The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a reminder that trailers are only permitted under U.S. law if they are certified as meeting Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Non-compliant trailers pose safety risks, and those attempting to title or register a non-compliant trailer may face potential forfeiture. A compliant trailer will have a label indicating it meets all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. To view the NHTSA press release, click here.
The SEMA Action Network (SAN) recently released an updated guide to both federal and state regulations that govern trailers used for motorsports racing. It includes a 50-state guide to trailer dimensions and equipment requirements and an overview of federal guidelines for what constitutes commercial and noncommercial activities. To view the SAN motorsports trailer resource, click here.
For more information, contact Caroline Fletcher at carolinef@sema.org.
PRI Announces Promotion, Adds New Executive Assistant
Performance Racing Industry (PRI) has announced the promotion of Erika Stafford from executive assistant to trade show and events specialist. In her new position, Stafford will focus on supervising and coordinating events and activations for the PRI Trade Show in downtown Indianapolis—this year set for December 8–10 at the Indiana Convention Center. Happenings include the Grand Opening Breakfast, PRI Happy Hour, Exhibitor Reception, EV Performance Zone and the Content Creation Zone. She will also help manage special events at the PRI Membership HQ in Speedway near Indianapolis. Stafford previously served as the executive assistant to PRI President Dr. Jamie Meyer since October 2021.
Prior to her time with PRI, Stafford spent time as a team coordinator for ERA Motorsport/IMSA, a driver assistant for CK Motorsports, an executive assistant for Harding Steinbrenner Racing, a Health and Physical Education teacher for Perry Township Schools, a customer service representative for Indianapolis Motor Speedway; and as a director of development for the Special Olympics.
As part of the announcement, Jillian Hoy has been named PRI’s new executive assistant. In her new role, Hoy will help Dr. Meyer oversee the PRI Trade Show, PRI Membership and PRI’s advocacy arm. Before joining PRI, Hoy held various positions in the racing industry, including as a senior account executive, a personal ticket consultant for NASCAR and an account executive for Phoenix Raceway. She also held positions with ClubCorp’s Skyline Club Indianapolis, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Tampa Bay Rowdies and more.
Bridgestone Aims to Commercialize Natural Rubber From Desert Shrubs by 2030
Bridgestone Americas has announced plans to establish commercial operations for planting and harvesting a woody desert shrub called guayule as a domestic source of natural rubber in America’s desert southwest. To date, Bridgestone has invested more than $100 million in guayule research as part of its effort to achieve carbon neutrality and 100% renewable tires by 2050.
As part of the new announcement, Bridgestone plans to invest an additional $42 million to establish commercial operations, with additional investment and expansion intended toward 2030. The company will also collaborate and partner with local farmers and Native American tribes to increase the capacity of up to 25,000 additional acres of farmland for planting and harvesting guayule at scale.
Honda Partners With LG to Build Battery Production Facility for EVs
LG Energy Solution (LGES) and Honda Motor Co. have announced an agreement to establish a joint venture company to produce lithium-ion batteries in the U.S. to power Honda and Acura EV models for the North American market. LGES and Honda will invest a total of $4.4 billion and establish a new JV plant, with a location set to be determined. The plant aims to have an annual production capacity of approximately 40GWh. Construction is expected to begin in early 2023 to enable mass production of advanced lithium-ion battery cells by the end of 2025.
Flying Lizard Motorsports Announces New HQ Set for Phoenix
Flying Lizard Motorsports—the sports car race team originally based in Sonoma, California—has announced plans to move its operations to a new 15,000-sq.-ft. building at Apex Motor Club in Phoenix. Currently under phase one of a two-phase program, Apex Motor Club is already a destination for privateer teams and public track day programs. The 2.27-mile circuit with a 3,400-ft. straightaway will eventually become a 4.20-mile, 22-turn, multiple-configuration circuit, sitting on Apex’s 280-acre property. Construction on the Flying Lizard Motorsports shop is set to be completed following the 2023 race season.
Kelford Cams Partners With MidwayPlus to Launch New B2B Online Storefront
Kelford Cams has announced its newly minted online B2B partnership with MidwayPlus.com. MidwayPlus is a software solution for aftermarket B2B businesses designed to empower manufacturers to efficiently sell products to aftermarket resellers within a secure transaction platform.
Roadmaster Active Suspension Changes Name to RoadActive Suspension Inc.
Roadmaster Active Suspension (RAS), manufacturer and distributor of
aftermarket leaf spring upgrades for light-duty trucks, has changed its name to RoadActive Suspension (RAS). Roadmaster Active Suspension first entered the United States market in 1998 as founder Clive Schewitz sought a solution for light-duty pickup and van owners looking to reduce bounce and body roll.
Paul Lee Racing Adds Steven Cole to Team
Paul Lee Racing—the Orange, California-based race team headed by Paul Lee and Krista Baldwin—has announced industry executive Steven Cole will serve as the senior vice president of marketing and corporate partnerships and general manager.
Paul Lee Racing fields a nitro Funny Car driven by Lee, who is the CEO of Wharton Automotive Group, which includes McLeod Racing, FTI Performance and Silver Sport Transmissions (SST). The team also fields a McLeod Racing-sponsored Top Fuel car driven by Baldwin, Wharton’s creative director.
Cole has more than 25 years of experience in professional motorsports, including brand marketing plus B2B and B2C programs within NHRA, NASCAR and IndyCar. He also worked with high-profile race teams, including Stringer Performance, John Force Racing and more.
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.
Anderson Gets Win No. 100; Capps, Brown and M. Smith All Get Victories at Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals
Greg Anderson drove picked up his 100th career win with a run of 6.587 seconds at 208.07 mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to defeat Dallas Glenn in the finals.
Greg Anderson picked up his 100th career win last Monday and veteran Ron Capps won for the first time at the 68th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the 16th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the final event of the regular season.
Anderson drove to the milestone win with a run of 6.587 seconds at 208.07 mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to defeat Dallas Glenn in the finals, becoming just the second driver in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series history to reach 100 career victories.
Capps, the defending Funny Car world champion, went 3.911 at 327.98 in his 11,000-hp NAPA Auto Parts GR Toyota Supra to defeat points leader Robert Hight in the final round.
Brown drove to his second win in the past three races, earning his first Indy victory since 2011 with a strong run of 3.706 at 321.66 in his 11,000-hp Matco Tools dragster to knock off points leader Brittany Force in the final round.
Defending world champ Smith went 6.872 at 195.99 on his Denso Auto Parts EBR in the final round, knocking off Karen Stoffer to claim his first Indy win since 2006.
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action with the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway on September 15–18. It is the first event in the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
NHRA Announces Full 2023 Camping World Drag Racing Series Schedule
NHRA has announced the full 2023 Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule, which will include a pair of Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Call-out races in Gainesville, Florida, and Indianapolis, as well as a return to the fan-favorite Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois. To view the full schedule, click here. For more information or to renew or purchase tickets, visit nhra.com/schedule/2023.
SEMA Show exhibitors and attendees preparing for the 2022 SEMA Show can lock in the guaranteed lowest hotel rate now by booking in the SEMA Show Block.
Making hotel reservations in the block provides you with the most affordable and convenient options for a wide range of hotels located on and off the Strip.
Shuttle bus service is provided from all hotels in the SEMA Show block.
The following are advantages of booking in the SEMA Show block versus an Airbnb:
Customer Service
Lodging through the SEMA Show block will give you dedicated customer service support for managing your reservation and will still have onsite customer service from the hotel. This includes check-in, housekeeping and concierge services.
Airbnb customer service can be difficult to contact, and is often left to the Airbnb host to manage. Check-in for your lodging can be difficult to navigate with lock boxes, keycodes or having to make a trip to an alternate location to access lodging keys. Airbnb lodgings often do not include dedicated customer service unless booking through the Airbnb Luxe program.
Proximity to Venue
For larger city venues, such as the Las Vegas Convention Center, proximity should be factored in. Hotels are typically offered within a radius that allows for an event-sponsored shuttle route, walking distance to the convention center or a short and inexpensive ride-share option. With Airbnb, locations tend to be further away from the city center, main attractions or the convention center.
Booking Lodging for a Large Group?
Airbnb does tend to lend for a better budget when traveling in large groups; however, this option does not cater to privacy for your group members, and keep an eye out for fees associated with additional guests. You may find the hotel will offer more privacy at a better rate.
Hotel Group reservations (those including multiple rooms) are available for the 2022 SEMA Show. The SEMA Show block online system makes this complex responsibility easy: simply look for the “Group Bookings (2+ Rooms)” option when conducting your initial search and you’ll be all set to make/manage rooms for your whole team with more flexibility than anywhere else.
Hotel Reward Points
Airbnb currently doesn’t offer loyalty rewards that most major hotels do, which can be utilized for room upgrades, free room nights and more, depending on the hotel loyalty program.
By booking in the SEMA Show block, you can earn rewards points with your preferred hotel chain—simply enter your rewards or frequent guest number when booking through our online system. When we transfer your reservation details to the hotel approximately two weeks prior to the event, your frequent guest number will be included with your information, and you will receive your points.
Transportation to and From the SEMA Show
The SEMA Show block offers convenient access to the Las Vegas Monorail with station stops at the below hotels:
SAHARA
Westgate
Harrah’s/The Linq
Flamingo/Caesars Palace Station
Bally’s/Paris
MGM Grand
Shuttle bus service is provided from all hotels in the SEMA Show block, excluding those located within a quarter-mile distance to the Las Vegas Convention Center.
In partnership with Ford Motor Company, the SEMA Garage has announced a Measuring Session for the all-electric ’22 Ford E-Transit, September 27–29, at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California.
This will be an in-person event. In order to comply with state and local health guidelines, scheduled appointments will be required. Due to high demand, all appointments will be time-limited.
GR-Four all-wheel-drive drivetrain with user-selectable torque split.
Reinforced chassis for added stiffness and rigidity.
Available Torsen limited slip differentials (F/R).
Standard 8-in. touch-screen display.
Available eight-speaker, JBL premium sound with subwoofer.
Standard 18-in. wheels and 235/40R18 tires.
Automatic high beams.
Dynamic radar cruise control.
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0.
Note that this will be an in-person event at the SEMA Garage. In order to comply with state and local health guidelines, this event will require scheduled appointments. Due to high demand, all appointments will be time-limited. Please only register for one attendee per member company, and a follow-up email will be sent to confirm additional attendees.
The 2022 SEMA Show is about eight weeks away. Here’s a rundown of key deadlines, including early-bird and advance rates available for several booth services, as well as checklists to keep you on track and on budget.
The deadlines checklist provides a breakdown of all of the deadlines for booth orders, rentals, booth vehicle applications, celebrity appearance notifications and much more.
The budget checklist form allows you to keep track of all your costs and ensures that you are adequately prepared for your experience at the SEMA Show.
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.
Cognito Motorsports is hiring a manufacturing process engineer responsible for improving the processes, documentation and efficiencies, applied at each stage of the product production cycle, from building-to-packaging-to-shipping. This position will work with cross-functional teams to establish and refine production processes and workflows. Additional responsibilities include concurrently developing, reviewing and improving detailed bills of operations for new and existing products with focus on manufacturing and assembly efficiency, quality control, repeatability and timely completion.
Milltek Corp. is hiring a sales/business development executive with experience with European as well as domestic market vehicles. The ability to develop their own strategies and ideas within the role are key, as well as working closely with the marketing team to help develop marketing campaigns to achieve the company’s goals. The role will require some travel within North America to attend trade shows/events as well as completing customer visits, with the opportunity to visit the U.K. headquarters for Milltek Sport and Urban Automotive also possible.
Texas Speed & Performance is hiring a sales manager to lead the sales and customer service teams to drive rapid sales and margin growth and manage expenses for Texas Speed & Performance, while providing world class service to customers. This growth will be achieved by providing customers with friendly and efficient service, driving continuous improvement with contact center SLAs, seeking new leads through social media/forums, execution of SPIF programs and driving AOV and margin initiatives. Candidate must have 10+ years of experience leading and directly managing a sales/customer service team of 10 or more, preferably in a contact center environment as the formal supervisor/manager.
Exhibitors of the 2022 SEMA Show are invited to expand their reach, product exposure and Show-floor presence by offering products to builders through the Products for Project-Vehicle Builders list. The list connects manufacturers with builders looking to create or complete a vehicle project.
The list, which will be updated in SEMA News, features product offers and contact information provided by confirmed SEMA Show exhibitors. Builders interested in obtaining a product use the information to contact exhibitors directly. With each project vehicle required to be supported by a current 2022 SEMA Show exhibitor, all product-placement decisions, negotiations and agreements are the responsibility of the exhibiting manufacturer and the builder.
The list is open to exhibitors of the 2022 SEMA Show only. To be included in the list, complete the form.
Exhibitors: Each submission will appear on a first-come, first-served basis. As participation increases, all submissions will also be archived on www.SEMAShow.com.
Note: For verification purposes, the Project-Vehicle Builders form must be used to participate in the program; email submissions will not be included in the list. Participation in the list does not guarantee product or vehicle placement at the 2022 SEMA Show.
Flying Lizard Motorsports Announces New HQ Set for Phoenix
