Compiled by SEMA Editors

Turn 14 Distribution Goes Electric With Evasive Motorsports for 2021 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 

Turn 14 Distribution has announced its title sponsorship of the Evasive Motorsports Tesla Model 3 Performance for the 99th running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) presented by Gran Turismo. The EV-powered platform will be driven by Turn 14 Distribution-sponsored athlete Dai Yoshihara for his third time competing in The Race to the Clouds. Last year, the Evasive Motorsports Team and Yoshihara placed first in the Unlimited Division with their ’13 Toyota 86 and finished with an overall time of 10:05:006. This year, the team plans to conquer new heights by using the fully electric platform of the Tesla Model 3 Performance.

NMCA Starts Season With Full-Throttle Action in Florida

Drivers came from across the country to put the hammer down at the Whipple Superchargers NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem presented by Holbrook Racing Engines, March 18–21, at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida. Awaiting those able to go all the way at the series’ first of six races this season was the celebratory NMCA Winner’s Circle.

VP Racing Lubricants Xtreme Pro Mod: The final round belonged to Shawn Ayers and Todd Tutterow, and Ayers worked for the win with a 3.58 over Tutterow, who was forced to lift to a 4.32.

Mickey Thompson Street Outlaw: Alan Felts met Anthony Manna in the Mustang-vs.-Camaro final round of eliminations, and won with a 4.29 after Manna turned on the red light.

Holley EFI Factory Super Cars: Tripp Carter met Bill Skillman in the final, where Skillman secured the win with a 7.56 to Carter’s 7.59.

ARP Nitrous Pro Street: Jake Naumann met Vince Khoury in the final round of eliminations, where Khoury captured the holeshot win with a 4.47 to Naumann’s quicker 4.34.

Edelbrock Xtreme Street: Kirt Sanders defeated Brian Keep in the final round with a 4.55 to Keep’s 4.61.

Reigning Dart NA 10.5: Leonard Long took a trip to the NMCA Winner’s Circle with a 7.64 run after competitor David Theisen was forced to get out of the throttle in the final round.

Chevrolet Performance Stock presented by Scoggin Dickey Parts Center: Ronnie Hackelton met up with Glenn Pushis in his new COPO Camaro in the final round of eliminations, and while Hackelton was quicker on the tree, Pushis was quicker on the top end and won with a 9.88 to Hackelton’s 9.92.

Coan Stock/Super Stock Combo: The final round featured Mark Nowicki and Larry Hill, where Nowicki nailed the win with a 9.60 on a 9.58 dial over Hill’s 9.93 on a 9.96.

Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock: Mike Davis lmade it to the final to face current category champion Brent Wheeler, who won with a better reaction time and a 9.77 on a 9.75 index over Davis’ 10.00 on a 10.00.

Detroit Truetrac Nostalgia Muscle: Landing in the final round of eliminations were Brenda Blair and Bill Lee Jr. The drivers were close on the tree, and after a double breakout on the top end, Blair won with an 11.71 on an 11.75 index over Lee Jr.’s 11.44 on an 11.50.

MagnaFuel Open Comp: Don Jones Jr. and Scott Williams were featured in the final round of eliminations, where Jones Jr. won with a 9.37 on a 9.36 dial over Williams, who broke out with an 8.59 on 8.68.

TorqStorm Superchargers: Landing the overall win was Larry Albright with a 7.86 average, and rolling to the runner-up finish was Jason Rollins, with an 8.53 average. Also standing out were Scott Oshinski, the 9-second winner, Trevor Ghasgow, the 10-second winner, Alan Hill, the 11-second winner, Ken Barrett, the 12-second winner and Fred Hermans, the 13-second winner. Rounding out the category were Rick Doern, the 14-second winner and Andrew Beeman, the 15-second winner.

LME Street King Presented by Chevrolet Performance: Elizabeth Claydon collected the win with a lifting 10.71 on a 10.25 dial after William Wakefield turned on the red light.

Proform LSX Rumble Presented by Chevrolet Performance: Running to the final round of eliminations were father and son Tim and Cody Poston. Tim took the win in the double-breakout bout with an 11.19 on an 11.25 index over Cody’s 10.40 on a 10.50 index.

Dodge // Mopar HEMI Shootout: Klaus Norrhed arrived at the overall win with a 10.13 average, while Richard Stimson grabbed the runner-up spot with a 10.16 average. Also going all the way were Diana Smith with the 10-second win, Bruce Phillips with the 11-second win, Jeff Smith with the 12-second win, Ken Mason with the 13-second win, David Burnett with the 14-second win and Roger Fournier with the 15-second win.

Arrington Performance HEMI Quick 8 presented by Red Line Oil: Taking the win was Klaus Norrhed with a 10.46 when Richard Stimson wasn’t able to complete his pass.

Bracket Mayhem: Gage Burch won with a 6.44 on a 6.43 dial over Dan Bouldry and his breakout time of 5.36 on a 5.39.

The action is set to amplify as NMCA and NMRA drivers trample the track together at the second event of the year for each series, the Scoggin Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by MAHLE Motorsport, April 8–11, at Atlanta Dragway.

Bondurant High Performance Driving School Is Now Radford Racing School

Bondurant High Performance Driving School has been renamed Radford Racing School. The company owners—a small group of auto enthusiasts, collectors and driving school graduates that had purchased the business in May 2019—have announced the change, along with the completion of an extensive, multimillion-dollar renovation and curriculum revamp. The renovation included the first resurfacing of the main track in Chandler, Arizona, in 30 years. Enhancements to the property’s facilities were also completed, along with the diversification of the course offering with new open-wheel and drag-racing courses. Formula racing courses will be launched at a later date.

The announcement also marks the company’s new association with Radford—a global luxury automotive brand based in Great Britain. The company is owned by F1 champion Jenson Button, car designer Mark Stubbs, English TV celebrity Ant Anstead and business partner Roger Behle. Radford will now build and test vehicles on the Radford Racing School track based in Chandler. The Radford Racing School will also continue as the Official High Performance Driving School of Dodge//SRT, which provides a fleet of vehicles for driving instruction. For more information, visit www.radfordracingschool.com.

VP Racing Fuels Partners With SRX on CBS This Summer; Extends Partnership With Laguna Seca Raceway

VP Racing Fuels Inc. has signed with Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) as the official fuel supplier for the short-track racing series debuting on Saturday nights this summer on CBS in prime time. VP Racing Fuels will provide fuel to the series’ fleet of purpose-built race cars designed by the NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief and team owner Ray Evernham. Each is powered by an Ilmor-built 396 V8 engine making 700 hp and 530 lb.-ft. of torque, and will be piloted by a driver lineup from an array of motorsports backgrounds. The SRX drivers include Tony Stewart, Tony Kanaan, Paul Tracy, Bobby Labonte, Willy T. Ribbs, Bill Elliott, Ernie Francis Jr., Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves, and Michael Waltrip. The series debut is set for June 12 at Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut. SRX then visits back-to-back dirt tracks at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa on June 19 and Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on June 26. SRX returns to pavement July 3 at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis and then ventures north to Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin on July 10 before its season finale July 17 at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in Tennessee.

In addition, VP Racing Fuels has announced the extension of its official fuel partnership with the Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California. The agreement marks the continuation of a successful partnership that began more than a decade ago and will designate VP as the official and exclusive fuel provider for an additional five years.

NHRA Postpones 2021 Winternationals at Pomona

NHRA officials have announced the postponement of the 61st annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, California, originally scheduled for April 9-11. NHRA and track officials will continue to look to state and federal health officials for recommendations to host events in the state. A new date for the event is to be determined. The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season kicked off with a successful race at the AmalieMotor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville. The season will continue racing action at the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, April 16-18. NHRA officials are confident the season will consist of 22 national events. Auto Club Raceway is currently serving as a COVID-19 vaccination site, allowing locals to drive through the facility and receive their vaccination.

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

Here’s the upcoming Ford Maverick (Lariat?) AWD running with light camouflage, providing a best look yet at Ford's upcoming unibody pickup.

The model seen here appears to be a high-end trim, complete with LED headlights, stylized wheels, a sliding rear window and an independent rear suspension that will enable AWD capability. Front-wheel-drive models will be equipped with a lower-cost, twist-beam rear suspension.

The Maverick will share a lot with the new Ford Bronco Sport, including its production site in Mexico. The vehicle is expected to launch later this year, given that COVID-19 doesn’t disrupt production or supply lines.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

Here’s the upcoming Ford Maverick (Lariat?) AWD running with light camouflage, providing a best look yet at Ford's upcoming unibody pickup.

The model seen here appears to be a high-end trim, complete with LED headlights, stylized wheels, a sliding rear window and an independent rear suspension that will enable AWD capability. Front-wheel-drive models will be equipped with a lower-cost, twist-beam rear suspension.

The Maverick will share a lot with the new Ford Bronco Sport, including its production site in Mexico. The vehicle is expected to launch later this year, given that COVID-19 doesn’t disrupt production or supply lines.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

By SEMA Editors

The September 2021 issue of SEMA News will highlight rising stars in the automotive aftermarket industry who are age 35 and younger. If you know a leader in that age range as of September 1, 2021—whether they are in manufacturing and design, marketing, retail, events and media, or distribution—we would like to hear from you.

Many SEMA members are currently working with creative young professionals who are already industry trailblazers. They may have played key roles in leveraging new and emerging technologies with a traditional automotive aftermarket business to expand company reach, improve product development, energize marketing efforts or upgrade customer interaction.

They could be budding talents at an established company, entrepreneurs building their own brands or innovators who have launched companies that might become big names in the future. What they all will have in common are fresh ideas, enthusiasm, charisma and the drive to succeed.

SEMA News looks for candidates drawn from diverse industry segments who are already making a significant impact through their leadership within their organizations or businesses. Entrepreneurship, commitment, insight, innovation, integrity, responsibility, demonstrated skill, involvement and success within the marketplace weigh heavily in the decision-making process. We’ll honor the winners in the September issue of SEMA News and on www.sema.org.

Nominate a candidate now for the 2021 SEMA News 35 Under 35. Nominations are due May 31.

By SEMA Editors

Exhibit at the 2021 SEMA Show to shine the spotlight on your company in front of tens of thousands of qualified buyers looking for the best that the automotive specialty-equipment market has to offer.

In addition to buyers, the Show also attracts thousands of traditional media and social-media influencers, ready to let the rest of the world know about your products and applications, opening up even more sales opportunities well after the Show concludes.

Access SEMA's worldwide network and create more opportunities to sell. Be there to reconnect at the 2021 SEMA Show, Tuesday-Friday, November 2-5, Las Vegas.

Reserve your spot for 2021 at www.SEMAShow.com/buyabooth.

Below are key dates that SEMA Show exhibitors are encouraged to mark on their calendars.

• The Exhibitor Services Manual (ESM) will be live in May. The ESM contains all of the forms and applications required to prepare for the Show: feature vehicles, new products, booth vehicles, celebrity appearances, etc.
• The Exhibit Space Rental Application and deposit are due May 7.
• Dates for the SEMA Show Space Selection: June 7-23

For additional information about exhibiting at the SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com/exhibitor.

By Ashley Reyes

Rxn Motorsports Ltd. is the latest SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Member Spotlight company. The company’s very name, Rxn, is an abbreviated form for reaction—a process involving change—so it comes as little surprise that Rxn was formed during the pandemic. Read more about the company from Chris Stacey, one of the company’s co-owners.   

SEMA: Tell us the story of your shop. How did you start?

Chris Stacey: I have been building cars for my entire career. I wasn't even old enough to drive the very first car I ever built. It was a frame-off restoration of an Austin Mini, complete with a roll cage and everything. Rxn Motorsports is brand new. We just hit the end of year number one. It’s been a little bit of a crazy start during the pandemic, but Amber and I wanted to create a company that really focused on taking care of the mental health and well-being of the people we lead, and creating one-of-a-kind builds for clients that really honor who they are and their story.

SEMA: What was your breakthrough moment?

CS: There was never really any “aha,” lightning-bolt moment. The pandemic has been so hard on so many people, and for those of us in the automotive restoration industry who are seeing exponential growth right now, we are so grateful.

SEMA: Tell us about your business now in 2021 and what projects are you working on?

CS: We have been very fortunate to be looking forward to a busy year ahead with a number of really cool projects on the go. This year, we’ll be doing four LS swapped Chevelles, a ’66 Nova and a crazy ’70 LT Camaro.

SEMA: Tell us about a build you are proud of.

CS: I am really hard on myself. As an artist and a creator, it’s hard to look at any project as done. There’s always something that could be a little bit better, or a little bit different. Of all the builds I’ve ever done, the one that I am most proud of was a wide-bodied ’70 Camaro that I built for a friend.

SEMA: What advice do you have for young professionals contemplating a career in the automotive aftermarket?

CS: Never give up, keep on going, keep on learning and keep on growing. Take pride in what you do and pay attention to all details. Cutting a few corners here or there might seem insignificant, but when added together over the course of the whole build, it really shows.

Fill out an HRIA member spotlight form to highlight how your company is contributing to the hot-rod industry. Selected candidates are eligible to be featured on HRIA’s and media, SEMA eNews and future ARMO-member updates.

By Ashley Reyes

SEMA Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) members are preparing for the council’s first in-person industry mixer of 2021, taking place at the Spring Carlisle Collector Car Flea Market, Corral & Auction in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Thursday, April 22, inside the Hot Products Showcase tent.

With more than 100,000 enthusiasts annually, Spring Carlisle is the ideal time and place for ARMO members to promote their restoration products to a consumer audience. Through the ARMO Hot Products Showcase, restoration products are promoted, and can be displayed in front of a worldwide audience throughout the week of April 21–25.

“As the largest restoration event of the year, our members are excited to gather again safely to do what they love doing best—celebrate all things automotive with other fellow collector and classic automotive enthusiasts,” said SEMA’s ARMO Council Director Jim Skelly. “In addition to the mixer and having their products displayed in the ARMO Hot Product Showcase, our members are able to strengthen their networking and build new relationships with other ARMO members by participating in this event.”

The product submission deadline is April 1, and products being shipped must arrive at Spring Carlisle between Thursday, April 15, and no later than Wednesday, April 21.

Questions can be directed to ARMO Council Liaison Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org, 909-978-6690.

By Ashley Reyes

SEMA members attending Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, are invited to join the SEMA Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA) for a trail ride and a mixer on Thursday, April 1.

Participants will meet at 8:00 a.m. (MDT) and proceed to the Funs & Things 4x4 trailhead for a fun ride along an almost 10-mile route. (View more info here: Fins & Things 4×4 Trail, Grand County, Utah – Official Website.) The route offers exciting obstacles and beautiful scenery, while the program includes a stop for lunch in the great outdoors, and will conclude at around 1:00–2:00 p.m. (MDT).

Participants will be able to relax and unwind before reconnecting at the TORA Industry Mixer at Dixie 4 Wheel Drive, 11858 S. Highway 191, Moab, UT, from 6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. (MDT). This will be an ideal time to strengthen and build new relationships and share stories from the trail ride earlier in the day.

Register here.

Questions can be directed to Denise Waddingham at deniselw@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

Nominations are now open for aftermarket professionals to volunteer to serve on any one of SEMA’s nine council or network select committees at www.sema.org/volunteer.

Select Committees are critical to helping SEMA staff direct, guide and lead its efforts. SEMA’s elected leaders work alongside other automotive professionals to identify common challenges and opportunities, create awareness to their industry niche and influence industry progress. The ideal candidate will have strong strategic planning skills, significant aftermarket knowledge, a passion for giving back to the industry, and be willing to serve a minimum of a two-year term.

Learn more about the benefits of volunteering below.

Community Building: Volunteers build connections among other council and network members. In the past year alone, select committee volunteers have spearheaded and created some of SEMA’s most robust events and programs, including but not limited to, in-person and virtual networking events, SEMA-member spotlight programs, education opportunities and more.

Connect with Industry Leaders: When members raise their hand to volunteer, they are connected with industry peers who are passionate about the advancement of the industry as a whole. They work together to strategically align initiatives with current and member and industry needs, share new ideas and grow their network.

Recognition Opportunities: Volunteers are recognized regularly on SEMA communication channels, such as SEMA eNews, social media and council and network member updates.

If you would like to nominate yourself or someone who has the skills and character to influence industry progress, fill out the nomination form by Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

By Kyle Cheng

Economic activity has improved significantly over the last month. The rate of vaccinations is accelerating and the number of COVID-19 cases, while still high, is improving. Additionally, the COVID relief bill likely will push economic growth above forecasts for the back half of 2021 and through much of 2022. All of this paints a much better economic outlook for the economy as we move past the pandemic.

While the outlook is optimistic, there are some potential risks. Inflation is a possibility, and prices in some segments of the economy are already moving higher. Supply chains are constrained because of the disruption from the virus. Additionally, over the past year, consumers spent more money on goods as many services were closed. Consumers stayed at home and bought items such as electronics and auto parts. As the country opens up and restrictions lift, consumers will likely divert more money to things they haven’t been able to do, potentially slowing growth for certain segments of the economy.

For more information, download the new March “SEMA Industry Indicators” report today at www.sema.org/research.

For a more in-depth look at the path of recovery for our industry and the economy, as well as potential scenarios for the next few years, check out the “SEMA Future Trends – January 2021” report at www.sema.org/research.