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Harli White kicks off 2017 in Florida

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Harli White Harli White kicks of 2017 in Florida this weekend when she makes her debut appearance at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa for the 16th annual Ronald Laney Memorial King of the 360s.

“I’ve watched a few videos of that track,” she said. “By the looks of it, it will be close to some tracks we raced on in Australia recently. My goal is to just get laps and try to make the show each night. It’s going to be a tough field of cars and a challenging track.”

With a large 60-race schedule set for 2017, White previously announced that she will tackle the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour for the first time in her career. While that will encompass the bulk of her events, White has more than a dozen additional races on the initial schedule of more than 60 shows across the country.    Harli spent most of the offseason competing in Australia for the first time in her career, and she is hopeful that experience will lead to success at new venues this season, including the one this Thursday through Saturday.  

White, who had never driven a 410 winged sprint car prior to the trip, competed in 13 races at three different tracks throughout December and January. She said the highlight was being a part of Team USA when it won the Origin of Speed event, which showcased eight states and territories, at Valvoline Raceway in Sydney, New South Wales, on Jan. 12.

“As a driver I have to be able to adapt to any track condition,” she said. “Dry slick is what we were hoping for in Australia. A slick track in the states will be nice.”

Regardless of the tricky track and stout competition, White said she is entering this season with a lot of confidence.

“We’re on top of our game going into the first race,” she said. “Everything is in line. It looks good and sounds good. We spent the hours preparing this year.  I learned a lot racing in Australia during the offseason, hopefully running the different tracks will help me quickly figure out these new tracks I’ll be going to.”

 

Car Chix at Race & Performance Expo

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Car Chix at Race & Performance ExpoNot able to attend the upcoming 10th Annual Race and Performance Expo?   Our friends over at Car Chix will be at Race & Performance Expo live streaming the event on the Car Chix Facebook page.   

The live feed will feature a special segment entitled “The Women of the Midwest Nostalgia Pro Stocks:  “Paying Tribute to the Legends” and a hand lettering demonstration by Kustom Kulture Artist, “Brando”.

“This will be must see event,” says Jeanette DesJardins, President and Founder of Car Chix. “It will be like taking a walk down memory lane of the good ‘ol days of drag racing with modern day technology, perspectives and views.”

The women of the Midwest Nostalgia Pro Stocks segment will be discussing their personal experiences in racing with Car Chix – how they first became involved with drag racing, their roles on the race team and what they see for the future of women in racing.  

World Renowned artist, “Brando” from Kustom Kulture will be free-hand lettering Mike Ruth’s Bob Glidden Nostalgia Pro Stock tribute car.  

The live stream event will be filmed by Amy Dayton of ARS Promotions for an upcoming segment of their hit TV show, ARS-TV.  In addition, a major sponsorship announcement is expected to be made with a leading performance manufacturer. 

Car Chix at Race & performance ExpoCar Chix at Race & Performance Expo Live Stream

Date:  Sunday, February 26th, 2017  2:00PM CST
Event: 10th Annual Race & Performance Expo
Location:  Heidts Hot Rods Booth  (#1221-1235)
Renaissance Convention Center
1551 Thoreau Dr N.
Schaumburg, IL 60173

Live Feed: Car Chix Facebook Page

Car Chix Booth | Calendar Signing

If you are in the area, Car Chix will have an action packed Saturday including a 2017 Car Chix Calendar Autograph Signing from 1-3pm at the Car Chix Booth (#1812) where attendees can meet with the Women of Motorsports Car Chix Calendar features.  

Motorsport Marketing Seminar | Car Chix

Jeanette DesJardins of Car Chix will be demonstrating how you can maximize your marketing efforts at the debut of the ‘Motorsports Marketing – Promoting You and Your Race Team’ Seminar from 3:15 – 3:55pm in the Prosperity Room.

 

Larsen Motorsports partners with Space Coast Tourism

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Larsen Motorsports partners with Space Coast Office of TourismPalm Bay, Florida based Jet Dragster Super Team, Larsen Motorsports announced they have aligned with the Space Coast Tourism Office in order to help promote tourism and careers on Florida’s Space Coast in 2017.

Florida’s Space Coast is a family-friendly destination located 45-minutes east of Orlando.  Encompassing Cocoa Beach, Melbourne & the Beaches, Port Canaveral, Titusville, and Palm Bay, it is home to the world’s second busiest cruise port and 72 miles of beaches, the longest stretch in the state; as well as 190,000 acres of wetlands and waterways full of habitat found nowhere else. Plus, Florida’s Space Coast is where rockets still soar into orbit from Kennedy Space Center.

Larsen Motorsports fields a 3-car exhibition jet dragster team at over two dozen premium venues across the country – from drag racing track locations, tradeshow venues, corporate appearances and more.  

As our teams travel across the country, we have the opportunity to help promote Florida’s Space Coast to a multitude of people” said Chris Larsen, co-owner of Larsen Motorsports, “Our vehicles and staff directly represent a large number of the initiatives Brevard County wishes to promote. With our teams’ home right here on Florida’s Space Coast, Larsen Motorsports is perfectly positioned to help deliver the Space Coast Office of Tourism message to a very large audience across North America.”

Space Coast - Elaine LarsenElaine Larsen, co-owner of Larsen Motorsports and driver of the Florida Institute of Technology Jet Dragster, has made incredible contributions to not only the drag racing community – helping to train many young dragster pilots such as Kat Moller, Shea Holbrook, Kat Redner, Allison West, Marisha Falk, and many other ladies in the sport; but also on the crew and engineering side with their Jet Developmental Center focused on hands-on training in jet car engineering, fabrication and more.    Elaine holds several World Championships in the Jet class, aided by her crew chief Paige Sanchez.    Larsen Motorsports has been known previously as the “Fastest Girls in Town” for the team’s strong history of helping advance women in motorsports.  Their emphasis on training and development, research and hands-on engineering/fabrication advancements reflects their highly successful partnership with the Florida Institute of Technology and their dedication to giving back to the sport and their local community.

 “I am so excited about this newest partnership!” said Elaine Larsen.  “When I am not racing, it is good to come home to Florida’s Space Coast, where there is always something to do.  This paradise may be home for me, but a destination for others to enjoy as well.”

For more information, contact the Space Coast Office of Tourism at (877) 572-3224 or VisitSpaceCoast.com.

Megan Meyer and Clevite Announce Partnership

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Clevite and Megan Meyer join forcesNHRA Drag Racing Top Alcohol Dragster driver Megan Meyer and Clevite have just announced a new associate sponsor partnership for the 2017 TAD season.    MAHLE Motorsports owned, Clevite® Engine Products has been a contingency sponsor of Randy Meyer Racing for over a decade, onboard the team’s many championship-winning vehicles, but has stepped up to support Meyer in her sophomore season of LODRS Top Alcohol Dragster competition.   

Meyer has been working hard during the off season to build existing partnerships and promote new ones.   Clevite stepping up to an Associate Partnership with the Randy Meyer Racing team allows them to showcase their exceptional promotional and media capabilities provided to their partners on a much larger scale.

Megan Meyer’s A/Fuel Dragster and the other Randy Meyer Racing vehicles have trusted Clevite rings and bearings in their engine program, depending on the quality and precision of Clevite Engine Products in their high horsepower dragsters.     

Meyer and CleviteThey are increasing their media and promo efforts and believe we are the best fit to help them out. We have used their bearings and rings for years and are very happy with the performance of their products.” — Megan Meyer

MAHLE is a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry. With its products for combustion engines and their  peripherals as well as solutions for electric vehicles, the group addresses all the crucial issues related to the powertrain and air conditioning technology—from engine systems and components to filtration to thermal management. In 2015, the group generated sales of approximately EUR 11.5 billion with around 76,000 employees and is represented in 34 countries with over 170 production locations.

“MAHLE has a long tradition in motorsports including Clevite, the most recognized brand engine in the world,” says Bill McKnight, Marketing Team Lead for MAHLE Aftermarket Inc.  “We have the opportunity to support racers from time to time and choose to support both those with long careers as well as what we feel are the best and brightest young people in motorsports. Megan Meyer is a great example of the latter. She’s smart, articulate, engaged and professional. With a large fan base, great driving skills and a solid work ethic, how could we ask for more!”

 The 2017 season begins at the NHRA Gatornationals event in March for Megan Meyer and will be her first race of the year with new associate affiliation with Clevite.

 

Pippa Mann partners with OrthoIndy

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Pippa Mann Partners with OrthoIndyIndycar driver Pippa Mann partners with OrthoIndy

Pippa Mann is excited to announce a new partnership with Indianapolis orthopedic care provider OrthoIndy.

“As a former patient of OrthoIndy, I was thrilled with the idea of partnering with them,” said Pippa. “OrthoIndy is the place the pro-athletes trust. Whatever sport we play, when we have broken bones, or orthopedic issues, getting them resolved not only so we can live our lives comfortably, but so we can perform again at the highest levels of our abilities after surgery or treatment is exceptionally important to us. The OrthoIndy staff are not only the best in the business in terms of clinical care, but after treating and work with so many pro-athletes, they understand the psychology of not only wanting to get better, but wanting to be able to return to competition as quickly as possible too.”

Founded over 50 years ago, OrthoIndy is one of the most highly respected orthopedic practices in the Midwest. With over 70 physicians providing care to central Indiana residents from more than 10 convenient locations, OrthoIndy provides leading-edge bone, joint, spine and muscle care. OrthoIndy physicians also provide care to the Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever, Indianapolis Indians and Dance Kaleidoscope, as well as local colleges and high schools. 

Owned and operated by OrthoIndy physicians, OrthoIndy Hospital is central Indiana’s first specialty hospital with a direct focus on bone, joint, spine and muscle care and the most technologically advanced facility available for orthopedics in the Midwest. As a physician-owned hospital model, OrthoIndy Hospital’s top priorities are patient safety, satisfaction and outcomes. 

Quality patient care serves as the foundation for the physician-owned and operated hospital, which is evident in the ratings received from Press Ganey Associates, Inc. From 2013 to 2016 OrthoIndy Hospital was named a Guardian of Excellence Award winner for consistently achieving the 95th percentile of performance in patient satisfaction. From 2009 to 2012, OrthoIndy Hospital was named the Summit Award Winner for sustaining the highest level of customer satisfaction for three or more consecutive years.  

OrthoIndy has provided orthopedic care for the racing community for years. Statistics show that women are the primary healthcare decision makers in a household; therefore, it was important to OrthoIndy to align with a female athlete in the Indianapolis community. Pippa Mann is a strong female athlete in a male-dominated profession, who has proved you can do anything you set your mind to.

“The physicians, nurses and employees of OrthoIndy are excited to partner with Pippa,” said Jane Keller, CEO of OrthoIndy. “Pippa is passionate about giving back to the Indianapolis community we serve. We are proud to partner with her.” 

To stay up to date with OrthoIndy, and to find out first about any public appearances Pippa has as part of her partnership, connect with OrthoIndy on Facebook, or @OrthoIndy on Twitter and Instagram and Pippa Mann on Facebook, or @PippaMann on Twitter or Instagram. 

For more information on OrthoIndy, please call (317) 802-2000 or visit us at OrthoIndy.com.

Teryx Girls Back for King of the Hammer

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Teryx Girls
PHOTO: KATHY DURRETT

The all-female OffRoad team “Teryx Girls” – Driver Sara Price & Co-Driver Erica Sacks – have spent the past 12 months anxious to return to Hammertown and better their result at the King of the Hammers.   The toughest one day off-road race on the planet, The Teryx Girls are the only all-female team contesting the 2017 King of the Hammers event.

Last year, the duo impressed thousands of spectators in Johnson Valley, California as they sped through open desert and found unique lines through some of the technical rock crawling sections of the 2016 King of the Hammers course. Starting the 2016 event in the 20th position, the Teryx Girls came out of the desert section in 12th place going into the rocks, and made quick work of picking off enough cars to run in a 5th place spot before breaking out of the race.

“From the moment we realized we weren’t going to finish last year, we’ve been thinking about how this year we were going to get the job done,” said Price. “We could hear everyone cheering for the Teryx Girls last year and I expect we will see even more fans out in Johnson Valley this week. This race is as tough as they come and I know Teryx is up for the challenge.”

Teryx Girls Sara Price and Erica Sacks with their new UTVSara qualified the only 800cc to compete in the UTV Class Saturday the 4th for a impressive 20th start position against 46competitors that day and 70 Total entrants in class thus far.  The Teryx Girls Kawasaki Teryx was build specifically for the King Of the Hammers by IMG Motorsports, but a large percentage of stock parts were retained on the race side-by-side due to the proven strength and performance of the Kawasaki Teryx. 

Fans can watch the Teryx Girls race live on Wednesday, February 7 at www.ultra4racing.com/live or follow along on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeryxGirls > Hashtag #TeryxGirls on social media sites.

 

Courtney Force Nitro Spring Training

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COURTNEY FORCE SPRING TRANING
Photo: Auto Imagery

Advance Auto Parts Funny Car driver Courtney Force blistered Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park during the second day of NHRA Drag Racing Nitro Spring training Friday, posting the three-quickest passes of the week – including an incredible run under the current established NHRA Drag Racing Funny Car national record E.T.

Force’s best run in her new Advanced Auto Parts livery-adorned Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car was 3.804 seconds at 333.33 mph, quicker than the current national-record run of 3.822 seconds set last year in Brainerd, Minnesota by Matt Hagan.  The pass was not an official record, because Force’s pass came during testing, not a national event and does not comply with required criteria for national records.

“It was a pretty unbelievable run,” Force said. “It’s all thanks to these guys; I’m just the one piloting the car down to the other end. But it was really exciting hearing them come on the radio and be so excited about it.   It’s great being out here at Phoenix testing. We’re going to try some new things tomorrow and just see what the car does. So far, we’re definitely happy with it.”

In addition to the 3.804 run, Force made passes of 3.847 seconds at 329.26 mph and 3.847 seconds at 331.28 mph – the three quickest runs of the day in Nitro Spring Training.

“I feel good every run,” Force said. “It’s crazy. You take two months off during the offseason and then you hop back in a car – just smashing on the throttle – it takes some getting used to and time to get back into your routine. When you get a couple months off, it changes things. It’s been a lot of fun getting back in the car and back into the groove of things. I feel like I’ve had to really quickly, as my guys are ready for the season. They’ve really shown that with how the Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro has run so far.  I feel like I had my hands full on multiple runs, but it’s really great being able to make so many great passes just in testing – the 3.84s and then the 3.80 unofficially. It’s a great feeling. I’m proud of my guys; it’s all because of them.”

Testing continues Saturday, with the final day slated for Sunday.