By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) named Truespoke Wire Wheels as the council’s newest spotlight member. Truespoke Wire Wheels designs, engineers and manufacturers wire wheels for the automotive aftermarket. Learn more about the company in SEMA’s interview with company employee Doug Dwyer below.

SEMA: What is the most significant factor that contributed to your company’s success?

Doug Dwyer: Perseverance.

SEMA: Tell us about your business in 2023.

DD: While our business has recovered from the COVID restrictions, our vendors have not. Their businesses have been hit with a perfect storm of COVID-related labor issues, material shortages, supplier mergers, restrictive environmental rules, plus transportation issues. We can only be as dependable as our vendors.

It is a tribute to the strength of our industry that we have been able to strive in spite of the obstacles we have faced.

SEMA: What are you most excited about for your company?

DD: There is an amazing loyalty to the Truespoke brand across several sectors or the automotive aftermarket. For decades we have participated in award-winning concurs Champions, as well as Best of Show Hot Rod and Low Rider projects.

Fill out a WTC spotlight form to highlight how you or your company are contributing to the wheel and tire segment of the automotive aftermarket. Selected candidates are eligible to be featured on WTC’s social media, SEMA News and future WTC member updates.

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) named Sam Gusso as the network’s newest spotlight member. Gusso is a design engineer at RealTruck, a truck, Jeep and off-road parts and accessories company for the automotive aftermarket.

Get to know Gusso in his interview with SEMA below:

SEMA: What is the best advice you have ever received?

Sam Gusso: The best advice is to remain true to yourself, and to believe in yourself, while remaining humble and open to everyone’s experience and advice.

SEMA: What keeps you in the industry?

SG: Passion for personalizing your vehicle to fit your own style and creative desires. The vast world of modifications for everything in the industry gives you an infinite amount of inspiration and creativity.

SEMA: Where can you be found on a Saturday?

SG: Wrenching in the garage, getting new high scores on the golf course, or relaxing at the local brewery.

SEMA: How do you prepare for an important meeting?

SG: I take a deep breath, ensure I can understand the topics at hand and try not to get too overwhelmed.

SEMA: If you could go to lunch with one industry leader, living or dead, who it would be?

SG: Chip Foose. I grew up watching and following his creations and clean designs. He’s a huge motivator in my own designs and creations.

Fill out an FLN member spotlight form to be eligible to be featured on FLN's social media, SEMA News and FLN member updates.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The bipartisan America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2023 (AORA), S. 873, was reintroduced in the 118th Congress by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and John Barrasso (R-WY). This SEMA-supported public lands and recreation legislation is the first comprehensive recreation package since 1963 that will improve and expand America’s outdoor recreation economy while delivering sustainable economic boosts to rural communities. The bill requires federal land management agencies to increase opportunities for motorized and non-motorized access to public lands, and it includes provisions to streamline the process and expenses associated with obtaining special recreation permits. The bill also directs the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service to make maps available to the public depicting where vehicles are allowed and where they are prohibited, as well as to update them periodically to ensure that the maps do not become outdated.

SEMA, along with our partners that comprise the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, urge swift approval of AORA so that many more Americans can enjoy outdoor spaces and their associated benefits to health and wellness. Studies have shown that enjoying time outside helps benefit a person's mental and physical health. Additionally, outdoor recreation is a key driver of the U.S. economy with an $862 billion annual economic impact. It is also a major employer throughout the country providing 4.5 million American jobs.

For more information on the American Outdoor Recreation Act, please contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The bipartisan America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2023 (AORA), S. 873, was reintroduced in the 118th Congress by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and John Barrasso (R-WY). This SEMA-supported public lands and recreation legislation is the first comprehensive recreation package since 1963 that will improve and expand America’s outdoor recreation economy while delivering sustainable economic boosts to rural communities. The bill requires federal land management agencies to increase opportunities for motorized and non-motorized access to public lands, and it includes provisions to streamline the process and expenses associated with obtaining special recreation permits. The bill also directs the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service to make maps available to the public depicting where vehicles are allowed and where they are prohibited, as well as to update them periodically to ensure that the maps do not become outdated.

SEMA, along with our partners that comprise the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, urge swift approval of AORA so that many more Americans can enjoy outdoor spaces and their associated benefits to health and wellness. Studies have shown that enjoying time outside helps benefit a person's mental and physical health. Additionally, outdoor recreation is a key driver of the U.S. economy with an $862 billion annual economic impact. It is also a major employer throughout the country providing 4.5 million American jobs.

For more information on the American Outdoor Recreation Act, please contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

Dodge has introduced the 1,025hp ’23 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170. The brand’s seventh and final “Last Call” special-edition model was unveiled yesterday at the Dodge Last Call Powered by Roadkill Nights Vegas performance festival at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

With its 1,025hp (at 6,500 rpm), 945 lb.-ft. (at 4,200 rpm) production HEMI engine, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 reaches 60 mph in 1.66 seconds and features the highest G-force acceleration of any production car at 2.004 gs. The Demon 170 can also reach 900 hp and 810 lb.-ft. of torque on E10 fuel. The Challenger SRT Demon 170 features the TorqueFlite 8HP90 eight-speed automatic transmission, with an updated output flange to accommodate a larger diameter and stronger prop shaft.

Dodge’s seventh and final “Last Call” special-edition model, the ’23 Challenger SRT Demon 170, delivers 1,025 total horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 945 Ib.-ft. of torque at 4,200 rpm on E85 ethanol blend.

The ’23 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is the quickest vehicle ever produced in the brand’s 100-plus-year history and, according to Dodge, the first factory production car to run the quarter-mile in less than nine seconds with an NHRA-certified 8.91-second ET at 151.17 mph. On the dragstrip, the Challenger SRT Demon 170 receives an NHRA violation letter for running a sub-nine-second quarter-mile without a safety cage or parachute, following in the footsteps of the original Demon, which was also banned from NHRA quarter-miles.

“To celebrate the end of the HEMI musclecar era, we pulled off all the governors to reach a new level, a new benchmark of ‘factory-crazy’ production car performance,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand CEO – Stellantis. “In 2015, Dodge shocked the world with the 707hp Hellcat. Then, in 2018, we did it with the 840hp Demon, and now we are doing it again with the 1,025hp Demon 170, the world’s first sustainable-energy, eight-second, factory-production, street-legal musclecar.”

Dodge “Last Call” vehicles commemorate the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger, which are coming to an end in their current HEMI-engine-powered forms at the end of 2023. Six special-edition “Last Call” vehicles were previously introduced, leading up to the reveal of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170.

Extensive component upgrades resulted in delivery of a nearly brand-new engine, as well as additional features that assist in harnessing the 1,025 hp of the ’23 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170, including:

• Improved Supercharger: A modified 3.0L supercharger upgraded with a larger snout with 105mm throttle body, and 3.02-in. pulley increases boost pressure 40% over the Challenger Hellcat Redeye Widebody.
• Fueling Horsepower: Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 achieves full horsepower output through high ethanol fuel blends: horsepower levels are determined by sensing the percentage of ethanol fuel content.
• Driveline Upgrades: All-new driveline with 240mm ring gear, 53% stronger differential housing using aerospace-grade metals, rear prop shaft 30% stronger and stronger half shafts.
• Massive Drag Radials: 315/50R17 Mickey Thompson ET Street R drag radials—never offered before on a production car—and Mickey Thompson 245/55R18 ET Street front tires deliver extra force on the strip or street.
• TransBrake 2.0: Patent-pending TransBrake 2.0 provides torque-shaping capability and easier driver interaction to dial-in preset torque limits.
• Drag Mode Suspension: Uniquely tuned valves in adaptive-damping shocks provide maximum weight transfer and custom race settings for drag calibrations.
• Staggered Widebody Design: First-ever factory production car built with staggered drag radial tires and fender flares.

Dodge worked closely over many months with Mickey Thompson Tires to develop applications exclusively for the Challenger SRT Demon 170, which were crucial to the vehicle achieving maximum traction under extreme acceleration. Massive 17x11-in. rear wheels accommodate wider, taller and higher-profile Mickey Thompson P315/50R17 ET Street R drag radials that provide a large contact footprint. Developed exclusively for the Challenger SRT Demon 170 by Mickey Thompson Tires, this bespoke version of the ET Street R drag radials features added grooves for improved on-street performance. Mickey Thompson’s soft R2 compound provides superior traction and the ET Street R uses a nylon body for greater power transfer compared to standard polyester sidewalls. Increased sidewall height when combined with the tire construction allows for a “wrinkle effect,” improving power transfer and reducing tire slip.

Smaller 18x8-in. front wheels keep weight and rolling resistance down and fit Mickey Thompson 245/55R18 ET Street front tires, optimized for the dragstrip. The lighter-weight front set helps transfer weight to the rear and delivers a significantly higher coefficient traction when compared to street tires used on similar surfaces. Rear Widebody fender flares cover the Mickey Thompson ET Street R drag radials in the back, while standard configuration front fenders keep weight down by 17 lbs.

According to Dodge, uniquely tuned valves in adaptive-damping Bilstein shocks provide the Challenger SRT Demon 170 with improved launch response and user customizable drag-race settings. The shocks are tuned for maximum acceleration and offer a raised rear ride height of 10mm and restricted rear jounce travel by 17mm to package the Mickey Thompson drag radials.

The ’23 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 will be available in all 14 exterior color options for the Challenger, including returning heritage exterior colors B5 Blue, Plum Crazy purple and Sublime green, plus Destroyer Grey. All colors will also be available with an optional Satin Black painted hood or a Satin Black painted hood, roof and decklid.

The Challenger SRT Demon 170 comes with a lightweight houndstooth cloth interior sporting the Demon 170 logo on the driver seat. The cloth interior cuts content to minimize weight and maximize performance, featuring standard passenger seat delete, rear seat delete, trunk carpet delete, sound insulation delete, trunk light and dress delete and bright pedal delete, along with a minimal two-speaker audio system.

The ’23 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is the quickest vehicle ever produced in the brand’s 100-plus-year history.

A premium leather interior option adds more content and customer-convenience features, with black Alcantara/Laguna leather seats carrying the Demon 170 logo, heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, an 18-speaker Harman Kardon audio system with a Harman Kardon amplifier and trunk-mounted sub and more. Distinctive Demonic Red Laguna leather seats provide yet another colorful alternative for those looking to dress up the inside. All interior options have rear-seat delete available.

Production of the ’23 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 will begin this summer and will be limited to at most 3,300 units, with 3,000 for the United States and 300 for Canada. Final unit numbers will be based on production capacity. MSRP for the vehicle is $96,666. Available dealer allocations can be viewed via the Dodge Horsepower Locator tool at DodgeGarage.com, with ordering beginning March 27 and closing May 15.

By Ashley Reyes

Building connections with the right people at the right time could take your career or business to new levels.

To provide an atmosphere for companies in the wheel and tire market to network and address industry related issues, the SEMA Wheel & Tire Council will host an Ambassador Meeting at the SEMA Garage in Detroit on April 3.

By attending the event, participants will:

• Create valuable in-person connections with wheel and tire members of different backgrounds and expertise.
• Openly share challenges that their company is experiencing, providing a chance to gain feedback and learn from others.
• Discover new trends and business opportunities in the wheel and tire sector that they may be missing out on.
• Share their input on how the WTC can help them further succeed in the marketplace.

Participants will also have an opportunity to be educated on aftermarket wheel and tire opportunities in the electric-vehicle space. A council reception will follow from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m., giving attendees a chance to mix and mingle in a relaxed environment.

Secure your spot now.

By Ashley Reyes

In conjunction with the SEMA Emerging Trends & Technology Network (ETTN), the Southern California Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) is staging an event at both SEMA Garages to connect its students with businesses in the industry.  

Taking place March 25 at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California, and April 29 at the SEMA Garage in Detroit, the ETTN/SAE Career Fair will include more than 100 university students. Both events take place 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (local time). SEMA-member companies are invited to participate and meet with future automotive engineers at the events.

Participating businesses will have an opportunity to share their expertise with university students who are part of Formula and Baja SAE competition teams, help them explore career opportunities and inspire them in their career paths.  

This is a great chance to connect face-to-face with potential candidates, put your company name out in the industry and network with other aftermarket businesses and industry professionals.

Register your company at the SEMA Garage, Diamond Bar, California.  

Register your company at the SEMA Garage, Detroit. 

By Ashley Reyes

More than 90% of companies in the automotive specialty-equipment industry report that supply-chain issues have impacted their business operations over the past year. Businesses both large and small can benefit from listening to industry experts discuss their challenges and hear what their solutions were.

During the SEMA Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) General Membership Meeting & Panel Discussion, March 23, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT), SEMA members will hear from Rick Love (Vintage Air) and Darrin Dewey (National Parts Depot) as they share their insight on the recent supply-chain disruption.

Attendees will gain insight on:

• The causes and effects of domestic and international supply-chain issues.
• Tips for how to adapt and overcome in the areas of forecasting, pricing, labor and shipping.
• How to remain successful by pleasing your customer and maintaining a profit.

Having experienced disruptions in the supply chain firsthand, the panelists have proven and practical advice on how to adjust to the challenges.

Save your spot now.

By SEMA Editors

The road to the 2023 SEMA Show begins with the annual Priority Selection Process—where companies choose a Show floor location based on exhibitor seniority. The process literally builds the SEMA Show section by section, booth by booth.

“It is like the order of a pro sports draft; we rank each exhibitor by seniority, determined by how many SEMA Shows an exhibitor has participated in and by Show section,” said Andy Tompkins, SEMA’s trade show director. “To do this, we call every single exhibitor; we speak to brands that are just starting out, all the way to established companies that have been part of the Show for years.”

Every approved exhibitor that submits prior to the Exhibit Space Rental Application (ESRA) deadline on April 3 has the opportunity to select their booth space. During the exhibitor’s time to pick, a SEMA Show account representative will call the primary SEMA Show contact and help locate and assign the exhibit space that best suits the company’s needs.

“This is a fair and equitable way for companies to select their best possible location—part of our commitment to providing the best exhibit experience possible,” Tompkins said. “We even have tie-breakers built into the system in case companies have the same seniority. The process is never the same, which is one of the ways we keep the SEMA Show so cool, exciting and new each year.”

One of the most important aspects for having a successful Show is pre-Show marketing and promotion. The Priority Selection Process allows exhibitors to understand their Show floor location and how large their exhibit is going to be so they can begin to envision their display design, product presentation, staffing and promote their presence at the Show.

“This process creates the Show floorplan that we publish each year, which buyers, media and other Show attendees preview, helping to promote participating brands to a world of buying power and getting thousands of people ready to attend and work the Show like a pro,” Tompkins said.

To date, more than 1,000 companies have committed to exhibiting at the 2023 SEMA Show. Organizers expect the number to increase to more than 2,000 by Show time. See who is exhibiting.

There is still time to get involved in this process; submit your ESRA application by April 3!

The 2023 SEMA Show will  be held October 31–November 3 in Las Vegas. For more information about exhibiting, visit www.SEMAShow.com/exhibitor.

Three-time NHRA Camping World Funny Car Champion Matt Hagan scored his second straight NHRA Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals drag-racing title last Sunday by driving his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Direct Connection Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car to victory at the legendary Gainesville Raceway in the 2023 NHRA season-opening national event.

Hagan, who qualified fifth Saturday in the 16-car field, defeated former NHRA World Champion J.R. Todd in the Funny Car final with a 3.926 at 329.34 mph to claim his 44th career NHRA Funny Car crown, moving him to fourth all-time in NHRA Funny Car victories. In an exciting Funny Car finale, Hagan and Todd battled side-by-side through half track before Todd’s car smoked the tires and Hagan went on to take the win light.

Hagan’s TSR Direct Connection teammate Leah Pruett recorded a strong Top Fuel performance, as the Arizona driver advanced to the semi-finals Sunday before losing to eventual race winner Mike Salinas.

The Dodge and Mopar contingent recorded another NHRA Gatornationals title last Sunday with Joe Welch driving his Dodge Challenger Drag Pak to victory in the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown over Aaron Stanfield. Welch collected $10,000 from the Direct Connection Drag Pak contingency program for his win.

The Dodge//SRT Direct Connection racers compete March 24–26 at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona, for the NHRA Arizona Nationals.

Formula 1 Secures Austrian Grand Prix Through 2027

Formula 1 officials have announced a new four-year agreement to race in Austria until 2027. The Austrian Grand Prix returned to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 2014, and since then, the Red Bull Ring has welcomed millions of fans, with 303,000 supporters in attendance at last year’s sold-out event. The last race under the current agreement, set to take place June 30–July 2, will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Austrian Grand Prix’s return to the Formula 1 calendar and feature an F1 Sprint for the second consecutive year. For more information, visit formula1.com.

Legends Nitro Funny Cars Series Announces Nine Races for 2023

Officials with the Legends Nitro Funny Cars series have announced its schedule will feature nine events in 2023. Teams campaign Funny Cars fueled by Nitromethane with body styles from the ’60s and ’70s, ranging up to ’82 and older. Legends Nitro Funny Cars points will be allocated during six NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series events and at three NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series events before a champion will be crowned at the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, October 26–29.

2023 Legends Nitro Funny Car Schedule:

• March 2–5: March Meet, Bakersfield, California
• March 30–April 2: Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, California
• April 28–30: Ignitor Nitro Opener, Boise, Idaho
• June 9–11: NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol, Tennessee
• June 16–18: NHRA Hot Rod Reunion, Bowling Green, Kentucky
• August 3–6: Nightfire Nationals, Boise, Idaho
• August 15–16, Nitro Nationals, Tulsa, Oklahoma
• August 13–15: California Hot Rod Reunion, Bakersfield, California
• August 26–29: NHRA Nevada Nationals, Las Vegas

Toyota, TRD Launch GR Supra Jr. Roadster for NHRA Racing  

Toyota and Toyota Racing Development (TRD, U.S.A.) have unveiled the first-of-its-kind GR Supra Jr. Roadster set for National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) competition. NHRA will establish a new Jr. Roadster class for the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, although a launch date has yet to be set.

“The motivation behind developing the GR Supra Jr. Roadster nearly two years ago was primarily around the concept of giving families an alternative to the already-popular Jr. Dragster class within NHRA,” said Paul Doleshal, group manager of Toyota Racing. “With the Jr. Roadster, it has a shorter wheelbase compared to the dragster and, therefore, can ideally fit in the bed of a Tundra and taken to the race track. We hope that our other OEM partners in NHRA will design their own bodies for the cars and we can see them all competing very soon.”

Toyota and TRD U.S.A. worked with Half Scale Dragsters Incorporated and Antron Brown, who fields Jr. Dragsters, to create the new vehicle.   

NHRA’s Jr. Dragster class started in 1992 and has proven a popular launching point for young racers looking to start their careers in drag racing. The class currently competes at more than 130 NHRA member tracks across the country on any given week. Additional details are expected to be announced at a later date. For the complete details, visit the NHRA announcement here.

West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame Names Five Members for 2023

NASCAR Cup Series champions Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick, winners of nearly 100 premier division races, including the Daytona 500 and other crown jewel events, head the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame’s five-member Class of 2023. In addition, the following members were also chosen via two rounds of voting:

• Matt Crafton, a three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion and winner of 15 NASCAR national series races
• Brent Kaeding, a 13-time Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) sprint car champion and World of Outlaws winner
• Lyn St. James, International Motor Sports (IMSA) class winner at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring; Indianapolis 500 rookie of the year; and leader of Women in Racing North America.

The inductees will be enshrined on Thursday, June 8, during an induction gala, presented by World Wide Technology Raceway, at Sonoma Raceway’s Turn 11 Club VIP/Hospitality complex. The organization will also induct its sixth Heritage class, comprised of individuals whose careers (mostly) ended before 1971. Also featured will be the 3rd Annual Kickin’ Doorz Down Philanthropist of the Year Award presented by 51FIFTY. Additional details are expected next month.

For more information, visit westcoaststockcarhalloffame.com.

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