By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Virginia Senate introduced SEMA-supported legislation (S.B. 5029), which includes provisions that would change certain traffic infractions from primary to secondary offenses. A secondary offense is one for which a citation can only be issued if the driver is stopped for another separate offense.

If passed, the following traffic infractions would be changed to secondary offenses: operating a motor vehicle without an exhaust system that prevents excessive or unusual levels of noise, without a light illuminating a license plate or with certain sun-shading materials and tinting films.

For more information and to request support for this bill, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Virginia Senate introduced SEMA-supported legislation (S.B. 5029), which includes provisions that would change certain traffic infractions from primary to secondary offenses. A secondary offense is one for which a citation can only be issued if the driver is stopped for another separate offense.

If passed, the following traffic infractions would be changed to secondary offenses: operating a motor vehicle without an exhaust system that prevents excessive or unusual levels of noise, without a light illuminating a license plate or with certain sun-shading materials and tinting films.

For more information and to request support for this bill, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Professional Restylers Organization’s (PRO) has named Josh Poulson of Auto Additions Inc. as this week’s council Volunteer Spotlight member. Poulson is the current PRO chair-elect and has been an active volunteer on the PRO Select Committee since 2012. His years of advocacy for restylers and manufacturers to have a voice in the industry earned him recognition as PRO Restyler of the Year in 2012 and SEMA PRO Person of the Year in 2015, and the council is pleased to spotlight him for his leadership and contributions to the industry.

SEMA: What inspired you to pursue a career in restyling/manufacturing?    

Josh Poulson: I was 16 years old going to college and working part-time when a friend hired me into the business. I really never had a passion for cars but love the restyling business.

SEMA: Why did you decide to volunteer for PRO? How has it or will it impact you?    

JP: I wanted to give back and have a voice in the industry. I felt the need to continue to grow in its “professionalization” and have learned so much. I have met some amazing, influential people who have guided me in my personal and professional life.

SEMA: What advice do you have for someone pursuing a career in the automotive aftermarket?    

JP: Make sure you can think with your head and not just your heart. I see a lot of people get into the business because they have the passion but then end up not being successful because they thought too much with their heart.

SEMA: What is your dream vehicle? Where would we find you in it on any weekend?    

JP: Since I really am not that interested in vehicles, I don't think I have a dream vehicle. However, I do seem to like the electric-style trucks (except Tesla) coming out in the next few years. You would see me driving it around doing whatever needs done but enjoying my ride.

SEMA: What is the best advice you have ever received?     

JP: Stay in your lane. Do what you do best with the products you carry and offer but also what you personally do best in the business. Hire others to complement with their skills.

SEMA: What keeps you in the industry?

JP: The great people and friends that I have met in the last 29 years. It would be my customers, my colleagues, my vendors and suppliers.  

SEMA: Where can we find you on a Saturday?

JP: Relaxing and hanging out with my family, taking a nap or reading and studying on my iPad.

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Professional Restylers Organization’s (PRO) has named Josh Poulson of Auto Additions Inc. as this week’s council Volunteer Spotlight member. Poulson is the current PRO chair-elect and has been an active volunteer on the PRO Select Committee since 2012. His years of advocacy for restylers and manufacturers to have a voice in the industry earned him recognition as PRO Restyler of the Year in 2012 and SEMA PRO Person of the Year in 2015, and the council is pleased to spotlight him for his leadership and contributions to the industry.

SEMA: What inspired you to pursue a career in restyling/manufacturing?    

Josh Poulson: I was 16 years old going to college and working part-time when a friend hired me into the business. I really never had a passion for cars but love the restyling business.

SEMA: Why did you decide to volunteer for PRO? How has it or will it impact you?    

JP: I wanted to give back and have a voice in the industry. I felt the need to continue to grow in its “professionalization” and have learned so much. I have met some amazing, influential people who have guided me in my personal and professional life.

SEMA: What advice do you have for someone pursuing a career in the automotive aftermarket?    

JP: Make sure you can think with your head and not just your heart. I see a lot of people get into the business because they have the passion but then end up not being successful because they thought too much with their heart.

SEMA: What is your dream vehicle? Where would we find you in it on any weekend?    

JP: Since I really am not that interested in vehicles, I don't think I have a dream vehicle. However, I do seem to like the electric-style trucks (except Tesla) coming out in the next few years. You would see me driving it around doing whatever needs done but enjoying my ride.

SEMA: What is the best advice you have ever received?     

JP: Stay in your lane. Do what you do best with the products you carry and offer but also what you personally do best in the business. Hire others to complement with their skills.

SEMA: What keeps you in the industry?

JP: The great people and friends that I have met in the last 29 years. It would be my customers, my colleagues, my vendors and suppliers.  

SEMA: Where can we find you on a Saturday?

JP: Relaxing and hanging out with my family, taking a nap or reading and studying on my iPad.

By Ashley Reyes

Learn about the latest government lending programs and legislation helping businesses overcome the pandemic during next week’s “Shifting Gears: Back to Business” virtual session.

SEMA members are invited to learn about the latest government lending programs and legislation helping businesses overcome the pandemic and what decisions they can make now to set up their companies for long-term success during next week’s “Shifting Gears: Back to Business” virtual session at 10:00 a.m. (PDT).

During “Beyond the Pandemic” on September 2, CPA and journalist Gene Marks will provide an update on government, state and local grant and lending programs, along with current and pending legislation for helping businesses emerge from the current economic downturn stronger and more intentional than ever before. Attendees will learn best practices and discover secrets that smart leaders are implementing to navigate their companies and employees, and receive a current analysis of the presidential election and how each candidate’s economic policies will impact businesses over the next two years.  

Register today.

The session is the last in SEMA’s four-part “Shifting Gears: Back to Business” webinar series. Recorded sessions of previous webinars, and resources to help SEMA members navigate their businesses during this uncertain time, are available at www.sema.org/reopen.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

The new home of the Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing is World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois.

World Wide Technology Raceway Named Third Stop on NMRA/NMCA 2021 Tour
The Holley NMRA Ford Nationals and NMCA Muscle Car Nationals have announced the new home of the Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing is World Wide Technology Raceway (Madison, Illinois). The largest street-legal drag race event of the year happens May 13–16, 2021. The Holley NMRA Ford Nationals launches its 23rd season at Bradenton Motorsports Park (Bradenton, Florida) with the Nitto Tire NMRA Spring Break Shootout over the weekend of March 4–7, 2021. The next event comes a month later, April 8–11, 2021, at Atlanta Dragway (Commerce, Georgia) for the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals. The third event on the six-race schedule goes down May 13–16, 2021, at World Wide Technology Raceway with the Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing. The fourth and fifth events will be announced shortly and the season will conclude at Beech Bend Raceway (Bowling Green, Kentucky) with the Nitto Tire NMRA World Finals + Holley Intergalactic Ford Festival.

The NMCA Muscle Car Nationals season will begin at Bradenton Motorsports Park, but officials haven’t revealed the date yet due to changes in the motorsport calendar that time of the year. The second event will be at Atlanta Dragway with the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals going down April 8–11, 2021. The third stop is at World Wide Technology Raceway on May 13–16, 2021, with the Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing. The fourth, fifth and sixth stops on the national event tour will be announced shortly. 

LIQUI MOLY Becomes Title Sponsor of the MotoGP Race in Teruel, Spain

LIQUI MOLY will remain the exclusive lubricant supplier for the Moto2 and Moto3 motorcycle racing series until 2023. The company also secured the naming rights for the Aragon Grand Prix, held October 23–25, under the name Gran Premio LIQUI MOLY de Teruel. According to the agreement, LIQUI MOLY will remain the exclusive lubricant supplier for Moto2 and Moto3 until 2023.

Formula 1 Adds Four Races To 2020 Calendar

Turkey’s Intercity Istanbul Park will host a Grand Prix for the first time since 2011 this year, after Formula 1 announced four more races have been added to the 2020 calendar. The Turkish Grand Prix will be run on November 15, just before a back-to-back double header in Bahrain, with the Bahrain Grand Prix on November 29 followed by the Sakhir Grand Prix on December 6. The season-concluding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will take place at the Yas Marina Circuit on December 13. Formula 1 also confirmed that the Chinese Grand Prix, which was initially postponed earlier this year, will now not be run in 2020, bringing the current race total to 17 for the season. The F2 season, meanwhile, will conclude with the Bahrain double-header, bringing their season to 12 rounds, as originally planned.

Erik Moses

Nashville Superspeedway Announces Erik Moses as President

Dover Motorsports Inc. officials have announced Erik Moses, a sports executive and seasoned venue-management veteran, as the new president of Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee. Moses will oversee NASCAR Cup Series’ return to the track in 2021. Moses, a longtime veteran in the mid-Atlantic sports and entertainment industries, most recently served as the founding president of the XFL’s DC Defenders (2019–2020). Prior to his position with XFL, Moses also held positions with Events DC, DC Sports & Entertainment Commission, and the D.C. Department of Small & Local Business Development.

Fans Allowed at Inaugural Drag Weekend 500 Set For September 11-13

The inaugural Drag Weekend 500 has been announced and is set for September 11–13. The event will require teams to drive their street-legal race cars on a 500-mile roundtrip from Byron Dragway in Byron, Illinois, to Rock Falls Raceway in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and back. A test of both performance and durability, Drag Weekend 500 begins on Friday, September 11, at Byron Dragway. After qualifying runs, racers hit the road and drive more than 25 miles to Rock Falls Raceway, where they will again qualify on Saturday, September 12. Following another 250-mile drive back to Byron Dragway, the event will culminate on Sunday, September 13, with final qualifying for all classes and a bracket race for the Street Eliminator class. Fans will be permitted to attend the competition at the tracks. Tickets are $15. Pre-registration is now open for Pro Street, Super Street, Street Class and Street Eliminator. For more information, visit www.dragweekend500.com.

Steve Phelps

NASCAR President Steve Phelps Named to Board of Directors

NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim France has announced the appointment of NASCAR President Steve Phelps to the Board of Directors. Phelps becomes the fifth member of NASCAR’s Board of Directors, joining France; Lesa France Kennedy, executive vice chair; Mike Helton, senior advisor to NASCAR; and Gary Crotty, chief legal officer. Phelps has served as NASCAR president since 2018 and has been with the sanctioning body in various roles, including chief operating officer, since 2005. He is only the fifth person to hold the position of NASCAR president. During his tenure as president, Phelps has pioneered important growth initiatives, oversaw the landmark merger and integration with ISC, instituted a Premier Partner model for the NASCAR Cup Series and spearheaded a number of innovative changes to enhance the competition on track.

For more racing news, visit Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) website.

By Matt Kennedy

According to Experian Automotive, there were roughly 56 million pickups on the road at the end 2019 and another 1.5 million new pickups have been added to the mix in the first half of this year.

While 2020 has been a rough year for vehicle sales, pickups seem to be weathering the storm better than other platforms. According to data from Informa PLC, sales of new pickup trucks took the smallest hit among passenger vehicle segments during March and April. Year-to-date sales of pickups are down just 10% from 2019 versus a 22% drop for overall passenger vehicle sales. According to Experian Automotive, there were roughly 56 million pickups on the road at the end 2019 and another 1.5 million new pickups have been added to the mix in the first half of this year.

Continued pickup sales is great for the specialty-equipment industry, as pickup parts accounted for 31% of all specialty auto aftermarket sales in 2019.  The “2020 SEMA Market Report” details how the $14.28 billion spent modifying pickups breaks out by product type and sales channel. As vehicle sales continue to recover and consumers use the opportunity to work on their trucks, the Market Report can help businesses understand what these consumers will likely be looking for during the rest of the year and beyond.

To learn more, visit www.sema.org/research and download the “2020 SEMA Market Report” for free today. You can also browse SEMA’s other available research reports or contact us directly for more information and resources available to members and the broader industry.

By Matt Kennedy

According to Experian Automotive, there were roughly 56 million pickups on the road at the end 2019 and another 1.5 million new pickups have been added to the mix in the first half of this year.

While 2020 has been a rough year for vehicle sales, pickups seem to be weathering the storm better than other platforms. According to data from Informa PLC, sales of new pickup trucks took the smallest hit among passenger vehicle segments during March and April. Year-to-date sales of pickups are down just 10% from 2019 versus a 22% drop for overall passenger vehicle sales. According to Experian Automotive, there were roughly 56 million pickups on the road at the end 2019 and another 1.5 million new pickups have been added to the mix in the first half of this year.

Continued pickup sales is great for the specialty-equipment industry, as pickup parts accounted for 31% of all specialty auto aftermarket sales in 2019.  The “2020 SEMA Market Report” details how the $14.28 billion spent modifying pickups breaks out by product type and sales channel. As vehicle sales continue to recover and consumers use the opportunity to work on their trucks, the Market Report can help businesses understand what these consumers will likely be looking for during the rest of the year and beyond.

To learn more, visit www.sema.org/research and download the “2020 SEMA Market Report” for free today. You can also browse SEMA’s other available research reports or contact us directly for more information and resources available to members and the broader industry.

By Kyle Cheng

According to the latest “SEMA Industry Indicators” report, retail sales are currently above levels seen in January before the virus hit, strengthened by government financial stimulus and unemployment.

As American consumers and businesses alike continue to adjust and adapt to the coronavirus, the U.S. economy continues its recovery. Retail sales are currently above levels seen in January before the virus hit, strengthened by government financial stimulus and unemployment. Likewise, manufacturing is also slowly coming back, although it remains below its pre-pandemic levels.

The automotive sector continues to heal, showing continually strong month-on-month growth. Though auto sales still are below their levels before the virus, they have recovered much of the decline experienced in April and May.

Ultimately, the outlook for the remainder of 2020 will depend on the course of the virus. It will take some time before levels of production, output and economic activity enjoyed prior to the onset of the pandemic return to their pre-pandemic levels.

Want more information on the trends affecting the specialty-equipment industry? Download the August “SEMA Industry Indicators” report, now available for free at www.sema.org/research.

By Kyle Cheng

According to the latest “SEMA Industry Indicators” report, retail sales are currently above levels seen in January before the virus hit, strengthened by government financial stimulus and unemployment.

As American consumers and businesses alike continue to adjust and adapt to the coronavirus, the U.S. economy continues its recovery. Retail sales are currently above levels seen in January before the virus hit, strengthened by government financial stimulus and unemployment. Likewise, manufacturing is also slowly coming back, although it remains below its pre-pandemic levels.

The automotive sector continues to heal, showing continually strong month-on-month growth. Though auto sales still are below their levels before the virus, they have recovered much of the decline experienced in April and May.

Ultimately, the outlook for the remainder of 2020 will depend on the course of the virus. It will take some time before levels of production, output and economic activity enjoyed prior to the onset of the pandemic return to their pre-pandemic levels.

Want more information on the trends affecting the specialty-equipment industry? Download the August “SEMA Industry Indicators” report, now available for free at www.sema.org/research.