Pat Musi Racing Engines, Edelbrock Group Extend Partnership
The Edelbrock/Musi 555 crate engine, courtesy of Pat Musi Racing Engines.
Pat Musi Racing Engines and Edelbrock Group have extended their longtime partnership through 2023. The Edelbrock/Musi Signature product line, including the Edelbrock/Musi 555 crate engine and race-ready cylinder heads and manifolds, will continue to be developed and offered as part of the collaboration.
Product development will continue to be a key part of the relationship, the company stated. Operations are based out of the Edelbrock Race Center housed within the Pat Musi Racing Engines facility. All Edelbrock racing cylinder heads are machined using a Centroid 5-axis CNC. For more information, visit edelbrock.com and musiracing.com.
Mickey Thompson Expands Presence at King of the Hammers for 17th Annual Event
Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels (M/T) has announced an expanded presence at the 17th annual King of the Hammers (KOH), currently taking place in Johnson Valley, California. After years of dedicated product-development efforts, the company is showcasing its latest off-road technology on more than 20 race cars across four classes through a new Ultra4 sponsorship program and has various technical departments on-hand working closely with the selected teams to continue its development efforts.
Mickey Thompson has worked with multiple teams over the past several years to continue refining the Baja Boss program and develop technologies for future products. In 2022, Mickey Thompson partnered directly with 10 teams to gather feedback and develop technology being showcased in its Baja Boss tire lines at this year's King of the Hammers.
Drivers in the 4400 class are using Baja Boss X, a competition version of Mickey Thompson’s Baja Boss tire with a race compound for off-road use only. Other drivers are competing with Baja Boss M/T, and both tires feature extra-large, four-pitch Sidebiters for off-road traction.
“Past KOH development programs have proven our Baja Boss tires perform at the level racers have come to expect from Mickey Thompson,” said Jason Moulton, motorsports director of Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels. “For 2023 we are excited to introduce a sponsorship program which includes an incentive-based contingency program that is active for KOH and the entire 2023 Ultra4 racing season.”
2023 Washington, D.C. Auto Show Exceeds Expectations
The Washington, D.C. Auto Show closed its doors to a successful 10-day event on Sunday, January 29. With an increased attendance of 107% year-over-year (YOY), it was evident that auto shows have begun trending back up following the pandemic. Manufacturers present at the show expanded their footprints at the Washington Convention Center and added to their show offerings as they relied on local dealers to help bring in their latest models for display.
“Ecstatic,” said John O’Donnell, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C. Auto Show. “That is how we feel. Ecstatic to see lines of guests wrapped around the outside of the Convention Center just waiting to come in. Ecstatic to hear the great return of investment our exhibitors experienced. Ecstatic to see what is to come within the industry and the show.” “This year our hats go off to the exhibitors,” said John. “They filled their displays with their latest models, including prototypes of the newest additions to come; all while still recovering from a limited inventory.”
The show’s management team, as well as exhibitors were thrilled with the increased attendance. With such high numbers, it resulted in exhibitors exceeding their lead generation goals, including some tripling their desired target. New show features including the Outdoor Pavilion, which housed family-fun experiences. ElectriCity Bikes also provided a
two-wheel riding experience of their nearly 60 different trim models on display. The indoor and outdoor Ride N’ Drives from Hyundai, Toyota and Pepco EVsmart generated nearly 10,000 total rides throughout the event.
Reports from exhibitors showed attendees’ main focus to be on electric and hybrid vehicles. Tying perfectly into the year’s Public Policy Day theme on the electric-vehicle market. Also welcoming the highest numbers in recent years, Public Policy Day hosted more than 500 members of the media, government officials and auto-industry representatives as they attended the day’s sessions and then thousands more at the annual Sneak Peek Preview that same evening.
The 2024 event will be held January 19–28 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Visit the event website for highlights from this year.
PPG Recognized as ‘Most Admired Company’ by Fortune Magazine
PPG has announced it was again recognized by Fortune magazine on its 2023 Most Admired Companies List. The study measures the largest companies and their reputations within their respective industries. This year marks PPG’s 15th consecutive year on the list. PPG ranked #4 in the chemicals industry category and increased its overall score compared with 2022. The company also ranked #235 on the overall list, an improvement versus 2022. In the measurable categories, PPG earned its highest marks in social responsibility and use of corporate assets.
The 2023 list was derived from a group of 645 companies in 27 countries in 52 industries. More than 3,700 executives, directors and securities analysts responded to the survey. To determine the industry rankings, companies were scored by industry peers on a 1–10 scale on the traditional nine reputation drivers including innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, long-term investment, financial soundness, quality of products and services and global competitiveness.
Grand Roadster Show Announces Announces Award Winners
The O’Reilly Auto Parts Grand National Roadster Show recognized the top roadsters, hot rods and custom vehicles in the country during its awards ceremony, which took place during the 2023 show in Pomona, California. The ceremony culminated this year’s show and included the presentation of two of the car world’s most coveted awards: America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) and the Al Slonaker Memorial Award.
The America’s Most Beautiful Roadster for 2023 is a '32 roadster owned and built by Jack Chisenhall.
The AMBR award is presented to a vehicle with exceptional originality, style, design and craftsmanship. It is open to all ’37-and-older U.S.-production-based roadsters, roadster pickups, Phaetons and touring cars. This year's winner, a ’32 Ford Roadster owned and built by Jack Chisenhall, bested eight other contenders to take home the title’s $12,500 prize provided by Automotive Racing Products (ARP). It also became immortalized on the award’s nine-foot-tall perpetual trophy alongside a “who's who” of hot rodding, including legendary builders including George Barris, Andy Brizio, Boyd Coddington, Troy Ladd and Chip Foose.
The AMBR-winning Deuce, built by owner, designer and fabricator Chisenhall at his shop in San Antonio, Texas, has been decades in the making. Its traditional style and tasteful lines contribute to its exceptional overall look, ultimately winning it the "most beautiful" title from a judging panel made up of seven designers, builders and experts.
The Al Slonaker Memorial Award is dedicated to the memory of Al and Mary Slonaker, who founded the Grand National Roadster Show in 1949. The award has been presented to the best non-roadster vehicle at the show each year since 1974. The winner of this year's award is a ’60 Buick Invicta Custom owned by George and Angela Eliacostas and built by CAL Automotive Creations, which also received a $12,500 prize thanks to award sponsor ARP and is now permanently etched on the perpetual trophy.
The winning Jet Age-inspired ’60 Buick Custom was tastefully modified and features a centrifugally supercharged Buick 401 Nailhead V8 with smoothed and polished block and heads. The two-door hardtop’s interior boasts rare Invicta Custom hardback bucket seats with custom pearlized leather and woven aircraft carpeting. Paying homage to the design wonders of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, its body lines are sleek and the brass trim is CAD-designed and precision-machined. Its one-piece machined rear bumper delivers a refined and polished flow for an overall elegant and aerospace-inspired final product, more than 10 years in the making from the Bennington, Nebraska-based shop.
More than 600 individual awards were presented during the closing ceremonies of the Grand National Roadster Show, which has earned its reputation as “The Grand Daddy of Them All” by showcasing more than 1,000 world-class roadsters, hot rods, musclecars and customs while attracting tens of thousands of fans throughout the weekend.
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As an automotive writer, photographer, videographer, racer and builder, few in the specialty-equipment industry can rival Larry Chen for versatility. Best known for his work with Hoonigan, he is also the official series photographer for the Formula Drift racing series and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. You can find his automotive vlog at Hoonigan, where he hosts a web series called "AutoFocus," or at YouTube, where his channel lists more than 440,000 subscribers. To recognize his contributions to the industry across a variety of media, he was named SEMA's first-ever Influencer of the Year at the 2022 SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet.
