NEW BLOOD: Brazilian driver Enrique Bernoldi will drive for Rocketsports Racing in the Champ Car World Series this season. Also, Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing confirmed its Champ Car driver lineup of Graham Rahal and Justin Wilson.

HE’S BACK: Gil de Ferran, who won the Indianapolis 500 in 2003 and retired at the end of that season, is returning to the cockpit. He will own and drive an Acura entry in the American Le Mans Series, which will debut later this season in the LMP 2 class.

IT’S A DRAG: Lowe’s Motor Speedway and NHRA representatives officially announced the construction of a state-of-the-art dragstrip adjacent to the historic speedway in Concord, North Carolina. The track is to be completed in time to host the inaugural Carolinas Nationals, September 11–14.

FOUR LAPS: All oval-track qualifying runs in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series this year will be four laps in length, with the fastest four-lap average winning the pole.

THRICE IS NICE: Chip Ganassi Racing won the Rolex 24 at Daytona for the third consecutive year, making it the first team to win the prestigious twice-around-the-clock endurance race three times in a row. Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas drove the team’s Riley Lexus.

HIRED: Former road racer Michael McDowell, who won the rookie of the year award in the ARCA RE/MAX Series last season, has been hired to wheel the third Michael Waltrip Racing entry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season. He takes over the car at Martinsville, Virginia, in March.

POWER RANKINGS: The 2008 National Speed Sport News (NSSN) Power Rankings appeared for the first time in the January 30 issue of the publication, with sprint-car Donny Schatz leading the way. The Power Rankings will appear weekly in NSSN through the end of the year.

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

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN: FORCE’S RETURN TO FUNNY CAR "TOPS CHARTS" AT FIREBIRD TEST: After four months of rehabilitation and an absence from the cockpit that seemed to last for an eternity, 14-time POWERade world champion and Funny Car legend John Force climbed back into the cockpit for the National Time Trials at Firebird International Raceway. Making his first passes since his September 23 accident in Dallas, Force set the pace for the rest to follow, running the lowest Funny Car E.T. of the day with a blistering 4.782 seconds.

“We didn’t know what we had (with the new car),” Force said, referring to the new chassis changes made for 2008. “We thought it would be good, but we didn’t know. We still have a lot of work to do, but that [4.78] was a good boost for the team.”

Defending POWERade world champion Tony Pedregon had the second fastest time of the day in Funny Car, powering his Q Horsepower Chevy Impala SS to a 4.869 second run. In an impressive Top Fuel class that saw 12 drivers make runs on Monday, Rod Fuller stood on top of the field in his Caterpillar dragster, turning in a run of 4.468 seconds at 331.36 mph, but was followed closely by the defending POWERade champion, Tony Schumacher, who drove his U.S. Army dragster to a 4.480 second run at 332.75 mph.

BROWN CAN’T DRIVE 55, GRABS HIS CROSSOVER TOP FUEL LICENSE IN PHOENIX: With impending rain on the horizon for Sunday and his 2008 debut season in Top Fuel on the line, Matco Tools dragster pilot Antron Brown was able to make two 4.5-second passes on Saturday at Firebird International Raceway to secure his crossover Top Fuel license and ease his worries heading into the 2008 season. Brown made a successful pass in the right lane at Firebird, posting a 4.570-second run at 292.58 mph. His second and final pass of the day turned in a 4.582-second run at 296.89 mph in the left lane.

“I feel like a giddy 16 year old who just got their driver’s license,” Brown said. “I’m getting a lot more confident in myself in understanding what’s happening all the way down the race track.”

Brown’s 4.548-second run on Monday, the final day of testing, was the fourth fastest time in the Top Fuel category.

NHRA CAROLINAS NATIONALS NAMED 19TH OF 24 EVENTS ON 2008 POWERade SEASON SCHEDULE: After months of speculation and rumors, the NHRA announced that the September 11–14 national event in the 2008 POWERade Drag Racing Series schedule will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, at a new state-of-the-art facility being built by Speedway Motorsports Inc.

The Dragway @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway will be the home of the NHRA Carolinas Nationals, the 19th of 24 events on the 2008 POWERade Drag Racing Series schedule. NHRA President Tom Compton and SMI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bruton Smith were on hand for a press conference held at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, announcing the future event and track. For more information on the announcement, including images of the track, click here. 

MEMORIAL SERVICES ANNOUNCED FOR JON AND JAMES HERBERT: The visitation and memorial service for Jon and James Herbert, sons of Top Fuel driver Doug Herbert, will be held Tuesday and Wednesday in Huntersville, North Carolina. Visitation will be held from 6–9 p.m. Tuesday, January 29, at Raymer Funeral Home, 16901 Old Statesville Road, Huntersville, N.C. 28078. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 30, at SouthLake Christian Academy, 13901 Hager’s Ferry Road, Huntersville, N.C. 28078.

Both will be open to the public. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Speedway Children’s Charities in Jon and James Herbert’s names. To make a donation, click here. Condolences can also be sent, via e-mail, to condolences@dougherbert.com. Jon and James were killed Saturday morning in an automobile accident in Cornelius, North Carolina.

WALLY PARKS INDUCTED INTO EMPA HALL OF FAME: NHRA founder Wally Parks was inducted posthumously into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association (EMPA) Hall of Fame Saturday night during a ceremony at the 40th annual EMPA Convention held near Philadelphia. NHRA Division 1 director Bob Lang accepted the Hall of Fame induction on behalf of the NHRA for Parks, who died last September at the age of 94. Parks joined seven others who were influential in motorsports in the 2008 EMPA Hall of Fame calls, most notably NASCAR champion Ned Jarrett and famed Indy Car and NASCAR car owner Roger Penske.

ATLANTA DRAGWAY GETTING FACE LIFT FOR 2008 SEASON: Installing new sections of concrete and asphalt and texturing the racing surface, Atlanta Dragway began the process of track preparation in anticipation of the 28th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, April 24–27. For photos of the renovations, click here.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

CARQUEST AUTO PARTS 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

4.78 SECOND RUN? CHECK. CLIMBING OUT OF THE CAR? CHECK: Still walking with a noticeable limp from his accident last year in Dallas, one of the biggest concerns held by John Force and the rest of the drag racing community was not if he could run, but if he could climb out of the car.

“I had to get in my firesuit and do the drill (for NHRA officials), but I knew it wasn’t going to be a problem because I already had done it (climbed in and out) at the shop,” Force said. “Like I said, it ain’t pretty, but I can do it.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

22: The number of cities in the United States that the NHRA POWERade series will compete in for the 2008 season. The NHRA announced last week Charlotte, North Carolina, specifically The Dragway @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway, as the site of its 19th of 24 events in 2008.

DRIVERS TELL ALL

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: CAPPS FILMS NAPA AD WITH WALTRIP: Funny Car driver Ron Capps knew changes would come after the announcement that NAPA had come aboard as the full-time sponsor for his Dodge Charger Funny Car in 2008. But as he arrived to his first commercial shoot with NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip, it was apparent that this was more than a simple ad.

“I get there, and I get my own big motor coach with my name on it,” Capps said. “I hardly went in it because I felt so guilty. And then there are the makeup people and everything that you would imagine being on a full-blown movie set. We had people who were assistants to other people’s assistants.

"We had one guy who just followed me around who had to know where I was every single minute. And when they needed me, he would come by and say ’10 minutes out,’ and he’d follow me around and wouldn’t let me get out of his sight. It was like I had a leash on all day. It was just amazing.”

Source Interlink Media Publisher Ed Zinke (second from left) is presented with
the MPMC Media Person of the Year Award, flanked by MPMC Chairman Lisa Chissus (left),
MPMC Chair-Elect Bill Floyd and SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting (right).

Source Interlink Media’s Ed Zinke was named the 2008 MPMC Media Person of the Year. Presented by the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) during last week’s MPMC Media Trade Conference, the award recognizes individuals from the media who have made a recognizable positive impact on the motorsports industry and the MPMC during the past year.

In addition to serving as publisher of Chevy High Performance, Camaro Performers, Super Chevy and GM High-Tech Performance, Zinke is a true enthusiast who has shown great support for the industry. He is credited with improving the Engine Masters Challenge and having arranged the Project 57 Chevy giveaway for soldiers.

“Ed is enthusiastic and always makes time to help the industry,” said Lisa Chissus, MPMC chairman. “His support of the industry and our council are greatly appreciated, and we’re happy to be able to present him with the MPMC Media Person of the Year award.”

The MPMC is one of eight SEMA councils. Details about the council are available at www.sema.org/mpmc.

More Movers & Shakers

• The Tennessee State Senate approved a resolution honoring former SEMA Chairman of the Board Joseph “Corky” Coker, president of Coker Tire Company, on his exemplary career in antique car restoration and meritorious service to the Chattanooga community. SEMA salutes Corky on this deserved recognition. For full text of Tennessee Senate Resolution 206, go to: www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/BILL/SR0206.pdf.
  
  
• New Jersey Motorsports Park appointed Ken Grammer as managing director and Donald Fauerbach as general manager. Both bring a wealth of competitive racing, team ownership and operational experience to the company’s management team. Grammer is the former Director of Operations for SCCA Pro Racing and its World Challenge, North American Championship and Miata Cup series. Fauerbach is the founder of the New Jersey Motorsports Park Green Flag Committee, and has been part of the team since the beginning.
  
  
• Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (BFNT) announced that John K. Gamauf—president of consumer replacement tire sales, vice president of BFNT, and member of the Board of Directors of BFNT—has elected to retire May 1. Succeeding Gamauf is John Baratta, currently the vice president of BFNT North American consumer tires sales. Baratta’s successor will be named at a later date. Gamauf will continue to serve on BFNT’s Board.
  
  
• Advance Auto Parts named Michael Norona executive vice president and chief financial officer, replacing Michael Moore, who resigned from the company (effective February 1) to pursue other business opportunities. As CFO, Norona will be responsible for all financial aspects of the company, including accounting, internal audit, investor relations, treasury and tax, budgeting and financial management and risk finance and claims. Judd Nystrom was named vice president of finance and investor relations, effective February 11. Nystrom is responsible for investor relations, budgeting and finance decision support. In addition, the company named Kevin Freeland executive vice president, supply chain and information technology, effective February 13. Freeland is responsible for overseeing the supply chain, logistics and information technology. 
  
  
• ArvinMeritor appointed Sherry Welsh to vice president of sales and marketing for the company's Light Vehicle Systems (LVS) business group. She is responsible for leading the group’s global sales and marketing strategy. Welsh's prior experience includes 20 years with Robert Bosch LLC, most recently serving as senior vice president of sales.
  
  
• Mode Auto named Ahad Mirza as its business development manager. Mirza will manage, develop and implement strategic sales and marketing programs. Prior to joining Mode Auto, Mirza held a market management and national sales account management position with Auto Meter Products. He is currently a select committee member of SEMA’s Sport Compact Council (SCC).
  
  
• MagnaFlow named Darron Shubin the national sales manager for its performance division and Richard Ahn Trinh as assistant manager for performance sales. Shubin and Trinh were both promoted from within the company. Shubin will oversee MagnaFlow’s accounts and sales staff for its performance division, and will serve as primary contact for the company’s marketing reps. Trinh’s new role will have him overseeing the sales tech line staff and acting as a key link between the sales tech line and MagnaFlow’s quality control department. 
  
  
• MBRPinc announced its title sponsorship of the 2008 National Hot Rod Diesel Association Drag Racing Series. The NHRDA brings diesel drag racing, dyno events and sled pulls to the United States and Canada in five divisions. The NHRDA series consists of numerous points races that begins on February 16, at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington.
  
  
• Mitchell 1 established a marketing partnership with National Pronto Association as part of Mitchell 1’s ongoing effort to further extend its national network of connectivity to automotive parts suppliers. This network offers greater flexibility and increased efficiencies in ordering parts when using Mitchell 1’s Manager and ManagerPlus shop management systems.
  
  
• The Truck Accessories Group LLC’s Century Truck Caps division recently attended an annual leadership conference sponsored by the Radco Truck Accessory Center. This year’s theme for the annual conference was “Perspective,” which focused on team building and emphasized how working together fosters an organization that values collaboration. As part of the event, participating teams assembled a monster truck go-kart, complete with decals. Once the assembly was finished, the five teams were required to race laps around the Radco Corporate Campus—a quarter-mile LeMans-style loop. Each team member was required to do a lap. Team Century took first place in the go-kart assembly category with a three-hour, two-minute time, just under the wire of second place Putco, with three hours, five minutes. Team Century, with Sheryl Noblitt, Century’s national sales manager at the wheel, passed a number of competitors giving them a first-place win in the road race, as well as first place in the overall competition.
  
  
• Bosal Group member Bosal International North America opened a new 183,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The $25-million production facility combines two former Bosal operations in the Detroit area—the Warren production site and Ann Arbor technical center. The facility is designed to operate with world-class efficiency and quality standards in conjunction with lean manufacturing principles throughout for the development, test and production of OE exhausts.

Manufacturers' Rep Council (MRC)

The MRC would like to recognize the SEMA/MRC members who attended the Manufacturers' Representatives Educational Research Foundation's (MRERF) Certified Professional Manufacturer Representative (CPMR) 101 at Arizona State University in January. The participants completed their first year of the CPMR training course and are headed toward CPMR Certification.

Left to right: Mike Bolio, Jim Considine III, Greg Bernheisel, Scott Majors, Chris Perry, Tommy Jourdan, with Tom Wilson, CPMR, CSP.

The MRC works with the MRERF to promote the continued education and professionalism of manufacturers' reps. MRERF's CPMR program was developed to provide executive education for owners and managers of field-sales organizations and address the professional-advancement needs of established manufacturers' reps by constructing benchmarks of performance. For more on MRERF, click here. For details on MRERF's CPMR program, click here, or contact Certifiy@MRERF.org.

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

For information about MRC, visit www.sema.org/mrc or contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO)

Filler for eNews

Headed to the 2008 SEMA Spring Expo and SEMA OFFROAD events? Then take advantage of the multiple seminars and presentations designed to equip you with information and strategies to improve your business and increase revenue.

The free sessions kick-off on Thursday, February 7, 1:00–2:30 p.m., with "Making Your Business a Great Investment for You," where you'll gain access to an online calculator that provides updates on your investment returns and how to create larger dividends.

The following morning from 9:45–10:45 a.m., don't miss keynote speaker Richard Picciotto, the highest-ranking New York firefighter to survive the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11. Be inspired and motivated as Picciotto recounts his leadership during that harrowing day, lessons that you can apply to your business and life.

Additional topics in the educational series include "5 Powerful Ways to Boost Your Business and Increase Revenue," "Internet Mediums (Websites, Blogs and Podcasts) to Maximize your Marketing Success" and "Merchandising Restyling to New Car Dealers."

For times and a complete event calendar, click here.

Registration for SEMA Spring Expo and SEMA OFFROAD, February 8–9, 2008, is in full swing and available for attendees online by visiting www.semaspringexpo.com and www.semaoffroad.com. The spring events deliver the acclaimed SEMA Show experience to the Indianapolis area and surrounding regions.

With a special emphasis on trucks and SUVs, exhibitors will display a variety of products and services covering accessories, restyling, wheels and tires, and mobile electronics. To see all industry manufacturers exhibiting at SSE/SOR, click here.

Additionally, make sure to watch for Ford's 2008 Styling Awards for Best Use of Accessories on a Ford truck/SUV. Awards will be judged by Ford's Warren Nally and are available to any Ford truck/SUV on display at SEMA Spring Expo/SEMA OFFROAD.

For more information about the events, contact Gary Vigil at: garyv@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.

The market is an ever-changing force. Do you know where it’s headed? Before becoming vice president of market research and information for SEMA, Jim Spoonhower was director of research for a company whose clients included IBM, GTE, Wells Fargo and the University of California. Jim highlights trends over the last 10 years and shows you where the market is going—as well as how to stay ahead.  

Thursday, April 10
3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Speaker: Jim Spoonhower
Title: "Trends: What Are the Signs Along the Road?”

SEMA Spring Expo exhibitors: This is your last chance to have your product showcased in a live installation at the show. The vehicle buildups will feature two vehicles being transformed from completely stock to completely accessorized trucks right on the show floor.

The first truck, a black 2008 GMC 2500 crew cab shortbed 4x4 will be transformed into a stylized, “personal-use” -type vehicle on Friday. On Saturday, a white 2008 Ford F-350 Super Duty crew cab 4x4 will be converted into a real-world “contractor’s truck." Both trucks are diesel-powered. A team of professional installation experts will be on hand to install the products or you may specify that your own team will do the installation. Wireless microphones will be available to provide step-by-step commentary and/or question-and-answer sessions following the installation.

Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to show how easy it is to install your product. Interested manufacturers are encouraged to contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org. Include a description of the product, any special tools needed for installation, and whether or not you will have your own installers on hand for the program. A schedule for the installs will be released shortly.

Ford Motor Company is once again presenting two Ford Styling Awards at the SEMA Spring Expo in Indianapolis. Known as the “2008 Ford Styling Awards—Best Use of Accessories on a Ford Truck or SUV," the awards recognize creativity, ingenuity and craftsmanship for accessorized Ford vehicles.

These prestigious awards will be judged by Ford's Warren Nally, who will announce the winners Friday evening during the inaugural TORA/PRO Awards Reception. The competition is open to all Ford trucks and SUVs on display at the SEMA Spring Expo. Pre-registration is not required, but to make sure your vehicle is included in the judging, notify the TORA of your interest by e-mailing Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org, or stop by the SEMA Association booth at the show.

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