NEWS NUGGETS
SCHUMACHER, HIGHT START 2008 SEASON WHERE THEY LEFT OFF WITH A WIN IN POMONA; ANDERSON COLLECTS 52ND WIN: Defending Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher began his 2008 campaign for a championship where he left off last season, picking up his 42nd career victory Sunday at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Schumacher ran a 4.499 at 331.28 past new teammate Cory McClenathan to pick up his sixth win at the historic track.
    Funny Car driver Robert Hight also started his season where he left off just three months previous, picking up his ninth career win and second at this race. Hight’s run of 4.879 seconds at 284.39 mph was just enough to beat runner-up Cruz Pedregon.
    In Pro Stock, defending event winner Greg Anderson not only picked up his seventh win at the track, he also collected his 52nd career victory, which ties him for fifth-place on the all-time POWERade Series wins with Top Fuel legend Joe Amato. The 2007 world champion runner-up knocked off defending world champion Jeg Coughlin in the final round, driving his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP to a track-record of 6.616 seconds at 209.23.
    For results from the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, click on www.NHRA.com.

PEDREGON READY FOR RETURN AFTER FIERY CRASH IN POMONA: After experiencing one of the scariest wrecks in his Funny Car career in the first round of the CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals, defending NHRA POWERade world champion Tony Pedregon is ready to return to the track for his world championship defense.
    Pedregon returned to the track late Sunday after being evaluated at a local hospital. Sporting a bandage on the fingers of his right hand, Pedregon had returned to cheer on brother Cruz in the final round.
    “I feel fine,” Pedregon said. “I’m anxious to get back in the seat at Phoenix."

WORLD CHAMPION SMITH FINDS FULL-TIME SPONSOR FOR 2008 WITH NITRO FISH: After months of worrying about sponsorship for his S&S Buell, Defending Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith will be back for the 2008 season, riding the Nitro Fish Buell sponsored by Pro Stock driver Kenny Koretsky.
    “I’m so relieved,” Smith said. “You have no idea how excited I am to be back racing. At this point last week, all I was going to race were the first few races, and now I am fully backed and can go out there and try and win this (championship) again.”
    Smith, along with the rest of the Pro Stock Motorcycle field, will begin their 2008 season at the 39th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals, March 13-16, at Gainesville Raceway.

LINE FLIES HIGH, GETS CHANCE OF A LIFETIME WITH USAF THUNDERBIRDS: Pro Stock driver and 2006 POWERade series world champion Jason Line jumped out of the car and into the cockpit, as he was invited to fly with the USAF Thunderbirds this past week. After a pre-flight medical exam of his heart and lungs, Line was in the air flying at Mach 2 speeds and experiencing nine G-force turns.
    “This was the ride of my life,” Line said. “That’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and even when I was in the Air Force, I never had the opportunity to go up in a fighter jet. That was incredible.”
    For pictures of Line’s ride of a lifetime, visit www.nhra.com.

‘SPICED UP’ FOR THE SEASON—OLD SPICE TO SPONSOR JFR AND NEFF FOR 2008: Funny Car driver and “Road to the Future” rookie of the year candidate Mike Neff will sport the Old Spice “buoy bottle” on the sides of his Ford Mustang for the 2008 season. Old Spice was introduced during the CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals as the newest major sponsor for the John Force Racing Funny Car teams.
 
COMING ATTRACTIONS
CHECKER SCHUCK’S KRAGEN NHRA NATIONALS, FIREBIRD RACEWAY, FEB. 22-24: This second race in the regular season features two defending event winners who eventually launched serious attacks for 2007 POWERade Series titles: Tony Pedregon, the season world champion in Funny Car, and Rod Fuller, who earned runner-up honors in Top Fuel after the best season of his career. Kurt Johnson (Pro Stock) also reached the winner’s circle in Phoenix last year.
    To request credentials for the event, contact NHRA Media Relations Manager Zak Elcock at zelcock@nhra.com, or click here.

ACDELCO NHRA GATORNATIONALS, GAINESVILLE RACEWAY, MARCH 13-16: The Pro Stock Motorcycle category opens its 2008 season at the Gatornationals, annually one of the most popular stops on the NHRA POWERade Series tour. Defending event winners include Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
    To request credentials for the event, contact Media Relations Manager Lachelle Seymour at lseymour@nhra.com.

O’REILLY NHRA SPRING NATIONALS, HOUSTON RACEWAY PARK, MARCH 28-30: The fourth race in the regular season, drivers in all four categories in the POWERade Drag Racing Series will duel it out for a Texas win. Defending event winners include J.R. Todd (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

    To request credentials for the event, contact Public Relations Manager Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com

HE SAID, SHE SAID
EASING THE PAIN: After picking up his first Wally of the season, defending Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher decided that this Wally belonged in the hands of someone else.
    “We’re all part of a family when something like that happens,” Schumacher said, referring to fellow competitor Doug Herbert, whose two young sons were killed in a traffic accident in North Carolina two weeks ago. “I really wanted Doug to have this trophy. It was bittersweet having to race him in the second round. We were able to go on and get the win so this trophy is going to Doug.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
334.65: The top speed in Top Fuel at the Winternationals, set by Hillary Will. Will surpassed Melanie Troxel’s speed of 332.51 mph to become the fastest woman in NHRA history. Will also tied fellow Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher for 5th-place for the fastest speeds in NHRA history.

DRIVERS TELL ALL
ONE BIG BOOM: After experiencing an engine explosion in the first round that not only blew apart the carbon fiber body of his Q Horsepower Chevy Impala, but also left his right hand in a bandage, defending Funny Car world champion Tony Pedregon describes what it was like behind the wheel of a 330-mph fireball.
    “There was no warning,” Pedregon said. “A lot of times when something happens to your car, like when you drop a cylinder, you feel it, and I would have reacted. But it blew up and I had instant flames, and the scary part was I didn’t even know where I was. I hit the wall very hard and I feel very lucky."

Penray announced that Sarkis Aroyan, international sales manager and senior application engineer-coolant inhibitor, is celebrating his 15th anniversary with the company. Aroyan began his career at Penray in 1993 as a product specialist and technical engineer in the Power Fleet Division, working mainly with coolants. He became the antifreeze inhibitors sales manager in 1994. Aroyan added the responsibility of territory manager for Wisconsin, Northern Michigan and Canada in 2005. In 2006, he took on the role of international sales manager, in addition to his antifreeze inhibitors sales manager position.

 
Sarkis Aroyan

Martin & Company added Linn Remling-Mills and Gregory Parker to the agency’s staff. Remling was recently contracted to handle account service for AMP Research and to provide media planning services for full-service Martin & Company accounts. Remling was formerly the publisher of Circle Track magazine and other specialty publications, and continues to work as an independent sales representative for Street Thunder magazine. Parker was contracted to serve as the agency’s new marketing and creative consultant. Formerly the marketing director for P&E Distributors, Parker is proficient in print design and production and also has extensive experience in online web development.

Greg Parker

OnSight Solutions hired Joe Fasso as graphic design artist for its Design and Production Department. Fasso will design merchandising graphics and logos and play an integral role in the merchandising production process that includes promotion- and product-specific advertising messages.

Joe Fasso

CORSA Performance Exhausts was named the 2007 Supplier of the Year by Mid America Motorworks. The recipients were judged by an internal Mid America Motorworks team on more than 25 attributes, including order-turnaround time, payment terms, shipping documentation, return policies and ease of interaction.
    "Naturally, this is a tremendous honor that we take great pride in," said CORSA founder and president Jim Browning Sr. "It is a testament to the quality of the CORSA product and speaks to the exceptional talent of the entire CORSA team.”

Infineon Raceway promoted Jennifer Enos to manager of media and community relations. An Infineon Raceway employee since 2006, Enos will handle increased responsibilities and day-to-day operations in the Media and Community Relations department and focus on media outreach in the Sacramento market. Infineon also promoted Michael D’Addario, an employee since 2006, to manager of ticket sales. He will oversee the ticket sales of the raceway’s major events, including the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Carlisle Auctions announced a decision to waive the general consignment fees for the 2008 Spring, Corvette and Fall auctions. The event organizer reports that it hopes to entice additional auction registrants through its decision to waive consignment fees.

North Carolina-based manufacturers with fewer than 100 employees may qualify to host a graduate-level manufacturing engineering intern at a greatly reduced cost. The program, sponsored by North Carolina State University’s Integrated Manufacturing Systems Engineering Institute and Industrial Extension Service, is made possible by a grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation. The objective of the program is to make graduate-level engineering interns available to manufacturing companies previously unable to afford full support for a student at this level. Interested manufacturers are encouraged to apply for an intern by clicking here. For more information, click here.

Streetfire.net was selected in the 2008 OnMedia 100, a listing of the top 100 emerging companies that are changing user behavior and creating new opportunities in the marketing, branding, advertising and public relations industries.
    “To have our hard work recognized by others in the industry is truly an honor,” said Adam Bruce, CEO Streetfire.net. “Since 1998 Streetfire.net has provided a platform that allows everyone from professional content producers to enthusiasts the ability to share video and photos with the world. Streetfire.net has grown from a couple of car guys with an imaginative concept to an industry leading team that includes architects from the likes of MySpace, Google and AOL. Our entire team has worked very hard to get us up to speed, and we have no intention of slowing down now.”

ARMO Members—Help Shape the Future of Your Industry
Members of ARMO have the unique opportunity to help shape the future of the restoration industry by choosing appropriate representatives to serve on the Select Committee as their eyes, ears and voice. 

ARMO’s primary goals are to ensure the longevity and prosperity of the automotive restoration industry and to represent a unified voice on behalf of its members. ARMO is dedicated to developing effective strategies and programs, all of which address the specific needs of the restoration industry.

Nominations forms have been mailed to all ARMO member companies, and are also available online by clicking here. Criteria and responsibilities of Select Committee members are also available here. The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 7, 2008. Please do not miss out on this opportunity to shape our industry! 

ARMO Members Invited to Participate in Free New Products Showcase
ARMO-member companies are invited to participate in the 11th annual New Products Showcase being held in conjunction with Spring Carlisle, April 23-27. Be sure to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to introduce your creative and innovative products to the industry and enthusiasts. 

All ARMO-member companies are eligible to participate for free. There will be two categories for products: Best New Original Restoration Product of the Year and Best Restomod Product of the Year. The winning products and companies will be honored at the ARMO Industry Awards Reception during the 2008 SEMA Show. For an entry form, click here. All entry forms must be received by SEMA no later than Wednesday, April 16, 2008.  

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

For more information about ARMO, visit www.sema.org/armo or contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

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HRIA Seminar Workshop Lineup for the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show
Located in the Indiana Convention Center on Thursday, February 28, 2008, all SEMA members are encouraged to participate in the workshops that focus on product use, tips and techniques at the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show  Click here to access additional information and a registration form, or contact Jan Desma (jand@sema.org) at 909/396-0289, ext. 134.

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

For more information about HRIA, visit www.sema.org/hria or contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

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

For information about MPMC, visit www.sema.org/mpmc contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

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

For information about PRO, visit www.sema.org/pro or contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

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SCC Select Committee Nominations
SCC members have the unique opportunity to help shape the future of the industry by choosing appropriate representatives to serve on the SCC Select Committee as their eyes, ears and voice. Select Committee nomination forms have been mailed and are due Friday, March 7. The forms are also available on the SCC website at www.sema.org/scc. If you have any questions regarding the 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 January/February issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

WTC Select Committee Nominations
WTC members have the unique opportunity to help shape the future of the wheel and tire industry by choosing appropriate representatives to serve on the WTC Select Committee as their eyes, ears and voice. Select Committee nomination forms have been mailed and are due Friday, March 7. The forms are also available on the WTC website at www.sema.org/wtc. If you have any questions regarding the elections, contact Paul Moritz at 909/396-0289, ext. 112, or paulm@sema.org.

• All members of the WTC are invited to join the WTC Select Committee at the council’s open Long-Range Planning Meeting. The details are:
   
  When: Thursday, March 13, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
  Where: SEMA Headquarters – AAA Building, 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765
   
  If you have any questions about the Long-Range Planning Meeting or to RSVP, contact Paul Moritz at 909/396-0289, ext. 112, or e-mail paulm@sema.org.

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

For information about WTC, visit www.sema.org/wtc or contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

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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 Select Committee Nominations
Members of SBN have the unique opportunity to help shape the future of the automotive aftermarket by choosing appropriate representatives to serve on the SBN Select committee as their eyes, ears and voice. Select Committee nomination forms were mailed and are due Friday, March 7. The forms are also available at www.sema.org/sbn. If you have any questions regarding the elections, contact Paul Moritz at 909/396-0289, ext. 112, or paulm@sema.org.

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

Discover the SEMA Mentoring Program, Powered by the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network

 “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.

“We’ve got CEOs, SEMA Board members and many industry leaders with vast expertise in many different areas signed up as mentors willing to share their knowledge!” explained S. Kellie Colf, SBN Chairman.

The SEMA Mentoring Program is meant to create structured, confidential and trusting relationships between SEMA mentors who offer their automotive industry experience, guidance and support to mentees interested in further developing their professional careers in the automotive industry. This program is available to all SEMA-member company employees and is administered by the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network. 

There are three ways to benefit from the SEMA Mentoring Program:

• One-time question/issue 
• Short-term assistance/guidance with a task 
• Long-term relationship

“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 submitted on the “Ask a Mentor” section.

If you need help with a specific project or task, sign up for short-term assistance/guidance. A certified SEMA council/committee mentor with the expertise you seek will be paired up with you to provide guidance with your project.

Need help developing your professional career in the automotive industry? Sign up for a long-term relationship. In this program segment you will be paired with a certified SEMA council/committee mentor who will provide guidance and assistance for ongoing career development or a long-term project. Long-term mentoring relationships are meant to last for more than one year.

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. To sign up as a mentor or mentee online, go to www.sema.org/mentoring. To learn more about SEMA’s Mentoring Program and the opportunity to network with proven industry leaders, attend the free SEMA Mentoring Seminar at the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show.

Discover The SEMA Mentoring Program and What It Can Do for You
HRIA Education Day, in conjunction with the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show
Date: February 28, 2008
Time: 4:15—5:15 p.m.
Place: Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis
To Register: http://www.hotrodshow.com/v4files/hotrodshow/08_Manufacturers_Workshop_Flyer12-20-07%20Updated.pdf

For information about SBN, visit www.sema.org/sbn or contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

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YEN Select Committee Nominations
YEN members have the unique opportunity to help shape the future of the automotive aftermarket by choosing appropriate representatives to serve on the YEN Select Committee as their eyes, ears and voice. Select Committee nomination forms have been mailed and are due Friday, March 7. The forms are also available on the YEN website at www.sema.org/yen. If you have any questions regarding the elections, contact Paul Moritz at 909/396-0289, ext. 112, or paulm@sema.org.

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. 

YEN Column in SEMA Member News
Read YEN's column featured in the January/February issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about YEN, visit www.sema.org/yen or contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

The SEMA National Education Conference, scheduled April 10–11 in Nashville, is a concentrated, two-day leadership program developed exclusively for automotive specialty-equipment executives. With the knowledge shared at this conference, you'll discover how to lead your company to new levels of success. You'll receive real-world skills for immediate application, targeted information presented specifically for the automotive specialty-equipment industry and inspiration to make the necessary changes to more easily and effectively meet the challenges of a rapidly changing future.

Alan Beaulieu will discuss specific management objectives and decisions that embrace profits based on thorough, accurate economic forecasts. In a group discussion format, interest rates, demographics and the changing political landscape will be discussed; additional time for discourse will be devoted to China, India and Europe in terms of growth potential and partnerships with the United States.

Filler for eNews

Dates and locations for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows and activities have been announced. Details are:

>> SEMA Webinar: Increase Parts Sales Using the Internet the Smart Way, February 14, 10:00 a.m. (PST)
>> SEMA Webinar: PIES: What You Need to Know, February 15, 10:00 a.m. (PST)
>> SEMA Webinar: Analyzing the Income Statement: The Nuts and Bolts, March 6, 10:00 a.m. (PST)
>> SEMA National Education Conference, April 10–11, 2008 Nashville
>> SEMA Washington Rally, May 14–15, 2008, Washington, D.C.
>> PAACE Automechanika Mexico, July, 9–11, 2008, Mexico City
>> 2008 Aftermarket eForum, July 14–16, 2008, Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Chicago
>> SEMA Show 2008, November 4–7, 2008, Las Vegas  

For association-related travel, contact Manya Petropaki (manya.p@travelstoreusa.com) at Travel Store USA, 949/930-9268.

Scion, the hip, affordable youth-focused Toyota offshoot that has made accessorization a large part of its success, offers customers a faster way to the car of their dreams.

Putting a twist on the built-to-order car, the automaker can now deliver a special order in days (or a few weeks for those in the Heartland), rather than months were it assembled in Japan, according to Automotive News.

The automaker maintains small installation centers at major ports in Los Angeles, New Jersey, Oregon, the Gulf Coast and Southeast where technicians install a customer’s desired parts and accessories, everything from spoilers and cold-air intakes to wheels and lowering springs. 

Customers personalize their Scion online, which is delivered to a local dealer after it's customized at the port.

Increasing numbers of new-car dealers integrate high-margin specialty-equipment parts and accessories into their showrooms, offering consumers unprecedented customization options. SEMA research shows that 10% of all specialty-equipment sales occur at dealerships.

Automakers have also realized the profit potential of accessorizing new models with wheels, body kits and side steps. Scion is widely credited with refining to a near art the practice of offering consumers specialty-equipment choices.

For now, Scion’s "parts at the port" program is limited to Toyota Racing Development and Scion-branded parts and accessories, according to Scion spokeswoman Allison Takahashi, with a few notable exceptions including taillights branded by TYC.

Specialty-equipment companies that make parts for Scion models can, however, join the automaker’s accessories plan through the Optimize program, a dealer-channeled sales program. For more information on how to get involved with Scion's accessories program, contact Korey Tsuno at Korey_Tsuno@Toyota.com.

Source: "Online Assembly Line Allows Built-to-Order Scions, Delivered Fast," Mark Rechtin, Automotive News, 2/4/08

The restyling market, generally separated into accessories and appearance, performance, and wheel/tire/suspension products, posted retail sales of $4.1 billion in 2006, making it an 11% slice of the specialty-equipment market, according to SEMA research.

The retail sales number represents a 7.3% increase from 2005, and a $1 billion jump from five years prior. Accessories and appearance products claimed the largest share of the market, accounting for 66.4 percent. Wheel/tire/suspension products followed at 18%, then performance products at 15.6 percent.

SEMA research classifies restyling products as all products used to modify the exterior and/or interior of vehicles, covering a wide range of automotive specialty-equipment products, from sunroofs to ground effects and from grille guards to drop-center bumpers.

"Each year we see more new restyling products unveiled by our members at the SEMA Show as a result of growing demand by mainstream consumers to improve the appearance and functionality of their vehicles," says SEMA research analyst Ty Michael. "In fact, the number of restyling products submitted into our New Products showcase grew by nearly 20% last year.

"Consumers that we survey continuously tell us that one of the top three reasons they buy restyling products is to simply make their vehicles different from others on the road."

For more original market insight, please visit www.sema.org/research.

More than 200 mobile electronics companies exhibited at the 2007 SEMA Show, 32 percent of them first-time exhibitors looking to tap into the hottest segments of the mobile electronics market. Stand-alone GPS navigation units, for example, continued on their hot streak, accounting for 9.6 percent of mobile electronics entries in the SEMA Show New Product Showcase, up from 9 percent in 2006.

Hands-free cell phone accessories followed at 8.8 percent. Perhaps a reflection of increased awareness and legal necessity while driving, the hands-free accessories category, which includes popular items such a Bluetooth units that double as portable music players, is up 5 percent from 2006.

In-dash multimedia units, those that combine AM/FM tuners, CD and/or DVD players, provisions for portable music players like the iPod and satellite radio, and navigation, accounted for 6.6 percent of all new products, up from just 3 percent in 2006. 

Slightly behind in-dash multimedia head units, backup camera products comprised 6 percent of new product entries, down slightly from 8.2 percent in 2006.

The standard AM/FM/CD stereo receiver, once the bread and butter of the mobile electronics category showed some resilience, accounting for 3.7 of new products, jumping up from its 1.5 percent representation in 2006.

A final honorable mention goes to satellite radio products. Although only accounting for 2.9 percent of new products in 2007, its representation is more fully accounted for in receivers and in-dash multimedia units, most of which come equipped to receive XM or Sirius satellite radio signals.

For more original market research, please visit www.sema.org/research.