Compiled by SEMA Editors
Last Qualifying Event for Hot Rodders of Tomorrow This Weekend
The ninth season of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) Engine Challenge embarks on the last qualifying event for the Dual National Championship this weekend at the 11th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl at Joliet’s Route 66 Raceway. This will be the first time Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has competed at the NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl—the only event where the NMRA and NMCA compete against each other. With the HROT season reaching its last qualifying event, there are four teams (Mr. Gasket, Parts Pro, McLeod and Aeromotive) that must score 34 minutes or under to have a chance to make the trip to either the SEMA Show or the PRI Show later this fall for the Dual National Championship. Other previously qualified teams are working to improve their accuracy and time. Visit www.HotRoddersofTomorrow.com for more information.
Continental’s Tim Rogers Named 2016 CFO of the Year
 Tim Rogers |
Tim Rogers, vice president of finance for Continental Tire the Americas LLC, and vice president and treasurer for Continental Automotive Inc., was recognized last week by the Charlotte Business Journal as the 2016 CFO of the Year in the large business category. With more than 13 years of experience in lead financial positions at Continental Tire the Americas, Rogers has played a key role in Continental’s investments across the Americas’ region. Large, recent investments include a $500 million tire manufacturing facility in South Carolina, and a $1.4 billion investment in a tire manufacturing greenfield in Mississippi announced earlier this year. Rogers was also recognized for the Business Turnaround Award, which honors an area CFO who has achieved financial success for their business, particularly during times of change.
DENSO in Maryville, Tennessee Breaks Ground on New Onsite Consolidated Warehouse
Last year, DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee Inc. announced a $400 million investment to expand manufacturing lines, which would result in the creation of 500 new jobs. Last week, the company broke ground on a key portion of this investment—a 186,528-sq.-ft. consolidated warehouse, located on its Maryville, Tennessee, campus. The warehouse is due for completion by October 2017. The new warehouse allows DENSO to consolidate its various warehouse operations in the Maryville area and free up manufacturing space that can be used to produce products, such as head-up displays, instrument clusters and electronic control units.
 Eighteen of the top 28 at Born Free 8 chose to equip their builds with Coker Tires. |
The Best Custom Bike Builders in the Country Choose Coker
Nearly 10,000 bikers, artists, fabricators, families and everyday riders descended upon Silverado, California, for Born Free 8—a two-day celebration of motorcycle culture, music, stunt riding shows and an invitational showcasing one-off builds from the top professional shops and garage builders in the world. Eighteen of the top 28 chose to equip their builds with Coker Tires. The builder showcase, which expanded from 25 to 28 top fabricators this year, highlights hand-built machines from celebrity builders, small-town shops and garage mechanics alike.
“To have more than half of the top bikes at an event like Born Free equipped with our tires is an honor and a testament to our focus on both period-correct details and real-world performance,” said Wade Kawasaki, president and COO of Coker Tire.
Two Coker-equipped top finishers included Arie Van Schyndel of Vee MFG, who took second place in the Invited Builder category with a knucklehead-powered, candy-purple chopper, and winner of the Coker Tire Firestone Award, Matt Walksler of Period Modified’s ’28 Harley-Davidson JDH-XR, both rolling on a ribbed Firestone 21-in. tire in front and Firestone ANS tires in the rear.
 Brett Blauner |
Timken Names Brett Blauner National Sales Manager, Automotive Aftermarket
The Timken Company has announced that Brett Blauner has been named national sales manager for automotive aftermarket, where he will be responsible for managing U.S. sales development for light-vehicle automotive aftermarket. He reports to Brian J. Ruel, who was appointed vice president of Americas at The Timken Company earlier this year. Blauner originally worked at Timken from 1992–2008, joining the company as an associate sales engineer in Connecticut before advancing to various positions, including district sales engineer, plant manager of the former needle plant in Georgia, global business development manager, pricing manager and market manager. Prior to returning to Timken, he was director of sales and marketing at Illinois Tool Works. Blauner earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Massachusetts.
AAM Group Secures Car Rental Discounts for Distribution, Manufacturing and Retail Partners
The AAM Group has entered into an exclusive service agreement with Enterprise Holdings to provide preferred pricing on airport and local-market auto rentals at Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental locations across the United States and Canada. Effective since July 1, 2016, this benefit applies to rentals made for both business and personal travel. To claim this special rate, an individual associated with one of AAM’s three marketing programs (including member WD employees, sponsoring manufacturer employees and program retailers and employees) will need a free Insight account. The benefits of this agreement include a guaranteed low rate at airports (or the local market rate, whichever is lower), complimentary damage waiver insurance with no deductible and a monthly cap of 3,000 miles at no additional charge. In addition, the rate extends to many classes of automobile, from passenger cars to fleet vehicles.
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