Motul Celebrates Fifth Year as Dakar Rally’s Official Lubricant Sponsor With Rally-Inspired 2022 Jeep Wagoneer
Motul commemorates its long-time support of the Dakar Rally with a custom lifted ’22 Jeep Wagoneer build that will travel to events around the United States.
Motul is celebrating the 45th edition of the Dakar Rally and its fifth year as the rally’s official lubricant partner. To commemorate the occasion, Motul USA will debut a rally-inspired and customized ’22 Jeep Wagoneer, which features a commemorative Dakar-inspired livery to highlight the brand’s fifth year as the “official lubricant” partner of the rally. The Wagoneer also sports a custom lift, making it the first lifted WS platform Wagoneer. The modified Wagoneer will be a fixture at local off-road and desert racing events throughout 2023.
The ’22 Jeep Wagoneer Series 1 Carbide 4x4 is powered by a 5.7L eTorque Hemi. Custom upgrades include a fifth-generation Ram 1500 3.5-in. ReadyLIFT suspension kit modified and installed by Rad Rides of Huntington Beach, California, along with custom-fabricated two-in. spacers in the rear. The four-wheel-drive Wagoneer rides on a set of matte black CHASE 18x8.5-in. wheels provided by Black Rhino Wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich-provided 35x12.50R18 All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires. In addition, RIGd Supply provided an UltraSwing multi-fit spare-tire hitch mount for spare-tire storage on the rear. The Dakar-inspired vinyl wrap was completed by Sticky Fingers Design of Huntington Beach, California. Future modifications will include an Area BFE Black Series aluminum hard-shell roof-top tent, a fridge/freezer, Gobi Racks Stealth Roof Rack and a rear ladder.
The Motul Wagoneer will participate in the 2023 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 (March 8–12), Overland Expo West (May 19–21), Overland Expo Mountain West (August 25–27) and eBay Motors Sand Sports Super Show (September 15–17).
CARS Tour Enters 2023 Season Under New Ownership Group
The Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour will have new ownership when the green flag waves on its 2023 season this March. NASCAR icons Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Justin Marks have announced their acquisition of the Southeast’s asphalt late-model series.
Aside from the ownership transition from McNelly, the CARS Tour will remain unchanged. The 2023 schedule is set with 19 race weekends, and McNelly and his staff will continue to oversee operations and track events. The key addition will be the industry expertise brought by the current owners’ respective business units: DEJ Management, Jeff Burton Autosports Inc., Kevin Harvick Inc. and Trackhouse Racing. The contingent will collectively aim to bolster the health and longevity of the CARS Tour by providing proficiencies in brand management, business strategy and partnership acquisition and retention.
The CARS Tour season kicks off at Southern National Motorsports Park (Kenly, North Carolina), Saturday, March 11. For more information, visit the CARS Tour website.
Porsche Experience Center Atlanta to Open New Track in April
Porsche Cars North America Inc. (PCNA) has announced that the Porsche Experience Center Atlanta (PEC) will open a second driver development track to the public on April 1. The second track, designed by Tilke, effectively doubles the length of the existing driver development course, offering 90-minute driving experiences in Porsche sports cars with one-on-one instruction from a Porsche drive coach. The new track can be driven on its own or in combination with the existing track and adds features inspired by some of the world’s best roads and racing turns. The project is a cornerstone of a multi-million dollar investment in further developing the headquarters campus of PCNA.
The new 1.3-mile driver development track includes four instructor-led driving modules:
- Low-Friction Circle: allows drivers to experience the understeer and oversteer characteristics of a Porsche on a wet, polished concrete surface that is more than 196 ft. in diameter.
- Ice Hill: simulates an icy mountain road where a driver is likely to lose control up or down the hill. It has an 8% slope, computer-controlled water jets and a low-friction polished surface.
- Autocross Area: arranged on a large paved area, drivers will navigate through slaloms, acceleration zones and cone obstacles.
- Handling Circuit: a 1.3-mile motorsports-inspired driving circuit with elements influenced by the Carousel from Germany’s Nürburgring-Nordschleife; the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca, with a rise of 30 ft. and drop of 25 ft. through approaching and descending turns; and the twisty and challenging Tail of the Dragon in the Smoky Mountains.
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Menlen Named CRA Series Director
Track Enterprises and Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS (CRA) have announced that Scott Menlen will take over as series director for CRA and its four series, including the ASA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance, Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Powered by JEGS and the CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS. Menlen, who has been an official with CRA for 13 years, both in a full-time and most recently a part-time capacity, has been the general manager at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tennessee, for the past three years for Track Enterprises. Menlen will continue to work with Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway during the 2023 season, helping develop staff members into a larger management role.
Former CRA managing partner and most recently series director Glenn Luckett will remain with CRA in a consulting position and help with the transition of Menlen to series director throughout the 2023 season. Luckett was recently hired as the GM at Salem Speedway in Salem, Indiana, for new owner Nick Bohanon. Joe Balash, director of race operations for Track Enterprises, and Greg Wood, operations director for CRA, also will work with Menlen on his transition during the season.
For more racing news, visit Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) website.