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.

By SEMA Editors

Matt Heinzen Joins RealTruck.com
RealTruck.com has hired Matt Heinzen as its new chief people officer. Heinzen is the current director of professional development at the North Dakota State Society of Human Resources Management, and is a certified professional in human resources by the Human Resources Certification Institute. A former human resources manager at PRACS Institute, RealTruck.com brought Heinzen on board to leverage his wealth of human resources knowledge and demonstrated work ethic.

Performance Films Seeking Auto Enthusiasts in Southern California
America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington, is working on a documentary on collectible cars, in particular, a love for the distinct and wonderful sounds of classic cars. The company is looking for car enthusiasts near Southern California who are interested in participating. If you would like to feature your car in this documentary, contact Michael May of Performance Films at 310-770-1941 or e-mail performancefilms@gmail.com. Filming begins next week, so the deadline for entries is Monday, April 29.     

	JoAnn Bortles gave attendees an up-close look at Hypertherm's newest plasma cutting systems in action at Pro Design Hot Rods in Santa Ana, California.

JoAnn Bortles puts Hypertherm's Plasma Cutting Systems to the Test in Southern California
During a recent media event, industry veteran JoAnn Bortles gave attendees an up-close look at Hypertherm's newest plasma cutting systems in action. Bortles is currently the automotive spokesmen for Hypertherm and joined Michael Vanvakaris, Hypertherm district sales manager, at Pro Design Hot Rods in Santa Ana for the event. Working with the Powermax45 system, attending media were also allowed to suit up and practice their own skills on both thin sheets of aluminum, as well as thicker sheets of steel. Vanvakaris also ran the torch across a plate of expanded metal to highlight the system's Rapid Refire feature. No stranger to the specialty-equipment industry, Bortles owns Crazy Horse Custom Paint in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to literally cutting through many barriers to become the first female in motorcycle painting, she also was co-leader of the first all-women custom car build for SEMA's Mustang Powered by Women project. For more information on Hypertherm, visit www.hypertherm.com.

Lund International Acquires Assets of Tradesman Truck Accessories
Lund International Holding Co. has acquired the assets of Tradesman Truck Accessories LLC. Tradesman manufactures aluminum and steel truck and utility boxes, as well as liquid storage tanks. According to a recent press release, Tradesman will continue to operate in Winters, Texas, with the current management team remaining in place. Tradesman was founded in 1973 and has a reputation within the industry for the high quality and durability of its products, all of which are made in the USA. Jerry McGuire, president of Tradesman, stated, "Lund's broad reach into the major automotive aftermarket and OEM distribution channels, along with its complementary aluminum truck box product offering, will only enhance the operations of Tradesman and present us with access to significant new outlets for growth. I am excited to be joining the Lund team and look forward to contributing to its continued success." Lund International Holding Co. is a portfolio company of Highlander Partners L.P.

Fidanza Performance Adds Fred Anyzeski to Sales Team  
Seasoned automotive industry and aftermarket repair veteran Fred Anyzeski has joined the Fidanza Performance Key Account Sales team. Anyzeski brings with him a formal B.S. degree from Cornell University in AG engineering and experience fixing and/or modifying gas and diesel engines. “Having a lifelong intense interest in motorcycle and automobile repair, restoration and tuning, as well as a background in engineering and education, Fred will be a real asset to our company and our customers.” Says Jeff Jenkins, owner and president of Fidanza Performance.

	East Penn Manufacturing was presented with the 2012 Larry McCurdy Supplier of the Year Award from CARQUEST during its 2013 Supplier Summit.

CARQUEST Announces 2012 Supplier of the Year
CARQUEST Auto Parts presented East Penn Manufacturing with the 2012 Larry McCurdy Supplier of the Year Award during its 2013 Supplier Summit. The annual award is presented each year in memory of Larry McCurdy, an industry leader and former board member of General Parts International Inc. who passed away in 2010. The award was created in 1992 to recognize a supplier’s contribution to CARQUEST’s success through quality products and outstanding marketing support. Each supplier is evaluated on quality, driving sales, accurate and on-time product delivery, unparalleled customer service experience and more. “Each year, East Penn Manufacturing is tops in their class,” said Ken Bush, CARQUEST senior vice president of merchandising and marketing. “They truly make it easy to do business and embody the best of the industry and the ideals we value in all our supplier partners.”

Automotive Lift Institute Inc. Adds Certification Workshops in Canada  
The Automotive Lift Institute Inc. has scheduled three workshops in Canada to serve participants of its new Lift Inspector Certification Program. Each stop will have something to offer for participants at varying stages of the certification process. The sessions will be held in Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton this summer, and a Participant’s Orientation, Pre-Course Exam and Course Exam will be offered in each city as follows: June 20, Toronto; July 10, Vancouver, British Columbia; and July 12, Edmonton, Alberta. Registration deadlines for the session dates listed above are fast approaching. Reserve a seat at one of the upcoming sessions by e-mailing info@autolift.org or calling 607-756-7775.

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued guidelines intended to limit the risk of driver distraction from in-vehicle electronic devices that are not directly applicable to driving a car. These voluntary guidelines do not have the effect of law and would apply to original equipment installed in new light-duty vehicles. 

The electronic devices covered include “information, navigation, communications and entertainment” products that require drivers to take their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel. For example, certain functions, such as inputting an address into a navigation system, text messaging, dialing a phone number or browsing the Internet would be disabled until the vehicle is in park. Operations that require less than two seconds at one time (12 seconds total to perform) and one hand to achieve would be permitted. 

The NHTSA has been researching driver distraction for years. The agency guidelines attempt to build on, but also go beyond, the best practices developed in recent years by the automakers. In the future, the NHTSA intends to issue a second guidance document for aftermarket products. Such devices include smartphones, electronic tablets and pads and other mobile communications devices. The NHTSA could also issue a third set of guidelines covering voice-activated control devices offered by the automakers and aftermarket. 

For additional information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued guidelines intended to limit the risk of driver distraction from in-vehicle electronic devices that are not directly applicable to driving a car. These voluntary guidelines do not have the effect of law and would apply to original equipment installed in new light-duty vehicles. 

The electronic devices covered include “information, navigation, communications and entertainment” products that require drivers to take their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel. For example, certain functions, such as inputting an address into a navigation system, text messaging, dialing a phone number or browsing the Internet would be disabled until the vehicle is in park. Operations that require less than two seconds at one time (12 seconds total to perform) and one hand to achieve would be permitted. 

The NHTSA has been researching driver distraction for years. The agency guidelines attempt to build on, but also go beyond, the best practices developed in recent years by the automakers. In the future, the NHTSA intends to issue a second guidance document for aftermarket products. Such devices include smartphones, electronic tablets and pads and other mobile communications devices. The NHTSA could also issue a third set of guidelines covering voice-activated control devices offered by the automakers and aftermarket. 

For additional information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Working with Nevada lawmakers, SEMA amended legislation that originally threatened to add abandoned, unregistered, inoperable or junk motor vehicles to the list of items that constitute a public nuisance. Under existing law, counties and cities may remove a public nuisance at the property owner’s expense if, after notice, the property owner does not remove the nuisance. Under the SEMA-drafted amendment, abandoned, inoperable or junk vehicles stored on private property would only require screening from public view. Unregistered vehicles could not be declared a nuisance under the SEMA amendment. After being approved by the Government Affairs Committee, the bill is pending consideration by the entire Nevada State Assembly.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Working with Nevada lawmakers, SEMA amended legislation that originally threatened to add abandoned, unregistered, inoperable or junk motor vehicles to the list of items that constitute a public nuisance. Under existing law, counties and cities may remove a public nuisance at the property owner’s expense if, after notice, the property owner does not remove the nuisance. Under the SEMA-drafted amendment, abandoned, inoperable or junk vehicles stored on private property would only require screening from public view. Unregistered vehicles could not be declared a nuisance under the SEMA amendment. After being approved by the Government Affairs Committee, the bill is pending consideration by the entire Nevada State Assembly.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Working with Nevada lawmakers, SEMA amended legislation that originally threatened to add abandoned, unregistered, inoperable or junk motor vehicles to the list of items that constitute a public nuisance. Under existing law, counties and cities may remove a public nuisance at the property owner’s expense if, after notice, the property owner does not remove the nuisance. Under the SEMA-drafted amendment, abandoned, inoperable or junk vehicles stored on private property would only require screening from public view. Unregistered vehicles could not be declared a nuisance under the SEMA amendment. After being approved by the Government Affairs Committee, the bill is pending consideration by the entire Nevada State Assembly.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA is supporting legislation to reduce the annual vehicle registration fees for automobiles and light trucks. The bill was approved by the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee. If enacted into law, the reduction in fees would result in a $12 annual decrease in the amount paid to register a motor vehicle and save Florida taxpayers up to $220 million per year. The reduction would be implemented by eliminating a tax credit for Florida insurance companies.  The bill will now be considered on the Senate floor in a vote by all members. 

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.