Beginning July 19, California’s Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) will fail motor vehicles during their biennial “smog check” inspection if they are found to have software modifications not provided by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or approved through a California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Order (EO).
BAR, which has had the authority to implement such inspections since 2013, has been gathering information from inspected vehicle ECUs since 2015. The gathered information includes CAL-ID (equivalent to a file name), CVN (equivalent to a checksum), EO status, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This accumulated data is the basis upon which failure criteria will be determined. Disputed results will be referred to state-run Referee centers for further inspection.
SEMA is working with BAR to ensure that legally modified vehicles do not inadvertently fail inspection. During a meeting of the BAR Advisory Group on July 15, BAR staff expressed confidence that non-tuning ECU modifications, such as aftermarket wheel and tire calibrations, would not result in failed inspections. A recording of the meeting will be posted to the California Department of Consumer Affair’s YouTube channel in the coming days.
BAR anticipates approximately 5-10 vehicles will fail each day for illegally modified software. For context, BAR inspects approximately 1 million vehicles each month as part of the smog-check program. Roughly 10,000 of these inspections result in failures due to problems other than modified software.
SEMA encourages its members that manufacture performance-related products, including ECU modifications, to obtain CARB EOs to ensure compliance with emissions regulations.
For questions, please contact Peter Treydte at petert@sema.org.
The Petersen Automotive Museum will choose one early-stage company to join its three-month, mentorship-driven incubator, investing up to $25,000 and providing hands-on mentorship and access to the Petersen Network. The Petersen Business Incubator Program is anchored on developing female-led startups in the automotive sector. With only 23.6% of motor vehicle jobs held by women in 2019, the program is designed to empower and develop women in the automotive industry.
The advisory committee includes Alex Parker, CMO and principal at Redline Detection; Diane Parker, vice president, Historic Vehicle Association; Dr. Sabrina Kay, CEO of Fremont Private Investments, chancellor of Fremont College; Jasmine Gonzalez, group services director, Petersen Automotive Museum; Sarah Lassek, senior vice president, experiences, Omaze; and Nikki Riedmiller, PR and media relations director, Kahn Media.
Diane Parker
Businesses must be located in California, have less than five employees and support or be related to the automotive industry in one of the following categories:
Distribution
Publishing
Interior Design
Alternative Fuels
Accessories
Rideshare
Rental/Travel
Product Development
Marketing/Advertising
Manufacturing
Technology
Apparel/Fashion
Services
Design
Jasmine Gonzalez
Applications open twice a year and typically stay open for eight weeks. After applications close, they are reviewed for about four weeks with the goal of notifying the final group of companies accepted within eight weeks from the application closing date.
Applications are reviewed by a selection committee of six industry leaders.
Nikki Riedmiller
Requirements:
Petersen Automotive Museum Incubator Application
California-based company
Established company – LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp
Business Plan must include the following:
Executive Summary
Company Description
Product/Service
Target Market
Industry Analysis
Financial Plan
Dr. Sabrina Kay
Once accepted, the team meets with the Petersen’s mentorship team once a week. During the first two weeks, you will develop a three-month custom timeline to address your goals. This involves analyzing your company's strengths and weaknesses and spending time in the different museum departments to develop your business and prepare it for its next financial milestone.
Register now for the following upcoming live webinars and stay tuned to SEMA eNews as additional sessions are announced throughout the year. For a comprehensive library of upcoming live and on-demand sessions that members can access anytime, visit www.sema.org/virtual-education.
Tuesday, July 20 – 2021 SEMA Market Report Webinar Series: SEMA Industry Insights Series
During this live webinar, the SEMA Market Research team will present highlights from the recently released “2021 SEMA Market Report.” Filled with updated stats from the 2020 calendar year, the report includes key trends and insights on industry sales, consumer behavior, trends and more. Researchers will explain what the data means and help businesses understand how 2020 affected the industry and where the current opportunities are.
Wednesday, July 21 – YEN Live Chat Featuring Jim Liaw Track: Industry Talks
Here’s your chance to chat with Jim Liaw, co-founder of Formula DRIFT. During this Live Chat presented by the SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN), attendees will be able to ask about how the premier United States drifting series came to be, what other motorsports events he’s helped organize and what he was thinking when the first Formula DRIFT event debuted to a sell-out crowd of 10,000 in 2003—causing traffic jams on the streets outside the track and culture shock to those in the stands. You’ll also be able to find out what he has planned for 2021 and why he supports the RPM Act.
Thursday, July 22 – How to Keep Productivity at a Maximum Series: Team Management Series, Powered by SBN Track: Industry Segments, Powered by SEMA Councils and Networks
Having a long to-do list can feel overwhelming, and oftentimes, it can be a struggle to even know where to start. During this webinar presented by the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN), managers and supervisors will learn solid tips and habits for increasing productivity throughout the day, how to identify and avoid challenges that impede productivity and various goal-setting methods for effectively managing time.
Tuesday, July 27 – Effectively Managing Conflict Series: Sharpen Your Soft Skills, Powered by SBN Track: Industry Segments, Powered by SEMA Councils and Networks
Knowing how to manage conflict can save a team from unnecessary work disruptions, decreased productivity, project failure and even termination. During this webinar presented by the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN), employees and managers will learn common methods for how to manage challenging situations, whether it be manager to employee, employee to employee, manager to manager or manager to supervisor.
SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Education Days is returning to the National Street Rod Association (NSRA) Nationals, August 5–6, in Louisville, Kentucky, providing event visitors with the chance to participate in high-powered education sessions featuring top manufacturers in the hot-rod and auto-restoration segments.
HRIA Education Days is a popular component of the NSRA Nationals where manufacturers share details on their products and systems through face-to-face educational seminars. Attendees will learn valuable tips, connect directly with the manufacturers and get educated on the manufacturer’s product line.
“From the basics of performance air conditioning to paint correction and wheel and tire fitment tips, this year’s session lineup will cover a wide range of topics over a span of two days—all in one place,” said Jim Skelly, HRIA council director. “We are excited to connect with the industry and look forward to providing this valuable resource to attendees of the NSRA Nationals event.”
For the full list of Education Days sessions and to RSVP, click here.
Ralph Sheheen (left), owner of Speed Sport magazine;
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), the lead sponsor of the
RPM Act; and Greg Fornelli (right), owner of SRI
Performance.
Congressional support for the bipartisan Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2021 (RPM Act), H.R. 3281, continues to expand as racers and members of the motorsports’ parts industry write their members of Congress and ask them to cosponsor the bill. The RPM Act now has 82 bipartisan cosponsors, as five members of the U.S. House of Representatives recently agreed to publicly support the bill, including U.S. Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Austin Scott (R-GA), Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Andy Barr (R-KY) and Michael Cloud (R-TX).
While the House has been out of session during the last two weeks, members of Congress have been getting out in the communities they represent to meet with their constituents. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), the lead sponsor of the RPM Act, recently visited SRI Performance in Mooresville, North Carolina, which sells racing and street performance products. During the visit, Rep. McHenry spoke with Greg Fornelli, owner of SRI Performance; Ralph Sheheen, owner of Speed Sport magazine; and David Miller, executive director of the North Carolina Motorsports Association (NCMA), about the importance of passing the RPM Act.
“It was great to visit SRI Performance,” said Rep. McHenry. “SRI is a leader in providing racing parts for the motorsports industry. Racing has a long and storied history in North Carolina and is an important part of our economy. Recently, I was proud to reintroduce the RPM Act to protect grassroots motorsports and industries that support them.”
The RPM Act must be enacted into law to guarantee your right to modify street cars, trucks and motorcycles into dedicated race vehicles, and ensure that industry can offer parts that enable racers to compete. It is imperative that lawmakers continue to be reminded of the importance of passing the RPM Act. Click here to see the current list of RPM Act cosponsors, and don’t forget to send a letter to your U.S. Representative asking them to support the bill and fight for it to become law.
For details, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.
Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) members and businesses in the hot-rod market will connect at the Kentucky Expo Center/National Street Rod Association Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, for an in-person membership meeting taking place, August 4, from 3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EDT).
This meeting is open to current HRIA members and businesses in the hot-rod market that are interested in learning more involved with the council. The HRIA Select Committee will be on site to share updates on the council’s latest initiatives, as well as answer questions from attendees on what resources are available.
HRIA members attending National Street Rod Association (NSRA) Nationals are encouraged to RSVP here.
Feature vehicles provide exhibitors the ability to highlight
products and upgrades on cars and trucks positioned in
designated areas away from the company’s SEMA Show
booth.
The deadline to apply for a feature vehicle at the 2021 SEMA Show is July 30. Exhibitors planning a feature vehicle for the Show are encouraged to mark their calendars now to allow ample time to choose the best car to represent their brand and promote its appearance appropriately.
All feature vehicles must be approved and paid for by qualified exhibiting companies. Criteria for placement is based on how the exhibiting company’s products are showcased on the vehicle, whether the car has been featured in the SEMA Show previously, how complete the vehicle build is, and to what degree the vehicle captures all elements of the specialty-equipment market.
Each qualified exhibiting company is guaranteed placement for one feature vehicle. Additional vehicles will be prioritized by the exhibitors, using an electronic form that will be provided by SEMA Show management after July 30.
Feature vehicles provide exhibitors the ability to highlight products and upgrades on cars and trucks positioned in designated areas away from the company’s SEMA Show booth. With unique style and unmatched innovations, feature vehicles are a visual marketing tool to help generate an organic appeal for an exhibitor’s products.
Vdara is among six Las Vegas properties offering more than a 50%
discount per night when booking through onPeak.
Showgoers booking through onPeak—the SEMA Show housing partner—receive guaranteed low rates on a wide range of hotel properties at locations on and off the Las Vegas Strip.
onPeak not only offers discounted nightly rates for SEMA Show participants, but also offers reduced resort fees so you can save even more on your stay.
SEMA has negotiated exclusive, discounted nightly rates at the best hotels in Las Vegas, but you can only get the discounted rates when you book through the SEMA Show’s official hotel provider, onPeak. Save more than 50% per night at the following properties:
Encore
Excalibur
Luxor
The Signature at MGM Grand
Vdara
Wynn
When making your hotel reservations through the SEMA Show Travel & Lodging page, you are receiving the most affordable and convenient hotel options through our partnership with onPeak—the only official hotel provider for the 2021 SEMA Show. All negotiated rates provided by onPeak include resort fees and will allow you to change or cancel your reservation without any financial penalties.
More information about the SEMA Show, Tuesday–Friday, November 2–5, is available on www.SEMAShow.com.
Matt Jones Takes Operations Helm at Art Morrison Enterprises
With the untimely passing of Art Morrison Enterprises (AME) Vice President Craig Morrison, long-time AME employee Matt Jones will take over a number of responsibilities he had shared with Morrison since 2019 as operations manager. Jones joined AME in 2005. He worked hand-in-hand with company founder Art Morrison, and as the company grew, Jones ascended to the roll of lead engineer, ultimately supervising a trio of other chassis and suspension experts. Jones was the prime motivator in the development of the AME Multi-Link I.R.S.
An automotive enthusiast all his life, Jones’ silver ’69 Camaro became the development “mule” for many of AME’s suspension components. Jones participated in several “suspension shootouts” held by leading enthusiast publications and scored high marks. Prior to the Camaro, Jones road raced a Mazda Miata. Jones and his wife, Lisa, live in nearby Auburn, Washington, and have two daughters, Ashlynn, 12, and Cailee, 7.
After working with RADwood vehicle owners to develop a line
of products specifically for ‘80s and ‘90s cars, Motul has
become an official partner of the RADwood automotive event
series for the 2021 show season.
Motul Named Official Partner of RADwood
Motul has joined RADwood as an official partner for the 2021 show season. RADwood events highlight cars from the post-emissions, pre-digital decades and celebrate the lifestyles and fashions of the ’80s and ’90s. Motul helped kick off RADwood’s 2021 return at RADwood NorCal, held at the San Mateo County Event Center in San Mateo, California, on July 10.
XLerate Group Acquires Liquid Motors
The XLerate Group has added Liquid Motors to its offerings serving consignors and buyers, both digitally and in-lane. Liquid Motors is a critical service provider to independent auctions, dealers, marketplaces and key industry participants.
LSI Chemical Announces China-Based Distributor
LSI Chemical has announced Anna ChemTech Co. Ltd. (Shanghai) as its international distributor to sell and market LSI Chemical and Hot Shot’s Secret oil and fuel additives in China. As part of the agreement, LSI Chemical’s state-of-the-art R&D facility in Ohio will be used to develop custom formulations for the Chinese market. Anna ChemTech is an international trading company with a product portfolio that includes lubricants, coatings, metalworking fluids and more. In addition to the full line of LSI Chemical fuel and oil additives, Anna ChemTech will market and sell Hot Shot’s Secret complete line of fuel and oil additives and specialty oils for gas and diesel-powered vehicles.
Attendees will see how QA1’s products are designed and
manufactured in the Lakeville, Minnesota facility and will be
able to explore the 100,000-plus-sq.-ft. building.
QA1 to Host First Open House at New Lakeville, Minnesota, Facility
QA1 has announced the company will host its first open house event since the completion of its state-of-the-art facility in 2020. The company’s space will be available to visitors from 7:00 a.m.–9 a.m. local time, Friday, July 16. Guided tours of the facility will be followed by a #goDRIVEit cruise to the Street Machine Summer Nationals at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. The open house will allow enthusiasts to see QA1’s development center, manufacturing floor and more. Attendees will see how QA1’s products are designed and manufactured in the Lakeville, Minnesota facility and will be able to explore the 100,000-plus-sq.-ft. building. QA1’s upcoming open house marks the return of the company’s annual event after a two-year hiatus due to the transition to the new building in 2019 and COVID-19 precautions in 2020. To take part in the free cruise from QA1 to Street Machine Summer Nationals, drivers can register via QA1’s Eventbrite page.
Acme Manufacturing Unveils New Logo and Branding
Acme Manufacturing has unveiled its new logo to symbolize its modern focus. With the new logo, Acme wanted to preserve its legacy by retaining similar elements of their past designs. The globe shape stands out from the text, serving as a modern representation of Acme’s expanding global footprint. During the past year, Acme made many internal process changes that led to increased efficiency and more innovative solutions. This forward motion instigated the need for a new logo and branding to reflect the focus on perpetual innovation in a global market.
Kian Capital’s The Eastwood Company Completes Add-on Acquisition of Yost Vises
The Eastwood Company completed the acquisition of Yost Vises, a specialized provider of high-quality vises. The Yost Vises brand has a 100-year-old history as an industry-leading provider of rugged, durable and dependable workholding tools sold at DIY price points. It offers a range of bench vises, drill press vises, woodworking vises and clamps and accessories sold via e-commerce to automotive enthusiasts, metalworkers, woodworkers and other DIYers and hobbyists.
“Like Eastwood, Yost Vises is a storied company with a loyal following and we are excited to welcome the brand into the Eastwood family,” commented Brian Huck, CEO of Eastwood. “Vises are an essential device in the arsenal of tools that our customers need to finish their DIY project and do the job right. The Yost Vises acquisition offers us another high-quality product line that complements our existing capabilities and enables us to continue providing a broader set of solutions to our customers.”
Yost Vises has been owned by the Nelis family for more than four decades, over which time they have grown the brand, innovated within the category and built a strong reputation for quality and customer service. “Yost Vises has been owned by our family since 1979, and we were very selective with potential buyers during this process,” said Pat Nelis, Co-Owner at Yost Vises. “Eastwood was the ideal fit for Yost Vises, and we are confident that Brian and his team will uphold its high standards of quality and service and be great stewards of its legacy.”
Kian’s continued progress with buy-and-build strategies at its three automotive aftermarket platform investments reinforces the firm’s focus on investing in branded/enthusiast DTC companies with a differentiated strategy, a robust e-commerce presence and superior product lines that result in a highly engaged customer base. NuVescor Group acted as financial advisor to Yost Vises. Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A. acted as legal advisor to Eastwood.
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.
With exhibits included in the LVCC’s newly constructed West Hall,
the entire SEMA Show floorplan will be optimized and offers room
for new features and enhancements for an improved overall
attendee experience.
The 2021 SEMA Space Allocation process was completed in late-June, with more than 1,700 companies selecting their booth locations at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). The LVCC's halls are nearly full of exhibits, but booth space is still being reserved, and more exhibitors are expected to secure space until the Show opens on November 2.
Attendees planning on joining the industry at the 2021 SEMA Show can see who's exhibiting and where through the updated floorplan. If you have not yet registered for the SEMA Show, taking place Tuesday-Friday, November 2-5, visit www.SEMAShow.com/attendee to register.
For 2021, the Show will include exhibit space in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s newly constructed West Hall, a 1.4-million-sq.-ft. facility completed in January. The new facility includes exhibitors from the Restyling & Car Care Accessories, Powersports & Utility Vehicles, and Truck, SUV & Off-Road sections.
Earlier in June, the visitors of the World of Concrete convention were the first to use the new hall, and the event marked the first large-scale convention and tradeshow to be held in Las Vegas in 15 months.
In addition to the new hall, the newly constructed Loop—a high-speed, people-mover system that runs 40 ft. under the LVCC—will transport visitors between South, Central and West Halls. The World of Concrete successfully used the system to shuttle visitors through the 200-acre convention center.
For more information on the 2021 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.
Register now for the following upcoming live webinars and stay tuned to SEMA eNews as additional sessions are announced throughout the year. For a comprehensive library of upcoming live and on-demand sessions that members can access anytime, visit 
SEMA 
Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA)
Acme Manufacturing Unveils New Logo and Branding