By SEMA Editors

Employees of all PRO-member companies are encouraged to attend to gain insight into council initiatives, share ideas and network with industry friends, select committee members and SEMA staff.

The Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) will host an open membership meeting, May 16–17, at the Sheraton Detroit Metro Airport. The meeting serves as an opportunity for council members to address restyling industry challenges, trends and opportunities, and weigh in on the needs of its member companies. Employees of all PRO-member companies are encouraged to attend to gain insight into council initiatives, share ideas and network with industry friends, select committee members and SEMA staff.

The day kicks off Thursday, May 16, with breakfast at 8:00 a.m. The event includes open-forum discussions, breakout sessions and lunch, and will conclude at approximately 5:00 p.m., followed by an evening function from 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. More details will become available shortly.

All participants will then reconvene Friday, May 17, from 8:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m., at the same venue.

Rates start at $141 for those interested in booking a room at the Sheraton Detroit Metro Airport Hotel.

For questions, contact Senior Manager of Councils Allan Keefe at 909-978-6696 or allank@sema.org.

Reserve your tickets.

By Della Domingo

Warren Kosikov

Warren Kosikov has been named SEMA’s vice president of sales, where he will lead the sales team and guide the day-to-day sales strategy for both the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show, SEMA News and Performance Racing Industry magazines and related media content. Kosikov, who joined SEMA in 2014, has more than 30 years of industry experience.

“Warren has tremendous industry knowledge, experience and expertise; he’s a valuable asset to the association and the industry,” said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting. “We’re pleased to have him expand his role and help our members and customers accomplish their goals through the association’s events and services.”

Prior to joining SEMA, Kosikov held a variety of executive sales management positions for Source Interlink Media, Buckaroo Communications and Petersen Publishing. His most recent role at SEMA included serving as the key contact for automakers, where he worked with OEMs on SEMA Show participation, along with SEMA Measuring Sessions, the Technology Transfer Program and project vehicles.

“I’ve been fortunate in my career to have worked for some of the industry’s top publications and events,” said Kosikov. “I’m excited to further my journey with SEMA. The association offers a number of valuable resources to help companies grow and succeed, and I look forward to working with an amazing team to deliver benefits to our members and stakeholders.”

Kosikov is located at SEMA’s headquarters in Diamond Bar, California, and can be reached at warrenk@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

This is the last call for members of the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) to register products for the ARMO Hot Product Showcase. All products destined for the showcase must be registered by April 17 to ensure signage deliverables.

The ARMO Hot Product Showcase is an opportunity to display your restoration products in front of thousands of enthusiasts and consumers at Spring Carlisle. Participation in this program is free for ARMO-member manufacturers; the only cost is to ship your product. You can also enter your product to win a “New Product Award” in nine different categories. While on-site, a professional photographer will take photos of your products for you to use in your own product promotions. All product photographs will also be displayed on the ARMO website and in the ARMO council booth at the SEMA Show.

Criteria for new product submissions:

• Must be available for sale (market ready) by the opening of the Showcase, Thursday, April 25.
• Must demonstrate unique/innovative technology and/or be a significant benefit to the restoration industry.

Take advantage of this opportunity to gain exposure to your products.

By SEMA Editors

This is the last call for members of the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) to register products for the ARMO Hot Product Showcase. All products destined for the showcase must be registered by April 17 to ensure signage deliverables.

The ARMO Hot Product Showcase is an opportunity to display your restoration products in front of thousands of enthusiasts and consumers at Spring Carlisle. Participation in this program is free for ARMO-member manufacturers; the only cost is to ship your product. You can also enter your product to win a “New Product Award” in nine different categories. While on-site, a professional photographer will take photos of your products for you to use in your own product promotions. All product photographs will also be displayed on the ARMO website and in the ARMO council booth at the SEMA Show.

Criteria for new product submissions:

• Must be available for sale (market ready) by the opening of the Showcase, Thursday, April 25.
• Must demonstrate unique/innovative technology and/or be a significant benefit to the restoration industry.

Take advantage of this opportunity to gain exposure to your products.

By Jeremy Headlee

Matt Beenen of Builtright Industries (with check) was named the winner of the 2018 SEMA Launch Pad, presented by the Young Executives Network.

The SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN) will present a live chat with the 2018 SEMA Launch Pad winner Matt Beenen of BuiltRight Industries on the YEN Facebook page, April 24, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT). Beenen will be available for an open Q&A to talk about building and operating his business, competing in Launch Pad and what his company has experienced since winning the premiere automotive entrepreneurial competition. Be sure to join the chat from your desktop, tablet or phone, and come ready with questions to tap into Beenen’s expertise!

His story begins like many, with lemonade stands and washing cars. At the age of 14, Beenen started his first business with a small loan from his father. He’d always had an interest in cars, and years later, went to school to study mechanical engineering. After six years at GrimmSpeed, designing parts and ultimately running the company, he decided it was time to leave and try to start another small business of his own—BuiltRight Industries. Inspired by Launch Pad when he first attended in 2013, and with his new business finding some traction, he wondered what the program could do for BuiltRight. After making his way through the stages of competition, Beenen wowed the judges in front of a huge live audience to win at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Since then, his network has expanded, his knowledge has increased and his business has grown substantially.

Beenen’s wide range of successes, setbacks and other notable achievements make him an excellent resource for questions on anything from bringing a product from concept to creation, running a successful small business and getting involved with SEMA and the Launch Pad program.

By Jeremy Headlee

Matt Beenen of Builtright Industries (with check) was named the winner of the 2018 SEMA Launch Pad, presented by the Young Executives Network.

The SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN) will present a live chat with the 2018 SEMA Launch Pad winner Matt Beenen of BuiltRight Industries on the YEN Facebook page, April 24, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT). Beenen will be available for an open Q&A to talk about building and operating his business, competing in Launch Pad and what his company has experienced since winning the premiere automotive entrepreneurial competition. Be sure to join the chat from your desktop, tablet or phone, and come ready with questions to tap into Beenen’s expertise!

His story begins like many, with lemonade stands and washing cars. At the age of 14, Beenen started his first business with a small loan from his father. He’d always had an interest in cars, and years later, went to school to study mechanical engineering. After six years at GrimmSpeed, designing parts and ultimately running the company, he decided it was time to leave and try to start another small business of his own—BuiltRight Industries. Inspired by Launch Pad when he first attended in 2013, and with his new business finding some traction, he wondered what the program could do for BuiltRight. After making his way through the stages of competition, Beenen wowed the judges in front of a huge live audience to win at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Since then, his network has expanded, his knowledge has increased and his business has grown substantially.

Beenen’s wide range of successes, setbacks and other notable achievements make him an excellent resource for questions on anything from bringing a product from concept to creation, running a successful small business and getting involved with SEMA and the Launch Pad program.

By Jeremy Headlee

Matt Beenen of Builtright Industries (with check) was named the winner of the 2018 SEMA Launch Pad, presented by the Young Executives Network.

The SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN) will present a live chat with the 2018 SEMA Launch Pad winner Matt Beenen of BuiltRight Industries on the YEN Facebook page, April 24, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT). Beenen will be available for an open Q&A to talk about building and operating his business, competing in Launch Pad and what his company has experienced since winning the premiere automotive entrepreneurial competition. Be sure to join the chat from your desktop, tablet or phone, and come ready with questions to tap into Beenen’s expertise!

His story begins like many, with lemonade stands and washing cars. At the age of 14, Beenen started his first business with a small loan from his father. He’d always had an interest in cars, and years later, went to school to study mechanical engineering. After six years at GrimmSpeed, designing parts and ultimately running the company, he decided it was time to leave and try to start another small business of his own—BuiltRight Industries. Inspired by Launch Pad when he first attended in 2013, and with his new business finding some traction, he wondered what the program could do for BuiltRight. After making his way through the stages of competition, Beenen wowed the judges in front of a huge live audience to win at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Since then, his network has expanded, his knowledge has increased and his business has grown substantially.

Beenen’s wide range of successes, setbacks and other notable achievements make him an excellent resource for questions on anything from bringing a product from concept to creation, running a successful small business and getting involved with SEMA and the Launch Pad program.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

The 11th Annual Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals, presented by MAHLE Motorsport Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia, hosted the second stop on the NMRA Keystone Automotive Ford Nationals tour.

NMRA Race Wrap: 11th Annual Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals

The 11th Annual Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals, presented by MAHLE Motorsport Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia, hosted the second stop on the NMRA Keystone Automotive Ford Nationals tour.

VP Racing Fuels/Mickey Thompson Street Outlaw: Rob Goss was the quicker contender—both with his 0.008-second reaction time and with his ’09 Dodge Challenger’s 4.38-second eighth-mile trip—to take down Vince Palazzolo’s 4.39 effort in his ’09 Mustang and take a trip to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle.

NMRA/NMCA Edelbrock Renegade/Xtreme Street: NMCA racer Jessie Coulter picked up the win over Tim Knieriem, going 4.73 while Knieriem stopped the clocks in 4.87 seconds instead.

ProCharger Modified Street: Brad Schehr met Martin Connelley in the finals for a battle of the ’80s-era Mustangs. A close match down the track ended with Schehr edging out Connelley at the stripe, 7.84 over 7.89, picking up his second win in a row for the year, and his second trip to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle.

Advanced Fuel Dynamics Limited Street: Bill Putnam in his ’99 Mustang defeated Chad Wendel in his ’07 Mustang GT. Wendel had the holeshot, but Putnam had the power and drove around him to finish out the weekend with a winning 8.905 time slip in his hand.

Richmond Gear Factory Stock: Dan Ryntz and his Mustang defeated Mike Bowen and his ’71 Maverick with a 10.38 over Bowen’s 10.42.

G-Force Racing Transmissions Coyote Stock: Clair Stewart II and his ’91 Mustang defeated Darin Hendricks and his ’93 Mustang Cobra with a 10.20 over Hendricks’ 10.44.

Exedy Racing Clutch Modular Muscle: Shane Williams in his ’99 Mustang met Johnny Rusch and his ’06 Mustang in the finals, where Rusch unintentionally red-lighted—so even though he ran dead on his dial, the run didn’t count—and Williams went home a winner for the second time this season with an 11.912 on his 11.91 prediction.

ARP Open Comp: Ashley Conway Lang and her ’94 Cobra met Steven Wieczorek and his ’86 Mustang in the final. Both had good lights, but Wieczorek broke out, while Lang was only four-hundredths over her index and she was victorious in her efforts.

Detroit Locker Truck & Lightning: Amanda Saad drove her ’83 Ranger for the win over Fred Wade and his ’04 Lightning when he turned the red light on at the start.

ROUSH Performance Super Stang: Miles Wagoner in his ’16 Mustang met Andy Ransford in his ’06 Mustang in the finals, where Wagoner doubled up on wins in as many races when he went 10.458 on his 10.42 dial and sent Ransford back to the pits as his 14.181 pass on his 13.98 dial couldn’t get it done.

Race Star Wheels Ford Muscle: Bryan Parker in his ’68 Mustang met David Mormann in his ’70 Mach I. Parker had the advantage off the starting line and stayed consistent in his numbers, triggering the win light in his lane while Mormann was deemed the runner-up.

Street Outlaw All-Star Shootout: Phil Hines lined up against Vince Palazzolo, Mustang vs. Mustang, but trouble struck in the left lane as Palazzolo biffed the start and the win was awarded to Hines, whose 4.393 at 161.75-mph pass made things official.

NMRA vs NMCA Sealed Stock All-Star Shootout: One representative from both NMCA Chevrolet Performance Stock (Jesse Wilson) and NMRA G-Force Racing Transmissions Coyote Stock (Darin Hendricks) each made it through to the finals. Team NMRA’s Hendricks put in a 10.225-second pass, but ultimately the win went to Wilson and Team NMCA for the second year in a row.

Open Comp Shootout: Dennis Corn represented NMRA and Cameron Bowles represented NMCA in the finals. The win light turned on in Corn’s lane courtesy of his ’88 Ford Thunderbird’s 9.272-second hit.

EATON TVS Supercharger Throwdown: Brian Devilbiss defeated Oscar Morin in Ariel Salinas’s “El Toro” ’16 Mustang with a 9.27 over Morin’s 11.90.

QA1/Gear Vendors True Street: Dana Beaty in his ’86 Mustang was the only one to average an eight-second elapsed time. His quickest run was 8.672 seconds and he averaged 8.981 seconds for the overall win and an invitation to the IDIDIT King of the Street competition at the NMRA World Finals later this year in Kentucky. Dustin Edwards was the winner in the nine-second section, while Rick Baum won the 10-second group and Cody Poston topped the 11-second segment. Michael Dabbs picked up the win for the 12-second group, Randy Pethel won the 13-second average, Tyler Thornburg was the 14-second winner and Allen Smith took the final victory in the 15-second bunch.

The NMRA Keystone Automotive Drag Racing Series continues with its return to St. Louis at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois, May 16–19, with the Inaugural NMRA Gateway Rumble.

Andy McMillin Takes Overall, SCORE Trophy Truck Race victory at 33rd annual SCORE San Felipe 250

Andy McMillin returned to his desert-racing roots last Saturday, overcame an early rollover and two flat tires to hold on and capture the SCORE Overall and SCORE Trophy Truck race win at the 33rd annual SCORE San Felipe 250. The “Spring Break” season-opener of the four-race 2019 SCORE World Desert Championship was held in San Felipe on the Sea of Cortez in Baja California, Mexico, 125 miles south of the U.S. border at Calexico, California. All four 2019 SCORE races will be held on Mexico’s Baja California peninsula for the fourth consecutive year. The race will be televised on a delayed-basis as a one-hour special on the ABC World of X Games show, produced by SCORE in association with BCII TV of Los Angeles. A total of 239 official starters raced in Pro and Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and quads. The race had 164 official finishers for a finishing rate of 68.62%. View complete results on the SCORE website.

Mike Salinas powered his Scrappers Racing dragster to a victorious 3.801-second, 330.39-mph pass when he outran Brittany Force, Clay Millican and Doug Kalitta.

Salinas, Todd, Butner and Arana Jr. Finish Victorious at Denso Park Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

Mike Salinas picked up his first career NHRA win last Sunday at the 20th annual DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to become the 107th winner in Top Fuel history. J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Bo Butner (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also victors in their respective professional Mello Yello Drag Racing Series categories. Salinas started the race day from the No. 1 qualifier position and powered his Scrappers Racing dragster to a victorious 3.801-second, 330.39-mph pass. The reigning Funny Car world champion Todd drove his DHL Toyota Camry to pick up the Funny Car title on Sunday with his 3.970 pass at 319.07. In Pro Stock, Butner picked up his third win of the 2019 season with his Jim Butner's Auto Chevy Camaro team with his 6.677 pass at 206.67. Arana Jr. picked up the win on his Lucas Oil EBR, cruising to a 6.907 at 195.97 to pick up his second win at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway facility. The NHRA circuit will travel to Houston to the Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals Presented By Pennzoil, April 12–14, for the fifth race of the 2019 season.

VP Racing Fuels Named Official Fuel of Motovicity Never Lift

VP Racing Fuels Inc. has been named the official fuel of Motovicity’s Never Lift event to be held April 27–28 at the New Coalinga Municipal Airport in Coalinga, California. Never Lift 2019 returns for its second event and will bring together fast cars, performance brands and builders and shops to throw down for $38,500 in cash prizes, and will feature more than 200 high-powered vehicles competing for top speed in six classes. Information for racers and spectators can be found at www.neverlifthalfmile.com.

For more racing news, visit the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) website.

SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology John Waraniak shares some insight regarding the industry's challenges and opportunities with the evolution of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

https://www.sema.org/sema-news/2019/04/advanced-driver-assistance-systems

SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology John Waraniak shares some insight regarding the industry's challenges and opportunities with the evolution of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

https://www.sema.org/sema-news/2019/04/advanced-driver-assistance-systems