CHEVY THUNDER: Chevrolet officials introduced a new Chevy midget racing engine last week. The “repackaged” powerplant features an inline four-cylinder aluminum block and has two valves per cylinder. The unit is already in use by Tony Stewart Racing and will be available to other teams in the coming weeks.
ON THE POLE: IndyCar Series veteran Scott Dixon became the first New Zealand native to win the pole for the Indianapolis 500, turning in a four-lap average at 226.366 miles per hour at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
HE’S BACK: Tracy Hines returned to victory lane for the first time since missing the majority of the 2007 season with injuries suffered in an ATV accident. He won the USAC National Sprint Car Series event at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway.
EXTENSION: The Performance Racing Industry Trade Show will remain at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando through at least 2016 after an agreement signed last week.
LATE RIDE: IndyCar Series veteran Jeff Simmons will drive a second A.J. Foyt Enterprises entry at Indianapolis and hopes to make the field this weekend. Darren Manning is the team’s regular driver.
HIRED: Longtime IndyCar crew chief Larry Curry has gone to work for Roth Racing and will oversee the cars wheeled by team owner Marty Roth and veteran racer John Andretti at the Indianapolis 500.
POWER RANKINGS: With his eighth NASCAR victory of the season and third in the Sprint Cup Series, Kyle Busch remained at the top of the National Speed Sport News Power Rankings. The National Speed Sport News Power Rankings are published weekly in the 74-year-old motorsports publication.
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