By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Development Committee approved legislation that would, among other things, raise the gas tax by $0.12 per gallon, increase by $35 the annual vehicle registration fee, add a new $100 annual vehicle registration fee for zero-emission motor vehicles and impose a new $35 annual road access charge on each vehicle.

Legislation that would, among other things, raise the gas tax by $0.12 per gallon, increase by $35 the annual vehicle registration fee, add a new $100 annual vehicle registration fee for zero-emissions motor vehicles and impose a new $35 annual road access charge on each vehicle was approved by the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Development Committee. The additional funds raised by the bill would be used to address deferred maintenance on the state highways and local streets and roads. The bill has now been referred to the Appropriations Committee. 

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Phillips 66 Lubricants Extends Agreement as Exclusive Lubricants Supplier for American Honda Motor Company Inc.

Phillips 66 Lubricants has announced that the company has signed an agreement to continue manufacturing and supplying service-fill lubricants for the American Honda Motor Co. Inc. (AHM) through 2019. As a result of the agreement, Phillips 66 Lubricants will remain the exclusive provider for most Honda- and Acura-branded engine oil, lubricants and other vital fluids to dealers throughout the United States. The relationship between Phillips 66 Lubricants and AHM began in late 2010, when the company started supplying its lubricants products to Honda and Acura dealerships located in the United States.

Brembo conducted the first pour at its all-new, cast-iron foundry recently completed in Homer, Michigan.

Brembo Celebrates First Pour at All-New Cast-Iron Foundry in Homer, Michigan

Brembo conducted the first pour at its all-new cast-iron foundry, recently completed in Homer, Michigan. The first pour is a preliminary test of the facility that ensures all systems are functioning properly, and is the first step before production ramp-up begins. During this test, the foundry’s furnaces were charged and the molten raw material from these furnaces was poured into a mold for the first time. All systems in Brembo’s new cast-iron foundry performed as expected. The Homer cast-iron foundry is the fourth in Brembo’s worldwide foundry network, and the first Brembo cast-iron foundry in North America. The foundry is also the third manufacturing facility that Brembo has expanded or built at the Homer, Michigan, manufacturing site. Brembo will begin production ramp up in May, and the foundry is expected to be fully operational in 2017. Brembo invested $100 million into the Homer cast-iron foundry. At full capacity, it will produce an annual output of 80,000 tons of brake disc castings. The foundry operations will cover an area of approximately 300,000 sq. ft. and will create 250 jobs at the foundry and at Brembo’s North American Headquarters in nearby Plymouth, Michigan.

Xceleration Media Group Acquires Cars & Parts

Xceleration Media Group has acquired Cars & Parts from Amos Media Co. Financial terms of the purchase were not disclosed as part of the announcement made by Shawn Brereton, group publisher for Xceleration Media Group, and Amos Media Co. Chairman and CEO Rick Amos. Cars & Parts will complement Xceleration Media’s suite of automotive titles, including Power & Performance News, Street Rod Life, Gearheads4Life, Drag Racing Scene and OneDirt. Existing Cars & Parts subscribers and advertisers will be contacted soon with information about how the purchase will be transitioned into the Xceleration Media portfolio.

Many WELD brand ambassadors will be on hand for the ribbon cutting and open house, including NHRA stars John Force, Erica Enders-Stevens and Clay Millican, World of Outlaws star Brian Brown, Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) rider Thomas Brown and Formula Drift driver Justin Pawlak.

WELD Celebrates Recent Expansion with May 19 Ribbon-Cutting and Open House in Kansas City

WELD will hold an invitation-only ribbon cutting and open house May 19 at its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, from 12:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Many WELD brand ambassadors will be on hand for the event, including NHRA stars John Force, Erica Enders-Stevens and Clay Millican, World of Outlaws star Brian Brown, Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) rider Thomas Brown and Formula Drift driver Justin Pawlak. Several more ambassadors are expected to attend, along with many local dignitaries including Scott Wagner, Kansas City mayor pro-tem and 1st district-at-large councilman; Quinton Lucas, Kansas City 3rd district-at-large councilman; Kathryn Shields, Kansas City 4th district-at-large councilwoman; Tony Miller, Jackson County 3rd district-at-large legislator; Johnny Sweeney, Kansas City’s director of economic development; and David Pruente, representing the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. An array of show vehicles will be displayed that feature the company’s wheels from its brands, including WELD Racing, WELD Street & Strip, CCW Forged Performance, REKON Off Road and HiPer Technology by WELD. The ribbon cutting will help celebrate the recent expansion of WELD’s manufacturing operations with the addition of HiPer Technology, which WELD purchased last year and moved the company’s operations from Lawrence, Kansas, to WELD’s Kansas City headquarters in February 2016. In addition, WELD will add the operations of CCW Forged Performance to its Kansas City facility by December 31, 2016.

America’s Car Museum (ACM) is opening a new exhibit on May 7, entitled “BMW: Propelling a Century of Innovation,” to highlight some of the brand’s most iconic vehicles.

America’s Car Museum Celebrates 100 Years of “The Ultimate Driving Machine”

To celebrate 100 years of BMW, America’s Car Museum (ACM) is opening a new exhibit on May 7, entitled “BMW: Propelling a Century of Innovation,” to highlight some of the brand’s most iconic vehicles. BMW has redefined performance luxury vehicles, such as the ’73 BMW 3.0 CSL, ’88 BMW E30 M3 and ’16 BMW i8, which are all in the display. In the ’70s, BMW began marketing as “The Ultimate Driving Machine,” and has used the tagline for countless road cars since. The slogan, coined under the guidance of industry luminary Bob Lutz, has served BMW well for the past 42 years. ACM enlisted the help of several of its long-time backers—including ACM board member Manfred Scharmach, renowned BMW collector Peter Gleeson and Brooks Motor Works owner Kevin Brooks—to ensure that “BMW: Propelling a Century of Innovation” would have an assortment of vintage and modern BMWs for guests of all ages.

Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. Welcomes New Lines

Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. has added four new lines to its supplier roster. Vogtland, FiTech, JMS and Turbosmart have joined the speed and performance division, and will be considered essential to the continued growth of the sport-compact, domestic, import, modern muscle and street-rod segments.

Scott Nicely and his ’10 Dodge Ram 1500 “Neck Breaker.”

Scott Nicely Wins RealTruck’s March 2016 Truck Madness Tournament

RealTruck.com has announced Scott Nicely and his ’10 Dodge Ram 1500 “Neck Breaker” as its March 2016 Truck Madness Tournament winner. The online competition is a multi-round, bracket-style tournament where custom trucks are paired up and voted on by fans. “Neck Breaker” won the final round of the contest with 54% of the vote. Nicely made nearly 30 modifications on “Neck Breaker,” including green tinted LEDs, bolt-on fender flares and bolt-style wheels. For his tournament success, Nicely was awarded with a $2,000 e-gift card from RealTruck.

JAT Oil Partners With VP Racing Fuels in Retail Branding Program; VP Fuels New South Eastern Crate Association Alliance

Officials with VP Racing Fuels have announced the company has joined forces with JAT Oil in its retail branding program. Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, JAT Oil supplies 125 retail locations in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. In addition, the South Eastern Crate Association (SECA) has formed a new partnership with VP Racing Fuels. The Texas-headquartered company now joins the association as “The Official Fuel of SECA.”

(L–R:) The 75th anniversary Jeep Lion’s Back team of Mark Allen, Jim Repp and Ruby Tyler.

75th Anniversary Edition Jeeps Scale Lion’s Back in Celebration of the 50th Annual Easter Jeep Safari

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the seven-slot grille, as the first Willys MB rolled off the assembly line November 18, 1941. A quarter-century later, a group of Jeep enthusiasts and members of the Moab Chamber of Commerce organized a small, one-day event on the Saturday before Easter—the Easter Jeep Safari. It was the catalyst for a five-decade tradition. It is said that the first vehicle to drive the famed Lion’s Back trail in Moab did so in 1938 as part of a geological survey for the pending nuclear age. To celebrate the 75th anniversary, a small group of Jeep executives got together with Michael Badger, the private landowner, and spun the idea of releasing the lion one last time. The following morning, a 75th Anniversary Edition Grand Cherokee, two-door Wrangler and a limited-edition Wrangler Red Rock nosed up to its 45-plus degree sandstone tail with Jeep’s Tyler Ruby, Mark Allan and Jim Repp behind the wheel.

John Cobb

Giant Media Hires Veteran Media Executive to Expand Its Market Share

Giant Media has announced the hiring of advertising industry veteran John Cobb as its chief executive officer. He will partner with the existing Giant Media executive team to grow the company’s revenue and relationships with leading marketers and agencies. Since 2010, Cobb had been the chief executive officer of Publishing Group of America (PGOA)—a Bain Capital Ventures and Shamrock Capital-backed multimedia publisher of newspaper inserted magazines and branded digital properties reaching nearly 35 million households in nearly 1,700 local markets in the United States. In December 2014, Cobb led the sale of PGOA to Fexy Media—a private equity-backed new media company, where he stayed on as president, COO of Fexy Brands Los Angeles.

JMPR Named Public Relations Agency of Record for 3M Auto

JMPR Public Relations has announced that it has been named public relations agency of record for 3M Auto following an RFP selection process. JMPR will be responsible for helping drive awareness of 3M Auto products, along with its Bondo and Scotchgard brands, and further engaging the brands’ consumer, automotive and DIY audiences.

The Rev’n Rods & Heartland Music Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance will kick off in Nashville, Tennessee, Sunday, July 17.

Chevrolet Performance Presents Inaugural Rev’n Rods & Heartland Music Tour

Luken Communications LLC, Rev’n LLC and The Heartland Network LLC have announced the inaugural Rev’n Rods & Heartland Music Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance. The event—a combination of car shows, a driving tour and nightly concerts—will kick off in Nashville, Tennessee, Sunday, July 17. The Rev’n Rods & Heartland Music Tour will have additional daily stops in Southaven, Mississippi; Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Bowling Green, Kentucky; and Bean Blossom, Indiana, before the final stop in Indianapolis on July 22, 2016. Each day’s events will feature a car show complete with vendors, exhibits, food and beverages, with admittance free to the general public. Every night will end with a ticketed concert featuring the legends of country music. Owners of hot rods, street rods, motorcycles and classic automobiles are encouraged to go on tour with Rev’n and Heartland for one stop or even the whole trip. Each registration includes two free nightly concert tickets per vehicle. Visit www.revntour.com for vehicle registration, tickets and more information.

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.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Formula DRIFT presented by BlackVue announced that it has signed VP Racing Fuels as the Official Fuel of Formula DRIFT.

Formula DRIFT Signs VP Racing Fuels as Official Fuel Partner

Formula DRIFT presented by BlackVue announced that it has signed VP Racing Fuels as the Official Fuel of Formula DRIFT. VP Racing Fuels will be on-site at each round of competition distributing fuel to teams that need fuel service. VP is the official racing fuel of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, AMA Supercross, NMRA, NMCA, World of Outlaws Sprint Cars and Late Models, Pirelli World Challenge, PDRA and Rally America, among more than 60 VP-sponsored series and sanctioning bodies. As part of a retail branding program, gas stations and convenience stores across the U.S. are being branded as VP Racing Fuels, with each providing distribution for VP’s other product lines.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green's Jeremy McGrath will serve as the inaugural Lucas Oil JuniorMotoX ambassador.

Jeremy McGrath Named Lucas Oil JuniorMotoX Ambassador

Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green's Jeremy McGrath—the seven-time AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross champion—will serve as the inaugural Lucas Oil JuniorMotoX ambassador. The Kawasaki brand ambassador will be on hand at the event to host a Q&A session open to all JuniorMotoX participants at the track Thursday after practice. McGrath will also provide commentary to the Lucas Oil broadcast team throughout the event. More details will be provided as the May 12–14 event approaches. Kawasaki has so far confirmed that Team Green riders Jett Reynolds, Lance Kobusch, Joey Crown and Jordan Bailey are planning to attend and race for the first-ever championships at the inaugural event. The Lucas Oil JuniorMotoX, presented by Monster Energy, will also feature a live webcast of the Friday qualifiers and Saturday night main events on LucasOilRacing.TV, plus a feature show on MAVTV.

The Touring Car class top three were Gary Sheehan, Hyundai Genesis (center); Michael Shawhan, BMW 330i (left); and Patrick Chio, Nissan 350Z (right).

Las Vegas USTCC Season Opener Full of Action

Winning the Touring class at the 2016 United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC) season opener was last year’s runner-up Gary Sheehan driving the GoGoGear.com/Konig Wheels/UTI Hyundai Genesis Coupe. In the Super Touring class, VJ Mirzayan took the win driving his Achilles Motorsports BMW M3, while Larry Bani took the Sportsman class victory in his GoGoGear.com/Konig Wheels/UTI BMW M3. The GT class was won by Daniel Akhromstev in the Domport/Red Star Racing BMW M3. The racing continues next month as the USTCC teams head out to the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for three days of racing, May 13–15. 

Pro Buggy Racer Garrett George. Photo credit: Lucas Oil

Team M/T Earns Seven Podium Spots During Rounds 3 and 4 of LOORS Competition

Team M/T dominated races in the Pro Buggy class during rounds three and four of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) competition, April 23–24 at Lake Elsinore, California. Garrett George, last year’s LOORRS Pro Buggy champion and second-place rider in round one, was on top of the podium in round three. Teammates Taylor Atchison and Mike Valentine rounded out the podium positions in second and third position respectively, with Darren Hardesty Jr. in fourth. In round four of Pro Buggy action, Valentine was on top of the podium with Atchison close behind in second place. Racing in the Pro 2 class, Brian Deegan earned third place in round three and second place in round four.

WELD Renews Sponsorship of Hot Rodders of Tomorrow

Recognizing the opportunity to support young people in their pursuit of an automotive career, WELD has renewed its sponsorship of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) Engine Challenge program. WELD has been a HROT sponsor since 2013. Hot Rodders of Tomorrow is a nationwide high-school engine-building competition that engages the next generation to pursue careers in the performance aftermarket and racing. Regional competitions are held across the country where high school teams compete against the clock in a total engine rebuild. Last year, 153 teams competed in regional competitions for the right to claim a share of the $4.55 million pool of scholarships offered by supporting educational institutions. Each team has an assigned sponsor coming from the pool of HROT supporters that include many major manufacturers in the performance aftermarket, along with SEMA and PRI. Last year, the WELD-sponsored team from Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center claimed the HROT national championship. To qualify for the HROT dual championships held at the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show, teams must complete a total engine rebuild in less than 35 minutes. The top two teams from the SEMA Show in November will take on the top two teams from the PRI Trade Show in December in the finale to crown the 2016 Engine Challenge champion.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Formula DRIFT presented by BlackVue announced that it has signed VP Racing Fuels as the Official Fuel of Formula DRIFT.

Formula DRIFT Signs VP Racing Fuels as Official Fuel Partner

Formula DRIFT presented by BlackVue announced that it has signed VP Racing Fuels as the Official Fuel of Formula DRIFT. VP Racing Fuels will be on-site at each round of competition distributing fuel to teams that need fuel service. VP is the official racing fuel of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, AMA Supercross, NMRA, NMCA, World of Outlaws Sprint Cars and Late Models, Pirelli World Challenge, PDRA and Rally America, among more than 60 VP-sponsored series and sanctioning bodies. As part of a retail branding program, gas stations and convenience stores across the U.S. are being branded as VP Racing Fuels, with each providing distribution for VP’s other product lines.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green's Jeremy McGrath will serve as the inaugural Lucas Oil JuniorMotoX ambassador.

Jeremy McGrath Named Lucas Oil JuniorMotoX Ambassador

Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green's Jeremy McGrath—the seven-time AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross champion—will serve as the inaugural Lucas Oil JuniorMotoX ambassador. The Kawasaki brand ambassador will be on hand at the event to host a Q&A session open to all JuniorMotoX participants at the track Thursday after practice. McGrath will also provide commentary to the Lucas Oil broadcast team throughout the event. More details will be provided as the May 12–14 event approaches. Kawasaki has so far confirmed that Team Green riders Jett Reynolds, Lance Kobusch, Joey Crown and Jordan Bailey are planning to attend and race for the first-ever championships at the inaugural event. The Lucas Oil JuniorMotoX, presented by Monster Energy, will also feature a live webcast of the Friday qualifiers and Saturday night main events on LucasOilRacing.TV, plus a feature show on MAVTV.

The Touring Car class top three were Gary Sheehan, Hyundai Genesis (center); Michael Shawhan, BMW 330i (left); and Patrick Chio, Nissan 350Z (right).

Las Vegas USTCC Season Opener Full of Action

Winning the Touring class at the 2016 United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC) season opener was last year’s runner-up Gary Sheehan driving the GoGoGear.com/Konig Wheels/UTI Hyundai Genesis Coupe. In the Super Touring class, VJ Mirzayan took the win driving his Achilles Motorsports BMW M3, while Larry Bani took the Sportsman class victory in his GoGoGear.com/Konig Wheels/UTI BMW M3. The GT class was won by Daniel Akhromstev in the Domport/Red Star Racing BMW M3. The racing continues next month as the USTCC teams head out to the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for three days of racing, May 13–15. 

Pro Buggy Racer Garrett George. Photo credit: Lucas Oil

Team M/T Earns Seven Podium Spots During Rounds 3 and 4 of LOORS Competition

Team M/T dominated races in the Pro Buggy class during rounds three and four of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) competition, April 23–24 at Lake Elsinore, California. Garrett George, last year’s LOORRS Pro Buggy champion and second-place rider in round one, was on top of the podium in round three. Teammates Taylor Atchison and Mike Valentine rounded out the podium positions in second and third position respectively, with Darren Hardesty Jr. in fourth. In round four of Pro Buggy action, Valentine was on top of the podium with Atchison close behind in second place. Racing in the Pro 2 class, Brian Deegan earned third place in round three and second place in round four.

WELD Renews Sponsorship of Hot Rodders of Tomorrow

Recognizing the opportunity to support young people in their pursuit of an automotive career, WELD has renewed its sponsorship of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) Engine Challenge program. WELD has been a HROT sponsor since 2013. Hot Rodders of Tomorrow is a nationwide high-school engine-building competition that engages the next generation to pursue careers in the performance aftermarket and racing. Regional competitions are held across the country where high school teams compete against the clock in a total engine rebuild. Last year, 153 teams competed in regional competitions for the right to claim a share of the $4.55 million pool of scholarships offered by supporting educational institutions. Each team has an assigned sponsor coming from the pool of HROT supporters that include many major manufacturers in the performance aftermarket, along with SEMA and PRI. Last year, the WELD-sponsored team from Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center claimed the HROT national championship. To qualify for the HROT dual championships held at the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show, teams must complete a total engine rebuild in less than 35 minutes. The top two teams from the SEMA Show in November will take on the top two teams from the PRI Trade Show in December in the finale to crown the 2016 Engine Challenge champion.

By Chad Simon

The 2016 SEMA Show Priority Booth Space Selection Process kicked off earlier this week, beginning with exhibitors in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall selecting their spaces for the upcoming trade show taking place November 1–4, in Las Vegas. View the online floorplan, and watch as exhibitors secure their locations and confirm their booth numbers.

Companies that have yet to choose their booth location can check the floorplan throughout the day to see how the layout of the 2016 SEMA Show is taking shape. About an hour prior to the time to select, exhibitors are encouraged to be prepared by viewing the 2016 Show’s floorpan. Updated every 15 minutes, exhibitors can monitor their desired section to gain a general idea of where they want to display.The Priority Booth Space Selection Process will include more than 2,100 exhibiting companies at its conclusion later this month.

The Central Hall—which includes the Racing & Performance, Hot Rod Alley, Restoration Marketplace and First-Time & Featured Exhibitors sections—has been filled. The North Hall is now being filled, which features the Collision Repair & Refinish, Mobile Electronics & Technology, Restyling & Car Care Accessories and Tools & Equipment sections.

Companies interested in exhibiting at the upcoming event can visit the SEMA Show website for more information; however, these companies are not eligible to participate in the current space selection process. Exhibitors with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact SEMA Show Management at 909-396-0289.

By Chad Simon

The 2016 SEMA Show Priority Booth Space Selection Process kicked off earlier this week, beginning with exhibitors in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall selecting their spaces for the upcoming trade show taking place November 1–4, in Las Vegas. View the online floorplan, and watch as exhibitors secure their locations and confirm their booth numbers.

Companies that have yet to choose their booth location can check the floorplan throughout the day to see how the layout of the 2016 SEMA Show is taking shape. About an hour prior to the time to select, exhibitors are encouraged to be prepared by viewing the 2016 Show’s floorpan. Updated every 15 minutes, exhibitors can monitor their desired section to gain a general idea of where they want to display.The Priority Booth Space Selection Process will include more than 2,100 exhibiting companies at its conclusion later this month.

The Central Hall—which includes the Racing & Performance, Hot Rod Alley, Restoration Marketplace and First-Time & Featured Exhibitors sections—has been filled. The North Hall is now being filled, which features the Collision Repair & Refinish, Mobile Electronics & Technology, Restyling & Car Care Accessories and Tools & Equipment sections.

Companies interested in exhibiting at the upcoming event can visit the SEMA Show website for more information; however, these companies are not eligible to participate in the current space selection process. Exhibitors with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact SEMA Show Management at 909-396-0289.

By Chad Simon

The 2016 SEMA Show Priority Booth Space Selection Process kicked off earlier this week, beginning with exhibitors in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall selecting their spaces for the upcoming trade show taking place November 1–4, in Las Vegas. View the online floorplan, and watch as exhibitors secure their locations and confirm their booth numbers.

Companies that have yet to choose their booth location can check the floorplan throughout the day to see how the layout of the 2016 SEMA Show is taking shape. About an hour prior to the time to select, exhibitors are encouraged to be prepared by viewing the 2016 Show’s floorpan. Updated every 15 minutes, exhibitors can monitor their desired section to gain a general idea of where they want to display.The Priority Booth Space Selection Process will include more than 2,100 exhibiting companies at its conclusion later this month.

The Central Hall—which includes the Racing & Performance, Hot Rod Alley, Restoration Marketplace and First-Time & Featured Exhibitors sections—has been filled. The North Hall is now being filled, which features the Collision Repair & Refinish, Mobile Electronics & Technology, Restyling & Car Care Accessories and Tools & Equipment sections.

Companies interested in exhibiting at the upcoming event can visit the SEMA Show website for more information; however, these companies are not eligible to participate in the current space selection process. Exhibitors with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact SEMA Show Management at 909-396-0289.

By AJ Carney

SEMA invites industry professionals to its General Membership and Town Hall Meeting in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where members and prospective members will gather at Yakima Products Inc., Thursday June 23, from 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., for an evening of networking with local industry leaders and discussing the state of the industry.

SEMA's Town Hall Meetings provide both members and prospective members with the opportunity to learn about the association’s current programs and objectives while networking with automotive aftermarket professionals from the same geographic region. These personal interactions give members a chance to share the business challenges and opportunities they face. As SEMA staff interacts with attendees, they also gain valuable feedback, which helps identify how current benefits can enhance members’ business operations to better meet their needs.  

“As a new member within SEMA, my experience at the Town Hall Meeting in St. Charles (Illinois) was certainly without regret. I found the topics discussed within the panel very informative. I was able to capture industry-related subjects that are worth discussing within the Mecum organization. Debra Fickler provided me knowledge that will allow me to make an intelligent decision as to which committee to join. Lastly, what an honor it was listening to the legendary Vic Edelbrock tell his story and how he has impacted the industry for so many years.”

—Christine Giovingo, Mecum Auctions

“Hosting the SEMA Town Hall was certainly one of the best events we’ve been involved with. As a warehouse distributor (WD), having the event at our facility allowed us to network with a cross-section of industry people that we normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to. They included customers, retailers, other WDs and manufacturers. The SEMA Town Hall is an asset to our industry. It gives everyone involved the opportunity to learn more about our industry and its members in an intimate setting.”

—Daryl Sampson, Turn 14 Distribution

For more information or to register, visit SEMA's Town Hall Meetings website or contact Andrea “AJ” Carney at 909-978-6697 or andreac@sema.org.

By AJ Carney

SEMA invites industry professionals to its General Membership and Town Hall Meeting in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where members and prospective members will gather at Yakima Products Inc., Thursday June 23, from 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., for an evening of networking with local industry leaders and discussing the state of the industry.

SEMA's Town Hall Meetings provide both members and prospective members with the opportunity to learn about the association’s current programs and objectives while networking with automotive aftermarket professionals from the same geographic region. These personal interactions give members a chance to share the business challenges and opportunities they face. As SEMA staff interacts with attendees, they also gain valuable feedback, which helps identify how current benefits can enhance members’ business operations to better meet their needs.  

“As a new member within SEMA, my experience at the Town Hall Meeting in St. Charles (Illinois) was certainly without regret. I found the topics discussed within the panel very informative. I was able to capture industry-related subjects that are worth discussing within the Mecum organization. Debra Fickler provided me knowledge that will allow me to make an intelligent decision as to which committee to join. Lastly, what an honor it was listening to the legendary Vic Edelbrock tell his story and how he has impacted the industry for so many years.”

—Christine Giovingo, Mecum Auctions

“Hosting the SEMA Town Hall was certainly one of the best events we’ve been involved with. As a warehouse distributor (WD), having the event at our facility allowed us to network with a cross-section of industry people that we normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to. They included customers, retailers, other WDs and manufacturers. The SEMA Town Hall is an asset to our industry. It gives everyone involved the opportunity to learn more about our industry and its members in an intimate setting.”

—Daryl Sampson, Turn 14 Distribution

For more information or to register, visit SEMA's Town Hall Meetings website or contact Andrea “AJ” Carney at 909-978-6697 or andreac@sema.org.

By Colby Martin

Collector Car Appreciation Day (CCAD) will be celebrated on July 8, 2016. At the request of SEMA, this “holiday” has been marked each year since 2010 by a U.S. Senate Resolution recognizing that the “collection and restoration of historic and classic cars is an important part of preserving the technological achievements and cultural heritage of the United  States.”

As in years past, a wide range of automotive events will be held to commemorate the occasion. As this annual event continues to grow worldwide, states, provinces, counties and cities are following suit with their own recognition. SEMA encourages participation throughout the month of July to honor the classics of the past and the future.

Check out the SEMA Action Network’s (SAN) latest video PSA for tips on setting up your tribute. Please share it with your friends using the following link: https://youtu.be/yyR4cF0K8Zs

Celebrate the Hobby Your Way

• Attend an official vehicle-inspired event
• Host your own gathering or club meeting
• Promote a “Holiday Sale” at your business
• Drive your special ride, new or old, wherever the destination

Plan and submit your July event at no cost, locate a listing near you and more on the website, www.semasan.com/CCAD. Participating organizers will be awarded a copy of the Congressional resolution for display at each registered event.