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If you would like to be considered as a speaker for the 2008 SEMA Show education program, please send us your name, address, e-mail, telephone number, biographical information (for presenter and any co-presenters), suggested topic to present, who the target audience will be and why the subject is of importance. Also, indicate the level of content (introductory, intermediate, advanced), the main issues or points that will be covered (seminars are one hour in length) and what type of leave-behind you anticipate providing.
 
For consideration, please forward all proposals to Pat Talaska-Benson at patt@sema.org on or before Tuesday, February 19.

Don't let the sedan shape fool you, warns spy photo ringleader Brenda Priddy; this is a test mule for Audi's A4 Allroad, caught here in Sweden during cold-weather testing. The all-wheel-drive Allroad, currently available only on the A6 Avant wagon, looks to make its way to the smaller A4 platform, likely after the A4 Avant debut.

If the matte-black wheel arches and higher ride height are any indication, the A4 will try for a piece of the market—that for a car-based utility car with refined and rugged styling—currently enjoyed by Volvo and its XC series wagons.

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Last year, SEMA joined with the Rubber Manufacturers Association, Tire Industry Association and National Automobile Dealers Association in recommending that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) update its tire registration regulations to allow consumers to register their tire purchases electronically rather than by mailing back a paper registration form. The NHTSA agreed and has now issued a proposed rule to modify the tire recordkeeping regulation (49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 574) to permit registration via the Internet, fax or through other electronic methods.

Electronic registration should greatly increase the number of consumers who register their purchase (beyond the estimated 10%). It should also decrease the amount of information that is inaccurate, incomplete or illegible when the forms have been completed. 

The NHTSA’s tire record-keeping regulation was first issued in 1970. Under the rule, tire distributors and dealers are required to provide a paper registration form (or card) to purchasers of new tires. The registration forms are valuable since they allow the tire manufacturer the ability to contact the consumer in case there is a tire-related safety issue. The manufacturer is required to maintain the information for at least five years. The option for electronic filing should not impose any additional burden on tire manufacturers, dealers and distributors, but rather improve efficiency and increase safety benefits.

For further information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reissued a proposal it made in 2005 to revise the vehicle roof strength standard, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 216. The new version would require manufacturers to design vehicle roofs that withstand at least 2.5 times the weight of the vehicle during a two-sided roof strength test as an alternative to testing just one side. 

The current standard, which has remained unchanged since 1971, requires the roof to support at least 1.5 times the vehicle weight when tested on one side only. The static tests are conducted by pressing a metal plate down on the roof over the driver’s seat, then the passenger’s seat. SEMA has submitted comments to two previous NHTSA proposals urging the agency to make sure a revised roof crush standard will still permit the installation of sunroofs. The NHTSA did not anticipate any problems. 

Click here for the proposed rule:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/08-392.pdf. 

Comments are due by March 17, 2008. The NHTSA intends to issue a final rule by mid-2008, at which time it may decide in favor of one- or two-sided testing. For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein: stuartg@sema.org.

LATE CHANGE: Independent team owner and driver Robby Gordon has made a last-minute switch from Ford to Dodge prior to the 2008 season. Gordon has signed a technical alliance with Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

NO SALE: The sale of the professional division of the National Hot Rod Association to HD Partners Acquisition Corporation fell through late last week when HD Partners shareholders voted against the transaction. NHRA officials maintain they are not currently seeking a new buyer, and it will be business as usual for the sanctioning body as the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series opens this weekend in Pomona, California.

SOLD OUT: All grandstand seats for the 50th running of the Daytona 500 have sold out. It is the earliest sell-out in the history of the race. Infield seats remain.

DATE CHANGES: The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA RE/MASX Series races at Kentucky Speedway have been moved from July 11–12 to July 18–19.

BOUGHT: Car collector Tom Malloy has purchased Ed Pink Racing Engines from company founder Ed Pink. Pink will continue to work for the company.

POWER RANKINGS: Donny Schatz continued to lead the National Speed Sport News Power Rankings and promptly won his first U.S. race of the season, February 5, at Volusia Speedway Park in Florida.

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.

NEWS NUGGETS

READY. SET. 2008 SEASON KICKS OFF WITH CARQUEST AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS: After a two-month off-season, the POWERade Drag Racing Series returns with the start of the 2008 season with the 48th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will begin their march towards the 2008 POWERade World Championship, as the first of 18 races in the Countdown to the Championship, Countdown to 10, gets underway. "We're all back to square one," said Tony Schumacher, defending and five-time POWERade series world champion in Top Fuel. "Every team is tied for the top spot right now. We definitely want to get off on the right foot out in Pomona, and we want to serve notice that we're going to be a serious player in the Countdown to the Championship."

"I'm a big fan of the new Countdown format," said Brandon Bernstein, who finished third in the POWERade championship standings in Top Fuel last year. "I think 10 teams going after it for the last six races will create a great level playing field." For more information on the 48th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, visit www.nhra.com.

COUGHLIN TAKES WIN IN PONTIAC PRO STOCK SHOWDOWN AT LVMS: Defending POWERade series world champion Jeg Coughlin started his season off right, winning the Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Coughlin powered his Jegs.com Chevy Cobalt to a 6.711-second run at 204.94 mph over runner-up finisher Allen Johnson. The 2007 POWERade series runner-up Greg Anderson had a semifinal finish for the event, falling to Coughlin in the third round. In all, 16 Pro Stock drivers participated in the event.

"FUELED" FOR A NEW SEASON, NAYLOR PICKS UP SPONSOR FOR 2008: Pro Stock driver Max Naylor is ready to start the 2008 season off right, adding a new title sponsor for his Dodge Stratus. Naylor announced that Phoenix-based VegasFuel energy drink will join Naylor racing as the title sponsor for his ride for all 24 events on the POWERade series schedule. For photos of Naylors' new ride, click on NHRA.com.

RATT IS BACK; HARD ROCK FRONT-RUNNER TO SPONSOR FUNNY CAR TEAM IN 2008: Funny Car driver James Day will be driving a "Top Fuel" car for 2008, but not in the way most would think. The son-in-law of NHRA team owner Don Schumacher will drive the DLS Motorsports Funny Car sponsored by Top Fuel Records, the record company associated with rock 'n' roll front man, Stephen Pearcy. Pearcy and his heavy-metal rock band Ratt, got their first taste of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing in 2007 as the title sponsor of the Top Fuel dragster driven by Clay Millican.

GAINESVILLE TOWER NEARS COMPLETION WITH GATORNATIONALS APPROACHING: With the 39th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals just a month away, the new tower at Gainesville Raceway inches ever closer to completion. The tower will house track offices, race control and a new media center. To view photos of the new tower and its progress, visit www.nhra.com.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

CARQUEST AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS, AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, FEBRUARY 7–10: Kick off the 2008 NHRA POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship at the historic track where last year's winners included J.R. Todd, Gary Scelzi and Greg Anderson.

CHECKER SCHUCK'S KRAGEN NHRA NATIONALS, FIREBIRD RACEWAY, FEBRUARY 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.

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).

HE SAID, SHE SAID

DRIVERS READY TO START THE 2008 SEASON: After two months away from drag racing, many, if not all of the drivers in the NHRA POWERade drag racing series are anxious to get the 2008 season underway. Here are just a few quotes from some of the top drivers in the POWERade Drag Racing Series.

• J.R. Todd, Defending event winner in Top Fuel: "We're going to head into Pomona feeling very positive and just can't wait to defend my title."
• Jeg Coughlin, Defending Pro Stock POWERade series world champion: "It's time to get after it and we're ready to go."
• Gary Scelzi, Defending event winner in Funny Car: "Let's pull the cord on this thing and get this thing started."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

93: The number of days since the end of the 2007 POWERade Drag Racing Series, which ended in the same place the 2008 season will begin, the historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

DRIVERS TELL ALL

GIRLS NIGHT OUT?: After an impressive rookie season in Funny Car which was capped off with an Auto Club "Road to the Future" award, Ashley Force will begin the 2008 season as a "sophomore" in the Funny Car class. But she won't be the lone woman in the class, as former Top Fuel contender Melanie Troxel will make her Funny Car debut this season, piloting the ProCare Rx Dodge Charger. In an interview with National Dragster, Force discussed her feelings on competing against Troxel this season, not only for the world championship, but for the bragging rights that come with being the first woman in NHRA history to win an event in Funny Car. "I can guarantee you a woman will win a race this year," Force said. "Hopefully, it will be our team, but I will be proud of her if she does it. I hope we can get an all-female Funny Car final. That would be awesome."

For more information, visit www.nhra.com.

2008 Tire Review Top Shop Awards
Entries are now being accepted for the 2008 Tire Review Top Shop Awards presented by Ammco/Coats, which seeks to honor the "best of the best" independent tire dealers in the United States and Canada.

Now in its second year, the contest is now officially open, and entries will be accepted until July 11, 2008. Entry forms and information will be available in each issue of Tire Review magazine through July, and via www.tirereview.com and www.ammcoats.com.

"Top Shop Awards is focused on spotlighting independent tire dealers—small or large—who epitomize the attributes and values we stress in every issue of Tire Review: exemplary customer service and retention, training and education, merchandising and promotion, professional standards and conduct, appearance, solid business management, community involvement, growth and achievement," said Jim Smith, editor of Tire Review.

The entry process is simple: Those making the nomination need to provide basic information about the dealership being nominated and write a short (300-word maximum) essay explaining why that dealership should be considered.

All entrants will be reviewed and a group of semifinalists selected. Those semifinalists will be asked to provide additional information for judging. A panel of judges, including industry professionals and a member of the Tire Review staff, will select the four finalists and, ultimately, the 2008 Top Shop Award winner.

The awards are as outstanding as the dealers selected: 1) The Grand Prize winner will receive a Coats APX90 tire changer, $1,500 in cash, airfare and hotel for two (2 nights/3 days) to the 2008 SEMA Show, a feature story in the October issue of Tire Review, and a Top Shop trophy to display in their dealership; 2) Three finalists will each receive a Coats 1250-3DV tire/wheel balancer (featuring on-board training), $500 in cash, a feature story in the October issue of Tire Review, and a specially designed finalist trophy.

More Movers & Shakers

• Agri-Cover Inc. (ACI) hired Gary Alfano as regional account manager. He is responsible for managing accounts on the northeast coast. Alfano brings 15 years of automotive aftermarket experience to ACI, and will be based out of Schnecksville, Pennsylvania. ACI also hired Amanda Clark as a Gold Star dealer specialist responsible for ACI’s Gold Star Program. As the main contact for the program, Clark will work closely with ACI’s dealers and distributors to develop the program further.
  
               
  Gary Alfano                                                     Amanda Clark
  
  
• BedRug, a division of Wise Industries Inc., promoted Harry McCandless—previously western regional sales manager since 2004—to national sales manager, O.E.M. McCandless will oversee the sales and training activities pertaining to BedRug's O.E.M. customers while exploring new opportunities with other original equipment manufacturers.
  
  
  Harry McCandless
  
  
• Keith Hicks was appointed president and chief operating officer of Global Accessories Inc. He will direct the company's core functions, including operations, manufacturing, customer service, R&D, finance, distribution and product quality. Prior to joining the company, Hicks served eight years as vice president of operations and technology for Omniglow Corporation, a $125 million international manufacturer and distributor of commercial and consumer products. 
  
  
  Keith Hicks
  
  
• OnSight Solutions (OSS) announced that Lizette Pirtle, owner of Abundance Creators Training Systems, will handle the restructuring of its Franchise Operations Manual. Pirtles’ consulting company specializes in the development and implementation of training programs for franchise companies. She evaluates and develops operating procedures and training curricula for new and maturing franchisors. Pirtle expects the project to be completed by early April of 2008.
  
  
• A memorial fund has been set up for the family of industry veteran Gil Foltz, who passed away on Saturday, January 26, from complications due to a heart attack and stroke. Foltz started his industry career working for Cyclone Headers in North Hollywood, California, and moved to oversee manufacturing operations for Mr. Gasket's exhaust division when Cyclone was acquired by Mr. Gasket. He was most recently the operations manger for KW Automotive North America. The details for the memorial fund are: Family of Gilbert Foltz, Washington Mutual Bank, Sanger Financial Center 1615, 601 O St., Sanger, CA 93657 (routing # 322271627, Account # 9342391119).
  
  
• Two of drag racing’s greatest rivals, partners and friends—Don “the Snake” Prudhomme and Tom “the Mongoose” McEwen—were named Grand Marshals for the upcoming March Meet, March 7–9, at Auto Club Famoso Raceway, outside of Bakersfield, California. March Meet has been billed as the premier event for nostalgia drag and is celebrating its 50th year of racing. The March Meet is a three-day speedfest that enthusiasts call ‘the jewel of Nostalgia Racing." For more information and tickets, visit www.famosoraceway.com.
  
  
• In a transaction reportedly worth a little more than $2 million, Gear Vendors Inc. purchased all the overdrive production assets of GKN. Gear Vendors will now supply components to more than 2 million production vehicles that came with the GKN, Laycock and DeNormanville overdrives. The transaction involves thousands of parts and equipment. Shipments from GKN’s facility in the United Kingdom to Gear Vendors in California are being carried out now with expected completion date of July/August 2008.