Steve Lewis created the off-season Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show several years ago in Louisville, Ky. He then moved it to larger quarters in Indianapolis for a few years before finding even more space in its latest home in the huge Orange County Convention Center here. Today the PRI trade show has grown in size and stature to become the largest motorsport exposition in the world, according to Britain’s 17-year-old Racecar Engineering magazine.  Specifics as to the PRI’s size, power and what one could see and buy are touched on by senior editor Mike Kerchner elsewhere in this issue. As for ye ed, my view of today’s PRI is one of amazement and shock. Back in the early 1930s, when I got my first pit pass, there were only three items a car owner could buy to enhance the performance of his racing machine, a racing camshaft, a racing cylinder head or racing wheels by Rudge or Dayton, nothing more! At this year’s PRI there were 1,400-odd businesses selling racing-related gear to car owners and race tracks! Also offered were sample copies of publications — dozens — all touching on various facets of today’s huge motorsport industry. Despite the huge size of this convention center, casual spectators were not permitted entry, “Trade Only” being the rule. Though exhibitors no doubt set a record, it appeared registrants might have been down a tad. Of interest to ye ed was the great number of fathers touting their sons’ abilities and seeking sponsors and superior equipment for them, particularly in midget racing. We got a jolt in chatting with John Szymanski of Ford Racing, who advised Ford’s latest Esslinger midget engine now wears a $33,000 price tag. But, according to Szymanski, the Mopar midget powerplant goes for $40,000 while Toyota is said to be asking $62,000 for its midget engine! Passion, not business sense, is fueling this form of U.S. racing. In strolling the aisles it was learned Andretti-Green Racing tech star Steve Newey is now on the team’s ALMS program developing Honda engines for its Acura program; Norm Maurer of Old School Racing says Geoff Bodine is now involved with the company which plans to build 30, count ’em 30, 430 HP crate-engined Busch-type cars for its aging members to race; anniversary-conscious GM Performance Parts is building 427 examples of its original aluminum block 427-inch engine which will be sold in race trim for $21,000 each “ready to install.” Remember when the SCCA was devoutly amateur? At this year’s annual Runoffs at Heartland Park Topeka (watch them on Wednesdays on Speed) we learned Mazda paid out $41,250 in contingency awards, most of any car company taking part. Of the 614 cars that took part in the entire 2007 SCCA Runoffs, 128 were from Mazda, advises Dean Case. Highlight of PRI 2007 for this writer was presenting the Economaki Champion of Champions Award to Donny Schatz.         

Still got Christmas shopping to do? Let me recommend the ideal holiday gift for a racing fan: Mark Yost’s engaging book, “The 200 MPH Billboard,” subtitled “The Inside Story of How Big Money Changed NASCAR.” It is an intriguing story, hard to put down. Or, if you’d rather look at pictures than read, there’s Dick Wallen’s latest: “Hard Driving Men — Images of Speed 1895-1960,” an impressive photo collection and 65-year chronicle of U.S. auto racing from the very first race. Both of these books belong in every serious fan’s library.

A surprise guest at the final ’07 round of Australia’s V8 SuperCar Series at the Philip Island circuit in the State of Victoria was Dale Earnhardt, Jr. who, along with eight of his pals (called mates in Australia), must have rushed out of the NASCAR doings in New York City, borrowed a jet from Rick Hendrick and jetted off to see what racing is like on the other side of the world. At the Aussie road course Earnhardt obliged one and all with a “meet and greet” stroll and got a close-up look at the Aussie racing V8s, which he found far more sophisticated with their fuel injection and other advanced design facets than Nextel (or is it Sprint?) Cup machinery. 

There are now more reasons than ever before to attend the 2008 running of this country’s leading indoor auto race, the Chili Bowl. This widely popular midget race meet in the huge Tulsa (Okla.) State Fair Expo Building concludes Jan. 12th. The day previous, on the 11th, the 24th annual induction luncheon of the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame is scheduled. It is just a short walk away in the “Ford Tough” building on the fairgrounds. Dress is casual, but you must register in advance, so call NMRA HoF President Billy Engelhart @ (608) 882-4378 or 346-2163 or Bill Hill @ (501) 753-2076 ASAP. Tell ’em Chris sent you.

Our congratulations to old friend Lex Dudas on his promotion to vice-president and general manager of Maple Grove Dragway in the Reading, Pa., suburb of Mohnton.

Things are busy at Panoz Motorsports these days. David Tetzlaff has been named chief financial officer and Suzanne Thompson has come over from the Liberty Mutual Group to serve as director of human resources. Good luck to you both.

Chris Knight is the new director of marketing and communications at Sheltra Motorsports, but says he won’t surrender his Race Talk Radio affiliation.

The construction of 300 new campsites at Michigan Int’l Speedway in Brooklyn will bring its total of electrically wired campsites on track property to nearly 9,000. Work will be complete in time for the track’s first 2008 NASCAR race we are told.

The decision of General Motors to add a new line of rear-wheel drive cars to its Pontiac G8 line makes us wonder if the nameplate might then appear in greater numbers in race lineups?  It’s hard these days to find a Pontiac taking a green flag.  

Porsche is calling its announcement delaying full takeover of Volkswagen until after Dec. 25, “a Christmas present” for VW employees.

Though there is little auto racing going on in Scotland, its Scottish Motor Racing Club has been an active organization for 40 years, long headed by Sir Jackie Stewart. No longer, as sports car ace Allan McNish, a 37-year-old driver from Dumfries, was recently named to succeed Stewart as president of SMRC. McNish will seek to repeat his 1998 LeMans victory in 2008, as a member of Audi’s factory team.

Sports Business Journal, which calls Dale Earnhardt, Jr. auto racing’s “Most Marketable Driver” beating out — in order — Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Juan Pablo Montoya and Kasey Kahne, also reports that outside of NASCAR, the “Most Marketable Driver” label belongs on the Indy Racing League’s Danica Patrick. She is followed closely by Helio Castroneves, Dario Franchitti and Formula One’s Lewis Hamilton. Helio’s pleasure in winning on “Dancing with the Stars” did not appear dimmed by the coincidental breakup with his fiancée and cancellation of their marriage.

Guess the Pettys are now paying better. That was our thought on learning Jeff Meendering, after 13 years at Hendrick Motorsports, left to become Bobby Labonte’s crew chief on a Petty Dodge. At Hendrick, Meendering stood in for Jeff Gordon’s crew chief Steve Letarte for the six races he missed this season. while under suspension.