The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released three new management plans covering two national monuments and millions of acres in a remote area of northern Arizona. The proposal, compiled in a single environmental impact statement, covers 2.8 million acres of federal land from north of the Grand Canyon to the Utah border.

Specifically, the plans allow for off-highway vehicle (OHV) use on more than 1,700 miles of existing trails and dirt roads in the monuments and across other portions of the management area. This is significant to SEMA members whose products or services are used by enthusiasts as these roads and trails will be remain accessible for OHV use.

All three plans will outline how the areas will be managed for development, mineral recovery and off-highway vehicle recreation for the next 20 years. The 3,000-page document is based on public input and ongoing collaboration with 10 different agencies and tribes in the area. For the most part, the plans emphasize minimal "human influence and use" in more remote areas and greater use near local communities or in areas that are already seeing significant use.

Copies of the management plans can be accessed online at www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/planning/strip/reports/asfo_ROD.html.

For further details, contact Jason Tolleson at jasont@sema.org.

NEW PROMOTER: Andretti Green Promotions has purchased the assets of the former Grand Prix Association of Toronto and will present the popular Canadian race as an IndyCar Series event next season.

DEBUT: Toyota’s new USAC Silver Crown engine will debut in Friday night’s Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. It will run in the 6-R Racing entry piloted by Brian Tyler.

AWARD WINNER: Bishop Steering Technology received the annual BorgWarner Louis Schwitzer Award at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

DRAGS: Melanie Troxel became the second female to win an NHRA Funny Car event and one of 14 drivers to have won a national event in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. Meanwhile, Dave Connolly collected Chevrolet’s 150th NHRA Pro Stock triumph.

NO. 60: The Little 500 sprint-car race, a 500-lap event on a quarter-mile track at Anderson Speedway in Indiana, celebrates its 60th running on Saturday night.

POWER RANKINGS: NASCAR driver Kyle Busch remained at the top of the National Speed Sport News Power Rankings. The National Speed Sport News Power Rankings are published weekly in the 74-year-old motorsports publication.

SUBSCRIBE: National Speed Sport News has been published weekly since 1934. To subscribe to National Speed Sport News, click on the following link for a special industry rate: www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/subscribe.html?pid=NQ%2BVfhkepT4%3D.

TROXEL EARNS FIRST FUNNY CAR WIN; SCHUMACHER AND CONNOLLY JOIN HER ON PODIUM IN BRISTOL: Becoming the first woman and the 14th driver overall to win in both nitro categories, Melanie Troxel joined an elite group of drivers when she defeated Mike Neff for her first Funny Car win. Despite not winning a single round of eliminations in three races and not qualifying for four races, Troxel made history, joining Ashley Force as the second woman to win in the ultra-competitive category.
    In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher earned his category leading third win of the season. This kept him atop the point standings ahead of former Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Antron Brown. Pro Stock’s Dave Connolly kept his tremendous return to racing going. He won his first race of the season in only his third race. Connolly defeated Greg Stanfield to move from 18th to 14th in the points. He is only 83 points out of the coveted top 10.

NHRA STARS TO VISIT COCA-COLA 600 TO PROMOTE NHRA CAROLINAS NATIONALS: Several of NHRA’s elite drivers, including defending NHRA POWERade Series world champions Jeg Coughlin and Matt Smith, and John Force Racing’s John Force and Mike Neff, will attend next week’s Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR event to promote the inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals at zMAX Dragway @ Concord. The NHRA Carolinas Nationals at zMAX Dragway @ Concord, September 11–14, will be the 19th of 24 events in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Series and the first event in the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs. For more information on the visit click here.

TROXEL AND JOHNSON TO VISIT AARWBA MEDIA AT INDY: Melanie Troxel, who just drove her Funny Car to a win in Bristol, Tennessee, and her Funny Car racing husband, Tommy Johnson Jr., will be meeting with the media during the annual AARWBA Breakfast on Saturday, May 24. The two will be interviewed by ESPN2 announcer Paul Page.

KALITTA PROVES HE CAN TURN CIRCLES IN NHRA CIRCLE TRACK CHALLENGE: Participating in his second circle track race of the season, Doug Kalitta earned his second win at the NHRA Circle Tack Challenge on Saturday. Kalitta, who started ninth in the 15-car field of NHRA all-stars, took the lead from Pro Stock racer Allen Johnson on lap 10 of a total 12 laps.
    “I tell you it was tough out there,” Kalitta said. “I had to work hard out there, but I had a lot of fun. I really appreciate the fact that I had the opportunity to do this.”
    Kalitta’s other win on a circle track came earlier in the season in Las Vegas. For more information about his win, click here.

BROWNSBURG TEAMS TO OPEN SHOP DOORS TO PUBLIC: Building off of a successful event last year, the Brownsburg Motorsports Network will hold its second annual Open House Saturday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. NHRA race teams located in Brownsburg, Indiana, such as John Force Racing, Don Schumacher Racing, David Powers Motorsports and Gotham City Racing will participate in this event that allows fans and media the opportunity to visit the shops of some of the top teams in NHRA POWERade Drag Racing. The event will also include a silent auction of racing items with the proceeds going to local youth programs. For more information on this event, visit www.nhra.com.

LUCAS OIL PRODUCTS TO SPONSOR LUCAS OIL SUPERNATIONALS: NHRA has announced that Lucas Oil Products will be the title sponsor of the 2008 Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, June 19–22. Lucas Oil Products has sponsored many events through the years in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Currently, the company sponsors the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota.
    Along with their sponsorship of the two races, Lucas Oil flies its colors on the Top Fuel dragster driven by Morgan Lucas, the Pro Stock car of Larry Morgan and the Pro Stock Motorcycle of Hector Arana.
    “NHRA is pleased to have Lucas Oil Products as the title sponsor of the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown,” said Gary Darcy, senior vice president, sales and marketing, NHRA. “We appreciate Lucas Oil’s deep involvement with NHRA racing from the sportsman through the professional ranks. To have them involved with the race in New Jersey is tremendous.”

COMING ATTRACTIONS

O’REILLY NHRA SUMMER NATIONALS, HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA, MAY 30–JUNE 1: Entering the ninth race of the NHRA POWERade Series, drivers will look to gain precious points in their quest to qualify for the Countdown to 1. Defending event winners include: Brandon Bernstein (Top Fuel); Mike Ashley (Funny Car); and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock). 

TORCO RACING FUELS ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS, ROUTE 66 RACEWAY, JUNE 5–8: The NHRA POWERade Series heads to “The Windy City” for the 10th race of the season and second half of the regular season Countdown to 10. Defending event winners include: Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); Gary Scelzi (Funny Car); Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock); and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). 

LUCAS OIL NHRA SUPERNATIONALS, OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP RACEWAY PARK, JUNE 19–22: The drivers of the NHRA POWERade Series return to this historic track in New Jersey. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car); Greg Anderson (Pro Stock); and Craig Treble (Pro Stock Motorcycle).  

HE SAID, SHE SAID
 
HUNGER GETS YOU THE WIN: “We were hungry,” Dave Connolly said after his first win of 2008. “We definitely wanted to get our first 2008 race win, and I’m glad we were able to get it in Bristol. It’s kind of a home race for us, and we won it in front of a lot of friends.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

1: The number of times that women have raced against each other in Funny Car eliminations. This was accomplished on Sunday in the quarterfinals when Melanie Troxel defeated Ashley Force. The first time women raced against each other in eliminations was 36 years ago when Shirley Muldowney raced against Lucille Lee in a Top Fuel final in Columbus, Ohio.

DID YOU KNOW…
 
…that when Heartland Park Topeka opened in 1989, it was the first major motorsports facility built in North America since 1968. It now offers a 2.5-mile Grand Prix road course, a 1.625-mile Club Course, a 1.75-mile stock car road course, a state-of-the-art quarter-mile dragstrip, a nine-tenths-mile off-road dirt course, a three-eighths-mile dirt oval, numerous test track configurations and a paddock for more than 600 race cars.
 
For more information, visit www.nhra.com.

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Dana Holding Corp. appointed James Yost to executive vice president and chief financial officer. Yost was previously with Hayes Lemmerz International, most recently serving as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Yost joined Hayes Lemmerz in 2002 after 27 years at Ford Motor Co., from which he retired in 2001 as vice president of corporate strategy.
    "Gary Convis and I are pleased to welcome such a highly respected industry financial leader to our team," said Dana Executive Chairman John Devine. "We look forward to capitalizing on Jim's experience and strategic perspective."

Yokohama Tire Corporation promoted Takao Oishi to corporate officer of the Yokohama Rubber Company, effective June 27. This is the second promotion this year for Oishi, who assumed the role of president and chief executive officer of Yokohama Tire Corporation in April. He joined Yokohama Tire Corporation in 2007 as executive vice president, responsible for MIS, OE sales, strategic marketing and operations. He previously served as President of Yokohama Europe and lived in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Takao Oishi

Federal-Mogul Corp. named Martin Hendricks vice president, Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), Global Aftermarket. He is responsible for aftermarket sales, marketing, distribution and administration in EMEA and is based in the company’s Aartselaar, Belgium, office. Previously, Hendricks held marketing, sales and general management positions with Robert Bosch and TRW. Most recently he was chief commercial officer with EurotaxGlass’ International AG in Switzerland.

Kumho Tires held a groundbreaking ceremony for its sixth overseas manufacturing plant located in Bibb County, near Macon, Georgia. The company plans to invest a total of $165 million in this 5.7-million square-foot plant, slated for completion by the end of 2009. The plant will have an initial capacity of 2.1 million tires for original and replacement equipment markets in the United States. With the completion of this new plant, the company will have a total of nine plants strategically positioned around the world.

Firestone Industrial Products Company LLC announced plans to open a new air spring manufacturing plant in Turrialba, Costa Rica. To be located between San Jose and the port of Limon, the facility is expected to initially employ approximately 100 people. The company has signed a lease on the former Conair facility in Turrialba, and will initially occupy 11,500 square meters to manufacture air springs and Marsh Mellows springs.
    FSIP is currently awaiting government approval on the necessary permits it has filed in support of this new location. Firestone Industrial Products, Indianapolis, IN: 317/575-7000.

  
Click the logo to visit YEN's website.

Join YEN
Did you know that the SEMA Young Executives Network has over 500 members networking in the industry and is the largest SEMA committee? If you are employed by a SEMA-member company and are under the age of 39, then you can join the SEMA Young Executives Network for FREE. If you are interested in becoming part of the team, please visit our website at www.sema.org/yen.

YEN Member of the Month Spotlight
Did you know that YEN has a Member of the Month Spotlight on the SEMA website and that anyone can be nominated? To view previous selections or to make a nomination, visit www.sema.org/yen. 

  
Click the logo to visit ARMO's website.

ARMO Column in SEMA Member News
Read ARMO's column featured in the May/June issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For more information about ARMO, contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

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Click the logo to visit HRIA's website.

HRIA Column in SEMA Member News
Read HRIA's column featured in the May/June issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For more information about HRIA, contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

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Click the logo to visit TORA's website.

TORA Column in SEMA Member News
Read TORA's column featured in the May/June issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

Select Committee Election Update
Select Committee Nominations are now closed. The list of nominees will be reviewed by the TORA election task force, and a ballot will be mailed to all TORA members in the next few weeks. Please keep an eye out for this mailing, and above all, VOTE!

For information about the TORA, contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.  

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Click the logo to visit MPMC's website.

New Chair-Elect
Kyle Fickler of Aeromotive Inc. was elected to the position of MPMC chair-elect during a Select Committee meeting held on January 25, following the annual MPMC Media Trade Conference. Fickler is a current member of the MPMC Select Committee and will take over duties as Chair-Elect on July 1. On that same date, current chair-elect Bill Floyd becomes chairman of MPMC when Lisa Chissus’ two-year term as MPMC chairperson ends.

MPMC Column in SEMA Member News
Read MPMC's column featured in the May/June issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about MPMC, contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

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Click the logo to visit MRC's website.

MRC Column in SEMA Member News
Read MRC's column featured in the May/June issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about MRC, Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

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Click the logo to visit PRO's website.

Annual Project Planning Meeting
Make your reservations now for the annual PRO Project Planning meeting. The annual gathering is once again being held in Detroit at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The hotel is airport adjacent for easy access, and SEMA has blocked rooms at only $123 per night.

When: Thursday and Friday, June 12–13
11 a.m.–5 p.m. (Thursday)
8 a.m.–1 p.m. (Friday)

Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel
8000 Merriman Road
Romulus, MI 48174
734/729-2600

All PRO members are encouraged to attend this meeting. In these changing times, the restyling industry needs your input more than ever. Please plan to attend!

Select Committee Election Update
Select Committee nominations are now closed. The list of nominees is being reviewed by the PRO elections task force, and a ballot will be mailed to all PRO members in the next few weeks. Please keep an eye out for this mailing, and above all, VOTE!

PRO Column in SEMA Member News
Read PRO's column featured in the May/June issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about PRO, contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

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Click the logo to visit SCC's website.

A Message From SCC Chairman Eric Breslow

Dear SCC Member:

In today's volatile economy, member companies must exploit every opportunity to get product messages in front of the end consumer and drive that all-important purchase dollar to their coffers. All levels of commerce have unprecedented access to product knowledge via the Internet. Take advantage of another exclusive SEMA-member benefit and attend the 2008 Internet Symposium, July 25, 2008, in Irvine, California.

Your SCC Select Committee has been busy developing this year's Internet Symposium. Thanks to attendee suggestions from last year, the day's events have been split into two separate tracks. One for people who are seeking a broad "50,000-ft." view of understanding how the Internet impacts an individual business, and a more focused track for in-depth Internet solutions.

It is the mission of SCC to make sure that our valued members have the first opportunity to sign up. Last year we sold out in just one week. For the schedule and online registration, click here.

See you in July.

Best regards,
Eric Breslow, SCC Chairman

SCC Select Committee Election
SCC Select Committee election ballots are in the mail and due to SEMA by Friday, June 6. If you have any questions about the Select Committee elections, contact Paul Moritz at 909/396-0289, ext. 112 or paulm@sema.org.

SCC Column in SEMA Member News
Read SCC's column featured in the May/June issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about SCC, contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

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Click the logo to visit WTC's website.

WTC Select Committee Election
WTC Select Committee election ballots are in the mail and due to SEMA by Friday, June 6. If you have any questions about the Select Committee elections, contact Paul Moritz at 909/396-0289, ext. 112 or paulm@sema.org.

WTC Column in SEMA Member News
Read WTC's column featured in the May/June issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about WTC, contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

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Click the logo to visit SBN's website.

Discover the SEMA Mentoring Program—Powered by the SBN
 
“I’ll get by with a little help from my friends…” - Joe Cocker
 
Everyone needs help or expert advice from time to time, and SEMA’s Mentoring Program is an excellent resource to get answers to all your questions. Whether you need to know more about SEMA, market information for a start-up company or advice on how to approach your boss about a new position, the SEMA Mentoring Program can help.
 
“Ask A Mentor” is perfect for one-time questions. You can expect multiple SEMA mentors to provide online guidance and answers to your industry-related questions.
 
Short-term Assistance/Guidance is for help with a specific project or task. A SEMA council/committee mentor with the expertise you seek will be paired up with you to provide guidance with your project.
 
Long-Term Relationship is helpful for developing your professional career.  In this program segment you will be paired with a SEMA council/committee mentor who will provide guidance and assistance for ongoing career development or a long-term project.
 
So whether you just need an answer to a question or you want to cultivate a mentoring friendship, the SEMA Mentoring Program—powered by the SBN is available to help. After all, we can all use a little help from our friends.

For more information on the program, click here.
 
SBN Select Committee Election
SBN Select Committee election ballots are in the mail and due to SEMA by Friday, June 6. If you have any questions about the Select Committee elections, contact Paul Moritz at 909/396-0289, ext. 112 or paulm@sema.org.

Speed Networking Breakfast—Powered by SBN
Check out this video of SBN members in action during the valuable Speed Networking Breakfast—Powered by SBN held annually at the SEMA Show. Check out the video by clicking here.  

SBN Column in SEMA Member News
Read SBN's column featured in the May/June issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about SBN, contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

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