SEMA News—February 2023

INTERNET

Just My Style

AI Editors That Ensure a Business Writes in the Same Voice—and Stays Out of Trouble

By Joe Dysart

There are an increasing number of AI editors available to augment and even replace company style guides.

Businesses are increasingly turning to AI editors to help ensure their workers write in the same brand voice—and stay out of trouble when it comes to legal vulnerability.

“Without a consistent vocabulary and style, customer-facing content can be seen as unreliable and negatively impact your brand perception,” says Charlotte Baxter-Read, a marketing writer at Acrolinx (www.acrolinx.com).

Not surprisingly, many professional editors and writers bristle at the idea of having a piece of software dictate what they can and can’t write—and perhaps muzzling ideas they’d like to freely express.

But many lose those qualms when they learn that the AI editing software is mostly used to ensure that they—and anyone else writing at the firm—use company buzzwords and buzz phrases that are unique to their brand—and that they steer clear of inappropriate or trade-secret-revealing prose.

Moreover, many editors also come to appreciate AI editors after they realize that many offer the same suggestions for sticking to a company’s writing style as the old school, hard-copy style guides that they may already beseech company workers to use—often with little luck.

Basically, instead of asking workers to adhere to a standalone company writing style guide that they must manually consult when they’re unsure about approved buzzwords and buzz phrases to use, company editors can program all those guidelines into a customized AI editor.

These editors are designed to work in the background. Most can be programmed to edit as you write by offering a screen pop-up when a better word or phrase will do. Or they can be used to run a sweep of a finished piece of writing and point out words or phrases that need to be modified.

Even better: While the use of business writing style guides is often limited to people who work in marketing, many of the new AI style editors can be seamlessly integrated with every app used at a company.

That ensures anyone doing any kind of writing at the business—including people simply sending everyday emails—will be in the loop in terms of what works and what’s verboten when it comes to company style.

Bottom line: During the past few years, AI programmers have been working furiously to come up with both general-use writing style guides, as well as writing style guides specifically designed for company personnel working in finance, law, health and similar departments.

The following are a representative sampling of what’s out there right now:

AI Editors That Help Standardize Company Voice: These AI editors are especially appreciated by company marketing departments, who toil away to come up with buzzwords and buzz phrases that convey the company’s identity to the world. A key tool to check out in this space is Acrolinx (www.acrolinx.com).

AI Editors That Safeguard Workers Against Lawsuits or Revealing Company Secrets: LitLingo (www.litlingo.com) goes a step beyond AI company voice editors by also watching for employee writing that inadvertently negates marketing claims—or could otherwise get the business into legal hot water.

AI Editors for Use by Company Recruiters: Companies looking to ensure their job ads come off as inclusive and free of sexism, ageism and similar negatives tend to use these tools. A leader in this space is Textio (https://textio.com).

AI Editors for Use in Maximizing Search Engine Optimization: Company marketers have been trying for years to write web copy with the right keywords, keyphrases and other attributes that ensure their text appears high up in search engine returns. These tools can auto-generate a paragraph or so of SEO-optimized copy at a time, which you can tweak yourself to sound even better. Tools in this space include SEO Content Machine
(https://seocontentmachine.com), Scalenut (www.scalenut.com) and AISEO
(https://aiseo.ai).

AI Editors for Generating Snappy Marketing Copy: These tools are often used to auto-generate marketing slogans and short marketing copy. With Phrasee
(https://phrasee.co), for example, you feed a working slogan into the software and the tool automatically generates a number of alternate slogans. The software—by consulting its database—is also able to compare how each of its suggested slogans performed in similar campaigns conducted by businesses similar to yours. Another toolmaker working in this genre is Persado (www.persado.com).

AI Editors for Standardizing Company Contracts: This is a busy space right now, with a number of toolmakers offering software that uses templates to crank out standardized contracts—eliminating the need to write those contracts by hand. Tools and toolmakers to check out include CLM Essentials (www.docusign.com/blog/
automate-contract-management-process-clm-essentials), Cortical.io (www.cortical.io) and Woodpecker (www.woodpeckerweb.com).

For a rundown of 250 companies that offer automation software for your legal department—including automated contracts—check out Bam Legal (www.docautodatabase.com/database).

AI Editors for Summarizing Documents: Look for document summarizers to become standard with the most common wordprocessors. Google, for example, already offers document summary with Google Docs. Doc summarizers are also available from Language Weaver (www.rws.com/language-weaver) and H20.ai (https://h2o.ai).

AI Editors for Customizing Tone, Feel, Target Audience and More: These AI editors compete directly with the grammar and spelling checkers that come standard with Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

One of the most popular is Grammarly (www.grammarly.com), which goes beyond simple grammar and spell checking to offer a number of settings that help customize your writing for a specific audience.

With Grammarly, for example, you can change the software’s settings to solicit suggestions for a particular tone of writing.

You may also want to use Grammarly’s settings to ensure your writing sounds academic, for example, while other pieces can be tweaked by the AI editor to sound business-like, casual or creative.

Grammarly also enables users to tune its suggestions to create copy that either informs, describes, convinces or tells a story.

And still additional levers in the software trigger editing suggestions that help the resulting copy sound general, knowledgeable or expert in tone—as well as informal, neutral or formal.

There is a horde of Grammarly competitors, including ProWritingAid
(https://prowritingaid.com) Hemingway (https://hemingwayapp.com) and Wordvice AI (https://wordvice.ai).

An important caveat: While many are sometimes stunned at the capabilities of the various AI editors on the market, these tools are very much aids—and not replacements—for editors.

Essentially, AI is good, but human editors—with their much deeper grasp of nuance, writer intention and overall understanding of what is being said—are still best AI at ensuring every piece of copy that goes out the door is the best it can possibly be.

Joe Dysart is an internet speaker and business consultant based in Manhattan

646-233-4089

joe@customtechadvisor.com

www.dysartnewsfeatures.com

SEMA News—February 2023

INDUSTRY INSIDER

10 Questions for Dick Gust

By Douglas McColloch

When the subject of conversation turns to tires, few industry experts can speak with as much authority as Dick Gust. The current CEO of the Tire Industry Association (TIA), Gust started his decades-long career while still in college, and upon graduation was hired as a design engineer with Uniroyal. He subsequently spent time in a variety of managerial roles with Sears Roebuck, Lakin Environmental and Liberty Tire Recycling, where he served as director of government affairs. He has worked with a number of industry associations, including the National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association, American Retreaders Association and International Tire & Rubber Association. He has also served on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee.

For our annual tire and wheel issue, we spent some time with Gust to “talk tire.” What follows has been edited for clarity and length.

SEMA News: What’s your latest project? What are you working on these days?

Dick Gust: We’re working on gaining more membership, and we’re working on increasing our training programs that are our bread and butter. We really are a safety association, and it’s time that we updated a few of our training programs, so that’s our big push right now. To give two examples, we’re working on an earth-mover program, and we’re translating our commercial tire training materials into Spanish.

SN: What was your first job in the industry, and what did you learn from it?

DG: It was a summer job working at a Uniroyal tire plant in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to pay for my college. I was a tire builder, so I learned the business from the drum up. After I graduated, Uniroyal offered me a job in their product development department. So that job gave me the best background in knowing how a tire comes together.

SN: What has pleased you most about this industry during the time you’ve spent in it?

DG: I think it always comes down to the people. It’s a very close-knit industry. People may move around from one company to another, but their enthusiasm for tires always goes with them. I haven’t worked in other industries, but I know this one’s pretty special in terms of
camaraderie.

SN: Tire manufacturers are starting to look at domestic tire production using non-rubber agricultural products, such as dandelions, to address supply-chain and sustainability issues. What potential impact do you think this could have on the industry and on the
consumers?

DG: Manufacturers are looking long-term at less reliance on overseas rubber plantations and more on various sustainable products that they can incorporate domestically into the construction of a tire. When the materials don’t have to be transported overseas, that’s going to positively impact the supply chain, but certainly not in the next few years.

SN: The retread industry has faced challenges in recent years. What do they have to do to stay competitive?

DG: A lot of the retread companies have been purchased by major tire manufacturers, and they’re recognizing that it’s a great sustainable product. One of the challenges they’ve had, though, is with tires that are coming in from the Far Eastern countries—China, for example—and some of those tire casings are not suitable to be retreaded. Additionally, the price for a new tire in China is so inexpensive that it makes selling retreads into that market difficult. But I think over time this problem will work itself out.

SN: What’s your daily driver and what do you like best about it?

DG: I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I’ve owned four of them previously, and I just think it’s a terrific car.

SN: Let’s talk about electric vehicles (EVs) for a moment. They pose unique challenges on tires. How is the industry responding? And what can consumers expect down the road?

DG: We’ve created an electric-vehicle advisory council, and we’ve pulled together some experts within the industry to look at a lot of different things. EVs have a lot more weight than ICE vehicles, so from the tire perspective, tires for EVs are going to wear out faster. So, the manufacturers are looking at materials for these tires that make them longer-wearing and with better rolling resistance.

SN: As you mentioned, TIA is all about safety. Could you talk a bit about what you think the industry in general could do to improve safety protocols?

DG: Right now, we’re looking to emphasize the commercial tire industry a lot more. Many people who handle commercial truck tires don’t realize that it’s an OSHA requirement to be trained to do so. If you touch a commercial truck tire, you are required by OSHA to be trained. So we’re trying to aim our training programs more toward the commercial side of the business.

SN: If you went back to school, what would you study?

DG: I have a degree in chemistry, and at one point I thought about becoming a doctor. So I’d probably go back into some kind of medical field.

SN: When you’re away from work, where will you be, and what will you be doing?

DG: My wife and I are new to the East Coast now, so we spend time venturing out on weekends looking at historic sites in the Washington, D.C., area. We have a vast array of museums here, so you might find us at a museum on the weekend.

SEMA News—February 2023

FROM THE HILL

Rep. Brad Schneider Visits HP Tuners

By Eric Snyder

(From left) Keith Prociuk, HP Tuners’ CEO and co-owner; U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL); Andrew Mernone, HP Tuners’ COO; and Eric Snyder with SEMA.

What’s the secret to impacting policy in Washington? The answer is easy—get to know your lawmakers by inviting them to tour your business and meet your employees. Hosting your elected officials gives them a chance to learn about your business and see firsthand the products you produce and sell. HP Tuners in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, understands this principle, recently hosting U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL) for a tour, Q&A session with its employees, and a private meeting with HP Tuners’ executive management team.

Keith Prociuk, the CEO and co-owner of HP Tuners, founded the business in 2003 along with Co-Owner Chris Piastri, whose son Oscar will be driving for McLaren’s F1 team in 2023. For Keith, racing was and continues to be a passion, and co-founding HP Tuners proved to be a great way to help offset the costs associated with competing on the track.

HP Tuners designs and manufactures software and hardware tools for vehicle diagnostics, scanning, logging, calibration and data-acquisition purposes. The company’s products are used both for racing and helping to bring motor vehicles into emissions compliance (or to maintain emissions compliance). HP Tuners has grown considerably over the last 20 years and is known for offering some of the most powerful and user-friendly flash-tuning solutions on the market today.

While the business interests of HP Tuners keep Keith Prociuk extremely busy, he still finds time for the important things in life, family and racing. Keith competes in the Trans Am TA2 series, driving the No. 9 HP Tuners Chevrolet Camaro car for the Mike Cope Racing Enterprises team.

Given the federal government’s recent intervention into the automotive aftermarket and racing industry, HP Tuners has worked closely with SEMA on emissions compliance and has been a strong supporter of the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. After participating in a virtual meeting with Rep. Schneider in 2021, Andrew Mernone, COO at HP Tuners, extended an invitation to the congressman to visit the company’s headquarters in Buffalo Grove, which Rep. Schneider gladly accepted.

Rep. Schneider’s visit to HP Tuners provided the congressman an opportunity to see products being assembled and tested. As an engineer by training, the congressman enjoyed gaining a better understanding of how HP Tuners’ products help enthusiasts and racers gain better performance and efficiency. Rep. Schneider particularly enjoyed checking out Keith’s No. 9 Chevy Camaro race car and examining HP Tuners’ VCM Suite MPVI3 flash tuner, which is built for enthusiasts and professionals to run complete diagnostics, monitor vehicle performance, read from various vehicle control modules and more.

After touring the Buffalo Grove facility, Rep. Schneider addressed the company’s employees and took questions. The final stop was a meeting with HP Tuners management team and key employees where they discussed federal policy issues that impact the company. It was clear that Rep. Schneider came to the meeting prepared, as he had a clear understanding of the need to provide motorsports parts businesses with certainty and an assurance that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will not fine them for simply producing and selling products used exclusively on the track. The congressman informed HP Tuners’ senior leadership that he would support the RPM Act and officially joined the bill as a co-sponsor just days after the meeting.

“We were happy to welcome Congressman Brad Schneider to come take a tour of HP Tuners and share some insights with our employees,” said Prociuk. “Thank you to the congressman for visiting and engaging in a thoughtful dialogue about some of the most important issues facing the industry, including the RPM Act, the right to repair and modify vehicles, tax policy, and data protection/cyber security. We appreciate Rep. Schneider voicing his support for the RPM Act, which is so critically important to our company and racers like myself.”

Rep. Schneider represents Illinois’s 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which stretches from just north of Chicago up to the Wisconsin border. The congressman is currently serving in his fifth term in the House, where he is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, which is responsible for tax policy, and the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rep. Schneider has a bachelor’s in industrial engineering and a master’s in business administration from Northwestern University. Prior to being elected to Congress, Rep. Schneider spent more than 20 years in business and management consulting, helping both large and family-owned businesses address the challenges of a changing economy and plan for the future. His private-sector experience provided him a first-hand look at the challenges small businesses face when trying to hire new workers and grow their company, as well as the effect thriving small businesses can have on a community’s overall well-being. Rep. Schneider and his wife Juli, have been residents of Deerfield, Illinois, for almost 30 years, where they raised their two sons, Adam and Daniel.

For more on the RPM Act and how to host your federal lawmakers, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

Host Members of Congress at Your Business

Do you want Congress to pass bills that protect our automotive freedoms and enable the specialty automotive aftermarket to thrive? Do you wish that policymakers in Washington, D.C., understood our industry and the thousands of jobs that it creates in communities throughout the United States? If your answer to those questions is yes, now is the time to get involved with SEMA’s efforts to connect your business with members of Congress.

Whether in Washington or state capitals around the country, public policy battles are won by building relationships with lawmakers. The organizations that are most effective in shaping public policy are comprised of businesses and individuals who know their lawmakers. More importantly, their lawmakers know them.

Rep. Schneider and Keith Prociuk (right) stop to talk while touring HP Tuners’
warehouse.

SEMA members have been hosting members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate at their businesses for more than 20 years. Congressional site visits are an integral way for SEMA and its members to develop meaningful relationships with lawmakers. Visiting your business will help them understand and appreciate our industry so that they can advocate for policies that defend and grow it. If you would like to get to know your members of Congress, we stand ready to help and to make it easy for you and your team!

The first step in developing a relationship with your members of Congress is to introduce yourself and invite them to your business. SEMA staff will draft up an invitation, send it to your lawmakers, and coordinate with their staff to schedule the visit. Once the lawmaker is confirmed to visit your business, we will work with you to plan the event and manage day-of logistics in coordination with you and your company. Our government relations team is ready to do the heavy lifting!

Lastly, SEMA encourages its member companies to learn more about its Political Action Committee—SEMA PAC. By law, SEMA may not use association funds to contribute to federal candidates. However, SEMA PAC allows the administrative and executive employees of SEMA-member companies to contribute their personal funds to help elect lawmakers who support our industry’s positions and initiatives. Government rules require SEMA PAC to get each member company’s permission before it can ask their employees for support. It’s an easy process known as becoming prior approved, and it only takes seconds. To learn more or to become prior approved go to www.SEMApac.com or contact Christian Robinson at christianr@sema.org.

SEMA News—February 2023

HERITAGE

Ford-A-Dome

By Drew Hardin

Photography Courtesy: Al Paloczy, Petersen Publishing Company Archive

“Packed with husky new overheads, the typical street rods of today are high-tailed and handsome.” That’s how Hot Rod editors began a story in the November 1956 issue called “Now and Then,” contrasting rod-building trends of the past and present. This car, Dick Phillips’ ’49 Ford, was chosen to represent the “now” side of the coin.

The “new overheads” the editors referred to represented the latest trend in engine swaps. The venerable Flathead Ford had its day; hot rodders were dumping those engines for overhead-valve V8s from Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Chevrolet and the Chrysler Corporation. During these years, almost every issue of the magazine had a how-to story about an overhead-valve transplant. The new engines were going into all kinds of Fords and other cars as well, from Studebakers to Corvettes and even British sports cars like Jaguars and MGs.

In this case, Phillips (in the plaid shirt) transplanted a DeSoto Firedome Hemi into his coupe—and called it out with the “Ford-A-Dome” lettering on the radiator support. The bulky engine was, the editors admitted, a snug fit, and Phillips had to forego using a fan to make it work. The Hemi retained its stock bore and stroke, but Phillips hopped it up a bit by adapting a Cadillac air cleaner and a Rochester four-barrel carburetor to the DeSoto intake manifold. He also bumped the compression ratio by taking a 0.030-in. slice out of the cylinder heads. A Hayes clutch joined the engine to a ’54 Mercury transmission.

Other than the engine swap, Phillips’ Ford is a relatively mild custom. Much of the trim remains on the car, the grille and bumpers look unmolested, and the roof is at its stock height. It’s hard to tell from this angle, but the coupe had a bit of a rake front to back, achieved by the additional weight of the engine, the removal of a coil from each of the front springs, and big rear tires. The wide whites are dressed up with ’56 Plymouth hubcaps.

The caption for this photo described a liberal use of “chrome and bronze plating” in the Ford’s engine bay, “against blue enamel fender panels and firewall.” Note the tasteful pinstriping on the hood’s leading edge and around the grille and the Cadillac headlight buckets. Other photos shot on this day in August 1956 show the pinstriping continued over the front wheel arches and picked up again around the gas cap and onto the trunk lid. The interior was completely redone in black and white Naugahyde.

SEMA News—February 2023

FROM MIKE SPAGNOLA

SEMA Data Update: Harnessing the Power of the Internet

In its mission to help the industry succeed and prosper, SEMA invests in infrastructure that allows the industry to move forward. The SEMA Garage and SEMA Show are tangible examples. Another key infrastructure investment, less tangible but no less significant, exists primarily as a digital platform.

We’re referring to SEMA Data, originally conceived in 2010 as an affordable industry cooperative, a digital silo that would house manufacturer product data to be tapped by resellers. Over the past decade, as e-commerce gained steam, the original co-op grew and grew, ultimately evolving into the full-service resource that today serves as the primary B2B digital product information source for our industry.

A big step forward came in 2020 when SEMA Data acquired PartsHub, an easy-to-use, collaborative data management platform for manufacturers. PartsHub’s intuitive user interface is especially conducive to serving smaller manufacturers who might not have a specialized data management team in their workforce. For 2023, a priority is to continue to integrate the benefits of PartsHub with the existing Product Information Management System (PIMS) to deliver a singular experience to the manufacturer members.

Another task for the SEMA Data team is normalizing the product data to become consistent across the brands housed in the database today. The goal is to achieve search-ready product content, and the capability to not only display the product lines of the biggest and best-known manufacturers in our industry, but also hidden gems from smaller manufacturers who might not have been visible before.

While the product data specialists have been growing the product content, the software developers have also been in overdrive. That’s because transaction volume has accelerated exponentially since the new Reseller and Exports portal was released and SEMA Data e-commerce plug-ins went live. Not long ago, data exports to resellers might have amounted to 500,000 per year. Now they number in the millions. This automated data flow greatly speeds time to market for manufacturers, and allows retailers immediate access to the newest product launches. Currently, the SEMA Data plug-ins are available on three major e-commerce platforms—WooCommerce, Shopify and BigCommerce—helping companies quick-launch their data processes and online stores.

SEMA Data upgrades, although frequent, will never be finished, and for manufacturers, data excellence will always be a moving target. That’s because, as the marketplace and technology evolve, new categories of information become necessary. Just one example: With state and federal authorities taking a more aggressive stance when it comes to emissions enforcement, it is more important than ever for wholesalers and retailers to have an awareness of the parts that may expose them to EPA or CARB violations. SEMA Data worked closely with Auto Care and SEMA Garage to update the emissions status codes of any given part, so now resellers will be aware of emissions compliance status for any product.

Over the years, SEMA Data has developed resources to offer complete, affordable product data management for any business, large or small, and new features are always under development. Manufacturers who could use a little help creating or updating their data can tap into SEMA Data’s expert team of data specialists, who have experience creating the best electronic representation of any given product line. Visit www.semadata.org to stay current with new services and capabilities of SEMA Data as they’re launched.

 By Eric Snyder

What’s the secret to impacting policy in Washington? The answer is easy—get to know your lawmakers by inviting them to tour your business and meet your employees. Hosting your elected officials gives them a chance to learn about your business and see firsthand the products you produce and sell. HP Tuners in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, understands this principle, recently hosting U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL) for a tour, Q&A session with its employees, and a private meeting with HP Tuners’ executive management team.

(From left) Keith Prociuk, HP Tuners’ CEO and co-owner; U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL); Andrew Mernone, HP Tuners’ COO; and Eric Snyder with SEMA.

Keith Prociuk, the CEO and co-owner of HP Tuners, founded the business in 2003 along with Co-Owner Chris Piastri, whose son Oscar will be driving for McLaren’s F1 team in 2023. For Keith, racing was and continues to be a passion, and co-founding HP Tuners proved to be a great way to help offset the costs associated with competing on the track.

HP Tuners designs and manufactures software and hardware tools for vehicle diagnostics, scanning, logging, calibration and data-acquisition purposes. The company’s products are used both for racing and helping to bring motor vehicles into emissions compliance (or to maintain emissions compliance). HP Tuners has grown considerably over the last 20 years and is known for offering some of the most powerful and user-friendly flash-tuning solutions on the market today.

While the business interests of HP Tuners keep Keith Prociuk extremely busy, he still finds time for the important things in life, family and racing. Keith competes in the Trans Am TA2 series, driving the No. 9 HP Tuners Chevrolet Camaro car for the Mike Cope Racing Enterprises team.

Given the federal government’s recent intervention into the automotive aftermarket and racing industry, HP Tuners has worked closely with SEMA on emissions compliance and has been a strong supporter of the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. After participating in a virtual meeting with Rep. Schneider in 2021, Andrew Mernone, COO at HP Tuners, extended an invitation to the congressman to visit the company’s headquarters in Buffalo Grove, which Rep. Schneider gladly accepted.

Rep. Schneider’s visit to HP Tuners provided the congressman an opportunity to see products being assembled and tested. As an engineer by training, the congressman enjoyed gaining a better understanding of how HP Tuners’ products help enthusiasts and racers gain better performance and efficiency. Rep. Schneider particularly enjoyed checking out Keith’s No. 9 Chevy Camaro race car and examining HP Tuners’ VCM Suite MPVI3 flash tuner, which is built for enthusiasts and professionals to run complete diagnostics, monitor vehicle performance, read from various vehicle control modules and more.

After touring the Buffalo Grove facility, Rep. Schneider addressed the company’s employees and took questions. The final stop was a meeting with HP Tuners management team and key employees where they discussed federal policy issues that impact the company. It was clear that Rep. Schneider came to the meeting prepared, as he had a clear understanding of the need to provide motorsports parts businesses with certainty and an assurance that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will not fine them for simply producing and selling products used exclusively on the track. The congressman informed HP Tuners’ senior leadership that he would support the RPM Act and officially joined the bill as a co-sponsor just days after the meeting.

“We were happy to welcome Congressman Brad Schneider to come take a tour of HP Tuners and share some insights with our employees,” said Prociuk. “Thank you to the congressman for visiting and engaging in a thoughtful dialogue about some of the most important issues facing the industry, including the RPM Act, the right to repair and modify vehicles, tax policy, and data protection/cyber security. We appreciate Rep. Schneider voicing his support for the RPM Act, which is so critically important to our company and racers like myself.”

Rep. Schneider represents Illinois’s 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which stretches from just north of Chicago up to the Wisconsin border. The congressman is currently serving in his fifth term in the House, where he is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, which is responsible for tax policy, and the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rep. Schneider has a bachelor’s in industrial engineering and a master’s in business administration from Northwestern University. Prior to being elected to Congress, Rep. Schneider spent more than 20 years in business and management consulting, helping both large and family-owned businesses address the challenges of a changing economy and plan for the future. His private-sector experience provided him a first-hand look at the challenges small businesses face when trying to hire new workers and grow their company, as well as the effect thriving small businesses can have on a community’s overall well-being. Rep. Schneider and his wife Juli, have been residents of Deerfield, Illinois, for almost 30 years, where they raised their two sons, Adam and Daniel.

For more on the RPM Act and how to host your federal lawmakers, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

Host Members of Congress at Your Business

Do you want Congress to pass bills that protect our automotive freedoms and enable the specialty automotive aftermarket to thrive? Do you wish that policymakers in Washington, D.C., understood our industry and the thousands of jobs that it creates in communities throughout the United States? If your answer to those questions is yes, now is the time to get involved with SEMA’s efforts to connect your business with members of Congress.

Whether in Washington or state capitals around the country, public policy battles are won by building relationships with lawmakers. The organizations that are most effective in shaping public policy are comprised of businesses and individuals who know their lawmakers. More importantly, their lawmakers know them.

Rep. Schneider and Keith Prociuk (right) stop to talk while touring HP Tuners’
warehouse.

SEMA members have been hosting members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate at their businesses for more than 20 years. Congressional site visits are an integral way for SEMA and its members to develop meaningful relationships with lawmakers. Visiting your business will help them understand and appreciate our industry so that they can advocate for policies that defend and grow it. If you would like to get to know your members of Congress, we stand ready to help and to make it easy for you and your team!

The first step in developing a relationship with your members of Congress is to introduce yourself and invite them to your business. SEMA staff will draft up an invitation, send it to your lawmakers, and coordinate with their staff to schedule the visit. Once the lawmaker is confirmed to visit your business, we will work with you to plan the event and manage day-of logistics in coordination with you and your company. Our government relations team is ready to do the heavy lifting!

Lastly, SEMA encourages its member companies to learn more about its Political Action Committee—SEMA PAC. By law, SEMA may not use association funds to contribute to federal candidates. However, SEMA PAC allows the administrative and executive employees of SEMA-member companies to contribute their personal funds to help elect lawmakers who support our industry’s positions and initiatives. Government rules require SEMA PAC to get each member company’s permission before it can ask their employees for support. It’s an easy process known as becoming prior approved, and it only takes seconds. To learn more or to become prior approved go to www.SEMApac.com or contact Christian Robinson at christianr@sema.org.

This story was originally published on January 31, 2023. For more industry news, visit SEMANews.com and subscribe to SEMA News at the bottom of the webpage to get the latest updates straight to your inbox, twice a week.

Dayco Recruits Craig Frohock as New Aftermarket/Belt CEO

Dayco has announced that Craig Frohock has accepted the opportunity to join Dayco Aftermarket and Belts as its new CEO. Effective January 16 and reporting directly to the Board of Dayco, Frohock is responsible for the business unit’s global operational performance and strategic direction. For the past six years he has held several senior leadership roles with Tenneco. Most recently, he was the group vice president and general manager of the company’s OE ride-control business and prior to that he served as the group vice president and general manager of its Integrated supply-chain operations within the global aftermarket business. He also served as group vice president and general manager of the company’s aftermarket chassis business and the aftermarket sealing, engine and under-hood services business. Prior to joining Tenneco, his career included 19 years at Meritor Inc., where he held positions of increasing responsibilities, including leading the aftermarket business.

Autoshop Solutions Partners With Turnkey Marketing

Autoshop Solutions has partnered with Turnkey Marketing to offer a comprehensive marketing solution for all shops.

“Turnkey Marketing and Autoshop Solutions have partnered together to help auto-repair shops have a complete marketing strategy and excellent implementation,” stated Carrie-Lynn Rodenberg, founder of Turnkey Marketing. “We partnered with Autoshop Solutions because they are a leader in automotive aftermarket digital marketing and truly want what’s best for their clients.”

For more information, visit the Autoshop Solutions website.

Jeep Celebrates 20 Years as Exclusive Automotive Sponsor of the X Games 2023

The Jeep brand is celebrating its 20th year as the exclusive automotive partner of X Games Aspen 2023. Returning to Aspen's Buttermilk Mountain, the partnership will include broadcast, linear, social, digital and experiential extensions. Additionally, the Jeep Presents: X Games Aspen Best in Snow title, honoring one of the X Games top athletes, will be presented on Sunday, January 29.

“Our 20-year partnership with the X Games has provided an authentic venue for the Jeep brand to engage with sports and like-minded outdoor enthusiasts who share an uncompromising desire to seek adventure and blaze their own path, one that isn’t defined by boundaries,” said Jim Morrison, senior vice president and head of Jeep brand North America. “Fans will have the opportunity to interact with our electrified Jeep 4xe lineup on site of the highly anticipated winter event, including the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, and we look forward to again honoring the Best in Snow X Games athlete with our signature Jeep Golden Grille Award.”

The Jeep brand will have vehicles on site of the X Games. Attendees will be able to explore ’23 Jeep models at the Jeep Theater, start line, slopestyle course, corral and TV host set, including the Wrangler 4xe Rubicon, Gladiator Rubicon, Wrangler 4xe Willys, Grand Cherokee 4xe Trailhawk and Grand Cherokee 4xe Summit.

For additional information about the Jeep brand lineup, visit www.jeep.com.

VP Racing Launches Renewable Fuel

VP Racing Fuels Inc. has announced that it is accelerating its renewable fuel initiative with the launch of a new, renewable fuel, EcoGen. EcoGen is the renewable, non-alcohol alternative to ethanol and butanol-based fuels found at the pump. VP Racing has engineered high-octane renewable gasoline components incorporated into gasoline to help meet the increasing demand for higher-octane, cleaner-burning fuels. VP Racing now offers EcoGen as a high-octane blendstock for alcohol-free gasoline.

According to VP Racing Fuels, EcoGen from VP offers the following advantages:

• Improved fuel economy (higher energy content than standard pump gas).
• Great for marine use (low water affinity).
• Up to 10% renewable content.
• Reduced tailpipe pollutant emissions.
• Reduced carbon emissions.
• Friendly on fuel system components (no ethanol corrosion).

For more information about VP Racing Fuels and its products for racers, enthusiasts and general consumers, visit www.vpracingfuels.com.

Ford to Significantly Increase Production of Mustang Mach-E in 2023

With its new EV supply chain coming online, Ford is significantly increasing production of the Mustang Mach-E this year to help reduce customer wait times and to take advantage of streamlined costs to reduce prices across the board, making Mustang Mach-E more accessible to customers and keeping it competitive in the marketplace.

According to Ford, the production increase is a key part of the Ford+ Plan, underscoring the company’s commitment to lead the EV revolution by increasing the value of its EVs for customers, continuing to position Mustang Mach-E as an option for those looking for an electric SUV and growing market share. Ford already offers EV customers a fullsize truck, SUV and van, and has secured the batteries and raw material to scale production of all these models in 2023.

Almost all of Mustang Mach-E’s growth to date is incremental to the brand with two-thirds of Mustang Mach-E customers coming from competitor brands, according to Ford. The Mustang Mach-E was the No. 3 EV model in the United States in 2022 and the updated pricing is part of Ford's plan to keep the SUV competitive in a rapidly changing market, while strengthening Ford’s position as the No. 2 U.S. EV manufacturer as it continues to scale that part of the business. Visit www.ford.com for full range, pricing and specs on the electric Mustang Mach-E. 

Hagerty Launches Enthusiast Carbon Offset Program

Hagerty has officially launched ECO—a voluntary enthusiast carbon offset program to help motorists reduce the carbon footprint of their collectible cars, trucks and motorcycles. ECO is the first step in a holistic Hagerty Impact strategy designed to educate and empower enthusiasts to drive positive change across a range of social and environmental activities. Hagerty will lead the way, offsetting all emissions from its classic fleet and driving events. For 2022, this included the California Mille and Greenwich Concours Driving Tour.

“We believe the love of driving and the love of our planet can and must co-exist,” said Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty. “As part of our long-term environmental strategy, we are committed to helping automotive enthusiasts responsibly make a difference with simple and affordable steps such as this program.”

Worldwide, approximately 72% of people believe that protecting and restoring natural habitats would be a helpful solution in addressing climate change, according to an Edelman Trust Barometer 2022 special report on climate change.

“We have made a commitment to educate ourselves and our members on the best ways to improve their vehicles and driving habits to lessen the overall impact on the environment,” said Kory Felker, vice president of brand strategy at Hagerty. “At the same time, we will respect any of our members who are not ready to engage in these efforts.”

For more information about how the program works, visit the Hagerty website.

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.

SEMA Show management has announced that the 2023 Exhibitor Space Rental Agreement (ESRA) is now live.

The deadline to submit ESRAs and deposits is Monday April 3, 2023. SEMA Show Priority Space Selection is scheduled for Monday, May 1–May 17, 2023. Companies that reserve space by the deadline are eligible for the year’s early space selection, where exhibitors select their booth location at the Show.

The 2023 SEMA Show will take place October 31–November 3, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For complete Show information, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

For additional information about exhibiting at the SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com/exhibitor.

Chevrolet has debuted the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecar, a year before it makes its competition debut at the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Making its public debut at Daytona International Speedway ahead of last Saturday’s Rolex 24, the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is Chevrolet’s first racecar that fully meets FIA technical regulations for GT3 cars.

Design and development of the mid-engine Z06 GT3.R is a collaboration between GM’s Competition Motorsports Engineering division and Pratt Miller Engineering. With an eye specifically toward customer racing, the Z06 GT3.R will be eligible for multiple championships in North America and around the world with a high level of parts and technical support available for its customers.

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R will race for the first time as part of the GT Daytona (GTD) PRO category at the 2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona to open next year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“The Corvette Z06 GT3.R breaks new ground for Chevrolet and the Corvette Racing program,” said Mark Stielow, director, GM Motorsports Engineering Competition. “This customer-focused racecar leverages learnings from throughout Corvette Racing’s lengthy and successful history, plus the expertise of our Corvette production design, engineering and powertrain teams.”

The Z06 GT3.R begins its life as an aluminum chassis frame from Chevrolet’s Bowling Green Assembly plant in Kentucky. The frame provides a lightweight yet strong and durable underpinning for both Z06 and Z06 GT3.R. Once in Michigan at Pratt Miller, a purpose-built steel roll cage is welded onto a base plate, which is secured to the chassis.

A double-wishbone suspension at the front and rear promotes a higher level of adjustability and fitment of racing-specific tire sizes. This is the same front and rear suspension configuration as on the Z06 production vehicle.

The motorsports engineering team added race springs and dampers, competition-specific rotors, calipers and pads. The Z06 GT3.R rides on 18-in. front and rear wheels—the same as on the C8.R.

Advanced aerodynamic strategies also link the road-going Corvette and its GT3 counterpart. Motorsports engineers worked with the GM Design Studio to develop an aero package specific to the Z06 GT3.R to optimize levels of downforce, stability, drag reduction and cooling.

According to Chevrolet, the goal was to design a GT3-spec Corvette that is suitable across different tire specifications, balance-of-performance settings and other customer preferences while not sacrificing performance or drivability on a variety of tracks and racing surfaces.

In order to enhance performance of the Z06 and Z06 GT3.R, each uses similar carbon-fiber splitters which provide optimal downforce at the front of the vehicles. On the underside of the Z06 GT3.R, a new and purpose-designed carbon fiber diffuser routes air from the front of the car toward the rear in order to create an optimal level of overall stability.

The underbody aerodynamic devices work together in complementing the functionality of a new-for-2024 wing that aids in airflow at the rear of the Z06 GT3.R and the creation of downforce for enhanced cornering ability.

Intakes at the front of the Z06 GT3.R draw in air to cool the front brakes. A single, large opening on the hood—a new design philosophy from the C8.R—extracts out air after it moves over the radiator.

From the top of the windshield to the rear of the car, the surface elements of the Z06 stayed intact for the Z06 GT3.R, accentuating the tie between production and racing. Most notable are side air ducts behind the doors—directly inspired by Z06 production road car—that help to cool the engine, transaxle and rear brakes.

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R will feature a 5.5L, flat-plane crankshaft DOHC V8 engine derived from the production Z06. This engine began on-track development in 2019 with the initial testing of the C8.R, ahead of its use in the production Z06.

The LT6 engine for the GT3.R originates from the Performance Build Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the same line on which all production Corvette Z06 engines are built.

The 5.5L powerplant shares more than 70% of its parts with the production Z06 engine, including the crankshaft, connecting rods, cylinder heads, fuel injectors, coils, gaskets and a variety of other sensors.

Chevrolet and Pratt Miller have worked together to incorporate a number of features into the GT3.R, building on safety construction from the C8.R. The Z06 GT3 features a side-impact crash structure between the driver’s side door and roll cage. Pioneered in the C7.R, the box features an outer casing of carbon fiber and Kevlar, and is filled with an aluminum honeycomb construction. The GT3 Corvette’s integrated steel roll cage is slightly modified from the current racing Corvette to provide easier ingress and egress.

For 2024, Chevrolet and Corvette Racing will continue targeting key sports-car racing championships with North American and global entries. The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will see up to four Corvette Z06 GT3.R entries with a mix of GTD PRO and GTD teams starting with the 2024 Rolex 24.

Two Corvette chassis will be bound for FIA WEC in hopes of a double entry in the yet-to-be-named GT category, which would include the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Chevrolet Motorsports will also be evaluating opportunities to be represented in SRO Motorsports including SRO America and the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

Specific team announcements including drivers will be announced at a later date.

For more information, visit www.chevrolet.com.

SEMA News—March 2023

EVENTS

By SEMA News Editors

Observations From the 2022 PRI Show

Manufacturers and Buyers Share Their Takes on the Key Racing and Performance Trends Likely to Drive This Year’s Market

The recent PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis was among the most successful on record. The booths and aisles bustled with attendees eager to see the latest trends and business opportunities to be found in a fast-paced industry.

When it comes to the racing and performance category, there’s perhaps no better glimpse into the market’s top trends than the annual Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis. Billed as the three biggest business days in motorsports, the 2022 Show roared back to the Indiana Convention Center this past December 8–10, its aisles bustling with exhibitors and attendees eager to gain a competitive edge in 2023. For readers who may have missed the event, the following are some key PRI Trade Show takeaways.

Fire-Breathing Power

“As if there wasn’t already enough interest in Ford’s Godzilla engine platform, son of Godzilla will ensure the fire-breathing monster is in the forefront of aftermarket product development heading into the 2023 season,” wrote automotive journalist Mike Magda, reporting on the trends he picked up on for the February 2023 issue of PRI Magazine.

Expect to see Megazilla, Ford’s new 7.3L crate engine, high on racer wish lists. It will offer 615 hp and 640 lb.-ft. of peak torque.

Magda added that other priorities for performance and racing companies include improved fuel-delivery products to keep up with the ever-increasing demands of new power-adder engine combinations, as well as more use of sophisticated simulators to expedite driver development and preparation before races.

“With the horsepower level that we’re seeing these days, the racers need a real fuel system in the car,” confirmed Phillip VanBuskirk, national sales manager of Aeromotive, Lenexa, Kansas, which is developing high-performance fuel components for race cars and late-model production cars like the Ford Mustang. “We’re really stepping up the game for stock fuel tanks. They want a high-horsepower pump that can go into a stock tank, and they want brushless with a speed controller that can be tied to the ECU.”

“Driving simulators will be the wave of the future to help drive down costs,” promised David Smith driver for Shockwave Motorsports, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada, which manufactures race-car simulators suitable for NASCAR, ARCA, Trans-Am, late models and Sprint Car training. A typical setup includes body, roll cage, window net, dash, steering and seating similar to the desired race car. On-track realism is achieved through three 75-in. high-def TVs, fully programmable travel vibrations, adjustable torque steering and even in-helmet sound. “It’s one more tool for developing drivers,” added Smith.

Sharp-eyed Show observers also honed in on several more trends that race-equipment manufacturers say will be key to a successful 2023, and addressing high-horsepower demands is high among them. Transmissions will have to be more robust to handle the power that bigger turbos and superchargers will deliver. Hub dynos that measure that horsepower will be essential to some teams. Innovations that save time in the garage or pits will also be embraced, and even companies that simply help racers get the race cars from the shop to the track are promising more comfort and utility.

Increasingly, driving simulators are seen as the wave of the future as teams look for more cost-effective means to train drivers and hone their skills.

What’s more, if new-product releases are an indication of the most popular engine in the country right now, then many of those race trailers will have cars powered by the Ford Godzilla engine. And very soon, a more powerful relative will be on many wish lists.

Dubbed the Megazilla, the new 7.3L crate engine will offer 615 hp and 640 lb.-ft. of peak torque, with 500 lb.-ft. or more reportedly available from 2,500–6,000 rpm, Ford said. The original headliner, Ford’s Godzilla crate engine, is also 7.3L and is rated at 430 hp with 475 lb.-ft. of peak torque.

A sampling of other leading aftermarket companies reveals significant Godzilla development programs. In fact, companies are developing improved versions of every component in a fuel system, including fuel tanks, pumps, hoses, fittings, regulators, injectors, and carburetors—all to keep up with the power demands of the engine.

Meanwhile, demand for “late-model stuff,” including newer Ford and LS platform products, as well as lighter-weight billet parts, and even kits for big-wheel drag cars is expected to intensify in the coming year.

Manufacturers’ Assessments

Across the show floor, various manufacturing exhibitors also noted some interesting trends. “The big trend we’ve started to see as we exit the pandemic is that there’s still a lot of demand for Ford FE and early Chrysler product—the Cs and Ds,” said Bryan Barlow, Canadian sales manager for The Edelbrock Group, based in Olive Branch, Mississippi. “During the height of it all, everyone focused on getting their orders out on A and B movers. Along the way, a lot of C and D movers got depleted or discontinued. So we’re starting to see a big push right now as everyone’s getting caught up.”

Pleasantly unexpected, Edelbrock’s new VRS carb also continues to resonate with racers following its introduction last year, Barlow added. “About June we started to ship it, and we’re already overwhelmed with orders,” he said. “With the market shifting so greatly toward EFI, we were a little nervous on the introduction of a new carburetor, but carburetor sales have been through the roof.”

For the team at Valencia, California-based Air Flow Research and Scat Enterprises, flat-plane crankshafts that deliver “the sound and performance of the Ferraris and Lamborghinis” are expected to remain atop racers’ 2023 wish lists, according to Danny Cerny, inside sales lead, Scat Enterprises. However, “for strength and a lot of the drag racing and performance sports, it’s the billet crankshafts,” he noted. “While manufacturing and producing the billets, we are also expanding a lot of our lightweight forgings that hold up to the industry’s punishing demands.”

Cerny also predicted that, somewhat ironically, the push for vehicle electrification could bode well for his segment. “People are going to want to rebuild a lot of the modern vehicles because the mileage is going to be coming around,” he said, “and they’re not going to want to upgrade or go into an electric vehicle. So for us, it creates a whole new avenue in providing crankshafts, pistons, cylinder heads and connecting rods.”

From the viewpoint of Lakeville, Minnesota-based manufacturer QA1, buyers are eyeing rear suspensions for such classic trucks as the ’73–’79 Ford F-150, as well as full-handling kits for ’71–’76 Impalas/Caprices that are popular among Donk racers and other big-wheel enthusiasts.

Along with products designed for older vehicles, QA1 also is utilizing advanced technologies and materials to meet customer demand. “They’re looking at new things like our carbon-fiber driveshafts,” said Steve Smith, QA1 representative. “There are still some folks out there who just can’t believe that a carbon-fiber driveshaft can actually be stronger, lighter, and safer than any other driveshaft there is. They’re intrigued by things with innovation in the parts.”

Based in Glendale, Arizona, Pro EFI noted its wiring harnesses for the Ford Coyote engine as top attention-getters; at King Engine Bearings, meantime, much of the focus was on the company’s first-to-market Can-Am race bearings, which were displayed at PRI in a Brian Crower specially crafted Can-Am engine block.

Aside from the hard parts, other new and often unexpected business opportunities were found throughout the Show, as Edward Cooper, president of Nu-Ice Age, a dry-ice blasting operation in Jackson, Michigan, discovered at the Miles Ahead booth. Based in Carmel, Indiana, Miles Ahead brings turnkey open-wheel electric kart racing competitions to fundraising and company team-building events. And that presented Cooper with a potentially new application for his product.

“When [blasted] dry ice hits, there’s no water in it,” Cooper explained. “Tiny explosions take place that lift dirt off walls or off a vehicle. They’re perfectly cleaned off, without hurting the finish.”

This waterless technology could be an ideal solution for cleaning e-karts and their specialized components, he surmised. “It’s cold and takes the dirt down to the ground. You just sweep it up and you’re done,” he said. “We’ve been doing this, but we also race cars, so this is kind of what we’re looking to as a next step.”

Breakthroughs for Buyers

While many buyers arrived at the Show with a wide-ranging list of needs, they also learned of many new ideas and solutions they could tap into. Indianapolis-based racer Nick Taylor was among those examining the aforementioned QA1 setup for big-wheel vehicles. Although he doesn’t race Donks or big-wheel cars, “I do no-prep racing and we like long-travel suspensions,” he said. “So I’m trying to gauge how this [product] could work out for what we do, not just the application they’ve produced it for.”

Fellow attendee Ryne Moonshower, with Moon’s Fabrication in Fort Wayne, Indiana, agreed. “There’s crossover between a lot of different sports here,” he added. “New products for Circle Track may also be useful in another area like drag racing, and you would never know that unless you came to PRI. There were some circle track twin-tube shocks that really piqued our interest, even though we do drag racing and a lot of backtrack stuff.”

For many buyers, Machinery Row always ranks among the Show’s top attractions—and Daniel Adams, with CT Race Worx in Monroe, North Carolina, was on a mission there. A welder and fabricator specializing in side-by-sides and powersports vehicles, he was looking for new and upcoming welders, CNC tube benders, and air-driven and cordless power tools.

“Those are big things in our industry now, and every time I turn around [here], I’m finding something that I need and want,” he said. A seven-year veteran of the PRI Trade Show, Adams noted that Machinery Row consistently proves valuable to his business. “We’re able to increase production times and also the quality of our end products because we’re able to find the tools and equipment that help us produce better product in the end,” he said.

Tony Hatfield, owner of Modco Racing Engines in Joplin, Missouri, was in the market for CNC machines, and he found several by Howard, Pennsylvania-based Centroid that merited closer examination. Hatfield, who’s considering updating his equipment for cylinder heads and other engine-building tasks, noted improved efficiencies of the industry’s latest tooling; he was able to visualize the possibilities thanks to “hands-on” demonstrations provided by Centroid and others on Machinery Row.

“It’s more impressive to see it live than on paper,” he noted. “Seeing it in working mode tells us if it’s something we really need for where we want to be at. We get an idea of what’s new out there [and] make sure we’re not missing anything. The whole drive is to move forward.”

With motorsports broadening its appeal, especially among younger demographics, experts say the market for racing apparel, helmets, and safety gear is expected to continue expanding through at least 2026. Of course, comfort, lighter weight, and fire protection remain key factors for buyers, with manufacturers jockeying to differentiate themselves in the areas of quality, regulatory compliance, aesthetics and innovation.

Will Wattanwongkiri, owner of Chino, California-based WRTeknica, was examining helmets and other safety equipment by Scala Gear. Wattanwongkiri’s performance motorsports-oriented shop also fields TeamWWR, which has raced in NASA Super Touring, SRO GT4 World Challenge, and various other series.

“We resell, distribute, car build, support, transport—we’re a one-stop shop for customers with high-performance cars,” he said. “We’re here to buy helmets [and] also here to buy suspension parts and brake parts, wheels—just all kinds of things. Our business is focused on vehicle dynamics… We build a lot of race and track cars, and we’re focused on meeting all these vendors here.”

Like scores of other buyers flooding the aisles, Wattanwongkiri found it difficult to single out any one product trend that especially captured his attention. There were so many innovations across so many categories, making them impossible to list. However, he did agree with other attendees we spoke with that the relationships forged at the Show stood out.

“Coming to PRI, for me, is about connecting with all the motorsports industry people, a lot of whom I’ve been talking to on the phone and now am putting a face to the name,” he said. “There are also a lot of old industry friends [here] who we just don’t get to see often,” he added. “I’m meeting other people through my current connections and then also introducing new connections to them—it’s a really good networking opportunity.

Editor’s Note: This story is adapted from reporting by Mike Magda and Mike Imlay for the February 2023 issue of PRI Magazine.