As part of Motorsports Awareness Month in August, SEMA’s Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) urges all race fans to share the thrill and excitement of motorsports with a friend.

Comprised of more than 200 companies, most of which are owned and operated by avid enthusiasts, the MPMC celebrates Motorsports Awareness Month each August. It launched the "Take a Friend to a Race" program in 2008 in hopes of introducing the sport to a new audience.

"The MPMC is dedicated to the Take a Friend to a Race program as a way to get the next generation of race fans involved in our industry," said Bill Floyd, Chairman of the MPMC.

Through the program, the council asks all performance parts manufacturers, distributors, retailers and race tracks to join them and promote the "Take a Friend to a Race" program to their local communities. The council offers several resources to make it simple and easy for companies to help, including:

-Adding the "Take a Friend to a Race" logo to websites, fliers, catalogs and other promotional items (users can download the logo from www.sema.org/mpmc).

-Placing a "Take a Friend to a Race" ad in race track programs or fliers. Several pre-designed ads are available for download at www.sema.org/mpmc.

-Viewing the video about the "Take a Friend to a Race" program and sending it to customers, friends, family members, local schools, etc. The video can be found at www.sema.org/mpmc.

-Contacting local schools about bringing students to a race.

Those interested in learning more about the program or other ways to support the "Take a Friend to a Race" program should contact SEMA's Jim Skelly at 909/396-0289, ext. 103 or jimsk@sema.org.