By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

United States law restricts trade associations, including SEMA, from funding elections. A political action committee (PAC), however, allows these same companies and associations the ability to solicit their employees for voluntary donations to fund political campaigns during an election cycle. SEMA PAC supports lawmakers and candidates who stand up for the specialty automotive aftermarket industry and support policies that help our companies and the enthusiasts who modify their vehicles.

Why would SEMA need a PAC? Members of Congress do business in Washington, D.C., where despite the consistent flock of tourists, it is not exactly an ideal location for those in the aftermarket and racing industry. SEMA's Government Affairs team, however, is located centrally downtown, adjacent to the White House and a few minutes away from the Capitol. The SEMA PAC is an indispensable resource needed to advocate on behalf of the SEMA community as we work to protect the right to repair and modify vehicles and aftermarket businesses from excessive regulation, fight zero-emissions vehicle mandates and to expand motorized access to public lands.

Again, government rules require us to take an additional step before asking for your support. Click here to learn more about becoming prior approved.

For more information, please contact SEMA PAC Manager Alicia Steger at alicias@sema.org.

The September 2023 issue of SEMA News will highlight rising stars in the automotive aftermarket industry who are age 35 and younger. If you know a leader who fits that description as of September 1, 2023—whether they are in manufacturing and design, marketing, retail, events and media or distribution—we want to hear from you.

Many SEMA members work with creative young entrepreneurs and professionals who are already industry trailblazers. They may have played key roles in leveraging new and emerging technologies with a traditional automotive aftermarket business to expand company reach, improve product development, energize marketing efforts or upgrade customer interaction.

They could also be budding talents at an established company, entrepreneurs building their own brands or innovators who have launched companies that might be big names in the future. What they all will have in common are fresh ideas, enthusiasm, charisma and the drive to succeed.

SEMA News looks for candidates drawn from diverse industry segments who are already making a significant impact through their leadership within their organizations or businesses. Entrepreneurship, commitment, insight, innovation, integrity, responsibility, demonstrated skill, involvement and success within the marketplace weigh heavily in the decision-making process.

We’ll honor the winners in the September issue of SEMA News and on www.sema.org.

Nominate a candidate now for the 2023 SEMA News 35 Under 35. Nominations are due May 1.

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

Sales Manager
Wheel-1

Wheel-1 is hiring a sales manager to direct the sales team and provide leadership toward the achievement of maximum profitability and sales growth in line with company vision and values. The sales manager establishes and implements plans and strategies to expand the customer base and channels. Candidates must have a proven track record of sales success working in automotive parts industry and experience selling to retail wheel and tires stores.

E-Commerce Manager
Delta Lights

Delta Lights is hiring an e-commerce manager to promote sales on all digital platforms of more than 600 SKUs of U.S.-made automotive lighting accessories to a very wide audience from classic cars, hot rods, Jeeps, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, RVs and industrial sectors. Candidates must have 3-5 years of IT, e-commerce and social media experience.

Testing and Test Asset Engineer
Nostrum High Performance

Nostrum High Performance is hiring a testing and test asset engineer responsible for the health and life of critical test assets. Candidates will be responsible for both production and development testing of Nostrum products and conduct hands-on development and validation testing. Additional responsibilities include the design, build, qualification and maintenance of testing assets and new test equipment design engineering. This position will work with engineering staff and suppliers and directly with the calibration and controls engineers. This position reports to the director of product validation and is stationed at the Southeast Michigan office in Ann Arbor. Up to 10% travel to various domestic and international locations is required.

By SEMA Editors

Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.

Here's first look at a mule for the upcoming Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.

The mule, based on the S650 GT, features slightly modified front and rear fascias (not for production), along with a track that's clearly meant for wider fenders, with wheels that stick out way past the body.

Surprisingly, this prototype is also a convertible, likely indicating that the next-gen GT500 will be available in the drop-top body style. Out back, there's a set of quad exhaust outlets similar to the S550-gen model, with the inner tips sitting slightly above the outer tips.

Details are scarce at this point, but sources tell us that the S650-gen GT500 will arrive in 2025 as a '26 model.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

It was a historic double-up for Tony Stewart Racing on Sunday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as Hall of Fame racer Tony Stewart and Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan both claimed victories in front of a capacity crowd at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also won the fourth of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Stewart, who made his NHRA debut last season in the Top Alcohol Dragster ranks in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, won in just his fourth career start, going 5.324 seconds at 269.62 mph in the final round in his Mobil 1 dragster. The legendary racer was the runner-up in his NHRA debut at the fall race in Las Vegas last year, picking up a memorable first win on Sunday, now giving Stewart wins in NHRA, NASCAR and IndyCar, as well as victories on every track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Hagan strengthened his points leads with his third win in the first four races in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, going 3.943 at 326.79 in the final round in his 11,000-hp Haas Automation Dodge Charger Hellcat SRT. It gives Hagan his 46th career win.

Brown claimed his first win of the Top Fuel season in his 11,000-hp Matco Tools Toyota dragster and 72nd in his career, delivering his best run of the day in the finals, going 3.760 at 319.75 in a final round that also featured Steve Torrence, Brittany Force and Josh Hart. Brown finished second to Force in both of the first two quads but posted a .053 reaction time in the final round to grab his third career victory in Las Vegas. Torrence finished as the runner-up and also moved into the Top Fuel points lead.

In Pro Stock, Dallas Glenn got his redemption from last year's four-wide race in Las Vegas, picking up his second straight win by going 6.649 at 206.29 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro. It gave him his sixth career victory and it came on a holeshot, as Glenn posted a .039 reaction time, which was enough to hold off Troy Coughlin's 6.646 at 206.35 in a final quad that also included Cristian Cuadra and Deric Kramer. Coughlin advanced to the final quad by winning the first two quads, earning his ninth career final round berth.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action with the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on April 28-30 at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.

All-New '24 Ford Mustang GT Makes NASCAR Pace Car Debut

The all-new '24 Mustang GT made its NASCAR pace car debut last weekend when all three of NASCAR’s top touring series competed at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. It marks the first of seven NASCAR races that the seventh-generation Mustang GT is scheduled to pace in 2023. The other NASCAR races include: Talladega (April 21-23), Dover (April 29-30), Darlington (May 12-14), Nashville (June 23-25), Chicago (June 30-July 2) and the annual Labor Day Weekend at Darlington (September 1-3).

The Grabber Blue Mustang GT pace car is stock, other than pace-car visibility items that include the light bar and custom Ford Performance and Mustang exterior graphics. The Mustang is powered by a new fourth-generation Coyote V8 engine, and the available active-valve performance exhaust system enables the Mustang GT coupe and convertible to deliver 486 hp and 418 lb.-ft. of torque. The standard Mustang GT delivers 480 hp. The fourth-generation Coyote V8 features a segment-first, dual intake and dual throttle-body induction system. Under the hood is a choice of two advanced engines: a 2.3L EcoBoost or a 5.0L V8.

Electric Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1800 Targets New NHRA EV World Records

Ford Performance has unveiled the continued evolution of its electric-powered motorsports efforts with the Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1800, an aggressive revision to the NHRA world-record-holding Mustang Cobra Jet 1400. It is targeted to best the Cobra Jet 1400's standing world record for full-bodied electric vehicles (EVs) in the quarter-mile, 8.128 seconds at 171.97 mph.

In June 2021, Bob Tasca III drove the Cobra Jet 1400 to its reigning time in Norwalk, Ohio. The vehicle, originally built as a collaborative effort between Ford Performance, MLe Racecars, AEM-EV, Cascadia Motion and Watson Engineering, was then ready for its next challenge.

The Ford Performance led team went back to the drawing board and poured their effort into revisions and upgrades to the chassis, powertrain and control systems. To match this work, Ford Performance brought back the Super Cobra Jet name, first offered on '69 model-year Mustangs as an improvement to the standard Cobra Jet package.

The Super Cobra Jet 1800 utilizes the same four PN-250-DZR inverters coupled to two double-stacked DS-250-115 motor pairings as before, but now attached to a new transmission from Liberty and powered by an entirely redone, lighter-weight battery system designed by Ford Performance and MLe Racecars. The power is sent to an MLe Racecars-revised rear end featuring improved suspension geometry from PMR and larger Mickey Thompson drag radials to optimize launches.

"Our changes have made significant improvements to the car, including removing hundreds of pounds in weight and increasing horsepower to 1800," explained Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports.

On top of going for a new full-bodied EV record, the Super Cobra Jet 1800 will also attempt to claim records for fastest EV 0-60 mph and fastest two-wheel-drive EV 0-60 during an NHRA event later this season. MLe Racecar's cofounder and official program test driver Pat McCue is planned to be in the driver’s seat.

NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals Race Results

The Holley NMRA Drag Racing Series completed its second event of the season as the 15th Annual NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals Presented by MAHLE Motorsport took over Rockingham Dragway last weekend. More than a dozen individual champions were crowned at the event, which features many of drag racing’s quickest Ford-powered vehicles.

Edelbrock Xtreme Street/VP Racing Madditives Renegade: Jeff Kinsley raced past Martin Connelly's Mustang in the final round. Kinsley, in his Camaro, turned on the win light with a 4.646 on the eighth-mile course to cover Connelly's competitive 4.899.

Whatever It Takes Transmission Parts Limited Street: Samantha Moore won the season-opener against Stacy Roby in Orlando, but Roby evened the score in Rockingham after Moore fouled by eight-thousandths of a second at the start.

Fastest Street Car Coyote Stock: Former class champ Frank Paultanis used a holeshot in the final to claim his latest title. Paultanis shifted his way past Ed Bennett in the final round, 9.775 to a quicker 9.762.

Richmond Gear Factory Stock: Matt Williams topped Mark Anderson in the final round. Williams gained a big lead off the starting line and won via a holeshot with his 10.205 elapsed time getting to the finish line before Anderson’s 10.108.

MagnaFuel Open Comp Exedy Racing Clutch Modular Muscle: Susan Roush McClenaghan drove her Roush Performance Mustang in both classes, topping Jody Blalock to earn the Open Comp crown and then won the Modular Muscle title by topping Charlie McCulloch.

Suncoast Performance 8.60 Street Race: Casey Flora won the final round after opponent Bo Webb fouled at the start. Flora's path to the final round included wins against Kevin McKotter and Terry "Beefcake" Reeves.

ARP Open Comp: Will McKay made up for his early loss last month in Orlando when he stopped Tom Hoffman in the final with an 11.444 on his 11.41 dial. Hoffman also quickly bounced back from a tough start with a runner-up finish. Hoffman broke out by a hundredth of a second at the finish line.

HP Tuners Super Stang: Rodney Ward drove his '14 Mustang past Anthony Jaeger's Cobra Jet replica to seal the victory. Ward gained a reaction-time advantage and then sealed the victory with a 12.54 against his 12.50 dial. Jaeger made it close with an 11.49 against his 11.43 dial.

Fastest Street Car Ford Muscle: Lloyd Mikeska topped Cindee Hall and her Ford Falcon in the final round. Mikeska posted an 11.781 on his 11.75 dial for the win after Hall broke out with a 12.699 on her 12.75 dial.

CJ Pony Parts Truck & Lightning: Johnny Lightning captured the title when he topped Robert Chuhran in the final round. Lightning was first off the starting line and held on for the double-breakout win with an 8.630 against his 8.64 dial. Chuhran ran quicker than his 9.23 prediction with a 9.195.

Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales Open Comp All-Star Showdown: James Johnson Jr. captured the win against Bill Wittenauer, who became the highest-placing Ford driver in the after taking his Mustang to a runner-up finish.

True Street: Peter Delpino earned the top honors with a 9.276-second average in his 2019 Mustang GT. Delpino held off Jason Wagoner, who was close behind with a 9.303 average. The individual index winners included Ramon Roman (9-second), Timothy Bradshaw (10-second), Kevin McKenna (11-second), Chris Parisi (12-second), Jerry Jones (13-second), Elaine Moistner (14-second), and Ken Mason (15-second).

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

Developed from the ground up for those seeking extended adventures, Tacoma Trailhunter will build upon Toyota's off-road and overlanding credibility with purpose-built engineering and robust components. Stay tuned for more.

Speedway Motorsports' Michael Hodge Promoted to CFO

Speedway Motorsports has announced Michael Hodge has been promoted to CFO. Hodge, who previously served as the company's chief accounting officer, brings more than 15 years of financial and accounting experience with the company to his new role. As CFO of Speedway Motorsports, he will be responsible for overseeing the company's financial strategy, reporting and analysis. In addition to his role at Speedway Motorsports, Hodge will also serve as CFO at Sonic Financial Corp., where he has been an officer since 2016. Since 2022, Hodge has also served as a member of the board of directors at Sonic Automotive, the automotive retailer based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hodge joined Speedway Motorsports in 2006 and has served in various financial management positions with the company. Prior, he worked as an audit and assurance manager at Deloitte.

Ford's Oakville, Ontario, Complex to Build Next-Gen EVs

Ford Motor Co. is investing C$1.8 billion in its Oakville Assembly Complex to transform it into a high-volume hub of electric vehicle manufacturing in Canada--a key part of the company’s plan to scale production of electric vehicles and make them more accessible to millions of customers. The campus, to be renamed Oakville Electric Vehicle Complex, will begin to retool and modernize in the second quarter of 2024 to prepare for production of next-generation EVs.

The investment allows Ford to repurpose and transform existing buildings into a state-of-the-art facility that leverages Ford of Canada's skilled and experienced workforce. Ford is building new greenfield sites and also transforming existing manufacturing sites, such as in Oakville and Cologne, Germany.  

The current 487-acre Oakville site includes three body shops, one paint building and one assembly building. The transformed campus will feature a new 407,000 sq.-ft. on-site battery plant that will utilize cells and arrays from BlueOval SK Battery Park in Kentucky. Oakville workers will take these components and assemble battery packs that will then be installed in vehicles assembled on-site.

Metra Electronics Reintroduces Tsunami Brand

Metra Electronics has announced the revival of its Tsunami brand, to be sold exclusively to brick-and-mortar dealers for in-store sales only. New clean wire solutions are available now. Products from this brand will include audio connections; power, ground and speaker wire; amp installation kits; battery terminals; distribution blocks; fuse holders; and more. Tsunami is also offering an economy series with RCA audio cables, fuse holders, amp kits and speaker wire. These new products will be serialized using unique labeling, with no online sales permitted, for better supply-chain control, according to the company.

2024 Acura Integra Type S to Go on Sale in June

Making its public debut last weekend at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the '24 Acura Integra Type S delivers a new interpretation of ultimate street performance for a new generation of enthusiast drivers. The Integra Type S features a four-cylinder engine producing 320 hp. Standard hardware includes a turbocharged 2.0L VTEC engine, class-exclusive six-speed manual transmission, limited slip differential and performance-tuned Adaptive Damper System. Brembo front brakes and lightweight 19-in. wheels wrapped in high-performance summer tires complete the dynamic package.

The fourth Acura Type S performance variant to launch in the last 24 months, the Integra Type S features an aggressive wide-body design, center-mounted triple exhaust outlets, large front air intakes, hood vent and a rear diffuser. The high-performance sedan is available with an extensive list of Genuine Acura Accessories, including a carbon-fiber rear lip spoiler, carbon-fiber mirror caps, black illuminated front Acura badge, copper metallic finished 19-in. wheels and an Integra Type R-inspired titanium shift knob. The '24 Integra Type S will go on sale this June.

EGR USA Introduces Creator/Influencer Program for Truck Accessories

EGR USA now offers truck content creators/influencers the opportunity to promote EGR products under the hashtag #EGRUSA in exchange for free or deeply discounted EGR products. The program is directed to influencers in the United States and Canada only and requires installation on the proposed vehicle. Products cannot be resold. Truck influencers/creators with strong social-media presence on the top platforms (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube) are encouraged to fill out the online application form located on the EGR USA website. Images of the applicant's truck are required.

LEER Group Cuts Ribbon for New Commercial Aluminum Cap Manufacturing Facility

The LEER Group, a business unit of  J.B. Poindexter & Co., has completed its first targeted reinvestment, focused on increasing the manufacturing capacity of commercial aluminum truck caps. A ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the start of this dedicated facility was held on April 5.

"The facility will provide increased production capacity needed to accommodate significant growth, specifically in the commercial and fleet segments of our business. This facility opening couldn't have come at a more opportune time; when lead times are extreme, it gives us the capacity to reduce delivery times to better meet the needs of our customers in today's important commercial segment," according to Curt Cline, vice president of operations at J.B. Poindexter & Co. "LEER Group's engineering and advanced manufacturing teams have designed and outfitted this facility with more than $1.5 million of the latest equipment and technology."

Turn 3 Media Appoints Angie Skinner Director of SPEED SPORT Sales

Turn 3 Media has announced Angie Skinner has joined its team as the director of sales. In her new position, Skinner will be responsible for developing and managing advertising and sponsor relationships against SPEED SPORT's portfolio of editorial, digital and television media projects and services, as well as the new SPEED SPORT 1 TV network. She will also play a key role in developing new business and strategic partnership opportunities, the company stated.

Prior to the appointment, Skinner helped manage the career of her husband Mike Skinner, a longtime NASCAR driver. She served as the vice president of business operations at Mike Skinner Enterprises in 1999 before joining SiriusXM NASCAR Radio in 2011 as co-host of Sirius Speedway and later on Skinner Round-Up, a program she still works on with her husband today. She also owns Accelerated Communications Solution and Skinner 5 Media.

For more information, visit the announcement here.

Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA News. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.

By Della Domingo

SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola released the following statement in regards to the Biden administration's strict new greenhouse gas emissions standards announced yesterday:

On behalf of more than 7,000 SEMA members, we have significant concerns regarding the impact of these proposed regulations on automotive small businesses. The specialty aftermarket industry supports more than one million U.S. automotive manufacturing jobs, yet these people and businesses are often overlooked in the push to electrify our automotive sector.

We fully support the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but actively advocate for the ability of consumers and the marketplace to choose what works best for them. There are many options on the road to zero emissions, and we feel it is crucial for government policy to remain technology neutral. The specialty automotive aftermarket business has been built around the internal combustion engine. It is also the same industry that has led the way in fuel innovations and conversions of old vehicles into new and cleaner technologies. Yet it is clear from the Biden administration's actions and words that electrification is their technology of choice.

This large-scale shift will significantly disrupt automotive industry supply chains and potentially eliminate large numbers of jobs in vehicle manufacturing, parts production and repair shops. We are here to support the work of small business innovators while protecting the small business owners and those they employ by letting the market and innovation drive solutions to the environmental challenges we all seek to solve.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new federal emissions standards intended to dramatically increase sales of electric vehicles (EVs). The sales would be achieved by reducing multi-pollutant emissions, including greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria pollutants (particulate matter (PM), ozone, nitrogen oxides (NOX) and carbon monoxide (CO) from new light-duty and medium-duty (8,501 to 14,000 lbs.) vehicles for model years '27 to '32. The EPA maintains its proposal would reduce average fleet GHG levels by 56% between model years '26 and '32, resulting in an industry-wide target for light-duty vehicles of 82 grams per mile of CO2. As a result, the EPA estimates that two-thirds of new passenger vehicles sold in the United States would be EVs by 2032 under its proposed standards.

California is already pursuing stricter greenhouse gas standards with a goal that 70% of new vehicles sold in the state will be zero-emissions vehicles by 2030. California is also seeking to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. This is significant, as 17 other states have followed all or part of California's previous clean-car rules.

SEMA advocates for the ability of consumers and the marketplace to choose what works best for them. There are many options on the road to zero emissions, as it is crucial for government policy to remain technology neutral. The specialty automotive aftermarket business has been built around the internal combustion engine. It is also the same industry that has led the way in fuel innovations and conversions of old vehicles into new and cleaner technologies. Yet it is clear from the Biden administration's actions and words that electrification is their technology of choice. Hydrogen and other renewable fuels, including synthetic eFuels, will allow legacy vehicles to operate in a carbon-neutral manner. Ultimately, consumers, not the government, should be allowed to choose the type of vehicle technology that best serves them and their families.

While the EPA cannot directly mandate EV sales under the Clean Air Act, sales of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV), including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles may be the only practical way for the automakers to meet strict standards for carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases. Simultaneously, the agency expects automakers to increase the use of filters to reduce gasoline particulate matter emissions and deploy new CO2-reducing technologies for gasoline-powered vehicles.

In a related move, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed changes to the way it calculates the "miles per gallon equivalent" (MPGe) ratings for EVs and hybrids versus gas-powered vehicles. The rule was last updated in 2000. The DOE is reassessing the energy efficiency of gasoline-powered vehicles versus EVs when taking into account the entire production and distribution system for electricity and petroleum. For example, here are two proposed recalculations: the current Ford F-150 EV would drop from 237.7 to 67.1 mpg, and the Volkswagen ID.4 EV would drop from 380.6 to 107.4 mpg.

The MPGe calculation is incorporated into NHTSA's Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which set mileage requirements for vehicle fleets produced by the automakers. The automakers buy credits or pay fines if they cannot meet the CAFE requirements. The reduced MPGe ratings for EVs would mean that the automakers would need to sell more EVs to help meet their CAFE fleet obligations. The NHTSA CAFE standards run parallel to the EPA greenhouse gas standards since there is an equivalence between CO2 emissions and the amount of petroleum that is burned. NHTSA is expected to soon issue proposed CAFE standards for the '27-'31 model years.

The EPA and DOE proposed rules are now subject to public comment. Click here to sign a letter opposing the EPA's proposal, which provides an opportunity to personalize the letter and explain how the agency’s push to an all-electric future will impact your business.

For SEMA's official reaction to the EPA's new federal emissions standards, visit here. For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By Ashley Reyes

The new SEMA Member Portal at www.SEMA.org makes it easier than ever for both business and individual SEMA members to take advantage of the many benefits and opportunities available to them. The custom dashboard now shows members all the benefits open to them, eliminating the need to contact different departments and bounce around from call to call.

Here's how to access the SEMA Member Portal in three easy steps:

• Employees of SEMA-member businesses and SEMA individual members should go to www.SEMA.org.
• Select "login" from the upper right of the webpage and sign in with the user's email and password.
• Select "My Profile" in the upper right corner, and choose "My Benefits" under account links to see all the available benefits.

If your business is not currently a SEMA member, you can gain member portal access and start saving and growing your business today at www.sema.org/join.