William Ponkowski

Video can be a powerful marketing and sales tool for businesses of every size. YouTube is a forum where people connect, inform and inspire others, and it acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small.

Learn how to use online video, such as informative how-to-demonstrations, to promote the sale of parts and accessories. Join the SEMA Education Institute (SEI) and YouTube expert William Ponkowski, Thursday, August 18, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT), as he leads an exciting exploration of YouTube. Come learn how to connect with your customers using cutting-edge media.

In this webinar, we will focus on:

• The impact of online video on the auto industry.
• Three steps to success on YouTube.
• Understanding and acting on data from YouTube insights.
• Opportunity for Q&A.

Ponkowski, a YouTube specialist in the auto industry, brings a unique perspective as a Google staffer with an automotive background. Be sure to join SEI and Ponkowski on Thursday, August 18, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT) for this enlightening webinar on the effective use of YouTube for your business.

Participate live or download the webinar when it’s convenient. And remember: SEI webinars are free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Members: For more information and to register, click here.

Non-members: For more information and to register, click here.

 

	The ARIA (pictured here) and Vdara Las Vegas resorts have reduced their nightly rates for 2011 SEMA Show attendees.

Always striving to provide its attendees and exhibitors the best options in terms of both pricing and variety, SEMA is proud to announce that two of the newest and most prestigious properties in Las Vegas have just reduced their rates to accommodate and welcome SEMA Show attendees back this year.

ARIA and Vdara—the two largest properties within the City Center complex—provide an experience like none ever seen before in Las Vegas. The complex is designed as its own metropolitan city in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. ARIA has been awarded a five-diamond ranking by AAA, and offers more than 4,000 hotel guest rooms, 16 restaurants and numerous entertainment venues. Meanwhile, next door is the all-suite four-diamond Vdara. This completely non-smoking and casino-free property provides its guests a luxurious and quiet atmosphere right in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip, while also delivering all the traditional amenities at the neighboring ARIA.

Rates at the ARIA are now only $169 per night and the Vdara is only $159 per night during Show days, and they go as low as $129 at ARIA and $119 at Vdara if you are arriving early. Included in these low rates, available only by booking through SEMA’s official block, are all the amenities offered to all other guests who must pay an additional resort fee. These include the following:

ARIA

• Internet access (in-suite and campus-wide at City Center)
• Local and 800 number phone calls
• Access to The Spa at ARIA Fitness Center
• Daily newspaper
• Airline boarding pass printing

Vdara

• Internet access (in-suite and campus-wide at City Center)
• Two bottles of water per room per day
• Local and 800 number phone calls
• Access to Vdara Fitness Center
• Daily newspaper at front desk
• Nightly turn-down service upon request
• Guest robes upon request

As always, SEMA will continue to keep you apprised of changes to hotel rates in the SEMA Housing Block and any reductions made to rates are retroactive to anyone already booked in that hotel.

There is no better time than now to take advantage of the early-bird rates. If you have any questions about booking your hotels for the SEMA Show, please don’t hesitate to contact Travel Planners, SEMA’s Official Housing Bureau at 800/221-3531, or e-mail res@tphousing.com.

 

	The ARIA (pictured here) and Vdara Las Vegas resorts have reduced their nightly rates for 2011 SEMA Show attendees.

Always striving to provide its attendees and exhibitors the best options in terms of both pricing and variety, SEMA is proud to announce that two of the newest and most prestigious properties in Las Vegas have just reduced their rates to accommodate and welcome SEMA Show attendees back this year.

ARIA and Vdara—the two largest properties within the City Center complex—provide an experience like none ever seen before in Las Vegas. The complex is designed as its own metropolitan city in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. ARIA has been awarded a five-diamond ranking by AAA, and offers more than 4,000 hotel guest rooms, 16 restaurants and numerous entertainment venues. Meanwhile, next door is the all-suite four-diamond Vdara. This completely non-smoking and casino-free property provides its guests a luxurious and quiet atmosphere right in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip, while also delivering all the traditional amenities at the neighboring ARIA.

Rates at the ARIA are now only $169 per night and the Vdara is only $159 per night during Show days, and they go as low as $129 at ARIA and $119 at Vdara if you are arriving early. Included in these low rates, available only by booking through SEMA’s official block, are all the amenities offered to all other guests who must pay an additional resort fee. These include the following:

ARIA

• Internet access (in-suite and campus-wide at City Center)
• Local and 800 number phone calls
• Access to The Spa at ARIA Fitness Center
• Daily newspaper
• Airline boarding pass printing

Vdara

• Internet access (in-suite and campus-wide at City Center)
• Two bottles of water per room per day
• Local and 800 number phone calls
• Access to Vdara Fitness Center
• Daily newspaper at front desk
• Nightly turn-down service upon request
• Guest robes upon request

As always, SEMA will continue to keep you apprised of changes to hotel rates in the SEMA Housing Block and any reductions made to rates are retroactive to anyone already booked in that hotel.

There is no better time than now to take advantage of the early-bird rates. If you have any questions about booking your hotels for the SEMA Show, please don’t hesitate to contact Travel Planners, SEMA’s Official Housing Bureau at 800/221-3531, or e-mail res@tphousing.com.

Brian Reese

Few individuals in the performance industry reach the vice president level by the age of 36. However, even fewer work for a marquee manufacturer, such as COMP Cams, as Brian Reese does. With the flair of an entrepreneur and the experience of a highly trained engineer, Reese has overseen the development of some of COMP Performance Group’s (which includes leading brands, such as COMP Cams, TCI, FAST, ZEX, RHS, Inglese, Quarter Master and others) biggest product hits in the last few years, including the FAST EZ-EFI Self Tuning Fuel Injection and the COMP Cams Engine Oils.

Reese cut his teeth as a GM development engineer before moving on as chief of engineering for SLP Performance Parts—a position he held for eight years. When the opportunity for the vice president of engineering position at CPG opened up, he was hooked. In this interview, Reese provides [SEMA Member News] insight into how a hard-charging young vice president should lead and manage an organization’s best resource—older, experienced employees.

Brian, you’ve been in charge of engineering departments at both SLP and CPG from a very young age. What challenges do you typically face when dealing with an older engineer?

“The biggest challenge I find in dealing with an older engineer is that oftentimes there is a gap of ‘trust’ between the younger executive and the older engineer. Most young executives think they know everything and have the attitude, ‘I don’t need this old guy.’ What I’ve found is exactly the opposite. Older employees have something that young people don’t have—experience. You don’t have to be the smartest guy to have the most experience. You get experience just by living and working. It’s the one thing where there is no shortcut. You can’t cheat it, you can’t learn it at Harvard and you can’t get it any quicker.

The challenge that occurs with an older engineer is that they know you don’t have the experience. So if you demand their respect, you often won’t get it. Sometimes, the younger executives try to then say, ‘we need younger engineers—they get it.’ That is wrong, though. The key is to surround yourself with older, more experienced people, not younger people. The older staff has what you want and what you can’t get without time. I believe it has been one of the key tickets to my success. I have been lucky to have really good relationships with older people and the opportunity to leverage their knowledge.”

Give me an example of when you didn’t best utilize the experience on your team. Who helped mentor you in this?

“Look, I was forced to learn this early in my career. At the first job I ever had, I was in a management position from day one, and what happened was, as a manager, I was asked questions and was expected to answer. The owner said: ‘What are we going to do?’ I didn’t know. I wanted to ask my boss, but I was the boss, of engineering, at least. So I had nobody to ask. I remember early on, even when I was working for SLP, I was the chief engineer, and I didn’t know the answer. I didn’t learn that in school; I was forced to go out and seek better advice. It was the only option that I had at my disposal. So I would say—personally—I had to use older employees from day one because I was forced to.”

Give young executives some advice about what they should do when they run into resistance from an older employee?

“Oh, you are going to run into resistance. Plan on it—you just better expect it. With senior staff, you have to earn their respect; really with anyone. You can’t be crowned respect. You can’t be given respect, you have to earn it. What that means when dealing with older executives, when you are a manager of someone older than yourself; you’re asking someone who has more experience than you to accept what you are asking them to do versus what they might do on their own.

Without respect it’s almost impossible. So you’ve got two options: you can demand it, yell, and scream and you might even get some short-term success. But it’s not sustainable. So you’ll either have them quit, or they will try to get rid of you. The only option is to engage them, listen to them, respect them and listen to everything they have to contribute. Rather than tell them what to do, what you’re really trying to do is get them to participate in the idea. The idea being what you need them to do. You’re essentially getting them to buy-in through helping them see what the right thing is.”

What about advice for an older employee with a younger executive?

“It takes a unique person who is older to deal with a younger boss. Keep an open mind. It’s often easier for an older person to keep an open mind than a younger person. In my experience, older people are easier to deal with as they get older. If an older employee wants to help the situation, he can help his or her young boss learn how to manage. It works both ways. An older guy can go to a younger executive and he can help the younger boss avoid making a bad decision. The younger boss—if he has a half a brain—will start to learn that the old guy is a pretty important key player in here.”

Did you have an older employee—who worked under you—mentor you?

“Yes. I mean, I’ve learned from almost everyone who has worked for me. At SLP, a guy worked for me, he was probably in his mid 50s when I was 25—Tony Calapatch. He read me like a book. He said ‘you’re young, talented, but you are wound up.’ He was like a father figure. He listened to me when he knew he should, yet he helped me when he knew I needed it. He helped me help myself.

He counseled me and taught me how to deal with him—he wasn’t as fast as I wanted him to be, and he got me to calm down a little bit. He made me realize that if an employee isn’t in a positive environment that he likes or enjoys, it won’t last in the long run. The fundamental first step for working with senior staff members is creating an environment in which they are happy.

Summarize the top three things that a young executive needs to know to develop a productive relationship with an older staff member:

1. Do more listening than talking.
2. Be aware and sensitive to create an environment that older employees enjoy.
3. Leverage the experience of your older employees as much as possible. They have it, you don’t. Use it.

Brian Reese

Few individuals in the performance industry reach the vice president level by the age of 36. However, even fewer work for a marquee manufacturer, such as COMP Cams, as Brian Reese does. With the flair of an entrepreneur and the experience of a highly trained engineer, Reese has overseen the development of some of COMP Performance Group’s (which includes leading brands, such as COMP Cams, TCI, FAST, ZEX, RHS, Inglese, Quarter Master and others) biggest product hits in the last few years, including the FAST EZ-EFI Self Tuning Fuel Injection and the COMP Cams Engine Oils.

Reese cut his teeth as a GM development engineer before moving on as chief of engineering for SLP Performance Parts—a position he held for eight years. When the opportunity for the vice president of engineering position at CPG opened up, he was hooked. In this interview, Reese provides [SEMA Member News] insight into how a hard-charging young vice president should lead and manage an organization’s best resource—older, experienced employees.

Brian, you’ve been in charge of engineering departments at both SLP and CPG from a very young age. What challenges do you typically face when dealing with an older engineer?

“The biggest challenge I find in dealing with an older engineer is that oftentimes there is a gap of ‘trust’ between the younger executive and the older engineer. Most young executives think they know everything and have the attitude, ‘I don’t need this old guy.’ What I’ve found is exactly the opposite. Older employees have something that young people don’t have—experience. You don’t have to be the smartest guy to have the most experience. You get experience just by living and working. It’s the one thing where there is no shortcut. You can’t cheat it, you can’t learn it at Harvard and you can’t get it any quicker.

The challenge that occurs with an older engineer is that they know you don’t have the experience. So if you demand their respect, you often won’t get it. Sometimes, the younger executives try to then say, ‘we need younger engineers—they get it.’ That is wrong, though. The key is to surround yourself with older, more experienced people, not younger people. The older staff has what you want and what you can’t get without time. I believe it has been one of the key tickets to my success. I have been lucky to have really good relationships with older people and the opportunity to leverage their knowledge.”

Give me an example of when you didn’t best utilize the experience on your team. Who helped mentor you in this?

“Look, I was forced to learn this early in my career. At the first job I ever had, I was in a management position from day one, and what happened was, as a manager, I was asked questions and was expected to answer. The owner said: ‘What are we going to do?’ I didn’t know. I wanted to ask my boss, but I was the boss, of engineering, at least. So I had nobody to ask. I remember early on, even when I was working for SLP, I was the chief engineer, and I didn’t know the answer. I didn’t learn that in school; I was forced to go out and seek better advice. It was the only option that I had at my disposal. So I would say—personally—I had to use older employees from day one because I was forced to.”

Give young executives some advice about what they should do when they run into resistance from an older employee?

“Oh, you are going to run into resistance. Plan on it—you just better expect it. With senior staff, you have to earn their respect; really with anyone. You can’t be crowned respect. You can’t be given respect, you have to earn it. What that means when dealing with older executives, when you are a manager of someone older than yourself; you’re asking someone who has more experience than you to accept what you are asking them to do versus what they might do on their own.

Without respect it’s almost impossible. So you’ve got two options: you can demand it, yell, and scream and you might even get some short-term success. But it’s not sustainable. So you’ll either have them quit, or they will try to get rid of you. The only option is to engage them, listen to them, respect them and listen to everything they have to contribute. Rather than tell them what to do, what you’re really trying to do is get them to participate in the idea. The idea being what you need them to do. You’re essentially getting them to buy-in through helping them see what the right thing is.”

What about advice for an older employee with a younger executive?

“It takes a unique person who is older to deal with a younger boss. Keep an open mind. It’s often easier for an older person to keep an open mind than a younger person. In my experience, older people are easier to deal with as they get older. If an older employee wants to help the situation, he can help his or her young boss learn how to manage. It works both ways. An older guy can go to a younger executive and he can help the younger boss avoid making a bad decision. The younger boss—if he has a half a brain—will start to learn that the old guy is a pretty important key player in here.”

Did you have an older employee—who worked under you—mentor you?

“Yes. I mean, I’ve learned from almost everyone who has worked for me. At SLP, a guy worked for me, he was probably in his mid 50s when I was 25—Tony Calapatch. He read me like a book. He said ‘you’re young, talented, but you are wound up.’ He was like a father figure. He listened to me when he knew he should, yet he helped me when he knew I needed it. He helped me help myself.

He counseled me and taught me how to deal with him—he wasn’t as fast as I wanted him to be, and he got me to calm down a little bit. He made me realize that if an employee isn’t in a positive environment that he likes or enjoys, it won’t last in the long run. The fundamental first step for working with senior staff members is creating an environment in which they are happy.

Summarize the top three things that a young executive needs to know to develop a productive relationship with an older staff member:

1. Do more listening than talking.
2. Be aware and sensitive to create an environment that older employees enjoy.
3. Leverage the experience of your older employees as much as possible. They have it, you don’t. Use it.

Don't miss the ’12 Mazda3 SEMA Measuring Session, August 25, 2011, from 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., at the Mazda North American Operations, Western Region Training Center in Irvine, California.

Don't miss the ’12 Mazda3 SEMA Measuring Session, August 25, 2011, from 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., at the Mazda North American Operations, Western Region Training Center in Irvine, California.

 

NEWS NUGGETS

SEATTLE WINS COME AT RIGHT TIME FOR NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRIVERS: To say that Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson was looking for success on the Western Swing would be an understatement. Just three weeks ago, Wilkerson entered the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals—the first event of the three-race swing—in 11th place in the point standings. In the first 11 races of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season, he had racked up eight first-round losses and had only advanced further than the second round once with a semifinal finish in Charlotte. Things were, to say the least, looking bleak. But as Wilkerson stood in the winner’s circle Sunday evening at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals—the final leg of the famed Western Swing in Seattle—his struggles seemed a distant memory.

“This win really couldn’t have come at a better time for this team,” said Wilkerson. “The win is definitely a big morale boost for my team and really helps our position in the Countdown for sure.”

With his win in Seattle, runner-up finish in Sonoma and second-round showing in Denver, Wilkerson moved to ninth in the standings with two races left before the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship. Like Wilkerson, Pro Stock driver Jason Line timed his win—his fourth of the season—just right. After losing his point lead with a semifinal loss to Mike Edwards in Sonoma—a lead that he had held nearly the entire season—Line took back the top position by beating teammate Greg Anderson in the final round in Seattle. Now, with the points lead back in hand, Line hopes to clinch his top spot and that 30-point bonus with two regular-season races left.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Line. “I had a great feeling that if I did my job today that we had a car that could win this race. We made some changes to the car from Sonoma, and it ran good all weekend. It was phenomenal.”

For more results from Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals, log on to NHRA.com.

MORE DRIVERS CLINCH COUNTDOWN SPOTS IN SEATTLE: As the dust settled at Pacific Raceways following the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals, eight more drivers had clinched spots in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship—the NHRA’s six-race playoffs for the world championships. Funny Car drivers Robert Hight, Jack Beckman and Cruz Pedregon joined point leader Mike Neff with their clinched spots, and Pro Stock featured the most drivers to clinch—five: Vincent Nobile, Erica Enders, Allen Johnson, Rodger Brogdon and Greg Stanfield. Only two races remain—the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway and the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, before the start of the Countdown. Below are the drivers who have secured spots so far in the Countdown to the Championship:

TOP FUEL	FUNNY CAR	PRO STOCK	PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
Del Worsham	Mike Neff	Jason Line	Karen Stoffer
Spencer Massey	Robert Hight	Greg Anderson	Eddie Krawiec
Antron Brown	Jack Beckman	Mike Edwards
Tony Schumacher	Cruz Pedregon	Vincent Nobile
Larry Dixon	Erica Enders
Allen Johnson
Rodger Brogdon
Greg Stanfield

COMING ATTRACTIONS

LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS, BRAINERD INT’L RACEWAY, August 18–21: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series visits the Land of 10,000 Lakes on its second-to-last stop before the Countdown to the Championship. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Bob Bode (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 218/824-7223 or log on to ticketreturn.com. For media credentials, please contact Senior Communications Manager Scott Smith at ssmith@nhra.com.

MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS PRESENTED BY LUCAS OIL, LUCAS OIL RACEWAY AT INDIANAPOLIS, August 31–September 5: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series makes its last stop before the Countdown to the Championship at the most prestigious race in the world. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Ashley Force Hood (Funny Car), Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/884-NHRA (6472) or log on to extremetix.com. For media credentials, please contact Senior Communications Manager Scott Smith at ssmith@nhra.com.

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA NATIONALS, zMAX DRAGWAY, September 15–18: The NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship begins in Charlotte at the second stop of the season at zMAX Dragway. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/455-FANS (3267) or log on to charlottemotorspeedway.com. For media credentials, please contact Media Relations Manager Alex Baca at abaca@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS: Top Fuel pilot Del Worsham after his win Sunday at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Seattle—his sixth of the year: “This season has been unreal; to watch this Al-Anabi team work is amazing. This team is so detail-oriented and just really good at what they do. The Al-Anabi team did another outstanding job, and they gave me a car that could win.”

60 YEARS IN NHRA HISTORY

1966, SHAHAN BECOMES FIRST WOMAN TO WIN NHRA EVENT: At the 1966 Kragen O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, 27-year-old housewife and mother of three Shirley Shahan drove her ’65 Plymouth past Ken Heinemann in the Top Stock final round to become the first woman to win an NHRA event.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

18: That’s how many points 11th-place Top Fuel driver Terry McMillen sits behind 10th-place Dave Grubnic with just two races left before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship. McMillen is less than one round back of grabbing a spot in the Countdown.

DID YOU KNOW…

…that racing-lubricants pioneer and Top Fuel team owner Forrest Lucas will be at Brainerd International Raceway to help kick off the NHRA 60th celebration in Minnesota? Lucas will participate in a special track walk Sunday before pre-race and be on hand during the entire weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals to sign autographs and meet with fans. Also, a special autograph session celebrating the 60th anniversary of the NHRA will occur Saturday, in which NHRA legends Warren Johnson, Kurt Johnson, Greg Anderson, Jason Line and Tom Hoover will participate. For tickets to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, call 218/824-7223 or log on to ticketreturn.com.

For more information, contact NHRA Media Relations at 626/914-4761 or log on to the NHRA Media Center.

 

NEWS NUGGETS

SEATTLE WINS COME AT RIGHT TIME FOR NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRIVERS: To say that Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson was looking for success on the Western Swing would be an understatement. Just three weeks ago, Wilkerson entered the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals—the first event of the three-race swing—in 11th place in the point standings. In the first 11 races of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season, he had racked up eight first-round losses and had only advanced further than the second round once with a semifinal finish in Charlotte. Things were, to say the least, looking bleak. But as Wilkerson stood in the winner’s circle Sunday evening at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals—the final leg of the famed Western Swing in Seattle—his struggles seemed a distant memory.

“This win really couldn’t have come at a better time for this team,” said Wilkerson. “The win is definitely a big morale boost for my team and really helps our position in the Countdown for sure.”

With his win in Seattle, runner-up finish in Sonoma and second-round showing in Denver, Wilkerson moved to ninth in the standings with two races left before the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship. Like Wilkerson, Pro Stock driver Jason Line timed his win—his fourth of the season—just right. After losing his point lead with a semifinal loss to Mike Edwards in Sonoma—a lead that he had held nearly the entire season—Line took back the top position by beating teammate Greg Anderson in the final round in Seattle. Now, with the points lead back in hand, Line hopes to clinch his top spot and that 30-point bonus with two regular-season races left.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Line. “I had a great feeling that if I did my job today that we had a car that could win this race. We made some changes to the car from Sonoma, and it ran good all weekend. It was phenomenal.”

For more results from Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals, log on to NHRA.com.

MORE DRIVERS CLINCH COUNTDOWN SPOTS IN SEATTLE: As the dust settled at Pacific Raceways following the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals, eight more drivers had clinched spots in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship—the NHRA’s six-race playoffs for the world championships. Funny Car drivers Robert Hight, Jack Beckman and Cruz Pedregon joined point leader Mike Neff with their clinched spots, and Pro Stock featured the most drivers to clinch—five: Vincent Nobile, Erica Enders, Allen Johnson, Rodger Brogdon and Greg Stanfield. Only two races remain—the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway and the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, before the start of the Countdown. Below are the drivers who have secured spots so far in the Countdown to the Championship:

TOP FUEL	FUNNY CAR	PRO STOCK	PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
Del Worsham	Mike Neff	Jason Line	Karen Stoffer
Spencer Massey	Robert Hight	Greg Anderson	Eddie Krawiec
Antron Brown	Jack Beckman	Mike Edwards
Tony Schumacher	Cruz Pedregon	Vincent Nobile
Larry Dixon	Erica Enders
Allen Johnson
Rodger Brogdon
Greg Stanfield

COMING ATTRACTIONS

LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS, BRAINERD INT’L RACEWAY, August 18–21: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series visits the Land of 10,000 Lakes on its second-to-last stop before the Countdown to the Championship. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Bob Bode (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 218/824-7223 or log on to ticketreturn.com. For media credentials, please contact Senior Communications Manager Scott Smith at ssmith@nhra.com.

MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS PRESENTED BY LUCAS OIL, LUCAS OIL RACEWAY AT INDIANAPOLIS, August 31–September 5: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series makes its last stop before the Countdown to the Championship at the most prestigious race in the world. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Ashley Force Hood (Funny Car), Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/884-NHRA (6472) or log on to extremetix.com. For media credentials, please contact Senior Communications Manager Scott Smith at ssmith@nhra.com.

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA NATIONALS, zMAX DRAGWAY, September 15–18: The NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship begins in Charlotte at the second stop of the season at zMAX Dragway. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/455-FANS (3267) or log on to charlottemotorspeedway.com. For media credentials, please contact Media Relations Manager Alex Baca at abaca@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS: Top Fuel pilot Del Worsham after his win Sunday at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Seattle—his sixth of the year: “This season has been unreal; to watch this Al-Anabi team work is amazing. This team is so detail-oriented and just really good at what they do. The Al-Anabi team did another outstanding job, and they gave me a car that could win.”

60 YEARS IN NHRA HISTORY

1966, SHAHAN BECOMES FIRST WOMAN TO WIN NHRA EVENT: At the 1966 Kragen O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, 27-year-old housewife and mother of three Shirley Shahan drove her ’65 Plymouth past Ken Heinemann in the Top Stock final round to become the first woman to win an NHRA event.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

18: That’s how many points 11th-place Top Fuel driver Terry McMillen sits behind 10th-place Dave Grubnic with just two races left before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship. McMillen is less than one round back of grabbing a spot in the Countdown.

DID YOU KNOW…

…that racing-lubricants pioneer and Top Fuel team owner Forrest Lucas will be at Brainerd International Raceway to help kick off the NHRA 60th celebration in Minnesota? Lucas will participate in a special track walk Sunday before pre-race and be on hand during the entire weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals to sign autographs and meet with fans. Also, a special autograph session celebrating the 60th anniversary of the NHRA will occur Saturday, in which NHRA legends Warren Johnson, Kurt Johnson, Greg Anderson, Jason Line and Tom Hoover will participate. For tickets to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, call 218/824-7223 or log on to ticketreturn.com.

For more information, contact NHRA Media Relations at 626/914-4761 or log on to the NHRA Media Center.

	If you are looking for a booth vehicle for the 2011 SEMA Show, consider making an announcement in SEMA eNews.

If you’re looking for a vehicle for your booth, simplify your search by making an announcement in SEMA eNews. The publication is distributed to more than 100,000 industry professionals, including numerous vehicle builders and customizers.

Through an announcement in SEMA eNews, you will be able to define the type of vehicle you are looking for, helping you to reach a large number of vehicle owners and builders effectively. The vehicle builders and owners will be able to contact you directly.

Seeking Vehicles

• Mamba Offroad Alloys/PDK Wheels (Booth #46079) is seeking a vehicle for the company's booth at the 2011 SEMA Show. They are looking for a customized Jeep or FJ or something similar in overall size. For complete information, contact Amber Burbey at amber@pdkwheels.com.
• Firestone Industrial Products (Booth #23013) is seeking a '11 Ford F-250/F-350 Super Duty or a ’11 Dodge 2500/3500 truck to feature in their 2011 SEMA Show booth. The company requests a truck at stock height and in a neutral color (black/silver/white). After receiving the truck, it will be wrapped with the company's graphics and have company product installed. The vehicle will be needed for approximately five weeks, but the time can be reduced if it is already located near Las Vegas. Send proposals to fesselp@fsip.com with “SEMA Vehicle” in the subject line of the e-mail.
• IKOTEC USA Inc. (www.ikotecusa.com) (Booth #10448) will demonstrate a vehicle lift at the 2011 SEMA Show. The company is seeking a compact car for the demonstration. The company notes that this is the sixth year for this product at the SEMA Show. Contact Conrad Egerter at 412/427-8031.
• United Pacific Industries (Booth #23475) is a manufacturer of '32 Ford body parts and accessories and is looking for a '32 Ford five-window coupe [only]. The company stated that the vehicle can be in any condition, and a stock or modified '32 five-window coupe will be considered.

To submit an announcement, you must be a 2011 SEMA Show exhibitor. Send your company's name, booth number, type of vehicle you are seeking and contact information to eNews@sema.org. Make sure to include "Seeking Project Vehicle" in the subject line of the e-mail.

More information on the SEMA Show is available at www.SEMAShow.com. Exhibitors: Access the Exhibitor Manual at www.SEMAShow.com/exhibitor-manual. For more information on displaying a booth vehicle, visit www.SEMAShow.com/boothvehicles.