Registration for SEMA Spring Expo and SEMA OFFROAD, February 8–9, 2008, in Indianapolis, 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.

Both shows are sponsored by the Light-Truck Accessory Alliance (TORA) and Professional Restylers Organization (PRO). For more information about TORA, click here or e-mail Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org. For more information about PRO, click here or e-mail Ellen McKoy at ellenm@sema.org.

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SEMA members will learn how to use the Internet for effective, low-cost marketing during the next SEMA webinar, “Use Electronic Marketing to Increase Profits and Decrease Costs.”

Description: Electronic marketing channels, including the Internet and RSS (Really Simple Syndication) Feeds, offer companies unprecedented opportunities to increase profits while lowering costs. Join the session on Thursday, December 13, at 10:00 a.m., to learn specific, put-to-work-now actions you can take online to determine/segment your audience, boost revenues, improve ROI/profits and increase lifetime customer value.

When: December 13, at 10:00 a.m. (PST)

Presented by: Brian Offenberger (aka RSS Ray), BizGrowth Search Engine Solutions

For more information, visit www.sema.org/webinar. Reminder: All SEMA webinars are recorded and available for download to view at your convenience. Check out the past sessions and business-building information you missed by clicking here.

Cadillac's redesigned CTS is enjoying mainstream kudos for returning both Detroit and the vaunted badge to the luxury sedan discussion. Cadillac enthusiasts now await the high-performance variant CTS-V, which according to spy photog Brenda Priddy will use GM's LSA motor, a supercharged small-block V8 good for 500 horsepower. Numbers ranging from 515 to 525 hp, perhaps even higher, have also been rumored.

The 2009 CTS-V will feature a supercharger integrated into the intake manifold, the same setup that the upcoming Corvette SS/Blue Devil will use in its LS9 motor. While the Corvette SS motor will be hand-built at the Performance Build Center in Wixom, Michigan, however, the Lac's LSA will be built in a conventional engine plant.

Automatic and manual transmissions will be available, and an optional paddle shift feature is also anticipated. Production will start in September 2008, and will be limited to about 7000 units annually. Internally, GM is referring to the car as "GMX322 V S/C."

The current CTS-V has reportedly suffered from rear-end problems, specifically wheel hop. The 2009 CTS-V will feature a completely re-done rearend with an improved rear axle which sources say has eliminated wheel hop altogether. The 2009 will continue to utilize a massive set of Brembo brakes in front and back. While the wheels on this prototype are not production-spec, we suspect the wider tires and larger exhaust are.

(Photo credit: Chris Doane for Brenda Priddy & Company) 

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The U.S. House of Representatives approved SEMA-supported legislation to increase the nation’s fuel-economy standards. If signed into law, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards for passenger cars and light trucks would rise by 40% to an industry average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. SEMA worked with the automakers and other industry associations as part of the CAFE Coalition to help negotiate a compromise approach that would allow carmakers to reach a fair and attainable standard.

The measure also creates a new national consumer information program regarding the fuel efficiency of replacement tires. Although SEMA has been reluctant to focus consumer attention on tire fuel efficiency since it may distract motorists from more important safety issues, such as tire pressure, performance and handling, the proposed program is less onerous than other legislative proposals that were considered to mandate tire testing and labeling.

The accord is part of a larger energy bill (HR 6) which is now before the Senate. Senators support the CAFE agreement but are working to address several unrelated but contentious issues: a tax provision and a requirement that electric utilities generate a certain portion of their power using renewable fuels. Final action is expected in December. The following are key auto-related elements:

Fuel-Economy Targets

• Preserves separate CAFE standards for passenger cars and light trucks
• Allows standards to be set at levels that will achieve 35 mpg by 2020 for the combined fleet of passenger cars and light trucks
• Establishes new fuel-economy regulatory programs for “work trucks” and for commercial medium- and heavy-duty trucks
• Confirms that new-car and light-truck standards take effect in model year 2011

Consumer Awareness

• Creates a new consumer information program about fuel economy, including:
       - New-vehicle labels about fuel economy and alternative fuels
       - New-vehicle rating system regarding fuel economy and greenhouse gases
       - Owners’ manual information for vehicles capable of running on alternative fuels

Tire Efficiency

• Creates a new consumer information program regarding the fuel efficiency of replacement tires. The provision mirrors a California law and includes a SEMA-drafted exemption for limited production tires (15,000 or less annually) and other specialized tires. 

For additional information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuart@sema.org or 202/783-6007, ext. 30. 

CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS: Donny Schatz was named the winner of the fifth annual Economaki Champion of Champions presented by Rockett Brand Racing Fuel. The award was presented by National Speed Sport News Publisher Emeritus Chris Economaki and accepted by Schatz during the 20th annual PRI Trade Show in Orlando.

SUPPORT: Advance Auto Parts, which has sponsored the Advance Auto Super DIRT Series for 10 years, has increased its support of the World Racing Group, signing on as sponsor of the World of Outlaws sprint-car series.

PULLING OUT: Craftsman will end its sponsorship of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at the end of the 2008 season.

STAYING ON: RE/MAX has renewed its sponsorship of the ARCA RE/MAX Series for stock cars through the 2011 campaign.

CONFIRMED: Renault has confirmed two-time World Driving Champion Fernando Alonso will return to the team for the 2008 season.

SHOWCASE: World Racing Group’s DIRTCar brand will get a signature event next season with the introduction of the UMP DIRTcar Roundup October 15–18, at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri. Promoter Ken Schrader is calling the event the Party in Pevely.

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

NHRA POWERADE SERIES AMBASSADORS RISE UP DOWN UNDER: NHRA POWERade Series ambassadors Cory McClenathan and Mike Dunn traveled to Australia this past weekend and acquitted themselves quite well and may have been in an all-NHRA final if not for Phil Read. The Aussie dragster beat McClenathan in the semis and then he topped ESPN analyst and 22-time winner Mike Dunn in the final round of the race held at Western Sydney International Dragway. A full recap of the final round, which included a hail storm and temps in excess of 140-degrees F, can be found by clicking here.

POWERade SERIES CHAMPS TOP AARWBA ALL-AMERICA TEAM: Top Fuel and Funny Car world champions Tony Schumacher and Tony Pedregon were named to the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters (AARWBA) All-America First Team. Pro Stock world champion Jeg Coughlin and runner-up Greg Anderson were named to the AARWBA All-America Second Team. Schumacher was the leading vote-getter among the drag racers, and he is one of five finalists for the Jerry Titus Award, which is given to the top vote-getter regardless of category. Schumacher won the award last year and if he repeats, he would become just the third driver in history to win the Jerry Titus Award in back-to-back years (Mario Andretti, 1977–1978 and John Force, 1999–2000). For more information on the AARWBA All-America team, please click here. 

TOMMY JOHNSON JR. FILLS MONSTER SEAT IN FUNNY CAR: One year into his return, NHRA legend Kenny Bernstein announced that he will be returning to full-time ownership and replacing himself in the Monster Energy Dodge Charger with accomplished driver Tommy Johnson Jr., who was released from his contract by Don “Snake” Prudhomme. Johnson Jr. had driven the Skoal Chevy for Prudhomme. For more on this story, click here. 

NHRA 2007 YEAR IN REVIEW DVD’S AVAILABLE: The NHRA Countdown to the Championship 2007 Year in Review, featuring 120 minutes of highlights and bonus features on Wally Parks and Eric Medlen, is available for pre-order at www.nhradvd.com. For more about the DVD and the just announced shipping options, visit www.nhra.com/content/news/25860.htm.  

POWERade SERIES ROOKIE OF THE YEAR FORCE A YAHOO! TRENDSETTER: Yahoo! released a series of Top 10 lists covering a variety of categories tracking “trends in Search” and Ashley Force was No. 10 in the “sports news” category. The 2007 Auto Club Road to the Future winner was joined by international A-list athletes Maria Sharapova and David Beckham on the list, and she was the only motorsports personality included on the list. Force was featured in January on the Yahoo! front page when she announced she was turning pro; she was joined by Melanie Troxel and Angelle Sampey on "Good Morning America" in June, she was featured in Men’s Journal in August 2007, and in September she was named AOL’s Hottest Athlete and the guest of Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show."

COMING ATTRACTIONS

NITRO BLAST OFF, LAS VEGAS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, JANUARY 18–20: The elite teams of the NHRA POWERade Series will begin making preparations for competition in 2008 at this first of three optional showcase pre-season test sessions.

NATIONAL TIME TRIALS, PHOENIX, FIREBIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, JANUARY 25–27: Pre-season action moves from Nevada to Arizona as the professional teams continue to tweak off-season changes at this second of three optional test sessions.

LAST-CHANCE TEST SESSION AND PONTIAC PRO STOCK SHOWDOWN, LAS VEGAS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, FEBRUARY 1–3: This aptly named test session is the final of three optional events that allow professional drivers to test their machines before formal competition opens for 2008. The 200-mph NHRA Pro Stock cars also will race for bragging rights in the annual Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown.

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.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

SHE’S OFF THE MARKET: Ashley Force celebrated her 25th birthday by getting engaged to boyfriend Danny Hood and she broke the news to her famous father thusly, as told by longtime Force publicist Dave Densmore: "She called John to let him know the news when he was going through one of his physical therapy sessions. He said that was a good thing because they had him hooked up to all the monitors at the time so they’d be able to tell if he was actually having a heart attack or not.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

90%: That’s the new maximum nitro-methane content (up from 85%) for Funny Cars and Top Fuel dragsters in 2008. For a complete list of rules updates, click here.  

DRIVERS TELL ALL

THREE-TIME CHAMP REFLECTS ON HIS NEW HARDWARE: The ultra-successful Summit Racing team of Greg Anderson and Jason Line will be rolling out brand-new vehicles in 2008: the Pontiac G6 GXP. “Every change GM has made in the past has been a big step forward and from what I can see on paper; that will once again be the case with the G6s.”

For more information, visit www.nhra.com.