By Richard Hail

Andrew Barra of Fishkill, New York, has claimed the fourth Golden Ticket, representing the Northeastern region, with his ’69 Chevrolet Corvette.

The latest SEMA Battle of the Builders Young Guns virtual regional qualifier winner has been chosen. Andrew Barra of Fishkill, New York, has claimed the fourth Golden Ticket, representing the Northeastern region, with his ’69 Chevrolet Corvette.

Barra’s earliest memories were helping his Dad work on his ’72 Corvette in their garage. He quickly became obsessed, and in 2015, his dream of owning a Corvette became a reality when he came across one for sale in upstate New York. The C3 was in fair condition and needed a lot of work, but Barra had big plans in store for it.

The complete frame-off restoration took a little more than three years to complete. Power is produced by a Chevy 454 Big-Block that has been rebuilt with a host of performance-boosting add-ons, including a Weiand intake manifold, a COMP Cams hydraulic roller kit and a Holley 775 CFM 4-Barrel Carburetor.

A TREMEC TKO five-speed drives the Diamond Back Flame Tread tires, which are snugly wrapped around Coys C-5 chrome wheels.

The body of the Vette is finished in Lamborghini Pearl Orange, while the interior features upgrades such as Dakota Digital Gauges, a Billet Specialties steering wheel and a Hurst pistol-grip shifter. The seats are out of an ’80 Corvette, and the smooth ride is compliments of the VBP rear-strut towers, fiberglass mono-leaf springs, Bilstein shocks and a power rack-and-pinion conversion.

Barra wants to be an inspiration to young builders who dream about having their own cars and he tells us that, “This was better than winning the lotto, better than anything I could have asked for.” He continued, “This win is a validation of my hard work and the sacrifices that I made for this car.”

The Battle of the Builders competition celebrates the amazing craftsmanship and talents of people who create and build some of the most unique cars in the world. The “Young Guns” classification is exclusive to up-and-coming builders who are 27 or under and have performed the majority of the work on their vehicles.

For more information about the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition or the SEMA Young Guns program, visit www.semabotb.com or www.semayoungguns.com.

By Richard Hail

Andrew Barra of Fishkill, New York, has claimed the fourth Golden Ticket, representing the Northeastern region, with his ’69 Chevrolet Corvette.

The latest SEMA Battle of the Builders Young Guns virtual regional qualifier winner has been chosen. Andrew Barra of Fishkill, New York, has claimed the fourth Golden Ticket, representing the Northeastern region, with his ’69 Chevrolet Corvette.

Barra’s earliest memories were helping his Dad work on his ’72 Corvette in their garage. He quickly became obsessed, and in 2015, his dream of owning a Corvette became a reality when he came across one for sale in upstate New York. The C3 was in fair condition and needed a lot of work, but Barra had big plans in store for it.

The complete frame-off restoration took a little more than three years to complete. Power is produced by a Chevy 454 Big-Block that has been rebuilt with a host of performance-boosting add-ons, including a Weiand intake manifold, a COMP Cams hydraulic roller kit and a Holley 775 CFM 4-Barrel Carburetor.

A TREMEC TKO five-speed drives the Diamond Back Flame Tread tires, which are snugly wrapped around Coys C-5 chrome wheels.

The body of the Vette is finished in Lamborghini Pearl Orange, while the interior features upgrades such as Dakota Digital Gauges, a Billet Specialties steering wheel and a Hurst pistol-grip shifter. The seats are out of an ’80 Corvette, and the smooth ride is compliments of the VBP rear-strut towers, fiberglass mono-leaf springs, Bilstein shocks and a power rack-and-pinion conversion.

Barra wants to be an inspiration to young builders who dream about having their own cars and he tells us that, “This was better than winning the lotto, better than anything I could have asked for.” He continued, “This win is a validation of my hard work and the sacrifices that I made for this car.”

The Battle of the Builders competition celebrates the amazing craftsmanship and talents of people who create and build some of the most unique cars in the world. The “Young Guns” classification is exclusive to up-and-coming builders who are 27 or under and have performed the majority of the work on their vehicles.

For more information about the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition or the SEMA Young Guns program, visit www.semabotb.com or www.semayoungguns.com.

It’s not too late to exhibit at the 2020 SEMA Show, November 3-6, in Las Vegas. The online Exhibitor Services Manual contains all of the resources pertinent to a successful exhibit in November.

http://www.semashow.com/buyabooth

It’s not too late to exhibit at the 2020 SEMA Show, November 3-6, in Las Vegas. The online Exhibitor Services Manual contains all of the resources pertinent to a successful exhibit in November.

http://www.semashow.com/buyabooth

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Turn 14 Distribution Announces Acquisition of Substantially All Assets of Motovicity Distribution

Turn 14 Distribution Inc., a distributor of high-performance automotive parts and accessories for a full assortment of passenger cars, light trucks and race vehicles, headquartered in Horsham, Pennsylvania, and Motovicity Distribution Inc., a distributor of high-performance automotive parts and accessories for a full assortment of passenger cars and race vehicles, based in Madison Heights, Michigan, have announced that they have signed a definitive agreement under which Turn 14 Distribution will acquire substantially all of Motovicity’s assets for an undisclosed price. Turn 14 Distribution will extend employment offers to a majority of Motovicity’s employees.

In 2013, Motovicity was recognized by its peers as SEMA’s 2013 Warehouse Distributor of the Year.

“Motovicity’s singular commitment to the B2B channel, impressive enthusiast employee base, and unapologetic competitiveness pair perfectly with Turn 14 Distribution’s core values,” said Jon Pulli, CEO of Turn 14 Distribution. “I look forward to combining our efforts and increasing our capabilities to further build Turn 14 Distribution’s position as the leader in the distribution of high-performance parts and accessories for the automotive aftermarket.”

This transaction marks Turn 14 Distribution’s first asset purchase agreement since its formation in 2007. Moving forward, Motovicity’s operations will cease and the company will operate exclusively under the name Turn 14 Distribution.

Jonathan Mill

Jonathan Mill Joins Power Automedia’s Alloy Studios as Executive Producer and General Manager

Power Automedia has announced that accomplished automotive executive Jonathan Mill has joined the company. Mill has accepted a role as executive producer and general manager of Alloy Studios—Power Automedia’s video production company. With 10 years of multi-media marketing and advertising, product development and publishing experience, plus his familiarity with all things automotive, Mill has worked hard to pursue his professional career in an industry he is passionate about. Prior to joining the Power Automedia team, Mill began his career in the entertainment space with automotive being just a hobby. His career switched gears, though, when he developed the award-winning E-Stopp—a push-button emergency brake and an anti-theft unit for custom and classic cars. He soon found himself back into the entertainment side of automotive, leading integrated marketing and sales for broadcast and over-the-top content. Mill later became publisher of Hot Rod magazine, where he ushered in a new era with the Discovery Communications acquisition. Additionally, Mill has been honored as the SEMA Gen III Innovator and has been an active volunteer leader within SEMA.

Superformance’s new ’65 MKIII-R Cobra, which is a combination of classic styling and contemporary modifications.

Superformance Unveils Reimagined ’65 MKIII-R Cobra

Superformance has unveiled the company’s newest devlopment—the all-new ’65 MKIII-R Cobra, which is a combination of classic styling and contemporary modifications. The Superformance MKIII-R is an engineered and crafted reproduction of the original, built under license from Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc. to exacting standards, with more than two-thirds of the steel monocoque chassis’ parts being interchangeable with an original GT40 car. While the addition of integrated “scalloped” fenders and hood headline some of the MKIII’s modern additions, the vehicle retains much of its original shape and wheelbase. The vehicle’s suspension incorporates some modern components, as the front of the MKIII chassis sports fully independent unequal length A-arms with adjustable Bilstein coils over telescopic shock absorbers, while the rear also utilizes independent unequal length A-arms with fabricated hub carriers and coil-over shock absorbers.

Inside of the MKIII-R, Superformance added custom French stitched seats and a body color accented thread. The MKIII-R’s transmission tunnel is also adorned with leather to complete the classic look. In a twist of modern flair, the vehicle’s dashboard is equipped with all-new Superformance electronic gauges. Standard equipment included in the MKIII-R includes power steering, LED headlights, 18-in. wheels and a wide variety of exterior and interior color options.

Since each Superformance chassis comes without the engine included, installation kits are available for Ford 302, 351, 460 and 427/428 cid engines with Tremec five-speed or Ford top loader four-speed transmissions. The rolling chassis is available at a starting price of $79,900.

Nicole Bradle

Nicole Bradle Joins SEMA as Council Director

Nicole Bradle has been hired as SEMA’s new council director. Starting May 26, she will be the liaison for the Wheel & Tire Council (WTC), Emerging Trends & Technology Network (ETTN) and SEMA Businesswomen’s Netowork (SBN). Previously, Bradle was the director of member relations at the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R). During her time there, she redesigned the company’s member engagement model, transformed and guided their resident and fellow council, overhauled customer service and oversaw all member-relations activities, among other responsibilities. Before the Academy, Nicole spent 11 years at the American Society of Anesthesiology as the conference manager and later executive director for 2-9 anesthesia subspecialty societies. As executive director, she partnered with her volunteer leaders to advance their missions and build solid leadership structures for future growth. Throughout her career, her passion has been working with volunteer leaders and building trusted relationships. As a past “40 Under Forty” award winner from Association Forum, she continues to give back to Forum through teaching CAE classes, volunteering on committees and being a resource for Forum staff when needed.”

Joe Kerick

Dura-Bond Bearing Has Named Joe Kerick As Product Development Manager

Dura-Bond Bearing recently announced it has named Joe Kerick as its new product development manager. Kerick is a veteran of the transmission and aftermarket replacement parts industries, who most recently was director of product management for Restoration Parts Unlimited. Prior to that, he was a senior category manager at Transtar Industries and a senior product manager with Standard Motor Products.

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.

By Kyle Cheng

According to the latest “SEMA Industry Indicators Report,” in April, unemployment reached a record high of 14.7%, but about 18 million of the 23 million newly unemployed expect to be only temporarily out of work.

While the last few months have been challenging for the U.S. economy, there is some positive news. The economy reached what economists believe was the depth of the recession around mid-April, and expect gradual economic improvement over the coming months. Consumers will ultimately decide when and how the economy reopens, but things are starting to look up.

Unemployment has widely been discussed over the last few months. In April, unemployment reached a record high of 14.7%, but about 18 million of the 23 million newly unemployed expect to be only temporarily out of work. Getting those individuals back to work will be paramount in the coming months.

Want more information on the trends affecting the specialty-equipment industry? Check out the SEMA Industry Indicators Report each month to learn how movements in the broader economy may impact your business strategy. In this report, published monthly, you’ll get a snapshot of the overall economy and our industry, including:

• Overall Economic Outlook
• New Vehicle Sales and Statistics on Auto Parts Production
• Consumer Sentiment and Spending
• Economic Growth and Unemployment
• Other Important Industry Insights

To learn more, download the May “SEMA Industry Indicators Report,” now available for free at www.sema.org/research.

By Kyle Cheng

According to the latest “SEMA Industry Indicators Report,” in April, unemployment reached a record high of 14.7%, but about 18 million of the 23 million newly unemployed expect to be only temporarily out of work.

While the last few months have been challenging for the U.S. economy, there is some positive news. The economy reached what economists believe was the depth of the recession around mid-April, and expect gradual economic improvement over the coming months. Consumers will ultimately decide when and how the economy reopens, but things are starting to look up.

Unemployment has widely been discussed over the last few months. In April, unemployment reached a record high of 14.7%, but about 18 million of the 23 million newly unemployed expect to be only temporarily out of work. Getting those individuals back to work will be paramount in the coming months.

Want more information on the trends affecting the specialty-equipment industry? Check out the SEMA Industry Indicators Report each month to learn how movements in the broader economy may impact your business strategy. In this report, published monthly, you’ll get a snapshot of the overall economy and our industry, including:

• Overall Economic Outlook
• New Vehicle Sales and Statistics on Auto Parts Production
• Consumer Sentiment and Spending
• Economic Growth and Unemployment
• Other Important Industry Insights

To learn more, download the May “SEMA Industry Indicators Report,” now available for free at www.sema.org/research.

SEMA-member companies have posted several new listings for job opportunities in the Classifieds page of SEMA.org.

SEMA-member companies have posted several new listings for job opportunities in the Classifieds page of SEMA.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The United Steelworkers union has filed antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions on certain passenger vehicles and light truck tires from southeast Asia. The petitions cite dumping margins as high as 195% for Korea, 147% for Taiwan, 217% for Thailand and 33% for Vietnam. The petitions also allege certain government subsidies benefitting Vietnamese tire producers. The petitions have been filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce to determine whether dumping and illegal subsidies are occurring and the U.S. International Trade Commission to confirm whether there is harm or threatened harm to U.S. industry.

In a separate action, the Commerce Department has self-initiated a circumvention inquiry involving stainless steel products from China that are completed in Vietnam and then exported to the United States. The Commerce Department alleges that shipments of stainless sheet and strip from Vietnam to the United States increased 180% over a previous 40-month time period for calculations. If the agency preliminarily finds that circumvention is occurring, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be directed to collect cash deposits on imports of stainless sheet and strip completed in Vietnam with Chinese-origin inputs.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.