The passing of Bill France Jr. this week elicited an outpouring of tribute among motorsports fans, professionals, writers and those in the specialty-equipment industry.

“From the beginning as a hobby, then a sport and now a huge business, Bill France Jr. respected the people who stuck with NASCAR throughout the growth years,” says Comp Performance Group owner - Head of Production & Engineering and SEMA Board of Directors member Scooter Brothers. “He would not always tell you what you wanted to hear and you did not always like his answers, but you had a level of respect for him that you stuck to his decisions and made them work.

“I believe he was single-handedly responsible for the huge growth in popularity of NASCAR. He saw the benefit of making heroes out of drivers, and that one thing resulted in the sport expanding to a market much larger than ever hoped for. He was truly a visionary who will be sorely missed. It will be many years before we realize just how profound his presence was in the growth of racing in this era.”

For more about the man credited with ushering in the current NASCAR era, click here.  

Submissions are now being accepted for the 2007 SEMA Show Products for Project Vehicle Builders list. SEMA Show exhibitors that would like to make products available to project vehicle builders for free or at a discount are invited to send an e-mail to eNews@sema.org. The e-mail should include company name, booth number, the products being offered and contact information.

The SEMA Show is an annual showcase for the specialty-equipment industry and features more than 1,000 project vehicles each year. Manufacturers use the project-vehicle program to highlight their products, displaying head-turning vehicles that demonstrate the added appeal and functionality of specialty equipment. The experience is so valuable that many manufacturers offer their products for free or at a substantial discount.

Exhibitor submissions will appear once in SEMA eNews, and will then be posted on www.sema.org. Listings will appear on a first-come, first-served basis. All submissions are due by Friday, October 5. Note: The list is reserved for 2007 SEMA Show exhibitors only.

Audi’s million-dollar prototype RS8 may have crashed and burned at the Nurburgring, but that won’t diminish the appetite that Audi – and Porsche – enthusiasts have for performance parts and accessories.

Between May 4-June 2, fans of the German performance marques spent a combined $2,323,774 on parts and accessories via online auction, according to data from Terapeak, a developer of market-focused research software that monitors online sales and auctions.

Porsche enthusiasts outspent their Audi counterparts by $631,022, predominately buying interior and exterior parts, and wheel and tire combinations. Wheel and tire sales proved most profitable, accounting for $359,621. Interior parts sold the most volume however, chief among them steering wheels, dash, and trim pieces. Exterior parts – mostly car covers, hardtops and bumpers – followed, totaling $227,848 of sales.

Audi enthusiasts largely covet Xenon headlamps, with the overall lighting and lamps category selling the most volume and accounting for $105,212 of total sales. Like the Porsche market, wheels for Audi models topped the sales numbers at $275,326 and enthusiasts spent $84,547 on exterior parts, including grilles, spoilers and wings, and antennas.

Terapeak's Motors P&A Research provides sellers with access to in-depth research on the past year of online auction data and allows users to get in-depth research reports on the competition and themselves. More at www.terapeak.com/motors.  

Filler for eNews

Audi hasn’t confirmed its plans for this uber high-performance machine, but this million-dollar prototype recently spotted testing at Germany’s Nurburgring points to the even hotter version of Audi’s much-anticipated R8. And hotter is the key word, as this prototype later ended up in a ball of flame, leaving only the frame, wheels and rollbar intact.

According to the writers at Edmunds’ Inside Line, the car could come badged as an RS8 or R8-RS, but whatever its name, it’s likely to carry a version of the 5.2L V10 currently found in the S6 and S8 sedans. The expected 500 horsepower is enough to separate the new Audi from its sedan siblings without threatening its corporate partner, the Lamborghini Gallardo, says Inside Line. The Audi super coupe should go on sale next year.

A version of SEMA-model legislation to create a registration category for replica motor vehicles was approved by the Nevada State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Jim Gibbons. Under the bill, replicas are defined as vehicles manufactured after 1968 to resemble vehicles manufactured before 1968. Replicas will be exempted from all emissions inspection requirements applicable to other vehicles in the state.  Registration as a replica vehicle will be open to 100 such vehicles each year and use will limited to occasional transportation and other hobby-related activities. Titles for these vehicles would list both the year of assembly and the model year that the body of the vehicle replicates.  The new law becomes effective July 1, 2007. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on an energy bill during the week of June 11 that includes a provision to dramatically raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards. If enacted into law, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) would be required to increase the combined CAFE standards for passenger cars and light trucks by 4% a year through 2030, to a combined average of 52 mpg. The current standards are 27.5 mpg for cars and 22.2 for light trucks, SUVs and minivans. 

SEMA urges you to contact your two Senators (below) in opposition to arbitrary CAFE increases contained in the energy bill fuel economy and in support of reasonable increases that take into account technological feasibility, safety, jobs and consumer choice.  SEMA is working with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers in this effort.  SEMA and the automakers believe NHTSA, rather than Congress, has better expertise in establishing balanced and realistic CAFE standards.

Time is of the essence so your message should be e-mailed to your Senators.  SEMA has made the process very simple:

1. Find your two Senators below (listed by state) and click on the link. The link will either send you to their webmail or automatically create an e-mail. 

2. Cut and paste the pre-written letter into an e-mail.  Please feel free to personalize the letter.

3. Send an e-mail to Stuart Gosswein (stuartg@sema.org) in SEMA's D.C. office letting us know you have added your voice to the cause.

Sample E-Mail

[DATE]

The Honorable [FULL NAME]
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
 
Dear Senator [Last Name]:
 
I am writing to urge you to oppose the arbitrary CAFE increase contained in S. 1419 and, instead, urge you to vote for technologically feasible increases that preserve consumer safety and choice.

I am contacting you on behalf of  [COMPANY NAME]  and its  [INSERT NUMBER]  employees.  [Company name] is located in  [city and state], and  [indicate nature of business, e.g., manufacture engine parts, sell automotive components in retail stores or service trucks and automobiles].  The company is also a member of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), a trade association that has over 7,000 member companies and represents the $36.7 billion specialty-automotive industry headquartered in Diamond Bar, California.

Our company values fuel economy—but we also value many other attributes that come with a new automobile such as safety, passenger and cargo room, performance, towing, hauling capacity and more.  Our industry produces many of the products that provide all of these attributes, including better fuel economy.  We believe CAFE decisions are best made by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration since experts at this federal agency can balance fuel economy with other issues, such as jobs, consumer choice and safety. 

I urge you to support an alternative to this extreme legislation that will significantly increase fuel economy in a realistic fashion, while also mandating an increased production of automobiles that run on alternative fuels like ethanol, biodiesel and other bio fuels, and encouraging more gas stations to offer these alternative fuels.

I urge you support consumer choice and vote for the better fuel economy alternative.

Sincerely,

[NAME, TITLE]
 

United States Senate

Alabama
Sessions, Jeff- (R - AL)
Web Form: sessions.senate.gov/email/contact.cfm  

Shelby, Richard C.- (R - AL)
E-mail: senator@shelby.senate.gov

Alaska
Murkowski, Lisa- (R - AK)
Web Form: murkowski.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Stevens, Ted- (R - AK)
Web Form: http://stevens.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EmailSenatorStevens

Arizona
Kyl, Jon- (R - AZ)
Web Form: kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

McCain, John- (R - AZ)
Web Form: http://mccain.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm?ID=64

Arkansas
Lincoln, Blanche L.- (D - AR)
Web Form: lincoln.senate.gov/webform.html

Pryor, Mark L.- (D - AR)
Web Form: pryor.senate.gov/contact/

California
Boxer, Barbara- (D - CA)
Web Form: http://boxer.senate.gov/contact/email/policy.cfm
Feinstein, Dianne- (D - CA)
Web Form: feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactU...

Colorado
Allard, Wayne- (R - CO)
Web Form: allard.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Salazar, Ken- (D - CO)
Web Form: salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Connecticut
Dodd, Christopher J.- (D - CT)
Web Form: http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3128&cat=Opinion
Lieberman, Joseph I.- (ID - CT)
Web Form: lieberman.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm?regarding=issue

Delaware
Biden, Joseph R., Jr.- (D - DE)
Web Form: biden.senate.gov/contact/emailjoe.cfm

Carper, Thomas R.- (D - DE)
Web Form: carper.senate.gov/aemail.htm

Florida
Martinez, Mel- (R - FL)
Web Form: martinez.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactIn...
Nelson, Bill- (D - FL)
Web Form: billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Georgia
Chambliss, Saxby- (R - GA)
Web Form: chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactU...
Isakson, Johnny- (R - GA)
Web Form: isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Hawaii
Akaka, Daniel K.- (D - HI)
Web Form: akaka.senate.gov/email.cfm
Inouye, Daniel K.- (D - HI)
Web Form: inouye.senate.gov/abtform.html

Idaho
Craig, Larry E.- (R - ID)
Web Form: http://craig.senate.gov/webform.cfm
Crapo, Mike- (R - ID)
Web Form: crapo.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Illinois
Durbin, Richard- (D - IL)
Web Form: durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Obama, Barack- (D - IL)
Web Form: obama.senate.gov/contact/

Indiana
Bayh, Evan- (D - IN)
Web Form: http://bayh.senate.gov/LegForm.htm

Lugar, Richard G.- (R - IN)
E-mail: senator_lugar@lugar.senate.gov

Iowa
Grassley, Chuck- (R - IA)
Web Form: grassley.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Harkin, Tom- (D - IA)
Web Form: harkin.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

Kansas
Brownback, Sam- (R - KS)
Web Form: brownback.senate.gov/CMEmailMe.cfm
Roberts, Pat- (R - KS)
Web Form: roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInf...

Kentucky
Bunning, Jim- (R - KY)
Web Form: bunning.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email
McConnell, Mitch- (R - KY)
Web Form: mcconnell.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

Louisiana
Landrieu, Mary L.- (D - LA)
Web Form: landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
Vitter, David- (R - LA)
Web Form: vitter.senate.gov/?module=webformIQV1

Maine
Collins, Susan M.- (R - ME)
Web Form: collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=Contact...

Snowe, Olympia J.- (R - ME)
Web Form: snowe.senate.gov/contact.htm

Maryland
Cardin, Benjamin L.- (D - MD)
Web Form: cardin.senate.gov/contact/

Mikulski, Barbara A.- (D - MD)
Web Form: mikulski.senate.gov/mailform.html

Massachusetts
Kennedy, Edward M.- (D - MA)
Web Form: kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm

Kerry, John F.- (D - MA)
Web Form: kerry.senate.gov/v3/contact/email.html

Michigan
Levin, Carl- (D - MI)\
Web Form: http://levin.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Stabenow, Debbie- (D - MI)
Web Form: stabenow.senate.gov/email.htm

Minnesota
Coleman, Norm- (R - MN)
Web Form: coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Klobuchar, Amy- (D - MN)
Web Form: klobuchar.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Mississippi
Cochran, Thad- (R - MS)
Web Form: cochran.senate.gov/contact.htm

Lott, Trent- (R - MS)
Web Form: lott.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email

Missouri
Bond, Christopher S.- (R - MO)
Web Form: bond.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm

McCaskill, Claire- (D - MO)
Web Form: mccaskill.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Montana
Baucus, Max- (D - MT)
Web Form: baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue

Tester, Jon- (D - MT)
Web Form: tester.senate.gov/Contact/
 
Nebraska
Hagel, Chuck- (R - NE)
Web Form: hagel.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Nelson, E. Benjamin- (D - NE)
Web Form: bennelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Nevada
Ensign, John- (R - NV)
Web Form: ensign.senate.gov/forms/email_form.cfm

Reid, Harry- (D - NV)
Web Form: reid.senate.gov/contact/email_form.cfm

New Hampshire
Gregg, Judd- (R - NH)
Web Form: gregg.senate.gov/sitepages/contact.cfm

Sununu, John E.- (R - NH)
Web Form: www.sununu.senate.gov/webform.html

New Jersey
Lautenberg, Frank R.- (D - NJ)
Web Form: lautenberg.senate.gov/contact/

Menendez, Robert- (D - NJ)
Web Form: menendez.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

New Mexico
Bingaman, Jeff- (D - NM)
E-mail: senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov

Domenici, Pete V.- (R - NM)
Web Form: domenici.senate.gov/contact/contactform.cfm

New York
Clinton, Hillary Rodham- (D - NY)
Web Form: http://clinton.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm?subj=issue

Schumer, Charles E.- (D - NY)
Web Form: schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/contact/webform.cfm

North Carolina
Burr, Richard- (R - NC)
Web Form: burr.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Dole, Elizabeth- (R - NC)
Web Form: dole.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.C...

North Dakota
Conrad, Kent- (D - ND)
Web Form: conrad.senate.gov/webform.html

Dorgan, Byron L.- (D - ND)
E-mail: senator@dorgan.senate.gov

Ohio
Brown, Sherrod- (D - OH)
Web Form: brown.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Voinovich, George V.- (R - OH)
Web Form: voinovich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact....

Oklahoma
Coburn, Tom- (R - OK)
Web Form: http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCoburn.Home

Inhofe, James M.- (R - OK)
Web Form: inhofe.senate.gov/contactus.htm

Oregon
Smith, Gordon H.- (R - OR)
Web Form: gsmith.senate.gov/webform.htm

Wyden, Ron- (D - OR)
Web Form: wyden.senate.gov/contact.html

Pennsylvania
Casey, Robert P., Jr.- (D - PA)
Web Form: casey.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Specter, Arlen- (R - PA)
Web Form: specter.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInfo.Home

Rhode Island
Reed, Jack- (D - RI)
Web Form: reed.senate.gov/contact/contact-share.cfm

Whitehouse, Sheldon- (D - RI)
Web Form: whitehouse.senate.gov/contact.cfm

South Carolina
DeMint, Jim- (R - SC)
Web Form: demint.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Graham, Lindsey- (R - SC)
Web Form: lgraham.senate.gov/index.cfm?mode=contact

South Dakota
Johnson, Tim- (D - SD)
Web Form: johnson.senate.gov/emailform.cfm

Thune, John- (R - SD)
Web Form: http://thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email

Tennessee
Alexander, Lamar- (R - TN)
Web Form: alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Corker, Bob- (R - TN)
Web Form: corker.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm

Texas
Cornyn, John- (R - TX)
Web Form: cornyn.senate.gov/contact/index.html

Hutchison, Kay Bailey- (R - TX)
Web Form: hutchison.senate.gov/contact.html

Utah
Bennett, Robert F.- (R - UT)
Web Form: http://bennett.senate.gov/contact/email_opinion.cfm
Hatch, Orrin G.- (R - UT)
Web Form: hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Offices.Contact

Vermont
Leahy, Patrick J.- (D - VT)
E-mail: senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov

Sanders, Bernard- (I - VT)
Web Form: sanders.senate.gov/comments/

Virginia
Warner, John- (R - VA)
Web Form: warner.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm

Webb, Jim- (D - VA)
Web Form: webb.senate.gov/contact/

Washington
Cantwell, Maria- (D - WA)
Web Form: cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html

Murray, Patty- (D - WA)
Web Form: murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

West Virginia
Byrd, Robert C.- (D - WV)
Web Form: byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html

Rockefeller, John D., IV- (D - WV)
Web Form: rockefeller.senate.gov/services/email.cfm

Wisconsin
Feingold, Russell D.- (D - WI)
Web Form: feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html

Kohl, Herb- (D - WI)
Web Form: kohl.senate.gov/gen_contact.html

Wyoming
Enzi, Michael B.- (R - WY)
Web Form: enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInform...