By SEMA Editors

Team Weld Racing from Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center was the 2015 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow national champion with an average time of 18:19.

The 2016 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge is set to kick off during the ninth-annual Race and Performance (RP) Expo, to be held February 20–21 in Schaumburg, Illinois. The Engine Challenge, also entering its ninth season, has experienced tremendous growth over the past eight years. This year, 32 high-school teams will compete against each other in performance engine rebuilds.

Last year’s Engine Challenge champion, Team Weld Racing from Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center, completed four engine rebuilds in an average time of 18:19. Five high-school students work together to tear down and rebuild a performance engine quicker than what’s required of most professionals. The teams competing at the Expo will look for times of 35 minutes or better, without penalties, in order to qualify for the Dual Championships to be held at the SEMA and PRI Shows later this year.

After outgrowing its old location, this will be the first year in the RP Expo’s new location, the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center. For more information, including hotel reservations, visit www.raceperformanceexpo.com.

By SEMA Editors

Team Weld Racing from Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center was the 2015 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow national champion with an average time of 18:19.

The 2016 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge is set to kick off during the ninth-annual Race and Performance (RP) Expo, to be held February 20–21 in Schaumburg, Illinois. The Engine Challenge, also entering its ninth season, has experienced tremendous growth over the past eight years. This year, 32 high-school teams will compete against each other in performance engine rebuilds.

Last year’s Engine Challenge champion, Team Weld Racing from Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center, completed four engine rebuilds in an average time of 18:19. Five high-school students work together to tear down and rebuild a performance engine quicker than what’s required of most professionals. The teams competing at the Expo will look for times of 35 minutes or better, without penalties, in order to qualify for the Dual Championships to be held at the SEMA and PRI Shows later this year.

After outgrowing its old location, this will be the first year in the RP Expo’s new location, the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center. For more information, including hotel reservations, visit www.raceperformanceexpo.com.

The ’16 Ford Focus RS is coming to the SEMA Garage. The all-new, third-generation, high-performance all-wheel-drive hatch features a specially tuned 2.3L EcoBoost engine delivering well in excess of 315 hp, along with the most powerful Ford RS braking system ever. This pre-production Focus RS will be available exclusively to SEMA members. 

The ’16 Ford Focus RS is coming to the SEMA Garage. The all-new, third-generation, high-performance all-wheel-drive hatch features a specially tuned 2.3L EcoBoost engine delivering well in excess of 315 hp, along with the most powerful Ford RS braking system ever. This pre-production Focus RS will be available exclusively to SEMA members. 

The ’16 Ford Focus RS is coming to the SEMA Garage. The all-new, third-generation, high-performance all-wheel-drive hatch features a specially tuned 2.3L EcoBoost engine delivering well in excess of 315 hp, along with the most powerful Ford RS braking system ever. This pre-production Focus RS will be available exclusively to SEMA members. 

The ’16 Ford Focus RS is coming to the SEMA Garage. The all-new, third-generation, high-performance all-wheel-drive hatch features a specially tuned 2.3L EcoBoost engine delivering well in excess of 315 hp, along with the most powerful Ford RS braking system ever. This pre-production Focus RS will be available exclusively to SEMA members. 

The ’16 Ford Focus RS is coming to the SEMA Garage. The all-new, third-generation, high-performance all-wheel-drive hatch features a specially tuned 2.3L EcoBoost engine delivering well in excess of 315 hp, along with the most powerful Ford RS braking system ever. This pre-production Focus RS will be available exclusively to SEMA members. 

By Carr Winn and Mark Schaal

Off-road racer Erik Miller's car took first place this year at the 10th annual King of the Hammers (KOH). Miller’s vehicle worked relentlessly finishing the 165 mile course in 7 hours, 30 minutes and 55 seconds.

“This motor sang the whole day,” Miller said Friday afternoon, 25 minutes before second place finisher Jason Scherer would cross the finish line. “I knew if we kept it smart, kept it conservative, that's what you have to do here.”

Third-place finisher was Raul Gomez (8:23:57), who broke away from Shannon Campbell (8:26:18) in the latter stage of the race after Campbell ran into technical difficulties.

History also was made at this year’s Hammers as Bailey Campbell (8:45:18), the 19-year-old daughter of Shannon Campbell was the top female KOH driver ever, finishing fifth, and the only female racing this year.

“I'm so freaking excited,” she said to media photographers crowded around her vehicle. The teenage racer beat sixth-place finisher Jason T. Shipman (8:49:15) by about four minutes, who actually finished earlier than Campbell because he started earlier.

Read on for more information on the 2016 King of the Hammers.

By Carr Winn and Mark Schaal

Off-road racer Erik Miller's car took first place this year at the 10th annual King of the Hammers (KOH). Miller’s vehicle worked relentlessly finishing the 165 mile course in 7 hours, 30 minutes and 55 seconds.

“This motor sang the whole day,” Miller said Friday afternoon, 25 minutes before second place finisher Jason Scherer would cross the finish line. “I knew if we kept it smart, kept it conservative, that's what you have to do here.”

Third-place finisher was Raul Gomez (8:23:57), who broke away from Shannon Campbell (8:26:18) in the latter stage of the race after Campbell ran into technical difficulties.

History also was made at this year’s Hammers as Bailey Campbell (8:45:18), the 19-year-old daughter of Shannon Campbell was the top female KOH driver ever, finishing fifth, and the only female racing this year.

“I'm so freaking excited,” she said to media photographers crowded around her vehicle. The teenage racer beat sixth-place finisher Jason T. Shipman (8:49:15) by about four minutes, who actually finished earlier than Campbell because he started earlier.

Read on for more information on the 2016 King of the Hammers.

By SEMA Editors

Titan will be available in 4x2 or 4x4 drive configurations with three cabin configurations—Crew Cab, King Cab and Single cab—and three bed lengths—5.5, 6.5 and 8 ft. Similar to Titan XD, Titan will be available in five trim levels—S, SV, PRO-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve.

Now that the all-new flagship XD model of Nissan’s reimagined Titan family of pickups is on dealer lots, Nissan is turning its attention to the upcoming “standard” (half-ton) version of Titan at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show with a special photography release.

“There’s a strong family resemblance between Titan XD and the standard Titan, with their shared rugged exterior style,” said Rich Miller, director of product planning for trucks, SUVs and commercial vehicles, Nissan North America Inc., and chief product specialist for Titan and Titan XD. “Titan will compete in the heart of the fullsize pickup segment—the half-ton—while the Titan XD provides a unique solution for customers by bridging the cost and capability gap between traditional half-ton and full heavy-duty pickups. Together, Titan and Titan XD will cover nearly 85% of the total fullsize truck market.”

Titan is built on a separate chassis from Titan XD, and is approximately 228.1 in. long (14.7 in. less than XD) and 79.5 in. wide (same as XD), with the cab size shared between the two vehicles. “The Titan and Titan XD do not share any common chassis components,” added Miller. “Even the lug nuts are different.”

Titan will be available in 4x2 or 4x4 drive configurations with three cabin configurations—Crew Cab, King Cab and Single cab—and three bed lengths—5.5, 6.5 and 8 ft. Similar to Titan XD, Titan will be available in five trim levels—S, SV, PRO-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve.

The Titan will be powered by Nissan’s 5.6L Endurance V8 gasoline engine capable of 390 hp and 401 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine will be mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. A V6 gasoline engine will also be available (details to be announced at a later date).

The Nissan Titan will be assembled in Canton, Mississippi, with the 5.6L V8 gasoline assembled in Decherd, Tennessee. The truck goes on sale in summer 2016.