Pinewood Drag Races

SEMA News - October 2010

	Rose Kawasaki (left), Erin Gilhuly (middle) and Camee Edelbrock celebrated the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network victory in the inaugural Council Cup challenge.		Justin Hoffend, winner of the Modified class, dropped the gates on a Stock class run.

Title Defenders and Top Designers Compete in Pasadena

Returning champions were vanquished, former challengers made strong showings and the industry’s leading ladies brought home two inaugural trophies at the third-annual SEMA Pinewood Drag Races.

The drags took place July 24 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California, and featured hundreds of pinewood cars, most built by children at Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp and sponsored by SEMA-member companies.

The SEMA Businesswomen’s Network, running a pinewood car developed by Mitch Williams and Pilot Automotive, took both the Council Cup and Grand National trophies. Justin Hoffend, meanwhile, representing SEMA Show logistics handlers Freeman, avenged his third-place Modified class finish from last year by topping the group this year.

SEMA News-October 2010-Pinewood Drag Races
The expansion joint at the track’s runout created some moments of airborne acrobatics.

SEMA News-October 2010-Pinewood Drag Races
Mike Spagnola (left), Joel Ayres (middle) and freshly shorn Chris Kersting watched their cars run in the Modified class. Ayres and Kersting finished second and third, respectively.

SEMA News-October 2010-Pinewood Drag Races
John Menzler of Comp Performance Group prepared a run of cars from the Builder’s Race group. This set of cars was designed by some of the industry’s top builders, including Rich Evans, Art Morrison and class winners Street Vizions.

SEMA News-October 2010-Pinewood Drag Races
eBay Motors, with the outside-lane car, interpreted "unlimited”very literally. The eBay crew won the class.

Winners of the 2010 Pinewood Drag Races

Build It for Me Class Travis White and Janette Hale, Paramount Restyling Hot Rod Industry Alliance Tricel Honeycomb Modified Justin Hoffend, Freeman Joel Ayres, SEMA Cares Committee Chris Kersting, SEMA Council Cup Challenge SEMA Businesswomen’s Network	People’s Choice Travis White, Janette Hale, Paramount Restyling Stock Melanie White, Hellwig Products Nicolas Hoffend, Freeman Chuck Schwartz, ConvExx Unlimited Famous Rhodes, eBay Motors Todd Ryden, MSD Ignition Eric Hoffend, Freeman Grand National Trophy SEMA Businesswomen’s Network

“The taste of victory is sweet,” said Joel Ayres, SEMA Cares committee chairman. “I upheld the honor of SEMA Cares by beating [SEMA President and CEO] Chris Kersting, [SEMA Chair-Elect] Paul “Scooter” Brothers, [SEMA Chairman] Rick Rollins, [Immediate Past Chairman] Jim Cozzie and [SEMA Show ‘N Shine Chairman] Mike Spagnola in Modified. I was, however, beaten by 11-year-old Justin Hoffend. So next year, Justin, I’m coming for you.”Ayres added that “seeing the excitement and smiles from the Childhelp Village kids as their cars raced and won made all the effort and work that the committee put in worth it.”

The races also featured the popular Builder’s Race, offering top designers in the industry a chance to race unique and innovative cars of their own invention. Derek White of Street Vizions won the HRIA-sponsored event.

“SEMA-member companies really stepped up to the challenge of sponsoring every kid-built car—a record 230 cars sponsored,” said race organizer Dave Williams of Rampage Products. “That kind of support shows that the SEMA membership cares deeply about these kids and their needs.”