Compiled by SEMA Editors

Scott Speed earned his third consecutive Red Bull Global Rallycross first-place finish last Sunday.

Scott Speed Claims Dominant Win for Volkswagen in Inaugural Atlantic City Red Bull Global Rallycross Event

Scott Speed continued his Red Bull Global Rallycross winning streak in Atlantic City last Sunday, earning his third consecutive first-place finish, after a perfect inaugural weekend of competition at Bader Field. Speed reclaimed the race lead with two laps remaining when his teammate, Tanner Foust, struck trouble with a punctured tire. The two-time series champion managed to bring his wounded Beetle GRC to the line in fourth position, earning valuable championship points. Volkswagen increases its lead in the manufacturer’s championship with its fourth consecutive win and sixth of the season. Provisionally, the drivers still lead the championship standings, although their positions have swapped. Both drivers continue to grow their points gap to the rest of the field, heading into the final three races of the season. Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross will be back in action at the ninth round of the 2016 season in Seattle. The race will air Sunday, September 18, at 1:30 p.m. (EDT) on NBC.

Classic Instruments to Partner With Pro Stocker Jason Line for NHRA U.S. Nationals

Two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Jason Line and performance gauge maker Classic Instruments have inked a partnership for the Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals, August 31–September 5 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. Line and the Summit Racing-sponsored KB Racing team have worked closely with Classic Instruments to develop the company’s new Performance Series gauges.

Cooper Webb earned the 250MX class champion title recently at the GEICO Motorcycle Budds Creek National. Photo credit: Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha

Mickey Thompson-Sponsored Cooper Webb Earns Pro Motocross 250 Class Champion Title

Mickey Thompson and Deegan 38-sponsored racer Cooper Webb earned the 250MX class champion title recently at the GEICO Motorcycle Budds Creek National—part of the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. The Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha team member scored 457 points in the series and has been on the podium nine times. The 20-year-old from Newport, North Carolina, has held his lead in the overall point standings for most of the series. Webb’s closest competitor, teammate Alex Martin, earned second at Budds Creek, and is in second place in the series.

IndyCar, Watkins Glen International Announce Multi-Year Extension

Watkins Glen International is officially New York’s home for IndyCar racing once again. In a joint announcement made at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup, New York State Senator Tom O’Mara, IndyCar President Jay Frye and IndyCar driver Will Power confirmed that the Verizon IndyCar Series will return to the historic circuit in 2017 and beyond. Following the cancellation of the planned Grand Prix of Boston, Printup and Frye announced in Indianapolis that the series would return to Watkins Glen International September 1–4 on a one-year deal that would fill the open date on the schedule.

Team McLeish Bros. set a 186.305-mph national land-speed record at the 68th annual Speed Week at Bonneville Salt Flats.

Team McLeish Bros. Sets 186-mph Record With an Indian Scout Engine

On Friday, August 19, Team McLeish Bros. inked a 186.305-mph national land-speed record at the 68th annual Speed Week at Bonneville Salt Flats. Competing with its 21-ft. SilverRod, the motorcycle streamliner rocketed to the top-speed spot for Class SCS-G, eclipsing all other Indian Motorcycle-powered speed machines at Bonneville. Team McLeish Bros. record-book accomplishment exceeded Burt Munro’s long-standing 183-mph speed, but not his record. Munro was venerated when Anthony Hopkins played the New Zealand motorcyclist in the feature film “World’s Fastest Indian.”

Jonnie Lindberg Motorsports has partnered with VP Racing Fuels for the 2016 racing season.

VP Racing Fuels Partners With Jonnie Lindberg, GM Parts Now & Gray Motorsports

Jonnie Lindberg Motorsports has announced a new alliance with VP Racing Fuels for the 2016 racing season. Lindberg, reigning NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion, will rely exclusively on VP’s M1 Methanol in his attempt to secure a second championship this year.

VP Racing Fuels has also announced a partnership with Victor Cagnazzi and Gray Motorsports’ COPO Camaro Sportsman racing team. With the agreement, each of the team’s cars will be powered exclusively by VP’s C25 racing fuel at the upcoming NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis and other NHRA National events. The GM Parts Now Chevy COPO team campaigns four cars in Stock, Super Stock and the Factory Stock Showdown.

NMCA Announces 2017 Event Schedule

The National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) has announced the official event schedule for the 2017 season:

• March 9–12: 15th Annual NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem, Bradenton Motorsports Park, Bradenton, Florida
• April 6–9: 9th Annual NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals, Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, Georgia
• May 18–21: 16th Annual Bluegrass Nationals, Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, Kentucky
• July 27–30: 12th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing, Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Illinois
• August 24–27: 16th Annual NMCA All American Muscle Supernationals, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio
• September 21–24: 16th Annual NMCA World Street Finals, Lucas Oil Raceway, Indianapolis

Champion Racing Oil National Open Returns to Williams Grove Speedway

Champion will again be the title sponsor of the Williams Grove National Open sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, September 29–October 1, in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The Champion Racing Oil National Open is an event with more than 50 years of history that includes the biggest names in motorsports competing at half-mile Williams Grove Speedway. This year’s three-day competition offers a pair of 25-lap, $10,000 to win mains on both Thursday and Friday, plus a 40-lap championship race paying $50,000 to win on Saturday. 

Josh Klugger Wins Big in Radial vs. World at PSCA SCSN St. Louis

Fiscus/Klugger Racing (FKR) driver Josh Klugger took home the overall win in Radial vs. the World at the PSCA Street Car Super Nationals “Anarchy at the Arch” III race at Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis last weekend. Additionally, teammate Kevin Fiscus made it through to both the semi-finals in Pro Nitrous vs. Pro Boost and the quarter-finals in Radial vs. the World.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Scott Speed earned his third consecutive Red Bull Global Rallycross first-place finish last Sunday.

Scott Speed Claims Dominant Win for Volkswagen in Inaugural Atlantic City Red Bull Global Rallycross Event

Scott Speed continued his Red Bull Global Rallycross winning streak in Atlantic City last Sunday, earning his third consecutive first-place finish, after a perfect inaugural weekend of competition at Bader Field. Speed reclaimed the race lead with two laps remaining when his teammate, Tanner Foust, struck trouble with a punctured tire. The two-time series champion managed to bring his wounded Beetle GRC to the line in fourth position, earning valuable championship points. Volkswagen increases its lead in the manufacturer’s championship with its fourth consecutive win and sixth of the season. Provisionally, the drivers still lead the championship standings, although their positions have swapped. Both drivers continue to grow their points gap to the rest of the field, heading into the final three races of the season. Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross will be back in action at the ninth round of the 2016 season in Seattle. The race will air Sunday, September 18, at 1:30 p.m. (EDT) on NBC.

Classic Instruments to Partner With Pro Stocker Jason Line for NHRA U.S. Nationals

Two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Jason Line and performance gauge maker Classic Instruments have inked a partnership for the Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals, August 31–September 5 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. Line and the Summit Racing-sponsored KB Racing team have worked closely with Classic Instruments to develop the company’s new Performance Series gauges.

Cooper Webb earned the 250MX class champion title recently at the GEICO Motorcycle Budds Creek National. Photo credit: Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha

Mickey Thompson-Sponsored Cooper Webb Earns Pro Motocross 250 Class Champion Title

Mickey Thompson and Deegan 38-sponsored racer Cooper Webb earned the 250MX class champion title recently at the GEICO Motorcycle Budds Creek National—part of the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. The Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha team member scored 457 points in the series and has been on the podium nine times. The 20-year-old from Newport, North Carolina, has held his lead in the overall point standings for most of the series. Webb’s closest competitor, teammate Alex Martin, earned second at Budds Creek, and is in second place in the series.

IndyCar, Watkins Glen International Announce Multi-Year Extension

Watkins Glen International is officially New York’s home for IndyCar racing once again. In a joint announcement made at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup, New York State Senator Tom O’Mara, IndyCar President Jay Frye and IndyCar driver Will Power confirmed that the Verizon IndyCar Series will return to the historic circuit in 2017 and beyond. Following the cancellation of the planned Grand Prix of Boston, Printup and Frye announced in Indianapolis that the series would return to Watkins Glen International September 1–4 on a one-year deal that would fill the open date on the schedule.

Team McLeish Bros. set a 186.305-mph national land-speed record at the 68th annual Speed Week at Bonneville Salt Flats.

Team McLeish Bros. Sets 186-mph Record With an Indian Scout Engine

On Friday, August 19, Team McLeish Bros. inked a 186.305-mph national land-speed record at the 68th annual Speed Week at Bonneville Salt Flats. Competing with its 21-ft. SilverRod, the motorcycle streamliner rocketed to the top-speed spot for Class SCS-G, eclipsing all other Indian Motorcycle-powered speed machines at Bonneville. Team McLeish Bros. record-book accomplishment exceeded Burt Munro’s long-standing 183-mph speed, but not his record. Munro was venerated when Anthony Hopkins played the New Zealand motorcyclist in the feature film “World’s Fastest Indian.”

Jonnie Lindberg Motorsports has partnered with VP Racing Fuels for the 2016 racing season.

VP Racing Fuels Partners With Jonnie Lindberg, GM Parts Now & Gray Motorsports

Jonnie Lindberg Motorsports has announced a new alliance with VP Racing Fuels for the 2016 racing season. Lindberg, reigning NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion, will rely exclusively on VP’s M1 Methanol in his attempt to secure a second championship this year.

VP Racing Fuels has also announced a partnership with Victor Cagnazzi and Gray Motorsports’ COPO Camaro Sportsman racing team. With the agreement, each of the team’s cars will be powered exclusively by VP’s C25 racing fuel at the upcoming NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis and other NHRA National events. The GM Parts Now Chevy COPO team campaigns four cars in Stock, Super Stock and the Factory Stock Showdown.

NMCA Announces 2017 Event Schedule

The National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) has announced the official event schedule for the 2017 season:

• March 9–12: 15th Annual NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem, Bradenton Motorsports Park, Bradenton, Florida
• April 6–9: 9th Annual NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals, Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, Georgia
• May 18–21: 16th Annual Bluegrass Nationals, Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, Kentucky
• July 27–30: 12th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing, Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Illinois
• August 24–27: 16th Annual NMCA All American Muscle Supernationals, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio
• September 21–24: 16th Annual NMCA World Street Finals, Lucas Oil Raceway, Indianapolis

Champion Racing Oil National Open Returns to Williams Grove Speedway

Champion will again be the title sponsor of the Williams Grove National Open sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, September 29–October 1, in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The Champion Racing Oil National Open is an event with more than 50 years of history that includes the biggest names in motorsports competing at half-mile Williams Grove Speedway. This year’s three-day competition offers a pair of 25-lap, $10,000 to win mains on both Thursday and Friday, plus a 40-lap championship race paying $50,000 to win on Saturday. 

Josh Klugger Wins Big in Radial vs. World at PSCA SCSN St. Louis

Fiscus/Klugger Racing (FKR) driver Josh Klugger took home the overall win in Radial vs. the World at the PSCA Street Car Super Nationals “Anarchy at the Arch” III race at Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis last weekend. Additionally, teammate Kevin Fiscus made it through to both the semi-finals in Pro Nitrous vs. Pro Boost and the quarter-finals in Radial vs. the World.

By Michael Hart

Engineering students attended a Career Day at the SEMA Garage in February.

This year, in support of SEMA’s Career Paths initiative, the SEMA Show will launch its first-ever Student Career Day. On Monday, October 31, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., SEMA members and Show exhibitors will have the chance to introduce themselves and their companies and present available career opportunities to about 600 high-school and college students who will attend the Show.

While not technically a “job fair” (although students may come with their résumés in hand), it is an opportunity to pique the interest of bright, talented young people, and for students to begin relationships that may lead to careers in the automotive aftermarket industry.

Join the 33 companies already committed to participating.

Spots are going fast. To participate or learn more, contact Zane Clark, SEMA’s senior director of education.

By Michael Hart

Engineering students attended a Career Day at the SEMA Garage in February.

This year, in support of SEMA’s Career Paths initiative, the SEMA Show will launch its first-ever Student Career Day. On Monday, October 31, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., SEMA members and Show exhibitors will have the chance to introduce themselves and their companies and present available career opportunities to about 600 high-school and college students who will attend the Show.

While not technically a “job fair” (although students may come with their résumés in hand), it is an opportunity to pique the interest of bright, talented young people, and for students to begin relationships that may lead to careers in the automotive aftermarket industry.

Join the 33 companies already committed to participating.

Spots are going fast. To participate or learn more, contact Zane Clark, SEMA’s senior director of education.

By Michael Hart

Engineering students attended a Career Day at the SEMA Garage in February.

This year, in support of SEMA’s Career Paths initiative, the SEMA Show will launch its first-ever Student Career Day. On Monday, October 31, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., SEMA members and Show exhibitors will have the chance to introduce themselves and their companies and present available career opportunities to about 600 high-school and college students who will attend the Show.

While not technically a “job fair” (although students may come with their résumés in hand), it is an opportunity to pique the interest of bright, talented young people, and for students to begin relationships that may lead to careers in the automotive aftermarket industry.

Join the 33 companies already committed to participating.

Spots are going fast. To participate or learn more, contact Zane Clark, SEMA’s senior director of education.

By Michael Hart

Engineering students attended a Career Day at the SEMA Garage in February.

This year, in support of SEMA’s Career Paths initiative, the SEMA Show will launch its first-ever Student Career Day. On Monday, October 31, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., SEMA members and Show exhibitors will have the chance to introduce themselves and their companies and present available career opportunities to about 600 high-school and college students who will attend the Show.

While not technically a “job fair” (although students may come with their résumés in hand), it is an opportunity to pique the interest of bright, talented young people, and for students to begin relationships that may lead to careers in the automotive aftermarket industry.

Join the 33 companies already committed to participating.

Spots are going fast. To participate or learn more, contact Zane Clark, SEMA’s senior director of education.

By Michael Hart

Engineering students attended a Career Day at the SEMA Garage in February.

This year, in support of SEMA’s Career Paths initiative, the SEMA Show will launch its first-ever Student Career Day. On Monday, October 31, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., SEMA members and Show exhibitors will have the chance to introduce themselves and their companies and present available career opportunities to about 600 high-school and college students who will attend the Show.

While not technically a “job fair” (although students may come with their résumés in hand), it is an opportunity to pique the interest of bright, talented young people, and for students to begin relationships that may lead to careers in the automotive aftermarket industry.

Join the 33 companies already committed to participating.

Spots are going fast. To participate or learn more, contact Zane Clark, SEMA’s senior director of education.

Dennis Pittsenbarger interviews SEMA Hall of Fame Inductee Jim Bingham during the 2015 SEMA Show.

Dennis Pittsenbarger interviews SEMA Hall of Fame Inductee Jim Bingham during the 2015 SEMA Show.

By SEMA Editors

Chevrolet has extended the submissions deadline for its SEMA Design Awards Program. Builders are urged to contact Rich Downing with any immediate questions and submissions.

The deadline for initial submissions for this year’s Chevrolet SEMA Design Awards Program has been extended. Please see submission process, requirements, vehicles/themes of interest, award categories and award benefits below:

Submission Process:

• Contact Rich Downing with initial submissions prior to September 15 to be considered for inclusion in pre-SEMA Show marketing activities.
• Submit final or as close to final photographs (front ¾, rear ¾, engine and interior), theme/content description and intended vehicle display location to Rich Downing by October 14, 2016, to be considered for an award.

Requirements:

• Preservation of the production Chevrolet emblem, if originally equipped, on the front of vehicle (gold or black bowtie for current vehicles).
• Use of a Chevrolet powertrain (mixing or matching fuel types and generations is acceptable).
• Willing to support Chevrolet marketing activities.
• Your plan for additional promotion and events for the vehicle beyond the 2016 SEMA Show.
• Use of current model-year Chevrolet vehicles, Chevrolet Performance Parts, accessories and crate engines is recommended, but not required.

Vehicles/Themes of Interest to Chevrolet:

• ’16 Camaro, Colorado (gas and diesel), Silverado (LD and HD), Tahoe, Suburban, Cruze and Trax.
• Innovative Chevy crate engine usage or integration.
• Innovative use of Chevy Performance Parts & Accessories.
• Innovative new technology integration.

Award Categories: (six total)

• Chevy SEMA Car of the Year.
• Chevy SEMA Truck of the Year.
• Chevy SEMA People’s Choice.
• Chevy SEMA Classic of the Year.
• Best use of Chevy Performance crate engine.
• Best use of Chevy Performance parts and accessories.

Award Benefits:

• Announcement of awards program details at Chevrolet media reveal.
• Exclusive award recipients reveal and reception.
• Announcement and coverage of award recipients on Chevrolet.com, TheBLOCK.com and other social media channels.
• Exclusive video of award recipients with GM Design team members during the SEMA Show.
• Detailed feature article on TheBLOCK.com during the month of November.
• Exclusive photo book featuring behind-the-scenes images of builders and GM design.

Note: The winner must provide release and consent as requested by GM, including but not limited to publication of the winner’s work, winner’s name, likeness and voice as a condition to receiving the above award and benefits.