Compiled by SEMA Editors
 Team Penske's No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion driven by Joey Logano |
Shell and Penske Corp. Announce Multi-Year Motorsports Alliance
Shell and Penske Corp. have announced a multi-year continuation of their ongoing business, technical and motorsport alliance. As part of the agreement, Shell and Pennzoil will continue sponsoring Team Penske entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the Verizon IndyCar Series through the 2022 season and beyond. Shell and Pennzoil will also continue to be the preferred supplier of fuels, lubricants and related products to the Penske organization. Shell and Pennzoil began their current relationship with Team Penske in 2011. Pennzoil first aligned with Team Penske as part of its IndyCar program in 1983, and won two Indianapolis 500s with driver Rick Mears. Since forging a renewed alliance in 2011, the partners have earned more wins in IndyCar than any other organization and 80 total NASCAR national series victories—second most of all competing teams. Team Penske driver Joey Logano has won 15 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races since joining Team Penske and Shell-Pennzoil in 2013, and delivered Shell-Pennzoil their second Daytona 500 Championship in 2015. The 26-year-old driver finished second in the series point standings last season and won the season-opening, non-points Clash event last weekend at Daytona.
Team Penske has also announced that it has come to an agreement with Logano to continue driving the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion throughout the length of the Shell-Team Penske extension. For the sixth consecutive season, three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will continue to represent the Shell and Pennzoil brands in 2017. Castroneves will drive the No. 3 Shell V-Power NiTRO+ IndyCar at the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28. Shell and Pennzoil will also be associate sponsors on all Team Penske cars competing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and Verizon IndyCar Series.
DEI Supports Grassroots Motorsports With Multiple-Year Contingency Connection Commitment
In support of grassroots motorsports, Design Engineering Inc. (DEI) has signed a multiple-year agreement to sponsor Contingency Connection’s weekly Racer Rewards Program and the DEI “Coolest Champion” end-of-season championship bonus. DEI is also launching its national grassroots support program with a special pre-season 20% discount for purchases made online. To receive the discount, enter the code “DEICCRACER.” Contingency Connection’s Racer Reward Program allows DEI the most direct way to reach target consumers—the racers, engine builders, machine shops and enthusiasts—at the track or online for the broadest number of venues and series. In 2017 and 2018, Racer Rewards winners at Contingency Connection tracks and series will qualify to receive the “DEI Racer’s Deal” receiving special discount pricing on four groups of DEI heat protective products. To participate, racers display the DEI decal in order to win DEI product discount certificates.
Fidanza Announces Sponsorship for 2017 NMRA Season
In support of the 2017 NMRA Ford Nationals, Ohio-based aluminum flywheel manufacturer Fidanza Performance has inked a sponsorship agreement with the series and posted contingency in a number of classes. The six-race NMRA season kicks off March 3 at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida and concludes September 29–October 2, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, at Beech Bend Raceway Park.
Wilwood Disc Brakes Renews Sponsorship for Street Rodder Triple Crown of Hot Rodding Competition
Wilwood Disc Brakes will return as an official product sponsor of the Street Rodder Triple Crown of Hot Rodding competition. The annual competition, hosted by Street Rodder Magazine, will take place during the Shades of the Past Hot Rod Roundup, held September 8–9, 2017, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Shades of the Past event entrants and Painless Performance Products/Street Rodder Top 100 winners are eligible, and will be judged to receive one of three titles: Street Rod of the Year, Street Machine of the Year or Street Cruiser of the Year. As part of the sponsorship, Wilwood will provide a $1,000 product certificate to each of the three category winners. For the latest eligible vehicles and selection process, visit www.hotrod.com/street-rodder-magazine.
Wilwood also has renewed its partnership with Speed Ventures as title sponsor of the Wilwood Corvette Challenge for the 2017 season. This is the third consecutive year as title sponsor of the Wilwood Corvette Challenge—a time-trialing series that promotes friendly competition among drivers from all levels of experience and tests their skills against the clock. The series is open to all Corvette models within four classes: stock, modified, super-modified and unlimited.
Wilwood also has announced the renewal of its contingency sponsorship with the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) through the 2017 season. Wilwood will support select IMCA divisions through product and monetary contingency to multiple finishers in national points and at the Super Nationals.
In addition, Wilwood has renewed its partnership with ChumpCar International Inc. as a series sponsor with the ChumpCar World Series in 2017. Wilwood also has been named title sponsor of The Wilwood Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, July 14–16, 2017. As a series sponsor, Wilwood’s contingency will support the more than 40 ChumpCar events annually across four divisions (East, West, Central and Canada). Eligible drivers have the opportunity to earn $100 product certificates at each ChumpCar event. Each driver will be required to run at least two Wilwood contingency decals on the sides of their competition vehicles to be eligible to receive the contingency.
Finally, Wilwood will return to the Trans Am Series in 2017 as sponsor of the TA2 and TA4 class Rookie of the Year battle. In addition, Wilwood has added contingency support to the new West Coast Championship Rookie of the Year battle. Both the Trans Am TA2 and TA4 classes will race the Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro. The TA2 Class platform includes high-performance, purpose-built race cars while the TA4 Class is dedicated to year-specific, production-based models. New for 2017 is the West Coast Championship—a four-event series independent of the Trans Am Championship. The series commences March 25–26 at Willow Springs International Raceway in conjunction with the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA).
 Tanner Foust is the first celebrity guest driver on the Polaris RZR Star Car team when he joins Jim Beaver and Jolene Van Vugt to share driving duties in the brand-new, race-modified ’17 Polaris RZR XP4 Turbo EPS at the Mint 400 in Las Vegas. |
Champion Racer Tanner Foust to Guest Drive Mint 400 in Polaris RZR Star Car
Champion driver and television personality Tanner Foust this week becomes the first celebrity guest driver on the Polaris RZR Star Car team when he joins Jim Beaver and Jolene Van Vugt to share driving duties in the brand-new, race-modified ’17 Polaris RZR XP4 Turbo EPS at the Mint 400 in Las Vegas, March 2–5. Foust joins racing radio host Beaver and action-sport star Van Vugt to make a three-driver roster for the Las Vegas race. The blue-and-white vehicle was unveiled for the first time earlier this week. In addition to the Mint 400, the Polaris RZR Star Car will appear with celebrity guest drivers at three additional motorsport weekends this year:
- Polaris RZR UTV World Championship, April 13–15, in Laughlin, Nevada
- General Tire Vegas to Reno, presented by FOX, August 18–19, in Las Vegas
- Pahrump Nugget 250, presented by Supercross.com, November 30–December 3, in Pahrump, Nevada
The team’s participation in the four select Best in the Desert races will be documented in a series of online videos released throughout the season.