The upcoming Porsche 911 GT3 builds on the grown-up image of the 992, packing more noticeable aerodynamic elements. These shots show the car with virtually no camouflage. A new air intakes adorn the nose of the supercar, along with a heavily revised front end. Visible at the rear are uber-wide hips, whose eye-catching nature is only surpassed by the complex rear wing and, for the first time, the diffusor below the rear bumper.

More importantly and judging by the soundtrack of the prototype, the naturally aspirated engine is here to stay. After all, Zuffenhausen engineers have introduced a new 4.0L motor for the 991.2 GT3.

The sole transmission should be an eight-speed dual-clutch unit, though Porsche may appease manual fans by making a stick shift available at some point in the successor to the current GT3 Touring, which features a six-speed manual. Also available at some point will be a new GT3 Cup racing variant and a hardcore GT3 RS.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

The upcoming Porsche 911 GT3 builds on the grown-up image of the 992, packing more noticeable aerodynamic elements. These shots show the car with virtually no camouflage. A new air intakes adorn the nose of the supercar, along with a heavily revised front end. Visible at the rear are uber-wide hips, whose eye-catching nature is only surpassed by the complex rear wing and, for the first time, the diffusor below the rear bumper.

More importantly and judging by the soundtrack of the prototype, the naturally aspirated engine is here to stay. After all, Zuffenhausen engineers have introduced a new 4.0L motor for the 991.2 GT3.

The sole transmission should be an eight-speed dual-clutch unit, though Porsche may appease manual fans by making a stick shift available at some point in the successor to the current GT3 Touring, which features a six-speed manual. Also available at some point will be a new GT3 Cup racing variant and a hardcore GT3 RS.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

The upcoming Porsche 911 GT3 builds on the grown-up image of the 992, packing more noticeable aerodynamic elements. These shots show the car with virtually no camouflage. A new air intakes adorn the nose of the supercar, along with a heavily revised front end. Visible at the rear are uber-wide hips, whose eye-catching nature is only surpassed by the complex rear wing and, for the first time, the diffusor below the rear bumper.

More importantly and judging by the soundtrack of the prototype, the naturally aspirated engine is here to stay. After all, Zuffenhausen engineers have introduced a new 4.0L motor for the 991.2 GT3.

The sole transmission should be an eight-speed dual-clutch unit, though Porsche may appease manual fans by making a stick shift available at some point in the successor to the current GT3 Touring, which features a six-speed manual. Also available at some point will be a new GT3 Cup racing variant and a hardcore GT3 RS.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

The upcoming Porsche 911 GT3 builds on the grown-up image of the 992, packing more noticeable aerodynamic elements. These shots show the car with virtually no camouflage. A new air intakes adorn the nose of the supercar, along with a heavily revised front end. Visible at the rear are uber-wide hips, whose eye-catching nature is only surpassed by the complex rear wing and, for the first time, the diffusor below the rear bumper.

More importantly and judging by the soundtrack of the prototype, the naturally aspirated engine is here to stay. After all, Zuffenhausen engineers have introduced a new 4.0L motor for the 991.2 GT3.

The sole transmission should be an eight-speed dual-clutch unit, though Porsche may appease manual fans by making a stick shift available at some point in the successor to the current GT3 Touring, which features a six-speed manual. Also available at some point will be a new GT3 Cup racing variant and a hardcore GT3 RS.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

By Byron Bergmann

Joe Opperman

At the age of 34, Joe Opperman is the youngest executive director to serve at the Iola Car Show, and he is credited with being a catalyst for modernizing and rejuvenating the 48-year-old event. Iola Old Car Show Inc. is a non-profit, small-budget organization operated in the tiny Wisconsin town of Iola, population 1,301. Opperman will share insight and offer a unique perspective about the value of participating in a nationally recognized show that hosts more than 100,000 attendees over the three days every summer.

YEN members and specialty-aftermarket enthusiasts are invited to hear from and communicate directly with Opperman during YEN’s Live Chat, April 17, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT). Participants will have a chance to interact with Opperman as he answers questions regarding the value of exhibiting, engaging and marketing at consumer events.

Join the Live Chat on YEN’s Facebook page and come ready with questions to tap into Opperman’s expertise.

Date: Friday, April 17
Time: 12:00 p.m.–12:15 p.m. (PDT)
Event Location: YEN Facebook

By Byron Bergmann

Joe Opperman

At the age of 34, Joe Opperman is the youngest executive director to serve at the Iola Car Show, and he is credited with being a catalyst for modernizing and rejuvenating the 48-year-old event. Iola Old Car Show Inc. is a non-profit, small-budget organization operated in the tiny Wisconsin town of Iola, population 1,301. Opperman will share insight and offer a unique perspective about the value of participating in a nationally recognized show that hosts more than 100,000 attendees over the three days every summer.

YEN members and specialty-aftermarket enthusiasts are invited to hear from and communicate directly with Opperman during YEN’s Live Chat, April 17, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT). Participants will have a chance to interact with Opperman as he answers questions regarding the value of exhibiting, engaging and marketing at consumer events.

Join the Live Chat on YEN’s Facebook page and come ready with questions to tap into Opperman’s expertise.

Date: Friday, April 17
Time: 12:00 p.m.–12:15 p.m. (PDT)
Event Location: YEN Facebook

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued guidance on whether employers are required to record COVID-19 cases in their 300 Logs used to report occupational injuries and illnesses. COVID-19 can be a recordable illness if a worker is infected as a result of performing their work-related duties. OSHA has noted that COVID-19 is a recordable illness, and employers are responsible for recording cases of COVID-19, if:

• The case is a tested-positive confirmed case of COVID-19, as defined by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• The case is “work-related,” which is defined as an event or exposure that either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing injury or illness.
• The case involves one or more of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness.

Since workers should remain away from work if they have tested positive for COVID-19, the test result would be a recordable event if the illness was “work-related.” OSHA acknowledges that employers “may have difficulty making determinations about whether workers who contracted COVID-19 did so due to exposures at work.” While there is still an obligation to track any cases in the workplace, OSHA will not enforce its recording requirements unless:

• There is objective evidence that a COVID-19 case may be work-related. This could include, for example, a number of cases developing among workers who work closely together without an alternative explanation.
• The evidence was reasonably available to the employer. For purposes of this memorandum, examples of reasonably available evidence include information given to the employer by employees, as well as information that an employer learns regarding its employees’ health and safety in the ordinary course of managing its business and employees.

SEMA has compiled additional information about COVID-19 on its website.  

Questions? Contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued guidance on whether employers are required to record COVID-19 cases in their 300 Logs used to report occupational injuries and illnesses. COVID-19 can be a recordable illness if a worker is infected as a result of performing their work-related duties. OSHA has noted that COVID-19 is a recordable illness, and employers are responsible for recording cases of COVID-19, if:

• The case is a tested-positive confirmed case of COVID-19, as defined by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• The case is “work-related,” which is defined as an event or exposure that either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing injury or illness.
• The case involves one or more of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness.

Since workers should remain away from work if they have tested positive for COVID-19, the test result would be a recordable event if the illness was “work-related.” OSHA acknowledges that employers “may have difficulty making determinations about whether workers who contracted COVID-19 did so due to exposures at work.” While there is still an obligation to track any cases in the workplace, OSHA will not enforce its recording requirements unless:

• There is objective evidence that a COVID-19 case may be work-related. This could include, for example, a number of cases developing among workers who work closely together without an alternative explanation.
• The evidence was reasonably available to the employer. For purposes of this memorandum, examples of reasonably available evidence include information given to the employer by employees, as well as information that an employer learns regarding its employees’ health and safety in the ordinary course of managing its business and employees.

SEMA has compiled additional information about COVID-19 on its website.  

Questions? Contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued guidance on whether employers are required to record COVID-19 cases in their 300 Logs used to report occupational injuries and illnesses. COVID-19 can be a recordable illness if a worker is infected as a result of performing their work-related duties. OSHA has noted that COVID-19 is a recordable illness, and employers are responsible for recording cases of COVID-19, if:

• The case is a tested-positive confirmed case of COVID-19, as defined by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• The case is “work-related,” which is defined as an event or exposure that either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing injury or illness.
• The case involves one or more of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness.

Since workers should remain away from work if they have tested positive for COVID-19, the test result would be a recordable event if the illness was “work-related.” OSHA acknowledges that employers “may have difficulty making determinations about whether workers who contracted COVID-19 did so due to exposures at work.” While there is still an obligation to track any cases in the workplace, OSHA will not enforce its recording requirements unless:

• There is objective evidence that a COVID-19 case may be work-related. This could include, for example, a number of cases developing among workers who work closely together without an alternative explanation.
• The evidence was reasonably available to the employer. For purposes of this memorandum, examples of reasonably available evidence include information given to the employer by employees, as well as information that an employer learns regarding its employees’ health and safety in the ordinary course of managing its business and employees.

SEMA has compiled additional information about COVID-19 on its website.  

Questions? Contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Independent contractors and sole proprietors are now eligible to enroll in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) emergency loan programs along with other small businesses. As of April 10, 2020, independent contractors, sole proprietors and 501(c)(3) organizations may apply for a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan. It is a two-year loan at 1% interest rate that can be used to cover payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent and utilities. Loan proceeds will be forgiven for the amount used to cover payroll, mortgage interest, rent and utilities over the eight-week period after the loan is made. A PPP loan can be up to 250% of monthly payroll subject to a $10 million cap.

Under a separate program, independent contractors, sole proprietors and most non-profit groups including 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) organizations may apply for an emergency Coronavirus disaster loan at a 3.75% interest rate for small businesses and 2.75% for non-profits. The first $10,000 is a grant that doesn’t have to be repaid. If a PPP loan is provided at a later date, the disaster loan amount will be deducted. The maximum amounts currently being reported for a disaster loan range from $25,000 to $35,000. Those amounts could increase if Congress provides more funding for the disaster loan program.   

Both loan programs are experiencing a huge demand and backlog on processing. The PPP loan is through a participating bank or local community lending institution. The disaster loan is through the SBA. The U.S. Congress is expected to pass legislation to increase funding for PPP loans, although partisan disagreements over providing additional funding for hospitals and state and local government has slowed down action on the bill. 

For more information, visit SEMA’s website.

Questions? Contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.