The Forum will be held at the new Hilton Orlando, which is connected by walkway to the convention center, adding ease of entry to the many PRI Trade Show attendees who anticipate arriving early to attend the special event, now featuring International Speedway Corporation Vice Chairperson and CEO Lesa France-Kennedy as its keynote speaker.

The list of confirmed panelists for MSBF-NA is currently at 30 with several more motorsports industry notables in line to join the event in the coming weeks. The new additions collectively represent a who's who of top executives from the international motorsports industry, including major international sponsors, top team principals, sanctioning body executives and the organizers and operators of some of the most successful races and circuits in the world. Among those featured include Bobby Rahal, co-owner and team principal of Rahal-Letterman Racing; Steve Phelps, NASCAR chief marketing officer; Roger VanDerSnick, International Speedway Corporation executive vice president and COO; Roger Edmondson, Grand-Am Road Racing and AMA Pro Racing president; and Ron Rogowski, UPS director of sponsorships and events.

The Motor Sport Business Forum North America will be organized and hosted by Switzerland's IM2 Events, which has established a series of similar events in Monaco, Abu Dhabi and Malaysia. Just Marketing International (JMI), the leading global motorsports-exclusive marketing agency, will serve as the North American co-host and manage the marketing and communications.

"We have held Motor Sport Business Forums in Monaco for the last five years and successfully launched the Middle East edition in 2008," IM2 CEO Simon Berger said. "I am very pleased that so many major players from the global motor sport arena have made early commitments to our inaugural North American event."

"We are obviously delighted that MSBF has chosen to host their event just prior to the PRI Trade Show," said Steve Lewis, producer of PRI's show. "This is another testament to the fact that Orlando is the place to be in December for all the important motorsports decision-making, from information-gathering to walking the convention center aisles, examining the latest technology and purchasing the necessary equipment for the 2010 race season."

Like the Abu Dhabi and Monaco events, the Orlando edition of MSBF will focus on the commercial side of the sport with presentations from management representatives from leading teams, sponsors, championship promoters and industry executives.

"The PRI Trade Show and MSBF-NA, coupled with PRI's annual Industry Roundtable, the accompanying Advanced Engineering Technology Conference, our Grand Opening Breakfast featuring Wind Tunnel's Dave Despain and our popular PRI All-Star Karting Classic now makes this five of the biggest days in racing," Lewis declared. "It's become increasingly important to add December 8-12 to the racing industry's business calendar."

Companies and racing individuals wishing to exhibit and/or attend the PRI Trade Show can go to www.performanceracing.com or call 949.499.5413. To register for any MSBF event go to: www.msbforum.com. Media may contact Adam Saal at 321.890.2848 or SaalGoodPR@gmail.com for additional information.

Everything happens here first!
Reaching more than 40,000 show attendees from all 50 states, and 60 countries, the PRI Trade Show features 1,200 exhibitors in 3,500 booths, and is timed so that racing retailers, engine and car builders, wholesaler/distributors, professional race teams and other industry participants can shop the latest new product introductions and have them in inventory for the next racing season.

The Performance Racing Industry Trade Show has been recognized as the 45th largest U.S. trade show, according to Tradeshow Week magazine, in its annual analysis of the top 200 trade shows in America.

Courtesy of Pete Evanow