The banner at the top of the RCTS Canada website reads, “Technology is the only substitute for cubic inches.” It’s a saying that the retail performance outlet has lived by since owner Reg Riemer founded it in 1996. Over the years, RCTS has worked closely with factory shops ranging from TTE-Toyota Team Europe to HKS to boost its technical and R&D credentials. In fact, RCTS has carved out a specific niche as the only licensed, fully supported HKS Pro Dealer in all of Canada.

The banner at the top of the RCTS Canada website reads, “Technology is the only substitute for cubic inches.” It’s a saying that the retail performance outlet has lived by since owner Reg Riemer founded it in 1996. Over the years, RCTS has worked closely with factory shops ranging from TTE-Toyota Team Europe to HKS to boost its technical and R&D credentials. In fact, RCTS has carved out a specific niche as the only licensed, fully supported HKS Pro Dealer in all of Canada.

By SEMA Editors

	Nearly 500 students and faculty, including many Scholarship recipients, attended the 2014 SEMA Show Student Welcome Luncheon—an event that all SEMA Scholarship winners are invited to attend during the week of the Show.

Students preparing for careers in the auto or auto parts industries are invited to apply for an award from the 2015 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF). The program offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to help foster the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators.

Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, including accounting, sales and marketing and engineering. Dozens of awards ranging from $2,000–$3,000 will be given out, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

The program also includes a loan forgiveness component, which offers financial awards to employees of SEMA-member companies who have completed and are currently paying off a loan for a program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program within the United States.

The deadline for the 2015 program is April 1, 2015.

For more information on the program or to apply, visit the 2015 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF) website or contact Juliet Marshall, SEMA education manager at julietm@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

	Nearly 500 students and faculty, including many Scholarship recipients, attended the 2014 SEMA Show Student Welcome Luncheon—an event that all SEMA Scholarship winners are invited to attend during the week of the Show.

Students preparing for careers in the auto or auto parts industries are invited to apply for an award from the 2015 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF). The program offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to help foster the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators.

Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, including accounting, sales and marketing and engineering. Dozens of awards ranging from $2,000–$3,000 will be given out, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

The program also includes a loan forgiveness component, which offers financial awards to employees of SEMA-member companies who have completed and are currently paying off a loan for a program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program within the United States.

The deadline for the 2015 program is April 1, 2015.

For more information on the program or to apply, visit the 2015 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF) website or contact Juliet Marshall, SEMA education manager at julietm@sema.org.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

	Luanne Brown

eTool Developers’ Luanne Brown to Receive Spirit of Leadership Award

Luanne Brown, president of eTool Developers and a member of the SEMA Board of Directors, has been chosen to receive the 2015 Spirit of Leadership Award presented annually by the Women’s Automotive Association International (WAAI). The award—which recognizes professional women in the automotive industry for their outstanding professional achievements, community involvement and contributions to the growth and progress of the automotive industry—will be presented to Brown and five other distinguished industry women at the WAAI Spirit of Leadership Awards Reception, Saturday, January 24, in San Francisco.

Brown’s firm is best known for providing standardized data management utilizing a customized e-tool developed by her company that enables aftermarket clients to become compliant with industry data standards. She also created a portal for aftermarket manufacturers to provide online product training under the auspices of the Performance Warehouse Association. Besides serving on the SEMA Board, Brown chairs the SEMA Cares Committee, which engages in charitable fundraising initiatives, and is a past chair of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network.

The other honorees include Celeste Briggs, director of General Motors’ Women’s Retail Network; Ruth Fruehauf, founder/CEO of the Fruehauf Trailer Historical Society; Debbie Pollack, Luxury Automotive Marketing senior strategist; Elaine Robertazzi, retired and former owner of Liberty Lincoln-Mercury; and Susan Scarola, president of the DCH Charitable Foundation.

Synchrony Financial Announces Engage With Car Pros Campaign

Synchrony Financial's Engage with Car Pros Contest will recognize automotive repair shop owners who have gone above and beyond to deliver exceptional service.

Now through February 15, 2015, customers can submit their best car care story at www.engagewithcarpros.com/pro to show their appreciation for the outstanding service their automotive professionals provided. Readers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite story from March 9–30, with the automotive professional who receives the most votes announced in the spring.

The automotive care location featured in the winning story will receive $100,000 and the customer who submits the winning story will also win $2,500. Additional prizes for automotive professionals and first-place customer stories will also be awarded.

Automotive care shop owners interested in the contest can visit www.engagewithcarpros.com/pro to learn more and request a free contest kit, which includes signs promoting consumer participation.

Cyclo Toolmakers Inc. Acquired by RUPES S.p.A.

RUPES S.p.A. announced its acquisition of Cyclo Toolmakers of Longmont, Colorado, producers of the Cyclo Orbital Polisher. RUPES, an Italian manufacturer of electric and pneumatic power tools and vacuum systems, is based in Vermezzo, Italy, a suburb of Milan. RUPES is best known in North America for the introduction of its paradigm-changing polishing system, BigFoot. Cyclo Toolmakers has supplied the auto detailing and airplane polishing segments with its Cyclo dual-head polisher for more than 60 years. The company manufactures its line of polishers in its Colorado facility. This location is slated to become the center of Rupes’ and Cyclo’s operations in North America, where the new company will operate as Rupes USA Inc. The entire RUPES product offering can be viewed at the RUPES corporate website at www.rupes.com. Cyclo Toolmakers’ website is www.cyclotoolmakers.com.

Champion Oil adds Innovative Marketing Services in the West

Champion Oil has announced that Innovative Marketing Services (IMS) is its newest rep agency covering the Western United States and Western Canada. IMS has been nominated for SEMA Rep Agency of the Year three out of the past five years. SEMA recently honored the company's founder, Jerry Nunez, by inducting him into the SEMA MRN Hall of Fame. Lynne Trimble, CEO of Innovative Marketing Services, serves on SEMA’s MRN Select Committee. Dick Hedman, Scott Freeny, Joe Bovee and Jeff Gloden round out the IMS team.

	’33 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow

Arizona Concours d’Elegance Rare and Historic Feature Cars

The second-annual Arizona Concours d’Elegance kicks off the Valley of the Sun’s famous Classic Car Week, Sunday, January 11, with an array of rare and exceptional automobiles displayed on the inner lawns of the landmark Arizona Biltmore Resort. Ninety cars will compete for prizes in 17 classes and vie for a number of special awards. There also will be four featured classes for 2015: the Pierce-Arrow luxury brand, the 100th anniversary of the Italian design firm Ghia, Ferrari race cars through ’65, and cars once owned by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who consulted in the design of the Arizona Biltmore, which opened in 1929.

Among the top automobiles that highlight the Arizona Concours d’Elegance are:

• ’33 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow
• ’53 Cadillac Ghia
• ’37 AC roadster
• ’54 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing
• ’37 Rolls-Royce “Copper Kettle”
• ’56 Ferrari 250 GT Zagato

Tickets for the Arizona Concours are strictly limited, with 2,000 paid entries available for the January 11 event, and are available on the Arizona Concours d’Elegance official website.

Heatshield Products Celebrates 30 Years of Engineering and Manufacturing Heat Barrier Products in the USA

Heatshield Products is celebrating 30 years of business in 2015. The company started with two products—Thermal Sleeving and Thermaflect Shield (originally called Heat Blanket)—and the Heatshield Products line has grown to more than 400 products that span the automotive, marine, industrial and military markets.

Mel Heye and his son Bruce started Heatshield Products in the family’s two-car garage, and has expanded to more than 500 dealers globally. Today, Heatshield Products encompasses two manufacturing facilities with a combined total of 20,000 sq. ft., and the company plans to open a third facility in 2015.

Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA eNews. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.

SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

You may be fed up with political antics in Washington but there’s a lot happening in our nation’s capital that affects your bottom line. SEMA’s Political Action Committee (SEMA PAC) helps you keep pace by supporting the Congressional car guys and gals who have our industry’s back.

Whether it’s the law or the people that make laws, things in our nation’s capital are always changing. We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while others determine the future of our industry. Make your voice heard in 2015 by visiting SEMAPAC.com and becoming SEMA PAC Approved. It takes seconds and there is never an obligation to contribute. The more people who join, the louder our voice and the greater our ability to impact change.

To learn more, contact SEMA PAC and Congressional Relations Manager Christian Robinson at christianr@sema.org.

SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

You may be fed up with political antics in Washington but there’s a lot happening in our nation’s capital that affects your bottom line. SEMA’s Political Action Committee (SEMA PAC) helps you keep pace by supporting the Congressional car guys and gals who have our industry’s back.

Whether it’s the law or the people that make laws, things in our nation’s capital are always changing. We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while others determine the future of our industry. Make your voice heard in 2015 by visiting SEMAPAC.com and becoming SEMA PAC Approved. It takes seconds and there is never an obligation to contribute. The more people who join, the louder our voice and the greater our ability to impact change.

To learn more, contact SEMA PAC and Congressional Relations Manager Christian Robinson at christianr@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA urged the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to set aside efforts to establish a mandatory safety standard for recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) in favor of an industry standard developed in consultation with the CPSC over the past five years. The CPSC held a public meeting January 7 to discuss the issue. SEMA joined with the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) and a number of other organizations and companies in voicing concerns that the proposed CPSC rule would have the unintended effect of imposing design restrictions and stifling future safety innovations.

The industry standard was produced by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and ROHVA. SEMA questioned whether the CPSC had sufficient basis for abandoning the current industry standard since the law directs the Agency to pursue a voluntary consumer product safety standard whenever possible. The CPSC acknowledges that it lacks sufficient data to estimate whether there would be reduced injury rates from its mandatory approach. SEMA noted that it is much easier to update an industry standard with government collaboration to reflect technological changes since a government safety standard requires a lengthy rulemaking process.

ROVs are a popular form or recreational transportation on backcountry roads and trails. They can attain speeds greater than 30 miles-per-hour and are configured differently than all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). ROVs generally accommodate a side-by-side driver/passenger in a compartment equipped with roll bars. They include automotive-type controls for steering, throttle and braking.

View a copy of SEMA’s comments. 

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA urged the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to set aside efforts to establish a mandatory safety standard for recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) in favor of an industry standard developed in consultation with the CPSC over the past five years. The CPSC held a public meeting January 7 to discuss the issue. SEMA joined with the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) and a number of other organizations and companies in voicing concerns that the proposed CPSC rule would have the unintended effect of imposing design restrictions and stifling future safety innovations.

The industry standard was produced by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and ROHVA. SEMA questioned whether the CPSC had sufficient basis for abandoning the current industry standard since the law directs the Agency to pursue a voluntary consumer product safety standard whenever possible. The CPSC acknowledges that it lacks sufficient data to estimate whether there would be reduced injury rates from its mandatory approach. SEMA noted that it is much easier to update an industry standard with government collaboration to reflect technological changes since a government safety standard requires a lengthy rulemaking process.

ROVs are a popular form or recreational transportation on backcountry roads and trails. They can attain speeds greater than 30 miles-per-hour and are configured differently than all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). ROVs generally accommodate a side-by-side driver/passenger in a compartment equipped with roll bars. They include automotive-type controls for steering, throttle and braking.

View a copy of SEMA’s comments. 

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

Compiled by SEMA Editors

	Chris Corbett, Nitto Tire U.S.A.’s events and motorsports manager (left), and Dave Cole, president of Hammerking Productions/Ultra4 Racing (right).

Nitto Tire Named Title Sponsor of 2015 King of the Hammers

Nitto Tire U.S.A. has signed an agreement with Hammerking Productions (Ultra4) to be title sponsor of the 2015 Nitto King of the Hammers (KOH) race. Nitto Tire was previously the race’s presenting sponsor.

The King of the Hammers race is a one-day event in off-road racing and covers more than 200 miles on a course that combines triple-digit-speed desert sections with technical boulder climbs that often require winching. The 2015 running—the ninth annual King of the Hammers—will be the first one with Nitto Tire as the title sponsor.

The Nitto King of the Hammers race for the unlimited Ultra4 vehicles takes place February 6, 2015, in Johnson Valley, California. “Hammertown” on Means Dry Lake will open January 30 to kick off a full week of ultimate desert and rock action. Competition begins with the King of the Motos race February 1–2. The carnage-fest East/West Shootout on February 2 pits Southeastern Rock Racing Series (SRRS) drivers against Ultra4 racers in an obstacle course challenge.

Competition continues February 4 with the Polaris KOH UTV race. Street-based 4x4s hit the course February 5 for the Smittybilt Everyman Challenge. The action peaks Friday, February 6, with the main event: The Nitto Tire King of the Hammers race. Competitors will spend all day (and part of the night for the non-front-runners) on the approximately 225-mile course. The “King” will be officially crowned Saturday morning, followed by new-for-2015 “KOH The Experience” enthusiast trail rides.

	Falken Tire has a new endorsement agreement with factory Kawasaki Rider Davi Millsaps.

Falken Signs Supercross Star Davi Millsaps

Falken Tire has maintained a strong presence for many years in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross—an FIM World Championship series—as the Official Passenger Car and Light Truck Tire and returns in 2015 with a new endorsement agreement with factory Kawasaki Rider Davi Millsaps.

Returning to competition in 2015 after sitting out much of the previous year recuperating from knee surgery, Millsaps, aboard his new Kawasaki, is set to become a force once more in the Monster Energy Supercross Series and will be ready to run at the first event this weekend in Anaheim, California. The Murrieta, California, resident most recently won the Monster Energy Cup in Las Vegas.

Millsaps turned pro in 2004 and finished second overall in the Monster Energy Supercross Championship in 2012 and 2013. An injury sidelined him for most of 2014, but he recently signed with Kawasaki and is confident about his prospects.

	Mickey Thompson will support the Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha team throughout the 2015 AMA Supercross and Motocross seasons.

Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels to Sponsor Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha Team for the 2015 Season

American Robert Thorne joins Flying Lizard Motorsport for his return to the Rolex 24, seven years after his first run at the event.

Flying Lizard Motorsports Announces Rolex 24 Driver Lineup

After a controversial second-place finish at the 2014 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, Flying Lizard Motorsports has announced the driver lineup for their fight for the 2015 endurance event title. The #45 Audi R8 LMS will be driven by Japan's Tomonobu Fujii and Satoshi Hoshino, American Robert Thorne and German Markus Winkelhock. The team heads to Daytona International Speedway, January 9–11 to participate in the first official test of the season at the Roar Before the 24.

Audi Japan Super GT driver Tomonobu Fujii holds the 2007 Japan Le Mans Challenge LMGT1 title, the 2011 Super Taikyu Endurance Japan Champion title and a podium at the 2013 Dubai 24 Hours. In his past 10 years of experience in Super GT, Fujii picked up eight wins and 21 podiums. After finishing third and second at the Super GT Sprint Grand Prix in 2010 and 2011, Fuji went on to win the event in 2012. 2015 will mark the 34-year old's first Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.

Also new to the Rolex 24, Satoshi Hoshino brings experience of the Audi R8 LMS GT3 in GT Asia, as well as the 2014 class champion title in the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan. In the past four race seasons, Hoshino earned 18 wins in a variety of races around Japan.

American Robert Thorne joins Flying Lizard Motorsport for his return to the Rolex 24, seven years after his first run at the event. Thorne closed out the 2014 race season in Pirelli World Challenge with a win for K-PAX Racing at Miller Motorsports Park.

Markus Winkelhock completed the final laps in the No. 45 Flying Lizard Audi in the 2014 Rolex 24. In his other run at the event in 2013, Winkelhock was running second in the final lap, close behind the class leader when his car ran out of fuel, resulting in a frustrating 15th-place finish.