By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Election Day is just around the corner. With just 46 days until Americans head to the polls to pick the next president, the deadline to register to vote is rapidly approaching in many states. With the finish line in sight, it’s time to make our voices heard.

The SEMA Action Network’s voter information tool provides information on each state’s voting dates and deadlines. Those who cannot make it to the polls on November 8 will likely have the option to vote early or by absentee ballot.

Stay informed and up to date on the latest election news by visiting www.SEMAPAC.com and becoming SEMA PAC Approved today. Those who do will automatically be signed up for “Campaign Spy Shots,” a bimonthly newsletter that offers the latest news from the campaign trail. There is no obligation to contribute to SEMA PAC when becoming PAC Approved.

To learn more, contact SEMA PAC and Congressional Relations Director Christian Robinson at christianr@sema.org. 

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Election Day is just around the corner. With just 46 days until Americans head to the polls to pick the next president, the deadline to register to vote is rapidly approaching in many states. With the finish line in sight, it’s time to make our voices heard.

The SEMA Action Network’s voter information tool provides information on each state’s voting dates and deadlines. Those who cannot make it to the polls on November 8 will likely have the option to vote early or by absentee ballot.

Stay informed and up to date on the latest election news by visiting www.SEMAPAC.com and becoming SEMA PAC Approved today. Those who do will automatically be signed up for “Campaign Spy Shots,” a bimonthly newsletter that offers the latest news from the campaign trail. There is no obligation to contribute to SEMA PAC when becoming PAC Approved.

To learn more, contact SEMA PAC and Congressional Relations Director Christian Robinson at christianr@sema.org. 

By Michael Hart

Kathy Bernard, CEO of WiserU, will offer free consultations to SEMA Show attendees.

Companies that don't update their LinkedIn profiles and employees who don’t completely fill out their personal profiles could be missing out on untold business opportunities and potential customer interactions.

Get up-to-date with today’s most important business network at the 2016 SEMA Show. WiserU CEO Kathy Bernard will be on-site at the SEMA Career Center to provide personalized LinkedIn profile consultations. The ability to work one-on-one with a LinkedIn expert is just one of the services that will be available at the Career Center, which, for the first time, has a physical presence at the SEMA Show.

Bernard also will present an education session on Tuesday, November 1, entitled “Generating Leads on LinkedIn.”

“LinkedIn has incredible power for the aftermarket industry,” Bernard said, “but not everybody knows how to use it. It’s like having a Ferrari in the driveway, but no key to start it.”

LinkedIn dwarfs Facebook in terms of lead generation and, with 430 million online profiles—nearly a quarter million of them in the United States—it is the No. 1 online channel for connecting to potential business opportunities.

“You can find potential prospects on the site,” Bernard said. “You can find potential employees, and it can act as your online Yellow Pages.”

In her free consultations at the SEMA Career Center and the Tuesday education session, Bernard will help attendees understand how to maximize their presence on the business-focused social network, how to establish their online brands and how to generate solid leads from LinkedIn.

According to WiserU statistics, LinkedIn is 277% more effective for lead generation than Facebook, and for good reason.

“On LinkedIn, your message is not competing with baby pictures, cat videos and political positions,” Bernard explained.

Her number-one piece of advice for anybody looking to enhance their LinkedIn presence?

“Establish your profile and then fill in every single box,” Bernard said.

Too often, people and companies merely put their names at the top and forget about it. Meanwhile, millions of people each day are using the social network to find products and services, looking for people to hire and creating business partnerships.

“There’s no reason why everybody shouldn’t have a great LinkedIn profile by the time they leave the Show,” she said.

Register now to attend the LinkedIn session.

To set up a business or personal LinkedIn consultation with Bernard during the 2016 SEMA Show, visit the Career Center during Show hours, located in the upper North Hall of the Convention Center, outside the SEMA Members Lounge (N251).

By Michael Hart

Kathy Bernard, CEO of WiserU, will offer free consultations to SEMA Show attendees.

Companies that don't update their LinkedIn profiles and employees who don’t completely fill out their personal profiles could be missing out on untold business opportunities and potential customer interactions.

Get up-to-date with today’s most important business network at the 2016 SEMA Show. WiserU CEO Kathy Bernard will be on-site at the SEMA Career Center to provide personalized LinkedIn profile consultations. The ability to work one-on-one with a LinkedIn expert is just one of the services that will be available at the Career Center, which, for the first time, has a physical presence at the SEMA Show.

Bernard also will present an education session on Tuesday, November 1, entitled “Generating Leads on LinkedIn.”

“LinkedIn has incredible power for the aftermarket industry,” Bernard said, “but not everybody knows how to use it. It’s like having a Ferrari in the driveway, but no key to start it.”

LinkedIn dwarfs Facebook in terms of lead generation and, with 430 million online profiles—nearly a quarter million of them in the United States—it is the No. 1 online channel for connecting to potential business opportunities.

“You can find potential prospects on the site,” Bernard said. “You can find potential employees, and it can act as your online Yellow Pages.”

In her free consultations at the SEMA Career Center and the Tuesday education session, Bernard will help attendees understand how to maximize their presence on the business-focused social network, how to establish their online brands and how to generate solid leads from LinkedIn.

According to WiserU statistics, LinkedIn is 277% more effective for lead generation than Facebook, and for good reason.

“On LinkedIn, your message is not competing with baby pictures, cat videos and political positions,” Bernard explained.

Her number-one piece of advice for anybody looking to enhance their LinkedIn presence?

“Establish your profile and then fill in every single box,” Bernard said.

Too often, people and companies merely put their names at the top and forget about it. Meanwhile, millions of people each day are using the social network to find products and services, looking for people to hire and creating business partnerships.

“There’s no reason why everybody shouldn’t have a great LinkedIn profile by the time they leave the Show,” she said.

Register now to attend the LinkedIn session.

To set up a business or personal LinkedIn consultation with Bernard during the 2016 SEMA Show, visit the Career Center during Show hours, located in the upper North Hall of the Convention Center, outside the SEMA Members Lounge (N251).

By Michael Hart

Kathy Bernard, CEO of WiserU, will offer free consultations to SEMA Show attendees.

Companies that don't update their LinkedIn profiles and employees who don’t completely fill out their personal profiles could be missing out on untold business opportunities and potential customer interactions.

Get up-to-date with today’s most important business network at the 2016 SEMA Show. WiserU CEO Kathy Bernard will be on-site at the SEMA Career Center to provide personalized LinkedIn profile consultations. The ability to work one-on-one with a LinkedIn expert is just one of the services that will be available at the Career Center, which, for the first time, has a physical presence at the SEMA Show.

Bernard also will present an education session on Tuesday, November 1, entitled “Generating Leads on LinkedIn.”

“LinkedIn has incredible power for the aftermarket industry,” Bernard said, “but not everybody knows how to use it. It’s like having a Ferrari in the driveway, but no key to start it.”

LinkedIn dwarfs Facebook in terms of lead generation and, with 430 million online profiles—nearly a quarter million of them in the United States—it is the No. 1 online channel for connecting to potential business opportunities.

“You can find potential prospects on the site,” Bernard said. “You can find potential employees, and it can act as your online Yellow Pages.”

In her free consultations at the SEMA Career Center and the Tuesday education session, Bernard will help attendees understand how to maximize their presence on the business-focused social network, how to establish their online brands and how to generate solid leads from LinkedIn.

According to WiserU statistics, LinkedIn is 277% more effective for lead generation than Facebook, and for good reason.

“On LinkedIn, your message is not competing with baby pictures, cat videos and political positions,” Bernard explained.

Her number-one piece of advice for anybody looking to enhance their LinkedIn presence?

“Establish your profile and then fill in every single box,” Bernard said.

Too often, people and companies merely put their names at the top and forget about it. Meanwhile, millions of people each day are using the social network to find products and services, looking for people to hire and creating business partnerships.

“There’s no reason why everybody shouldn’t have a great LinkedIn profile by the time they leave the Show,” she said.

Register now to attend the LinkedIn session.

To set up a business or personal LinkedIn consultation with Bernard during the 2016 SEMA Show, visit the Career Center during Show hours, located in the upper North Hall of the Convention Center, outside the SEMA Members Lounge (N251).

By Jason Catullo

Plan and create personalized schedules for the 2016 SEMA Show by using the event’s official mobile app.

Plan and create personalized schedules for the 2016 SEMA Show by using the event’s official mobile app. Available at no cost at app stores and www.SEMAShow.com/app, the app’s updated design features a suite of tools that make on-site navigation and agenda creation quick and simple. In addition to confirming appointments, scheduling meetings and mapping out exhibitors, the app includes push notifications regarding special attractions to keep you connected with on-site Show action.

Here are the three must-use features of the app recommended by Show Management.

1. Plan Your Show. The Show App can be used to create a schedule of Show events, to build a list of exhibitors to visit, and to plan which educational sessions to attend based on interest. Throughout Show week, you’ll stay current by tracking the events, exhibitors and sessions you’ve attended and what’s next on your personalized schedule. For Showgoers already taking advantage of the My Show Planner feature at www.SEMAShow.com/floorplan, your information can be synced with the app to upload your already created agenda.

2. Locate on the Go. Locating exhibitors while on the Show floor is easier with enhanced search features that allow you to find companies by name, product category and keywords. Once located, companies can be added to your “favorites” list and each exhibitor’s booth number and display will be highlighted on the map so you can quickly head from one appointment to the next.

3. Stay Informed. The SEMA Show App includes links to the Show’s essential info—a list of Show hours, details on ground transportation, maps of the Show grounds and halls, a list of special events with times and locations, a schedule of daily celebrity appearances and feeds from the official SEMA Show social media accounts.

Visit www.SEMAShow.com/app to download the SEMA Show App. Visit www.SEMAShow.com for complete information and to register for the 2016 SEMA Show.

By Jason Catullo

Plan and create personalized schedules for the 2016 SEMA Show by using the event’s official mobile app.

Plan and create personalized schedules for the 2016 SEMA Show by using the event’s official mobile app. Available at no cost at app stores and www.SEMAShow.com/app, the app’s updated design features a suite of tools that make on-site navigation and agenda creation quick and simple. In addition to confirming appointments, scheduling meetings and mapping out exhibitors, the app includes push notifications regarding special attractions to keep you connected with on-site Show action.

Here are the three must-use features of the app recommended by Show Management.

1. Plan Your Show. The Show App can be used to create a schedule of Show events, to build a list of exhibitors to visit, and to plan which educational sessions to attend based on interest. Throughout Show week, you’ll stay current by tracking the events, exhibitors and sessions you’ve attended and what’s next on your personalized schedule. For Showgoers already taking advantage of the My Show Planner feature at www.SEMAShow.com/floorplan, your information can be synced with the app to upload your already created agenda.

2. Locate on the Go. Locating exhibitors while on the Show floor is easier with enhanced search features that allow you to find companies by name, product category and keywords. Once located, companies can be added to your “favorites” list and each exhibitor’s booth number and display will be highlighted on the map so you can quickly head from one appointment to the next.

3. Stay Informed. The SEMA Show App includes links to the Show’s essential info—a list of Show hours, details on ground transportation, maps of the Show grounds and halls, a list of special events with times and locations, a schedule of daily celebrity appearances and feeds from the official SEMA Show social media accounts.

Visit www.SEMAShow.com/app to download the SEMA Show App. Visit www.SEMAShow.com for complete information and to register for the 2016 SEMA Show.

By Jason Catullo

Plan and create personalized schedules for the 2016 SEMA Show by using the event’s official mobile app.

Plan and create personalized schedules for the 2016 SEMA Show by using the event’s official mobile app. Available at no cost at app stores and www.SEMAShow.com/app, the app’s updated design features a suite of tools that make on-site navigation and agenda creation quick and simple. In addition to confirming appointments, scheduling meetings and mapping out exhibitors, the app includes push notifications regarding special attractions to keep you connected with on-site Show action.

Here are the three must-use features of the app recommended by Show Management.

1. Plan Your Show. The Show App can be used to create a schedule of Show events, to build a list of exhibitors to visit, and to plan which educational sessions to attend based on interest. Throughout Show week, you’ll stay current by tracking the events, exhibitors and sessions you’ve attended and what’s next on your personalized schedule. For Showgoers already taking advantage of the My Show Planner feature at www.SEMAShow.com/floorplan, your information can be synced with the app to upload your already created agenda.

2. Locate on the Go. Locating exhibitors while on the Show floor is easier with enhanced search features that allow you to find companies by name, product category and keywords. Once located, companies can be added to your “favorites” list and each exhibitor’s booth number and display will be highlighted on the map so you can quickly head from one appointment to the next.

3. Stay Informed. The SEMA Show App includes links to the Show’s essential info—a list of Show hours, details on ground transportation, maps of the Show grounds and halls, a list of special events with times and locations, a schedule of daily celebrity appearances and feeds from the official SEMA Show social media accounts.

Visit www.SEMAShow.com/app to download the SEMA Show App. Visit www.SEMAShow.com for complete information and to register for the 2016 SEMA Show.

NHRA News

BROWN, FORCE, LINE, ELLIS START COUNTDOWN ON HIGH NOTE, WINNING NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS: Antron Brown piloted his Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster to victory last Sunday at the ninth annual NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte. John Force (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Chip Ellis (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners in their respective categories at the 19th event of 24 on the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. The NHRA Carolina Nationals is the first race of the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Brown claimed his 59th career victory, and fifth of the season when he defeated Doug Kalitta and his Mac Tools machine. It is Brown’s second consecutive win at the NHRA Carolina Nationals—the opening event of the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

“I’m dreaming right now; someone needs to come and pinch me,” Brown said. “When you come here, this is the way you want to start the Countdown off. Qualifying didn’t go the way we wanted it. We just kept digging. That was the key, to keep digging. The track was the hottest that we have had all year long. We knew it was going to be tricky. We navigated down it, and we did what we had to do.”

COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP WILL MAKE SECOND STOP AT AAA INSURANCE NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS: The fifth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals will roll into Gateway Motorsports Park this weekend and bring with it the best of the best in NHRA Championship Drag Racing. The second race in NHRA’s six-race Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship will feature drivers pushing themselves and their 10,000-hp, 330-mph vehicles to the limit as they vie for precious championship points just across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis. Drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will battle it out in classic side-by-side NHRA Drag Racing fashion as they push to get one step closer to the championship title. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Del Worsham (Funny Car), Drew Skillman (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the event that will be televised on FOX Sports 1 for the first time.

DODGE NAMED TITLE RIGHTS SPONSOR OF NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES EVENT AT MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY: Dodge has signed an agreement to become the title rights sponsor of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Maple Grove Raceway. The 32nd annual Dodge NHRA Nationals will be held September 29–October 2 and is the third race in the six-race NHRA Countdown to the Championship. The track is traditionally one of the quickest on the NHRA circuit and has been the site of several national records through the years.

“The Dodge NHRA Nationals in the Keystone state is an integral part of the championship hunt,” said Brad Gerber, NHRA vice president and chief development officer. “We are pleased to have Dodge involved with the event and will build upon their relationships in the sport of NHRA Drag Racing.”

He Said, She Said

“From day one, it has been my dream to own and operate my own professional drag racing team, and today I’m happy to announce that we’ve moved a step closer to making that dream a reality. While this has always been a long-term goal, some opportunities have recently become available that have accelerated our time table. I’ve learned a lot about racing a Pro Stock Motorcycle in the last year and I look forward to continuing that education. I’m also excited to explore the business side of racing, which is why my family and I have asked Angelle to help manage our team. Angelle has more than 20 years of experience out here, and she knows the sport inside and out. We both have the same goal of building a winning organization. I understand that this is a big project, but we’re committed to building a program that will have long-term success.”

—Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Cory Reed on announcing plans to form his own Pro Stock Motorcycle team for the 2017 season. Reed’s new team will be closely aligned with the Colorado-based Y-Not Racing Team. In a related announcement, Reed confirmed that his current teammate, three-time NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Angelle Sampey, will join him in a newly created role of team manager.

Inside the Numbers

5: Number of wins Top Fuel racer Antron Brown has at Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis. Of those wins, four of them have come consecutively, and Brown will be looking to extend his winning streak at the track.

“St. Louis has been so good to me. There are some places you go and everything just clicks and that has been one of them,” Brown said. “But there’s a lot of hard work that goes into it. We just have to take it one round at a time, and that’s been our plan all along. I’m ready, and my Matco Tools/U.S. Army team’s ready, and we’ve got to be all in and we have to be ready together. That’s what it is going to take to compete and try to pull off some round wins against these teams. Nobody can relax right now."

Did You Know

FREE FAN FEST TO KICK OFF AAA INSURANCE NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS: NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series fans will have the opportunity to meet their heroes at a free fan fest and driver autograph session, Thursday, September 22, at Ballpark Village in St. Louis. The fan fest will kick off the 5th annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, September 23–25, at Gateway Motorsports Park. Among the many NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series drivers and riders who have agreed to participate are Richie Crampton, Kebin Kinsley, Terry McMillen, Clay Millican, Tim Wilkerson, John Hale, Allen Johnson, Cory Reed, Matt and Angie Smith and Hector Arana Sr.

NHRA News

BROWN, FORCE, LINE, ELLIS START COUNTDOWN ON HIGH NOTE, WINNING NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS: Antron Brown piloted his Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster to victory last Sunday at the ninth annual NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte. John Force (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Chip Ellis (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners in their respective categories at the 19th event of 24 on the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. The NHRA Carolina Nationals is the first race of the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Brown claimed his 59th career victory, and fifth of the season when he defeated Doug Kalitta and his Mac Tools machine. It is Brown’s second consecutive win at the NHRA Carolina Nationals—the opening event of the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

“I’m dreaming right now; someone needs to come and pinch me,” Brown said. “When you come here, this is the way you want to start the Countdown off. Qualifying didn’t go the way we wanted it. We just kept digging. That was the key, to keep digging. The track was the hottest that we have had all year long. We knew it was going to be tricky. We navigated down it, and we did what we had to do.”

COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP WILL MAKE SECOND STOP AT AAA INSURANCE NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS: The fifth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals will roll into Gateway Motorsports Park this weekend and bring with it the best of the best in NHRA Championship Drag Racing. The second race in NHRA’s six-race Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship will feature drivers pushing themselves and their 10,000-hp, 330-mph vehicles to the limit as they vie for precious championship points just across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis. Drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will battle it out in classic side-by-side NHRA Drag Racing fashion as they push to get one step closer to the championship title. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Del Worsham (Funny Car), Drew Skillman (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the event that will be televised on FOX Sports 1 for the first time.

DODGE NAMED TITLE RIGHTS SPONSOR OF NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES EVENT AT MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY: Dodge has signed an agreement to become the title rights sponsor of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Maple Grove Raceway. The 32nd annual Dodge NHRA Nationals will be held September 29–October 2 and is the third race in the six-race NHRA Countdown to the Championship. The track is traditionally one of the quickest on the NHRA circuit and has been the site of several national records through the years.

“The Dodge NHRA Nationals in the Keystone state is an integral part of the championship hunt,” said Brad Gerber, NHRA vice president and chief development officer. “We are pleased to have Dodge involved with the event and will build upon their relationships in the sport of NHRA Drag Racing.”

He Said, She Said

“From day one, it has been my dream to own and operate my own professional drag racing team, and today I’m happy to announce that we’ve moved a step closer to making that dream a reality. While this has always been a long-term goal, some opportunities have recently become available that have accelerated our time table. I’ve learned a lot about racing a Pro Stock Motorcycle in the last year and I look forward to continuing that education. I’m also excited to explore the business side of racing, which is why my family and I have asked Angelle to help manage our team. Angelle has more than 20 years of experience out here, and she knows the sport inside and out. We both have the same goal of building a winning organization. I understand that this is a big project, but we’re committed to building a program that will have long-term success.”

—Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Cory Reed on announcing plans to form his own Pro Stock Motorcycle team for the 2017 season. Reed’s new team will be closely aligned with the Colorado-based Y-Not Racing Team. In a related announcement, Reed confirmed that his current teammate, three-time NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Angelle Sampey, will join him in a newly created role of team manager.

Inside the Numbers

5: Number of wins Top Fuel racer Antron Brown has at Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis. Of those wins, four of them have come consecutively, and Brown will be looking to extend his winning streak at the track.

“St. Louis has been so good to me. There are some places you go and everything just clicks and that has been one of them,” Brown said. “But there’s a lot of hard work that goes into it. We just have to take it one round at a time, and that’s been our plan all along. I’m ready, and my Matco Tools/U.S. Army team’s ready, and we’ve got to be all in and we have to be ready together. That’s what it is going to take to compete and try to pull off some round wins against these teams. Nobody can relax right now."

Did You Know

FREE FAN FEST TO KICK OFF AAA INSURANCE NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS: NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series fans will have the opportunity to meet their heroes at a free fan fest and driver autograph session, Thursday, September 22, at Ballpark Village in St. Louis. The fan fest will kick off the 5th annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, September 23–25, at Gateway Motorsports Park. Among the many NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series drivers and riders who have agreed to participate are Richie Crampton, Kebin Kinsley, Terry McMillen, Clay Millican, Tim Wilkerson, John Hale, Allen Johnson, Cory Reed, Matt and Angie Smith and Hector Arana Sr.