Compiled by SEMA Editors
 A 95th birthday celebration will be held for Alex Xydias at the Petersen Garage at the Fairplex in Pomona, California, Saturday, June 17. |
Celebrate Alex Xydias’ 95th Birthday and Raise Money for AXC’s Welding Program
A 95th birthday celebration will be held for SEMA Hall of Famer Alex Xydias at the Petersen Garage at the Fairplex in Pomona, California (2201 N. White Ave., Gate 12, Pomona, CA 91768), Saturday, June 17, from 5:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Entertainment will include a car show, live DJ, tacos and a no-host bar, with proceeds benefiting the next phase of the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC)—the Pete Chapouris PC3 Welding & Fabrication Program. Emceed by Dave McClelland, the event will feature Xydias, who will deliver the keynote entitled “Life in the Fast Lane.” The cost to attend is $35 per person and $60 per couple. A limited number of spaces are available for the car show. Buy tickets online, or call 909-865-4205. For more information, contact Theresa Contreras at contreras@fairplex.com.
 Rachael Sobon |
CRP Industries Executive, Rachel Sobon, Cited as 2017 Brava Award Winner by SmartCEO
CRP Industries Inc. has announced that its Director of Human Resources Rachael Sobon has received the 2017 Brava Award for top female business leadership in New Jersey. New Jersey SmartCEO is presenting the award in recognition of Sobon’s achievements in her professional career. The Brava Awards celebrate the distinguished achievements of 40 of Greater New Jersey’s top female business leaders. Sobon was selected for the award for her work in not only her professional life, but also in her family and community. Sobon was selected by an independent committee who reviewed local business leaders and chose winners based on company growth, community impact and mentoring. Sobon has been with CRP Industries for 10 years, and is responsible for all human resources functions and payroll activities. Sobon will receive her award during The New Jersey Brava Awards ceremony, June 14, at The Imperia in Somerset, New Jersey.
 DEI will host its Second Annual Cruise-In at the Weiss Field in Avon Lake, Ohio, Saturday, June 10, from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
DEI and City of Avon Lake Co-Host Second Annual Cruise-In
DEI will host its Second Annual Cruise-In at the Weiss Field in Avon Lake, Ohio, Saturday, June 10, from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. The event—free and open to the public—will feature a collection of hot rods, lifted trucks, classics and race cars to view. Many Team DEI race teams will be on hand to show off their race cars and talk to the public. A rain date has been set for Sunday, June 11, in the event of inclement weather. For more information about DEI’s Cruise-In event, visit www.designengineering.com.
Wilwood Named “Preferred Performance Brakes” of Goodguys Rod & Custom Association
Wilwood Disc Brakes is partnering with Goodguys as the “Preferred Performance Brakes” at all events through the 2018 season. As a preferred sponsor, Wilwood’s presence will be highly visible at Goodguys events through signage, exhibit space and a variety of consumer-facing opportunities. Additionally, Wilwood will display new industry innovations in the New Product Showcase at the 2017 and 2018 Goodguys Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. Starting in 2018, a $250 Wilwood product certificate will be distributed at all national events as part of the Goodguys Choice Product Program. The next event is the 12th Goodguys Nashville Nationals in Nashville, Tennesee, May 19–21, 2017.
Weego Forms National Partnership With Meyer Distributing
Weego has announced a new partnership with Meyer Distributing. Meyer specialty parts’ retailers and aftermarket wholesalers across North America will now have access to Weego’s product line, including jump starters, accessories and battery packs.
 Doug Wolma |
AP Emissions Technologies and Centric Parts Merge, Creating APC Automotive Technologies; APC Appoints Doug Wolma President of AP Exhaust
Harvest Partners LP and Audax Private Equity have completed the combination of AP Emissions Technologies and Centric Parts to form APC Automotive Technologies (APC). As part of the transaction, Harvest completed a new equity investment into the combined business, and Audax retained a significant ownership stake in APC. Both firms have extensive experience in the automotive aftermarket and will provide their joint resources to support APC. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Hugh Charvat will lead the combined business as chief executive officer; Dan Lelchuk, who co-founded Centric Parts in 2000, will remain president of Centric Parts. In addition, APC has appointed Doug Wolma as president of its AP Emissions Technologies (AP Exhaust) division. In this role, Wolma will be responsible for leading AP Exhaust and all of its operations. Wolma is replacing Mike Barto, who is retiring from AP Exhaust. Before his appointment at AP Exhaust, Wolma was the vice president and general manager of the global aftermarket for Dana Incorporated. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of Dana’s global aftermarket, including off-highway, commercial vehicle and light vehicle product categories.
 Motorsport.com’s digital production team has scored three major awards at the 38th Annual Telly Awards Show for its coverage of international motorsport for the second year in a row. |
Motorsport.com Scores Awards for Video Production
Motorsport.com’s digital production team has scored three major awards at the 38th Annual Telly Awards Show for its coverage of international motorsport for the second year in a row. The video team for “Inside WEC”—a race recap series of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)—earned a Bronze Telly Award in the Video Series category. Seven-time Emmy award-winning Senior Director Robert Lyon’s video coverage of the 2016 Ferrari Mondiali also earned a bronze telly award in the “General Sports for Video” category with the video “Finali Mondiali – Ferrari comes to Daytona.” Earning a Bronze Telly Award in the General sports category, “Sidetracked with Derek D” is a behind-the-scenes look into some of the world’s best motorsport events. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators and corporate video departments in the world. The competition includes submissions from more than 13,000 entries.
 Rep Rob Woodall (R-GA). |
Omix-ADA Hosts SEMA Congressional Site Visit at Company’s Georgia Headquarters
Omix-ADA welcomed U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA) for an in-person visit May 9. Rep. Woodall, who represents the seventh district of Georgia in Washington, D.C., was born and raised in Georgia and currently serves on the House Committee on Rules, the House Budget Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Following a tour of the corporate headquarters, Rep. Woodall participated in an exchange of ideas and opinions focused on the automotive aftermarket industry. Other participants included SEMA Congressional Affairs Manager Eric Snyder, Omix-ADA Founder and President Al Azadi and a collective group of Omix-ADA employees. Topics discussed in this forum included the growing importance of protecting intellectual properties in the automotive aftermarket today, import tariffs and their negative impact on the industry, and the ever-increasing costs of healthcare expenses for small/medium-sized businesses. The visit and roundtable discussion was coordinated by Omix-ADA and SEMA as a means of establishing an open dialogue between SEMA and its representatives Washington.
 Steve Arent |
AFR Hires Steve Arent as National Sales Manager
AFR has announced that Steve Arent has joined the company as its national sales manager. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the aftermarket high-performance industry, and is known for his strong customer service skills and hands-on approach. His responsibilities will be to support AFR’s fast-growing dealer network, explore new market opportunities and strengthen the company’s position in the marketplace. Arent will also attend events at the local and national levels. He will work remotely from his Michigan-based location and be available to AFR customers across the country.
Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. Welcomes Northern Radiator
Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. welcomes Northern Radiator to its speed and performance line card. The company has been manufacturing heating and cooling products across the automotive, racing, agricultural, truck and industrial industries for more than 40 years. Keystone carries and supports more than 800 brands of aftermarket products, and will continue to expand its footprint to meet the growing needs of its customer base.
 Team Hedman Hedders of Hunter High School from West Valley City, Utah, qualified for the Dual National Championship with an average time of 32:59. |
Eight More Teams Qualify for Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Dual National Championship
The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) Engine Challenge for the second weekend in a row held two qualifying events, both in new locations and states. At the Davis Applied Technology College in Kaysville, Utah, seven teams competed in their very first HROT Engine Challenge. Of those, one new team qualified for the Dual National Championship, while another will be invited as a wild card team. Team Hedman Hedders of Hunter High School from West Valley City, Utah, qualified with an average time of 32:59. Team Aeroquip of Box Elder High School from Brigham City, Utah, came in second with a time of 33:52. They will be invited to the Dual National Championship as a wild-card team. At the Aeromotive open house and car show in Lenexa, Kansas, eight teams competed, of which six qualified. Leading the pack was Team Aeromotive of Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center from Choctaw, Oklahoma, with an average time of 19:51. Team Flowmaster of Tulsa Technology Center #3 from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, had an average time of 25:22. Team B&M of Pontotoc Tech Center from Ada, Oklahoma, scored a 29:28. Hereford High School from Hereford, Texas, had two teams qualify: Team Vibrant Performance with an average time of 30:17, and Team National Performance Warehouse with an average time of 30:40. The Dual National Championship will be held at the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show later this year. A team qualifies by disassembling and then re-assembling a small-block Chevrolet engine in less than 33 minutes, including penalties. A total of 44 teams have now qualified with one wild-card team. Students who participate at the championships will compete for scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 from five different colleges: Ohio Technical College, University of Northwestern Ohio, School of Automotive Machinists & Technology, Universal Technical Institute and WyoTech. For more information, visit www.HotRoddersofTomorrow.com.
Wes-Coast Marketing Inc. to Represent DeeZee
Wes-Coast Marketing Inc. announed that it has been selected to represent the truck-accessory company DeeZee. The states to be covered by Wes-Coast Marketing are Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah.
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