kevin Swindell is a collaborative effort and will be run through the Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports (WAM), an Official Charity of NASCAR.

A company that lost out on the bidding for Miller Motorsports Park has filed a lawsuit in district court against Tooele County and the new owner of the 511-acre property, according to the following report published this week in The Salt Lake Tribune.

Center Point Management of Wyoming claims the proposed purchase of Miller Motorsports Park violated local and state law, which prohibits the sale of county-owned land "for anything less than full and an adequate consideration."

The county's decision to sell Miller Motorsports Park to the China-based Mitime Investment and Development group for $20 million "deprived [the] plaintiff of fair and lawful consideration of its competing bid."

In August, the Tooele County Commission announced it had received inquiries from "multiple suitors" before selling to Mitime. Commissioner Wade Bitner said the county listened to "proposals, not bids" during the process.

Mitime has promised to make additional investments in Miller Motorsports Park while keeping it open for racing. It is not known what Center Point Management planned to do with the property, although Andrew Cartwright told Fox News his group offered $27 million.

In its lawsuit, Center Point Management claims Tooele County is legally prohibited from selling to Mitime based on the company's promises to make large financial investments in Miller Motorsports Park. The promises are too vague to include in the consideration process, the lawsuit claims.

"Mitime's promise … regarding future development of the property is unenforceable, illusory and is of no clear, certain or present benefit to the county," the lawsuit says.

Center Point Management also claims Mitime Investment's bid for the Miller Motorsports Park offered the lowest purchase price of all proposals submitted Tooele County.

The lawsuit asks the court to enjoin or set aside the sale.

Miller Motorsports Park was opened in 2006 by Larry H. Miller. Earlier this year, the LHM Group of Companies announced it was getting out of the racetrack business.

Beginning in 2016, Madera Speedway will run a new division—the Jr. Late Models for drivers aged 10-16.

The division will compete as an eight-race series, and a television deal is in the works, said Madera owner Kenny Shepherd. “The concept for the Jr. Late Model Series is something I've thought about since 2009, as I believe a restricted Late Model is a great place for a youngster to hone their skills in a car they can move up with throughout their teenage years.

Guidelines call for a Late Model with several engine options available, including the 602 crate, 604 crate, or any cast iron block wet sump engine. According to the rules, a restrictor plate will be utilized on the cars, as well. The competitor’s machines will weigh anywhere from 2850 pounds to 3035 pounds depending on the engine combination, and will race on a Hoosier 8-inch tire. A maximum 58 percent left side weight is allowed. Only steel shocks will be permitted.

Wrinkles in the rules include: Drivers in the top ten drawing for position in the feature field; feature races will be 50 laps, split into two 25-lap segments; and teams will be permitted to work on their machines during the midway break.

To become eligible, drivers must have prior racing experience, be between the ages of 10-16, and have a release signed by a parent.

For more information visit www.racemadera.com

Kalitta Motorsports has announced a partnership with the Jimi Hendrix Foundation for the remainder of the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. The Jimi Hendrix Foundation will be the primary partner on J.R. Todd’s Top Fuel entry in the first three events of the Countdown to the Championship. The scheme will be unveiled on September 18th, the 45th anniversary of the passing of the legendary musician, in front of the zMAX Dragway tower.

“What an awesome way to start our chase at the title,” said Todd. “Hendrix was an amazing musician, and I am excited to be able to represent this foundation and educate people on the Music for Life program.”

The Jimi Hendrix Foundation is dedicated to the betterment of the world community through music. In honor of the love and giving spirit of Jimi Hendrix, the Foundation works to improve the quality of life for children and the world and to inspire creativity in music, arts, and sciences. The partnership with Kalitta Motorsports and J.R. Todd will allow the Jimi Hendrix Foundation to showcase their Music for Life program. Music for Life was established to provide children and young adults with musical instruments and instruction without the worry of cost.

"The stage is set to educate the corporate world about our mission at the Jimi Hendrix Foundation thanks to Kalitta Motorsports,” said Dan Pikarsky, marketing development, Jimi Hendrix Foundation.

Todd will run the Jimi Hendrix Foundation Top Fuel dragster at events in Charlotte, St. Louis, and Reading. The Jimi Hendrix Foundation will be an associate partner with longtime Team Kalitta sponsors Red Line Oil and Optima Batteries through the balance of the 2015 schedule.

Kalitta Motorsports has also worked with MainGate Inc. to create a special line of merchandise for the partnership. Fans can get their hands on the special-edition Jimi Hendrix Foundation merchandise starting in Charlotte at the NHRA Nitro Mall. A portion of the proceeds go directly back to the Music for Life program.

Motorsport’s night of nights will take place on April 1, 2016, when a select group of Australian motor sport greats from two and four wheel disciplines will be inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame.

The newly established Hall of Fame is an initiative of the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS), strongly supported by Motorcycling Australia (MA), Karting Australia, the Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA), Speedway Australia, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and V8 Supercars.

The Hall of Fame will pay tribute to all disciplines of the sport; speedway, drag racing, circuit racing, rallying, motorcycle racing, karting and off-road racing, across the entire duration of Australia’s proud motor sport history.

Motor Sport Hall of Fame Committee Chairman Garry Connelly AM said the initiative was an historic and important step.

“Australian motor sport has an extremely rich and successful history of which we are rightfully very proud,” Connelly said.

“The first group of inductees will comprise approximately 30 individuals who have made incredible contributions to our sport on both two and four wheels. It is incumbent on us to pay tribute to these outstanding people and as such the entire motor sport community is driving this initiative.

“It promises to be a truly memorable event, the scale of which will not be repeated given the number of inaugural inductees.”

"It is fantastic that motor sport now has a Hall of Fame. CAMS is extremely proud to have brought all of our sport together to recognise the wonder achievements of outstanding contributors to Australian motor sport." CAMS President Andrew Papadopoulos added.

MA President Tania Lawrence said, “Australian motorcycle racing has produced exciting and significant champions in our long history of the sport and we are delighted to be able to acknowledge some of those champions at this important event.”

Karting Australia CEO Kelvin O'Reilly stated: "The recognition of our greatest motor sport contributors across all disciplines of our sport including karting, will be a fitting tribute to those who have raced hard and at the highest levels both nationally and internationally across so many years."

Andrew Westacott, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, said the collaboration between the organisations in support of the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame is a fantastic initiative.

"There are many motor sport legends that have positively impacted the industry both nationally and internationally. Australia has seen a great number of excellent motor sport athletes succeed at the highest level throughout the years. As the promoter of both Formula One and the Motorcycle Grand Prix in Australia, we are very excited to honour our champions."

ANDRA Chairman Michael Fortheringham said, “Drag racing has a rich history within the Australian motor sport landscape and we are honoured to be part of recognising our own racing greats alongside those of the Australian motor sport community."

Speedway Australia spokesperson Shane Collins said, "The Speedway fraternity is privileged to have CAMS provide this wonderful initiative for some of our speedway legends to be recognised along with the other legends of motor sport.”

“Many Australian motor sport heroes have launched their successful racing careers through the Speedway ranks, so to have speedway recognised with all the other disciplines of motor sport is fantastic.”

V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said, "V8 Supercars is proud to support this fantastic initiative and we congratulate the Committee and CAMS for their efforts to bring the Hall of Fame vision to reality.

“Australia has many drivers past and present who deserve recognition as heroes and history makers, living legends and champions and we look forward to celebrating as part of the Australian motor sport family.

“We know our fans will be delighted to see their heroes celebrated in this way and we look forward to April 1 2016 as much as they do.”

Motor Sport Hall of Fame inductees are selected by a voting panel comprising representatives from each discipline of the sport and three highly respected and experienced motor sport journalists.

The inaugural induction will take place at an exclusive induction dinner to be held at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium on Friday, April 1, 2016 (the Friday evening of the Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix).

The event will be attended by an array of motor sport luminaries and will be open to members of the public, with tickets set to go on sale beginning October 1.

Circuit of The Americas announced that Jason Rittenberry, CFE has been named chief strategy officer. In this position, Rittenberry will serve as part of the senior leadership team and be responsible for developing new business models and revenue streams for COTA. In addition, he will identify ways to bolster commercial efforts, to improve the guest experience through integration of technology, and to drive efficiencies and effectiveness throughout the organization.

COTA hosts the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, MotoGP Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas, Lone Star Le Mans (TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship), ESPN's Summer X Games, as well as various concerts, festivals, and private motorsports events.

"Jason Rittenberry joining the Circuit of The Americas team adds significant executive leadership to our management team," said Jason Dial, president and CEO of Circuit of The Americas. "He brings more than 15 years of experience in motorsports, venue management, and live events to the track, and we could not be more pleased to welcome him to our COTA family."

As one of the industry's forward-thinking executives, Rittenberry, who is certified by the International Association of Venue Managers as a Certified Facilities Executive (CFE) and is on faculty as an Instructor at the IAVM Venue Management School (VMS), is a proven successful senior level sports and entertainment leader with extensive experience as a venue manager and corporate executive. Rittenberry is the former President and CEO of IRG Sports + Entertainment, the parent company of multiple sports and entertainment properties.

In addition to his vast experience within the industry, Rittenberry has received numerous accolades for his work, which include Memphis and South Florida Business Journal's "Top Forty Under 40" and the first annual "Innovator of the Year" award by the Racetrack Business Conference at the 2014 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show for his innovation in the motorsports industry.

"I'm excited to become a part of the Circuit of The Americas team," said Rittenberry. "This facility is making a significant impact not only to the racing and event industry, but also to the city of Austin and the entire state of Texas. I'm honored to join such an admired and respected organization."

NASCAR announced that the annual NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will take place Monday, November 23 at the Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood, Florida.

The Diplomat Resort and Spa also will host the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ Championship 4 Media Day on Thursday, Nov. 19. At the event, the four remaining eligible drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will take center stage to preview the series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

This is the first year the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will be held at the venue, one of South Florida’s premier beachfront resorts.

“NASCAR and our fans have enjoyed an action-packed year in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series,” said NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps. “We look forward to recognizing our sport’s champions and toasting to the season at a first-class venue in the Diplomat Resort and Spa.”

In its inaugural year, the NASCAR XFINITY Series has proven that it is indeed the series “Where Names Are Made.” The current leaderboard is crowded at the top with Chris Buescher, Ty Dillon and Chase Elliott leading the points standings, and a pair of NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduates in Darrell Wallace Jr. and Daniel Suarez engaged in a close battle for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.

The rough-and-tumble racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series promises to produce a battle-tested champion. Contenders include two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton and 19-year-old future stars Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick. If Crafton clinches the 2015 title, he would become only the third driver in NASCAR national series history to win a championship in three consecutive seasons.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will air on NBCSN at 7 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 29.

Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, announced during a groundbreaking ceremony that it will construct its new Customer Experience Center in Concord, North Carolina. The 45,000-square-foot facility will serve Axalta’s refinish, light vehicle OEM and industrial customers. The facility will provide the latest customer training resources for refinish technicians located, especially, in the mid-Atlantic region. The center will also house meeting and conference rooms for customers to participate in coatings-related training and development programs. The new facility will be located on the campus of Hendrick Motorsports just outside Charlotte. Axalta is a 23-year sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports’ racing program.

Axalta Chairman and CEO, Charlie Shaver, Owner of Hendrick Motorsports and Chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, Rick Hendrick, Four-Time NASCAR® Cup Series Champion, Jeff Gordon and Axalta Vice President and Head of Axalta’s North America business, Nigel Budden participated in a groundbreaking ceremony to kick-off construction.

“Our goal is to provide a service to our customers to help them realize improved shop productivity, efficiency and quality,” said Shaver. “We offer a hands-on, process-oriented approach. Our instructors, designers, and staff are committed to continuing the education and the development of our partner organizations.”

"We've enjoyed an unbelievable partnership with Axalta over many years, and this represents another unique step," Hendrick said. "The opportunities for us to collaborate, both in racing and in our dealership business, are incredible. Our two organizations are committed to each other's continued success, and we look forward to many more years of working together in innovative ways."

Axalta’s Customer Experience Center is scheduled to open late 2016. The center is expected to draw hundreds of customers each year for end of line repair and real-world training. It will be equipped with the technology to conduct interactive distance learning while a customer is at his/her own plant or bodyshop. The facility will also house a complement of business conferencing resources as well as an Axalta exhibit space.

During the 2014 Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, the American Sprint Car Series unveiled plans to implement an aluminum block option for the 2016 racing season.

However, after several meetings with directors, promoters, car owners and drivers at all levels of the American Sprint Car Series, series officials have made the decision to hold off on the aluminum block option.

“We put the rule out there in 2014 in order to allow everyone to know what we wanted to do that way we were able to gain feedback from as many sources as possible, and the response was tremendous,” said ASCS National Coordinator Matt Ward.

“We’ve heard from just about everyone, ASCS affiliated or not, on what they thought of the potential for the Aluminum Block and with respect to everyone’s concerns, we are going to put the option on hold. This sport is an expensive one, and that was one of the biggest concerns we heard at all levels and with the current state, we don’t want to price anyone out of the sport. The purpose of ASCS is to continue to grow and promote the sport of Sprint Car racing, and that’s what we are going to do. We cannot thank everyone enough for contacting us with their concerns and ideas.”

No other changes have been proposed to the current ASCS engine program.

Honing technology leader Sunnen Products Company has appointed Chris Miltenberger President and COO, as announced by Matthew Sunnen Kreider, the company's Board Chairman.

"Chris brings a proven ability to identify and capitalize on the strengths of an enterprise, as well as the team members he leads," said Kreider. "We believe his progressive leadership style and demonstrated technical competence will strengthen Sunnen and be great assets in guiding the company to a successful future."

Miltenberger brings Sunnen 25 years of experience in operations, management and business development for industrial and automotive manufacturing companies. Most recently, he was Director of Manufacturing and Logistics - North American Operations of PlayPower, Inc., Monett, Mo. Prior to that, he held positions of increasing responsibility with NN, Inc., ATC Drivetrain, Zolo Technologies and Delphi. Miltenberger holds a BSBA from Ball State University, an MBA from Michigan State University, and a BSMET from Purdue University.

"Sunnen is a company with a great record of innovation in developing precision manufacturing technology that gives its customers competitive advantages," said Miltenberger. "The culture and history of the company are unique, its future is bright, and I look forward to helping Sunnen realize even greater success going forward."

St. Louis-based Sunnen Products Company is the world's largest vertically integrated manufacturer of precision honing systems used in the manufacture of small engines, oilfield equipment, gears, fuel injectors, gun barrels, aerospace and hydraulic components and more. Sunnen employs more than 650 people at 12 worldwide facilities and holds dozens of technology patents. The company, which recently celebrated its 90th anniversary, has operations in Switzerland, France, Italy, U.K., China, Russia, India, Brazil, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Poland.