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Movers & Shakers: Lucas Oil Promotes Melissa Wonser to Vice President of Marketing

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Melissa Wonser
Melissa Wonser

Lucas Oil Promotes Melissa Wonser to Vice President of Marketing

Lucas Oil Products Inc. has announced the promotion of Melissa Wonser to vice president of marketing. Wonser first joined the company in 2011, and has served as the digital marketing manager, art director, marketing manager and, in 2019, director of marketing. She also plays an instrumental role in the daily management of Lucas Oil’s marketing and creative direction, leading the graphics department, website development team and media/public relations efforts, among other responsibilities. In her new role, Wonser will be responsible for developing and implementing a marketing communications plan to increase Lucas Oil’s brand awareness through the extensive number of industries and sectors it serves. Originally from Southern California, Wonser now resides in Indiana, where she works with the Lucas Oil executive team from the corporate offices in Indianapolis.

“Horsepower Wars” Announces Broadcast Television Partnership With MAVTV And Season 3 Episode Schedule

Power Automedia’s “Horsepower Wars” has announced its official episode release schedule for the third season of the $10K Drag Shootout presented by Lucas Oil as well as a partnership with Lucas Oil’s cable and satellite television channel, MAVTV Motorsports Network. $10K Drag Shootout consists of four teams competing against each other to see who can build the fastest drag-racing car over a period of 10 days, with a budget of $10,000—divided into $3,000 cash and a $7,000 Summit Racing Equipment gift card. Once the builds have been completed, the teams head down to the track for heads-up racing, where the team who proves they’re the quickest, takes home $10,000 and their finished car. This season, the Lucas Oil $10K Drag Shootout will take inspiration from No Prep drag-racing events, which mimic street racing, using no traction compound to make the track sticky as with a traditional track event. For the first time, Horsepower Wars will partner with MAVTV to broadcast $10K Drag Shootout 3 on cable television. MAVTV will air episodes of $10K Drag Shootout every Sunday with the first episode premiering on November 1.

Champion Offers WD Incentive With Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oil

Champion Oil has recently created a special opportunity and program to become a Champion Warehouse Distributor (WD) selling Blue Flame Performance Diesel Engine Oils. The newly released incentive is a low-cost buy-in at the WD level for smaller businesses that includes free freight, web location posting, press release, POP, banners, literature, MAP pricing and a featured interview on the Champion Blue Flame Diesel Blog. Champion also offers a Master Warehouse Distributor (MWD) program that is available for larger-sized businesses interested in wholesale distribution of Champion’s Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oils. For more information, visit Champion Oil’s website.

MAHLE Motorsport Announces $100 PowerPak Piston Rebate

In celebration of MAHLE’s 100th anniversary, MAHLE Motorsport has announced a $100 discount on all PowerPak piston kits. The discount is available starting October 15 through December 15, via a mail-in rebate. For more information about MAHLE Motorsport PowerPak Piston Kits, visit www.mahle motorsports.com.

Mustang Dyno
Mustang Dynamometer has announced a new demonstration facility has opened at its Mexico City office.

Mustang Dynamometer Announces New Demonstration Facility In Mexico

Mustang Dynamometer has announced a new demonstration facility has opened at its Mexico City office, which was initially established in 2017. Mustang Operations Vice President Eser Manav recently visited the new addition as part of ongoing support from Mustang's head office in Twinsburg, Ohio. The new facility will promote performance dynamometers and provide training to the region. It also features an MD-100 and an MD-AWD-150 (8) roll chassis dynamometer.

USAC Announces Doug Lockwood as New Series Manager

The United States Auto Club (USAC) has announced that Doug Lockwood will manage and oversee race-related operations, planning and scheduling events for both the USAC Western States Midget and West Coast Sprint Car divisions. Lockwood begins his new position ahead of the October 10 doubleheader featuring both series at California’s Placerville Speedway. Lockwood, who previously served as a Director of Competition with USAC’s Western series, is the Merced (California) Speedway general manager. He succeeds Chris Kearns, who will take on a larger role with USAC sanctioning in its Rally, Off-Road and Karting series.

Steve deMoulpied
Steve deMoulpied

Lubrication Specialties Inc. (LSI) Announces Steve deMoulpied as Chief Operating Officer

Lubrication Specialties Inc. (LSI) has announced the expansion of senior leadership. Steve deMoulpied joins LSI as the company’s chief operating officer (COO). With more than 20 years of experience across multiple industries and functional areas, deMoulpied has particular expertise in organizations with complex technical products. Combined, his prior positions have required a spectrum of skills in corporate strategy, operations improvement, product quality, and revenue cycle management. He has a history of utilizing data-driven problem solving (Lean Six Sigma) and project management (PMP and CSM) to achieve strategic goals surrounding customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and improved profit.

DeMoulpied comes to LSI from the private client services practice of Ernst & Young, where he managed strategy and operations improvement engagements for privately held client businesses. Some of his prior roles include vice president of strategic development, director of strategic initiatives, and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt at OptumHealth, UnitedHealth Group’s health services business, as well as Lean Six Sigma Black Belt at General Electric, where he applied operations improvement principles to customer service, supply chain, and product development. deMoulpied is also the founder of PrestoFresh, a Cleveland-based e-commerce food/grocery business.

Joe Thompson
Joe Thompson

Lippert Components Names Joe Thompson New Chief Marketing Officer

Lippert Components Inc. (LCI) has announced the addition of Joe Thompson in the new role as chief marketing officer (CMO). Thompson comes to LCI from the December 2019 acquisition of the CURT Group, serving as CMO for the previous five years. Thompson will immediately structure a new global marketing organization servicing all of LCI’s current and future brands. Thompson brings more than 32 years of experience in consumer product sales and marketing leadership to LCI. He has served as the vice president of marketing at a number of companies, including Lund International, Formica Corp., and Armstrong World Industries. He will report to both Jamie Schnur, group president – aftermarket, and Rock Lambert, CURT Group president. In his role as CMO, Thompson’s primary responsibility will be to create a world-class marketing organization that will drive the global marketing strategy and efforts for all LCI brands. Thompson and Jarod Lippert, LCI’s vice president of marketing, will work together to create a unified organizational structure that will promote new products and services, grow digital presence, develop customer loyalty, engage audiences, and increase sales with new and existing customers across all of LCI’s growing brand portfolio.

DIRTVision Announces Jim Chiappelli as General Manager

DIRTVision, the provider of dirt track racing live stream broadcasts, has announced Jim Chiappelli as the new DIRTVision general manager. A veteran broadcast executive with extensive racing knowledge, Chiappelli joins DIRTVision after stints with SPEED and FOX Sports, where he held positions including coordinating producer, news director and studio producer.

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