By Kristopher Porter

Donnie Eatherly, Chris Thomson, and Ed Pink were inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 2018.

As a SEMA member, you have the chance to nominate an exceptional candidate for the 2019 SEMA Hall of Fame.

The SEMA Hall of Fame honors outstanding individuals in the automotive specialty-equipment industry whose creativity, dignity, integrity, industriousness and accomplishments have significantly contributed to the industry's growth.

By nominating a candidate, you will participate in recognizing the contributions and achievements of people who have helped shape the automotive specialty-equipment industry.

When making your confidential nomination, please provide a brief statement that explains why the individual deserves this prestigious award. Feel free to mention previous accomplishments and notable industry contributions. This will help the Hall of Fame Committee choose the most deserving candidates. 

Before you submit your nomination, take a moment to review the SEMA Hall of Fame website, and review the award criteria as well as prior inductees. Last year’s Hall of Fame inductees were Donnie Eatherly from P&E Distributors Inc., Ed Pink from Ed Pink Racing Engines, and Chris Thomson from TMG Performance Group.

Make Your Nomination for the 2019 SEMA Hall of Fame before the March 8 deadline.

To learn more, visit www.sema.org/hof or contact Lindsay Bianco at lindsayb@sema.org or 909-978-6692.

By Kristopher Porter

Donnie Eatherly, Chris Thomson, and Ed Pink were inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 2018.

As a SEMA member, you have the chance to nominate an exceptional candidate for the 2019 SEMA Hall of Fame.

The SEMA Hall of Fame honors outstanding individuals in the automotive specialty-equipment industry whose creativity, dignity, integrity, industriousness and accomplishments have significantly contributed to the industry's growth.

By nominating a candidate, you will participate in recognizing the contributions and achievements of people who have helped shape the automotive specialty-equipment industry.

When making your confidential nomination, please provide a brief statement that explains why the individual deserves this prestigious award. Feel free to mention previous accomplishments and notable industry contributions. This will help the Hall of Fame Committee choose the most deserving candidates. 

Before you submit your nomination, take a moment to review the SEMA Hall of Fame website, and review the award criteria as well as prior inductees. Last year’s Hall of Fame inductees were Donnie Eatherly from P&E Distributors Inc., Ed Pink from Ed Pink Racing Engines, and Chris Thomson from TMG Performance Group.

Make Your Nomination for the 2019 SEMA Hall of Fame before the March 8 deadline.

To learn more, visit www.sema.org/hof or contact Lindsay Bianco at lindsayb@sema.org or 909-978-6692.

By SEMA Editors

The elected select committee of each council and network serves as the volunteer leadership for the group.

Nominations are being accepted through March 3 for select committee positions for the following councils and networks:

ARMO-Automotive Restoration Market Organization

ETTN-Emerging Trends & Technology Network

HRIA- Hot Rod Industry Alliance

TORA/TORA-Truck and Off-Road Alliance/Truck and Off-Road Alliance

MPMC-Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council

MRN-Manufacturers' Rep Network

PRO-Professional Restylers Organization

SBN-SEMA Businesswomen's Network

WTC-Wheel & Tire Council

YEN- Young Executives Network

Elected industry leaders will:

• Be a voice within the industry segment.
• Guide SEMA resources to move toward solutions.
• Gain leadership experience, increase industry knowledge and build connections.

Nominate yourself or another exceptional SEMA member employee today by using the quick and easy online nomination form.

All nominations must be received by 12:00 a.m., March 3. The select committee elections will take place in late-April.

For more information about SEMA's councils and networks, or the nomination and election process, contact Kristen Fregoso at kristenf@sema.org or 909-978-6681.

By SEMA Editors

The elected select committee of each council and network serves as the volunteer leadership for the group.

Nominations are being accepted through March 3 for select committee positions for the following councils and networks:

ARMO-Automotive Restoration Market Organization

ETTN-Emerging Trends & Technology Network

HRIA- Hot Rod Industry Alliance

TORA/TORA-Truck and Off-Road Alliance/Truck and Off-Road Alliance

MPMC-Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council

MRN-Manufacturers' Rep Network

PRO-Professional Restylers Organization

SBN-SEMA Businesswomen's Network

WTC-Wheel & Tire Council

YEN- Young Executives Network

Elected industry leaders will:

• Be a voice within the industry segment.
• Guide SEMA resources to move toward solutions.
• Gain leadership experience, increase industry knowledge and build connections.

Nominate yourself or another exceptional SEMA member employee today by using the quick and easy online nomination form.

All nominations must be received by 12:00 a.m., March 3. The select committee elections will take place in late-April.

For more information about SEMA's councils and networks, or the nomination and election process, contact Kristen Fregoso at kristenf@sema.org or 909-978-6681.

The SEMA Garage, in partnership with Toyota, will hold a Measuring Session for the 2020 Toyota Supra.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2020-toyota-gr-supra-measuring-session-april-3-and-4-2019-tickets-57635376964

The SEMA Garage, in partnership with Toyota, will hold a Measuring Session for the 2020 Toyota Supra.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2020-toyota-gr-supra-measuring-session-april-3-and-4-2019-tickets-57635376964

By SEMA Editors

Charles Myers Named Irwindale Speedway's Dragstrip Manager, NASCAR Technical Director

Charles Myers

Irwindale Speedway announced that Charles Myers was named drag strip manager and NASCAR technical director. According to the Speedway, Myers' knowledge of NHRA and Dragstrip operations will be an important part of the race-day operations and rebuilding the race program at Irwindale Dragstrip.

Myers' background in motorsports is an extensive one. Beginning as the Media Relations Coordinator at GALOT Motorsports Park in Benson, North Carolina, Myers held similar positions at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield and the National Hot Rod Association in Glendora, California. After serving as manager of Sportsman Racing for the NHRA, Myers comes to Irwindale as one of Drag Illustrated's "30 under 30," a list of up and coming drivers, crew members, tuners, fabricators and media members that are the rising stars of the sport of drag racing.

E3 Returns as 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Pinty’s Series Sponsor

E3 announced that the company will return as 2019 Pole Award sponsor for all 13 NASCAR Pinty’s Series (NPS) races and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. NPS is the premier motorsports division in Canada, with events held at a variety of road courses and oval tracks in the country and one event in the United States.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West kicks off its first event of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway dirt track Thursday, February 28, with the Star Nursery 100. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East kicked off at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway February 10. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series serves as the top step in NASCAR’s development ladder that allows drivers to progress to one of NASCAR’s three national series.

The NASCAR Pinty’s series will head to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park for the eighth year in a row in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, as part of Victoria Day weekend on Sunday, May 19. NPS is making a return to the United States as part of Full Throttle Weekend (September 20-21) at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The triple-header short track weekend event will include the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR’s only open-wheel class, NPS and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. The NASCAR Pinty’s Series Champion will be crowned at Jukasa Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 28 at the NPS Finale event, Pinty’s Fall Brawl.

Trans Am Series Extends Partnership With AEM Performance Electronics

The Trans Am Race Company announced the extension of its partnership with AEM Performance Electronics.

Building on a highly successful program that has delivered growth, performance and cost savings, the Trans Am Race Company announced the extension of its partnership with AEM Performance Electronics as the exclusive supplier of ECUs to all competitors in TA2 and remain the presenting sponsor of the class.

Trans Am turned to AEM Performance Electronics to become the exclusive provider of ECUs for the Trans Am Series' TA2 class in 2016 to provide outstanding technology and control costs for the competitors. The initial 2016 agreement saw AEM arrive at the Trans Am paddock with a large to-do list, one that the California-based company was well-equipped to manage. The TA2 class should see close to 30 entries in the season-opening event at Sebring International Raceway on March 1-3.

Northern Radiator Signs Product Sponsorship With DIESEL Motorsports

Northern Radiator finalized an endorsed product sponsorship deal with DIESEL Motorsports during the PRI Show in Indianapolis, making the Willmar, Minnesota company the official Radiator and Inter-Cooler sponsor for all events of the 2019 DIESEL Motorsports season.

Northern Radiator is a distribution-based company, providing high-quality heating and cooling products and programs since 1971. DIESEL Motorsports, aka National Association of DIESEL Motorsports is the only SFI sanctioning body for diesel motor sports in drag racing, sled pulling, show-n-shine and dyno competitions.

Parker Chase to Join RENNtech Motorsports for SRO America Season Opener

Parker Chase

After winning the Pirelli World Challenge SprintX Pro/Am title in 2018, 18 year-old champion Parker Chase is returning to the series this week for the season opening event at Circuit of The Americas with RENNtech Motorsports. The season will kick off with a double header race event at the Austin circuit, where Chase, a Texas native, will share the driving duties of the No. 89 Mercedes-AMG GT4 with Reinhold Renger in Pirelli GT4 America‘s East Pro/Am class.

Chase’s invitation to drive for the team came less than a week before the first practice session, but the young champion aims to quickly get up to speed with the new team and new machinery. While the 2019 SRO America season is just getting started, Chase kicked off his 2019 race season with the Rolex 24 at Daytona, where he performed well during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener, before torrential downpour and hazardous track conditions ended the race early.

Teaming up with Parker Chase is veteran driver Reinhold Renger from Rothenburg, Germany. Reinhold is a long-time factory Mercedes-AMG driver and current Chief-Instructor of the AMG Driving Academy. He scored his biggest success at the 2008 24h-Nürburgring, scoring the win in his class. He is the current Blancpain GT Series Asia champion, which he won with the Mercedes-AMG GT4 as part of the Gruppe-M Team. At RENNtech Motorsports the speed and experience of Parker and Reinhold built a dynamic duo, ready to fight for the highest positions.

Champion Racing Oil to Host 2019 World of Outlaws Summer Nationals

Champion Oil announced its title sponsorship of the Williams Grove Summer Nationals Open sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, July 26–27 in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

The Champion Racing Oil Summer Nationals is an event with more than 50 years of history that includes the biggest names in motorsports competing at half-mile Williams Grove Speedway, one of dirt racing’s legendary venues.

The World of Outlaws, an international racing tour with superstar drivers, features incredibly powerful and fast 410ci winged sprint cars. The Champion Racing Oil National Open is a key part of the series championship that includes 94 race nights at 50 different tracks across 22 states and 3 Canadian provinces.

VP Racing Fuels’ Chris Wall Assumes Broadened Responsibilities

VP Racing Fuels, Inc. announced that Chris Wall will be assuming responsibilities for a broad portfolio of the company’s initiatives. In this newly created role, Wall will be overseeing VP’s Race Fuel Sales on the U.S. east coast, leading National Sponsorships, and leading OEM Relationships as Senior Director. Wall joined VP as Chief Marketing Officer in 2014, responsible for all marketing during a tremendous period of growth. More recently as Senior Director of Branded Retail, he had grown that division to close to 300 VP branded c-stores in less than two years. In the last year, he has spearheaded VP’s most recent retail expansions with VP Powerwash™ car wash systems and VP FastLubes™ oil change centers. Prior to joining VP, Wall held management positions with Porsche Cars North America, Pirelli Tire, and Yamaha Motor Corporation.

By Matt Kennedy

The "SEMA Industry Perspectives Report" is based on input from more than 800 specialty-automotive businesses.

How is your business feeling so far about 2019? A just-released report based on input from more than 800 specialty-automotive businesses found:

• 61% of specialty-equipment businesses surveyed experienced sales growth over the past year.
• 73% expect to see their sales increase in 2019. Manufacturers are particularly optimistic, with even very small businesses (<$2M in revenue) expecting both their company and the industry to keep growing this year.
• Most specialty-automotive parts are still sold in-store. On average, physical retail channels represent 65% of sales.
• Independent retail and direct-to-consumer sales represent the industry’s fastest-growing channels, with independent specialty retailer/installers accounting for one-fifth of part sales alone.

Want to learn more about the state of our industry? Interested in seeing current and projected product trends? Check out SEMA’s new “SEMA Industry Perspectives Report 2019” at www.sema.org/market-research.

If you haven’t already, also check out SEMA’s “Modern Muscle Car Accessorizers Report.” This new research shines a spotlight on people who own a modified late-model (2010 and newer) Mustang, Camaro or Challenger. The report gives an overview of how this key part of the specialty-automotive customer base goes about customizing their vehicle, their motivations and goals for doing so, and how your business can connect with them. The report is available for free at www.sema.org/market-research.

By Matt Kennedy

The "SEMA Industry Perspectives Report" is based on input from more than 800 specialty-automotive businesses.

How is your business feeling so far about 2019? A just-released report based on input from more than 800 specialty-automotive businesses found:

• 61% of specialty-equipment businesses surveyed experienced sales growth over the past year.
• 73% expect to see their sales increase in 2019. Manufacturers are particularly optimistic, with even very small businesses (<$2M in revenue) expecting both their company and the industry to keep growing this year.
• Most specialty-automotive parts are still sold in-store. On average, physical retail channels represent 65% of sales.
• Independent retail and direct-to-consumer sales represent the industry’s fastest-growing channels, with independent specialty retailer/installers accounting for one-fifth of part sales alone.

Want to learn more about the state of our industry? Interested in seeing current and projected product trends? Check out SEMA’s new “SEMA Industry Perspectives Report 2019” at www.sema.org/market-research.

If you haven’t already, also check out SEMA’s “Modern Muscle Car Accessorizers Report.” This new research shines a spotlight on people who own a modified late-model (2010 and newer) Mustang, Camaro or Challenger. The report gives an overview of how this key part of the specialty-automotive customer base goes about customizing their vehicle, their motivations and goals for doing so, and how your business can connect with them. The report is available for free at www.sema.org/market-research.

By SEMA Editors

Fisker Names Former U.S. Congressman, House Majority Leader as Advisor

Henrik Fisker (left) and Richard Gephardt at the 2019 North American International Auto Show.

Technology and e-mobility company Fisker Inc. officially announced its new working partnership with former U.S. Representative Richard (Dick) Gephardt. He has taken on the role of advisor to Fisker Inc.—advising on vehicle-manufacturing site selection in the United States and innovative labor contracts in line with both Fisker Inc. and Gephardt Group green initiatives

Gephardt, a former member of the board at Ford Motor Company, has been working with Fisker over the past five months as a key consultant as Fisker readies itself for significant industry announcements.

Fisker Inc. is planning to launch a range of electric vehicles engineered to be affordable, futuristic and segment leaders. Fisker Inc. is also developing several new technologies for the company's future EVs, including next generation Fisker solid-state battery technology.

Power Automedia Hires Art Michalik as Editorial Director

Art Michalik

Power Automedia announced that the company named Art Michalik as editorial director. Michalik joined the team in early 2019, and brings with him a wealth of knowledge that will benefit Power Automedia’s readers and magazines.

Michalik raced in the SCCA Formula Vee series in his early days and translated his passion into a professional career. Early in his career, Michalik worked as director of client services for Stewart Holt Advertising and was involved in managing many premium automotive brands including Brembo, Toyota Racing Development, PowerTrack, K&N and others.

Later, Michalik worked at both Yokohama and Bridgestone in a marketing capacity, served as the general manager of the Skip Barber Racing School at the legendary Laguna Seca road course in California, and also was employed as a senior marketing manager at eBay Motors.

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.