The Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF) has announced the promotion of Misty Walker to operations manager. Walker had served as AACF executive assistant to Joel Ayres since 2015. Walker previously worked as a project manager with a web development company.
For more information on AACF or how to get involved, contact Ayres at joel@aftermarketcharity.org.
Speedway Motorsports Announces Five Promotions
Speedway Motorsports has announced the promotion of five industry veterans. Daniel Bandoly has been elevated to the vice president of sales operations. He will oversee technology platforms to drive business and productivity and assist the company’s sales leaders in growing revenues across Speedway Motorsports’ 11 venues.
In addition, Nick Skrabalak has been promoted to vice president of consumer sales. He will be responsible for providing executive leadership and direction of the company’s consumer sales efforts for admissions, camping, hospitality, parking, and value-added inventory across all venues. Skrabalak is a 13-year ticket sales veteran at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Jason Christofferson has been promoted to vice president of consumer operations, where he will provide executive leadership and direction of the company’s consumer operations efforts across all properties. Prior, he was a longtime vice president of ticket system operations at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Landon Owen has been promoted to vice president of consumer sales for Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, Tennessee) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Loudon, New Hampshire). Before, Owen served as senior director of ticket sales and service for Bristol.
Finally, Kacy Harmon has been promoted to vice president of consumer sales for Nashville Superspeedway (Lebanon, Tennessee) and Dover Motor Speedway (Dover, Delaware). She previously joined the company in January 2022 as senior director of ticket sales for both speedways.
Pertronix Performance Brands Hires Dr. Jamie Meyer to Lead Product and Innovation
Dr. Jamie Meyer
PerTronix Performance Brands has announced the appointment of Dr. Jamie Meyer as its new chief product and innovations officer. This change takes effect immediately. In his new role, Dr. Meyer will oversee product development, engineering and innovation for all brands within the PerTronix Performance family, including PerTronix Ignition, JBA Performance Exhaust, The Original Doug’s Headers, Patriot Exhaust, Compu-Fire, Spyke, Aeromotive Inc., Waterman Racing Components and Taylor Cable Products.
Most recently, Dr. Meyer served as the president of Performance Racing Industry (PRI), where he transformed the PRI Trade Show into a top 40 trade event in North America, developed an exclusive membership program for the racing industry, led the purchase of the PRI headquarters in Indianapolis and produced a powerful media footprint for PRI, which included the PRI Road Tour program. He is also known for his leadership role in the government and public affairs teams at SEMA. Dr. Meyer served two years on the SEMA Board of Directors before taking the position at PRI.
Prior to PRI, Dr. Meyer spent 15 years at General Motors, leading multiple product development teams. He is most noted for his innovative work with the COPO Camaro, the LS and LSX line of crate engines and components, the emission-compliant E-ROD drivetrains and multiple vehicle-specific performance parts, including the first-ever factory lift kit for full-sized Chevrolet and GMC light-duty trucks. Meyer also spearheaded a line of EV-specific performance parts while at GM.
Polaris Unveils RZR XP New Generation
Polaris Off Road has unveiled the next generation of the RZR XP sport side-by-side. The all-new ’24 RZR XP has been completely redesigned from the ground up, delivering class-leading durability, comfort and performance.
Stronger than ever before, the Polaris RZR XP chassis provides improved trail agility and rugged durability in rough conditions. It showcases a new, aggressive style, with integrated doors, LED accent lights and an upgraded level of fit and finish delivering a premium experience. A newly designed, reinforced driveline withstands rough terrain with stronger half shafts, prop shaft and bearings. The RZR XP’s Walker Evans Racing Needle Shocks with 16-position adjustability provide a plush ride, while a redesigned cockpit improves legroom and line of sight for drivers and passengers. Featuring responsive acceleration due to an all-new ProStar 1000 Gen 2, 114hp engine, the RZR XP also provides extra traction through technical terrain via Polaris’ on-demand all-wheel-drive system. To learn more, visit Polaris.com/RZR.
Race Winning Brands Adds Bob Cook Sales
Race Winning Brands (RWB)—the Mentor, Ohio-based portfolio company of MiddleGround Capital in Lexington, Kentucky, and manufacturer of high-performance components—has announced Bob Cook Sales (BCS) joins the “team of RWB representation... brands in Southeastern United States territories.”
BCS will help represent nine RWB brands, including BoostLine Products, Dart Machinery, K1 Technologies, MGP Connecting Rods, Trend Performance, Victory 1 Performance, PAC Racing Springs, Transmission Specialties (TSI) and RevMax. Southeast territories include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
ORBA Names RealTruck Vice President Lee Riser to Board of Directors
Lee Riser
RealTruck Inc. has announced the appointment of Lee Riser, vice president of marketing and passionate off-roader, to the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA) board of directors, where she will serve as the organization’s only female member. The announcement comes today from RealTruck in celebration of International Women's Day.
“I‘m thrilled to join the ORBA board of directors,” said Riser. “ORBA is at the forefront of policy change that may impact our current and future access to public lands and our right to ride. As an avid off-roader myself working in the industry, it’s extremely important to me to advocate for those in the off-roading community.”
Riser has vast expertise in the off-roading space and recently competed in The Rebelle Rally, a women-only off-road navigational competition that covers more than 1,600 miles of the western desert in the United States. With more than 20 years of experience in the automotive industry, she will be a part of the only female-featured team in the upcoming season of “Overlanders,” airing on The Outdoor Channel this summer.
“It's important at RealTruck to recognize and celebrate the trailblazing women in our company who are leading the way for others,” said Tony Ambroza, chief growth officer at RealTruck. “Lee embodies what it means to be a true off-road advocate and enthusiast. I know she'll bring her passion and experience for life off-road to the ORBA board of directors and be a powerful asset to the organization.”
Autotrader Announces Best New Cars of 2023
Autotrader has curated a list of the Best New Cars of 2023 by narrowing down the consideration set to 11 vehicles that shine above the rest. Each chosen vehicle has unique features specific to various lifestyle needs, including interior comfort, build quality, tech features, driving experience and more, with the editors giving particular focus to vehicles that are groundbreaking in some way or that offer significant value. Because there are many new or redesigned vehicles for 2023, the editors only considered models available for purchase within the next nine months.
This year’s list includes one pure electric vehicle and three hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles (HEVs), joined by seven traditional gas internal combustion engine (ICE) models:
’23 Acura Integra
’23 BMW 740i/760i xDrive
’23 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
’23 Genesis GV60
’23 Honda Civic Type R
’23 Honda CR-V
’23 Hyundai Palisade
’23 Kia Sportage
’23 Nissan Z
’23 Toyota GR Corolla
’23 Toyota Prius
MAE Installs E-Mobility Dyno at University of Windsor
Mustang Mustang Advanced Engineering’s (MAE)—an American manufacturer of equipment especially for electric-vehicle testing for research and development—most recent e-mobility dyno has been installed at the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada. The MAE-AWD-500-AC/EC-LEGACY-BG chassis dynamometer was a custom-built piece of testing equipment to meet the school’s requirements for research into electric vehicles, including BEV, PHEV and FCEV. MAE was contacted because of its significant background in designing and building custom testing equipment for a wide variety of vehicles.
The University of Windsor is regionally connected with the automotive industry, and since 1996, has partnered with Stellaris to establish the Automotive Research and Development Centre (ARDC), home to research and expertise in areas such as cybersecurity, autonomous and connected vehicles, sensors, sustainability, data and AI, supply chains and greenhouse growing conditions.
Mustang’s testing equipment is used at a variety of universities and technical schools throughout the world. One such institution is the University of Windsor. When looking for a dynamometer as a training tool for their automotive technical school and for the research and development of the vehicles of the future, they turned to Mustang Advanced Engineering for the right dyno for their needs. The product recommended is a dynamometer that can handle the torque and loading from a performance vehicle to a large diesel truck to the high horsepower of an electric vehicle, such as a Tesla.
VP Racing Announces New Licensing Agreement With Greenlight Collectibles
VP Racing Fuels Inc. has announced that Greenlight Collectibles is joining VP’s lineup of licensees. The licensing partnership will allow GreenLight to produce new vehicles, gas pumps and more featuring the VP Racing brand. Licensing the VP brand to manufacturers of various product categories expands the brand’s reach, exposure, recognition and sales.
Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA News. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.
Photography Courtesy: Eric Dahlquist, Petersen Publishing Company Archive
2023 marks the 100th anniversary of Carroll Shelby’s birth. The milestone will be celebrated in a number of ways, from a Centennial-Edition Mustang by Shelby American to a tribute to his life and cars at the Goodwood Revival in England this fall.
Volumes have been written about Shelby’s life, from the successful ’50s racing career cut short by a heart condition to the organ transplants that kept him alive far longer than his OEM parts would have sustained him. There were the Cobras, Mustangs, Omnis, Chargers and other cars—and trucks—that bore his name. There were SCCA championships and the Le Mans efforts that would ultimately see Ford win the “Ford vs. Ferrari” battle put on film a few years ago. He was funny and charming but also litigious, using a scorched-earth strategy to protect his name from countless Cobra imitators and others.
Type the word “Shelby” into the search field of the digitized Petersen Publishing photo archive and the result is nearly 3,000 images, from photos of magazine editors testing the first Cobra in 1962 to a snapshot of him at the 2010 SEMA Show sitting on a sofa joking with Speedy Bill Smith and Linda Vaughn. Only a fraction of those results are photos of the man himself; the majority are shots of cars taken during vehicle road tests, for build-up or restoration articles, and at vintage races, Shelby club conventions and other events. To get an accurate count of how many photos of Shelby himself are in the archive would take a fair amount of sleuthing. He was a prolific racer in his prime, driving sports and Formula 1 cars, earning Sports Illustrated magazine’s Driver of the Year in 1956 and winning Le Mans in an Aston Martin in 1959. We recently, and by accident, found a photo of him at the wheel of a 4.9L Ferrari at the 1957 Daytona Speedweeks.
So why choose this photo of Shelby for his 100th birthday tribute? We found the image, taken by Motor Trend’s Eric Dahlquist at a November 1968 press preview of the ’69 Mustang GT350 and GT500, remarkably prescient. By this time Shelby had little to do with his namesake Mustang. Production of the ’68 models had moved from Shelby American’s LAX-based facility to Michigan; and the ’69 models, as Shelby historian Greg Kolasa described them, were becoming less “Shelby” and more “Ford.” Just a few months after this photo was taken, Shelby brought an end to the Mustang program. The ’69 cars were the end of the era, though several hundred unsold ’69 models were retagged with new VINs and marketed as ’70 models.
In Dahlquist’s photo, Shelby seems distracted, disinterested in the Mustang he’s sitting on, instead looking off in the distance to a future yet to be written.
The SEMA Hall of Fame is an honor bestowed upon individuals who have improved the automotive specialty-equipment industry. These individuals have gone above and beyond the normal course of business to enhance the stature of the industry and/or the association’s growth.
While many well-known names are often nominated for the program, it’s important that SEMA doesn’t overlook leaders and innovators who may not be as well known. There are many unsung heroes who contribute to and impact the industry greatly—and the association needs input from members to make sure they get the recognition they deserve.
Nominate an industry trailblazer who deserves the prestigious honor before March 17 at www.sema.org/hof.
To qualify, the candidate must have been involved in the specialty-equipment automotive industry and/or SEMA for a minimum of 10 years, be at least 50 years of age prior to the 2023 SEMA Show and their contributions must have extended throughout the national or international level.
Candidates who are deceased qualify for nomination at any age, as long as the nomination is presented at least one year posthumous.
Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.
ProCharger is hiring an inventory/production control associate responsible for assisting with work order planning/creation for some manufacturing departments, cycle counting of inventory items in the warehouse, packing of inventory for shipment to outside vendors and reviewing and correcting inventory values within an MRP system. Candidates must have 1-2 years’ experience in inventory control or a manufacturing environment, a high-school diploma or GED and solid computer skills.
ECS Tuning is hiring a marketing planner to collaborate with the marketing manager, product team and sourcing teams to plan and execute promotions and other special marketing events, ensure that those events are coordinated across the company’s banner sites and forecast sales growth to allow the company to purchase inventory in a timely manner to support promotional events. Candidates must be passionate and knowledgeable in the automotive space and have a minimum of 1–2 years’ digital experience, particularly with, but not limited to, web, social and emerging technologies.
Edelbrock Group is hiring a director of product development to provide leadership and strategic direction, as well as oversee product development and testing for the Edelbrock Group portfolio of automotive aftermarket brands. The individual will report to the president/CEO and will work directly with the director of product management and product managers across all brands, as well as sales and marketing, data Integration and supply-chain teams. Candidates must have 10+ years’ job experience related to engineering and/or product development and more than five years’ managerial/director-level experience.
In conjunction with the SEMA Emerging Trends & Technology Network (ETTN), the Southern California Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) is staging an event at both SEMA Garages to connect its students with businesses in the industry.
Taking place March 25 at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California, and April 29 at the SEMA Garage in Detroit, the ETTN/SAE Career Fair will include more than 100 university students. Both events take place 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (local time). SEMA-member companies are invited to participate and meet with future automotive engineers at the events.
Participating businesses will have an opportunity to share their expertise with university students who are part of Formula and Baja SAE competition teams, help them explore career opportunities and inspire them in their career paths.
This is a great chance to connect face-to-face with potential candidates, put your company name out in the industry and network with other aftermarket businesses and industry professionals.
Register your company at the SEMA Garage, Diamond Bar, California.
Register your company at the SEMA Garage, Detroit.
Last year Tom Bailey, a Hot Rod magazine Drag Week veteran with five wins under his belt, decided that he wanted in on the lucrative drag-and-drive scene and whipped up his own racetrack-and-roadway tour, called Sick Week, and it was a success. Three hundred fifty slots were available for anyone who wanted to push their car and themselves to the limit while touring the dragstrips of Florida and Georgia, and even with a day rained out last year, the racers raved and many said up-front that they would come back for round two in 2023.
Sure enough, at the start of Sick Week 2023, a full roster of racers were waiting at Orlando Speedworld to begin a five-day affair that would see personal bests smashed thanks to outstanding conditions, two major accidents and plenty of mechanical carnage while racers worked to secure the best average elapsed time in their class.
Click here for complete details from the 2023 event.
Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara
Dai Yoshihara Announces Entry Into the TC America Race Series With VGRT
Pro athlete and motorsport star, Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara enters the professional competition field in TC America with the Florida-based Victor Gonzalez Racing Team (VGRT). The TC America powered by Skip Barber championship continues to be both a manufacturer and driver destination for professional touring car racing. Comprised of three competition classes—TCX, TC and TCA — all TC America powered by Skip Barber championships utilize factory-built or supported turn-key race cars, with TCX supporting the BMW M2 CS Racing platform and other full-fledged, homologated race cars.
Now in its fourth year, the racing outfit has competed in TC America, GR Cup, and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. Yoshihara will pilot a Honda FK8 Civic Type R TCR in the series. He is among three drivers in the VGRT TC America entry list: Ruben Iglesias Jr. represents the team in TCA, Michael Hurczyn in TC and Yoshihara in TCX. While the other Hondas in the team’s lineup are production models modified for racing, the hindmost is a full-blown Type R race car built by JAS Motorsport—the official Honda motorsport engineering and customer service partner since 1998.
Yoshihara’s participation is another step forward in his multi-lateral growth as a motorsport icon and brand under the Pit+Paddock athlete management portfolio. During his inaugural year under the Pit+Paddock flag, he soared as the fastest EV at the 100th Running of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, allowed fans to experience his Formula DRIFT Pro class BRZ during the nationwide Ride with Dai Experience and became an official ambassador for Turn 14 Distribution, ENEOS and Yokohama Tire.
NASCAR To Announce New Short-Track, Road Course Rules
Officials with NASCAR have announced plans to debut new aerodynamic rules designed to enhance NASCAR Cup Series racing at short ovals and road courses. The new rules will help reduce downforce by up to 30%, according to NASCAR’s Dr. Eric Jacuzzi, who said the downforce levels are reminiscent of those in the mid-’90s.
The main change will be the move to a 2-in. rear spoiler (reduced from the current 4-in.) and under-car tweaks, such as the removal of three diffuser strakes and engine panel strakes and a trimmed diffuser outer fencing.
All road courses, and most short tracks, will utilize the new rules in 2023. This includes Charlotte Roval, Chicago Street Course, Circuit of The Americas, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Martinsville, New Hampshire, North Wilkesboro, Phoenix, Richmond, Sonoma and Watkins Glen.
The new rules package will debut on Sunday, March 12, during the United Rentals Work United 500 at Phoenix Raceway. For the complete details, visit the NASCAR announcement here.
NHRA Pro Mod to Feature New Playoff-Style Points in 2023
Finish Line Consultants and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) officials have announced a new points system will be introduced for the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports during the 2023 season. The new points system will incorporate a playoff-style competition similar to the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship—part of an initiative to showcase Pro Mods more prominently in the NHRA.
The first of 10 overall events will feature a points-and-a-half format for the standout competitors in the Pro Mod ranks, meaning the race winner will earn 150 points. Following the sixth event in Norwalk, the top 10 drivers in the points standings—along with those who meet the minimum qualifying requirements at all six regular-season races—will compete in the Road to the Championship over the final four NHRA Pro Mod events of the year in Brainerd, Indy, St. Louis, and the finale at the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 26–29.
Those final four races will determine the 2023 world champion in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, with a points-and-a-half format also in place in Las Vegas.
Along with the Road to the Championship format, additional qualifying points after each round and for overall qualifying will be available at the regular-season finale in Norwalk and the last race of the season in Las Vegas.
For the complete details, visit the NHRA announcement here.
Öhlins Racing Joins NASCAR Competition Partner Program
Öhlins Racing—the racing suspension supplier based in Stockholm, Sweden, with a United States branch in Hendersonville, North Carolina—has joined the NASCAR Competition Partner program, the company announced. Öhlins, which first started developing components for NASCAR in 1994, is currently the exclusive supplier of shock absorbers for the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen car platform.
Since the start of the 2022 season, all Cup Series teams have been running the “highly advanced” five-way adjustable version of the Öhlins TTR coilover damper featured in IndyCar and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Cup Series TTR damper, developed and tested by Öhlins engineers and NASCAR representatives, is designed to help teams quickly dial in precise damping characteristics to achieve maximum performance on various track conditions.
The Competition Partner program is an extension of NASCAR’s Next Gen Supplier program. It allows companies to promote their affiliation with the NASCAR organization and the products they supply for the Next Gen Car to fans, customers and the motorsports industry at large.
Chip Ganassi Racing, PNC Bank Announce 2023 Women in Motorsports Internship Class
Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) and PNC Bank have selected their intern class for the second year of Women In Motorsports Powered by PNC Bank with Chip Ganassi Racing. The initiative was launched last year to help drive awareness and support gender equality and economic inclusion for women in the workforce. The program is aimed to provide more women with opportunities in traditionally male-dominated careers in the field of motorsports.
The trio of female college students will receive fully funded internships that provide valuable exposure within the professional motorsports industry. They will receive hands-on experience and mentorship, operating alongside team leaders that have led the organization to 21 championships over its 33-year history.
The two-month internship begins May 30 and will see the interns travel with the team to select races during the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. After reviewing a magnitude of qualified applications, the following three women were selected:
Each student has demonstrated their passion for motorsports and the pursuit of a career in STEM. Hein is an off-road racer and automotive service technician, while Goodman works as a laboratory instructor and Moody serves as a race engineer on her school’s iRacing team.
CGR plans to hire one of the 2022 Women In Motorsports interns, Rebecca Hutton, as a full-time engineer upon graduating from college. CGR and PNC Bank plan to open the 2024 application window September 1. Interested applicants can learn more and apply in the coming months at ChipGanassiRacing.com/WIM.
Hertz and Tom Brady’s Namesake BRADY Brand Supercharge New Motorsport Team
Hertz Team JOTA, the new Hypercar motor-racing team sponsored by Hertz and Singer Group, has announced Tom Brady’s BRADY as its official apparel partner and unveiled the Porsche 963 LMDh race car’s new Hertz Racing Gold livery.
Hertz Team JOTA is competing in the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and at the 100th edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours. The team brings together the pedigree of one of the most experienced sports-car teams of recent times in JOTA and a collective of global partners, including title sponsor Hertz, California luxury brand Singer Group and now Tom Brady's next-generation apparel brand BRADY.
NASCAR Sells California’s Auto Club Speedway
According to published reports, NASCAR has sold land on the site of Auto Club Speedway, the two-mile, low-banked D-shaped oval superspeedway near Fontana, California. Approximately 433 acres of the 522-acre site is said to have been sold to an unknown buyer at an undisclosed price. Reported plans include the demolition of the famed track, which will be replaced with a short track by 2026. Fontana most recently played host to the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series during the Pala Casino 400 on Sunday, February 26—likely the last time NASCAR will race at the superspeedway. Track officials had previously filed for the reconstruction of the facility in September 2020, according to reports, but plans were put on hold as of February of last year.
Extreme E Reveals New Sporting Format, 10 Races for Next Season
Officials with Extreme E—the off-road racing series featuring electric SUVs and founded by the same team behind Formula E—have revealed updates for its third season. The next race season will double from five to ten rounds of racing—with no additional carbon footprint—as each X Prix will now be a doubleheader event with back-to-back rounds. This means double the opportunity for wins, podiums and crucial points.
Five cars will compete in both qualifying round 1 and round 2, which will now each consist of two heats, five cars each. Intermediate classification points are awarded for Q1 and Q2, with a single championship point awarded to the winners of each heat—something that could prove crucial at the season’s end.
The top five teams will compete in the Grand Final, with the winner taking the top step on the podium. Remaining teams will battle in a Redemption Race, where championship points will still be awarded. Two winners will be crowned at each race weekend: one Saturday and one Sunday.
The next season kicks off with the Desert X Prix on March 11–12 in Neom, Saudi Arabia. For the complete details, visit the Extreme E announcement here.
NHRA’s Maynards Launch JCM Driver Development Program
Image courtesy of NHRA, JCM Racing
NHRA team owners Joe and Cathi Maynard have launched the JCM Racing Driver Development program and announced its 2023 lineup of drivers. Junior drag racer Waylon Bennett, 10; Super Comp driver Kayleigh Hill, 21; and Super Stock racer Wyatt Wagner, 21, make up JCM Racing’s inaugural class of developmental drivers, which was created “to offer young racers the opportunity to hone in and perfect their driving and sponsor relation skills as they work towards a career of competing in the NHRA’s professional ranks.”
Drivers will receive funding to help offset their operational costs, but the “true value” lies within the access to the JCM Racing team leaders, drivers and resources. JCM Racing also campaigns two Camping World Drag Racing Series entries piloted by Tony Schumacher and Tim Wilkerson.
Details for the 2024 program—which will be limited to Jr. Drag Racing League competitors, one driver per division—will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit the announcement here.
15th Annual Motor State Pro-Touring Challenge Set for July
Officials with Motor State Distributing’s Pro-Touring event—the Motor State Challenge—have announced details for its 15th annual event, set for July 20–22. Drivers will compete in the timed road course event at GingerMan Raceway (South Haven, Michigan) on Friday. Saturday will feature autocross on the road test track at the Tire Rack corporate headquarters in South Bend, Indiana.
Up to 100 drivers from the United States and Canada are expected to compete across standard and manufacturer Vintage and Late Model classes, as well as the QA1 #goDRIVEit class, designed for participants who drive their vehicle to the event, race it then drive it home. It also features the unscored/untimed Touring class “for those wanting the on-track experience without the competitive pressure.”
BAJA FORGED has announced a strategic partnership with Forged Authority.
“BAJA FORGED has been looking for someone as a one-stop shop, from helping with CAD designs, to a finished product that is kitted and ready to ship within the U.S.,” said Theresa Contreras (second, left), CEO/co-founder/designer, BAJA FORGED. Contreras has produced award-winning SEMA Show vehicles and made a name for the BAJA FORGED brand globally along with COO Jason Contreras.
“As we are still a boutique brand, we love having a niche that speaks to our customers,” Theresa said. “Our products are fully off-road-capable, but you’ll notice the ‘look first’ as our contoured lines and compound rolls and bends enhance the vehicle’s appearance as if it were a concept vehicle from the factory.”
The goal is to supply product to customers more efficiently and on a larger scale while remaining committed to quality. This newly announced joint venture with Wesley Poole (left), president/founder of Forged Authority and 2019 SEMA Launch Pad finalist, is more than fitting for the manufacturing veteran, according to Theresa.
Forged Authority is currently expanding its manufacturing capabilities to produce BAJA FORGED products and deliver them to the masses. Along with the announcement of BAJA FORGED and Forged Authority coming together, Ian Lehn (right), CEO/founder of BOOSTane and 2014 SEMA Launch Pad winner, will join the Forged Authority team as vice president. An engineer by trade but an entrepreneur at heart, Lehn will help facilitate the growth of this collaboration.
“Building businesses through innovation and great people is something near and dear to me. I am really excited to come on board at Forged Authority and help drive these brands to new heights,” Lehn said.
Subaru of America Inc. Announces Key Executive Changes
Thomas Doll
Subaru of America Inc. (SOA) has announced a change in its top management structure. Effective April 1, Thomas J. Doll, president and CEO, will step down from the day-to-day management of the company and will assume the role of corporate advisor based at the Camden headquarters.
Also effective April 1, Tadashi "Tady" Yoshida will be promoted to the role of chairman and CEO of Subaru of America Inc. from his current position of executive vice president. Yoshida is a 34-year veteran with Subaru Corp. (SBR) and he has been with SOA for two years. He previously held executive positions within SBR in overseas sales and marketing, global marketing and the customer service division.
In addition, Jeffrey A. Walters, currently senior vice president of sales, will be promoted to president and COO. Walters has more than 30 years of experience with SOA. Prior to his promotion to senior vice president in 2014, Walters worked as vice president, field operations. Previously, he served as director, field operations, regional sales manager and brand strategy manager.
Under Doll's leadership, SOA experienced unprecedented growth. Since being named executive vice president and COO in 2009, and subsequently president in 2013 and CEO in 2018, he led Subaru of America to 12 consecutive years of sales records from 2008 to 2019 when the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic shut down production. A more than 40-year veteran of SOA, Doll also served as CFO, vice president of business and strategic planning, director of accounting, director of treasury operations and manager of treasury operations.
Ford Increasing Production of Electric, Gas, Hybrid Vehicles
Ford Bronco Sport
Ford is increasing production at manufacturing plants across North America to meet strong customer demand for vehicles, including Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, Bronco Sport and Maverick. The company is also preparing to launch all-new versions of four significant vehicles in 2023: Super Duty, Ranger, Mustang and Escape.
“We have had a strong start to 2023 sales and we are moving to fast-track quality production,” said Kumar Galhotra, president, Ford Blue. “Increasing production benefits both our customers and our business.”
In February, Ford’s U.S. market share increased by 1.4 percentage points to 13.3%, powered by a 21.9% sales increase.
Mustang Mach-E: Ford began increasing production of the Mustang Mach-E last week. Changes at the plant will allow Ford to nearly double its hourly production and bring its annual manufacturing run rate to a targeted 210,000 units by year's end. Mustang Mach-E helped propel Ford to No. 2 in U.S. EV sales in 2022, and is bringing new customers to Ford, with more than two-thirds of customers coming from other makes.
Bronco Sport and Maverick: Ford is increasing production for Bronco Sport and Maverick. Production is targeted to increase by more than 80,000 units this year, helping to meet demand in both North and South America. In the United States, Ford brand SUV sales totaled 777,770, up 4.6% in 2022 versus 2021, led by the Bronco family of vehicles. Maverick was the No. 1 small truck in America in 2022.
F-150 Lightning: In Michigan, production of the F-150 Lightning at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is on track to triple this year, targeting an annual production run rate of 150,000 by the end of 2023. The F-150 Lightning had sales of 3,600 through February, in addition to the 15,617 sales recorded in 2022. F-150 Lightning production will resume March 13. Overall, for the F-150 Lightning production increase, Ford is investing $2 billion across three plants in Michigan and adding 3,200 union jobs.
Transit and E-Transit: Also adding an additional crew in April is Kansas City Assembly Plant, which manufactures the Transit and the E-Transit vans. Ford is targeting an annual production increase of 38,000. Ford is investing $95 million and adding 1,100 union jobs as part of the production increase.
F-150 and F-150 PowerBoost: Ford is also looking at ways to increase production at the Dearborn Truck Plant of the F-150 gas and hybrid trucks to meet continued strong demand.
LIQUI MOLY Hires New Head of Media Relations International
Sina Ataei
With immediate effect, Sina Ataei is taking over responsibility for international press and media work at LIQUI MOLY. Over the past six years, the graduate journalist has successfully promoted the company’s international web and social media presence as content strategy lead. Now he succeeds Dr. Peter Szarafinski, who died unexpectedly last year.
Ataei gained extensive experience in international media work with other large companies in Munich, Berlin and Ulm. Since 2016, the Ulm-based expert has been contributing his expertise successfully to the lubricant specialist’s corporate communications. Most recently, he was responsible for the strategic orientation of all online activities there as content strategy lead. Ataei is now the point of contact at the German medium-sized company for journalists outside of German-speaking countries. His position supplements the head of media relations in the Germany, Austria and Switzerland region, which remains the responsibility of Tobias Gerstlauer. Both together comprise the press division within corporate communications at LIQUI MOLY.
Firestone Partners with Tread Lightly! to Promote Off-Road Ethics and Stewardship
Bridgestone Americas has announced its Firestone collaboration with Tread Lightly!, a national nonprofit organization with a mission to promote responsible recreation through stewardship programs and ethics education. Together, Firestone and Tread Lightly! will promote responsible and sustainable off-roading through cross-brand marketing and other activities to ensure Americans’ continued access to our nation’s natural spaces.
The collaboration will kick off with cross-brand social-media posts and newsletters. Tread Lightly! will train Firestone staff, agency partners, brand ambassadors and others on the organization’s philosophies, principles and practices. Firestone will host Tread Lightly! team members on its destination events throughout the calendar year, continuing the off-road ethics education curriculum. During the partnership, Tread Lightly! members will be eligible for rebates on select Firestone Destination products.
Feld Motor Sports Announces New Partnership With MAVTV
Feld Motor Sports and MAVTV have announced a new multi-year deal with Monster Jam. The 2023 Monster Jam telecast schedule features 86 new episodes of Monster Jam coverage: 26 one-hour stadium event episodes, 20 episodes of Arenas in 30 and 40 episodes of Inside Monster Jam. More than 100 hours of classic Monster Jam episodes will also be aired. The 2023 broadcast team consists of veteran Monster Jam hosts Scott Jordan and Leslie Mears, Monster Jam driver Bari Musawwir and newcomer Adam Enticknap.
“Our partnership with MAVTV allows Feld Entertainment to air the largest amount of Monster Jam content in our broadcast history,” said Stephen C. Yaros, senior vice president of global media and supercross, Feld Entertainment.
BendPak Announces Passing of Gary Henthorn
Gary Henthorn
BendPak has announced the passing of Gary Martin Henthorn. He grew up working at BendPak, getting his start on the shop floor and working his way up through the years to vice president.
At a very young age, he mastered CNC machinery and CNC programming, all self-taught. Always trying to stay ahead of the curve, he encouraged BendPak to enter the robotic age. He spearheaded the company’s use of robotic welding and declared it his own personal achievement. Like his dad, entrepreneurship ran in his veins, and in 2008, he established a construction company called Henthorn Construction in Malibu, California. Next, he challenged the status-quo by entering the automotive equipment business with the launch of Garage Equipment Supply, Dannmar Equipment Inc. and MaxJax. Following his inventor passion, in 2014, he patented a two-post vehicle lift with opposing lift carriages.
BendPak has written an obituary, which can be found here.
Turbo Tint’s Greg Goodman Named IFA Franchisee of the Year
Greg Goodman, owner of the Turbo Tint store in Oklahoma City, has been named as one of the International Franchise Association’s Franchisees of the Year. Goodman was one of 97 recipients to receive the honor and was presented with the award on March 1 at the IFA’s 63rd annual convention in Las Vegas.
Goodman has been a franchise owner in the Moran Family of Brands system for more than 25 years. He owned an Alta Mere automotive accessories store beginning in 1997 before opening the nation’s first Turbo Tint location, a quick-service, automotive window tint installation franchise, two years ago. Additionally, Goodman plans to open his second store in Oklahoma City later this year. He is also an area developer who will open a total of five stores in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, as well as help open more franchise stores in throughout the region in the coming years.
The Franchisee of the Year Award Goodman received recognizes leading franchise owners from IFA member brands whose outstanding performance and contributions help protect, enhance and promote the franchise business model. Nominated by their parent company, individuals were selected for their service to their communities, fostering a strong and vibrant workforce, opening the doors for career growth and entrepreneurship and supporting their fellow franchisees.
Dodge Releases New Marketing Campaign for All-New Hornet
Dodge has released its new marketing campaign, “Swarming the Nation,” officially introducing the all-new Dodge Hornet with a full 90-second commercial for the all-new vehicle. The multimedia campaign for the all-new Dodge Hornet also features a 30-second version to run across television and 15-second teasers that have run across the Dodge brand’s social-media channels.
“As our first ever electrified performance vehicle to enter the market, the all-new Dodge Hornet signals that a new breed of electrified performance is here, and it is here to change the game," said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand CEO – Stellantis. "With looks, feel and performance that are pure Dodge, the Hornet offers the best driving dynamics, a full lineup of segment-exclusive performance features, the best standard technology, as well available Direct Connection factory-backed performance upgrades, the Dodge Hornet is uniquely positioned to shake up the mainstream compact-utility vehicle (CUV) segment.”
Hornet R/T also leverages the Dodge brand’s first hybrid powertrain to deliver the class-exclusive PowerShot, an on-demand feature that lets drivers tap into the maximum electrical power and reach 0–60 mph in 5.6 seconds. Standard AWD with dynamic torque vectoring, and available segment-exclusive features, including Brembo brakes and dual stage suspension, further enhance the overall driving experience.
ASE Education Foundation Partners With Goodguys to Promote Industry Education, Careers
The ASE Education Foundation and Goodguys Rod and Custom Association are joining forces to showcase the wide array of career paths available in the world of hot rodding and automotive service. Through this new program, the ASE Education Foundation, along with Goodguys and their partners, will work as a community to enlighten students from across the country about automotive careers with a focus on design and engineering, manufacturing, mechanical, fabrication, paint, marketing, media and sales disciplines.
“Goodguys events are ideal to bring together future professionals and the companies that drive the industry. Goodguys events are not only fun, but they give students the chance to learn about available educational, scholarship and career opportunities and interact with automotive professionals from diverse industry backgrounds.” said Mike Coley, ASE Education Foundation president. “The automotive service industry needs qualified talent more than ever and our new partnership with Goodguys will help publicize the industry’s need for a well-trained, better-prepared future workforce.”
The ASE Education Foundation and Goodguys will work with local area high schools to identify and recruit students interested in careers in the transportation industry and will schedule Fridays at select Goodguys events as a hands-on career exploration project. The students will start the day meeting with a panel of experts and top industry professionals. They will then be paired up with a mentor and participate in a scavenger hunt where they will track down businesses and learn about a wide variety of automotive careers. Students will receive a free ticket to the Goodguys event so they can attend over the weekend.
Meyer Distributing Announces a New Leader in the Traditional Truck Accessories Market
Meyer Distributing Inc. has promoted Jeremy Schnaus to category sales manager for Traditional Truck Accessories, the company announced. “It is invigorating to promote from within and exemplifies our staff’s motivation and dedication,” stated Cody Ziegler, vice president of sales for Meyer. “Jeremy’s enthusiasm, guidance and critical thinking is refreshing. Demand through our traditional truck category remains strong despite many economic variables. This requires someone who can effectively prioritize and analyze which made Jeremy a logical choice.”
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The Chevrolet Traverse is due for a redesign, and we just caught it undergoing testing on public roads for the first time.
Although light camo is covering the body, and placeholder lighting is present front and back, we can still make out the general proportions of the SUV. Upon first glance, this next-gen model seems to have a smaller footprint than the current one, which rivals the full-size Tahoe SUV in terms of length. Looking at the exterior design, we can clearly see that the all-new Traverse will get a more aggressive and boxier look for 2024. It should carry the same design language as the upcoming Equinox.
Inside, the Traverse is expected to adopt an all-new interior with a long horizontal display unit and additional connectivity updates.
Expect to see the next-gen Traverse debut later this year with an on sale date in Q2 2024.
Polaris Off Road has unveiled the next generation of the RZR XP sport side-by-side. The all-new ’24 RZR XP has been completely redesigned from the ground up, delivering class-leading durability, comfort and performance.
Mustang Mustang Advanced Engineering’s (MAE)—an American manufacturer of equipment especially for electric-vehicle testing for research and development—most recent e-mobility dyno has been installed at the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada. The MAE-AWD-500-AC/EC-LEGACY-BG chassis dynamometer was a custom-built piece of testing equipment to meet the school’s requirements for research into electric vehicles, including BEV, PHEV and FCEV. MAE was contacted because of its significant background in designing and building custom testing equipment for a wide variety of vehicles.
2023 marks the 100th anniversary of Carroll Shelby’s birth. The milestone will be celebrated in a number of ways, from a Centennial-Edition Mustang by Shelby American to a tribute to his life and cars at the Goodwood Revival in England this fall.
In conjunction with the SEMA 
Last year Tom Bailey, a Hot Rod magazine Drag Week veteran with five wins under his belt, decided that he wanted in on the lucrative drag-and-drive scene and whipped up his own racetrack-and-roadway tour, called Sick Week, and it was a success. Three hundred fifty slots were available for anyone who wanted to push their car and themselves to the limit while touring the dragstrips of Florida and Georgia, and even with a day rained out last year, the racers raved and many said up-front that they would come back for round two in 2023.
Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) and PNC Bank have selected their intern class for the second year of Women In Motorsports Powered by PNC Bank with Chip Ganassi Racing. The initiative was launched last year to help drive awareness and support gender equality and economic inclusion for women in the workforce. The program is aimed to provide more women with opportunities in traditionally male-dominated careers in the field of motorsports.
Hertz Team JOTA, the new Hypercar motor-racing team sponsored by Hertz and Singer Group, has announced Tom Brady’s BRADY as its official apparel partner and unveiled the Porsche 963 LMDh race car’s new Hertz Racing Gold livery.
BAJA FORGED has announced a strategic partnership with Forged Authority.
Feld Motor Sports and MAVTV have announced a new multi-year deal with Monster Jam. The 2023 Monster Jam telecast schedule features 86 new episodes of Monster Jam coverage: 26 one-hour stadium event episodes, 20 episodes of Arenas in 30 and 40 episodes of Inside Monster Jam. More than 100 hours of classic Monster Jam episodes will also be aired. The 2023 broadcast team consists of veteran Monster Jam hosts Scott Jordan and Leslie Mears, Monster Jam driver Bari Musawwir and newcomer Adam Enticknap.
The ASE Education Foundation and Goodguys Rod and Custom Association are joining forces to showcase the wide array of career paths available in the world of hot rodding and automotive service. Through this new program, the ASE Education Foundation, along with Goodguys and their partners, will work as a community to enlighten students from across the country about automotive careers with a focus on design and engineering, manufacturing, mechanical, fabrication, paint, marketing, media and sales disciplines.
