Compiled by SEMA Editors
 The SEMA SCORE Baja 1000 Experience will be on display outside the Las Vegas Convention Center at the 2016 SEMA Show, November 1–4. |
Start Draw Thursday for 49th Annual SCORE Baja 1000 With Entries From 35 U.S. States, 15 Countries Anticipated
As entries continue to arrive from all across the United States and around the world, the drawing for starting positions will be held Thursday, October 13, for next month’s 49th annual SCORE Baja 1000. Online entry registration for the race is available at RegisterHereForRace. The final round of the four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship will be held November 15–20, in Ensenada, Mexico. Nearly 250 entries from 35 U.S. States and 15 countries are expected to participate in classes for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and quads in this year’s SCORE Baja 1000.
This year’s SCORE Baja 1000 will be a loop race, and pre-running on the approximately 830-mile course will open on Saturday, October 22, with the start to Ojos Negros only allowed on Wednesday and Thursday of race week (and only in the outbound direction). This will allow competitors nearly four weeks of practice on the race course. The start line and finish line will once again be adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in the heart of Ensenada, with the first and last several spectator-friendly miles running up and back down the Ensenada Arroyo.
Jumpstarting the festivities for the SCORE Baja 1000 for the third straight year will be the SEMA SCORE Baja 1000 Experience at the Las Vegas Convention Center, November 1–4, and the special SCORE Baja 1000 qualifying for SCORE Trophy Trucks and the Trophy Truck Spec class. With both events presented by BFGoodrich Tires, qualifying will be held at the Off-Road Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Tuesday, November 1, at 7:00 p.m.
For more information regarding SCORE, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship at www.SCORE-International.com.
 Chris Forsberg became the first three-time Formula Drift world champion at Irwindale Speedway in California. |
Chris Forsberg Becomes the First Three-Time Formula Drift World Champion in His Nissan 370Z
Chris Forsberg became the first three-time Formula Drift world champion at Irwindale Speedway in California. This achievement comes after a record-setting season, with Forsberg taking six consecutive podiums in his 1,000hp VK56-powered Nissan 370Z. Entering the event, only four drivers were mathematically eligible to take home the championship: two-time champion Forsberg, returning champion Fredric Aasbo, 2010 champion Vaughn Gittin and Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis. As the event progressed, Gittin had an early exit in the round of 32, which left Aasbo and Forsberg to control their own destiny. The Top 16 saw many spoilers and upsets as Forberg crashed in his chase run against Patrick Mordaunt giving a small chance to Aasbo. In Aasbo’s Top 16 battle against Matt Field, Aasbo initiated contact on his chase lap giving the edge to Field, which ultimately cost him the decision to give Forsberg the 2016 Pro Championship. This makes Forsberg the first three-time Formula Drift champion and first champion to win without winning a single round of competition. Forsberg will chase a fourth title in the 2017 Formula Drift Season that kicks off in Long Beach, California, next spring.
 Doug Boles |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles to Present at Race Track Business Conference at 2016 PRI Trade Show
A panel of presenters headlined by Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles is being assembled for the fifth annual Race Track Business Conference (RTBC) at the 2016 PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis. The event will be held just prior to and in conjunction with the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, which runs December 8–10, 2016, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Occupying 566,000 sq.-ft., the Show features more than 1,200 companies in 3,000 booths with new racing technology and draws 40,000 buyers from across the United States and 70 countries.
Industry leaders from across racing will be among the expert presenters. They include:
- Doug Boles, president, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Dave Dusick, founder, Race Track Engineering
- Christian Epp, director, Tilke GmbH & Co. KG
- Darren Hickey, vice president, Gregory & Appel Insurance
- John Kalejta, manager, Geobrugg North America LLC
- Gavin Knapp, market research director, SEMA
- Ron Knoch, president, DIESEL Motorsports
- Jeff Ladd, president, Sports Insurance Specialists LLC
- Jim Liaw, president, Formula Drift
- Brad Oleshansky, CEO, M1 Concourse
- John Oreovicz, journalist, ESPN
- Chip Pankow, president, Red Bull Global Rally Cross
- Scott Peterson, director of motorsports, TSMGI
- Paul Pfanner, CEO, Racer magazine
- Neeraj Sharma, head of growth, Rally Bus
- Ralph Sheheen, co-founder, Turn 3 Media
- John Waraniak, vice president of vehicle technology, SEMA
“The business of race tracks is unique and comes with unique challenges,” said PRI General Manager Bill Miller. “Nowhere else are race-track owners and stakeholders able to collaborate and focus on the unique challenges in the industry.”
The cost to attend RTBC-2016 is $250, which includes lunch and admission to the PRI Trade Show. Additional information can be found at www.racetrackbusinessconference.com.
 McLaren Factory Driver Alvaro Parente has claimed the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge Driver Championship with the 650S GT3 in a dramatic season finale at Laguna Seca. |
McLaren 650S GT3 Secures Triple Honors During Pirelli World Challenge Title Decider at Laguna Seca
In his debut season racing in North America, McLaren Factory Driver Alvaro Parente has claimed the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge Driver Championship with the 650S GT3 in a dramatic season finale at Laguna Seca. Crossing the line second, Parente secured the title as McLaren took the Manufacturer Championship and customer team K-PAX Racing won the GT Teams Championship. A post-race penalty for the race winner then saw Parente inherit the overall race win—his sixth of the season. Parente arrived at the final race of the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge season leading the championship by two points. The Portuguese driver’s lap of the Californian circuit in 1m 24.212s was just 0.252s off pole position but, in one of the closest qualifying sessions of the year, Parente lined up four places behind his closest rival, in P6. In his first season racing in the Pirelli World Challenge, Parente—who won the Bathurst 12 Hour alongside fellow Factory Driver Shane van Gisbergen back in February with customer team Tekno Autosports—accumulated six wins, six pole positions, six fastest laps and a further two P2 finishes.
 Honda and Olsbergs MSE collected another top-five finish with driver Joni Wiman. |
Honda, Olsbergs MSE Finish 2016 Red Bull Global Rallycross Season
In the final event of the 2016 Red Bull Global Rallycross season, Honda and Olsbergs MSE collected another top-five finish with driver Joni Wiman. The result caps off the manufacturer’s first season competing in Red Bull GRC, with a total of five podium results in the turbocharged ’16 Honda Civic Coupe. Wiman, along with 21-year-old teammate Sebastian Eriksson, delivered nine top-five finishes in 11 events while handling the Rallycross-modified 2016 North American Car of the Year. In its first year of competition, the Honda Civic, 2016 North American Car of the Year, captured 10 top-five finishes, five podium finishes and finished third in the season-long manufacturers' championship.
 Scott Speed claimed second place and the championship victory. |
Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross Secures Championship Lockout in Los Angeles
Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross capped off a 2016 Red Bull Global Rallycross season in Los Angeles, helping driver Scott Speed to a second consecutive Driver’s Championship, and locking out the top two positions in the championship with Tanner Foust’s second-place showing. Foust entered the weekend with a slim, 13-point margin in the championship standings over his teammate. Speed took his fourth victory of the season, and Foust grabbed second place in the team’s fourth double podium finish, as well as its third 1–2 sweep of the year. Sunday was more difficult for the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross pair. Foust qualified second and Speed turned the fourth fastest time in the session. In the Driver’s Championship, Foust had a monster start and passed nearly half the field on the outside of the first few turns, ending up in third position behind his teammate. Speed held position in second, maintaining a small gap to Foust. Although Foust remained close to Speed throughout the race, he was unable to pass the driver of the No. 41 #PinkBeetle GRC, allowing Speed to claim second place and the championship victory.
 The 18th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World Finals at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, wrapped up in a big way as six heads-up and five index champions were crowned. |
Race Wrap: 18th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World Finals
The 2016 NMRA Keystone Automotive season has concluded with the 18th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World Finals at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The race wrapped up in a big way as six heads-up and five index champions were crowned.
VP Racing Fuels Street Outlaw: In eliminations, Phil Hines with his ProCharged ’01 Mustang defeated Joel Greathouse driving Charles Hull’s turbocharged ’92 Mustang.
Edelbrock Renegade: Aaron Bates in his ProCharged ’87 Mustang took out Adam Arndt in the finals and earned an all-expenses paid trip to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle.
G-Force Racing Transmissions Pure Street: Teddy Weaver took home the win for the weekend with his SPEC clutch-equipped ’01 Mustang after defeating Shawn Johnson in the finals.
ProCharger Coyote Modified: Hellion Racing “B-Team” driver Haley James piloted her turbocharged ’93 Mustang to a victory in the final elimination round against Joe Guertin.
American Racing Headers Factory Stock and Race Pages: The last men standing in their respective classes were James Meredith and Shane Stymiest.
Detroit Locker Truck & Lightning: Randy Conway and his ’84 Ranger turned on the win light in his lane with a 10.565 up against Gerry VanVeen.
Exedy Racing Clutch Modular Muscle: Shane Williams was the last man standing when he pushed his ’99 Mustang to run a final time of 11.785 on a 11.76 index to defeat Donnie Bowles’ 9.971 on a 9.94 index.
Roush Performance Super Stang: The final pair to run during eliminations was Chris Parisi and Dave Liechty, but the win went to Parisi when he ran a 14.275 on his 14.25 over Liechty’s 11.274 on a 11.20.
Flex-a-Lite Open Comp: Dennis Corn took the overall win when his ’88 Thunderbird put in a winning run in the finals with Tim Hamilton in the opposing lane.
Race Pages Ford Muscle: Tom Osterkamp clicked off a 10.042-second pass on a 10.00 dial-in with his ’12 Mustang to take the win away from Danny Towe.
QA1 True Street: Overall win bragging rights went to Troy Messamore, whose ’93 Mustang was the quickest of all, earning an 8.055-second average with a first run of 8.210 and a second of 7.900. Nicolas Shortridge took the win in the 9-second category. Chad Evans was the quickest of the 10-second group, while Tim Bradshaw did the honors for the 11-second racers. For the 12-second average, Randy Rosner was the winner, followed by Jason Epstein for the 13-second group, Kristen Kelly for the 14-second group, and Belinda Moore for the 15-second group.
ididit Outlaw True Street: Tim Oswalt defeated Raul Torres in the final round to score the inaugural title and a $2,500 payout.
TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout: Nicolas Shortridge was the quickest manually shifted Mustang of the bunch. His turbocharged Cobra ran 9.353 at 151.15 mph in the shootout.
VMP Superchargers Terminator/GT500 Shootout: Brian Devilbiss his ’13 GT500 reached the big end first with a 7.461 at 188.96 mph hit to officially bookend his season with wins in the class.
Henchman Racing Turbo Coyote Shootout: Justin Jordan in his ’14 Mustang had a final run of 4.994 at 145.88 mph to trigger the win lights in his lane as Bret Stabler took the runner up spot.
Livernois Motorsports EcoBoost: Brad Gusler won the last elimination match of the night in his ’15 EcoBoost Mustang with an easy win over Alexis Fruggiero.
Bracket Categories: Derrick Cornish and his ’87 Mustang won Bracket 1, Gary Parker won Bracket 2 and Clifford Moore won Bracket 3 with his ’95 Mustang.