By Ashley Reyes

Holley LS Fest has become the go-to event for fans of GM’s high performance do-it-all LS engine platform. This year, Holley is bringing LS Fest West back to Las Vegas Motor Speedway just outside of Las Vegas.

The SEMA Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) is hosting a mixer for its members inside the Optima Booth on Thursday, April 21, at 5:00 p.m. (PDT).

The event is the ideal time for members to grow and expand their professional network. Attendees will network with industry friends in a relaxed environment, learn about resources available to council members, and connect directly with the MPMC select committee.

Lean more about the event and RSVP here.

By Ashley Reyes

As America’s workforce evolves and more employees continue to work remotely, workers are burning out and struggling. Resignations are at an all-time high and employees are seeking better work-life balance. Discover how the busiest people avoid burning out and ways to create an environment of calmness in the workplace by taking part in the newest offering from the SBN Virtual Education Webinar Series, “Creating a Work Life Balance,” April 21, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT).

Ann Swayka of AirPro Diagnostics will serve as moderator as she is joined by Lee Jordon, chief people officer with DataBrains, who is also an adjunct professor of kinesiology and integrative wellness, and a nationally board-certified health and wellness coach.

Attendees will learn:

• Why work-life balance is essential to both employees and employers.
• How to instill a culture of work-life balance in your company.
• How to keep balance when stress increases.
• How to become a role model.

Attendees will engage in a Q&A with the speaker and participate in virtual breakouts to share how they reinforce work-life balance in their own careers.

Register here.

By Ashley Reyes

As the popularity of electric vehicles grows, experts are taking a closer look at the true environmental impact these cars have—from production to operation to disposal. Manufacturers of both alternative-fuel vehicles and traditional internal-combustion engine (ICE) vehicles are evaluating the net-zero impact and what the future looks like.

Join Dr. Robert Freerks, consultant in fuels and lubricants at RLF Enterprises, April 20, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT), as he compares EVs to conventional ICE vehicles and explores the readiness of the U.S. electric grid to support widespread adoption of EV use throughout the country.

In just one hour, you will learn about the following:

• Equivalent emissions of an EV based on energy production mix across the United States.
• Environmental impact of EV and battery production.
• Ability of the current electric grid to support widespread EV adoption.

Register here.

By Ashley Reyes

SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) members are invited to join the network for a Virtual Happy Hour, April 21, from 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m (PDT).  

The event is the ideal time for FLN members to meet and socialize while expanding and growing their professional network. Attendees will hear from FLN leadership and discover what new resources and programs are available, before breaking out into small groups where they will meet and get to know other FLN members from throughout the country.

Industry professionals 39 years of age or younger who are not currently FLN members but are interested in getting more involved in the industry and networking are invited and encouraged to attend, as it is a great way to introduce yourself and learn how FLN can help support and grow members’ careers.

Register here.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Do you want members of Congress to pass bills that protect our automotive freedoms and enable the specialty automotive aftermarket to thrive? If the answer is yes, now is the time to get involved with SEMA efforts to connect industry businesses with their members of Congress.

U.S. Representative Jake Ellzey (R-TX, center) visits Summit Racing’s Arlington, Texas distribution and order fulfillment center.

Whether in Washington, D.C., or state capitals around the country, public policy battles are won by organized interests that have relationships with lawmakers. The organizations that shape public policy are comprised of businesses and individuals who know their lawmakers. More importantly, their lawmakers know them.

SEMA members have hosted members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators at their businesses for more than 20 years. These visits have been integral to developing meaningful relationships with lawmakers that help them to understand our industry so that they can advocate for policies that defend and grow it. If you would like to get to know your members of Congress, we stand ready to help!

Braden Liberg (left), Edelbrock’s director of compliance and calibration engineering; Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), the lead Republican co-sponsor of the RPM Act; and Todd Belcher, Edelbrock’s general manager of east operations (right), pose for a picture after the Congressman’s meeting with Edelbrock employees.

The first step in developing these relationships is to introduce yourself and invite them to your business. SEMA staff will draft up an invitation, send it to your lawmakers, coordinate the visit by providing a briefing prior to the event and manage day-of logistics in coordination with you and your company. Our government relations team is ready to do the heavy lifting! If you’d like to host your elected officials, please email Eric Snyder, SEMA’s director of congressional affairs, at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Biden Administration announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will issue a temporary waiver to allow for the summertime sale of gasoline with up to 15% ethanol (E15). Currently, E15 cannot be sold between June 1 and September 15 due to fuel-volatility concerns that higher blends of ethanol combined with warmer temperatures may lead to increased ground-level ozone formation and smog. The agency will review the waiver every 20 days to determine if it is necessary for it to remain in place.  

Ethanol, especially in higher concentrations such as E15, can cause metal corrosion and dissolve certain plastics and rubbers in older automobiles that were not constructed with ethanol-resistant materials and in certain specialty high-performance equipment installed on newer vehicles. SEMA opposes the expansion of E15 gasoline as a lack of clear labeling on gas pumps does not provide sufficient protection to guard against misfuelling.

Under the Trump Administration, the EPA issued a ruling to permanently allow year-round sale of E15; however, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia found this ruling unlawful. The Biden Administration says this decision is based on its authority to pursue a temporary emergency action.

For more information, contact Caroline Fletcher at carolinef@sema.org.

MAHLE Motorsport Announces New Presenting Event Sponsorship for the Scoggin Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals

MAHLE Motorsport has announced it will be this year’s presenting event sponsor for the Scoggin Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals. The All-Star Nationals is being held April 21–24, in a new location at the Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina. This four-day event, the second for the year, is one of only two events where both NMRA and NMCA racers come together to compete for titles in multiple categories—Pro Mod, X275, Xtreme Street/Renegade Radial Classes and Index racing. The event is billed as the ultimate street car bash in the southeast, where the fastest musclecar drag racers and quickest NMRA Ford racers prove their mettle with record setting performances on the same track.

In addition to the weekend-long race events, there is show and shine for domestics and Manufacturer’s Midway where enthusiasts and builders can meet face to face with automotive experts, including MAHLE Motorsport, which will have a booth at the event. For a full list of details go to www.nmcadigital.com. For more information about the Scoggin Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals Presented by MAHLE Motorsport or to purchase tickets, click here.

Cliff Flannery Purchases Crandon International Raceway

Crandon International Raceway management has announced that the historic facility in Crandon, Wisconsin, and all its assets have been purchased by Cliff Flannery, the longtime track president. Since opening in 1984, the 400-plus acre track located in the Northwoods of Wisconsin has hosted some of the largest off-road races in the sport, including June’s Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run and Labor Day’s massive Polaris World Championship Off-Road Races. The most recent Polaris World Championship drew a record crowd of nearly 65,000 people at its 52nd anniversary running. The venue also serves as home to the annual Red Bull Crandon World Cup, held each Sunday of Labor Day weekend, and is scheduled to feature the AMSOIL Champ Off-Road and Ultra4 Racing series in 2022. Crandon Office Manager Tina Kulaf will remain in her role of managing the track’s business operation. Additionally, Promoter Marty Fiolka and his California-based TRG Rennsport group will continue their roles in event promotion and execution, sponsorship, marketing, content, and public relations. For more information, visit crandonoffroad.com.

Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Announces 2023 Induction Class

The 35th Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Induction Celebration presented by Toyota Racing will be held in Daytona Beach, Florida, March 6–7, 2023.

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) has announced its 2023 induction class, which will be honored during the 35th Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Induction Celebration presented by Toyota Racing, in Daytona Beach, Florida, March 6–7, 2023.

The Class of 2023 includes:

• “Father of the Corvette and Corvette racing,” the late Zora Arkus-Duntov (Sports Cars)
• Longtime USAC official and safety pioneer, the late Henry Banks (Historic)
• America’s successful enduro racer, Dick Burleson (Motorcycles)
• Air racer, the late Art Chester (Aviation)
• one of NASCAR’s most innovative crew chiefs, Ray Evernham (Stock Cars)
• Early NASCAR fan favorite, the late Fonty Flock (Historic)
• One of the NHRA’s 50 Greatest All-Time Drivers, Darrell Gwynn (Drag Racing)
• Land-speed record-setter, the late Ab Jenkins (Speed Records)
• Two men who revolutionized race track emergency services, Drs. Stephen Olvey and Terry Trammell (Open Wheel)

MSHFA President George Levy announced the new induction class with 2015 MSHFA inductee and road racer Tommy Kendall during Stand 21 Racing Goes Safer seminar at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. For more information, visit mshf.com.

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

The SEMA Board of Directors elections are just around the corner, so now is the time to ensure you vote and be informed about your candidates.

Each member company is able to cast one ballot. Your company’s primary contact should have received an email from SEMA requesting them to fill out a brief form to confirm we have the appropriate person to complete the ballot for your company. It’s important that those forms are completed and returned as soon as possible.

The SEMA Board of Directors Candidates webpage is available to learn more about your candidates. The page includes their photos, bios, questionnaires and social-media links so you can learn more about them and their platforms.  

Ballots will be sent on May 10 from the SEMA election coordinator <mailto:noreply@directvote.net>, so ensure you receive your ballot by adding the email to your contacts list.

By SEMA Editors

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

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.

Motorsports Salesperson
ProCharger is hiring a qualified motorsports sales and technical services representative with a comprehensive understanding and passion for the high-performance motorsports industry as well as strong mechanical aptitude. This position will also be involved in drag races and building relationships with racers. Other duties include the ability to travel to select races, events and trade shows.

Product Development Engineer
EGR Inc. is hiring a product development engineer responsible for managing new products from concept to completion and bringing together the different stakeholders within the organization to design, develop, test and launch new products within the automotive industry. On a daily basis you will be activity working closely with the engineering team, CAD designers, sales team and customer/supplier stakeholders. The role will also see you liaising directly with both Internal and external stakeholders around the globe.

Sales and Technical Representative
KW Automotive North America Inc. is hiring a sales and technical representative to provides customer with courteous customer service in person, via email, phone, social media and live chat. This position strives to retain current business, ability to network, and build new accounts. Candidates must have basic mechanical knowledge to help customers with installation questions and troubleshooting technical issues.