B. Force, Hight and M. Smith Cap Off Virginia NHRA Nationals With Victories

Brittany Force defeated four-time defending world champion Steve Torrence, going 3.770 seconds at 334.07 mph in her 11,000-hp Flav-R-Pac dragster.

Brittany Force finished off a dominant weekend that included track records and a No. 1 qualifier with a Top Fuel victory on Sunday at Virginia Motorsports Park, helping John Force Racing to a Top Fuel and Funny Car sweep at the Virginia NHRA Nationals. Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the seventh of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Force never trailed in the final round against four-time defending world champion Steve Torrence, going 3.770 seconds at 334.07 mph in her 11,000hp Flav-R-Pac dragster to win for the third time this season, extending her points lead to 81 over rival Torrence, who moved into second in points.

Hight helped ensure a nitro sweep for JFR, delivering a 3.907 at 328.86 in his 11,000hp Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS in the Funny Car final round against points leader Matt Hagan, whose points lead now stands at just 15 over Hight.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, defending world champ Smith denied Steve Johnson his third straight win, adding another great layer in their ongoing rivalry, going 6.842 at 198.35 on his Denso Auto Parts/Stockseth/Matt Smith Racing Suzuki to beat the points leader on a holeshot.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action with the NHRA New England Nationals on June 3–5, at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire.

Solans Steals Canaries Win

Nil Solans enjoyed a trouble-free drive over the closing tests and went on to clinch victory number two of the season by 11.2 seconds.

Nil Solans grabbed a second victory from as many FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) starts this season, after Luis Monzón hit trouble at Rally Islas Canarias. Monzón was looking good for his fourth Rally Islas Canarias triumph as he outpaced Solans by 3.0 seconds on Saturday’s opener, but disaster struck on the very next test. The 56-year-old discovered a screw which had found its way into one of his Škoda Fabia Rally2’s tires. There was no time to change the wheel before the stage and the tire eventually gave way after 4.3 km, plunging Monzón into retirement.

Solans then seized the top spot and led by 10.4 seconds from Citroën C3 Rally2 driver Yoann Bonato heading into the final loop. He enjoyed a trouble-free drive over the closing tests and went on to clinch victory number two of the season by 11.2 seconds. Bonato was left scrapping for the runners-up spot with Team MRF Tyres Škoda driver Efrén Llarena. Llarena reduced Bonato’s deficit to just 0.7 seconds ahead of the Power Stage before outpacing his rival on the finale to end the rally on identical times. Llarena took second on countback having set the fastest time over the first non-superspecial stage, moving into the championship lead in the process.

Enrique Cruz was the highest-placed Canary Islander, and brought his Ford Fiesta Rally2 home 12.7 seconds behind Bonato to take fourth. He had 45.3 seconds in hand over Škoda rookie Pep Bassas, who celebrated his best-ever ERC result.

The series reverts to gravel for Rally Poland next month. The fourth round is based at Mikołajki, June 10–12.

NASCAR Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2023, Landmark Award

NASCAR has announced the inductees who will comprise the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2023. The three-person group—the 13th since the inception of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010—consists of two Modern-Era inductees, Matt Kenseth and Kirk Shelmerdine, and one Pioneer inductee, Hershel McGriff. In addition, Mike Helton was named the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

For the first time since 2019, members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel—comprised of NASCAR representatives, Hall of Fame inductees, track owners, media members and more—met in an in-person closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to debate and vote upon the 15 nominees for the induction class of 2023 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award. Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote were A.J. Foyt (Pioneer), Kenseth (Modern Era) and Harry Gant (Modern Era).

The class of 2023 induction ceremony is set for Friday, January 20, 2023, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for the induction ceremony will be available later in May on nascarhall.com.

For more racing news, visit Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) website.

By SEMA Editors

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

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.

Product Data/Website Administrator
Cognito Motorsports is hiring a product data/website administrator responsible for the development and maintenance of product data for distribution across all digital channels, including the company ERP, website and reseller network. The qualified candidate must have excellent writing and proof reading skills with extraordinary attention to details and ability to hit scheduled deadlines. A B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited four-year university or equivalent work experience is preferred.

Social Media Manager/Content Creator
Seibon International Inc. is hiring a social-media manager and content creator to administer its social-media accounts and generate content for its channels and website. Candidate will be responsible for creating original text and photo and video content, managing posts and responding to followers. Candidates must be up-to-date with the latest digital technologies and social-media trends, have excellent communication skills and a minimum of three years’ experience in the automotive aftermarket industry. SEMA and PRI attendance is required.

Marketing Director
Power Automedia is hiring a marketing director to oversee its marketing efforts. This individual must have a background in omnichannel marketing. Experience in the automotive aftermarket is desirable. This position is responsible for developing and executing the overall marketing strategy to generate B2B sales while also providing some support for consumer marketing. The position requires extensive experience in all forms of digital and sales marketing. Candidates must be capable of analyzing ROI on campaigns and targeting specific audiences. Leadership skills are a major plus, as the department may be growing with increased business.

By SEMA Editors

Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.

By Ashley Reyes

Parts manufacturers may be able to get involved with the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) All-Female Vehicle Build, a celebrated project that will showcase the talents of women in the industry and help encourage more women to pursue careers in the automotive field.

Manufacturers with products for the Ford Bronco 4-Door Wildtrak are invited to submit an application by completing this form.

“The project will showcase the many amazing talents of women in the automotive aftermarket,” said SBN Director Nicole Bradle. “This is a great opportunity for manufacturers to have a product installed on the vehicle that will be prominently showcased at the 2022 SEMA Show.”  

Submissions will be reviewed and accepted individually based on program alignment and need. 

By Ashley Reyes

Profit sharing can be a powerful tool for attracting and keeping talented employees, building a strong and healthy foundation for your business and creating a customer-friendly environment.

Automotive service companies, particularly those in the wheel and tire industry, often struggle with customer trust and loyalty. Giving employees a stake in the company is a great way to motivate staff to improve customer service and build trust, and consequently sales and profits as well.

Aftermarket wheel and tire companies are invited to a live webinar on May 19, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT), to learn the ins and outs of offering a profit-sharing program. Dick Erickson, founder of Sun Tire, will share how his company went from good to great after introducing a profit sharing program. Erickson will break down how offering a well-defined and transparent program resulted in reduced payroll, improved customer relations, less employee turnover and reduced shrinkage.

“I think profit-sharing is the catalyst that separates great companies from good companies. The boost in sales and profits gives employees a stakeholder mentality which will have a positive effect on sales and profit,” says Erickson. “In most businesses, employees are not stakeholders. When all employees became stakeholders at Sun Tire, our business rose to a whole new level.”

Register for the live webinar “Building Your Business through Profit Sharing”, presented by the SEMA Wheel & Tire Council (WTC), here.

By Ashley Reyes

The hot-rod segment is no longer about the year the car was born. For the market to continue to grow, it’s important that hot rodders open their minds and businesses to the thought that “hot rod” can be a broad definition no longer limited by model year.

Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) members will hear from some of the market’s top leaders as they discuss the current state of hot rods and what the future might hold, during the HRIA General Membership Meeting and Panel Discussion on May 17, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT).

Featuring Amy Fitzgerald of Cool Hand Customs as moderator, and Jesse Henke, JH Restorations; Pete Filippo, Filippo Speed Shop Inc; and Tim Strange, Strange Motion Rod & Custom Construction, as speakers, the panel will tackle the traditional definition of “hot rod,” the emergence of EVs and where the tuner market and other similar communities fit in. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions and share their thoughts on the future of hot rodding.

The meeting and discussion are open to all HRIA members and companies in the hot-rod industry, and is the ideal time to address industry concerns and learn from others in the market. A brief report on the council’s current initiatives will also be discussed.

Register here.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The 2022 election season is kicking into high gear in May with 14 states holding primary elections this month. Idaho, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon and Pennsylvania primaries will take place on Tuesday, May 17, and it’s essential to know which candidates support racing when going to the polls or voting early. For information on voting in the primary (including absentee and early voting), registering to vote and identifying your lawmakers and the candidates running in 2022, visit SEMA’s vote racing page.

The Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act (RPM Act), H.R. 3281 and S. 2736, enjoys strong support from Idaho, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon and Pennsylvania members of Congress. The bipartisan RPM Act guarantees the right to modify street cars, trucks, and motorcycles into dedicated race vehicles and safeguards the industry’s right to offer parts that enable racers to compete. For more information on the RPM Act, click here.

Below is a list of federal lawmakers who have co-sponsored the RPM Act in the 2021–2022 session of Congress and are running for re-election in 2022.

IDAHO:

• Sen. Mike Crapo [R-ID]

KENTUCKY:

• Rep. Thomas Massie, [R-KY]*
• Rep. Brett Guthrie [R-KY]
• Rep. James Comer [R-KY]
• Rep. Andy Barr [R-KY]

NORTH CAROLINA:

• Rep. Patrick McHenry [R-NC]**
• Rep. Richard Hudson Hudson [R-NC]*
• Rep. Ted Budd [R-NC]* - Running for U.S. Senate
• Rep. David Rouzer [R-NC]*
• Rep. Madison Cawthorn [R-NC]*

OREGON:

• Rep. Kurt Schrader [D-OR]*

PENNSYLVANIA:

• Rep. Scott Perry [R-PA] *
• Rep. Mike Kelly [R-PA]*
• Rep. Brendan Boyle [D-PA]*
• Rep. John Joyce [R-PA]
• Rep. Guy Reschenthaler [R-PA]
• Rep. Glenn Thompson [R-PA]
• Rep. Chrissy Houlahan [D-PA]

*Original cosponsor
**Lead bill sponsor    

For more information, contact erics@sema.org.

Each year, the SEMA Show displays hundreds of vehicles throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center as part of the Show's Feature Vehicle Program.

All vehicles on display are sponsored by an exhibiting company allowing manufacturers to expand their footprint at the SEMA Show beyond their booth.

All vehicles on display are sponsored by an exhibiting company allowing manufacturers to expand their footprint at the SEMA Show beyond their booth.

Each vehicle accepted will also be featured in the SEMA Show app displaying; vehicle image, make, model, year, color, products used as part of the build, builder’s name and the name and booth number of the sponsoring exhibiting company.  

When completing the Feature Vehicle application, you may also select the option of having your vehicle enrolled for consideration in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition. “SEMA Battle of the Builders” is judged by industry experts and presented to individuals who have demonstrated extreme talent, creativity and craftsmanship in modifying cars, trucks and SUVs.

Submit your Feature Vehicle Application.  

For any additional questions on submitting your Feature Vehicle application contact Maurice O’Connell at mauriceo@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

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.

Territory Salesperson
Bedrock Truck Beds is hiring a territory salesperson responsible for generating and increasing sales of Bedrock Truck Beds and other manufactured products in the assigned region. The ideal candidate will have a lean business background and be focused on safety, quality, delivery, productivity and costs while simultaneously acquiring and maintaining an in-depth knowledge of products and services offered by company and competitors in the truck bed space. An undergraduate degree plus three years’ experience in B2B sales experience are required.

Senior Automotive Parts Buyer
JEGS Automotive Inc. is hiring a senior automotive parts buyer responsible for evaluating new products from both new and existing vendors; negotiating pricing, payment terms, freight, stock adjustments and allowances/rebates; and growing sales in his/her assigned categories through maintaining the correct product assortment, competitive pricing, timely availability and creative marketing programs. This is a remote role, but you must be able to travel to our corporate headquarters periodically.

Product Specialist
Enthusiast Auto Holdings is hiring a product specialist responsible for the company’s catalog of products; ideation, onboarding, and merchandising of new products and brands; and providing product support to customer-facing teams. He/she will be responsible for gathering customer insights, needs and desires by talking to customers, conducting surveys, talking to sales reps and gathering insights from social sites and forums to offer compelling new products and optimizing the shopping experience for existing products. In addition, the product specialist will offer product support in-person, phones, chat and email for customer operations teams.

By SEMA Editors

Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.