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Racing news and related automotive industry updates as they come in.
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UPDATED 08/02/2022
SAD NEWS:
Voice of Drag Racing Dave McClelland Passes Away
Dave McClelland, 85, the voice of the NHRA through the ’70s, ’80s, and early ’90s, both on television and at the racetrack, passed away May 22 of natural causes. He was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing, which was quiet and peaceful.
For many years, Dave McClelland served as emcee for the annual SEMA Awards Gala and SEMA Show Banquet.
McClelland, whose skills, talent, and charm reached all corners of the motorsports world and was always everyone’s first choice as an emcee—including several years as emcee for the annual SEMA Awards Gala and SEMA Show Banquet—was honored with hall of fame enshrinements and awards that spanned his more than 60 years in the broadcasting business. He was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 1994.
McClelland continued to be a master of ceremonies and do voice-over work for clients, including NHRA, SEMA, NASCAR, ISCA, AARWBA, PWA, Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, R.J. Reynolds, Petersen Automotive Museum, International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, Championship Auto Shows, Petersen Publishing Company, Emap, Primedia, ProMedia, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Castrol, Mopar, Toyota, Shelby Automobiles, Meguiar’s, The California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation, Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital and many other organizations.
McClelland was enshrined in the SEMA Hall of Fame in 1994.
Away from the microphone, McClelland’s motorsports career runs the gamut from track operator to founder of the Super Chevy shows to serving as the NHRA’s director of communications. He has been involved with drag racing since 1955; a racer himself, his dragster is in the NHRA museum. Additionally, he has served on the board of directors and as chairman for Racers for Christ, and was a recipient of the SEMA Industry Icon Award and the Car Craft All-Star Drag Racing Team Award, as well as the NHRA Good Hand Award, Don Prudhomme Award, Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Association Award and Goodguys Hot Rod Hero.
McClelland is survived by his wife of 64 years, Louise; son Kevin and his wife Lisa; son Mike and his wife Laurie; daughter Melissa Knight and her husband Tony; granddaughters Ashley and Sara McClelland; grandsons David McClelland and his wife Brittiney; Daniel McClelland and his wife Shirley; Matthew and Ryan Knight; and great granddaughters Alana and Mylah Knight.
McClelland was inducted into the SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Hall of Fame in 2012.
Auto News:
By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a final rule amending the federal motor vehicle safety standard regulating lighting equipment (FMVSS No. 108) to include performance-based standards for adaptive driving beam (ADB) headlights. ADB headlights or “smart headlights,” which have been permitted on vehicles in Europe since 2006, operate as high-beam headlights and automatically dim portions of the beam when oncoming vehicles are detected by sensors.
The bipartisan infrastructure bill that was signed into law last year mandated that NHTSA update FMVSS No. 108 to allow for this technology. The final rule permits the use of ABD headlights on new vehicles as well as aftermarket installation of these systems, both for replacing original equipment and replacing a non-ADB headlight.
By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
Support for the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act (RPM Act), H.R. 3281 and S. 2736, continues to strengthen as members of Congress receive an outpouring of support for the bill from racers and the motorsports parts industry. The racing community sent more than 1.5 million letters in 2021, which have been integral in generating strong bipartisan support for the RPM Act (more than 145 members of Congress having agreed to sponsor the bill as a result). However, we need your help now more than ever, as Congress just passed the halfway point in the 2021–2022 session. We must ramp up the pressure on lawmakers in Washington to pass the RPM Act in 2022 and protect the future of racing!
Below are five things you can do right now to help to pass the RPM Act:
- Send a letter to your lawmakers at: saveourracecars.com. A letter has already been drafted. It takes less than a minute.
- Sign a letter to your lawmakers on company letterhead. Email erics@sema.org for a template and more information.
- Make a quick call to your lawmakers to voice your support for the bill. SEMA has made it easy to call by clicking here.
*Also, if you have a connection to a member of Congress or their staff, please let us know. It is important that we leverage personal relationships to stand up for the industry.
- Post about the RPM Act on your company’s social media accounts using the toolkit of digital assets or pass out a flyer at your business of events.
- Learn more about SEMA’s Political Action Committee (SEMA PAC) at www.semapac.com. SEMA PAC allows SEMA members to support the lawmakers that stand up for our industry in Washington, D.C.
The RPM Act must be enacted into law to guarantee your right to modify street cars, trucks, and motorcycles into dedicated race vehicles, and ensure that the industry can offer parts that enable racers to compete. It is imperative that lawmakers continue to be reminded of the importance of passing the RPM Act.
CAR SHOWS
Updated 02/17/2022
Boise Roadster Show
Coming March 11th to the 13th 2022
RACING NEWS
Click the link for the latest
RACING LINKS
For a running list of adjusted 2021 racing series schedules and calendars, updated regularly, visit here.
ABB FIA Formula E
Formula E and the FIA
For the latest information, visit www.fiaformulae.com.
American Drag Racing League (ADRL)
For more information, visit www.wwtraceway.com or www.adrltour.com.
American Sprint Car Series (ASCS)
The World of Outlaws, visit www.woosprint.com.
For the latest information, visit www.ascsracing.com.
ARCA
For the latest information, visit www.arcaracing.com.
CARS Tour
The CARS Tour Old North State Nationals. For the latest information, visit www.carsracingtour.com.
FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)
For the latest information, visit www.fiawec.com.
Formula 1
For the latest information, visit www.formula1.com.
FIA Formula 2, FIA Formula 3
For the latest information, visit www.fia.com.
IMS Museum
For the latest information, visit www.indyracingmuseum.org.
IMSA
for cancellation information, visit www.imsa.com.
INDYCAR
For the latest updates, visit www.indycar.com and www.gpstpete.com.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Rescheduled dates and events:
For more information, visit www.lucasdirt.com.
NASCAR
For the latest scheduling updates visit www.nascar.com.
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
For the latest scheduling updates visit hometracks.nascar.com.
NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals
For NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals refund inquires and other questions, contact the NMRA or NMCA via email at nmra@promediapub.com or nmca@promediapub.com or call 714-444-2426.
SCORE International Off-Road Racing
For the latest information, visit www.score-international.com.
Southeast Gassers Association (SEGA)
The SEGA Emerald Coast Race at Emerald Cost Dragway (Holt, Florida), is postponed. A new date will be announced. For the latest information, visit www.southeastgassers.com.
Trans Am
The Trans Am Racing Company announced that the SpeedTour Road Atlanta Grand Prix event featuring the Trans Am Series will be postponed.
For more information, visit www.gotransam.com.
United States Auto Club (USAC)
As of now, races scheduled for the CRA and West Coast Sprint Cars, as well as the Western Midget Series and Eastern SpeeD2 Midgets, have been postponed
For the latest information, visit www.usacracing.com.
World Of Outlaws
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is postponing all events.
For the latest information, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
