Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.
Customer Service Representative
Quadratec
Quadratec is currently hiring a knowledgeable and reliable contact center specialist to join its fast-paced contact center. This position will be the liaison between the company and its customers. The successful candidate will be able to accept ownership for effectively solving customer issues, taking orders and keeping customer satisfaction at the core of every decision and behavior. Three years of customer service experience is preferred but not required.
Marketing Manager
Off Road Business Association Inc.
Off Road Business Association Inc. (ORBA) is hiring a marketing manager to build the ORBA brand, increase name recognition and share the story of ORBA through community outreach, organic and paid media outlets; ensure the integration of branding, campaign messaging and strategy across all appropriate channels; identify and source partnership and membership opportunities; maintain healthy ongoing relationships with current members and partners by offering new ways to provide continual value to stakeholders; and develop and oversee marketing and communications campaigns. Knowledge of the off-road industry is a plus.
QA1 is seeking a seasoned manager of motorsport sales with a comprehensive understanding and passion for the motorsports industry to be part of its management team. You will be responsible for leading all channel sales activities for QA1 motorsports products, including strategy, planning, organization and team development to deliver business goals. The ideal candidate is a big-picture thinker who develops the sales channel and key account strategies to be executed on by the sales team. A bachelor’s degree from four-year college or university and 10 to 15 years’ related experience in the automotive or powersports aftermarket is a requirement.
By SEMA Editors
Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.
For association-related travel, contact Manya Petropaki (manya.p@travelstore.com) at Travel Store USA, 949-930-9268.
Following three days of competition at the 2022 PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) has announced its national champion team—Georgia’s Forsyth Central High School, sponsored by A-Tech Training. This year, five teams ran head to head in the Elite Ten Championship.
Team A-Tech Training finished with an average time of 16 minutes and 28 seconds.
The A-Tech Training team was led by instructor Leah Bavirsha and finished with an average time of 16 minutes and 28 seconds. Bavirsha is the first female coach and Forsyth Central High School is the first school from Georgia to win the national championship. Second place went to the Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center team, sponsored by ARP, which came in with an average time of 18 minutes and 9 seconds. Third place went to the Allstar team from Forsyth Central High School, which finished with an average time of 18 minutes and 24 seconds.
The timed engine-building competition sees teams of high-school students disassemble and reassemble a small-block Chevrolet engine in less than 33 minutes (including penalties). Winning teams receive scholarship opportunities to various technical schools.
To date, the School of Automotive Machinists & Technology, Universal Technical Institute and Ohio Technical College have provided $2.7 million in scholarships for Hot Rodders of Tomorrow students.
For a video of the awards ceremony, visit the Facebook Live recap here.
For more information, visit hotroddersoftomorrow.com.
The deadline for media to secure priority schedules for the 2023 MPMC Media Trade Conference is Friday, December 16.
At the 2023 MPMC Media Trade Conference, members of the media can connect with up to 42 manufacturers of racing and performance products.
Register today to build lasting relationships and connect with up to 42 manufacturers of racing and performance products (14 each day) in quality meetings! There is no fee for media, and the event includes complimentary lunch.
The 2023 MPMC Media Trade Conference will be held January 24–26, at the Embassy Suites Anaheim South in Garden Grove, California, and offers editors, writers, producers, podcasters, content creators and social-media influencers many opportunities to meet privately with motorsports parts manufacturers and network with key industry figures.
For questions or more information, click here or contact Juan Torres at juant@sema.org.
Atturo’s motorsports contingency program will further expand the company’s commitment and support to racing teams in the off-road racing community.
Atturo Tire Corp. announced at the 2022 PRI Trade Show the introduction of an expansive and competitive motorsports contingency program. The introduction of this program will further expand Atturo Tires’ commitment and support to racing teams in the off-road racing community.
“Atturo has a long history of utilizing motorsports to prove the durability, performance, and quality of our products to consumers,” said Michael Mathis, president of Atturo Tire Corp. “It was only right to develop a contingency program that helps to support these racers in the same way they have supported us throughout our motorsports endeavors.”
The new contingency program will feature payouts of up to $2,500 for the premier off-road series, such as SCORE, Best in The Desert and Ultra4. Atturo also plans to offer payouts of up to $1,000 for regional series such as Great American Short Course, Mid-America Outdoors, and Nor-Cal Rock Racing. Interested racers can find full details and the 2023 off-road motorsports contingency application here.
Edwin Abd’s first race will be the annual King of The Hammers race in Johnson Valley, February 11.
In other news, Atturo Tire Corp. has announced at the 2022 PRI Trade Show that it is continuing its partnership with off-road racer Edwin Abd with a collaboration that will support Abd’s racing efforts in Ultra4, Best in The Desert and SCORE International. Abd will race on Atturo’s 40x13.5R17 Trail Blade BOSS: Green Label Non-D.O.T. Competition Tires. Abd’s first race will be the annual King of The Hammers race in Johnson Valley, February 11, and he will compete in the 4400 Unlimited class.
Hot Shot’s Secret has announced the title sponsorship of the National Hot Rod Diesel Association (NHRDA) series. NHRDA promotes diesel events throughout North America, including diesel drag racing, sled pulling, show ‘n’ shines, dyno competitions and burnout competitions. At this time, NHRDA has committed to five events scheduled to occur in April, May, June, July and September. The series will open with the Desert Diesel Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona, followed by the Nor Cal Diesel Rally at Redding Dragstrip in Redding, California, Canadian Diesel Shootout at Mission Raceway in Mission British Columbia, and the Big Sky Truck Fest at Yellowstone Dragstrip in Billings, Montana. The NHRDA World Finals will have competitors from all over the world coming to compete, and will be held September 15–17 at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.
Heading into 2023, Texas Motorplex will once again host a wide variety of drag-racing events drawing fans from across the country. The Stampede of Speed, the largest continuous motorsports event second only to the Indy 500, will anchor a season of racing action in 2023. Throughout the season the track will host bracket races, as well as specialty racing events. Following the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals Street Outlaws No Prep Kings the newest series in the Street Outlaws franchise will be contested October 27–28. Click here to view the entire schedule.
For more racing news, visit Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) website.
SPEEDtubeTV has announced the introduction of its newest show “Carchaeology.” Founded by lifelong automotive adventurer Randy Carlson, “Carchaeology” sets out to be champions in the world of automotive exploration, research and recovery. Follow Carlson as he discovers some of the most unique automotive finds on the planet and then preserves or restores them to their former glory. He also meets the owners of these finds and offers appraisals. It’s an antique roadshow of a much different sort. Moreover, Carlson is an expert automotive craftsman, and you can watch him as he builds some of the wildest vehicles in his shop in Southern California. “Carchaeology” debuted with three episodes on December 8, on SPEEDtubeTV’s YouTube Channel as part of its Yuletide Binge.
Tread Lightly!, a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting responsible outdoor recreation through stewardship and educational programs, has announced AWE, the premium performance parts manufacturer, as its newest official partner. As an official partner of Tread Lightly!, AWE will support Tread Lightly!’s mission to protect off-road trail access and public lands through stewardship projects and responsible recreation education. AWE has also contributed to the 2022 Auction for Access fundraiser to further support Tread Lightly!
Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA News. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.
This is the upcoming Cadillac XT4 refresh undergoing testing. The prototype seen here appears to have small-diameter (18-in.) wheels and bright exterior accents, indicating that it’s likely a Luxury or Premium Luxury model.
The front fascia is completely revised, with a new set of thin DRLs at the top followed by a new location for the actual headlights lower into the front end. The rear also sees some minor tweaks, particularly to the lower fascia.
The big news will be inside, where the XT4 is set to gain an overhauled dash with a bigger center screen that also extends to the instrument cluster, much like the setup on the Lyriq EV.
Expect an official debut in early 2023.
Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde
By Douglas McColloch
It was the culmination of a hectic 90-day build schedule that engaged more than 100 volunteer wrenches ranging in experience from novice to expert. It took the combined efforts of dozens of aftermarket companies and installation facilities, and it took place across two time zones. In the end, however, the build was a smashing success. The SEMA Businesswomens’ Network (SBN) All-Female Build project, a Ford Bronco four-door Wildtrak, made its debut at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas last November before a crowd of hundreds of industry and media professionals.
The SEMA Businesswomens’ Network (SBN) All-Female Build team unveiled the 2022 Ford Bronco Wildtrak at the 2022 SEMA Show last November.
“Ten years ago, we did our first All-Female build—a Ford Mustang,” explained Lisa Cabalquinto, program director for DriveShop, “and there were 55 women that came to help build the vehicle and manage the projects. This year, we had more than 250 women that volunteered to help with the project.”
For a project as ambitious as this to happen this quickly, a lot of things have to come together in an orderly fashion—and in this case of the Bronco, the team made it happen. First came the rendering, which was submitted by Monika Kalenski of MEK Magnet, whose artwork was selected by popular vote on social media. The drawing conjured an image of a wilderness-ready overlander that could still be employed as a practical daily driver.
Build team members celebrate the completion of their project at the 2022 SEMA Show.
Then the build team went to work. The Ford’s 2.7L twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 received some mild upgrades, most notably an aFe Momentum GT cold-air intake and an AWE cat-back exhaust system. Turbosmart contributed a Kompact EM back valve, and Ford Performance treated the assembly to a power-pack performance calibration.
More extensive modifications followed to the chassis and suspension. An ICON Vehicle Dynamics 3- to 4-in. Stage 8 billet suspension system was installed, along with a BroncBusters Stage 3 billet aluminum housing to alleviate stress to the steering system. A Steer Smarts Yeti XD adjustable rear track bar was added to optimize suspension geometry. With suspension and steering upgrades installed, a set of 37x13.50R17 Milestar Patagonia MT02 tires and ICON 17x8.50 satin black alloy wheels were fitted up the to the wheelwells. For a stylistic flourish, McGard lug nuts feature a custom engraved “SBN” logo.
An overlanding rig needs a host of exterior upgrades to function well, and the SBN Bronco received an assortment. Baja Forged Crawler bumpers were installed front and rear, along with full underbody skidplating. A Warn VR EVO 105 winch and Factor 55 Ultrahook were installed to help with extraction, and Powerstep XL running boards from AMP Research assist with ingress and egress. ORACLE Lighting and switches were added to improve visibility, and a Cascadia 4x4 hood-mounted solar panel provides additional juice off the grid. Ford Performance donated a number of useful products, including an onboard compressor, TRED recovery boards, an ARB jack and a 37-in. spare tire mount. Ford Accessories contributed a
LockNLoad roof rack system and Yakima Skyline tent. Adding a touch of style, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering provided the unique Lit Bronco grille. Terra Strada Design executed the custom exterior wrap, and Universal Technical Institute’s Long Beach, California, facility gave the team access to its paint booth.
Inside, the Bronco, Katzkin custom leather seat covers enhance creature comfort and a Goose Gear rear-seat delete affords extra space for an icebox module and storage drawer, which help to accommodate an ARB Classic Fridge that comes courtesy of Ford Performance. A Deep Sleep sleeping pad and DMOS Stealth shovel also found a home inside the cab, and Ford Accessories donated all-weather floor mats and Molle bags.
The original rendering for the build, submitted by Monika Kalenski of MEK Magnet, suggested an overlander that was still capable of being a daily driver.
As with any ambitious build project, things didn’t always go as planned. Parts sometimes went missing or didn’t fit, and the team had to MacGyver solutions on the fly at times.
“It was very much a hands-on learning experience, and the team was eager to take on these challenges, including mocking up bumper fitment plates from cardboard in order to fabricate the actual plates,” said Nicole Bradle, SBN liaison. “The build continues to foster growth and community, not only among the volunteers but also between organizations.”
“The collaboration truly represents the spirit of the build,” added Cathy Clark, SBN chair. “This project was a chance to spotlight women in the automotive aftermarket industry and the ways in which they come together and offer support to each other.”
The SBN All-Female Build Team wishes to thank the following partners for their support in the Bronco build:
Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.
Motorsports Technician
Canepa
Canepa is seeking a motorsports technician with a broad knowledge base of all mechanical aspects of a vehicle, from suspension and brakes to engine and transmission. Candidates must be highly versatile with superior skills and be able to produce work of the highest quality. Candidates should also have exceptional diagnostic ability along with race preparation experience, and be able to work individually, as well as part of a multi-functional team.
Automotive Aftermarket Salesperson
Heidts Suspension Systems
Heidts Suspension Systems is hiring an automotive aftermarket salesperson. The successful candidate will have a minimum of 5 years’ experience selling automotive or technical components with a passion for vintage and performance cars. Understanding automotive restorations and builds is desirable. Excellent communication skills with a customer focus attitude is required. Automotive parts knowledge, mechanic skills and computer literacy (order entry, MS Office) is important. Associates degree or equivalent is preferred. Fluency in Spanish is a plus.
Outside Salesperson
The Wheel Group
The Wheel Group is hiring an outside salesperson who is high energy and personable. This sale professional will have a proven history in “hunting” for new customers. Candidates must thrive in a fast-paced environment and communicate positively with customers and sales team and be self-driven, disciplined, reliable and hard working with experience in the automotive aftermarket wheel industry. Bilingual (Spanish/English) is preferred. Candidates must be willing to travel, and prior sales experience within the automotive aftermarket wheel industry is a plus.
By SEMA Editors
Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.
For association-related travel, contact Manya Petropaki (manya.p@travelstore.com) at Travel Store USA, 949-930-9268.