SEMA News - November 2010

With more than 60 magazine titles and 60 websites in its Performance Automotive Group, Source Interlink Media is featuring the SEMA Action Network (SAN) and highlighting the laws and regulations impacting the automotive hobby. The themed issues are scheduled to hit newsstands in time for the November 2010 elections and encourage readers to exercise their right to be heard. 

“We are again at an election crossroads in which many voters are seeking change,” said Doug Evans, Source Interlink Media’s senior vice president and group publisher for the Performance Automotive Group. “These issues of our automotive magazines will give our readers an opportunity to consider how actions being taken by federal and state lawmakers impact the auto enthusiast. The need for the enthusiast community to stay informed and become involved is greater than ever. From emissions to auto equipment standards, the government is making decisions about your current and future car.”

The topic is not limited to Washington. While the federal government imposes rules for basic vehicle safety and emissions equipment, most other issues are handled at the state and local levels. From titling and registration to emissions inspection and maintenance and equipment standards, all motor-vehicle and motorcycle enthusiasts are subject to decisions made by their state and local officials.

“The people who love musclecars, hot rods, street rods, tuners, replicas, off-road trucks and many other varieties of automotive pursuits are as diverse as the country in which we live,” said SEMA Board of Directors Chairman Rick Rollins. “We must work to protect our automotive passions from unnecessary, unfair or well-intentioned but poorly written laws and regulations. Fortunately, we live in a country where we can still make a difference in how we are governed. Our greatest tool in making that difference is our voice. By speaking out on issues that concern the automotive hobby, contacting our representatives and working constructively with government officials, we have the power to protect our passion and keep it safe for future generations of auto hobbyists and enthusiasts.”

The future of the hobby depends on those who enjoy it. The ballot box is one venue for making views known. Enthusiasts can also work collectively by joining the SAN. The SAN is a partnership between enthusiasts, car clubs and members of the automotive specialty-parts industry in the United States and Canada who have pledged to join forces in support of legislative solutions for the auto hobby.
It’s free to join, and the SAN keeps you informed about pending legislation and regulations—both good and bad—that will impact your state or the country.

“We are the destination for millions of enthusiasts and consumers looking to find anything and everything about their enthusiast lifestyle,” Evans said. “Nowhere else can you find more powerful and credible brands specifically targeted to the needs and passions of our readers. We owe it to these dedicated readers to let them know about the threats to their hobby and solutions they can help enact to protect it.” 

 

 

 

SEMA News - November 2010

12 Ways to Spend Four Days in Vegas

Beat the clock. You have exactly four days to visit the 12 different sections of the 2010 SEMA Show. Do you have a wish list of exhibitors you want to meet with during the Show? Use the accompanying map to maximize your time by setting up meetings that flow along a well-planned walking route through the Las Vegas Convention Center. Attendees, remember that you have to balance Show-floor time against other commitments, including educational presentations, product demonstrations and the circuit of social events and award presentations. Ultimately, one thing cannot be overemphasized: There’s a limited amount of time available to spend face-to-face with the stakeholders of the exhibiting companies. The SEMA Show is only a few days away; don’t let your competition draft you. Plan your daily agenda, plot your course and add www.SEMAShow.com in your browser’s bookmarks—because the event schedules, 2010 SEMA Show Directory and travel information you need will be just a few clicks away. Click here to view the current exhibitor list by Show Section.

 

SEMA News - November 2010

12 Ways to Spend Four Days in Vegas

Beat the clock. You have exactly four days to visit the 12 different sections of the 2010 SEMA Show. Do you have a wish list of exhibitors you want to meet with during the Show? Use the accompanying map to maximize your time by setting up meetings that flow along a well-planned walking route through the Las Vegas Convention Center. Attendees, remember that you have to balance Show-floor time against other commitments, including educational presentations, product demonstrations and the circuit of social events and award presentations. Ultimately, one thing cannot be overemphasized: There’s a limited amount of time available to spend face-to-face with the stakeholders of the exhibiting companies. The SEMA Show is only a few days away; don’t let your competition draft you. Plan your daily agenda, plot your course and add www.SEMAShow.com in your browser’s bookmarks—because the event schedules, 2010 SEMA Show Directory and travel information you need will be just a few clicks away. Click here to view the current exhibitor list by Show Section.

 

SEMA News - November 2010

With the Google/Verizon Deal, Your Website Could Be Dumped Into a “Slow Load” Zone

By Joe Dysart

	A court defanged the Federal Communications Commission on Net Neutrality, finding that the agency had no authority to impose Net Neutrality regulations.

Google’s recent move to forsake Net Neutrality—the premise that all content on the web should be distributed even- handedly—threatens to have serious consequences for specialty-equipment industry websites, especially if other titans of the Internet follow suit. Slower-loading industry websites and bidding wars for preferential treatment from Internet service providers (ISPs) could become a sobering new reality for auto-parts businesses as the Internet’s current democratization gives way to enhanced service for those with the deepest pockets.

“This is completely unfair and would hurt smaller content providers (such as small-business websites) who didn’t have the resources to pay the fees,” said John M. Simpson, director of the Inside Google Project for Consumer Watchdog. “Content would be dominated by mega-corporations, much like cable television is today.”

Google has countered that its move to abandon Net Neutrality is a necessary “compromise” it needed to make with its ISP partner Verizon, which has long loathed Net Neutrality and which also promotes Google’s Android operating system on its Verizon phones. Essentially, ISPs, such as Verizon, have long complained that a concept such as Net Neutrality makes it impossible for them to charge higher rates for people and companies that consume more bandwidth than others. For example, someone’s grandmother, who sends e-mails to her grandkids a few times a week, shouldn’t have to pay the same rate as the movie fanatic next door, who is downloading bandwidth-hogging, feature-length films to a hard drive the size of a treasure chest all day, every day.

But critics of the new Google/Verizon alliance said that the companies’ joint proposal to take a pass on Net Neutrality when it comes to the wireless Internet will essentially, over time, transform a few giant companies into landlords of
the Internet.

“The Google-Verizon deal contains no protections for wireless access, which accounts for nearly one-third of all Internet connections, giving Verizon and other ISPs the green light to block or degrade content on their wireless networks,” said
S. Derek Turner, a research director at Free Press. “In addition, it would allow Internet service providers to discriminate online by offering private Internet services alongside those on the ‘public’ Internet.”

The threat is especially urgent, Google critics said, because there is currently no governmental body that has the authority to prevent what Google and Verizon have called a ‘proposal’ from morphing into an everyday business practice. The reason? While the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has historically been the entity to regulate the Internet when it comes to Net Neutrality, a District of Columbia U.S. Court of Appeals decided in April that the agency has no legal authority to impose Net Neutrality regulations.

In a phrase, there are all sorts of people with all sorts of opinions about Net Neutrality, but there’s no one driving the car in terms of regulations right now. In the near future, fierce public backlash against a web devoid of Net Neutrality—which would divide itself into a collection of upscale gated communities alongside blighted digital ghettos—is keeping the wolf at bay, Google critics said. But critics fear that without government intervention your auto-parts business could be negatively impacted in the long term in the following ways:

• Some content providers, such as video-sharing sites, would be able to pay an added fee to ensure that their videos download faster on the wireless Internet than other videos. In practice, this could mean that videos from YouTube (a Google-owned company), for example, would download quicker than, say, the promotional videos you have on your specialty-equipment website. “This would clearly be possible on the wireless Internet under the Google-Verizon proposal,” said Consumer Watchdog’s Simpson. “I think, indeed, that the deal would allow for some paid premium services on the wired Internet as well.”
• Some businesses might have the opportunity to pay a premium fee on the wireless Internet to ensure that their websites download faster than the websites of other, non-fee-paying businesses in the same industry. “This is unfair and would limit competition and consumer choice,” Simpson said. “Consider the implications of Google being able to pay for its search service to download faster than Bing’s search service.”
• Competitors in the same industry, including the specialty-equipment industry, could ultimately be forced into a bidding war for the fastest website download times on the wireless Internet. This bidding war would mirror the war that currently rages every day among businesses that bid on Google keywords, which lead searchers to sponsored links. “This is unfair in that it would give preference to a few of the wealthiest, largest companies,” Simpson said. “The Internet was supposed to provide open access to all comers, treating all data the same.”
• Some company websites could simply be closed out of the fast lane on the wireless Internet due to private deals struck between mega-ISPs and their preferred customers. Your ISP, for example, may decide against granting download access to a company such as SalesForce.com after cutting a deal with a competitor that offered a similar service on the web. As another example, “Verizon could offer only Google’s search,” Simpson said. “The Internet was meant to be open to all equally. This violates that basic principle and is clearly unfair.”
• Some companies could be forced to pay an added fee on the wireless Internet if they wanted to add new services to their websites in future years. Fifteen years ago, for example, adding easily downloadable video on a website was virtually unimaginable. Now, a 10-year-old kid with a cell phone can do it between lollipop licks. If the Google/Verizon proposal was in effect 15 years ago, we could all be paying extra for the privilege of offering video on our websites. “This is one of the most damaging aspects of the Google-Verizon deal,” Simpson said. “New charges could be added for heretofore unimagined services. Clearly, this unfairly thwarts innovation—or, at the least, limits ‘innovation’ to only those who can afford to pay. This is tremendously damaging to new start-up enterprises, the real incubators of true innovation.”
• Some company websites on the wireless Internet could begin to see fewer hits, as ever-rising Internet connection fees for consumers and business users—such as the ever-rising fees we now all pay for cable—begin limiting the number of users freely surfing the web. “This is exactly the danger,” said Simpson. 

Joe Dysart is an Internet speaker and business consultant based in Manhattan, New York.
Voice: 646/233-4089
E-mail: joe@joedysart.com
Website: www.joedysart.com

SEMA News - November 2010

Builder’s-Race Pinewood Cars to Be Auctioned for Charity

By Chad Simon

Photography By Darryl Dennis

All of the custom-designed pinewood cars from the Builder’s Race—part of the annual HRIA-sponsored Pinewood Drag Races that were held in conjunction with SEMA’s Leadership Days on Saturday, July 24, 2010, in Pasadena, California—will be autographed by the builders and displayed at the 2010 SEMA Show. They will then be bid on for auction via eBay, and the proceeds will go to children’s charities Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp.

The competition in the Builder’s Race pitted 20 professional, well-known hot-rod builders against one another. They were given four months to complete their build with no design limitations or rules except that the car had to fit the track’s dimensions and no propulsion systems were allowed.

Alan Johnson’s Hot Rods and Pinkee’s Rod Shop created its hot rods from billet aluminum, while Rich Evans Designs and Street Vizions went with a more traditional wooden approach. Other builders looked for loopholes in the rules, as Rob Ida Concepts and Cotati Speed Shop entered hot rods with only three wheels.

Rich Evans Designs		Derrick White, Street Vizions		Rob Ida Concepts
Art Morrison		Alan Johnson’s Hot Rods		Hot Rods & Custom Stuff
Carl’s Custom Cars		Cotati Speed Shop		Boerne Stage Customs
Pinkee’s Rod Shop		Clay Smith Cams		Fesler Built

The cars built by Clay Smith Cams and Carl’s Custom Cars embodied the spirit of traditional hot rods, while Boerne Stage Kustoms paid tribute to the land-speed bullets of the past. Builders from Hot Rods & Custom Stuff and Fesler Built showcased their paint skills, and Art Morrison engineered the most unique and advanced pinewood car in the race, fabricating an actual chassis and suspension along with ball-bearing wheels.

But it was Derrick White of Street Vizions who captured the HRIA Cup by leaving all the other entrants in the dust with his traditional hot-rod pinewood car.

Eric Saltrick, vice president of marketing for Steele Rubber Products and an HRIA member, has been involved in the Pinewood Drag Races since their inception in 2008 and coordinated the hot-rod builder event. “Everything was shrouded in secrecy,” Saltrick said. “One of the builders showed up with his car inside a locked briefcase. We didn’t see any of the cars until the day of the race.”

The Builder’s Race came to fruition at last year’s SEMA Show when Saltrick and fellow HRIA members Rick Love of Vintage Air and John Menzler of Comp Performance Group decided to walk the Show floor and ask every well-known hot-rod builder to participate in the event.

“They all jumped at the opportunity,” Saltrick said. “We wanted to get the hot-rod community involved, and we have many hot-rod builders lined up to do it again next year. We’ve also got young builders involved to help give them some exposure.”  

SEMA News - November 2010

Builder’s-Race Pinewood Cars to Be Auctioned for Charity

By Chad Simon

Photography By Darryl Dennis

All of the custom-designed pinewood cars from the Builder’s Race—part of the annual HRIA-sponsored Pinewood Drag Races that were held in conjunction with SEMA’s Leadership Days on Saturday, July 24, 2010, in Pasadena, California—will be autographed by the builders and displayed at the 2010 SEMA Show. They will then be bid on for auction via eBay, and the proceeds will go to children’s charities Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp.

The competition in the Builder’s Race pitted 20 professional, well-known hot-rod builders against one another. They were given four months to complete their build with no design limitations or rules except that the car had to fit the track’s dimensions and no propulsion systems were allowed.

Alan Johnson’s Hot Rods and Pinkee’s Rod Shop created its hot rods from billet aluminum, while Rich Evans Designs and Street Vizions went with a more traditional wooden approach. Other builders looked for loopholes in the rules, as Rob Ida Concepts and Cotati Speed Shop entered hot rods with only three wheels.

Rich Evans Designs		Derrick White, Street Vizions		Rob Ida Concepts
Art Morrison		Alan Johnson’s Hot Rods		Hot Rods & Custom Stuff
Carl’s Custom Cars		Cotati Speed Shop		Boerne Stage Customs
Pinkee’s Rod Shop		Clay Smith Cams		Fesler Built

The cars built by Clay Smith Cams and Carl’s Custom Cars embodied the spirit of traditional hot rods, while Boerne Stage Kustoms paid tribute to the land-speed bullets of the past. Builders from Hot Rods & Custom Stuff and Fesler Built showcased their paint skills, and Art Morrison engineered the most unique and advanced pinewood car in the race, fabricating an actual chassis and suspension along with ball-bearing wheels.

But it was Derrick White of Street Vizions who captured the HRIA Cup by leaving all the other entrants in the dust with his traditional hot-rod pinewood car.

Eric Saltrick, vice president of marketing for Steele Rubber Products and an HRIA member, has been involved in the Pinewood Drag Races since their inception in 2008 and coordinated the hot-rod builder event. “Everything was shrouded in secrecy,” Saltrick said. “One of the builders showed up with his car inside a locked briefcase. We didn’t see any of the cars until the day of the race.”

The Builder’s Race came to fruition at last year’s SEMA Show when Saltrick and fellow HRIA members Rick Love of Vintage Air and John Menzler of Comp Performance Group decided to walk the Show floor and ask every well-known hot-rod builder to participate in the event.

“They all jumped at the opportunity,” Saltrick said. “We wanted to get the hot-rod community involved, and we have many hot-rod builders lined up to do it again next year. We’ve also got young builders involved to help give them some exposure.”  

	Catch a free ride in a Camaro Firebreather "Top Gear" taxi at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the SEMA Show.

To celebrate the arrival of the new U.S. version of "Top Gear," the History channel will be hosting a private sneak preview of the series at the 2010 SEMA Show. The screening is scheduled for Wednesday, November 3, at 6:00 p.m. at the Las Vegas Hilton Theater.

The History channel has a limited number of passes remaining, which they are offering to SEMA exhibitors. If you are interested in receiving two free passes, please send an e-mail with your full name and e-mail address to topgear@cegny.com. Requests must be received no later than Monday, November 1, 2010.

Tickets will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The "Top Gear" team will alert lucky winners by e-mail on November 2, 2010, with instructions for picking up tickets.

The History Channel is also bringing a fleet of "Top Gear" taxis to the 2010 SEMA Show. So catch a free ride in a Camaro Firebreather, Ferrari 458 Italia or another "Top Gear" taxi waiting for you at the Convention Center exit.

The show will premiere on the History channel November 21 at 10:00 p.m.

	Catch a free ride in a Camaro Firebreather "Top Gear" taxi at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the SEMA Show.

To celebrate the arrival of the new U.S. version of "Top Gear," the History channel will be hosting a private sneak preview of the series at the 2010 SEMA Show. The screening is scheduled for Wednesday, November 3, at 6:00 p.m. at the Las Vegas Hilton Theater.

The History channel has a limited number of passes remaining, which they are offering to SEMA exhibitors. If you are interested in receiving two free passes, please send an e-mail with your full name and e-mail address to topgear@cegny.com. Requests must be received no later than Monday, November 1, 2010.

Tickets will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The "Top Gear" team will alert lucky winners by e-mail on November 2, 2010, with instructions for picking up tickets.

The History Channel is also bringing a fleet of "Top Gear" taxis to the 2010 SEMA Show. So catch a free ride in a Camaro Firebreather, Ferrari 458 Italia or another "Top Gear" taxi waiting for you at the Convention Center exit.

The show will premiere on the History channel November 21 at 10:00 p.m.

	The WD-40/SEMA Cares Mustang will be introduced in the SEMA Grand Lobby at the Las Vegas Convention Center and at a press conference Wednesday, November 3.

Excitement continues to build around the WD-40/SEMA Cares Mustang’s introduction at the 2010 SEMA Show, and now the build is finally complete. The Mustang made recent stops at Audio Innovations to install Polk Audio equipment, Katzkin for custom interior seats and L&G Enterprises for paint touch-ups before its final installation—a Paxton supercharger.

“We are so pleased for the opportunity to join our two established brands, WD-40 and Paxton superchargers, both of which have provided consumers with product excellence for more that 50 years,” said Gil Cormaci, director of sales and marketing for Paxton Automotive. “We actually used WD-40 to lubricate the silicone couplers used to join tubing within our supercharger systems, which allows the couplers to slide easily on and off the aluminum piece and a tacky film to develop, securing the connection.”

Don’t miss the introduction of the WD-40/SEMA Cares Mustang in the SEMA Grand Lobby, or stop by the WD-40/SEMA Cares press conference (at the vehicle) at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 3, to hear from WD-40 President and CEO Garry Ridge and other partners about this year’s build. Proceeds from the vehicle’s auction at Barrett-Jackson will go to Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp children’s charities.

	The WD-40/SEMA Cares Mustang will be introduced in the SEMA Grand Lobby at the Las Vegas Convention Center and at a press conference Wednesday, November 3.

Excitement continues to build around the WD-40/SEMA Cares Mustang’s introduction at the 2010 SEMA Show, and now the build is finally complete. The Mustang made recent stops at Audio Innovations to install Polk Audio equipment, Katzkin for custom interior seats and L&G Enterprises for paint touch-ups before its final installation—a Paxton supercharger.

“We are so pleased for the opportunity to join our two established brands, WD-40 and Paxton superchargers, both of which have provided consumers with product excellence for more that 50 years,” said Gil Cormaci, director of sales and marketing for Paxton Automotive. “We actually used WD-40 to lubricate the silicone couplers used to join tubing within our supercharger systems, which allows the couplers to slide easily on and off the aluminum piece and a tacky film to develop, securing the connection.”

Don’t miss the introduction of the WD-40/SEMA Cares Mustang in the SEMA Grand Lobby, or stop by the WD-40/SEMA Cares press conference (at the vehicle) at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 3, to hear from WD-40 President and CEO Garry Ridge and other partners about this year’s build. Proceeds from the vehicle’s auction at Barrett-Jackson will go to Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp children’s charities.