Compiled by SEMA Editors
 Yokohama Tire Corp. is part of the Easter Jeep Safari Week festivities, sponsoring the Day Canyon Point Trail in Moab, Utah, which helps support initiatives that benefit the off-roading community. |
Yokohama Tire Corp. Hits the Trail as a Sponsor of Easter Jeep Safari Week’s 50th Anniversary
Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) and approximately 25,000–35,000 off-road driving enthusiasts are attending the 50th anniversary of Easter Jeep Safari Week, currently underway in Moab, Utah. Many are also driving the trails where YTC is part of the festivities, sponsoring the Day Canyon Point Trail, which helps support initiatives that benefit the off-roading community.
Wilwood Extends Sponsorship with CAM Challenge Through 2016; Launches New Motorsports Website
Wilwood Disc Brakes has launched a new section of www.wilwood.com dedicated exclusively to the hardcore racing industry. The new motorsports section of the website simplifies the search process, allowing visitors to filter products based on racing segment or product interest. The new motorsports section will also include a contingency and sponsorship area to help drivers stay connected and learn the latest offerings from Wilwood. Over time Wilwood plans to expand each racing segment of the motorsports site allowing more search functionality, creating the most easily searchable collection of braking components for the industry.
In addition, Wilwood has has extended its sponsorship for the CAM Challenge Events Powered by SCCA through the 2016 season. The CAM Challenge was created in 2015 with three autocross events across the country for American muscle vehicles. This year, the series added a fourth event with a new rules package that should attract more competitors.
E3 Spark Plugs Named NMCA Series Presenting Sponsor and Official Spark Plug of NMRA, NMCA and NMCA WEST
ProMedia Events & Publishing and E3 Spark Plugs have announced that the Ponte Vedra, Florida-based company will become the official presenting sponsor of the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) drag-racing series. Additionally, E3 Spark Plugs will be the “Official Spark Plug” of all three ProMedia drag-racing series, which include the National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA) and NMCA WEST. The agreement continues through the 2018 season. The 2016 season of the NMCA Muscle Car Nationals presented by E3 Spark Plugs continues in April at Atlanta Dragway with the eighth-annual Borla Exhaust NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by Miller Welders. Four more events round out the season with events in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio.
Tanner Foust Joins Nexen Tire
Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust has a new tire partner onboard for his return to three Formula Drift rounds in 2016. Nexen Tire will back Foust and supply tires for the Rockstar Energy Drink/Nexen Tire Volkswagen Passat for the select Formula Drift season. The driver made his first appearance under the new partnership at the Leadfoot Festival—a special invitational celebration of cars and speed hosted annually in New Zealand by celebrated rally champion Rod Millen. The Rockstar Energy Drink/Nexen Tire Volkswagen Passat produces more than 900 nitrous-boosted hp from its V8 engine. It features a four-speed dog-engagement transmission, Tilton clutch, AEM Infinity-10 fuel injection, RS-R suspension and an extroverted APR Performance swan-mount wing.
 Prolong Super Lubricants is now a product sponsor of 2010 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion LE Tonglet. |
Prolong Super Lubricants Sponsors NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle WOrld Champion LE Tonglet
Prolong Super Lubricants is now a product sponsor of 2010 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion LE Tonglet. At 20 years old, Tonglet was the youngest racer to ever win the world championship. The same year, he won the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. He is the son of NHRA Pro Stock motorcycle racer Gary Tonglet, and brother of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racer and former Vance & Hines/Harley-Davidson rider GT Tonglet, both of whom serve as his chief pit crew.
BUBBA Burger Named Entitlement Sponsor of IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship at Long Beach
The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach has announced that BUBBA burger has become the new entitlement sponsor of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race, Saturday, April 16, as part of the 42nd Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The race will be called the “BUBBA burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach.” As an official partner of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, BUBBA burger will be featured prominently in signage around the Grand Prix circuit, including a pedestrian bridge over Turn 2. BUBBA burgers will also be available for purchase throughout the race weekend at their vending location at the circuit. The 2016 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will run April 15–17.
 The Mickey Thompson-built Challenger IV piloted by Rory Ward won the Mint 400’s Open Vintage Class. |
Mickey Thompson-Built Challenger IV Wins 2016 Mint 400
The historic Mint 400 has come to a close with the Mickey Thompson-built Challenger IV taking the win in the Open Vintage Class, piloted by Rory Ward. Built and designed in ’77 by Mickey Thompson, the Challenger IV was a transformational design in off-road competition. Thompson coupled high-horsepower Chevy V8s with increased suspension and progressive weight-balance change assisted by the signature huge rear wing. Adding A-arm suspension to the front, Thompson was able to achieve nearly double the wheel travel of his closest competitors, allowing the vehicle to travel at higher speeds over the incredibly rough terrain of the Nevada desert.
Formula DRIFT Announces 2016 CBS Sports Network Television Schedule
Formula DRIFT presented by BlackVue has announced its 2016 CBS Sports Network television schedule. “Formula DRIFT” will begin Sunday, May 15, at 5:30 p.m. (EDT). The fast-paced action featuring bracketed head-to-head match-ups will anchor the coverage and be featured across 12 episodes. Coverage will also include an additional eight shows of the behind-the-scenes program, “Formula DRIFT Insider,” which will consist of live to tape coverage of each of the eight rounds of the Pro Championship, including the newly added Canadian round of competition along with eight additional episodes of “Formula DRIFT Insider.” The 2016 Formula DRIFT Championship begins April 9–10 in Long Beach, California.
Quarter Mile Foundation to Roast Pro Stock Star Larry Morgan
The Quarter Mile Foundation will host a fundraiser roast, Thursday, June 23, 2016, during the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals event week at Norwalk, Ohio’s Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park. The star of the roast will be Ohio Pro Stock star Larry Morgan of Newark. The event will be held at The Colonnade—a large banquet facility just north of Milan, Ohio. Morgan will be joined on stage by six roasters and the master of ceremonies, who will be announced in the near future. Both a live auction from the stage and a silent auction will be held. Proceeds will benefit the Quarter Mile Foundation. Tickets may be ordered through Event Brite or by visiting the Quarter Mile Foundation’s website.
 The 2016 NMCA drag-racing season kicked off at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida with new classes and record-setting performances. |
Race Wrap for 14th Annual Ross Racing Pistons NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem in Bradenton, Florida
The 2016 NMCA drag-racing season kicked off at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida with new classes and record-setting performances.
VP Racing Fuels Xtreme Pro Mod: Randy Adler’s ’57 Chevy Pro Mod broke traction, allowing Raymond Commisso to streak to the Aerospace Components Winner's Circle.
Mickey Thompson Radial Wars: Daniel Pharris got off the line first and the holeshot would pay off as he took the win with a 3.99 to DeWayne Mills’ quicker 3.97.
Wiseco Performance Products Street Outlaw: Jarod Wenrick left first by just .02 seconds and at the stripe it was Wenrick first with a 4.506 to Phil Hines’ 4.511.
ARP Nitrous Pro Street: Joe Bucaro met John Trobiani in the final, which ended with Bucaro’s victorious 7.37 over Trobiani’s 9.52.
Edelbrock Xtreme Street: Martin Connelley’s Mustang got off the line first, but David Hutnick's nitrous-fed Camaro edged past the Fox body running a 7.73 to Connelley’s 7.82.
Quick Lane of Downs Ford NA: Dwight Ausmus met 2015 champ Leonard Long in the final, where Long squeaked past with an 8.02 to Ausmus’ 8.03.
Holley EFI Factory Super Cars: Glenn Pushis’ COPO Camaro grabbed a slight advantage at the start, but Bruno Massel’s COPO pulled ahead to take the win, 8.55 to 8.82 in the all-Chevy final.
Chevrolet Performance Stock presented by Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center: Ronnie Hackelton met Kevin Lumsden in the final. Their lights were near even at .092 to .093, and that slight advantage is all that remained for Hackelton, but it was enough to give him his first win of the year.
Ross Racing Pistons Outlaw 632: Ken Quartuccio took the victory over Curt Steinbach with a close 4.42 to 4.45 win.
2015 E3 Spark Plugs Top Sportsman: Greg Cason was the number-one qualifier with a 7.02, but in the finals, he did not make the lane call and John Lynch took the easy single en route to the Aerospace Components Winner's Circle.
ATI Performance Products Nostalgia Super Stock: Joe Midile Jr. left the line and something immediately broke in the car, but the win was his as Ron Tiller was a heart-breaking -.003 red.
2015 Detroit Truetrac Nostalgia Muscle Car: With an 11.01 on his 11.00 index, champion Andy Warren’s Malibu wagon defeated Mike Roup and his ’66 Mustang, who was 13.84 for his 14.00 index.
Magnafuel Open Comp: Susan McClenaghan faced Kelly Pierce in his wheel-standing Chevy Malibu, but the race was over at the start, as McClenaghan's propane-fueled Mustang left .004 seconds before the green light said go.
Gear Vendors True Street: Stephen Smith carded a 7.81-second three-run average to claim the True Street crown, while the twin-turbo Mustang of Randy Seward runner’d up with a 8.44 effort.
Next up, the NMCA heads to Georgia April 7–10 for the eighth-annual Borla Exhaust NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals Presented by Miller Welders.
 Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet SS and six-time series champion, won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, late last Sunday. |
Team Chevy Scores Multiple Victories in NASCAR and NHRA, and Corvette Racing Earns Another Endurance Race Win in IMSA
Chevrolet Racing enjoyed a successful weekend, winning in NASCAR, IMSA and NHRA races held in California and Florida. When Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet SS and six-time series champion, won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, late last Sunday, it capped a successful weekend for Chevrolet that saw multiple victories across multiple series:
- In IMSA, Corvette’s success in endurance races continued last Saturday with its GTLM class victory in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in Sebring, Florida; the No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, driven by Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Marcel Fassler, won its second straight race to open the season.
- In NHRA, Chevrolet swept the 47th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida:
- John Force Racing’s Brittany Force earned her first career Top Fuel victory.
- JFR’s Robert Hight (Chevrolet Camaro SS) won in Funny Car for the 37th time in his career.
- Greg Anderson (Chevrolet Camaro SS) scored his 80th victory in Pro Stock.
- David Barton (COPO Camaro) won in the Factory Showdown Eliminator class.
- In NASCAR, Johnson’s victory in the Sprint Cup race in Fontana followed Austin Dillon’s (No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro) win last Saturday in the Xfinity Series race at Auto Club Speedway; Dillon also won the pole for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race.
Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Chevrolet SS) finished second in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event to give Chevrolet a 1–2 finish. Corvette Racing now has won the last five of the world’s top endurance races: Sebring and Daytona in 2016, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona in 2015. In addition, Chevrolet Performance-sponsored Donny Schatz of Tony Stewart Racing won two World of Outlaws events in Stockton, California, over the weekend.