Eldora Speedway Names Jerry Gappens General Manager
Eldora Speedway—the 1/2-mile clay dirt oval in Rossburg, Ohio, owned by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart—has named veteran motorsports executive Jerry Gappens its new general manager. Gappens succeeds Roger Slack, who has decided to “take a sabbatical from the industry.”
Gappens comes to Eldora from Indiana’s Gas City I-69 Speedway, where he has been the promotor of the 1/4-mile dirt oval since 2018. Prior, Gappens spent 23 years with Speedway Motorsports as executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, from 2008 through 2015, and senior vice president of events and marketing of Charlotte (North Carolina) Motor Speedway from 1993 to 2007. For more information, visit eldoraspeedway.com.
Larry Boos Announced as New Promoter for Gas City I-69 Speedway
Gas City I-69 Speedway, the 1/4-mile clay oval in Gas City, Indiana, has announced Larry Boos as the new track promoter. He takes over for Jerry Gappens, who has accepted the position of general manager for Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. Boos is also the promoter of Winchester Speedway (Winchester, Indiana), Montpelier Motor Speedway (Montpelier, Indiana), and the Rumble in Fort Wayne event. The Gas City I-69 Speedway season opens with a Test and Tune event Wednesday, April 27, and with its season opener race Friday, May 6. For more information, visit gascityi69speedway.com.
Race Fans Launch Campaign to Save Palm Beach International Raceway
Fans are rallying to save Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR). The IHRA-sanctioned drag strip and road course in Jupiter, Florida, formerly known as Moroso Motorsports Park, has reportedly been sold to a buyer who wants to convert it from a motorsports facility to an industrial park. Racers, enthusiasts and fans have formed a campaign to help stop the sale. The effort is documented on savepalmbeachraceway.com, which offers testimonial support from big names in the industry, including McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, NASCAR Team Co-Owner Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull), IndyCar champion Danny Sullivan, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee Tommy Kendall, plus John Oates of Hall & Oates and former St. Louis Cardinal Rick Ankiel.
The website directs fans to sign a petition with 14,000 signatures to date. The website also points users to contact Palm Beach County commissioners to voice their support. Save Palm Beach Raceway is operated by Al Guibord, Barry Lederman and 1985 Indy 500 champion Sullivan. The last event on the track schedule for 2022 is the Pro Hydro Clean Last Lap At PBIR on Saturday, April 23. For more information, visit racepbir.com and savepalmbeachraceway.com.
US 131 Motorsports Park, IHRA Renew Partnership
The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), based in West Palm Beach, Florida, has renewed its partnership with US 131 Motorsports Park, the 1/4-mile drag strip in Martin, Michigan. “The Fastest Track in Michigan” celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2022 and is operated by Jason Peterson. It is known for the US 131 Northern Nationals (formerly IHRA Northern Nationals) and the IHRA Division 5 (Thunder) Summit Team Finals. Dom Lagana’s Top Fuel car also clocked a record speed of 338.35 mph at the track in 2017. For more information, visit ihra.com or us131msp.com.
SCCA Women on Track Launches Road Racing Scholarship
With an aim to increase the participation of women and girls in all aspects of motorsports competition, the SCCA Women on Track initiative has announced its 2022 SCCA Women on Track Road Racing School Scholarship. Two recipients of this year’s SCCA Women on Track Road Racing School Scholarship will receive $1,000 each, with the scholarship helping fund their entry into the sport of road racing. Applicants need to be a member of the SCCA and must be interested in participating in road racing upon graduation from a road racing school. The SCCA Women on Track Road Racing School Scholarship application deadline is May 15. To submit an application, visit here. For more information, visit scca.com.
For more racing news, visit Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) website.