Compiled by SEMA Editors
Federal-Mogul Motorparts Announces Partnership with M1 Concourse
Federal-Mogul Motorparts and M1 Concourse have announced they have forged a partnership that has resulted in Champion becoming the official sponsor of a new, state-of-the-art, 1.5-mile automotive performance track in Pontiac, Michigan. M1 Concourse is a $40 million-plus development being built on an 87-acre former General Motors plant site. The development will include a private community of more than 250 private garages, a 1.5-mile performance track and a public experiential restaurant and retail destination. The new performance track will be utilized for a variety of purposes. Most notably, it will be available to the automotive industry for testing, training and marketing events. M1 Concourse will also offer a multitude of events open to the public, including driving schools, open-track days, autocross and more. Owners of the Private Garages at M1 Concourse will have track access through the M1 Motorsports Club.
 In November, LINE-X auctioned a West Coast Customs customized ’13 Chevrolet Camaro 1SS Coupe for $32,000 at the Anaheim Mecum Auction with proceeds going to UCLA Operation Mend. |
LINE-X to Donate $50,000 to UCLA Operation Mend
LINE-X is donating $50,000 to UCLA Operation Mend—a nonprofit organization that provides medical treatment for veterans who have been wounded in war. In November, LINE-X auctioned a West Coast Customs customized ’13 Chevrolet Camaro 1SS Coupe for $32,000 at the Anaheim Mecum Auction with proceeds going to UCLA Operation Mend. After the car sold, LINE-X executives pitched in another $18,000. A $50,000 check will be handed off to UCLA Operation Mend by veteran and LINE-X President Dennis Weese, Thursday, January 14, 2016, at the Operation Mend headquarters located at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.
TEN Appoints Two Content Directors
TEN: The Enthusiast Network has announced management and organizational changes related to the company’s Truck and Off-Road and Performance Aftermarket Groups, aimed at increasing premium content across multiple media platforms. As a result of this initiative, TEN brings together leadership functions for the Truck Trend and Four Wheeler networks through the appointment of Sean P. Holman as content director for both networks. TEN has also combined leadership for the affiliated Mustang360 and Super Chevy divisions of the Hot Rod network through the appointment of Douglas Glad as content director for the Aftermarket Performance Group. These changes enable the individual networks to benefit from cross promotion, shared content strategies and improved efficiencies.
As the content director for the Truck and Off-Road group, Holman is responsible for overseeing the editorial content production and strategy for the group’s 13 brands, across all platforms. Holman is a longtime automotive enthusiast and journalist, who has been with TEN since 2003, holding editorial staff positions at Truckin, Truckin’s SUV, and Four Wheeler, eventually taking on the editor positions at 4x4 Garage– JK Edition and Diesel Power.
In his role as content director for the Performance Aftermarket Group, Glad is an automotive journalist who brings more than 20 years of industry experience. He has published work in Hot Rod, Car Craft, Chevy High Performance, Rod & Custom, Super Street and a variety of business-to-business trade publications and newspapers. In 2000, Glad helped launch the original hotrod.com, and has served as the editor-in-chief for Car Craft and Elapsed Time brands.
 Race Ramps’ Portable Pit Stop ramps and Banked Track Display Ramp elevate “The Serial One Corvettes” collection from this year’s auctions held in Reno and Las Vegas. |
Race Ramps Showcases Barrett-Jackson’s Featured Scottsdale Corvette Collection
Race Ramps, manufactured by Brute Technologies, has become a corporate sponsor of Barrett-Jackson, and has seen their Portable Pit Stop ramps and Banked Track Display Ramp elevate “The Serial One Corvettes” collection from this year’s auctions held in Reno and Las Vegas. The three Corvettes—’55, ’56, and ’57—will cross the auction block at 45th Annual Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, January 23–31, 2016.
Michigan’s Team Z Motorsports Partners with Performance Business Media
Full-service motorsports ad agency Performance Business Media (PBM) is now the official agency of record for Team Z Motorsports and its sister company Motorcity Metal Fab. PBM will facilitate and administer Team Z and Motorcity Metal Fab’s social media campaigns, public relations and Google marketing, along with assisting in media planning and creative direction.
Keystone Opens New Warehouse in Brownstown, Michigan
Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. has announced the opening of its seventh warehouse in Brownstown, Michigan, which is now operational and fulfilling Keystone/NTP-STAG customer orders in the Great Lakes region. To begin, those customers whose primary cross-dock fulfillment location is Akron, Ohio; Chicago; Grand Rapids, Michigan; or Brownstown now will be serviced directly through the Brownstown warehouse, with other cross-dock locations added weekly. Keystone has more than 165,000 unique stocking SKUs.
 Josh Deltener |
RealTruck Names Josh Deltener Director of IT
RealTruck.com has announced that Josh Deltener has been appointed the new director of information technology, filling a void left when RealTruck’s previous chief technology officer was promoted to vice president. Deltener’s new position involves oversight of RealTruck’s system administration, help desk and web development teams. Originally hired in 2011, Deltener has since been a senior-level-five web developer with RealTruck. This is the highest level possible.
E3 Spark Plugs Adds Motorsports Industry Veteran Rob Fisher
E3 Spark Plugs has announced the appointment of motorsports industry veteran Rob Fisher to the position of vice president in charge of motorsports, marketing and business development. In his new role, Fisher will not only be directly responsible for the launch of E3’s new line of racing products, but also marketing the non-race lines and development of a race-line distribution structure that compliments E3’s current programs. Fisher assumed his responsibilities January 4, 2016, after nearly a decade at TEN: The Enthusiast Network, where he headed a number of publications, including Mopar Muscle and Muscle Car Review. However, the award-winning journalist was best known as the editor/publisher of Circle Track—the company’s sole motorsports brand. It was a position he held throughout his tenure with the organization.
 Darren Mohar | |
CRP Automotive Presents Darren Mohar With 2015 Rep Agent of the Year Award
CRP Automotive has named Darren Mohar as the recipient of the 2015 Rep Agent of the Year award. Mohar is the vice president of sales at Powell/Schelbe/Knight/Brannon Inc. (PSKB)—a sales and marketing company that represents CRP Automotive brands in the Southeastern United States. This award is given to a rep agent partner who delivers outstanding sales performance and growth within key accounts throughout the year, across the multitude of CRP brands. Mohar is a proven aftermarket veteran with more than 27 years of experience working with automotive parts and major automotive retailers. He has represented the CRP Automotive account since joining PSKB in 2013. Mohar received the Rep Agent of the Year award for delivering significant sales growth on key accounts and helping CRP Automotive to become a more valuable partner to those accounts. Mohar received the award during the 2015 AAPEX Show in Las Vegas.
Drake Automotive Group Announces New Partnership
Drake Automotive Group LLC has announced it has entered into a partnership with Detroit-based Huron Capital Partners LLC. This new partnership will support the continued growth of the Drake brands through investment in new products, technology and acquisitions.
TransAxle LLC Joins VIPAR Heavy Duty
TransAxle LLC is the newest company to join the VIPAR Heavy Duty network of distributors as a stockholder. Based in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, with 28 locations throughout the United States, the company is led by its CEO Dave Olsen and a veteran management team.
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