Compiled by SEMA Editors

NHRA News

CRAMPTON, DEJORIA, GRAY, KRAWIEC WIN 60TH CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE U.S. NATIONALS: Alexis DeJoria raced past 16-time Funny Car world champ John Force Monday to win the 60th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. Richie Crampton (Top Fuel), Shane Gray (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were first-time winners at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis—the last race of the regular season. DeJoria crossed the finish line in 4.038 seconds at 310.34 mph in the Patron XO Cafe Toyota Camry to defeat the current Funny Car points leader, who won the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout on Sunday.

"It’s huge [to win the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals]," said DeJoria, wife of noted TV personality Jesse James and daughter of famed entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria. "I was just happy to make it to another semifinal; that was four in a row. To make it past the semifinals, that was huge, but to win this race just builds our confidence even more and in me especially."

COUNTDOWN FIELDS SET: The fields in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle have been set for the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the championship that begins at zMAX Dragway, September 12–14. John Force in Funny Car, Jason Line in Pro Stock, Andrew Hines in Pro Stock Motorcycle and Doug Kalitta in Top Fuel secured the No. 1 seeds in their respective fields heading into the six-race playoffs to determine the championships.

COUNTDOWN KICKS OFF IN CHARLOTTE: The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series returns to zMAX Dragway, September 12–14, for the first race of the 2014 Countdown to the Championship playoffs at the seventh annual Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals. The top 10 in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle points will all compete for NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships in their respective categories over the next three months. Spanning six races, the Countdown to the Championship will separate the contenders from the pretenders as four drivers are headed for the ultimate glory while every other contender is sent into the offseason wondering what might have been. Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals—a race that will once again be televised nationally on ESPN2.

He Said, She Said

"I’m a long way from where I grew up to where I’m at now. I remember sitting on the couch trying to read National Dragster to keep up on what’s going on in the NHRA. To get to drive such a great race car for a great family and great sponsors and roll into the water box and see all my heroes standing around, it blows my mind. The GEICO dragster has been running .70s all weekend long. It’s so much fun to drive right now."

—Richie Crampton on winning his first Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals victory. Crampton defeated Billy Torrence, Shawn Langdon, Tony Schumacher and Steve Torrence en route to his historic win.

Inside the Numbers

3: Number of Pro Stock Motorcycle world championships racer Andrew Hines has in his career. The No. 1 seed in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series enters the six-race playoffs on the strength of four wins and one runner-up finish during the 2014 season. Hines missed the Top 10 last year and is using the sting of that season for motivation this year.

"The guys here at Vance & Hines have been working on our Harleys nonstop to get us back to this point after the season we had last year," said Hines. "Last year I missed the cut completely. I didn't even have a chance to run for the Countdown to the championship. We're obviously in a really good position right now. I hope we can keep the momentum we've had going. I don't think I've ever had this many wins heading into the Countdown. It's a nice place to be sitting with my V-Rod up front."

Did You Know

SCHUMACHER WINS $100,000 TRAXXAS TOP FUEL SHOOTOUT; J. FORCE WINS FUNNY CAR SHOOTOUT: Tony Schumacher continued his succes at Lucas Oil Raceway when he raced to the Traxxas Nitro Shootout in Top Fuel for $100,000 over Richie Crampton.

"We knew we would be racing a good car because Richie is tough", said Schumacher. “These are the eight best cars in the world. They are cars that have gone out, won races, and continuously found themselves in final rounds. It’s very satisfying."

In the Funny Car Traxxas Nitro Shootout, John Force was able to defeat teammate and son-in-law Robert Hight for his second victory in the event.

“It was a win-win situation. We couldn’t lose,” said Force. "I got to the final, and I was so drained going up there, then my granddaughter said, ‘Grandpa, I love you, but I hope Daddy wins.’ It’s bad enough racing Robert, but how do you get up for the granddaughter," said Force. "It was just mental, and I went into the zone. She said, ‘What I really want is that trophy,’ and that trophy weighs five times as much as her, but we got the trophy. I got her down there at the other end, and I gave the trophy to Autumn. Daddy didn’t win, but Grandpa did, so you got your trophy, and it’s a big one. I’ve got the one from two years ago."

View the complete 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

	The OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit will take place Wednesday, November 5, at the 2014 SEMA Show.

In early August, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) announced the launch of the first, issue-specific, collision repair industry forum being held at the SEMA Show. The OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit will be held Wednesday, November 5, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and will explore how automotive design and technology intersect with repairability, and how developments in this area impact the collision repair process. Register at www.semashow.com/scrs.

In addition to panel discussions with technology experts representing the automakers, certified repair facilities, equipment suppliers and certifiers/auditors, the program will feature special presentations from subject-matter experts on automotive materials.

SCRS has announced that Doug Richman, technical committee chairman of the Aluminum Transportation Group (ATG), will offer insight into the role aluminum will play in collision repair businesses now and in the future.

"The ATG is eager to share with SCRS session attendees key insights on aluminum's long history in the automotive industry," Richman said. "Aluminum-intensive vehicles have been in the marketplace for many decades and are regularly repaired as needed. Within the next 10 years, seven out of 10 new pickups produced in North America will be aluminum-bodied, according to a recently released survey of automakers conducted by Ducker Worldwide. As aluminum use in auto bodies grows exponentially in the next decade, we applaud the SCRS' efforts to educate and train repair professionals to be better prepared for the change in status-quo materials that come through their shop doors."

Richman will deliver visibility into the technological advancements being made in the aluminum industry relative to the automotive market, and an overview of how their market is developing as a result of increased integration into our modern fleet. He will share reasons behind the automakers interest in and use of aluminum, and what their industry is doing to aid in the development of that relationship.

For more information about SCRS' Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, and to register for the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit and other RDE sessions, visit www.semashow.com/scrs.

	The OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit will take place Wednesday, November 5, at the 2014 SEMA Show.

In early August, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) announced the launch of the first, issue-specific, collision repair industry forum being held at the SEMA Show. The OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit will be held Wednesday, November 5, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and will explore how automotive design and technology intersect with repairability, and how developments in this area impact the collision repair process. Register at www.semashow.com/scrs.

In addition to panel discussions with technology experts representing the automakers, certified repair facilities, equipment suppliers and certifiers/auditors, the program will feature special presentations from subject-matter experts on automotive materials.

SCRS has announced that Doug Richman, technical committee chairman of the Aluminum Transportation Group (ATG), will offer insight into the role aluminum will play in collision repair businesses now and in the future.

"The ATG is eager to share with SCRS session attendees key insights on aluminum's long history in the automotive industry," Richman said. "Aluminum-intensive vehicles have been in the marketplace for many decades and are regularly repaired as needed. Within the next 10 years, seven out of 10 new pickups produced in North America will be aluminum-bodied, according to a recently released survey of automakers conducted by Ducker Worldwide. As aluminum use in auto bodies grows exponentially in the next decade, we applaud the SCRS' efforts to educate and train repair professionals to be better prepared for the change in status-quo materials that come through their shop doors."

Richman will deliver visibility into the technological advancements being made in the aluminum industry relative to the automotive market, and an overview of how their market is developing as a result of increased integration into our modern fleet. He will share reasons behind the automakers interest in and use of aluminum, and what their industry is doing to aid in the development of that relationship.

For more information about SCRS' Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, and to register for the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit and other RDE sessions, visit www.semashow.com/scrs.

	The OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit will take place Wednesday, November 5, at the 2014 SEMA Show.

In early August, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) announced the launch of the first, issue-specific, collision repair industry forum being held at the SEMA Show. The OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit will be held Wednesday, November 5, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and will explore how automotive design and technology intersect with repairability, and how developments in this area impact the collision repair process. Register at www.semashow.com/scrs.

In addition to panel discussions with technology experts representing the automakers, certified repair facilities, equipment suppliers and certifiers/auditors, the program will feature special presentations from subject-matter experts on automotive materials.

SCRS has announced that Doug Richman, technical committee chairman of the Aluminum Transportation Group (ATG), will offer insight into the role aluminum will play in collision repair businesses now and in the future.

"The ATG is eager to share with SCRS session attendees key insights on aluminum's long history in the automotive industry," Richman said. "Aluminum-intensive vehicles have been in the marketplace for many decades and are regularly repaired as needed. Within the next 10 years, seven out of 10 new pickups produced in North America will be aluminum-bodied, according to a recently released survey of automakers conducted by Ducker Worldwide. As aluminum use in auto bodies grows exponentially in the next decade, we applaud the SCRS' efforts to educate and train repair professionals to be better prepared for the change in status-quo materials that come through their shop doors."

Richman will deliver visibility into the technological advancements being made in the aluminum industry relative to the automotive market, and an overview of how their market is developing as a result of increased integration into our modern fleet. He will share reasons behind the automakers interest in and use of aluminum, and what their industry is doing to aid in the development of that relationship.

For more information about SCRS' Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, and to register for the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit and other RDE sessions, visit www.semashow.com/scrs.

By Michael Hart

	The SEMA Show Student Volunteer Program is an opportunity for exhibitors to interact with the aftermarket industry’s future workforce.

Exhibitors at the 2014 SEMA Show this year will have a rare chance to meet some of the future leaders of the automotive industry, introduce those young people to their particular businesses and maybe even get a little help in the exhibit booth.

The SEMA Show Student Volunteer Program is an opportunity for exhibitors to interact with the aftermarket industry’s future workforce. The students who are chosen for the program represent some of the best and the brightest preparing themselves for an industry future.

Exhibiting companies are invited and encouraged to host a student volunteer during the 2014 SEMA Show. Those who choose to participate will be matched with a student who will spend some quality time with the exhibiting company’s representatives in their booth.

“The extra help was great to have, and I enjoyed sharing my knowledge about our company and the tire industry with our future generation,” said John B. Robinson of Continental Tire, who hosted a student at last year’s Show.

This is your chance to meet students who are anxious to go to work in the industry you care so much about, give them an “inside” look at what your company and business are all about, encourage and answer any questions they might have and maybe even identify somebody who could be one of your most promising future employees.

“We have always felt that this program is a very sound ‘good citizen’ effort and, as such, are always pleased to participate,” said Mike Kovacs of Edelbrock.

Program participants must be full-time students at the sophomore level or higher, enrolled in a university, college or vocational educational program, and preparing for a career in the automotive industry. Students must undergo an application and review process for the program and all students are responsible for their own expenses during the Show.

Whenever possible, every effort will be made to assign students to companies that closely correspond to their career interests.

“The students who I worked with personally were professional and interested in our products,” said Amy Faulk of Hypertech. “It was a great experience having them in our booth to work with customers and our products.”

SEMA Show exhibitors can register to host a student volunteer for the 2014 SEMA Show online: Student Volunteer Program. The deadline is Friday, September 26. If you have questions about the program or your participation, contact SEMA Education Manager Juliet Marshall at 909-978-6655 or julietm@sema.org.

SEMA Show Education Days will feature more than 60 educational sessions in 12 different tracks, ranging from new-vehicle technology to best business practices to marketing strategies and emerging trends in the industry. To see the complete schedule of 2014 SEMA Show Education courses and pre-register, visit www.SEMAShow.com/education.

By Michael Hart

	The SEMA Show Student Volunteer Program is an opportunity for exhibitors to interact with the aftermarket industry’s future workforce.

Exhibitors at the 2014 SEMA Show this year will have a rare chance to meet some of the future leaders of the automotive industry, introduce those young people to their particular businesses and maybe even get a little help in the exhibit booth.

The SEMA Show Student Volunteer Program is an opportunity for exhibitors to interact with the aftermarket industry’s future workforce. The students who are chosen for the program represent some of the best and the brightest preparing themselves for an industry future.

Exhibiting companies are invited and encouraged to host a student volunteer during the 2014 SEMA Show. Those who choose to participate will be matched with a student who will spend some quality time with the exhibiting company’s representatives in their booth.

“The extra help was great to have, and I enjoyed sharing my knowledge about our company and the tire industry with our future generation,” said John B. Robinson of Continental Tire, who hosted a student at last year’s Show.

This is your chance to meet students who are anxious to go to work in the industry you care so much about, give them an “inside” look at what your company and business are all about, encourage and answer any questions they might have and maybe even identify somebody who could be one of your most promising future employees.

“We have always felt that this program is a very sound ‘good citizen’ effort and, as such, are always pleased to participate,” said Mike Kovacs of Edelbrock.

Program participants must be full-time students at the sophomore level or higher, enrolled in a university, college or vocational educational program, and preparing for a career in the automotive industry. Students must undergo an application and review process for the program and all students are responsible for their own expenses during the Show.

Whenever possible, every effort will be made to assign students to companies that closely correspond to their career interests.

“The students who I worked with personally were professional and interested in our products,” said Amy Faulk of Hypertech. “It was a great experience having them in our booth to work with customers and our products.”

SEMA Show exhibitors can register to host a student volunteer for the 2014 SEMA Show online: Student Volunteer Program. The deadline is Friday, September 26. If you have questions about the program or your participation, contact SEMA Education Manager Juliet Marshall at 909-978-6655 or julietm@sema.org.

SEMA Show Education Days will feature more than 60 educational sessions in 12 different tracks, ranging from new-vehicle technology to best business practices to marketing strategies and emerging trends in the industry. To see the complete schedule of 2014 SEMA Show Education courses and pre-register, visit www.SEMAShow.com/education.

By Michael Hart

	The SEMA Show Student Volunteer Program is an opportunity for exhibitors to interact with the aftermarket industry’s future workforce.

Exhibitors at the 2014 SEMA Show this year will have a rare chance to meet some of the future leaders of the automotive industry, introduce those young people to their particular businesses and maybe even get a little help in the exhibit booth.

The SEMA Show Student Volunteer Program is an opportunity for exhibitors to interact with the aftermarket industry’s future workforce. The students who are chosen for the program represent some of the best and the brightest preparing themselves for an industry future.

Exhibiting companies are invited and encouraged to host a student volunteer during the 2014 SEMA Show. Those who choose to participate will be matched with a student who will spend some quality time with the exhibiting company’s representatives in their booth.

“The extra help was great to have, and I enjoyed sharing my knowledge about our company and the tire industry with our future generation,” said John B. Robinson of Continental Tire, who hosted a student at last year’s Show.

This is your chance to meet students who are anxious to go to work in the industry you care so much about, give them an “inside” look at what your company and business are all about, encourage and answer any questions they might have and maybe even identify somebody who could be one of your most promising future employees.

“We have always felt that this program is a very sound ‘good citizen’ effort and, as such, are always pleased to participate,” said Mike Kovacs of Edelbrock.

Program participants must be full-time students at the sophomore level or higher, enrolled in a university, college or vocational educational program, and preparing for a career in the automotive industry. Students must undergo an application and review process for the program and all students are responsible for their own expenses during the Show.

Whenever possible, every effort will be made to assign students to companies that closely correspond to their career interests.

“The students who I worked with personally were professional and interested in our products,” said Amy Faulk of Hypertech. “It was a great experience having them in our booth to work with customers and our products.”

SEMA Show exhibitors can register to host a student volunteer for the 2014 SEMA Show online: Student Volunteer Program. The deadline is Friday, September 26. If you have questions about the program or your participation, contact SEMA Education Manager Juliet Marshall at 909-978-6655 or julietm@sema.org.

SEMA Show Education Days will feature more than 60 educational sessions in 12 different tracks, ranging from new-vehicle technology to best business practices to marketing strategies and emerging trends in the industry. To see the complete schedule of 2014 SEMA Show Education courses and pre-register, visit www.SEMAShow.com/education.

By Michael Hart

	The SEMA Show Student Volunteer Program is an opportunity for exhibitors to interact with the aftermarket industry’s future workforce.

Exhibitors at the 2014 SEMA Show this year will have a rare chance to meet some of the future leaders of the automotive industry, introduce those young people to their particular businesses and maybe even get a little help in the exhibit booth.

The SEMA Show Student Volunteer Program is an opportunity for exhibitors to interact with the aftermarket industry’s future workforce. The students who are chosen for the program represent some of the best and the brightest preparing themselves for an industry future.

Exhibiting companies are invited and encouraged to host a student volunteer during the 2014 SEMA Show. Those who choose to participate will be matched with a student who will spend some quality time with the exhibiting company’s representatives in their booth.

“The extra help was great to have, and I enjoyed sharing my knowledge about our company and the tire industry with our future generation,” said John B. Robinson of Continental Tire, who hosted a student at last year’s Show.

This is your chance to meet students who are anxious to go to work in the industry you care so much about, give them an “inside” look at what your company and business are all about, encourage and answer any questions they might have and maybe even identify somebody who could be one of your most promising future employees.

“We have always felt that this program is a very sound ‘good citizen’ effort and, as such, are always pleased to participate,” said Mike Kovacs of Edelbrock.

Program participants must be full-time students at the sophomore level or higher, enrolled in a university, college or vocational educational program, and preparing for a career in the automotive industry. Students must undergo an application and review process for the program and all students are responsible for their own expenses during the Show.

Whenever possible, every effort will be made to assign students to companies that closely correspond to their career interests.

“The students who I worked with personally were professional and interested in our products,” said Amy Faulk of Hypertech. “It was a great experience having them in our booth to work with customers and our products.”

SEMA Show exhibitors can register to host a student volunteer for the 2014 SEMA Show online: Student Volunteer Program. The deadline is Friday, September 26. If you have questions about the program or your participation, contact SEMA Education Manager Juliet Marshall at 909-978-6655 or julietm@sema.org.

SEMA Show Education Days will feature more than 60 educational sessions in 12 different tracks, ranging from new-vehicle technology to best business practices to marketing strategies and emerging trends in the industry. To see the complete schedule of 2014 SEMA Show Education courses and pre-register, visit www.SEMAShow.com/education.

By Michael Hart

	Nancy Friedman, the "Telephone Doctor."

Nancy Friedman, the "Telephone Doctor" and a crowd favorite at the SEMA Show, will offer her session, “Have You Asked Your Customer to Marry You? (Are You Really Engaged?),” twice during SEMA Education Days. Friedman spoke with SEMA about what attendees can expect from her sessions.

SEMA: What is a Telephone Doctor?

Nancy Friedman: I got that name from a newspaper editor in Davenport, Iowa, who said, “You’re the doctor. You’ve got the prescription for everything.” We know more business is lost to poor customer service and poor treatment than to poor products, and it’s usually done on the phone. There are people in businesses whose job is to answer the phone and have more of a service mentality than a sales mentality, and that’s so wrong.

SEMA: What is the right thing for a business to do after the phone rings?

Friedman: There are many lead generators around the country who can tell you how to make the phone ring. That’s great, but what happens when it does ring? The phone can ring, but turning it into a sale is what matters. Companies hire people to pick up the phone when it rings, but often they get screwed up and lost when somebody answers.

SEMA: What’s the biggest telephone mistake businesses make?

Friedman: We’re just not friendly enough. Companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to make that phone ring and, if it’s not handled just right, all that money is wasted. We answer that phone and we’re in a bad mood. We let it ring too long. We answer the phone improperly or without a name. You get less than 30 seconds to build that rapport.

SEMA: Your session includes something called “Poor Man’s Jeopardy.” What’s that?

Friedman: If you watch “Jeopardy,” you know there’s a big board with bells and whistles. We don’t have the budget for all the bells and whistles and the big board. Instead, I bring a bag, and the bag has golden nuggets, little pieces of information. I go through the audience. They get to pick out a nugget and the nugget may say “irate caller.” It might say “closing skills” or “telephone greeting” or “voice mail phrases.” They get to pick a nugget and each nugget could represent one hour of information. However, we have scaled it down to two or three minutes. By the end of the hour, we will have covered 15 to 20 golden nuggets of sales and service.

SEMA Education Days will feature more than 60 educational sessions in 12 different tracks, ranging from new-vehicle technology to best business practices to marketing strategies and emerging trends in the industry. The complete schedule of SEMA Show Education courses and educational events is available at www.SEMAShow.com/education.

By Michael Hart

	Nancy Friedman, the "Telephone Doctor."

Nancy Friedman, the "Telephone Doctor" and a crowd favorite at the SEMA Show, will offer her session, “Have You Asked Your Customer to Marry You? (Are You Really Engaged?),” twice during SEMA Education Days. Friedman spoke with SEMA about what attendees can expect from her sessions.

SEMA: What is a Telephone Doctor?

Nancy Friedman: I got that name from a newspaper editor in Davenport, Iowa, who said, “You’re the doctor. You’ve got the prescription for everything.” We know more business is lost to poor customer service and poor treatment than to poor products, and it’s usually done on the phone. There are people in businesses whose job is to answer the phone and have more of a service mentality than a sales mentality, and that’s so wrong.

SEMA: What is the right thing for a business to do after the phone rings?

Friedman: There are many lead generators around the country who can tell you how to make the phone ring. That’s great, but what happens when it does ring? The phone can ring, but turning it into a sale is what matters. Companies hire people to pick up the phone when it rings, but often they get screwed up and lost when somebody answers.

SEMA: What’s the biggest telephone mistake businesses make?

Friedman: We’re just not friendly enough. Companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to make that phone ring and, if it’s not handled just right, all that money is wasted. We answer that phone and we’re in a bad mood. We let it ring too long. We answer the phone improperly or without a name. You get less than 30 seconds to build that rapport.

SEMA: Your session includes something called “Poor Man’s Jeopardy.” What’s that?

Friedman: If you watch “Jeopardy,” you know there’s a big board with bells and whistles. We don’t have the budget for all the bells and whistles and the big board. Instead, I bring a bag, and the bag has golden nuggets, little pieces of information. I go through the audience. They get to pick out a nugget and the nugget may say “irate caller.” It might say “closing skills” or “telephone greeting” or “voice mail phrases.” They get to pick a nugget and each nugget could represent one hour of information. However, we have scaled it down to two or three minutes. By the end of the hour, we will have covered 15 to 20 golden nuggets of sales and service.

SEMA Education Days will feature more than 60 educational sessions in 12 different tracks, ranging from new-vehicle technology to best business practices to marketing strategies and emerging trends in the industry. The complete schedule of SEMA Show Education courses and educational events is available at www.SEMAShow.com/education.