The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has shared images of its property-wide renovations ahead of the new season. As RACER recently documented, fresh paving throughout the facility, a reshaping of Turn 4 and the filling of its runoff area, and new fencing …
The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has shared images of its property-wide renovations ahead of the new season.
As RACER recently documented, fresh paving throughout the facility, a reshaping of Turn 4 and the filling of its runoff area, and new fencing was installed at the track owned by Green Savoree Race Promotions.
“We’d like to thank all our partners – Arcadis, Dallara, Kokosing Construction, Kokosing Materials and our own track operations team – for their expertise and excellent work,” said GSRP co-owner Kevin Savoree.
The new-look Turn 4. Image by Mid-Ohio
“Plus, The National Bank of Indianapolis provided financial services for this extensive capital project. We look forward to welcoming competitors and fans back to the property in the spring!”
According to GSRP, “Another phase of the work this offseason was the replacement of concrete barrier blocks with 5,300 feet of guardrail and new fencing around the track. Areas include the front straight on driver’s right, the back straight on both sides, and then the Turn 4 area including driver’s right through the Esses segment.
“Additionally, Kokosing repaved 4,920 linear feet equating to 201,000 square feet of the facility’s access and service roads which are utilized by spectators and competitors. The new surfaces include the road that leads through the main spectator gate (Gate 1) off of Steam Corners Road and enters north through the property toward the paddock areas and infield. The access road between the middle and upper paddocks was also repaved, in addition to the false grid road leading onto the track near the last turn, and pavement around the Mid-Ohio Operations Building which is often used during non-spectator racing activities.”
New fencing along the front straight. Image by Mid-Ohio
Project Facts and Figures
The renovations included:
* Five new catch basins
* 520 linear feet of track paving
* 1,370 feet of new drainage pipes, ranging from 4-inch to 24-inch diameter
* 1,600 tons of millings
* 1,875 loads of material hauled by 24 trucks
* 4,900 tons of asphalt
* 15,500 cubic yards of fill material
* 500 concrete blocks repurposed, originally used at the IMSA events in downtown Columbus, Ohio (held in 1985-1988)
As they dream of a future in Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR or IMSA, young, hopeful racers know that so many of today’s superstars got their start behind the wheel of a go-kart. “Karting is the first step for young drivers to gain an understanding of …
As they dream of a future in Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR or IMSA, young, hopeful racers know that so many of today’s superstars got their start behind the wheel of a go-kart.
“Karting is the first step for young drivers to gain an understanding of racing in a competitive environment,” said Scott Goodyear, Race Director for Formula Regional Americas (FR Americas), Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) and the Ligier JS F4 Series (JS F4), who also enjoyed a successful racing career himself. “Most top-level drivers around the world, whether in F1, IndyCar or endurance racing, have come from karting, as it’s the international training ground for aspiring racers.”
Already holding the commercial rights for the first two series on “America’s Road to F1” — F4 U.S. and FR Americas — Parella Motorsports Holdings built out a four-step progression to help young drivers advance their careers.
Forming a partnership with Radford Racing School to allow young drivers to get their first race car experience and earn a competition license, PMH also established JS F4 in 2024 as an introductory step on the development ladder that leads to F4 U.S. and FR Americas.
“We enjoy working with young drivers graduating from karts to an F4 car, as it’s the perfect first step to train drivers for future success,” Goodyear continued. “Our proven program starts with the Radford Racing School, which introduces karters to the F4 race car, and continues with drivers racing in JS F4, F4 U.S. and FR Americas, before continuing their career in Europe or here in the United States.”
With an emphasis on driver development, education and safety, and costs contained by a spec race car, PMH’s open-wheel ladder provides an ideal training ground for young drivers, while boasting the lowest cost per mile compared to other professional racing series in North America, as well as the other Formula 4 and Formula Regional championships around the globe. The offerings combine to attract some of the top racing talent from around the world, including nationally competitive karter, Teddy Musella.
“The JS F4 series, specifically with this car, is a really good series for learners because to drive this car fast, you have to drive it on the edge,” said Musella, the 2024 JS F4 champion. “You always have the tail happy to make it go fast, which gives you confidence for, let’s say, if you go into IndyCar or something else. With this training, you’ll be more comfortable with a car that’s on its edge. I think one of the greatest opportunities that you can get in JS F4 is the car, how it drives and the driving style that it teaches you for the next step.”
With graduates of FR Americas and F4 U.S. among the starting grids of FIA Formula 3, IndyCar, NASCAR, Super Formula, IMSA, Indy NXT and more, the drivers who get their start in the series on PMH’s open-wheel ladder are achieving their career goals.
Winning back-to-back championships in F4 U.S. and FR Americas over the last two seasons, Patrick Woods-Toth is poised to make his next step toward the pinnacle of racing. An accomplished karter with four-consecutive national championships, the Canadian had never sat in a race car prior to attending the Radford Racing School F4 U.S. Karts to Cars Scholarship School in December 2022.
“Getting the Radford Racing School F4 U.S. Karts to Cars Scholarship was a huge step for me, especially having never driven a race car,” said Woods-Toth after receiving his 2024 championship trophy. “Instead of spending a ton of money going testing and trying to learn without a structured program, the Radford School was a great opportunity to just do some laps and learn at a good pace without rushing or anything. You learn the basics first, so that when you actually do get a real test or go to your first race, you’re ready. I think that was a key factor for me. If I never did Radford, I would have not been prepared at all for my first race. It really made a big difference.”
With strategic partnerships in place to expose karters to the series on PMH’s open-wheel ladder, the organization continues to work with young racers as they transition to cars. Partnerships with organizations like ROK Cup USA, New Castle Motorsports Park, Motomaster Ron Fellows Karting Championship — who nominated Woods-Toth in 2022 — and two-time IndyCar champion Will Power, allow those working with young karters day in and day out to nominate drivers to programs like the Radford Racing School F4 U.S. Scholarship Award School.
One of the latest drivers to complete the transition from karts to cars is Vaughn Beesley, who was nominated by New Castle Motorsports Park for the 2024 scholarship award school. Working with Paragon Productions, Beesley was the focus of the short film “I Am Ready: Karts to Cars” which followed his journey from karting, through the Radford Racing School program and into the first generation Ligier JS F4 car.
Watch “I Am Ready: Karts to Cars,” a Paragon Productions film below, or click here to watch on YouTube.
“Transitioning from karts to cars is definitely a leap, but there are some key similarities,” said Beesley. “The precision and racecraft from karting translate, but the difference in weight and handling of a car — especially a Ligier JS F4 — is eye-opening. The instructors at Radford Racing School were incredible; they were approachable, professional and willing to dive into data after every session.
“Having Paragon Productions there to document my journey in ‘I Am Ready’ was an unforgettable experience. They captured not only the technical challenges, but also the emotional milestones of stepping into a formula car for the first time. I hope this film inspires others in karting to believe they can make the leap into cars and begin the next step of their racing careers.”
The 2025 FR Americas, F4 U.S. and JS F4 seasons kick off at NOLA Motorsports Park, March 27-30.
It was called CARA, the Championship Auto Racing Auxiliary in the 1980s and ’90s, and its successor, the IFF, the Indy Family Foundation, served as charitable organizations designed to assist members of the IndyCar paddock in times of urgent …
It was called CARA, the Championship Auto Racing Auxiliary in the 1980s and ’90s, and its successor, the IFF, the Indy Family Foundation, served as charitable organizations designed to assist members of the IndyCar paddock in times of urgent financial needs. If a crew member had medical expenses they couldn’t cover, funds are drawn to help, or in the case of losing a loved one, help with funeral costs has been provided. Outpouring of dollars to help get someone’s daily driver repaired, or recover from a natural disaster, or a fire, or whatever else might be needed among the hundreds of people who make the NTT IndyCar Series function is where the charity focuses its emergency relief efforts.
It’s recently undergone a number of changes, starting with Heather Carpenter, the wife of team owner/driver Ed Carpenter and longtime steward of the IFF, who needed to step back from running the program due to increasing demands on her time. In her place, Beth Boles, Liz Power and others within paddock have united to carry the initiative forward in a relaunch ahead of the holidays.
Renamed the IndyCar Benevolent Foundation, a new website and online donation platform (https://indycarbenevolentfoundation.org/) has been established by the independent 501(c)(3) group. Along with Boles, an Indianapolis-area businesswomen and mother of IndyCar driver Conor Daly, and Power, a PR veteran whose husband Will is a two-time IndyCar champion and Indy 500 winner, the IBF’s new board of directors also includes Kirk Gillette, Laura Hedrick, Heidi Massey-Bong, Denise Titus and Ryann Weatherford.
Boles and the board have made recent outreaches to IndyCar teams in seeking donations and hopes to bring greater awareness — to fans and community members alike — to the IBF.
“Heather did such an amazing job with the foundation, and we’re proud to continue everything that has been done to help the IndyCar family,” Boles told RACER. “I’m very passionate about mechanics — probably because they take care of my kid’s car — and their needs. What the foundation has been doing for a long time, is being there for them, or drivers, or PR people, or whoever it is, in any position, really, to take care of them when they need help.
“Things happen all the time that you never hear about; somebody came up to me at a race in California and said he’d just learned his son had died and didn’t even have the money to get a plane flight back, and that’s the type of thing this organization is here to support. There’s a vetting process, of course, but we’re here to help everyone in IndyCar in their time of need, to the best of our ability.”
In many cases, teams offer full-time employment and a range of benefits to their staff, but there’s also a significant number of independent contractors, or part-time staff, who lack the health care coverage or sizable income to handle whatever emergencies that might befall them or their loved ones. Through CARA, then the IFF and now the IBF, donations from inside and out of IndyCar empower the organization to act like a safety net.
For Power, who worked in IndyCar for many years, it’s the people across all of the teams and those who support it in other ways, from volunteers to media to hospitality, that are meant to come under the IBF’s care.
“To me, it goes to the unsung heroes, the ones that you don’t see, and any hardships that they might be facing,” she said. “This organization is there to help them, and even drivers too, because some of these young guys don’t have everything in place. So it goes to whatever need it may be, and there’s a cap for it, but whatever their hardship might be, we’re there to help in any way that we can, whether it be monetarily or recommendations for health or services. Whatever we can do to help, we try to get them pointed in the right direction.”
In this podcast interview, we dive deep into the mind of Chris Stewart, the visionary founder of GRIDLIFE, the one-of-a-kind motorsports and music festival. From its grassroots beginnings in 2013 to becoming a cultural phenomenon, GRIDLIFE has …
In this podcast interview, we dive deep into the mind of Chris Stewart, the visionary founder of GRIDLIFE, the one-of-a-kind motorsports and music festival. From its grassroots beginnings in 2013 to becoming a cultural phenomenon, GRIDLIFE has redefined what it means to experience motorsports, music, and community.
Whether you’re a car enthusiast, a music lover, or someone curious about the intersection of these two vibrant worlds, this conversation offers an inside look at how GRIDLIFE is breaking boundaries and creating a movement.
Penske Entertainment has compiled two lists of its leading NTT IndyCar Series drivers for RACER in the tradition of the NBA, NFL, and other stick-and-ball sporting leagues which publish annual lists of top jersey and merchandise sales for its most …
Penske Entertainment has compiled two lists of its leading NTT IndyCar Series drivers for RACER in the tradition of the NBA, NFL, and other stick-and-ball sporting leagues which publish annual lists of top jersey and merchandise sales for its most popular players.
The leader from 2024 should come as no surprise as IndyCar’s most popular driver — Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward — led the field in merchandise sales through the series’ official vendors.
Top 10 NTT IndyCar Series drivers in overall merchandise sales:
Pato O’Ward
Josef Newgarden
Alexander Rossi
Scott Dixon
Romain Grosjean
Colton Herta
Alex Palou
Will Power
Scott McLaughlin
Kyle Kirkwood
The young Mexican also continued to capitalize on his popularity through independent pop-up tents selling his line of hats and shirts, including the “Pato Who?” line that emerged towards the end of the year, but those private sales figures aren’t included in IndyCar’s tallies.
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Back-to-back Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden, who embraced wearing the proverbial black hat and was occasionally booed by fans at pre-race driver introductions, did not see a downturn in popularity among merchandise sales due to his loyal followers and placed second on the chart. Alexander Rossi, IndyCar’s longstanding king of quirkiness, also saw his dedicated base of fans spend freely last season, which gave Arrow McLaren drivers P1 and P3 on the list.
With Newgarden in P2, Will Power in P8, and Scott McLaughlin in P9, Team Penske is the only entrant to have its entire roster place inside the top 10. Of interest elsewhere on the list is how the merchandise top 10 nearly matches the top 10 finishers in the drivers’ championship. Nine out of the 10 are represented in the top 10 for merchandise sales, barring Romain Grosjean, who ranked 17th in the drivers’ standings. Only A.J. Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci, who placed ninth in the championship, is missing from the merchandise top 10.
Looking at the driver-specific items which held the most interest for fans, it was jerseys and car models.
Top five NTT IndyCar Series driver products:
Pato O’Ward jersey
Pato O’Ward diecast
Josef Newgarden jersey
Alexander Rossi jersey
Scott Dixon jersey
The Team Penske merchandise trailer did brisk business for all three of its drivers. Motorsport Images
Penske Entertainment shared other interesting notes from the season of merchandise sales, starting with, “Outside of the Indy 500, the Honda Indy Toronto race weekend was the highest-selling stop on the NTT IndyCar Series schedule,” and the offerings to fans also had a new entry with trading cards made by Parkside Collectables, which were in the “top five of overall product units sold.”
“Merchandise is not transactional, so I think the numbers are reflective of fan interest, but also ardent fan interest, so that’s one thing that I think sticks out,” Penske VP of Communications Alex Damron told RACER. “Overall, we have a tremendous number of talented drivers with great personalities and merchandise as a whole is a growing arena for us, and that is primarily driven by fan interest in the stars of the NTT Indy Car Series.
“This is the seventh year in a row we’ve seen merchandise sales overall rise — excluding the seasons where attendance was affected by COVID-19 — and part of that is having a very targeted strategy to bring new products into the market and new options for fans to have in front of them when they arrive at the track on a race weekend or visit the IndyCar store.
“Another piece of the puzzle has been really working more closely with teams and drivers to do special merchandise runs and create product that will be really appealing to their individual fan bases.”
The series also uses the sales metrics in obvious ways to ramp up merchandise for those whose products are performing well and look for new items to include for the following season.
“We certainly look at the top of the list from a planning perspective and notice what fans are most enthusiastic about from a purchasing perspective, and that really, at times, can open additional conversations regarding extended merchandise lines and special promotions,” Damron said. “We want to make sure when fans are buying a lot of a certain product that we’re looking at expansion opportunities that are good, first and foremost, for the individual driver, but also drive some positive benefit for the series and team.
“I think, given the fact that merchandise sales have continued to expand and almost every number you might look at is moving in the right direction, that bodes well for the entire roster of drivers overall, in terms of opportunities we may be able to offer moving forward. The ability to get additional product, both as a point-of-sale opportunity during a race weekend, or also on the IndyCar store moving forward, does exist.”
One area Damron declined to discuss was the merchandise revenue sharing that takes place between Penske Entertainment and its drivers and teams whose names or likenesses are used on the range of official IndyCar products.
Speaking with one driver and one team owner who asked to have their names withheld, the driver described their annual share as “very, very, very small,” and the owner presented their take as being “miniscule,” but no percentages were given.
Four-time NHRA Top Fuel World Champion Antron Brown dives into his historic 2024 championship win, the challenges of being a driver and team owner, and the exciting future of drag racing in this exclusive interview during EPARTRADE’s 5th Annual Race …
Four-time NHRA Top Fuel World Champion Antron Brown dives into his historic 2024 championship win, the challenges of being a driver and team owner, and the exciting future of drag racing in this exclusive interview during EPARTRADE’s 5th Annual Race Industry Week.
Oval racing might look simple enough, but there is far more to mastering speedways than just turning left. A young driver’s first oval experience can be a daunting one, with much higher speeds and way less margin for error requiring a completely …
Oval racing might look simple enough, but there is far more to mastering speedways than just turning left. A young driver’s first oval experience can be a daunting one, with much higher speeds and way less margin for error requiring a completely different approach behind the wheel to that on road courses. In the latest video from SAFEisFAST.com, the online tutorial source from the Road Racing Drivers Club, oval racing pros — including four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais and Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson — give their top tips on how to utilize the unique tools inside the car for maximum performance on ovals.
AERO Marketing Group has announced a strategic alignment with Racer Media & Marketing, marking a significant milestone for both organizations in the automotive lifestyle and media landscape. This partnership comes on the heels of Racer Media & …
AERO Marketing Group has announced a strategic alignment with Racer Media & Marketing, marking a significant milestone for both organizations in the automotive lifestyle and media landscape.
This partnership comes on the heels of Racer Media & Marketing’s recent expansion of their management team and strategic move into live and streaming content spaces. As part of this collaboration, AERO will utilize Racer as its preferred vendor for media creation, while Racer will benefit from AERO’s extensive expertise in event execution.
“RACER is the most respected name in US motorsports media,” said Jason Altzman, President of AERO. “As RACER broadens its focus into the full spectrum of automotive lifestyle and greatly expands its capabilities, it aligns perfectly with AERO’s focus of providing bespoke lifestyle events to the market.”
The partnership is further solidified by AERO’s investment in Racer’s recent capital raise. Tim Mayer, Co-Founder of AERO, commented, “We have tremendous confidence in RACER’s management and ownership team and have long-standing relationships with both. RACER’s expanded vision presents a huge opportunity, and the expanded management team’s depth of experience gives us full confidence in their ability to achieve great things.”
Paul Pfanner, CEO of Racer Media & Marketing, Inc., expressed enthusiasm about the new partnership: “As RACER continues to expand its portfolio, we are excited to welcome new partners who share our strategic vision. We have worked with members of AERO’s team for over two decades and we are thrilled to call them collaborators and partners as we greatly expand our mutual capabilities for our clients.”
This strategic alignment promises to bring innovative solutions and expanded capabilities to the automotive lifestyle and media sectors.
Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH) has opened applications for the 2025 class of the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship. Now entering its fifth year, the program continues to build a more diverse field while empowering drivers from a variety of …
Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH) has opened applications for the 2025 class of the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship. Now entering its fifth year, the program continues to build a more diverse field while empowering drivers from a variety of backgrounds to participate in PMH-owned race series. With seven series under the PMH banner, drivers are able to utilize the assistance to race in Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, Formula Regional Americas Championship, Formula 4 United States Championship, Ligier JS F4 Series, International GT or Prototype Sprint Series Association presented by Hankook. In addition to providing financial assistance in the way of waived race entry fees or free promoter test days, the program aligns recipients with a team of executives and mentors, while providing them with a variety of media and fan engagement opportunities.
“We’re thrilled to continue helping young drivers in their racing careers through the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship,” said Tony Parella, CEO of PMH. “With this support, we’ve seen drivers win races and championships, but more importantly, we’ve seen graduates move on from our PMH-owned series to find even more success in their careers. I look forward to seeing who joins us as part of the Class of 2025, and I look forward to watching the progression of their careers for years to come.”
The PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship is open to individuals who embody diversity and have overcome obstacles to reach their goals. Recipients must have a ride confirmed in a PMH-owned series for 2025 and will be responsible for securing any additional funding needed to compete.
Drivers looking to join the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship Class of 2025 are encouraged to visit SpeedTour.net/Scholarship to apply. All applications must be submitted by Jan. 15, 2025.
The PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship has assisted more than 20 drivers in enabling their racing dreams. Previous recipients include the likes of Rafa Matos, Tyler Gonzalez, Kaylee Bryson and Amy Ruman from the Trans Am Series; Ernie Francis Jr., Raoul Hyman, Nicole Havrda and Landan Matriano Lim from FR Americas; as well as Chloe Chambers, Maite Cáceres, Christopher Parrish and Hannah Greenemeier from F4 U.S., among others.
