Entrants of the 2011 People’s Picks survey had the opportunity to vote via mobile through the eBay Motors iPhone app.

eBay Motors has announced the winners of the 2011 People’s Picks survey—the annual poll inviting enthusiasts to weigh in on all things automotive, including best camshaft, favorite ignition and favorite musclecar—even the best movie car of all time. More than 3.4 million votes were cast in this year’s competition, 10 times the 2010 tally. New this year, entrants had the opportunity to vote via mobile through the eBay Motors iPhone app.

“This year’s massive voter turnout reflects the incredible passion of the auto community, something we fuel every day on eBay Motors, where people are buying auto parts literally every second,” said Famous Rhodes, senior director, eBay Motors. “The automotive community has strong opinions not just on their favorite cars and trucks, but also on the brands that help them modify and customize those vehicles. People’s Picks ultimately shows that brands matter when it comes to enthusiasts.”

The annual eBay Motors People’s Picks survey offered 10 different voting categories: American Muscle Cars, Motorsports, Import Tuner, Super Cars, Trucks, Four Wheeler/Off-Road, Classic European, Motorcycles, Cars in Culture, and Modern Foreign and Domestic.

Winners in multiple categories this year include BFGoodrich, Edelbrock, Garret, Hooker Headers and K&N. For movie buffs, Best Movie Car went to “Eleanor,” Nicolas Cage’s ’67 Shelby Mustang from the Gone in 60 Seconds remake.

People's Picks 2011 Select Winners:

Muscle Car

• Favorite Muscle Car of All Time: Ford Mustang (followed by the Camaro and GTO)
• Favorite Bolt-On Brand: Edelbrock
• Favorite Super Charger: Roush

Tuner

• Most Tunable Brand: Honda
• Favorite Performance Tire: Pirelli
• Favorite Turbo Charger: Garrett

Trucks

• Favorite Exhaust Header: Hooker Headers
• Favorite Tire Brand: BFGoodrich

4X4/Off Road

• Best Brand: Jeep
• $1,000 to Spend on Aftermarket: Lift Kit/Suspension
• Favorite Tire: BFGoodrich

Project Corner

• Best Foundation for Late-Model Street Rod: Ford Mustang
• Toughest Part of a Project: Body/Paint
• Favorite Professional Tool Manufacturer: Snap-On

Cars in Culture

• Best Movie Car: ’67 Shelby Mustang (Eleanor) from Gone in 60 Seconds remake

Motorsports

• Favorite Racing Series: NASCAR
• Greatest Race in the World: Le Mans (followed by the Daytona 500 and Indy 500)

	Team Moroso—Loara High School from Anaheim California—won the third annual "Showdown at SEMA" with a record-breaking time of 21:08 minutes.

This year's Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge teams finished their builds in the fastest times ever recorded in the event's three-year history. All 10 teams competing at the 2011 SEMA Show, November 1–4, in Las Vegas, finished faster than the 2009 champion and the top six teams would have beaten the 2010 champion. But it was Team Moroso—Loara High School from Anaheim, California—that won the third annual "Showdown at SEMA" with a record-breaking time of 21:08 minutes.

Providing young automotive enthusiasts an opportunity to develop and showcase their talents while being exposed to the automotive aftermarket industry, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has been invited to compete at the SEMA Show every year since its inception in 2008. The organization’s goal is to reach out to high school students before they graduate in order to provide much-needed future talent for the automotive aftermarket.

The purpose of the competition, held annually at the SEMA Show, is to offer opportunities for students to build and develop teamwork, demonstrate their enthusiasm and ingenuity and build their confidence and commitment to excellence. Teams of five auto technology students and an instructor from invited high schools across the country compete to properly disassemble and reassemble a small-block Chevrolet engine with aftermarket components in the least amount of time possible. The team with the quickest total time, including added penalties, wins. The competition engines have been built to replicate real-world, high-performance engines found in today's muscle cars and hot rods.

This year, 10 teams earned their way to the "Showdown at SEMA" national championship—six teams by winning their division heats straight out and four additional wildcard teams that had the next best qualifying times in the nation.

The ultimate prize for each member of the winning team is $10,000 in scholarship money provided by Ohio Technical College (OTC), School of Automotive Machinists (SAM) and University of Northwest Ohio (UNOH). Hot Rodders of Tomorrow judges and staff are 100% volunteer.

This year's winners included:

Team		Overall Average		Place
Moroso Loara High School, Anaheim California – Division 7 Winner		21.08		1st
Painless Performance Products Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center, Choctaw, Oklahoma – Division 4 Winner		24.36		2nd
COMP Cams East Ridge High School, Chattanooga, Tennessee #1 – Division 2 Wildcard		28.52		3rd
ARP East Ridge High School, Chattanooga, Tennessee #2 – Division 2 Winner		28.60		4th
Fel-Pro Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois – Division 3 Winner		29.10		5th
Motive Gear Belvidere North High School, Belvidere, Illinois – Division 8 Winner		29.17		6th
Royal Purple Burton Center for Arts & Technology, Salem, Virginia – Division 1 Winner		32.65		7th
Hawk Performance Elkhart Area Career Center #1, Elkhart, Indiana – Division 8 Wildcard		35.38		8th
Auto Meter Elkhart Area Career Center #2, Elkhart, Indiana – Division 8 Wildcard		36.40		9th
K&N Filters North Orange County ROP, Anaheim, California – Division 7 Wildcard		36.72		10th

	Team Moroso—Loara High School from Anaheim California—won the third annual "Showdown at SEMA" with a record-breaking time of 21:08 minutes.

This year's Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge teams finished their builds in the fastest times ever recorded in the event's three-year history. All 10 teams competing at the 2011 SEMA Show, November 1–4, in Las Vegas, finished faster than the 2009 champion and the top six teams would have beaten the 2010 champion. But it was Team Moroso—Loara High School from Anaheim, California—that won the third annual "Showdown at SEMA" with a record-breaking time of 21:08 minutes.

Providing young automotive enthusiasts an opportunity to develop and showcase their talents while being exposed to the automotive aftermarket industry, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has been invited to compete at the SEMA Show every year since its inception in 2008. The organization’s goal is to reach out to high school students before they graduate in order to provide much-needed future talent for the automotive aftermarket.

The purpose of the competition, held annually at the SEMA Show, is to offer opportunities for students to build and develop teamwork, demonstrate their enthusiasm and ingenuity and build their confidence and commitment to excellence. Teams of five auto technology students and an instructor from invited high schools across the country compete to properly disassemble and reassemble a small-block Chevrolet engine with aftermarket components in the least amount of time possible. The team with the quickest total time, including added penalties, wins. The competition engines have been built to replicate real-world, high-performance engines found in today's muscle cars and hot rods.

This year, 10 teams earned their way to the "Showdown at SEMA" national championship—six teams by winning their division heats straight out and four additional wildcard teams that had the next best qualifying times in the nation.

The ultimate prize for each member of the winning team is $10,000 in scholarship money provided by Ohio Technical College (OTC), School of Automotive Machinists (SAM) and University of Northwest Ohio (UNOH). Hot Rodders of Tomorrow judges and staff are 100% volunteer.

This year's winners included:

Team		Overall Average		Place
Moroso Loara High School, Anaheim California – Division 7 Winner		21.08		1st
Painless Performance Products Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center, Choctaw, Oklahoma – Division 4 Winner		24.36		2nd
COMP Cams East Ridge High School, Chattanooga, Tennessee #1 – Division 2 Wildcard		28.52		3rd
ARP East Ridge High School, Chattanooga, Tennessee #2 – Division 2 Winner		28.60		4th
Fel-Pro Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois – Division 3 Winner		29.10		5th
Motive Gear Belvidere North High School, Belvidere, Illinois – Division 8 Winner		29.17		6th
Royal Purple Burton Center for Arts & Technology, Salem, Virginia – Division 1 Winner		32.65		7th
Hawk Performance Elkhart Area Career Center #1, Elkhart, Indiana – Division 8 Wildcard		35.38		8th
Auto Meter Elkhart Area Career Center #2, Elkhart, Indiana – Division 8 Wildcard		36.40		9th
K&N Filters North Orange County ROP, Anaheim, California – Division 7 Wildcard		36.72		10th

	Left to right: Ralph Gatti, Sal Gatti and Aden Miller.

Truck cap and tonneau cover manufacturer A.R.E. has announced Aden Miller and Ralph Gatti have received the SEMA Light Truck Accessories Alliance (TORA) 2011 Hall of Fame Award.

The TORA Hall of Fame Award has been established to recognize quality and service in the light-truck industry. Both Miller and Gatti played integral roles in the founding of A.R.E. and its contributions to the light truck community.

A.R.E. was founded in 1969 by friends Sal Gatti (Ralph Gatti’s father) and Jonas Yoder, plus first employee Aden Miller, to manufacture high-quality aluminum frame truck caps that fit the needs of truck owners. As the company grew, Ralph Gatti joined Miller to focus on production, and in 1979 they designed their first joint product, the Deluxe Commercial Unit (DCU). In 1982, Miller and Gatti introduced the first fiberglass truck cap into A.R.E.’s product lineup.

As instrumental leaders in creating new-product components at A.R.E., both Miller and Gatti have been recognized for their product designs. Miller has received the Ron Webster Award for Innovation and Design Excellence and the Chrysler/SEMA Award for Innovation/Engineering Excellence. Gatti’s focus on innovation and his customer-centered approach grew the business from a small regional cap manufacturer to an industry leader.

“Our company continues to grow and succeed as a leading truck accessories business as a result of the core values that these gentlemen put in place during the first formative years of A.R.E.,” said Terry Seikel, A.R.E. president and CEO. “More than 40 years later, we are still committed to product innovation, design excellence and a customer-centric work ethic. We are very proud of Aden and Ralph for receiving this award and for joining our co-founder Sal Gatti in the TORA Hall of Fame.”

Miller retired as vice president of design and engineering at A.R.E. in 2006. Gatti currently serves on the board for A.R.E. As positive mentors to friends and industry colleagues, both Miller and Gatti have spent much of their retirement volunteering for natural disaster efforts and leading missions overseas.

	Left to right: Ralph Gatti, Sal Gatti and Aden Miller.

Truck cap and tonneau cover manufacturer A.R.E. has announced Aden Miller and Ralph Gatti have received the SEMA Light Truck Accessories Alliance (TORA) 2011 Hall of Fame Award.

The TORA Hall of Fame Award has been established to recognize quality and service in the light-truck industry. Both Miller and Gatti played integral roles in the founding of A.R.E. and its contributions to the light truck community.

A.R.E. was founded in 1969 by friends Sal Gatti (Ralph Gatti’s father) and Jonas Yoder, plus first employee Aden Miller, to manufacture high-quality aluminum frame truck caps that fit the needs of truck owners. As the company grew, Ralph Gatti joined Miller to focus on production, and in 1979 they designed their first joint product, the Deluxe Commercial Unit (DCU). In 1982, Miller and Gatti introduced the first fiberglass truck cap into A.R.E.’s product lineup.

As instrumental leaders in creating new-product components at A.R.E., both Miller and Gatti have been recognized for their product designs. Miller has received the Ron Webster Award for Innovation and Design Excellence and the Chrysler/SEMA Award for Innovation/Engineering Excellence. Gatti’s focus on innovation and his customer-centered approach grew the business from a small regional cap manufacturer to an industry leader.

“Our company continues to grow and succeed as a leading truck accessories business as a result of the core values that these gentlemen put in place during the first formative years of A.R.E.,” said Terry Seikel, A.R.E. president and CEO. “More than 40 years later, we are still committed to product innovation, design excellence and a customer-centric work ethic. We are very proud of Aden and Ralph for receiving this award and for joining our co-founder Sal Gatti in the TORA Hall of Fame.”

Miller retired as vice president of design and engineering at A.R.E. in 2006. Gatti currently serves on the board for A.R.E. As positive mentors to friends and industry colleagues, both Miller and Gatti have spent much of their retirement volunteering for natural disaster efforts and leading missions overseas.

 

	One of the many highlights of the 2011 SEMA Show was the New Products Awards Breakfast, where U.S. Olympic gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno unveiled his custom ’64 Cadillac convertible.

With more than 2,100 manufacturers exhibiting at the 2011 SEMA Show, the annual event attracted media from all over the world. About 3,000 editors and journalists came to the SEMA Show seeking to report on the new products and hot trends in the automotive specialty-equipment market. While coverage on the event continues to pour in, here are a few early clips:

• Autoblog
• Autoweek
• CE Outlook
• CNET
• Detroit News
• Fender Bender
• Four Wheeler
• Las Vegas Review-Journal
• The New York Times
• The New York Times
• Tire Review
• Twice
• Twice
• USA Today
• Vanity Fair
  

We’ll continue to share media coverage from the SEMA Show in SEMA News and on the SEMA Facebook page.

 

	One of the many highlights of the 2011 SEMA Show was the New Products Awards Breakfast, where U.S. Olympic gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno unveiled his custom ’64 Cadillac convertible.

With more than 2,100 manufacturers exhibiting at the 2011 SEMA Show, the annual event attracted media from all over the world. About 3,000 editors and journalists came to the SEMA Show seeking to report on the new products and hot trends in the automotive specialty-equipment market. While coverage on the event continues to pour in, here are a few early clips:

• Autoblog
• Autoweek
• CE Outlook
• CNET
• Detroit News
• Fender Bender
• Four Wheeler
• Las Vegas Review-Journal
• The New York Times
• The New York Times
• Tire Review
• Twice
• Twice
• USA Today
• Vanity Fair
  

We’ll continue to share media coverage from the SEMA Show in SEMA News and on the SEMA Facebook page.

 

The shooters at Brenda Priddy & Co. just photographed revealing photos of the ’13 Mustang GT. 

Updates on this version include a new hood and front fascia, including LED headlamps and foglights. The taillamps also get the LED treatment and the rear sports a new fascia as well. And this prototype sports brand-new rims.

Photo: Brian Williams for Brenda Priddy & Company