By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. House Natural Resources Committee passed SEMA-supported legislation that is designed to promote access to outdoor recreation opportunities, streamline the permitting process for guides and recreation enthusiasts, make federal agencies accountable for prioritizing outdoor recreation and address the maintenance backlog on America’s public lands through increased volunteerism. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) crafted the “Recreation Not Red-Tape (RNR) Act” (H.R. 3400) in coordination with the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), which is comprised of 25 top industry associations, including SEMA, representing off-roading, camping, fishing, boating, hiking, archery and other sports. The bill now goes to the House floor for consideration.

The RNR Act recognizes the significant economic contributions that the outdoor recreation industry generates for our economy ($887 billion per year in economic activity and provides an estimated 7.6 million direct jobs) and would make it easier to expand its scope.  

“Cumbersome permitting processes and other bureaucratic roadblocks have significantly undermined access to recreational opportunities for lands that should be available for all Americans to enjoy,” said Rep. Bishop. “This bipartisan bill cuts through that red tape and ensures federal land managers are focused on their role in providing the public with high-quality outdoor experiences.”

ORR has also worked with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) on a companion RNR bill in the Senate (S. 1633). The bill is awaiting consideration by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. 

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. House Natural Resources Committee passed SEMA-supported legislation that is designed to promote access to outdoor recreation opportunities, streamline the permitting process for guides and recreation enthusiasts, make federal agencies accountable for prioritizing outdoor recreation and address the maintenance backlog on America’s public lands through increased volunteerism. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) crafted the “Recreation Not Red-Tape (RNR) Act” (H.R. 3400) in coordination with the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), which is comprised of 25 top industry associations, including SEMA, representing off-roading, camping, fishing, boating, hiking, archery and other sports. The bill now goes to the House floor for consideration.

The RNR Act recognizes the significant economic contributions that the outdoor recreation industry generates for our economy ($887 billion per year in economic activity and provides an estimated 7.6 million direct jobs) and would make it easier to expand its scope.  

“Cumbersome permitting processes and other bureaucratic roadblocks have significantly undermined access to recreational opportunities for lands that should be available for all Americans to enjoy,” said Rep. Bishop. “This bipartisan bill cuts through that red tape and ensures federal land managers are focused on their role in providing the public with high-quality outdoor experiences.”

ORR has also worked with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) on a companion RNR bill in the Senate (S. 1633). The bill is awaiting consideration by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. 

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

R. Lee Ermey signs autographs in the Omix-ADA Off-Road Success Center at the SEMA Show.

R. Lee Ermey, “The Gunny,” who made an acting career out of his ability to bring stern military careerists to life, has died at age 74. His death was announced on Twitter by his manager Bill Rogin. Ermey was a fixture in the Omix-ADA Off-Road Success Center at the SEMA Show.

Ermey was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, but that was only one of his many military roles. Owing to his background as a former Marine Corps. staff sergeant and drill instructor, Ermey was able to project authority and resolute leadership in a number of roles.

Born in Emporia, Kansas, in 1944 as Ronald Lee Ermey, he had been arrested for criminal mischief twice by age 17. Given a choice between jail time or the military, he chose the Marine Corps., and served as a drill instructor in San Diego in the mid ’60s. He was eventually sent to Vietnam and served 14 months there. He was later a staff sergeant in Okinawa, but was medically discharged in 1972 because of injuries during his service. He later received an honorary promotion to gunnery sergeant by the Marines.

Ermey appeared in more than 55 films and was a voice actor in many others, including Roughnecks and X-Men 3. He also appeared in video games and numerous TV commercials.

No immediate information on survivors or a memorial service was available.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Chris Thomson

Chris Thomson Bolsters TMG Performance Products Sales Team

TMG Performance Products has named Chris Thomson national account manager, based in Peoria, Arizona. For much of the past 35 years, Thomson has been a fixture in the automotive aftermarket industry having served as a SEMA Board member and worked for widely recognized brands, such as Mr. Gasket, Airaid and K&N. During his long history in the aftermarket space, Thomson has been an integral part of helping those brands greatly improve their sales in both the exhaust and air intake market segments. Thomson joined the TMG Performance Products Group officially in late March, and is serving as both a national account manager and a strategic advisor to the leadership team, adding input into the future strategies and tactics of the air-intake business unit.

Anouré V. Fenstermaker

Continental Names Anouré V. Fenstermaker Marketing Communications Manager

Continental has named Anouré V. Fenstermaker marketing communications manager for its Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket (CVAM) business unit. The announcement was made by Howard Laster, head of aftermarket – North America continental commercial vehicles & aftermarket, who indicated that Fenstermaker’s appointment was effective March 19, and that she will be responsible for directing all of CVAM’s public relations and marketing communication efforts. Fenstermaker’s core responsibilities include managing all communication, press, creative and marketing services, as well as corporate branding for CVAM overall and for each of the company’s market divisions. She will also direct and manage all tradeshow activities and assist the management team with product sales/marketing activities, as well as the development of sales tools and training materials, promotions and customer specific programs. Prior to joining Continental, Fenstermaker was the marketing director for IntegraONE. For the past 17 years, Fenstermaker has also been an independent marketing consultant under AF Marketing Group LLC, with clients in healthcare, technology, software development, non-profit and other industries.

Frank Frederick

APC Automotive Technologies Names Frank Frederick as Executive Vice President of Sales

APC Automotive Technologies LLC (APC) has announced that Frank Frederick has been appointed executive vice president of sales for the combined APC sales team. The announcement was made by Hugh Charvat, CEO of APC Automotive Technologies, who noted that Frederick will oversee all of the customer-facing and channel strategy functions for both AP Emissions and Centric Parts. Before joining APC, Frederick was general manager of Schrader Performance Sensors. During his tenure, which began in 2014, he helped build the Schrader TPMS aftermarket channel up from its early growth stages to the significant leadership position it currently possesses in the aftermarket. Prior to Schrader, Frederick was vice president, North American light-duty aftermarket for Remy International. He also served ROL Manufacturing of America for 15 years as executive vice president, sales and marketing, where he managed all OEM and aftermarket activities.

Joe Meyer

VIPAR Heavy Duty Welcomes Joe Meyer as New Program Manager

Joe Meyer has joined VIPAR Heavy Duty and its family of companies as the organization’s new program manager, where he is responsible for developing programs with suppliers. Meyer has more than 28 years of experience in the heavy-duty aftermarket. Before joining VIPAR Heavy Duty, Meyer was most recently a national account manager for Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems. He has previously worked in key roles at Grote Industries, Borg Warner Automotive and Chicago Rawhide (now SKF).

Parts and accessories for the Mustang will now be located at Classic Industries’ corporate headquarters in Huntington Beach, California.

Classic Industries Acquires California Mustang; Launches New Product Line

Classic Industries recently announced the addition of its new Mustang product line, which is available at www.classicindustries.com. The new line is the result of Classic Industries’ acquisition of California Mustang in 2017, and the subsequent merger of both operations. Parts and accessories for the Mustang will now be located at Classic Industries’ corporate headquarters in Huntington Beach, California. Although the California Mustang name and location will change, the merger will offer California Mustang’s customers an increased selection of brands and parts, a full color catalog for Mustang, and an improved online user experience.

Team Remflex from Franklin County Career & Tech Center #1 came in first place with a time of 21:28.

York County School of Technology Hosts Sixth Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Event

The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge’s sixth event of the season was held at the York County School of Technology in York, Pennsylvania, April 7, where a total of four schools from Pennsylvania and Virginia fielding six teams competed. York County School of Technology fielded three teams. Team Remflex from Franklin County Career & Tech Center #1 came in first place with a time of 21:28. In second place came team Mr. Gasket from C D Hylton High School #2 with a time of 27:42. In third place was Team R&R Marketing from York County School of Technology #1 with a 37:50 time. For more information, visit www.hotroddersoftomorrow.com.

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

Piotr Wiecek was victorious both evenings of the 2018 Motegi Super DRIFT Challenge.

Piotr Wiecek Claims Double Victory in Motegi Super Drift Weekend

The 2018 Motegi Super DRIFT Challenge would see one man rise to the top on both evenings. Piotr Wiecek dominated the proceedings, continuing the momentum that resulted in an event win at the 2017 final round, first-place qualification at round one of the 2018 series and a third-place finish at that event. Wiecek’s rise to the top last Friday saw him run first against Alec Hohnadell in his Rain-X/Permatex/Nexen/Hoonigan Nissan S14 in the Great 8. Wiecek would then beat Alex Heilbrunn’s Team IMR/Nitto Tire BMW M3 in the Final 4. This meant he ran against Forrest Wang’s Vapetasia/Achilles Radial/NRG Innovations Nissan S15 in the final. Wang had taken second place in round one of the 2018 Formula DRIFT series after a year away from the sport; however, Wiecek claimed the win. On Saturday evening, Wiecek beat Hohnadell in the Great 8 before facing Wang again in the Final 4, where Wiecek took the victory. Saturday evening’s Motegi Super DRIFT Final was between Wiecek and Justin “JTP” Pawlak in his Roush Performance/Falken Tires ’18 Ford Mustang. The judges narrowly gave the decision to Wiecek and the Worthouse/Falken Tire team. Full results from both rounds of the 2018 Motegi Super DRIFT Challenge can be found at www.formulad.com.

VP Racing Fuels Signs With Cotton Bowl Speedway; Signs Multi-Year Sponsor Agreement With REAL PRO MOD Association; Named Official Fuel of Mid-West Pro Mod Racing Series

VP Racing Fuels Inc. has announced an agreement with Cotton Bowl Speedway for on-site fuel supply as the 3/8-mile banked dirt track opens for the 2018 season. VP has also announced it has signed a multi-year sponsor agreement with the REAL PRO MOD Association and has been named the official fuel of the Mid-West Pro Mod Racing Series. The all 1/8-mile drag racing series competes in events in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas and Texas.

Formula DRIFT has announced a new partnership with Summit Racing Equipment, focusing on the Pro2 category.

Formula DRIFT Partners With Summit Racing for Pro2 Category Contingency and Promotion

Formula DRIFT has announced a new partnership with Summit Racing Equipment, focusing on the Pro2 category. The program requires Pro2 teams to have Summit Racing decals on the car. The top two finishers will then be rewarded with a $200 gift card for finishing in first place, and a $100 gift card for second place in the Pro2 category. Additionally, Summit Racing will sponsor a series of videos highlighting the drivers and focusing on their battle in the Pro2 category. Furthermore, Summit Racing Equipment will activate at the Atlanta and Texas rounds, where it invites Formula DRIFT fans to visit its booth and pick up a free catalog and special show discount offer. Round two of the 2018 Formula DRIFT series takes place in Orlando, Florida, April 27–28.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Piotr Wiecek was victorious both evenings of the 2018 Motegi Super DRIFT Challenge.

Piotr Wiecek Claims Double Victory in Motegi Super Drift Weekend

The 2018 Motegi Super DRIFT Challenge would see one man rise to the top on both evenings. Piotr Wiecek dominated the proceedings, continuing the momentum that resulted in an event win at the 2017 final round, first-place qualification at round one of the 2018 series and a third-place finish at that event. Wiecek’s rise to the top last Friday saw him run first against Alec Hohnadell in his Rain-X/Permatex/Nexen/Hoonigan Nissan S14 in the Great 8. Wiecek would then beat Alex Heilbrunn’s Team IMR/Nitto Tire BMW M3 in the Final 4. This meant he ran against Forrest Wang’s Vapetasia/Achilles Radial/NRG Innovations Nissan S15 in the final. Wang had taken second place in round one of the 2018 Formula DRIFT series after a year away from the sport; however, Wiecek claimed the win. On Saturday evening, Wiecek beat Hohnadell in the Great 8 before facing Wang again in the Final 4, where Wiecek took the victory. Saturday evening’s Motegi Super DRIFT Final was between Wiecek and Justin “JTP” Pawlak in his Roush Performance/Falken Tires ’18 Ford Mustang. The judges narrowly gave the decision to Wiecek and the Worthouse/Falken Tire team. Full results from both rounds of the 2018 Motegi Super DRIFT Challenge can be found at www.formulad.com.

VP Racing Fuels Signs With Cotton Bowl Speedway; Signs Multi-Year Sponsor Agreement With REAL PRO MOD Association; Named Official Fuel of Mid-West Pro Mod Racing Series

VP Racing Fuels Inc. has announced an agreement with Cotton Bowl Speedway for on-site fuel supply as the 3/8-mile banked dirt track opens for the 2018 season. VP has also announced it has signed a multi-year sponsor agreement with the REAL PRO MOD Association and has been named the official fuel of the Mid-West Pro Mod Racing Series. The all 1/8-mile drag racing series competes in events in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas and Texas.

Formula DRIFT has announced a new partnership with Summit Racing Equipment, focusing on the Pro2 category.

Formula DRIFT Partners With Summit Racing for Pro2 Category Contingency and Promotion

Formula DRIFT has announced a new partnership with Summit Racing Equipment, focusing on the Pro2 category. The program requires Pro2 teams to have Summit Racing decals on the car. The top two finishers will then be rewarded with a $200 gift card for finishing in first place, and a $100 gift card for second place in the Pro2 category. Additionally, Summit Racing will sponsor a series of videos highlighting the drivers and focusing on their battle in the Pro2 category. Furthermore, Summit Racing Equipment will activate at the Atlanta and Texas rounds, where it invites Formula DRIFT fans to visit its booth and pick up a free catalog and special show discount offer. Round two of the 2018 Formula DRIFT series takes place in Orlando, Florida, April 27–28.

Roush Yates’ Jennifer LaFever on the purpose of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) and how it is important to the automotive industry.

Roush Yates’ Jennifer LaFever on the purpose of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) and how it is important to the automotive industry.

By Jenny Galvan

The Pinewood Build Day is a great volunteer opportunity for anyone interested in donating a few hours of their time to make a difference in the lives of children in need.

All SEMA members are invited to volunteer at the annual SEMA Cares Pinewood Build Day, Saturday, May 5, from 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. The event takes place at the Childhelp Merv Griffin Village—a group home dedicated to rehabilitating children who have suffered abuse and neglect.

During the Pinewood Build Day, volunteers will help children decorate and race pinewood race cars. Each child will receive two pinewoods—one to keep and the other to donate. Donated cars will be available for purchase at the SEMA Installation & Gala, and all proceeds will benefit SEMA Cares charities.

The Pinewood Build Day is a great volunteer opportunity for anyone interested in donating a few hours of their time to make a difference in the lives of children in need. SEMA members are also encouraged to bring their families to this special day, as it is a great opportunity to get the whole family involved in giving back and helping others.

The Childhelp Merv Griffin Village is located at 14700 Manzanita Park Rd., Beaumont, CA 92223. Please RSVP to Lindsay Bianco at lindsayb@sema.org or 909-978-6692 by Wednesday, May 2.

By Jenny Galvan

The Pinewood Build Day is a great volunteer opportunity for anyone interested in donating a few hours of their time to make a difference in the lives of children in need.

All SEMA members are invited to volunteer at the annual SEMA Cares Pinewood Build Day, Saturday, May 5, from 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. The event takes place at the Childhelp Merv Griffin Village—a group home dedicated to rehabilitating children who have suffered abuse and neglect.

During the Pinewood Build Day, volunteers will help children decorate and race pinewood race cars. Each child will receive two pinewoods—one to keep and the other to donate. Donated cars will be available for purchase at the SEMA Installation & Gala, and all proceeds will benefit SEMA Cares charities.

The Pinewood Build Day is a great volunteer opportunity for anyone interested in donating a few hours of their time to make a difference in the lives of children in need. SEMA members are also encouraged to bring their families to this special day, as it is a great opportunity to get the whole family involved in giving back and helping others.

The Childhelp Merv Griffin Village is located at 14700 Manzanita Park Rd., Beaumont, CA 92223. Please RSVP to Lindsay Bianco at lindsayb@sema.org or 909-978-6692 by Wednesday, May 2.