Compiled by SEMA Editors

NHRA News

NHRA MELLO YELLO SERIES RACING CONTINUES TO SEE INCREASES IN TELEVISION VIEWERSHIP, ATTENDANCE: Television viewership on ESPN/ESPN2 and event attendance for the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continue to increase in 2015 after a year-over-year increase in 2014, the NHRA has announced. Television viewership for the season-opening Circle K NHRA Winternationals, the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals and the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals was up 30% overall for Sunday’s eliminations shows and 50% for Saturday’s qualifying shows. the trend continues to build on positive television viewership numbers that the NHRA Mello Yello Series saw in 2014. Bolstered by three live shows, Sunday’s eliminations shows in 2014 were up by 9% over the previous year.

FORCE TO UNVEIL NEW CHEVY LOOK IN CHARLOTTE: Sixteen-time Funny Car champion John Force will have a new look for his Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car at the sixth-annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. Force will go all white with the iconic gold Chevrolet "bowtie" across the hood and down the sides. This will be the first race of 2015 with the Chevrolet look, which will be campaigned at a select number of races this season.

"I am excited to be racing this Chevrolet-branded Camaro SS Funny Car this weekend. This season we will have a number of different looks on my Funny Car and it is all about keeping the sponsors happy," Force said. "Last weekend I felt like I was back with my roots when we were at the NASCAR race [the Auto Club 400 in Fontana, California]. We were representing Auto Club and we got to talk with their driver Joey Logano for a few minutes. It was also great to see stars like Jimmie Johnson and [Dale] Earnhardt Jr. We talked about all being in the Chevrolet family now and how cool it was to be on Team Chevy."

ALL SYSTEMS GO AT ZMAX DRAGWAY FOR FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS: All systems are go at zMAX Dragway for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, March 27–29, following extensive work on the racing surface during the off-season. After some problems arose with the track surface at the facility’s September Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event, track officials brought in experts to study the surface. They determined the issue to be a reaction between chemicals on the track and the aggregate that caused the aggregate to break down—a problem that didn’t exist when the facility was originally built.

He Said, She Said

"We decided to race the early portion of this season to show potential sponsors that we have a championship-caliber race team. We have done that in the first three races. It is definitely easier to walk into a board room to talk about a team that leads the point standings, and we need to do our best to stay there—it’s helping. Our marketing staff and our new strategic marketing partner Guy Fieri and his Knuckle Sandwich group are working as hard as they can to find the funding we need. We are very thankful for our existing sponsors, like Toyota and Red Line Oil, who continue to support our efforts, and I cannot thank the members of our team enough for their loyalty and commitment. This process is difficult for all of us. Racing the entire season and competing for the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello world championship is still our goal. We have done well in Charlotte over the years, and we are going there this weekend with every intention of winning the 4-Wide Nationals."

—Alan Johnson, owner of Alan Johnson Racing, on competing at the upcoming NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at Charlotte this weekend. His Shawn Langdon-driven Knuckle Sandwich/AJPE dragster has raced to a season-opening win in Pomona and has been the No. 1 qualifier at two events. Langdon has one win at Charlotte at the 2012 fall event.

Inside the Numbers

4: Number of Funny Car wins Robert Hight has at zMax Dragway with two of them coming at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals (’12, ’14) and the other two victories at the fall event (’13, ’09). He is also the winningest Funny Car racer at the facility. Hight is currently fourth in the points standings and has raced to two semi-final finishes and one first-round loss. The 2009 Funny Car world champion is looking to add his 35th career victory at the facility this weekend.

"I think the keys to my success have been having a good team," Hight said. "Last year I don’t think we had lane choice on race day in any of the rounds, but Mike Neff kept telling me not to worry about it. We had a great race car on race day and Neff gave me a lot of confidence. I love racing at Bruton Smith-owned tracks. They do everything top notch and it is always great to win in Charlotte."

Did You Know

STEVENS TO JOIN FORCES WITH ALLEN JOHNSON RACING: Mopar Pro Stock fans will see another Dodge Dart hit the dragstrip this season when Richie Stevens Jr. takes the wheel of his Mopar for at least 10 events as a teammate to 2012 NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock world champion Allen Johnson. The New Orleans native will field a new Dodge Dart chassis prepared by Jerry Haas and a Hemi engine tuned by Roy Johnson of Johnson & Johnson Racing in his return to Pro Stock competition in April at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals presented by Super Start Batteries in Houston.

“I’m really excited," Stevens said. "I just can’t wait because my best times on track were racing with Allen as a teammate, and I’m really happy to get back to that."

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NHRA News

NHRA MELLO YELLO SERIES RACING CONTINUES TO SEE INCREASES IN TELEVISION VIEWERSHIP, ATTENDANCE: Television viewership on ESPN/ESPN2 and event attendance for the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continue to increase in 2015 after a year-over-year increase in 2014, the NHRA has announced. Television viewership for the season-opening Circle K NHRA Winternationals, the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals and the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals was up 30% overall for Sunday’s eliminations shows and 50% for Saturday’s qualifying shows. the trend continues to build on positive television viewership numbers that the NHRA Mello Yello Series saw in 2014. Bolstered by three live shows, Sunday’s eliminations shows in 2014 were up by 9% over the previous year.

FORCE TO UNVEIL NEW CHEVY LOOK IN CHARLOTTE: Sixteen-time Funny Car champion John Force will have a new look for his Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car at the sixth-annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. Force will go all white with the iconic gold Chevrolet "bowtie" across the hood and down the sides. This will be the first race of 2015 with the Chevrolet look, which will be campaigned at a select number of races this season.

"I am excited to be racing this Chevrolet-branded Camaro SS Funny Car this weekend. This season we will have a number of different looks on my Funny Car and it is all about keeping the sponsors happy," Force said. "Last weekend I felt like I was back with my roots when we were at the NASCAR race [the Auto Club 400 in Fontana, California]. We were representing Auto Club and we got to talk with their driver Joey Logano for a few minutes. It was also great to see stars like Jimmie Johnson and [Dale] Earnhardt Jr. We talked about all being in the Chevrolet family now and how cool it was to be on Team Chevy."

ALL SYSTEMS GO AT ZMAX DRAGWAY FOR FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS: All systems are go at zMAX Dragway for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, March 27–29, following extensive work on the racing surface during the off-season. After some problems arose with the track surface at the facility’s September Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event, track officials brought in experts to study the surface. They determined the issue to be a reaction between chemicals on the track and the aggregate that caused the aggregate to break down—a problem that didn’t exist when the facility was originally built.

He Said, She Said

"We decided to race the early portion of this season to show potential sponsors that we have a championship-caliber race team. We have done that in the first three races. It is definitely easier to walk into a board room to talk about a team that leads the point standings, and we need to do our best to stay there—it’s helping. Our marketing staff and our new strategic marketing partner Guy Fieri and his Knuckle Sandwich group are working as hard as they can to find the funding we need. We are very thankful for our existing sponsors, like Toyota and Red Line Oil, who continue to support our efforts, and I cannot thank the members of our team enough for their loyalty and commitment. This process is difficult for all of us. Racing the entire season and competing for the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello world championship is still our goal. We have done well in Charlotte over the years, and we are going there this weekend with every intention of winning the 4-Wide Nationals."

—Alan Johnson, owner of Alan Johnson Racing, on competing at the upcoming NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at Charlotte this weekend. His Shawn Langdon-driven Knuckle Sandwich/AJPE dragster has raced to a season-opening win in Pomona and has been the No. 1 qualifier at two events. Langdon has one win at Charlotte at the 2012 fall event.

Inside the Numbers

4: Number of Funny Car wins Robert Hight has at zMax Dragway with two of them coming at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals (’12, ’14) and the other two victories at the fall event (’13, ’09). He is also the winningest Funny Car racer at the facility. Hight is currently fourth in the points standings and has raced to two semi-final finishes and one first-round loss. The 2009 Funny Car world champion is looking to add his 35th career victory at the facility this weekend.

"I think the keys to my success have been having a good team," Hight said. "Last year I don’t think we had lane choice on race day in any of the rounds, but Mike Neff kept telling me not to worry about it. We had a great race car on race day and Neff gave me a lot of confidence. I love racing at Bruton Smith-owned tracks. They do everything top notch and it is always great to win in Charlotte."

Did You Know

STEVENS TO JOIN FORCES WITH ALLEN JOHNSON RACING: Mopar Pro Stock fans will see another Dodge Dart hit the dragstrip this season when Richie Stevens Jr. takes the wheel of his Mopar for at least 10 events as a teammate to 2012 NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock world champion Allen Johnson. The New Orleans native will field a new Dodge Dart chassis prepared by Jerry Haas and a Hemi engine tuned by Roy Johnson of Johnson & Johnson Racing in his return to Pro Stock competition in April at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals presented by Super Start Batteries in Houston.

“I’m really excited," Stevens said. "I just can’t wait because my best times on track were racing with Allen as a teammate, and I’m really happy to get back to that."

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The House Public Transportation Committee approved legislation to allow the State Highway Commission to implement a pilot program that charges drivers based on vehicle miles traveled.

Legislation to allow the State Highway Commission to implement a pilot program that charges drivers based on vehicle miles traveled was approved by the House Public Transportation Committee. The bill now moves to the full House of Representatives for a vote by all members. Under the measure, participants in the program would be taxed 1.5 cents per each mile the subject vehicle travels on Arkansas roadways.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The House Public Transportation Committee approved legislation to allow the State Highway Commission to implement a pilot program that charges drivers based on vehicle miles traveled.

Legislation to allow the State Highway Commission to implement a pilot program that charges drivers based on vehicle miles traveled was approved by the House Public Transportation Committee. The bill now moves to the full House of Representatives for a vote by all members. Under the measure, participants in the program would be taxed 1.5 cents per each mile the subject vehicle travels on Arkansas roadways.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The House Public Transportation Committee approved legislation to allow the State Highway Commission to implement a pilot program that charges drivers based on vehicle miles traveled.

Legislation to allow the State Highway Commission to implement a pilot program that charges drivers based on vehicle miles traveled was approved by the House Public Transportation Committee. The bill now moves to the full House of Representatives for a vote by all members. Under the measure, participants in the program would be taxed 1.5 cents per each mile the subject vehicle travels on Arkansas roadways.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The House Public Transportation Committee approved legislation to allow the State Highway Commission to implement a pilot program that charges drivers based on vehicle miles traveled.

Legislation to allow the State Highway Commission to implement a pilot program that charges drivers based on vehicle miles traveled was approved by the House Public Transportation Committee. The bill now moves to the full House of Representatives for a vote by all members. Under the measure, participants in the program would be taxed 1.5 cents per each mile the subject vehicle travels on Arkansas roadways.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA Education has put together a series of videos from the industry's best and brightest to give you the skills needed to keep your business in the game. Many of the speakers featured in the videos provides business sessions during the 2014 SEMA Show.

The 2015 SEMA Show is scheduled for November 3–6, Las Vegas. The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, drawing the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to the Las Vegas Convention Center. As part of the AAIW, the SEMA Show attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries for unlimited profit opportunities in the automotive, truck and SUV, powersports, and RV markets. The 2014 SEMA Show drew more than 60,000 domestic and international buyers.

SEMA Education has put together a series of videos from the industry's best and brightest to give you the skills needed to keep your business in the game. Many of the speakers featured in the videos provides business sessions during the 2014 SEMA Show.

The 2015 SEMA Show is scheduled for November 3–6, Las Vegas. The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, drawing the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to the Las Vegas Convention Center. As part of the AAIW, the SEMA Show attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries for unlimited profit opportunities in the automotive, truck and SUV, powersports, and RV markets. The 2014 SEMA Show drew more than 60,000 domestic and international buyers.

By SEMA Editors

Seven new Jeep concept vehicles—featuring a host of Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) available to consumers—are set to hit the trails of Moab, Utah, at the 49th annual Easter Jeep Safari, taking place March 28–April 5. The Easter Jeep Safari is attended by thousands of off-road enthusiasts.

This year’s collection of Easter Jeep Safari concept vehicles were designed with a combination of production and prototype JPP. Mopar designed, engineered, built and quality-tested the Jeep Performance Parts line, meeting strict Jeep specifications with 4x4 capability, so owners can transform their stock rides into even more capable trail performers.

The 2015 Easter Jeep Safari concept vehicles include:

	Jeep Chief

Jeep Chief

A tribute to the classic ’70s-era full-size Jeep Cherokee, this Wrangler-based concept's custom exterior design cues include a vintage Ocean Blue exterior color scheme with a white, French Bread roof; a custom modified razor grille that the original Wagoneer made famous; halogen headlamps; removable sides for an open-air feel and flexible hauling; chrome front and rear bumpers and classic, 17-in. slotted mag wheels.

Jeep designers developed the Hawaiian-themed interior complete with Jeep-designed “Surfer” pink, blue and white flowered cloth and leather-trimmed seats; a Rosewood front-passenger grab handle and tiki-style shifter handle; and Uconnect 8.4-in. touchscreen media center.

The doors and windshield were chopped 2 in., and the Jeep Chief sports a selection of Jeep Performance Parts that include a 2-in. lift kit with Fox shocks and front and rear Dana 44 axles with lockers, cold-air intake, and modified Rubicon rock rails. The Chief is powered by the 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Jeep Staff Car

Jeep Staff Car

The Jeep Staff Car was built as a salute to legendary Jeep military service vehicles. The open-air Wrangler four-door-based concept's basic steel wheels, minimalist fender flares, “hungry horse” stretched canvas roof and bench seats all echo the original military Jeep vehicles.

The exterior features a Sandstorm color scheme that is carried throughout the vehicle, including the wheels, frame and axles. The Jeep Staff Car has no B-pillar and no doors. Jeep designers incorporated military-style round headlamps, Jeep J8 front and rear bumpers, fender-mounted blackout lamp with guards and a rear-mount spare tire and vintage military gas can. The Jeep Staff Car sits on 16-in. wheels with 35-in. Firestone NDT military tires.

The minimalist interior features low-backed bench seats in the first and second row, an integrated roll cage and a painted steel floor in place of carpet. A built-in cooler draws its inspiration from an old artillery box and accommodates 85 cans.

The Jeep Staff Car is powered by the 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The Staff Car has a Jeep Performance Parts 2-in. lift kit with Fox shocks and front and rear Dana 44 axles.

	Jeep Wrangler Africa

Jeep Wrangler Africa

The Africa is ideal for back-country and overland expeditions, with room for extra gear and auxiliary fuel tanks. The Wrangler four-door-based vehicle sports a Desert Tan exterior paint, a high-clearance steel front bumper with winch, power step rock rails, power dome vented hood and an extended rear body and high-top roof. Powered by a 2.8L diesel engine mated to an automatic transmission, the Wrangler Africa also features fender-mounted auxiliary fuel cans. The Africa sports 17-in. body color steel wheels with 35-in. BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires.

The Jeep Wrangler Africa is outfitted with a 2-in. lift kit with Fox shocks, sway bar links and front and rear Dana 44 axles from Jeep Performance Parts. The spare tire is underbody-mounted and the cargo area, inner roof and floor are finished in a durable spray-in truck bed coating.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Overlander

Jeep Grand Cherokee Overlander

The Grand Cherokee-based Overlander concept vehicle represents the rough-and-tumble side of Grand Cherokee, customized for the enthusiast interested in overland expeditions where they travel and camp out of their vehicle. The Jeep Grand Cherokee Overlander sports Sage Green exterior paint. Custom features include a one-off front fascia, integrated front winch, tow hooks, larger wheel flares, SRT taillamps and hood, off-road rock rails, front and rear skid plates and 18-in. milled wheels with BF Goodrich All-terrain T/A tires.

The powertrain is the 3.0L diesel V6 engine mated to the eight-speed Torqueflight transmission. The Grand Cherokee Overlander has a durable spray-in truck bed coating on the roof and a two-person hard-shell rooftop tent that is easily deployable.

	Jeep Renegade Desert Hawk

Jeep Renegade Desert Hawk

The newest addition to the Jeep lineup, the Jeep Renegade, is the basis for the Desert Hawk concept vehicle, and is equipped with a selection of Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts. The Desert Tan exterior features a Jeep Performance Parts body decal, a topographical hood decal that depicts the Fins and Things Moab trail, off-road rock rails and a skid plate kit. Also featured are Mopar’s trailer hitch receiver and roof rack.

Inside, the Renegade Desert Hawk has been outfitted with Mopar Katzkin seat covers, body color bezel accents and Mopar all-weather floor mats.

The Renegade Desert Hawk is powered by the 2.4L Tigershark engine with MultiAir2 mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with Jeep Active Drive Low.

Jeep Cherokee Canyon Trail

Jeep Cherokee Canyon Trail

The Canyon Trail concept vehicle is developed from the Jeep Cherokee—Four Wheeler magazine’s “2015 Four Wheeler of the Year.” The Canyon Trail ups the Cherokee’s best-in-segment capability with Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts specifically designed for even more off-road prowess.

The Cherokee Canyon Trail’s Desert Tan exterior paint is accented with a Satin Black hood that includes a topographical hood decal showcasing Hell's Revenge—a renowned off-road trail in Moab. The exterior also displays Jeep Performance Parts body decal, Satin Black roof accent colors and the 2015 "Four Wheeler of the Year" decal.

The Canyon Trail interior features Mopar Katzkin leather seat covers and accent stitching, Jeep Performance Parts embroidered logo on the headrests, body color bezel accents, a cargo tray mat, Jeep Cargo Management System, Moab off-road bag and all-weather floor mats.

Off-road capability is turned up with the addition of JPP off-road rock rails, a two-piece fuel tank skid plate, two-piece underbody skid plate, oil pan and front suspension skid plates, as well as concept 17-in. painted wheels with BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A tires, which provide an additional one-half inch of lift.

The Jeep Cherokee Canyon Trail is powered by the 2.4L Tigershark MultiAir2 I-4 engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with Jeep Active Drive Lock, which includes low range and a locking rear differential.

	Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Responder

Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Responder

Based on the Jeep Wrangler, the Red Rock Responder is a support vehicle purpose-built to traverse the world’s harshest terrain with off-road equipment to respond to any vehicle emergency, including spare parts and tools stored in the built-in drawers and compartments of the cargo box.

The Red Rock features a Vibrance Responder Red exterior paint, Jeep Performance Parts body decal, 10th Anniversary hood with hydraulic hood props, high-top fender flares and 17-in. beadlock wheels with body-color beadlock ring. In addition, the vehicle sports LED headlamps and foglamps, LED A-pillar and off-road lamps.

Functional capability is increased with the addition of 37-in. BF Goodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM2 tires, 4 in. of JPP lift, Fox shocks, and front and rear Dana 60 axles with 5.38 gearing from Jeep Performance Parts. The vehicle also sports a cold-air intake, prototype off-road rock rails and a Warn winch. Red Rock Responder is also armed with Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary Edition steel front and rear bumpers and high-top fenders.

The interior features embroidered black and red Mopar Katzkin leather seats, Jeep Performance Parts logo embroidered on the headrests, red accent bezels, grab handles and all-weather floor mats.

The Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Responder is powered by the 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine mated to an automatic transmission.