By SEMA Editors

The WD-40/SEMA Cares ’12 Foose Ford Super Duty F-350, which debuted at the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, will be auctioned off next Wednesday, January 15, at 6:00 p.m. at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The WD-40/SEMA Cares ’12 Foose Ford Super Duty F-350, which debuted at the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, will be auctioned off next Wednesday, January 15, at 6:00 p.m. in lot #3002 at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The custom ’12 Ford F-350 Super Duty work truck includes Foose-inspired custom front- and rear-wheel flares, side rockers and a front chin spoiler, among other upgrades. Following its debut at the 2012 SEMA Show in the WD-40 Co. booth, this vehicle went on the road for 16 months making special appearances.

Build partners included Street Scene Equipment, Magnaflow, Pro Comp, Takit, Husky Liners, LEER Accessories, BASF Paint, L&G Enterprises, Polk Audio, Audio Innovations and Katzkin.

The auction can be seen on Fox Sports or Fox Sports 2 (key in your zip code for the TV station carrying the auction). All of the proceeds from the auction will benefit SEMA Cares charities and SEMA scholarship programs. So far, WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles have raised more than $575,000 for SEMA Cares charities.

By Linda Spencer

	The SEMA Middle East Business Development Conference will provide members the opportunity to explore the market in the UAE and meet with buyers from throughout the region.

SEMA members looking to explore business opportunities in the UAE can meet with pre-vetted buyers from throughout the Middle East during the SEMA Middle East Business Development Conference, March 11–14, 2014.

Register today! For more information, visit www.SEMA.org/MiddleEast. 


Questions? Contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org.

By Linda Spencer

	The SEMA Middle East Business Development Conference will provide members the opportunity to explore the market in the UAE and meet with buyers from throughout the region.

SEMA members looking to explore business opportunities in the UAE can meet with pre-vetted buyers from throughout the Middle East during the SEMA Middle East Business Development Conference, March 11–14, 2014.

Register today! For more information, visit www.SEMA.org/MiddleEast. 


Questions? Contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org.

By Della Domingo

	SEMA members that sell or distribute products can now obtain an unlimited number of Product Data exports from the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) at no cost.

SEMA members that are resellers or distributors can now obtain an unlimited number of product data exports from the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) at absolutely no cost. The savings, available to any SEMA-member receiver in the SDC, totals $1,200 per year and is the newest incentive for members to join the SDC.

Launched in March 2012 with a beta test, the SDC is now a fully operational service that makes it possible for businesses to quickly and easily obtain valuable information about products from manufacturers. Information includes weights and measures, accurate descriptions, current pricing, UPCs, images and other digital assets and more. Details also include rich vehicle application data and year/make/model look-ups.

"Our mission from the very beginning has been to facilitate broad, open distribution of product data throughout the industry with the goal of growing sales and market size," said Jon Wyly, SDC CEO. "By providing free unlimited exports to SEMA members, we will remove all obstacles for data receivers while providing a great reason to join SEMA and enjoy other benefits of membership. Coming off of a very successful SEMA Show, the SDC gained more than 40 new members, making the SDC data repository brand count among the largest in the industry. Now, with free data exports available, SEMA members can power their business systems and websites more affordably than ever.”

Nathan Ridnouer, SEMA vice president of councils and membership, commented, "What a great new reason for resellers to join SEMA. Not only will we save our members up to $1,200 each year through this program, but we’ll also help them get more out of their industry trade association. SEMA membership offers cost-saving benefits throughout the year, and resources to help businesses be more efficient and productive."

The SEMA Data Co-op is an industry-owned and -operated initiative designed to bring full product data management capabilities to participating suppliers, and to deliver clean, customized data exports to receivers at the lowest possible cost. Features include a secure, industry standards-based centralized data repository, extensive on-boarding tools, expert live training and technical assistance and unlimited standard or fully customized data exports.

To learn more about the program, visit www.SemaDataCoop.org or contact Jim Graven at JimG@SemaDataCoop.org or call 888-958-6698, ext. 4. To learn more about SEMA membership, please email members@sema.org or call 909-610-2030.

By Della Domingo

	SEMA members that sell or distribute products can now obtain an unlimited number of Product Data exports from the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) at no cost.

SEMA members that are resellers or distributors can now obtain an unlimited number of product data exports from the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) at absolutely no cost. The savings, available to any SEMA-member receiver in the SDC, totals $1,200 per year and is the newest incentive for members to join the SDC.

Launched in March 2012 with a beta test, the SDC is now a fully operational service that makes it possible for businesses to quickly and easily obtain valuable information about products from manufacturers. Information includes weights and measures, accurate descriptions, current pricing, UPCs, images and other digital assets and more. Details also include rich vehicle application data and year/make/model look-ups.

"Our mission from the very beginning has been to facilitate broad, open distribution of product data throughout the industry with the goal of growing sales and market size," said Jon Wyly, SDC CEO. "By providing free unlimited exports to SEMA members, we will remove all obstacles for data receivers while providing a great reason to join SEMA and enjoy other benefits of membership. Coming off of a very successful SEMA Show, the SDC gained more than 40 new members, making the SDC data repository brand count among the largest in the industry. Now, with free data exports available, SEMA members can power their business systems and websites more affordably than ever.”

Nathan Ridnouer, SEMA vice president of councils and membership, commented, "What a great new reason for resellers to join SEMA. Not only will we save our members up to $1,200 each year through this program, but we’ll also help them get more out of their industry trade association. SEMA membership offers cost-saving benefits throughout the year, and resources to help businesses be more efficient and productive."

The SEMA Data Co-op is an industry-owned and -operated initiative designed to bring full product data management capabilities to participating suppliers, and to deliver clean, customized data exports to receivers at the lowest possible cost. Features include a secure, industry standards-based centralized data repository, extensive on-boarding tools, expert live training and technical assistance and unlimited standard or fully customized data exports.

To learn more about the program, visit www.SemaDataCoop.org or contact Jim Graven at JimG@SemaDataCoop.org or call 888-958-6698, ext. 4. To learn more about SEMA membership, please email members@sema.org or call 909-610-2030.

International Drag Racing Hall of Fame Induction Banquet Announced
Donna Garlits, general manager of the Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum (Ocala, Florida) has announced tickets for the 24th Annual International Drag Racing Hall of Fame Induction Banquet presented by Lucas Oil Products, Thursday, March 13, 2014, are now available. The induction ceremony will take place in Gainesville, Florida, at the Paramount Plaza Hotel & Suites, and honor seven legends of the sport for their contributions and accomplishments.

The museum is offering two levels of participation for attendees: Corporate Partner tables for $1,000 per table and individual seating tickets for $100 each. The banquet is preceded by a cocktail reception, which starts at 6:00 p.m. The banquet dinner will be served at 7:00 p.m., with the awards ceremony, hosted by Master of Ceremonies Bob Frey, beginning at 8:00 p.m. The event will be filmed for later broadcast by Masters Entertainment of Bristol, Tennessee.

Additional information is available by contacting Donna Garlits at 352-245-8661, 877-271-3278 or donna@garlits.com.

Ashley, Brittany and Courtney Force were guests on the Queen Latifah Show, which aired Wednesday, January 8.

Force Women Thrill on Queen Latifah Show
The three racing Force daughters were guests on the "Queen Latifah Show," which aired Wednesday, January 8. Ashley, Brittany and Courtney Force sat down with Queen Latifah, the talk show host/actress/singer, to talk about racing and being role models for women around the country. After the in-studio segment, the four women also took it to the “track” for a fun racing segment that included actor James Van Der Beek. The Forces invited Queen Latifah to join them at the upcoming 2014 Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, February 6–9.

SCCA Pro Racing Staff Member Honored by FIA at US Grand Prix in Austin
SCCA Pro Racing’s Kathy Maleck, of Ramsey, Minnesota, was recently honored by FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting and other FIA officials during the Formula One United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Maleck was the chief of flagging and communications for the weekend, which ran from November 15–17, 2013. The event marked her 80th Formula One race as a volunteer event official during which time she has worked all of the USGP venues, save Watkins Glen. Maleck has also been a part of the international side of Formula One having worked 25 races in Canada, numerous events in England and Australia as well as a handful of races elsewhere in the world, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Mexico, Italy and the Netherlands. Currently, Maleck serves as the operations coordinator for the Pirelli World Challenge series and as a field staff manager for SCCA Pro Racing.

International Drag Racing Hall of Fame Induction Banquet Announced
Donna Garlits, general manager of the Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum (Ocala, Florida) has announced tickets for the 24th Annual International Drag Racing Hall of Fame Induction Banquet presented by Lucas Oil Products, Thursday, March 13, 2014, are now available. The induction ceremony will take place in Gainesville, Florida, at the Paramount Plaza Hotel & Suites, and honor seven legends of the sport for their contributions and accomplishments.

The museum is offering two levels of participation for attendees: Corporate Partner tables for $1,000 per table and individual seating tickets for $100 each. The banquet is preceded by a cocktail reception, which starts at 6:00 p.m. The banquet dinner will be served at 7:00 p.m., with the awards ceremony, hosted by Master of Ceremonies Bob Frey, beginning at 8:00 p.m. The event will be filmed for later broadcast by Masters Entertainment of Bristol, Tennessee.

Additional information is available by contacting Donna Garlits at 352-245-8661, 877-271-3278 or donna@garlits.com.

Ashley, Brittany and Courtney Force were guests on the Queen Latifah Show, which aired Wednesday, January 8.

Force Women Thrill on Queen Latifah Show
The three racing Force daughters were guests on the "Queen Latifah Show," which aired Wednesday, January 8. Ashley, Brittany and Courtney Force sat down with Queen Latifah, the talk show host/actress/singer, to talk about racing and being role models for women around the country. After the in-studio segment, the four women also took it to the “track” for a fun racing segment that included actor James Van Der Beek. The Forces invited Queen Latifah to join them at the upcoming 2014 Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, February 6–9.

SCCA Pro Racing Staff Member Honored by FIA at US Grand Prix in Austin
SCCA Pro Racing’s Kathy Maleck, of Ramsey, Minnesota, was recently honored by FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting and other FIA officials during the Formula One United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Maleck was the chief of flagging and communications for the weekend, which ran from November 15–17, 2013. The event marked her 80th Formula One race as a volunteer event official during which time she has worked all of the USGP venues, save Watkins Glen. Maleck has also been a part of the international side of Formula One having worked 25 races in Canada, numerous events in England and Australia as well as a handful of races elsewhere in the world, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Mexico, Italy and the Netherlands. Currently, Maleck serves as the operations coordinator for the Pirelli World Challenge series and as a field staff manager for SCCA Pro Racing.

The shooters at KGP Photography got a fresh look at a prototype for the ’15 Land Rover LR2 tackling some winter-testing grounds in Northern Europe.

The new LR2 will ride on a thoroughly massaged version of the current model's Ford-based EUCD architecture, taking many platform cues from the Range Rover Evoque. The all-new styling finally gives the LR2 a modernized look sorely needed to battle the ever-growing roster of competitors in the burgeoning entry-level premium crossover segment.

Reports are circulating that the LR2 will be the first model to utilize Land Rover's "Premium Adventure" design language. Those reports suggest that the new styling ethos will help create a visual separation between Land Rover and Range Rover models (which are styled using the "Premium Sophistication" design language). Whatever name that's used to describe the LR2's styling, there is clearly still a strong link between the LR2 and the Evoque/Range Rover/Range Sport models.

The new LR2 appears larger and longer than today's model, which will allow third-row seating for the first time. The seven-seat LR2 will provide some further separation from its Evoque platform-mate, which stresses low-slung style over cargo capacity. The differently packaged offerings will help flesh out the Land Rover/Range Rover model range for greater market coverage.

Rumor is that the LR2 may get some help from the aluminum-intensive program being developed for the Jaguar XS 3-series-fighter, and Jag's new crossover, to help with fuel-efficiency.

Photo credit: KGP Photography