Auto Industry News: A Tribute to Jessi Combs, Labor Day Weekend Racing, and Exciting New Products

Around the Circuit

As the fastest woman on four wheels, Jessi Combs was a major motorsports athlete and enthusiast—in addition to a talented fabricator and women’s advocate within the automotive industry. While we’ll have a special feature dedicated to her life’s achievements, today we put together a special Around the Circuit in honor of her accomplishments and passion. Labor Day Weekend offered a little something for everyone, so here’s the rundown of what you may have missed.

Formula 1

Charles Leclerc took the show in Belgium, finishing first and holding off Lewis Hamilton for his first-ever series victory. The tight finish, beating Hamilton out by less than a second, was an exciting but somber moment for Leclerc and his team. Having come close to capturing his first win with Team Ferrari twice before this season, his victory was bittersweet considering the tragic loss of fellow driver Anthoine Hubert, who died in a crash on Saturday.

After the race, Leclerc took some time to explain his feelings about the loss of his friend and colleague. “On the one hand I have realized a childhood dream. But on the other, it has been a very difficult weekend,” he said. “I want to dedicate this win to Anthoine. We have grown up together and my first ever race I did when I was seven with Anthoine. So, it is such a shame what happened yesterday. I can’t enjoy it fully—my first victory—but it is a memory that will live with me forever.”

Hamilton was incredibly complimentary of Leclerc and his team’s performance after the race, showering the first-time winner with praise. “He ultimately did a superb job … There’s a lot more greatness to come from him and I’m looking forward to seeing his growth and racing alongside him. It was fun today, trying to chase him. He was just a little bit too quick.”

Leclerc will try to keep his winning momentum going, as Hamilton looks to rebound in Italy next week for the Italian Grand Prix on September 8.

NASCAR

Monster Energy Series

Beating out both his fellow drivers and the sloppy, rainy conditions at Darlington Raceway this weekend, Erik Jones held off Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson for the win.

Despite looming contractual issues with his team Joe Gibbs Racing casting a shadow over him this season, Jones beat out teammate Kyle Bush by a hair and chased down Larson late to take the lead. Busch was close to overtaking Jones himself late in the race but a brush with the wall ended any hopes of a late comeback.

After the race, Jones, who had just earned his first victory of the season and second of his career, was thrilled with his own performance under pressure. “It’s amazing for me to be able to hold off Kyle. It’s really cool, just for the history we have with Kyle giving me my first opportunity in the Truck Series (at Kyle Busch Motorsports). To race him for the win in such a big race, that’s pretty cool and something I’m never going to forget.”

“Is there anything more to say?” Jones continued. “It doesn’t get any better than this. On my list, this race is really high, and it’s going to look damn good to see my face on that trophy.”

Next up for Monster Energy Series is the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 8.

Xfinity Series

This weekend was a brutal one for Denny Hamlin. The five-time Xfinity series winner blazed through the competition only to fail a post-race inspection and gift his win to Cole Custer.

This marks Custer’s sixth win of the season and first at Darlington, despite finishing a full .602 seconds behind Hamlin. This win ties him with Christopher Bell for the most in the series this year and marks his eighth career Xfinity Series win.

After the race, Custer accepted the victory despite the circumstances. “It’s a really strange feeling, honestly — obviously,” Custer said after finding out he won via disqualification. “You don’t want it that way, but it is what it is. We all play by the same rules. Was that the deciding factor? No. But it is what it is. We get the points, we get the money, we get the trophy, I guess. It’s a way to win.”

Hamlin’s DQ was over a ride-height violation—his car was found to be too low in the left-front—and sent him back to last place. According to NASCAR news, the disqualification is the fourth in the Xfinity Series this season, but the first of a race winner, since an “updated deterrence system was put in place at the start of the season.”

With playoffs coming, Xfinity Series director Wayne Auton suspects “everybody’s pushing everything they can to get that little bit they can to win the race.”

Custer will look to continue his winning ways and Hamlin will look to rebound next week at the Lilly Diabetes 250 on September 7.

NHRA

After a long weekend of qualifying sessions, eliminations, and an exciting street car showdown, the professional stage is set for the 65th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at historic Lucas Oil Raceway, today—RIGHT NOW.

The NHRA’s oldest and most prestigious event, the U.S. Nats represent the ‘big one’ for hungry drivers. And by the end of the day, winners in 16 different classes will go home with the honor.

Brittany Force leads the record Top Fuel field with her 3.645 track-record blast on Saturday—the sixth quickest in Top Fuel history. The Funny Car field features a record-tying 15 drivers in the three-second zone, with the top eight cars in the 3.8-second range—including points leader Robert Hight. Pro Stock is dominated by points leader Bo Butner, who ran a 6.655 on Saturday, nabbing the top spot for the third time this season. And, despite his consistent performance, NHRA reports that the competition will be strong, as the entire Pro Stock field is separated by less than a tenth of a second. Three-time world champ, Angelle Sampey grabbed the top spot in Pro Stock Motorcycle for the first time in three years. She rocked Saturday’s qualifying with a 6.816, her best run since joining Vance & Hines in March.

For up-to-the-minute race results, check in at the NHRA’s official website or tune into the NHRA.tv streaming service or FOX Sports.

SCCA

The Sports Car Club of America will host the 47th running of the Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals, today through September 6 at the Lincoln Airpark. As one of the largest motorsports gatherings on the planet, the annual Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals Championship draws autocrossers from around the world.

According to the SCCA, “Drivers get three runs each on two different courses with the fastest times from each course combined for official results. The event takes four days to complete, with one group of drivers running on Tuesday/Wednesday, and the other group running Thursday/Friday. Along the way drivers, friends and crew enjoy a welcome party, tailgating late into the night, two awards banquets, and lots of fun with cars.”

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, we encourage you to click here to have a closer look at SCCA offerings and lock in your next event soon. With weekly events for fans in 11 different regions across the country, no matter where you’re from or what type of racing you’re into, SCCA has a top-class offering for you.

New Products

Here’s a quick look at a couple exciting new aftermarket product releases, just in time for upcoming holiday wish-list building.

REDARC 50amp In-Vehicle Battery Charger

Australian manufacturer REDARC has released a bigger and more powerful 12-volt dual input 50-amp DC to DC charger (BCDC1250D) to the North American market. This new in-vehicle unit ensures the proper charge to a vehicle’s auxiliary battery, while preventing a dead start battery. Ideal for campers, trailers, RVs and more that need a reliable way to power gadgets, pumps, and appliances on-the-go, the REDARC BCDC1250D “has been developed to provide a higher current output, featuring an additional charging stage known as SoftStart which has been engineered so that it can handle more demanding applications,” explains the company.

And like other variants in the line, the new charger can draw power from the start battery and solar panels at the same time, prioritizing “green power” to take the load off the alternator.

Available for customers to pick up via all of REDARC’s key distribution channels, the BCDC1250D will be on display at NATDA Trade Show & Convention next week in St. Louis, Missouri.

BOLT Lock “One-Key Lock Technology”

BOLT Lock has launched its “One-Key Lock Technology,” a feature that utilizes a vehicle’s ignition key to open every single lock the company makes. This clever technology simply requires you to insert and rotate your key into the lock, then it memorizes and permanently preserves that individual key print. “At BOLT Lock, we feel it’s very important to let our customers know that they can still use our locks to protect their valuables even if they have key fobs and keyless start vehicles,” said sales account manager Jason Buckles in an RV Pro interview. With this tech on board, BOLT Lock is already one step ahead, as more automakers switch to non-traditional ignition starts.

Adding peace of mind, BOLT locks are made by STRATTEC, the world’s largest manufacturer of automotive locks and keys, as well as a supplier to major OEs. These locks are the strongest on the market, and BOLT ensures they are nearly impossible to pick.