Motion Industries, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company, has entered into a definitive agreement whereby Motion Industries has agreed to acquire Lake Erie Abrasive & Tool (LEA&T), headquartered in Euclid, Ohio. Consummation of the transaction is expected to take place in early September 2015.

LEA&T specializes in custom-designed abrasive systems as well as distribution of quality abrasive products, tools and related machinery. LEA&T's Euclid location as well as its two locations in Greer, South Carolina, and Howell, Michigan, serve customers in a broad cross-section of industries in those geographic areas and beyond.

"We are very excited to become part of Motion Industries and to be able to leverage the added strength that the Company's brand provides," said Allen Howell, President of LEA&T. "It will be a good fit with customer relationships, which for both companies are built on a platform of trust, performance, and satisfaction."

Tim Breen, President and CEO of Motion Industries, stated, "We are thrilled about gaining LEA&T's technical expertise in the abrasives category, which will help broaden Motion Industries' services even more in this product area. We want to welcome all LEA&T employees to the Motion family, and we look forward to the contributions they will make to our Company in the years to come."

With annual sales of $4.8 billion, Motion Industries is an industrial parts distributor of bearings, mechanical power transmission, electrical and industrial automation, hydraulic and industrial hose, hydraulic and pneumatic components, industrial products, safety products, and material handling. Motion Industries has over 550 operations including 15 distribution centers throughout North America and serves more than 150,000 customers.

Miller Motorsports Park will not close its doors after all, with Tooele County having announced an agreement to sell the property to a Chinese consortium that plans further automotive and motorsports development.

The 511-acre facility, located 30 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, has been sold to Mitime Investment & Development Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Geely Group of Companies, China’s biggest independent automaker.

Geely’s portfolio includes Volvo, which it had purchased from Ford in 2010.

The $20 million sale of the property to the Hangzhou, China-based firm is expected to result in further development, including the continuation of track operations for the 2016 season and beyond.

Mitime is set to inject in excess of $40 million in further development to the facility, with plans to construct a 3/8th mile oval track, Rally-X course and potential drag strip, in addition to $6-8 million in upgrades to the existing road course.

Additionally, manufacturing of oval-track race cars and hill-climb trucks are planned for export to China, while studies are underway for a potential on-site hotel, as well as additional garages and manufacturing facilities.

There are also expected to be educational programs tied in through Geely’s range of colleges it owns and operates in China, which includes an automotive university.

“The commission recognized early on that we cannot afford to have the facility close,” said Tooele County Commissioner Shawn Milne.

“From the beginning, we have viewed the possibility of a new owner with passion for racing and a long term vision of continued investment as the best possible outcome for the facility and our community.

“That has remained our driving force during consideration of all the proposals.”

MMP designer and the facility’s original general manager, Alan Wilson, is also involved in the project, having been hired by Mitime to design and build five new tracks in China, which are all scheduled to open within the next decade.

The facility is expected to also be used as a multi-faceted training ground for the company as motorsports in China continues to gain traction.

“This opportunity couldn’t come at a better time for the world of racing and the growth of motorsports in one the world’s fastest growing economies,” Wilson said.

“This is deal allows the facility to remain fully operational and to export the American racing model to China.”

Opened in 2006, Miller Motorsports Park had been owned by the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, which announced in May that it would be ceasing operations due to ongoing financial issues with the property.

ACL Distribution, Inc. recently paid tribute to Keith Dorton and his company, Automotive Specialists, Inc., with a commemorative memento marking the company's 50th year of race engine innovations.

But, in fact, Dorton's performance engine skills and experience extend beyond 50 years. His first internal combustion engine challenge was with an early vintage flat head Ford, which he rebuilt when he was 12 years old. While most 12-year-olds were tinkering with their bicycles, Dorton's attention was on points, plugs, timing, carburetion and any other way of coaxing a horsepower or two from each of the V8 cylinders. He continued enhancing the performance of OEM engines and at age 15 started racing his accomplishments at a local drag strip.

Dorton chose not to pursue racing as a driver and concentrated instead on engine building. He continued visiting Charlotte area tracks and drag strips, not as a driver, but as an observer to watch his engines compete and learn what he could about increasing horsepower and durability.

Before long, Dorton gained a reputation for building fast and dependable race engines. The word spread and he was building a clientele and a reputation as the go-to guy for custom performance engines. In 1965, he got serious about developing an enterprise devoted exclusively to performance gasoline engines and established Automotive Specialists, Inc, in Concord, North Carolina. Coincidentally the business is located about three minutes from the famed Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Fifty years hence,  Automotive Specialists, Inc.  has received international recognition for having established 19 SCAT-sanctioned World Land Speed Records at Bonneville Salt Flats events. ASI have won numerous races in various circle track venues, including a NASCAR Daytona 500. Dorton and his staff are credited with developing and building engines for a number of  high profile race car drivers, including the legendary Dale Earnhart as well as Dale's father, Ralph, and Dale's son, Dale Jr.

Today's Automotive Specialists is a huge departure from the one-man shop of a half-century ago. At the outset, Dorton continually invested in equipment and technology; their machine shop, dyno lab and assembly room are second to none.

The staff includes Dorton's son, Jeff, and married daughter, Camille, who oversees the administrative functions of the business; and Keith's wife, Patsy, who has been the business mainstay since the beginning.

Infiniti has announced that an engineering student from the University of Illinois is one of five global winners of the 2015 Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy. For one year, Infiniti will provide 22-year-old Alex Allmandinger with the opportunity to work in Formula 1 with the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team.

After beating 11 other finalists from around the country in an intense shoot-out event, Allmandinger will move to Infiniti Red Bull Racing headquarters in the UK in September to begin a 12-month placement working with the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team, as well as with the automaker.

Allmandinger will spend eight months working on Vehicle Design at the team's headquarters in Milton Keynes, UK—and four months working at Infiniti's European Technical Center in Cranfield, England—on road car development projects.

The IPEA, now in its second year, is a one-of-a-kind global search for the world's best up-and-coming engineers. For 2015, five placements were made available with one winner chosen each from Russia, Western Europe, China, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. to work in roles spanning vehicle dynamics, vehicle design, aerodynamics and electronics.

"It still hasn't sunk in, but I am incredibly excited about joining the Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy," said Allmandinger. "It really is a dream come true, and I can't wait to get started. It will be the best 12-month learning experience of my life."

Thousands of students registered their interest in this year's program, and after a series of interviews, 10 finalists in each region were selected to attend a regional final event where they were put through their paces in a structured assessment by a panel of judges from Infiniti and Red Bull Racing.

"The caliber of entrants this year was very high, which made for a tough selection process," said Tommaso Volpe, global director, Infiniti F1. "If last year's winners are anything to go by, it will not be long before all of them are making a significant contribution both to us and to the race team. With F1 becoming more and more relevant to the automotive industry—and an increased focus of the placements this year being on the road car development—we are training a new generation of engineers who will play a key role in the crossover between the two industries."

JTG Daugherty Racing has announced a multi-year renewed partnership with one of their long-standing primary sponsors, Bush Brothers & Company.

“It’s such a great honor to have represented Bush’s Beans in the sport of NASCAR for so many years and we are pleased to announce that they are returning for multiple years,” JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter said. “We are blessed to have support from great brands that allow us to compete at NASCAR’s top level with the No. 47 Chevrolet SS. We will continue to work hard to augment their marketing plans and bring the brand to life for millions of brand-loyal NASCAR fans. Bush Brothers & Company are great partners and share our values as a family-oriented company.”

JTG Daugherty Racing driver A.J. Allmendinger continues to grow his relationship with the family-owned company. Last year, he delivered the company’s first-ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory at Watkins Glen Int’l earning a coveted spot in The Chase for the Sprint Cup.

“It’s been pretty special getting to know the family of Bush’s Beans because it’s a brand that we all remember as kids and continue to purchase today,” Allmendinger said. “When you think of getting together with your family and friends for a cookout or just a nice dinner in general, Bush’s Beans comes to mind along with our other great partners. We’ve had some fun the last couple of years, but I just wish they would go ahead and hand over the Secret Family Recipe to me. Not sure what they are waiting on, but in all seriousness I’m lucky to have some of the best brands in the sport.”

Bush Brothers & Company is a family company that started more than 100 years ago (in Chestnut Hill, Tenn.) and agrees the NASCAR platform is a great way to continue to grow their business for generations to come.

“We are very excited to extend and expand our long-standing relationship with JTG Daugherty Racing,” said Tom Ferriter, President and CEO, Bush Brothers & Company. “After 13 years, we think of Jodi (Geschickter), Tad, Brad (Daugherty), AJ and all of the No. 47 team as part of our family. We look forward to continuing to work with JTG Daugherty Racing for many more years to come. We are especially proud to make this announcement at Bristol Motor Speedway since East Tennessee has been home to Bush Brothers & Company since our company’s founding in 1908.”

Michael Waltrip Racing and Clint Bowyer have mutually agreed to separate at the conclusion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

Bowyer will be free to pursue other career options in 2016 and beyond.

MWR will continue to field the No. 15 and No. 55 Toyotas for the remainder of the 2015 season. Team Co-Owner Rob Kauffman said MWR will not field a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup entry in 2016.

“MWR will race hard and compete for the remainder of the 2015 season,” Kauffman said. “This decision was made after weighing several different options and scenarios. I felt it was important to make an announcement as soon as we had clarity, so that is what we are doing today. I want to thank all of our staff, partners, sponsors and fans for all their effort and support over the years.

“Clint Bowyer has done a lot for MWR since joining us in 2012 and we appreciate the energy and effort he has given the organization. After many discussions, Clint and I agreed we would go our separate ways at the end of the season and I wish him well in whatever direction he pursues.”

Bowyer’s last win with MWR came at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October 2012.

“I want to thank Michael, Rob and everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing that made these past four years special,” Bowyer said. “After extensive discussions with Rob and MWR, we came to the point that we mutually agreed our paths in the future just didn’t align but I think we all agreed on the next steps in a very professional manner.

“I am looking forward to what future opportunities may come but for now we have a championship to pursue in 2015 and we owe it to every one of our sponsors, partners, employees and fans to deliver on and off the track.”

Bowyer ranks 15th in Sprint Cup points after 23 races. He has one top-five and nine top-10 finishes this season, and is competing for what would be his third Chase berth with MWR.

“Rob joined MWR in 2007 and has helped give us the resources to build a competitive race team, and in 2012, Clint Bowyer took us to the doorstep of a championship,” co-owner Michael Waltrip said. “From where MWR started behind my house in Sherrills Ford to winning Sprint Cup races, poles and earning Chase berths, I am proud of what we accomplished.

“My family has been a part of NASCAR for almost five decades and I plan on being a part of it for years to come. I would not have had the opportunity to start this journey without so many great partners, sponsors and employees and I want to thank each of them for making Michael Waltrip Racing a reality.”

Steak ‘n Shake, the American brand and home of the original Steakburger and hand-dipped milkshakes, has expanded its role with Graham Rahal’s No. 15 Honda to include primary sponsorship at the final two Verizon IndyCar Series races of the season.

Rahal is currently second in series standings, only nine points out of first place with two races to go.

Steak ‘n Shake was the primary sponsor of the No. 15 entry for six races this season, which included Long Beach, two events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Detroit, and Mid-Ohio. Maxim Magazine branding will continue to be prominently featured on the race car. Both are owned by Biglari Holdings Inc. In addition, Steak ‘n Shake and Maxim have been associate sponsors all season.

“The excitement and support of Steak ‘n Shake’s involvement with the team and Indy car racing has exceeded my wildest expectations,” added Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. “I said when we first announced the partnership that it was our goal to put them in Victory Lane and we have been able to do that two times this season and finish on the podium a series-high six times overall so far. I’m very happy they have extended their relationship with us to include primary sponsorship at Pocono and Sonoma where we hope to bring them more success and hopefully a championship.”

Automobile and racing enthusiasts will get the exclusive opportunity to view the iconic cars of NASCAR Hall of Famers during the September 24-27 AutoFair at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Historical vehicles driven by “The King” Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt will be among the many cars displayed in the Nationwide Showcase Pavilion.

Petty, a living legend who was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010, will have his 1971 No. 43 Plymouth Roadrunner in the Nationwide Showcase Pavilion. The King holds many NASCAR Cup Series records including most wins (200), most starts (1,185) and is tied with Dale Earnhardt for most championships (seven). The driver of the famous “Petty Blue” car has a total of five wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway: the 1961 100-mile qualifying race, two Coca-Cola 600s (1975 and 1977) and two Bank of America 500s (1975 and 1983).

Known for driving the iconic black No. 3, Earnhardt, a 2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, actually raced the No. 2 for several years early in his career. To pay homage to the mark the “Intimidator” left on the sport, AutoFair will host the No. 2 Wrangler Pontiac Grand Prix he raced during the 1981 season. The short-track/road course car ran several times in 1981, when Earnhardt drove for Rod Osterlund, before being sold to a racer on the west coast. After being found again in 2013, the car was restored by Rhine Built in 2014.

In addition to being tied with Petty for the most NASCAR Cup championships, Earnhardt had a total of 676 starts and 76 points-paying victories during his lifetime, five of which were won at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This year marks the 35th anniversary since Earnhardt’s first win at the speedway in the 1980 Bank of America 500.

Bill Elliott, father of up-and-coming NASCAR star Chase Elliott, is a recent 2015 inductee. The former driver, known as “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville,” wheeled a 1987 Ford Thunderbird once upon a time that will grace AutoFair’s Nationwide Showcase Pavilion. Elliott, who was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers, had a 37-year driving career with a total of 828 starts, 175 top five finishes and 44 wins. Two of his career points-earning wins took place at the famed Charlotte Motor Speedway.

David Pearson was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011. Throughout Pearson’s 27 year career, he had a total of 574 starts, 105 wins and 113 Poles, and earned the Rookie of the Year award in 1960. The 1971 Wood Brothers No. 21 Mercury Cyclone will be on display representing Pearson’s career. This historical vehicle won 11 of the Wood Brothers’ 19 victories during the 1972-1973 seasons with Pearson behind the wheel. The car was also driven by Cale Yarborough.

Another stock car driven by 2012 inductee Yarborough will join the display during the Sept. 24-27 event. The 1977 Oldsmobile, owned by fellow Hall of Famer Junior Johnson, had four wins in 1979 and six wins in 1980 with Yarborough in the driver’s seat.

Three Ford Galaxies’ driven by Glenn “Fireball” Roberts’ in 1963, Fred Lorenzen in 1965 and Wendell Scott in 1966, plus a 1994 No. 2 Ford Thunderbird driven by Wallace, are also among the wide array of historical vehicles to be displayed.

The Charlotte Motor Speedway AutoFair annually attracts more than 100,000 visitors, features nearly 50 car club displays and offers a surplus of automotive parts and memorabilia for sale or trade.

Victories at Le Mans and Daytona International Speedway are among the hundreds of checkered flags owned by the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame’s class of 2015.

Sam Posey, one of America’s top road racers, and Greg Sacks, the winner of the 1985 Daytona Firecracker 400, are part of the class that will be honored at the NEAR Hall of Fame 18th induction banquet Sunday, November 8, at Maneeley’s in South Windsor, Connecticut.

The class also includes owner/driver Joey Laquerre, car owner the late Paul Dunigan and drivers the late Jim McCallum and Stan Greger, a quartet that collectively has 27 track championships.

The multi-faceted Lew Boyd, presently a book seller and publisher, and Lee (N.H.) USA Speedway promoter Red MacDonald will also be inducted.

Ticket information for the banquet will soon be available on the New England Antique Racers website (NEAR1.org).

Still to be announced are the Veterans Committee picks, the Pardi Memorial Award and the Mitchell/Ratta (media) Award winners.

A long-time Sharon, Conn., resident, Posey was a top runner in road racing with strong finishes in Formula A, Can-Am and Trans-Am. He had a fifth at Indianapolis in 1972, scored at Le Mans and Sebring and drove some Formula One before moving to TV with ABC Sports. He is an award winning writer and artist.

In addition to Daytona, Long Island, N.Y., native Sacks has a number of New England victories, notably at Stafford and Thompson but also at Westboro. His 1982 season, which included the Stafford championship, ranks with the best performances in New England racing history.

Vermont’s Laquerre has been a winner over five decades as both an owner and driver. The top winner at the old Catamount Stadium, his resume includes several wins on the ACT Tour and championships at Thunder Road (six) and Catamount (two).

The colorful Dunigan, who passed away in 2004, burst on to the International Supermodified Ass’n scene and won six titles in eight years, adding an Oswego crown as well. His drivers included Bentley Warren, Russ Wood, Mike Ordway and Joe Gosek.

MacDonald, during six decades, was a successful car owner – drags, cutdowns, supermodifieds, even an Indianapolis car – before taking over the Lee USA Speedway operation in 1986. He has brought the best in the business to his track often overcoming great obstacles.

Conservative estimates put McCallum’s win total in various categories at around 200 throughout New England. Often an owner/driver, his championships came at Stafford, Westboro, Riverside Park, Thompson, Monadnock and Lee along with a couple United Grand American Laurels.

A racer (33 victories), promoter (the inaugural Spring Sizzler), writer, marketing consultant before his present position as a book seller and publisher (Coastal 181), Boyd’s contributions to auto racing are incredible.  The Bay Stater is among the sport’s most admired participants.

A three-time Riverside Park champion, Greger, who began at Plainville Stadium, was a force in Modified racing for over two decades. Including Plainville and Riverside, where he ranks fourth on the all-time win list with 38, he scored all over New England driving for, among others, Bob Judkins and Joe Brady.

Ashley Ailsworth, corporate counsel for SEMA, will be presenting a seminar at the PRI Trade Show designed to inform racing businesses about aspects of intellectual property law that are most useful for companies that rely on innovation, strong branding and creativity to profit in today’s competitive marketplace.

The seminar is titled, "Retooling the Company Intellectual Property Portfolio."
 
PRI exhibitors who finish setting up their booths early on Wednesday, Dec. 9 can head over to room 242 at 3 p.m. to check out this informative seminar on protecting your company’s valuable intangible assets.  Ailsworth, SEMA's in-house attorney, will provide a plain-language presentation on how to protect your company’s ideas, brands and creative works using patent, trademark and copyright law.

Those who are interested in expanding their knowledge of intellectual property are invited to attend this free event, which will take place from 3-4 p.m. in Meeting Room 242 inside the Indiana Convention Center.
 
Ailsworth received her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and her juris doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center.  In her role at SEMA, she serves as an adjunct to SEMA General Counsel Russ Deane and provides assistance on a variety of legal issues, including intellectual property protection.