SEMA News—August 2013

BUSINESS
By Steve Campbell

SEMA Indicators

A Look at Specialty-Equipment and Automotive Market Signposts

Exhibitors

The SEMA Show is a prime indicator of market trends, revealing both attitudes and new offerings. The majority of exhibitors at the 2012 SEMA Show generally felt that attendee traffic showed not only diversity, but also increased numbers over 2011, which suggests further recovery in the economy. In addition, exhibitors said that buyers seemed to be more willing to spend money at the 2012 Show, perhaps even approaching pre-recession levels.

Exhibitors said that the quality of buyers—those who were actual decision makers—had also increased over the previous year. While many companies use the SEMA Show as a networking event that is not necessarily focused on making direct sales, 34% of exhibitors reported receiving orders in 2012, compared with 30% the previous year, and about 40% were optimistic that post-Show orders would increase compared with 2011. More than 50% of attendees sampled by SEMA Show organizers—both exhibitors and buyers—said that they planned to increase their trade-show attendance in 2013, which is another indicator that business is on an upward track.

Buyers

The impression that there was more spending at the 2012 SEMA Show was reflected in a post-event survey of attendees who indicated that they were buying at the 2012 SEMA Show. That sampling said that average purchase amounts had risen from $21,416 at the 2011 event to $35,738 at the latest SEMA Show. Nearly 90% of buyers at the 2012 Show said they would place orders with exhibitors in the next 12 months, with almost 60% saying they would be purchasing a product that was newly introduced at the 2012 Show.

The percentage of new or first-time buyers was also up from 25% of those in attendance in 2011 to 27% in 2012, though the largest number—about 40%—had attended between two and five previous SEMA Shows. (Interestingly, 33% had been to more than six SEMA Shows, and a full 5% of those in attendance had been to more than 20.) The first-timers said that word of mouth and the search for new products brought them to the event, and that was also the reason most often given by frequent attendees to the Show. But 64% of attendees also cited business conditions ranging from “some positive” to “significantly positive” as the reason they’d come to the Show.

While buyers were ready to spend, both before and after the Show, they were also drawn to the event by specials and discounts. Nearly 75% said they had taken advantage of exhibitors’ SEMA Show deals—up from 68% in 2011. And a significant number of attendees said that they would be sharing the information they gathered at the Show with their business colleagues and customers as well as family and friends.

New Products

• Capacitive Touch Rear View Mirror With GPS from Intraphex (Mobile Electronics Products)
• Gentex Rear Camera Display Mirror With OEM Camera Options from Mito Corp. (Mobile Electronics Products)
• Wheel Bands by RimPro-Tec North America (Featured Products)
• Kiwi 2 Wifi from PLX Devices (Mobile Electronics Products)
• SunSpot Infrared Heater H-300 from Cool-A-Zone (Tools & Equipment)
• Classic Car Sequential Taillights from Easy Performance Products (Street Rod/Custom Car Products)
• Kiwi 2 Bluetooth from PLX Devices (Mobile Electronics Products)
• Square-Style Patented Custom Smooth Door Handle from Kindig-It Design (Engineered New Products)
• Digital Instrument Cluster from ID4motion (Engineered New Products)
• DashCommand from Palmer Performance Engineering (Mobile Electronics Products)

It’s also instructive to take a look at the most-scanned product in each of the display categories. The only double top-scanned company was Putco Inc. with its LED Interior Stick Festoons in the Interior Accessory category and its G3 LED DayLiner Point-of-Purchase Display in the Merchandising Display grouping. The individual top-scans items in the 17 product categories were:

• Soft-Sanders Six-Piece Set from Style-Line Corp. International (Collision Repair & Refinish Product)
• Square-Style Patented Custom Smooth Door Handle from Kindig-It Design (Engineered New Products)
• TruXedo B-Light BP from Extang/TruXedo/UnderCover (Exterior Accessory Product)
• Wheel Bands by RimPro-Tec North America (Featured Products)
• LED Interior Stick Festoons from Putco Inc. (Interior Accessory Product)
• G3 LED DayLiner Point-of-Purchase Display from Putco Inc. (Merchandising Display)
• Capacitive Touch Rear View Mirror With GPS from Intraphex (Mobile Electronics Products)
• KC Race Bar from Bulldog Lighting-KC Hilites (Off-Road/4-Wheel Drive Product)
• MSD Atomic EFI, Master Kit Packaging from MSD Performance (Packaging Display)
• TrackMat from BedRug Inc. (Performance-Racing Product)
• DashCommand from Palmer Performance Engineering (Performance Street Product)
• Flushmount Dually, SRM and SRQ LED Lights from Rigid Industries (Powersports Product)
• Classic Car Sequential Taillights from Easy Performance Products (Street Rod/Custom Car Products)
• LAC Tire Printer from LAC Corp. (Tire and Related Product)
• SunSpot Infrared Heater H-300 from Cool-A-Zone (Tools & Equipment)
• AirBedz Lite Truck Bed Air Mattress from Pittman Outdoors “AirBedz” (Van/Pickup/Sport-Utility Product)
• 17-in. Steel Artillery Wheel from Wheel Vintiques (Wheel and Related Product)

New-Vehicle Sales

Recent new-car sales data also show some rather uplifting trends. The New York Times reported that 2012 U.S. sales were up about 13% over 2011, with a total of about 14.5 million vehicles moving out of showrooms, and the good news seemed to be continuing into the new year. In figures before we went to press with this issue, The Wall Street Journal said that total light vehicle sales were up 14.2% in January 2013 compared with January 2012. The top category was midsize cars, which slightly led the crossover utility vehicle (CUV) segment in popularity, 255,772 units to 225,163. In fact, CUVs showed the largest year-over-year January percentage gains at 20.2%, with small cars next at an 18.1% increase.

The only category losers, it appeared, were large cars, large SUVs and minivans. Large cars—whose sales have been declining for some time—suffered the greatest January damage at -9.3% (only 239 units for the month), while large SUV sales were off by -7.5% at 3,667 units. The minivan slippage was a mere -1.7%, but it may lend credence to the idea that the vastly more popular CUV segment is overtaking the category.

The Ford F-Series remained the number-one selling vehicle in January 2013 with 46,841 units sold, a 21.7% increase over the previous January. Ford’s lead was followed by the Chevrolet Silverado with 35,445 units sold, up 21% year over year.

The first car on the top-20 list was the Toyota Camry (31,897 units, a 12.7% increase), followed by the Honda Accord, which was up a whopping 75.2% over the previous January with 23,924 units sold. The only other vehicles to score similar percentage gains were the Ford Fusion in the number-six spot with 22,399 sales (up 64.5% over last January) and the Ford Explorer with a sales increase of 52.6% at 15,207 units.

General Motors held the greatest market share overall for January with 18.7%, slightly up from the previous year, with Ford claiming the number-two spot with 15.9%, Toyota in the third slot at 15.1% and Chrysler holding fourth with 11.3%.

For more on this story, read the full article in the August issue of SEMA News.

SEMA News—August 2013

BUSINESS
By Steve Campbell

SEMA Indicators

A Look at Specialty-Equipment and Automotive Market Signposts

Exhibitors

The SEMA Show is a prime indicator of market trends, revealing both attitudes and new offerings. The majority of exhibitors at the 2012 SEMA Show generally felt that attendee traffic showed not only diversity, but also increased numbers over 2011, which suggests further recovery in the economy. In addition, exhibitors said that buyers seemed to be more willing to spend money at the 2012 Show, perhaps even approaching pre-recession levels.

Exhibitors said that the quality of buyers—those who were actual decision makers—had also increased over the previous year. While many companies use the SEMA Show as a networking event that is not necessarily focused on making direct sales, 34% of exhibitors reported receiving orders in 2012, compared with 30% the previous year, and about 40% were optimistic that post-Show orders would increase compared with 2011. More than 50% of attendees sampled by SEMA Show organizers—both exhibitors and buyers—said that they planned to increase their trade-show attendance in 2013, which is another indicator that business is on an upward track.

Buyers

The impression that there was more spending at the 2012 SEMA Show was reflected in a post-event survey of attendees who indicated that they were buying at the 2012 SEMA Show. That sampling said that average purchase amounts had risen from $21,416 at the 2011 event to $35,738 at the latest SEMA Show. Nearly 90% of buyers at the 2012 Show said they would place orders with exhibitors in the next 12 months, with almost 60% saying they would be purchasing a product that was newly introduced at the 2012 Show.

The percentage of new or first-time buyers was also up from 25% of those in attendance in 2011 to 27% in 2012, though the largest number—about 40%—had attended between two and five previous SEMA Shows. (Interestingly, 33% had been to more than six SEMA Shows, and a full 5% of those in attendance had been to more than 20.) The first-timers said that word of mouth and the search for new products brought them to the event, and that was also the reason most often given by frequent attendees to the Show. But 64% of attendees also cited business conditions ranging from “some positive” to “significantly positive” as the reason they’d come to the Show.

While buyers were ready to spend, both before and after the Show, they were also drawn to the event by specials and discounts. Nearly 75% said they had taken advantage of exhibitors’ SEMA Show deals—up from 68% in 2011. And a significant number of attendees said that they would be sharing the information they gathered at the Show with their business colleagues and customers as well as family and friends.

New Products

• Capacitive Touch Rear View Mirror With GPS from Intraphex (Mobile Electronics Products)
• Gentex Rear Camera Display Mirror With OEM Camera Options from Mito Corp. (Mobile Electronics Products)
• Wheel Bands by RimPro-Tec North America (Featured Products)
• Kiwi 2 Wifi from PLX Devices (Mobile Electronics Products)
• SunSpot Infrared Heater H-300 from Cool-A-Zone (Tools & Equipment)
• Classic Car Sequential Taillights from Easy Performance Products (Street Rod/Custom Car Products)
• Kiwi 2 Bluetooth from PLX Devices (Mobile Electronics Products)
• Square-Style Patented Custom Smooth Door Handle from Kindig-It Design (Engineered New Products)
• Digital Instrument Cluster from ID4motion (Engineered New Products)
• DashCommand from Palmer Performance Engineering (Mobile Electronics Products)

It’s also instructive to take a look at the most-scanned product in each of the display categories. The only double top-scanned company was Putco Inc. with its LED Interior Stick Festoons in the Interior Accessory category and its G3 LED DayLiner Point-of-Purchase Display in the Merchandising Display grouping. The individual top-scans items in the 17 product categories were:

• Soft-Sanders Six-Piece Set from Style-Line Corp. International (Collision Repair & Refinish Product)
• Square-Style Patented Custom Smooth Door Handle from Kindig-It Design (Engineered New Products)
• TruXedo B-Light BP from Extang/TruXedo/UnderCover (Exterior Accessory Product)
• Wheel Bands by RimPro-Tec North America (Featured Products)
• LED Interior Stick Festoons from Putco Inc. (Interior Accessory Product)
• G3 LED DayLiner Point-of-Purchase Display from Putco Inc. (Merchandising Display)
• Capacitive Touch Rear View Mirror With GPS from Intraphex (Mobile Electronics Products)
• KC Race Bar from Bulldog Lighting-KC Hilites (Off-Road/4-Wheel Drive Product)
• MSD Atomic EFI, Master Kit Packaging from MSD Performance (Packaging Display)
• TrackMat from BedRug Inc. (Performance-Racing Product)
• DashCommand from Palmer Performance Engineering (Performance Street Product)
• Flushmount Dually, SRM and SRQ LED Lights from Rigid Industries (Powersports Product)
• Classic Car Sequential Taillights from Easy Performance Products (Street Rod/Custom Car Products)
• LAC Tire Printer from LAC Corp. (Tire and Related Product)
• SunSpot Infrared Heater H-300 from Cool-A-Zone (Tools & Equipment)
• AirBedz Lite Truck Bed Air Mattress from Pittman Outdoors “AirBedz” (Van/Pickup/Sport-Utility Product)
• 17-in. Steel Artillery Wheel from Wheel Vintiques (Wheel and Related Product)

New-Vehicle Sales

Recent new-car sales data also show some rather uplifting trends. The New York Times reported that 2012 U.S. sales were up about 13% over 2011, with a total of about 14.5 million vehicles moving out of showrooms, and the good news seemed to be continuing into the new year. In figures before we went to press with this issue, The Wall Street Journal said that total light vehicle sales were up 14.2% in January 2013 compared with January 2012. The top category was midsize cars, which slightly led the crossover utility vehicle (CUV) segment in popularity, 255,772 units to 225,163. In fact, CUVs showed the largest year-over-year January percentage gains at 20.2%, with small cars next at an 18.1% increase.

The only category losers, it appeared, were large cars, large SUVs and minivans. Large cars—whose sales have been declining for some time—suffered the greatest January damage at -9.3% (only 239 units for the month), while large SUV sales were off by -7.5% at 3,667 units. The minivan slippage was a mere -1.7%, but it may lend credence to the idea that the vastly more popular CUV segment is overtaking the category.

The Ford F-Series remained the number-one selling vehicle in January 2013 with 46,841 units sold, a 21.7% increase over the previous January. Ford’s lead was followed by the Chevrolet Silverado with 35,445 units sold, up 21% year over year.

The first car on the top-20 list was the Toyota Camry (31,897 units, a 12.7% increase), followed by the Honda Accord, which was up a whopping 75.2% over the previous January with 23,924 units sold. The only other vehicles to score similar percentage gains were the Ford Fusion in the number-six spot with 22,399 sales (up 64.5% over last January) and the Ford Explorer with a sales increase of 52.6% at 15,207 units.

General Motors held the greatest market share overall for January with 18.7%, slightly up from the previous year, with Ford claiming the number-two spot with 15.9%, Toyota in the third slot at 15.1% and Chrysler holding fourth with 11.3%.

For more on this story, read the full article in the August issue of SEMA News.

By SEMA Editors

	The Society of Collision Repair Specialists will offer seminars and courses at the 2013 SEMA Show as part of its Repairer-Driven Education program.

Since the Repairer-Driven Education (RDE) series first premiered at the SEMA Show in 2010, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has used the forum to present the industry with world-class education that speaks to the heart of issues faced in today's collision-repair businesses. The education program is presented each day of the SEMA Show, and features some of the industry's most respected subject matter experts.

"Our single greatest objective since day one has been to deliver education, which provides tangible information that can be immediately implemented when our attendees return home to their businesses," shared Ron Reichen, SCRS chairman. "In essence, we seek out subject matter that is well-delivered and relevant to what repairers want and need to know. We want topics so relevant and urgent to the changing landscape of the industry, that they simply can't afford to not attend. In my opinion, no other venue provides as much value and opportunity aimed at improving collision-repair business and profitability as the SEMA Show does."

For 2013, SCRS has enhanced the program with the addition of three designated tracks through the RDE series. All RDE courses can be purchased à la carte, based on attendee interests, but the tracks are designed to help those with a particular focus attend a series of course selections that all speak to a purpose.

"The track program was actually a proposal from one of our previous attendees," shared SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. "It was suggested that with so many education options in our program, they wished there was a way to determine which selections therein that spoke most to what they were looking to gain. It is really important to us to use attendee input and feedback as a primary driver for program development, and it made so much sense to create sub-categories in the manner suggested."

To address the trends reshaping the industry, SCRS created three categories of educational topics to capture the collision-repair business professional's imagination:

• Understanding your business: This track is designed to provide thorough training around fundamental components of running a successful collision-repair business. The topics extend through estimating and blueprinting, workflow and cycle time impact, profit center management, marketing and online reputation management. Quite simply, if collision-repair business owners and operators better understand the core of their business, they can better manage its success.

• Enhancing your business: This category focuses on business development and improvement, such as production techniques, office efficiency, processes and documentation, creating a turn-key business, mechanization, automation, equipment and systems. If attendees want to target specific customer bases or types of work, increase your ability to get paid for necessary operations and be prepared for current and future technologies they are going to need in their repair business, this is the track that will give them the tools, resources and knowledge to accomplish that.

• Positioning your business: Most business owners today are asking themselves one of two questions: How do I compete? Or, how do I sell my shop for the most value? This category will present solutions to both. It includes focused strategies for competing against consolidation, growth strategies, preparation on how to sell your business or purchase your competitor and how to make your business as valuable as possible, whether you plan to continue to operate it, or market it to others. It includes a glimpse into future technology trends as well as potential business trends based on varying market shifts, and all of it is going to be relevant to your business.

By SEMA Editors

	The Society of Collision Repair Specialists will offer seminars and courses at the 2013 SEMA Show as part of its Repairer-Driven Education program.

Since the Repairer-Driven Education (RDE) series first premiered at the SEMA Show in 2010, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has used the forum to present the industry with world-class education that speaks to the heart of issues faced in today's collision-repair businesses. The education program is presented each day of the SEMA Show, and features some of the industry's most respected subject matter experts.

"Our single greatest objective since day one has been to deliver education, which provides tangible information that can be immediately implemented when our attendees return home to their businesses," shared Ron Reichen, SCRS chairman. "In essence, we seek out subject matter that is well-delivered and relevant to what repairers want and need to know. We want topics so relevant and urgent to the changing landscape of the industry, that they simply can't afford to not attend. In my opinion, no other venue provides as much value and opportunity aimed at improving collision-repair business and profitability as the SEMA Show does."

For 2013, SCRS has enhanced the program with the addition of three designated tracks through the RDE series. All RDE courses can be purchased à la carte, based on attendee interests, but the tracks are designed to help those with a particular focus attend a series of course selections that all speak to a purpose.

"The track program was actually a proposal from one of our previous attendees," shared SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. "It was suggested that with so many education options in our program, they wished there was a way to determine which selections therein that spoke most to what they were looking to gain. It is really important to us to use attendee input and feedback as a primary driver for program development, and it made so much sense to create sub-categories in the manner suggested."

To address the trends reshaping the industry, SCRS created three categories of educational topics to capture the collision-repair business professional's imagination:

• Understanding your business: This track is designed to provide thorough training around fundamental components of running a successful collision-repair business. The topics extend through estimating and blueprinting, workflow and cycle time impact, profit center management, marketing and online reputation management. Quite simply, if collision-repair business owners and operators better understand the core of their business, they can better manage its success.

• Enhancing your business: This category focuses on business development and improvement, such as production techniques, office efficiency, processes and documentation, creating a turn-key business, mechanization, automation, equipment and systems. If attendees want to target specific customer bases or types of work, increase your ability to get paid for necessary operations and be prepared for current and future technologies they are going to need in their repair business, this is the track that will give them the tools, resources and knowledge to accomplish that.

• Positioning your business: Most business owners today are asking themselves one of two questions: How do I compete? Or, how do I sell my shop for the most value? This category will present solutions to both. It includes focused strategies for competing against consolidation, growth strategies, preparation on how to sell your business or purchase your competitor and how to make your business as valuable as possible, whether you plan to continue to operate it, or market it to others. It includes a glimpse into future technology trends as well as potential business trends based on varying market shifts, and all of it is going to be relevant to your business.

By SEMA Editors

	The Society of Collision Repair Specialists will offer seminars and courses at the 2013 SEMA Show as part of its Repairer-Driven Education program.

Since the Repairer-Driven Education (RDE) series first premiered at the SEMA Show in 2010, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has used the forum to present the industry with world-class education that speaks to the heart of issues faced in today's collision-repair businesses. The education program is presented each day of the SEMA Show, and features some of the industry's most respected subject matter experts.

"Our single greatest objective since day one has been to deliver education, which provides tangible information that can be immediately implemented when our attendees return home to their businesses," shared Ron Reichen, SCRS chairman. "In essence, we seek out subject matter that is well-delivered and relevant to what repairers want and need to know. We want topics so relevant and urgent to the changing landscape of the industry, that they simply can't afford to not attend. In my opinion, no other venue provides as much value and opportunity aimed at improving collision-repair business and profitability as the SEMA Show does."

For 2013, SCRS has enhanced the program with the addition of three designated tracks through the RDE series. All RDE courses can be purchased à la carte, based on attendee interests, but the tracks are designed to help those with a particular focus attend a series of course selections that all speak to a purpose.

"The track program was actually a proposal from one of our previous attendees," shared SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. "It was suggested that with so many education options in our program, they wished there was a way to determine which selections therein that spoke most to what they were looking to gain. It is really important to us to use attendee input and feedback as a primary driver for program development, and it made so much sense to create sub-categories in the manner suggested."

To address the trends reshaping the industry, SCRS created three categories of educational topics to capture the collision-repair business professional's imagination:

• Understanding your business: This track is designed to provide thorough training around fundamental components of running a successful collision-repair business. The topics extend through estimating and blueprinting, workflow and cycle time impact, profit center management, marketing and online reputation management. Quite simply, if collision-repair business owners and operators better understand the core of their business, they can better manage its success.

• Enhancing your business: This category focuses on business development and improvement, such as production techniques, office efficiency, processes and documentation, creating a turn-key business, mechanization, automation, equipment and systems. If attendees want to target specific customer bases or types of work, increase your ability to get paid for necessary operations and be prepared for current and future technologies they are going to need in their repair business, this is the track that will give them the tools, resources and knowledge to accomplish that.

• Positioning your business: Most business owners today are asking themselves one of two questions: How do I compete? Or, how do I sell my shop for the most value? This category will present solutions to both. It includes focused strategies for competing against consolidation, growth strategies, preparation on how to sell your business or purchase your competitor and how to make your business as valuable as possible, whether you plan to continue to operate it, or market it to others. It includes a glimpse into future technology trends as well as potential business trends based on varying market shifts, and all of it is going to be relevant to your business.

By SEMA Editors

	The Society of Collision Repair Specialists will offer seminars and courses at the 2013 SEMA Show as part of its Repairer-Driven Education program.

Since the Repairer-Driven Education (RDE) series first premiered at the SEMA Show in 2010, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has used the forum to present the industry with world-class education that speaks to the heart of issues faced in today's collision-repair businesses. The education program is presented each day of the SEMA Show, and features some of the industry's most respected subject matter experts.

"Our single greatest objective since day one has been to deliver education, which provides tangible information that can be immediately implemented when our attendees return home to their businesses," shared Ron Reichen, SCRS chairman. "In essence, we seek out subject matter that is well-delivered and relevant to what repairers want and need to know. We want topics so relevant and urgent to the changing landscape of the industry, that they simply can't afford to not attend. In my opinion, no other venue provides as much value and opportunity aimed at improving collision-repair business and profitability as the SEMA Show does."

For 2013, SCRS has enhanced the program with the addition of three designated tracks through the RDE series. All RDE courses can be purchased à la carte, based on attendee interests, but the tracks are designed to help those with a particular focus attend a series of course selections that all speak to a purpose.

"The track program was actually a proposal from one of our previous attendees," shared SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. "It was suggested that with so many education options in our program, they wished there was a way to determine which selections therein that spoke most to what they were looking to gain. It is really important to us to use attendee input and feedback as a primary driver for program development, and it made so much sense to create sub-categories in the manner suggested."

To address the trends reshaping the industry, SCRS created three categories of educational topics to capture the collision-repair business professional's imagination:

• Understanding your business: This track is designed to provide thorough training around fundamental components of running a successful collision-repair business. The topics extend through estimating and blueprinting, workflow and cycle time impact, profit center management, marketing and online reputation management. Quite simply, if collision-repair business owners and operators better understand the core of their business, they can better manage its success.

• Enhancing your business: This category focuses on business development and improvement, such as production techniques, office efficiency, processes and documentation, creating a turn-key business, mechanization, automation, equipment and systems. If attendees want to target specific customer bases or types of work, increase your ability to get paid for necessary operations and be prepared for current and future technologies they are going to need in their repair business, this is the track that will give them the tools, resources and knowledge to accomplish that.

• Positioning your business: Most business owners today are asking themselves one of two questions: How do I compete? Or, how do I sell my shop for the most value? This category will present solutions to both. It includes focused strategies for competing against consolidation, growth strategies, preparation on how to sell your business or purchase your competitor and how to make your business as valuable as possible, whether you plan to continue to operate it, or market it to others. It includes a glimpse into future technology trends as well as potential business trends based on varying market shifts, and all of it is going to be relevant to your business.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NEWS NUGGETS

MINNESOTA NATIVES LOOK FOR SUCCESS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS; LUCAS AND CAPPS ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THEIR CHAMPIONSHIPS: Greg Anderson and Jason Line, natives of Duluth, Minnesota, will be racing in front of numerous family and friends during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, August 15–18. Anderson has three wins at the track and is looking for continued improvement for he and Line.

"We can focus on the positives becuase we were basically within a couple hundreths of the fast guys," Anderson said. "That's been the closest we've been for quite a while and, obvisiously we still need to continue working on it but we ran close enough that we had a chance to win."

Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Erica Enders-Stevens (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all took wins at the event in 2012. Lucas comes to the event as the most recent winner in Top Fuel and BIR is on if his favorite facilities.

"Brainerd is a special track to our whole family because it's been the Lucas Oil Nationals for almost 10 years," Lucas said. "It's pretty cool when you think about it since it's my dad's favorite event. I'd say it's easily mine, too, and my wife Katie enjoys going up there."

Capps will attempt to win his fourth race at the track and rebound from not making the Funny Car field in Seattle. Tickets can be purchased by calling 218-824-7220 or log on to www.brainerdraceway.com.

LUCAS, BERNSTEIN TO TAKE PART IN AUTOGRAPH SESSION AT MALL OF AMERICA: Top Fuel teammates Moragn Lucas and Brandon Berstein will take part in an autograph session at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Thursday August 15, from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. The autograph session will take place prior to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and will provide local NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series fans in the Minneapolis area an oppertunity to meet the drivers. The free event at the world-famous mall will take place in the West Market Square (near the Nickelodeon Universe). Lucas has two wins at the track, is the defending event winner at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Bernstein also has two wins at the facility.

NO. 1 POSITIONS FOR COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP UP FOR GRABS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS: 11 drivers have clinched a berth into the Countdown to the Championship in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle but no driver has locked in a No. 1 seed for the upcoming six-race playoffs. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock Motorcycle) will attempt to secure their positions in the Countdown to the Championship at the upcoming Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd. One of the tightest battles to watch is in Funny Car with Robert Hight in the 10th position and Del Worsham in 11th, seperated by just three points. Tim Wilkerson and Bob Tasca are also battling for one of the final spots in the Countdown to the Championship with both drivers less than two rounds ahead of Worsham. All the racers will look to strenthen their positions during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE U.S. NATIONALS, Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, August 28–September 2: The Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals returns to historic Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, August 28–September 2. Legends such as Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, Bob Glidden and Don Garlits have cemented themselves in racing lore by winning at this event. Defending and nine-time event Top Fuel champ Tony Schumacher (pictured) will attempt to break his tie with Glidden to become the winningest driver of the event. Mike Neff (Funny Car), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also wrote their names in the record books as 2012 winners of the event. This is the 18th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the last chance that racers have to qualify for the Countdown to the Championship. Also during the weekend, Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers will compete in the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootouts, specialty eight-car races within a race. For tickets, call 800-884-6472 or log on to www.NHRATix.com.

NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS, zMAX Dragway, September 13–15: The NHRA Carolina Nationals marks the first race in the six-race Countdown to the Champship—the NHRA playoffs that will crown the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world champions. While a championship can't be won at the first race in the Countdown to the Championship, racers will be anxious to charge out the gate and build momenteum in the stretch run. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel,) Ron Capps (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are defending event winners. For tickets, call 800-455-3267 or log on to www.zmaxdragway.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

“The Zoo is pretty cool. It's incredible. There are so many cool people there. The Canadians are awesome; they come down and hang out and have a good time. It's a party. It's a great atmosphere for everyone to get together and celebrate drag racing, It's just neat."

—Matt Hagan on The Zoo—the on-site campground at Brainerd International Raceway, which features some of the most unique fans in all of motorsports.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

25: Number of berths left in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcyle for the Countdown to the Championship. Racers in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will have both the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals to earn points to enter into the six-race playoffs. Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors will have just the Chevrolet Perormance U.S. Nationals to battle their way into the playoffs.

DID YOU KNOW…

ONE FUNNY CAR POSITION OPEN FOR NHRA TRAXXAS NITRO SHOOTOUT: Funny Cars racers will have one more oppertunity to earn an automatic berth into the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout in Funny Car during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Currently six drivers are in the field and if a new winner takes home the Wally at the conclusion of the event, they will earn entry into the field. Funny Car drivers qualified are Courtney Force, Ron Capps, Johnny Gray, Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan and John Force. Top Fuel racers entered into the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout are Shawn Langdon, Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown, Spencer Massey, Bob Vandergriff Jr., Steve Torrence and Khalid alBalooshi. The eighth and final spot in both categories will be chosen during a special lottery style drawing at the NHRA Fan Fest on Monument Circle, Wednesday, August 28, at 12:00 p.m.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NEWS NUGGETS

MINNESOTA NATIVES LOOK FOR SUCCESS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS; LUCAS AND CAPPS ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THEIR CHAMPIONSHIPS: Greg Anderson and Jason Line, natives of Duluth, Minnesota, will be racing in front of numerous family and friends during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, August 15–18. Anderson has three wins at the track and is looking for continued improvement for he and Line.

"We can focus on the positives becuase we were basically within a couple hundreths of the fast guys," Anderson said. "That's been the closest we've been for quite a while and, obvisiously we still need to continue working on it but we ran close enough that we had a chance to win."

Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Erica Enders-Stevens (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all took wins at the event in 2012. Lucas comes to the event as the most recent winner in Top Fuel and BIR is on if his favorite facilities.

"Brainerd is a special track to our whole family because it's been the Lucas Oil Nationals for almost 10 years," Lucas said. "It's pretty cool when you think about it since it's my dad's favorite event. I'd say it's easily mine, too, and my wife Katie enjoys going up there."

Capps will attempt to win his fourth race at the track and rebound from not making the Funny Car field in Seattle. Tickets can be purchased by calling 218-824-7220 or log on to www.brainerdraceway.com.

LUCAS, BERNSTEIN TO TAKE PART IN AUTOGRAPH SESSION AT MALL OF AMERICA: Top Fuel teammates Moragn Lucas and Brandon Berstein will take part in an autograph session at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Thursday August 15, from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. The autograph session will take place prior to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and will provide local NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series fans in the Minneapolis area an oppertunity to meet the drivers. The free event at the world-famous mall will take place in the West Market Square (near the Nickelodeon Universe). Lucas has two wins at the track, is the defending event winner at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Bernstein also has two wins at the facility.

NO. 1 POSITIONS FOR COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP UP FOR GRABS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS: 11 drivers have clinched a berth into the Countdown to the Championship in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle but no driver has locked in a No. 1 seed for the upcoming six-race playoffs. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock Motorcycle) will attempt to secure their positions in the Countdown to the Championship at the upcoming Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd. One of the tightest battles to watch is in Funny Car with Robert Hight in the 10th position and Del Worsham in 11th, seperated by just three points. Tim Wilkerson and Bob Tasca are also battling for one of the final spots in the Countdown to the Championship with both drivers less than two rounds ahead of Worsham. All the racers will look to strenthen their positions during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE U.S. NATIONALS, Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, August 28–September 2: The Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals returns to historic Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, August 28–September 2. Legends such as Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, Bob Glidden and Don Garlits have cemented themselves in racing lore by winning at this event. Defending and nine-time event Top Fuel champ Tony Schumacher (pictured) will attempt to break his tie with Glidden to become the winningest driver of the event. Mike Neff (Funny Car), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also wrote their names in the record books as 2012 winners of the event. This is the 18th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the last chance that racers have to qualify for the Countdown to the Championship. Also during the weekend, Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers will compete in the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootouts, specialty eight-car races within a race. For tickets, call 800-884-6472 or log on to www.NHRATix.com.

NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS, zMAX Dragway, September 13–15: The NHRA Carolina Nationals marks the first race in the six-race Countdown to the Champship—the NHRA playoffs that will crown the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world champions. While a championship can't be won at the first race in the Countdown to the Championship, racers will be anxious to charge out the gate and build momenteum in the stretch run. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel,) Ron Capps (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are defending event winners. For tickets, call 800-455-3267 or log on to www.zmaxdragway.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

“The Zoo is pretty cool. It's incredible. There are so many cool people there. The Canadians are awesome; they come down and hang out and have a good time. It's a party. It's a great atmosphere for everyone to get together and celebrate drag racing, It's just neat."

—Matt Hagan on The Zoo—the on-site campground at Brainerd International Raceway, which features some of the most unique fans in all of motorsports.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

25: Number of berths left in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcyle for the Countdown to the Championship. Racers in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will have both the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals to earn points to enter into the six-race playoffs. Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors will have just the Chevrolet Perormance U.S. Nationals to battle their way into the playoffs.

DID YOU KNOW…

ONE FUNNY CAR POSITION OPEN FOR NHRA TRAXXAS NITRO SHOOTOUT: Funny Cars racers will have one more oppertunity to earn an automatic berth into the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout in Funny Car during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Currently six drivers are in the field and if a new winner takes home the Wally at the conclusion of the event, they will earn entry into the field. Funny Car drivers qualified are Courtney Force, Ron Capps, Johnny Gray, Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan and John Force. Top Fuel racers entered into the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout are Shawn Langdon, Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown, Spencer Massey, Bob Vandergriff Jr., Steve Torrence and Khalid alBalooshi. The eighth and final spot in both categories will be chosen during a special lottery style drawing at the NHRA Fan Fest on Monument Circle, Wednesday, August 28, at 12:00 p.m.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NEWS NUGGETS

MINNESOTA NATIVES LOOK FOR SUCCESS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS; LUCAS AND CAPPS ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THEIR CHAMPIONSHIPS: Greg Anderson and Jason Line, natives of Duluth, Minnesota, will be racing in front of numerous family and friends during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, August 15–18. Anderson has three wins at the track and is looking for continued improvement for he and Line.

"We can focus on the positives becuase we were basically within a couple hundreths of the fast guys," Anderson said. "That's been the closest we've been for quite a while and, obvisiously we still need to continue working on it but we ran close enough that we had a chance to win."

Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Erica Enders-Stevens (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all took wins at the event in 2012. Lucas comes to the event as the most recent winner in Top Fuel and BIR is on if his favorite facilities.

"Brainerd is a special track to our whole family because it's been the Lucas Oil Nationals for almost 10 years," Lucas said. "It's pretty cool when you think about it since it's my dad's favorite event. I'd say it's easily mine, too, and my wife Katie enjoys going up there."

Capps will attempt to win his fourth race at the track and rebound from not making the Funny Car field in Seattle. Tickets can be purchased by calling 218-824-7220 or log on to www.brainerdraceway.com.

LUCAS, BERNSTEIN TO TAKE PART IN AUTOGRAPH SESSION AT MALL OF AMERICA: Top Fuel teammates Moragn Lucas and Brandon Berstein will take part in an autograph session at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Thursday August 15, from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. The autograph session will take place prior to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and will provide local NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series fans in the Minneapolis area an oppertunity to meet the drivers. The free event at the world-famous mall will take place in the West Market Square (near the Nickelodeon Universe). Lucas has two wins at the track, is the defending event winner at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Bernstein also has two wins at the facility.

NO. 1 POSITIONS FOR COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP UP FOR GRABS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS: 11 drivers have clinched a berth into the Countdown to the Championship in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle but no driver has locked in a No. 1 seed for the upcoming six-race playoffs. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock Motorcycle) will attempt to secure their positions in the Countdown to the Championship at the upcoming Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd. One of the tightest battles to watch is in Funny Car with Robert Hight in the 10th position and Del Worsham in 11th, seperated by just three points. Tim Wilkerson and Bob Tasca are also battling for one of the final spots in the Countdown to the Championship with both drivers less than two rounds ahead of Worsham. All the racers will look to strenthen their positions during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE U.S. NATIONALS, Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, August 28–September 2: The Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals returns to historic Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, August 28–September 2. Legends such as Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, Bob Glidden and Don Garlits have cemented themselves in racing lore by winning at this event. Defending and nine-time event Top Fuel champ Tony Schumacher (pictured) will attempt to break his tie with Glidden to become the winningest driver of the event. Mike Neff (Funny Car), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also wrote their names in the record books as 2012 winners of the event. This is the 18th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the last chance that racers have to qualify for the Countdown to the Championship. Also during the weekend, Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers will compete in the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootouts, specialty eight-car races within a race. For tickets, call 800-884-6472 or log on to www.NHRATix.com.

NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS, zMAX Dragway, September 13–15: The NHRA Carolina Nationals marks the first race in the six-race Countdown to the Champship—the NHRA playoffs that will crown the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world champions. While a championship can't be won at the first race in the Countdown to the Championship, racers will be anxious to charge out the gate and build momenteum in the stretch run. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel,) Ron Capps (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are defending event winners. For tickets, call 800-455-3267 or log on to www.zmaxdragway.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

“The Zoo is pretty cool. It's incredible. There are so many cool people there. The Canadians are awesome; they come down and hang out and have a good time. It's a party. It's a great atmosphere for everyone to get together and celebrate drag racing, It's just neat."

—Matt Hagan on The Zoo—the on-site campground at Brainerd International Raceway, which features some of the most unique fans in all of motorsports.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

25: Number of berths left in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcyle for the Countdown to the Championship. Racers in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will have both the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals to earn points to enter into the six-race playoffs. Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors will have just the Chevrolet Perormance U.S. Nationals to battle their way into the playoffs.

DID YOU KNOW…

ONE FUNNY CAR POSITION OPEN FOR NHRA TRAXXAS NITRO SHOOTOUT: Funny Cars racers will have one more oppertunity to earn an automatic berth into the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout in Funny Car during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Currently six drivers are in the field and if a new winner takes home the Wally at the conclusion of the event, they will earn entry into the field. Funny Car drivers qualified are Courtney Force, Ron Capps, Johnny Gray, Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan and John Force. Top Fuel racers entered into the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout are Shawn Langdon, Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown, Spencer Massey, Bob Vandergriff Jr., Steve Torrence and Khalid alBalooshi. The eighth and final spot in both categories will be chosen during a special lottery style drawing at the NHRA Fan Fest on Monument Circle, Wednesday, August 28, at 12:00 p.m.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

	No. 17 Mike Johnson is back a few markers at 206 points.

NASCAR Back at Irwindale Speedway
The Lucas Oil Late Models will run the sixth of their nine-race 2013 series with only six points separating No. 48 Ryan Partridge from No. 90 Toni McCray. Partridge holds 242 points and McCray has 236. No. 17 Mike Johnson is back a few markers at 206.

Rookie Andrew Porter, No. 7, is fourth in points at 200, with No. 57 William Helgeson rounding out the top five with 194 racing points. No. 62 Darren Cheek will be evident on Saturday night when he leads the Progressive Painting Race Trucks into the race carrying a 22-point lead (182 to 160) over No. 40 Ken Michaelian. No. 17 Ken Brown is only four points out of second at 156, and neighbors No. 99 Todd Cameron and No. 34 Dennis Arena are hanging close at 150 and 148 points respectively. This race will be the fifth in this year's eight-race series for the pickemuptrucks.

	Currently, the Alessi/Keilwitz Callaway Competition team is in second place in the ADAC GT Masters Drivers’ Championship points standings, just one point behind first place.

Callaway Competition Two-for-Two at Red Bull Ring
Callaway Competition won both ADAC GT Masters races at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, last weekend. On Friday, the Diego Alessi/Daniel Keilwitz Corvette Z06.R GT3 team qualified in Pole Position for the Saturday race—Alessi’s 15th pole in the series. Callaway Competition’s Wirth/Hohenadel Callaway team qualified second. Then, in the second qualifying session, the Alessi/Keilwitz team qualified second for Sunday’s race, just 0.145 seconds behind the first place Ford GT GT3.

On Saturday, the Callaway Competition Diego Alessi/Daniel Keilwitz team started the race on the Pole and, except for the mid-race pit stop transition, stayed in the lead, ahead of Kechele and Schwager’s Ford GT GT3 and the Porsche 911 GT3 team of Farnbacher and Frommenwiler. Alessi also turned in the quickest lap time of the event, 1:31.289.

Except for the first quarter-mile, Callaway’s Alessi and Keilwitz Corvette team led the entire Sunday race. In the Gentlemen classification, first place went to Callaway Competition’s Z06.R GT3 of Remo Lips and Lennart Marioneck just ahead of two Porsche 911 GT3 Rs.

Currently, the Alessi/Keilwitz Callaway Competition team is in second place in the ADAC GT Masters Drivers’ Championship points standings, just one point behind first place. Callaway drivers Lips and Toni Seiler are in third and fourth place, respectively, in the Gentlemen Classification. Callaway Competition is in fourth place in the Teams’ Championship, one point behind third place.

Next on the schedule for Callaway Competition is the ADAC GT Masters race weekend at Lausitzring, August 30–September 1, in Klettwitz, Germany.

	Italian driver Pier Acerni retained his crown last weekend in the second-annual King of The Valleys ULTRA4 race held at Walters Arena in Wales, United Kingdom.

Acerni Repeats ULTRA4 Win at UK's 2013 King of The Valleys
More than 40 teams from nine countries competed last weekend in the second-annual King of The Valleys ULTRA4 race held at Walters Arena in Wales, United Kingdom. Ultimately, after three days of competition that saw drivers navigating through winding technical rally roads, battling waist-deep mud bogs and scaling extreme rock obstacles, it was the Italian driver Pier Acerni who retained his crown for another year. Once Acerni took hold of the lead, he never looked back. He would finish the entire event nearly 26 minutes ahead of Stephane Zosso in second, followed by Levi Shirley in third.
 
The top five teams hailed from five separate countries: Italy, Switzerland, United States, United Kingdom and Malta respectively. The next ULTRA4 Racing event in Europe is the King of Portugal, which is scheduled to take place September 13–14, in in Trás-os-Monte, Portugal. More than 30 ULTRA4 teams are already registered for the inaugural event. The winners of both King of The Valleys and King of Portugal will be qualified and invited to compete in the 2014 Griffin King of The Hammers Presented by Nitto Tire, February 7, 2014, in Johnson Valley, California.