SEMA News—May 2013

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Taking Your Product Data to the Next Level—With Sales to Match!

It happens to all of us: You just can’t pull the trigger on a purchase simply because there isn’t enough information to make you comfortable with the decision. It might be on the Internet, where you’re staring at a page with vague content and poor pictures, or it could be in a brick-and-mortar store, where you’re dealing with a salesperson who just doesn’t know his or her stuff. Other times, it all seems to fall together. The salesperson is informative and knowledgeable, or the Internet presentation is complete and confidence inspiring, resulting in a quick, satisfying purchase.

Obviously, research plays a critical role in this decision-making and sales cycle. Like many of you, when I’m ready to spend some hard-earned money, I dive into research mode. What are other people saying about this product? How much information is available? Can I be confident that it will meet my needs?

This is the age of information overload, producing fast questions and demanding fast answers. And where do most of us go to do our research? We go to the Internet, of course. It’s a truly remarkable repository of product information, reviews, alternative choices, brand comparisons and pictures—lots and lots of pictures. And videos!

Now this is all well and good, but as you think about all the content that abounds about your products, consider for a minute who is writing it. Hmmm. That can be a little scary. That’s right: If you aren’t in control of your product information, then that means other people are. Lots of other people who probably care less about how accurate the information is than you do, right?

These are some of the reasons why, as a brand owner, you must take control of your product information, in great detail, to ensure that not only are you meeting the decision-making needs of potential customers but you are also controlling the foundational content about your products that will be continually recycled throughout the Internet. Bad, inaccurate information spreads just as fast as good information does. In fact, if your poor information makes enough people mad, it will travel faster than good information will and wreck your reputation in the process!

It’s very interesting to see so many suppliers in our industry working hard to restrict distribution of their product data when what they should be doing is creating rich, complete data to fulfill this ever-increasing insistence for information on demand while ensuring its quality.

And remember: Even if you are of the old-school mindset that your products are only going to be sold in brick-and-mortar stores by talented salespeople, the public is going to continue to move to the Internet for product information. If your data is complete, accurate and contains a wealth of info on product features, characteristics, materials, applications, uses, benefits and more—and has lots of pictures and maybe even a video or two—you will sell more!

To learn more about how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact Director of Membership Jim Graven at the SEMA Data Co-op via e-mail at jimg@SEMAdatacoop.org or by phone at 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—May 2013

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
By Jon Wyly

Taking Your Product Data to the Next Level—With Sales to Match!

It happens to all of us: You just can’t pull the trigger on a purchase simply because there isn’t enough information to make you comfortable with the decision. It might be on the Internet, where you’re staring at a page with vague content and poor pictures, or it could be in a brick-and-mortar store, where you’re dealing with a salesperson who just doesn’t know his or her stuff. Other times, it all seems to fall together. The salesperson is informative and knowledgeable, or the Internet presentation is complete and confidence inspiring, resulting in a quick, satisfying purchase.

Obviously, research plays a critical role in this decision-making and sales cycle. Like many of you, when I’m ready to spend some hard-earned money, I dive into research mode. What are other people saying about this product? How much information is available? Can I be confident that it will meet my needs?

This is the age of information overload, producing fast questions and demanding fast answers. And where do most of us go to do our research? We go to the Internet, of course. It’s a truly remarkable repository of product information, reviews, alternative choices, brand comparisons and pictures—lots and lots of pictures. And videos!

Now this is all well and good, but as you think about all the content that abounds about your products, consider for a minute who is writing it. Hmmm. That can be a little scary. That’s right: If you aren’t in control of your product information, then that means other people are. Lots of other people who probably care less about how accurate the information is than you do, right?

These are some of the reasons why, as a brand owner, you must take control of your product information, in great detail, to ensure that not only are you meeting the decision-making needs of potential customers but you are also controlling the foundational content about your products that will be continually recycled throughout the Internet. Bad, inaccurate information spreads just as fast as good information does. In fact, if your poor information makes enough people mad, it will travel faster than good information will and wreck your reputation in the process!

It’s very interesting to see so many suppliers in our industry working hard to restrict distribution of their product data when what they should be doing is creating rich, complete data to fulfill this ever-increasing insistence for information on demand while ensuring its quality.

And remember: Even if you are of the old-school mindset that your products are only going to be sold in brick-and-mortar stores by talented salespeople, the public is going to continue to move to the Internet for product information. If your data is complete, accurate and contains a wealth of info on product features, characteristics, materials, applications, uses, benefits and more—and has lots of pictures and maybe even a video or two—you will sell more!

To learn more about how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact Director of Membership Jim Graven at the SEMA Data Co-op via e-mail at jimg@SEMAdatacoop.org or by phone at 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—May 2013

INDUSTRY NEWS

Industry Veteran Mike Spagnola
to Lead SEMA Product Development Center

“We’re excited to have Mike join SEMA in developing services that help members with product development and OEM initiatives,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA’s vehicle technology and OEM programs, led by John Waraniak and Bill Wolf, have proven to be extremely beneficial over the years. Mike will work with our existing team to enhance and add to the services SEMA makes available to our members.”

Spagnola’s experience includes retail, distribution and manufacturing. He served most recently as president for Street Scene Equipment, where he managed the company’s day-to-day business for 16 years. His project vehicles have been featured on the covers of more than 50 enthusiast magazines and honored with more than a dozen design awards from various OEMs. Spagnola also completed six years of service on the SEMA Board of Directors, a position from which he resigned effective with his new role as a staff member.

“I’ve personally witnessed the industry change significantly over the years, particularly the product-development process,” said Spagnola. “Through the use of new technology and partnerships, manufacturers can develop products faster, more accurately and less expensively than ever before. Programs such as SEMA’s Technology Transfer, Rapid Prototyping and vehicle Measuring Sessions can all be enhanced to help our member companies make and sell more products. I look forward to developing tools and services to add to these programs and to educating members about how they work.”

Spagnola will oversee the new SEMA Product Development Center located adjacent to SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The building has a history of serving as a vehicle technology center, giving SEMA the opportunity to offer services without having to start at ground zero. While based in Southern California, these programs and services will be available to SEMA members everywhere.

“The SEMA Product Development Center is going to be an amazing resource for SEMA members,” Spagnola said. “I’m excited to be a part of the expansion.”

To learn more about SEMA’s OEM programs and product development services, contact Spagnola at mikes@sema.org.

SEMA News—May 2013

INDUSTRY NEWS

Industry Veteran Mike Spagnola
to Lead SEMA Product Development Center

“We’re excited to have Mike join SEMA in developing services that help members with product development and OEM initiatives,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA’s vehicle technology and OEM programs, led by John Waraniak and Bill Wolf, have proven to be extremely beneficial over the years. Mike will work with our existing team to enhance and add to the services SEMA makes available to our members.”

Spagnola’s experience includes retail, distribution and manufacturing. He served most recently as president for Street Scene Equipment, where he managed the company’s day-to-day business for 16 years. His project vehicles have been featured on the covers of more than 50 enthusiast magazines and honored with more than a dozen design awards from various OEMs. Spagnola also completed six years of service on the SEMA Board of Directors, a position from which he resigned effective with his new role as a staff member.

“I’ve personally witnessed the industry change significantly over the years, particularly the product-development process,” said Spagnola. “Through the use of new technology and partnerships, manufacturers can develop products faster, more accurately and less expensively than ever before. Programs such as SEMA’s Technology Transfer, Rapid Prototyping and vehicle Measuring Sessions can all be enhanced to help our member companies make and sell more products. I look forward to developing tools and services to add to these programs and to educating members about how they work.”

Spagnola will oversee the new SEMA Product Development Center located adjacent to SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The building has a history of serving as a vehicle technology center, giving SEMA the opportunity to offer services without having to start at ground zero. While based in Southern California, these programs and services will be available to SEMA members everywhere.

“The SEMA Product Development Center is going to be an amazing resource for SEMA members,” Spagnola said. “I’m excited to be a part of the expansion.”

To learn more about SEMA’s OEM programs and product development services, contact Spagnola at mikes@sema.org.

SEMA News—May 2013

INDUSTRY NEWS

Industry Veteran Mike Spagnola
to Lead SEMA Product Development Center

“We’re excited to have Mike join SEMA in developing services that help members with product development and OEM initiatives,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA’s vehicle technology and OEM programs, led by John Waraniak and Bill Wolf, have proven to be extremely beneficial over the years. Mike will work with our existing team to enhance and add to the services SEMA makes available to our members.”

Spagnola’s experience includes retail, distribution and manufacturing. He served most recently as president for Street Scene Equipment, where he managed the company’s day-to-day business for 16 years. His project vehicles have been featured on the covers of more than 50 enthusiast magazines and honored with more than a dozen design awards from various OEMs. Spagnola also completed six years of service on the SEMA Board of Directors, a position from which he resigned effective with his new role as a staff member.

“I’ve personally witnessed the industry change significantly over the years, particularly the product-development process,” said Spagnola. “Through the use of new technology and partnerships, manufacturers can develop products faster, more accurately and less expensively than ever before. Programs such as SEMA’s Technology Transfer, Rapid Prototyping and vehicle Measuring Sessions can all be enhanced to help our member companies make and sell more products. I look forward to developing tools and services to add to these programs and to educating members about how they work.”

Spagnola will oversee the new SEMA Product Development Center located adjacent to SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The building has a history of serving as a vehicle technology center, giving SEMA the opportunity to offer services without having to start at ground zero. While based in Southern California, these programs and services will be available to SEMA members everywhere.

“The SEMA Product Development Center is going to be an amazing resource for SEMA members,” Spagnola said. “I’m excited to be a part of the expansion.”

To learn more about SEMA’s OEM programs and product development services, contact Spagnola at mikes@sema.org.

SEMA News—May 2013

INDUSTRY NEWS

Industry Veteran Mike Spagnola
to Lead SEMA Product Development Center

“We’re excited to have Mike join SEMA in developing services that help members with product development and OEM initiatives,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA’s vehicle technology and OEM programs, led by John Waraniak and Bill Wolf, have proven to be extremely beneficial over the years. Mike will work with our existing team to enhance and add to the services SEMA makes available to our members.”

Spagnola’s experience includes retail, distribution and manufacturing. He served most recently as president for Street Scene Equipment, where he managed the company’s day-to-day business for 16 years. His project vehicles have been featured on the covers of more than 50 enthusiast magazines and honored with more than a dozen design awards from various OEMs. Spagnola also completed six years of service on the SEMA Board of Directors, a position from which he resigned effective with his new role as a staff member.

“I’ve personally witnessed the industry change significantly over the years, particularly the product-development process,” said Spagnola. “Through the use of new technology and partnerships, manufacturers can develop products faster, more accurately and less expensively than ever before. Programs such as SEMA’s Technology Transfer, Rapid Prototyping and vehicle Measuring Sessions can all be enhanced to help our member companies make and sell more products. I look forward to developing tools and services to add to these programs and to educating members about how they work.”

Spagnola will oversee the new SEMA Product Development Center located adjacent to SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The building has a history of serving as a vehicle technology center, giving SEMA the opportunity to offer services without having to start at ground zero. While based in Southern California, these programs and services will be available to SEMA members everywhere.

“The SEMA Product Development Center is going to be an amazing resource for SEMA members,” Spagnola said. “I’m excited to be a part of the expansion.”

To learn more about SEMA’s OEM programs and product development services, contact Spagnola at mikes@sema.org.

SEMA News—May 2013

INDUSTRY NEWS

Industry Veteran Mike Spagnola
to Lead SEMA Product Development Center

“We’re excited to have Mike join SEMA in developing services that help members with product development and OEM initiatives,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA’s vehicle technology and OEM programs, led by John Waraniak and Bill Wolf, have proven to be extremely beneficial over the years. Mike will work with our existing team to enhance and add to the services SEMA makes available to our members.”

Spagnola’s experience includes retail, distribution and manufacturing. He served most recently as president for Street Scene Equipment, where he managed the company’s day-to-day business for 16 years. His project vehicles have been featured on the covers of more than 50 enthusiast magazines and honored with more than a dozen design awards from various OEMs. Spagnola also completed six years of service on the SEMA Board of Directors, a position from which he resigned effective with his new role as a staff member.

“I’ve personally witnessed the industry change significantly over the years, particularly the product-development process,” said Spagnola. “Through the use of new technology and partnerships, manufacturers can develop products faster, more accurately and less expensively than ever before. Programs such as SEMA’s Technology Transfer, Rapid Prototyping and vehicle Measuring Sessions can all be enhanced to help our member companies make and sell more products. I look forward to developing tools and services to add to these programs and to educating members about how they work.”

Spagnola will oversee the new SEMA Product Development Center located adjacent to SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The building has a history of serving as a vehicle technology center, giving SEMA the opportunity to offer services without having to start at ground zero. While based in Southern California, these programs and services will be available to SEMA members everywhere.

“The SEMA Product Development Center is going to be an amazing resource for SEMA members,” Spagnola said. “I’m excited to be a part of the expansion.”

To learn more about SEMA’s OEM programs and product development services, contact Spagnola at mikes@sema.org.

SEMA News—May 2013

INDUSTRY NEWS

Industry Veteran Mike Spagnola
to Lead SEMA Product Development Center

“We’re excited to have Mike join SEMA in developing services that help members with product development and OEM initiatives,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA’s vehicle technology and OEM programs, led by John Waraniak and Bill Wolf, have proven to be extremely beneficial over the years. Mike will work with our existing team to enhance and add to the services SEMA makes available to our members.”

Spagnola’s experience includes retail, distribution and manufacturing. He served most recently as president for Street Scene Equipment, where he managed the company’s day-to-day business for 16 years. His project vehicles have been featured on the covers of more than 50 enthusiast magazines and honored with more than a dozen design awards from various OEMs. Spagnola also completed six years of service on the SEMA Board of Directors, a position from which he resigned effective with his new role as a staff member.

“I’ve personally witnessed the industry change significantly over the years, particularly the product-development process,” said Spagnola. “Through the use of new technology and partnerships, manufacturers can develop products faster, more accurately and less expensively than ever before. Programs such as SEMA’s Technology Transfer, Rapid Prototyping and vehicle Measuring Sessions can all be enhanced to help our member companies make and sell more products. I look forward to developing tools and services to add to these programs and to educating members about how they work.”

Spagnola will oversee the new SEMA Product Development Center located adjacent to SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The building has a history of serving as a vehicle technology center, giving SEMA the opportunity to offer services without having to start at ground zero. While based in Southern California, these programs and services will be available to SEMA members everywhere.

“The SEMA Product Development Center is going to be an amazing resource for SEMA members,” Spagnola said. “I’m excited to be a part of the expansion.”

To learn more about SEMA’s OEM programs and product development services, contact Spagnola at mikes@sema.org.

SEMA News—May 2013

INDUSTRY NEWS

Industry Veteran Mike Spagnola
to Lead SEMA Product Development Center

“We’re excited to have Mike join SEMA in developing services that help members with product development and OEM initiatives,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA’s vehicle technology and OEM programs, led by John Waraniak and Bill Wolf, have proven to be extremely beneficial over the years. Mike will work with our existing team to enhance and add to the services SEMA makes available to our members.”

Spagnola’s experience includes retail, distribution and manufacturing. He served most recently as president for Street Scene Equipment, where he managed the company’s day-to-day business for 16 years. His project vehicles have been featured on the covers of more than 50 enthusiast magazines and honored with more than a dozen design awards from various OEMs. Spagnola also completed six years of service on the SEMA Board of Directors, a position from which he resigned effective with his new role as a staff member.

“I’ve personally witnessed the industry change significantly over the years, particularly the product-development process,” said Spagnola. “Through the use of new technology and partnerships, manufacturers can develop products faster, more accurately and less expensively than ever before. Programs such as SEMA’s Technology Transfer, Rapid Prototyping and vehicle Measuring Sessions can all be enhanced to help our member companies make and sell more products. I look forward to developing tools and services to add to these programs and to educating members about how they work.”

Spagnola will oversee the new SEMA Product Development Center located adjacent to SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The building has a history of serving as a vehicle technology center, giving SEMA the opportunity to offer services without having to start at ground zero. While based in Southern California, these programs and services will be available to SEMA members everywhere.

“The SEMA Product Development Center is going to be an amazing resource for SEMA members,” Spagnola said. “I’m excited to be a part of the expansion.”

To learn more about SEMA’s OEM programs and product development services, contact Spagnola at mikes@sema.org.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

	The Mazda6 win at Road Atlanta marked the first-ever win for a diesel-powered car in Grand-Am competition.

Mazda Scores First Race Win With SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel
In only its fourth race, the all-new Mazda6, powered by a production-based SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel engine, scored a win in the Rolex Grand-Am GX race at Road Atlanta. Joel Miller and Andrew Carbonell drove the #00 Visit Florida Racing Mazda6 to the win, with teammates Sylvain Tremblay and Tom Long finishing third in the similar #70 SpeedSource Mazda6 SKYACTIV-D. It was a three-way battle for most of the race with a Porsche Cayman splitting the two Mazdas.

This was the first-ever win for a diesel-powered car in Grand-Am competition. It also marked the first win for the all-new Mazda6 in any race series. It was the first Grand-Am race win for drivers Miller and Carbonell, who was substituting for Miller's usual teammate, Tristan Nunez, who had a schedule conflict with another race in Long Beach, Californina.

Speed Takes Gold Medal In Global Rallycross Season Opener At X Games Brazil
Making his first-ever Global Rallycross start, Scott Speed took victory in both his heat race and the main event last Sunday at X Games Brazil. Speed gave the #77 Ford Fiesta Star Car from Rdio and OMSE—a new addition to the series in 2013—a victory in its debut, making the winning pass by taking the joker lap through the final corner.

Speed beat fellow OMSE drivers Toomas Heikkinen and Patrik Sandell to the finish, giving Ford a 1-2-3 podium sweep. Heikkinen, Brian Deegan, Tanner Foust and Speed, respectively, won the four heat races, while Ken Block, Travis Pastrana, Steve Arpin and Anton Marklund advanced by finishing second. Buddy Rice and Sandell transferred to the final from the last chance qualifier. A major accident at the start of the final led to a red flag after four laps and a restart. Pastrana's, Foust's, Block's and Rice's cars were deemed too damaged to continue.

Matt Powers won the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge held during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach last weekend.

Matt Powers Wins Motegi Super Drift Challenge at Long Beach Grand Prix 

Matt Powers took the win and his share of the $25,000 prize purse at the inaugural Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge held during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach last weekend. Powers piloted his Nitto Tire/Fatlace Nissan S14 to the top podium spot with a new, Katech-built LS7 powerplant that is controlled by the Infinity-8 ECU from AEM Performance Electronics.



Vollmer Begins His Streak
Bully Dog racer Jarid Vollmer won the 2012 Pro Street National Championship in the fully custom Bully Dog 5.9L Cummins. Last weekend saw Vollmer and the rest of the Bully Dog race team converge on Ennis, Texas, and the NHRDA Texas Diesel Nationals. Vollmer edged out Donovan Harris of Harris Diesel Racing (HDR) to take home the win and 80 points to start his season. After qualifying with a time of 9.684, he lined up against Harris. With both racers clocking almost identical reaction times, it was the Bully Dog Dodge that pushed through the beams first. With a quarter-mile time among his fastest yet (9.494 seconds at 152.42 mph), Vollmer was just 2 mph short of the current world record. The next race is the Jefferson State Diesel Nationals in Redding, California, May 18.

Chevy High Performance Nationals Racers to Compete for NHRA Wallys
ProMedia Events has announced that class racers will compete for NHRA Wallys at the second annual Chevy High Performance Nationals (All-GM) event, which will take place at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia, the weekend of May 31–June 2, 2013. The Chevy High Performance Nationals, presented by Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center, is the second race of the Chevrolet Performance LSX Challenge Series, where all the cars and all the stars of LS drag racing compete. The Chevy High Performance Nationals is able to offer Wallys because the event is now part of the NHRA Unleashed program, which is presented by Aerospace Components.

	Damion Gardner and Steve "Biggie" Watt of Maxwell Industries will produce a made-for-television video on Gardner's attempt to establish a land-speed record in a sprint car.

Surf N' Sprint and Loudpedal Productions to Produce TV Documentary on "The World's Fastest Sprint Car"
Surf N' Sprint.com and Loudpedal Productions are teaming up with veteran racer Damion Gardner and Steve "Biggie" Watt of Maxwell Industries to produce a made-for-television video on Gardner's attempt to establish a land-speed record in a sprint car. The two-time Oval Nationals winner and 2005 USAC/CRA champion plans to go faster than 200 mph during "Speed Week" on the Bonneville Salt Flats in August. Through the decades, the scope and intrigue of Bonneville has created a fascination for millions since the day in 1914 when "Terrible" Teddy Tetzlaff broke the land speed record on the famous Salt Flats. Now, a driver new to Bonneville, but well known in the racing world, is about to attack the salt in 2013. Gardner, a champion driver from Concord, California, with the help of Watt, is going to start a modern-day sprint car class and try to institute a record by going more than 200 mph.

Several hours of video will be shot detailing the daring enterprise from the days in Watt's shop getting the car prepared until the time it tackles the salt. The produced piece will be polished down to approximately 20 minutes so it can fit into a 30-minute television slot. Production and the buildup has already started for the documentary, and soundbites of Gardner and Watt have already been shot regarding the endeavor.

Recaro Sponsors Pirelli World Challenge
Recaro Automotive Seating kicked off its first year as an official sponsor of Pirelli World Challenge 2013, April 19, during the Streets of Long Beach race weekend. As part of that sponsorship, Recaro Automotive Seating will host the Pirelli World Challenge Social Media Lounge throughout the season and its own booth at all Pirelli World Challenge races.