Eliminate the confusion of servicing tire-pressure monitoring systems through this exclusive SEMA webinar.

As increasing numbers of vehicles equipped with tire-pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) come on line, knowledge of proper servicing procedures for both direct and indirect systems is essential for tire installation, repair and maintenance professionals.

Understanding when a relearn procedure is necessary, such as after a change in air pressure, a tire rotation or a tire/sensor replacement, is only the first step. Technicians must also understand relearn procedures for both import and domestic vehicles.

On Thursday, March 4, at 10:00 a.m. (PST), SEMA will present an exclusive webinar entitled “Servicing the Next Generation of Tire-Pressure Monitoring Systems.” Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of training for the Tire Industry Association (TIA), will present a summary of TPMS technology currently used on foreign and domestic vehicles and the latest relearn principles.

Rohlwing will also discuss the difference between a low-tire indicator and a malfunction indicator light as well as the fundamentals of aluminum clamp-in sensor service and maintenance. A tire-industry veteran with more than 26 years of experience in the field, Rohlwing has trained more than 3,000 certified tire service professionals on the latest developments in the tire industry.

The TPMS webinar is free to SEMA members and is only $29 for non-members. It will be available both live and as a downloadable presentation that tire professionals may view at their convenience. Visit www.SEMA.org/events/webinars to register.

	Industry leaders, including (from left) MIA's Chris Aylett, SEMA's Chris Kersting, Braille Battery's Blake Fuller and TTXGP's Azhar Hussain discuss green racing technologies at the 2009 "The Race Goes Green" seminar.

The Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) has confirmed several motorsports icons for the MIA-SEMA The Race Has Gone Green Conference in Long Beach, California, on Friday, April 16, at the Long Beach Convention Center during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Scott Atherton (American Le Mans Series CEO), David Brabham (2009 ALMS series champion, winner of 2009 LeMans 24 Hours), Les MacTaggart (senior technical director, Indy Racing League), and Rt Hon. Lord Drayson (U.K. minister of state for science and innovation) are among the first speakers to confirm.

The Race Has Gone Green is a one-day conference featuring performance industry icons and professionals focused on developing green technologies that will lead to a booming future for green performance products.

Conference fees are $275 for SEMA or MIA members, $375 for non-members. Registration includes paddock passes for American Le Mans Series qualifying.

Click here to register now.

For more information, visit www.sema.org/RaceGoneGreen or e-mail Jeremy Burne, Tracy Dewhirst or John Waraniak.

Make it a weekend! Discounted tickets for the Long Beach Grand Prix are available for SEMA members. Download the discount flyer here.

	Industry leaders, including (from left) MIA's Chris Aylett, SEMA's Chris Kersting, Braille Battery's Blake Fuller and TTXGP's Azhar Hussain discuss green racing technologies at the 2009 "The Race Goes Green" seminar.

The Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) has confirmed several motorsports icons for the MIA-SEMA The Race Has Gone Green Conference in Long Beach, California, on Friday, April 16, at the Long Beach Convention Center during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Scott Atherton (American Le Mans Series CEO), David Brabham (2009 ALMS series champion, winner of 2009 LeMans 24 Hours), Les MacTaggart (senior technical director, Indy Racing League), and Rt Hon. Lord Drayson (U.K. minister of state for science and innovation) are among the first speakers to confirm.

The Race Has Gone Green is a one-day conference featuring performance industry icons and professionals focused on developing green technologies that will lead to a booming future for green performance products.

Conference fees are $275 for SEMA or MIA members, $375 for non-members. Registration includes paddock passes for American Le Mans Series qualifying.

Click here to register now.

For more information, visit www.sema.org/RaceGoneGreen or e-mail Jeremy Burne, Tracy Dewhirst or John Waraniak.

Make it a weekend! Discounted tickets for the Long Beach Grand Prix are available for SEMA members. Download the discount flyer here.

	Industry leaders, including (from left) MIA's Chris Aylett, SEMA's Chris Kersting, Braille Battery's Blake Fuller and TTXGP's Azhar Hussain discuss green racing technologies at the 2009 "The Race Goes Green" seminar.

The Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) has confirmed several motorsports icons for the MIA-SEMA The Race Has Gone Green Conference in Long Beach, California, on Friday, April 16, at the Long Beach Convention Center during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Scott Atherton (American Le Mans Series CEO), David Brabham (2009 ALMS series champion, winner of 2009 LeMans 24 Hours), Les MacTaggart (senior technical director, Indy Racing League), and Rt Hon. Lord Drayson (U.K. minister of state for science and innovation) are among the first speakers to confirm.

The Race Has Gone Green is a one-day conference featuring performance industry icons and professionals focused on developing green technologies that will lead to a booming future for green performance products.

Conference fees are $275 for SEMA or MIA members, $375 for non-members. Registration includes paddock passes for American Le Mans Series qualifying.

Click here to register now.

For more information, visit www.sema.org/RaceGoneGreen or e-mail Jeremy Burne, Tracy Dewhirst or John Waraniak.

Make it a weekend! Discounted tickets for the Long Beach Grand Prix are available for SEMA members. Download the discount flyer here.

	Industry leaders, including (from left) MIA's Chris Aylett, SEMA's Chris Kersting, Braille Battery's Blake Fuller and TTXGP's Azhar Hussain discuss green racing technologies at the 2009 "The Race Goes Green" seminar.

The Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) has confirmed several motorsports icons for the MIA-SEMA The Race Has Gone Green Conference in Long Beach, California, on Friday, April 16, at the Long Beach Convention Center during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Scott Atherton (American Le Mans Series CEO), David Brabham (2009 ALMS series champion, winner of 2009 LeMans 24 Hours), Les MacTaggart (senior technical director, Indy Racing League), and Rt Hon. Lord Drayson (U.K. minister of state for science and innovation) are among the first speakers to confirm.

The Race Has Gone Green is a one-day conference featuring performance industry icons and professionals focused on developing green technologies that will lead to a booming future for green performance products.

Conference fees are $275 for SEMA or MIA members, $375 for non-members. Registration includes paddock passes for American Le Mans Series qualifying.

Click here to register now.

For more information, visit www.sema.org/RaceGoneGreen or e-mail Jeremy Burne, Tracy Dewhirst or John Waraniak.

Make it a weekend! Discounted tickets for the Long Beach Grand Prix are available for SEMA members. Download the discount flyer here.

	Industry leaders, including (from left) MIA's Chris Aylett, SEMA's Chris Kersting, Braille Battery's Blake Fuller and TTXGP's Azhar Hussain discuss green racing technologies at the 2009 "The Race Goes Green" seminar.

The Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) has confirmed several motorsports icons for the MIA-SEMA The Race Has Gone Green Conference in Long Beach, California, on Friday, April 16, at the Long Beach Convention Center during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Scott Atherton (American Le Mans Series CEO), David Brabham (2009 ALMS series champion, winner of 2009 LeMans 24 Hours), Les MacTaggart (senior technical director, Indy Racing League), and Rt Hon. Lord Drayson (U.K. minister of state for science and innovation) are among the first speakers to confirm.

The Race Has Gone Green is a one-day conference featuring performance industry icons and professionals focused on developing green technologies that will lead to a booming future for green performance products.

Conference fees are $275 for SEMA or MIA members, $375 for non-members. Registration includes paddock passes for American Le Mans Series qualifying.

Click here to register now.

For more information, visit www.sema.org/RaceGoneGreen or e-mail Jeremy Burne, Tracy Dewhirst or John Waraniak.

Make it a weekend! Discounted tickets for the Long Beach Grand Prix are available for SEMA members. Download the discount flyer here.

	Industry leaders, including (from left) MIA's Chris Aylett, SEMA's Chris Kersting, Braille Battery's Blake Fuller and TTXGP's Azhar Hussain discuss green racing technologies at the 2009 "The Race Goes Green" seminar.

The Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) has confirmed several motorsports icons for the MIA-SEMA The Race Has Gone Green Conference in Long Beach, California, on Friday, April 16, at the Long Beach Convention Center during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Scott Atherton (American Le Mans Series CEO), David Brabham (2009 ALMS series champion, winner of 2009 LeMans 24 Hours), Les MacTaggart (senior technical director, Indy Racing League), and Rt Hon. Lord Drayson (U.K. minister of state for science and innovation) are among the first speakers to confirm.

The Race Has Gone Green is a one-day conference featuring performance industry icons and professionals focused on developing green technologies that will lead to a booming future for green performance products.

Conference fees are $275 for SEMA or MIA members, $375 for non-members. Registration includes paddock passes for American Le Mans Series qualifying.

Click here to register now.

For more information, visit www.sema.org/RaceGoneGreen or e-mail Jeremy Burne, Tracy Dewhirst or John Waraniak.

Make it a weekend! Discounted tickets for the Long Beach Grand Prix are available for SEMA members. Download the discount flyer here.

	Industry leaders, including (from left) MIA's Chris Aylett, SEMA's Chris Kersting, Braille Battery's Blake Fuller and TTXGP's Azhar Hussain discuss green racing technologies at the 2009 "The Race Goes Green" seminar.

The Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) has confirmed several motorsports icons for the MIA-SEMA The Race Has Gone Green Conference in Long Beach, California, on Friday, April 16, at the Long Beach Convention Center during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Scott Atherton (American Le Mans Series CEO), David Brabham (2009 ALMS series champion, winner of 2009 LeMans 24 Hours), Les MacTaggart (senior technical director, Indy Racing League), and Rt Hon. Lord Drayson (U.K. minister of state for science and innovation) are among the first speakers to confirm.

The Race Has Gone Green is a one-day conference featuring performance industry icons and professionals focused on developing green technologies that will lead to a booming future for green performance products.

Conference fees are $275 for SEMA or MIA members, $375 for non-members. Registration includes paddock passes for American Le Mans Series qualifying.

Click here to register now.

For more information, visit www.sema.org/RaceGoneGreen or e-mail Jeremy Burne, Tracy Dewhirst or John Waraniak.

Make it a weekend! Discounted tickets for the Long Beach Grand Prix are available for SEMA members. Download the discount flyer here.

	Industry leaders, including (from left) MIA's Chris Aylett, SEMA's Chris Kersting, Braille Battery's Blake Fuller and TTXGP's Azhar Hussain discuss green racing technologies at the 2009 "The Race Goes Green" seminar.

The Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) has confirmed several motorsports icons for the MIA-SEMA The Race Has Gone Green Conference in Long Beach, California, on Friday, April 16, at the Long Beach Convention Center during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Scott Atherton (American Le Mans Series CEO), David Brabham (2009 ALMS series champion, winner of 2009 LeMans 24 Hours), Les MacTaggart (senior technical director, Indy Racing League), and Rt Hon. Lord Drayson (U.K. minister of state for science and innovation) are among the first speakers to confirm.

The Race Has Gone Green is a one-day conference featuring performance industry icons and professionals focused on developing green technologies that will lead to a booming future for green performance products.

Conference fees are $275 for SEMA or MIA members, $375 for non-members. Registration includes paddock passes for American Le Mans Series qualifying.

Click here to register now.

For more information, visit www.sema.org/RaceGoneGreen or e-mail Jeremy Burne, Tracy Dewhirst or John Waraniak.

Make it a weekend! Discounted tickets for the Long Beach Grand Prix are available for SEMA members. Download the discount flyer here.

	Fans of compact performance cars like the Honda S2000 are the most active group of Internet researchers and purchasers among specialty-equipment enthusiasts.

If you needed further motivation to revamp, enhance, or (deep breath) finally develop your business’ website, consider this data gathered from car and truck enthusiasts at the 2009 SEMA Show: an average of 75% of enthusiasts in eight different categories use the Internet to research and inform their parts and accessories purchases.

That number jumps to 80% when social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are factored in.

Fellow enthusiast sites are the most popular venues for gathering information, followed by queries made through traditional search engines such as Google and Yahoo.

Magazines, catalogs, car shows and manufacturer websites also still contribute to enthusiast research. Depending on market segment, between 52% and 78% of enthusiasts still rely on magazines, for example, to inform their buying decisions. Street-rod enthusiasts in particular prefer ink and paper (78%), almost as much as they do enthusiast website research (80%).

Compact-performance fans are the most receptive to doing their homework on the Internet, with 85% saying they turn to enthusiast sites for answers. Off-roaders and street- performance enthusiasts (81%) follow closely behind.

Does all of that time in front of the screen convert to action? Absolutely. An average of 72% of parts hunters in all eight categories said they’d purchased from Internet retailers. Not surprisingly, compact-performance enthusiasts were most likely to buy from an Internet retailer, while those in the restoration scene—just 66%—were among the least likely.

Where does that leave the independent retailer? Generally, about 54% of enthusiasts in all segments—compact performance, off-road, passenger car, racing, restoration, street performance, street rod/custom, and truck/SUV—said they’d purchased from an independent retailer.

Street performance fans are most likely to buy from an independent (55%), while truck and SUV owners at just 46% are the least loyal.

In an effort to better analyze the tastes and preferences of today’s auto enthusiasts, SEMA, in coordination with Ford, launched the Enthusiast Opinion Leader Research Program at the 2009 SEMA Show.

The program invited 527 enthusiasts, selected through a rigorous application process, to the second day of the Show and tasked them with using social media, including Twitter and Facebook, to broadcast their personal product and trend highlights of the Show.

Participants in the program were mostly male (96%), with 52% between 25–44 years old. Most were married (96%), with 67% having household incomes between $50,000 to in excess of $75,000.

Read more about the Enthusiast Opinion Leader Research Program in the February issue of SEMA News.