By the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

Responding to an active effort to convince President-elect Trump to retain the Biden-Harris Administration's tailpipe rules and forgo a key campaign promise to halt electric vehicle mandates, SEMA has urged the incoming administration to stay the course and reject widely unpopular electric vehicle mandates. 

SEMA's letter follows a New York Times report that several of the nation's largest automakers are requesting that President-elect Trump keep the Biden-Harris Administration tailpipe emissions policy that would eliminate consumers' vehicle choice by mandating electric vehicles. 

"It is disheartening to hear that some within the automotive industry are seeking to largely keep the Biden Administration's tailpipe rules in place," the letter says. "On behalf of SEMA's members, we support your stated goal of a 'Day 1' end to EV mandates. As you are well aware, such mandates stifle the innovation and ingenuity that makes our nation great.

"EV mandates are the antithesis to what drives America. Whether these mandates arrive in the form of tailpipe emissions standards that can only be achieved through the sale of EVs or waivers that enable some states to impose their own standards on other states (as is the case of California's standards that as many as 16 states can adopt), they all destroy consumers' freedom to choose what vehicles they want--or need--to drive. While EVs are a part of the solution for reducing carbon emissions for mobile sources, mandates rob our nation's innovators of the opportunity to develop new technologies and solutions that meaningfully reduce emissions in a way that doesn't hurt consumers and small automotive businesses. They harm our economy, threaten to stifle interstate commerce, and place millions of jobs at risk." 

Read the full letter here.  

By SEMA News Editors
 

Formula 1 Approves GM/Cadillac Entry for 2026

Formula 1 has announced that it has reached an agreement in principle with General Motors (GM) to bring GM/Cadillac as the 11th team to the Formula 1 grid in 2026. The automaker will also launch an F1 power unit by the end of the decade, GM said.

"Innovations created for Formula 1 will contribute to GM's push to drive the future of transportation, leveraging advanced electrification, powertrain, software and internal-combustion-engine technology for consumers around the globe," GM representatives said in a statement announcing the agreement. "Launching a Formula 1 team will also highlight the Cadillac brand to a diverse international audience, showcasing GM's technology and design capabilities."

Mario Andretti, the last American F1 Champion, will serve as a director on the team's board.

Since GM's bid to join F1 was announced in January 2023, Cadillac Formula 1 has assembled an experienced team to work on aerodynamics, chassis and component development, software, and vehicle dynamics simulation. The team has operations in Fishers, Indiana; Charlotte, North Carolina; Warren, Michigan; and Silverstone, England.

In addition to the Cadillac F1 partnership with GM, TWG Global owns and operates Andretti Global, Wayne Taylor Racing and Spire Motorsports.

For more information, visit formula1.com or gm.com.

KYB-Supported Lexus LX600 Wins Stock Full Size Class at Baja 1000

KYB, the Japanese shock and strut manufacturer with American operations based in Indiana, partnered with the JAOS off-road racing team to claim victory in the Stock Full Size Class at the 2024 Baja 1000 with the team's Lexus LX600.

The team completed the endurance race in 28 hours and 47 minutes.

Tomonori Noto completed the drive as an Ironman competitor, meaning no other driver took the helm of the vehicle during the race.

To read more about the manufacturer and team's joint effort, visit kyb.com.

WoO Releases 2025 Sprint Car Schedule

World Racing Group has released the 2025 schedule for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car series.

The 48th season in series history will include 41 tracks in 21 states, as well as its first trip to Canada in eight years.

On-track action for 2025 kicks off in February at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Florida, and concludes in November at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, North Carolina.

Additionally, Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wisconsin, will join the calendar in 2025, the lone new facility on the schedule. Ohsweken Speedway and Cornwall Motor Speedway also return to the schedule for the first time since 2017 and 2014 respectively, making up a three-race swing in Ontario, Canada.

For more information, including the full 2025 schedule, visit worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars.

By SEMA News Editors

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings nationwide. Below are a few of the latest postings, including the following SEMA/PRI job listing:
 

Performance Racing Industry (PRI) and SEMA
Associate Editor in Diamond Bar, California
This new hire will contribute to the content and production of PRI Magazine across all platforms, plus work within the editorial department and closely with the art department and sales team to efficiently produce industry-leading content, among other duties.

Renegade Racing Fuels & Oils (A Division of Valor, LLC)
National Sales and Marketing Director in Owensboro, Kentucky
This new hire will, among additional duties, establish new business, maintain existing sales and increase the company's market share by working closely with the distributor's key personnel.

AMS Performance
Mechanical Engineer in Batavia, Illinois
This new hire utilizes their mechanical aptitude to spearhead the creation of innovative high-performance vehicle components, spanning from intake filters to exhaust tips and everything in between. 

By the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

SEMA's government affairs team has recently received a number of inquiries about the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) decision not to exempt motorhomes from their Advanced Clean Trucks rule. The Advanced Clean Trucks rule would require all medium- and heavy-duty trucks to be zero-emissions vehicles by 2036.

SEMA has consistently opposed California's zero-emissions vehicle mandates in all forms, including filing a lawsuit against CARB's Advanced Clean Fleet rules in October. SEMA recently spoke with our counterparts at the RV Industry Association (RVIA) about CARB's Advanced Clean Trucks decision and how the organizations can better work together to oppose these eventual internal-combustion-engine bans. RVIA is continuing to hold its own discussions with CARB about a potential delay or exemption from the state's rule and recently shared this update with its membership.

SEMA has led the effort to pass legislation and resolutions in nine states over the past 18 months that support governments remaining technology-neutral when it comes to carbon emissions and vehicle technology. The "ban the [internal-combustion engine] bans" effort maintains that all forms of vehicle technology should remain on the table and that the government shouldn't mandate one form of vehicle technology over all others. SEMA, through its Driving Force Action SuperPAC, also implemented a successful voter education effort during this year's presidential and congressional campaigns, with a focus on ensuring voters in battleground states understand the impact of EV mandates on automotive aftermarket small businesses.

President-elect Donald Trump has committed to and prioritized a "Day 1" reversal of the federal EV mandates, as well as reversing California's internal-combustion-engine bans, should President Biden's Environmental Protection Agency approve those rules before President Biden leaves office.

By the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

SEMA's government affairs team has recently received a number of inquiries about the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) decision not to exempt motorhomes from their Advanced Clean Trucks rule. The Advanced Clean Trucks rule would require all medium- and heavy-duty trucks to be zero-emissions vehicles by 2036.

SEMA has consistently opposed California's zero-emissions vehicle mandates in all forms, including filing a lawsuit against CARB's Advanced Clean Fleet rules in October. SEMA recently spoke with our counterparts at the RV Industry Association (RVIA) about CARB's Advanced Clean Trucks decision and how the organizations can better work together to oppose these eventual internal-combustion-engine bans. RVIA is continuing to hold its own discussions with CARB about a potential delay or exemption from the state's rule and recently shared this update with its membership.

SEMA has led the effort to pass legislation and resolutions in nine states over the past 18 months that support governments remaining technology-neutral when it comes to carbon emissions and vehicle technology. The "ban the [internal-combustion engine] bans" effort maintains that all forms of vehicle technology should remain on the table and that the government shouldn't mandate one form of vehicle technology over all others. SEMA, through its Driving Force Action SuperPAC, also implemented a successful voter education effort during this year's presidential and congressional campaigns, with a focus on ensuring voters in battleground states understand the impact of EV mandates on automotive aftermarket small businesses.

President-elect Donald Trump has committed to and prioritized a "Day 1" reversal of the federal EV mandates, as well as reversing California's internal-combustion-engine bans, should President Biden's Environmental Protection Agency approve those rules before President Biden leaves office.

By the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

U.S. Representatives Bill Posey (R-FL) and Sanford Bishop (D-GA), the co-chairs of the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus, recently sent a letter (read the full letter HERE) to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requesting clarity on the agency's Combating Auto Retail Scams Trade Regulation Rule (CARS Rule) to ensure that it isn't used as a justification for auto dealers to limit customization options offered before the first point of sale.  

The CARS Rule is intended to provide more transparency to the process of buying and leasing cars and to stop deceptive and unfair practices that harm consumers, including bait-and-switch tactics, hidden charges, and other conduct. While the rule makes it illegal for auto dealers to charge customers for add-ons that don't provide a benefit, some dealers cite the CARS Rule as a reason they can't continue to offer legitimate add-ons offered by members of SEMA's Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) Council. 

The letter from Reps. Posey and Bishop requests that the FTC affirm that the rule does not prohibit dealerships from offering services that consumers demand, such as window tint, paint/underbody paint coating, replacing cloth with leather seat covers, paint protection film that scientifically reduces clear coat damage from rock chips, truck lifts, wheel and tire replacements, truck accessories, window tint that reduces ultraviolet (UV) rays, Tonneau Covers, spray-in bed liners, and remote starts.  

"Thank you to Representatives Posey and Bishop for seeking guidance from the FTC on this important matter," said Colby McLaughlin, President of Trim Illusion and Chair of SEMA's PRO Council. "It is critical that the FTC clarifies that the CARS Rule allows auto dealerships to continue to offer vehicle upgrades and customization offered by restylers. This letter from SEMA's allies in Congress is a testament to the association's advocacy efforts to protect our businesses and the future of the industry." 

Implementation of the CARS rule is currently delayed as the FTC awaits the outcome of a lawsuit before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals from the National Automobile Dealers Association. 

For additional information, contact Eric Snyder, SEMA's senior director of federal government affairs, at erics@sema.org.  

By the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

U.S. Representatives Bill Posey (R-FL) and Sanford Bishop (D-GA), the co-chairs of the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus, recently sent a letter (read the full letter HERE) to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requesting clarity on the agency's Combating Auto Retail Scams Trade Regulation Rule (CARS Rule) to ensure that it isn't used as a justification for auto dealers to limit customization options offered before the first point of sale.  

The CARS Rule is intended to provide more transparency to the process of buying and leasing cars and to stop deceptive and unfair practices that harm consumers, including bait-and-switch tactics, hidden charges, and other conduct. While the rule makes it illegal for auto dealers to charge customers for add-ons that don't provide a benefit, some dealers cite the CARS Rule as a reason they can't continue to offer legitimate add-ons offered by members of SEMA's Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) Council. 

The letter from Reps. Posey and Bishop requests that the FTC affirm that the rule does not prohibit dealerships from offering services that consumers demand, such as window tint, paint/underbody paint coating, replacing cloth with leather seat covers, paint protection film that scientifically reduces clear coat damage from rock chips, truck lifts, wheel and tire replacements, truck accessories, window tint that reduces ultraviolet (UV) rays, Tonneau Covers, spray-in bed liners, and remote starts.  

"Thank you to Representatives Posey and Bishop for seeking guidance from the FTC on this important matter," said Colby McLaughlin, President of Trim Illusion and Chair of SEMA's PRO Council. "It is critical that the FTC clarifies that the CARS Rule allows auto dealerships to continue to offer vehicle upgrades and customization offered by restylers. This letter from SEMA's allies in Congress is a testament to the association's advocacy efforts to protect our businesses and the future of the industry." 

Implementation of the CARS rule is currently delayed as the FTC awaits the outcome of a lawsuit before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals from the National Automobile Dealers Association. 

For additional information, contact Eric Snyder, SEMA's senior director of federal government affairs, at erics@sema.org.  

By the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

Victor Muñoz has joined SEMA as senior manager for state government affairs. Muñoz will support SEMA's state-based advocacy focus on the western United States, including California, where he will be based. 

Muñoz has built a significant resume in California politics, with more than a decade in government affairs and community engagement. He most recently managed government stakeholder relations for Southern California Edison. Before that, he led legislative efforts for Assemblymember Chris Holden in California's 41st district. 

"We're thrilled to welcome Victor Muñoz to SEMA's Government Affairs team," said Christian Robinson, SEMA's senior director for state government affairs. "Victor's extensive experience in government relations and deep understanding of legislative processes will be invaluable as we continue to advocate for the specialty automotive aftermarket industry. His expertise in navigating complex issues and building strong relationships will strengthen our efforts to protect and promote the interests of our members." 

In his new role, Muñoz will lead local engagement with state lawmakers in states west of the Mississippi River, including Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Muñoz will work to secure the enactment of laws and policies that support the automotive aftermarket industry's ability to bring innovative products to market, as well as support the issues that impact the nation's millions of automotive enthusiasts. 

"Our nation's rich car culture was engrained in me from a young age, having been born and raised near Route 66," Muñoz said. "I'm thrilled to bring my government affairs skills and experience to bear in support of the vibrant aftermarket industry whose products help Americans restore, repair and modify the vehicles that help them work and play. Automotive-aftermarket manufacturers, retailers, distributors and the ultimate consumer--car enthusiasts--deserve a voice in government that matches their passion and what they contribute to the United States economy. I'm excited to be part of these collaborative efforts." 

Muñoz, a proud Angeleno, holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government from California State Polytechnic University-Pomona. 

By the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

Victor Muñoz has joined SEMA as senior manager for state government affairs. Muñoz will support SEMA's state-based advocacy focus on the western United States, including California, where he will be based. 

Muñoz has built a significant resume in California politics, with more than a decade in government affairs and community engagement. He most recently managed government stakeholder relations for Southern California Edison. Before that, he led legislative efforts for Assemblymember Chris Holden in California's 41st district. 

"We're thrilled to welcome Victor Muñoz to SEMA's Government Affairs team," said Christian Robinson, SEMA's senior director for state government affairs. "Victor's extensive experience in government relations and deep understanding of legislative processes will be invaluable as we continue to advocate for the specialty automotive aftermarket industry. His expertise in navigating complex issues and building strong relationships will strengthen our efforts to protect and promote the interests of our members." 

In his new role, Muñoz will lead local engagement with state lawmakers in states west of the Mississippi River, including Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Muñoz will work to secure the enactment of laws and policies that support the automotive aftermarket industry's ability to bring innovative products to market, as well as support the issues that impact the nation's millions of automotive enthusiasts. 

"Our nation's rich car culture was engrained in me from a young age, having been born and raised near Route 66," Muñoz said. "I'm thrilled to bring my government affairs skills and experience to bear in support of the vibrant aftermarket industry whose products help Americans restore, repair and modify the vehicles that help them work and play. Automotive-aftermarket manufacturers, retailers, distributors and the ultimate consumer--car enthusiasts--deserve a voice in government that matches their passion and what they contribute to the United States economy. I'm excited to be part of these collaborative efforts." 

Muñoz, a proud Angeleno, holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government from California State Polytechnic University-Pomona. 

By SEMA News Editors

Hot Shot's Secret

Red Diamond Full Synthetic Motor Oil 5-Quart Container

Hot Shot's Secret is now offering its Red Diamond Ultimate fully synthetic passenger car motor oil in a five-quart, easy-pour container. The motor oil was introduced last June in five-, 55- and 330-gallon sizes in three viscosity weights: 0W-20, 5W-20 and 5W-30. Red Diamond is made from 100% Group III base oils and uses Hot Shot's Secret's proprietary FR3 friction reducer nano lubricant to improve performance, protect engine components, mileage and horsepower, the company said.

Releasing a new product? Contact editors@sema.org.