The following message is from SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola

Dear SEMA Member:

A strong SEMA Board means wise leadership and an association that serves its members well.  As a member of the Association, we are currently seeking your recommendation of industry leaders to serve on the SEMA Board of Directors.

The following seats are open for this year’s election:

• Chairman-elect (one open seat)
• Distributor/Retailer (one open seat)

Please take a moment and tell us whom you would recommend as a potential nominee for a board member position by completing and submitting a nomination form. To help the vetting process, please include brief information about the nominee’s qualifications, such as background, experience and achievements that would make that nominee an outstanding board candidate.

Nominations for the SEMA Board of Directors are due on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. Please complete and submit the nomination form.

We urge you to take part in the nominations process—our industry has many individuals who would be an asset to the Board, but we need you to help bring them to the attention of the Nominating Committee.

Thank you for your attention to this important request.

Sincerely,

Mike Spagnola
SEMA President and CEO

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

Technical Service Associate
ProCharger

ProCharger is seeking a full-time technical performance representative with strong phone skills, automotive knowledge and understanding of high-performance motorsports. The primary responsibility of this position is to assist customers by answering their questions, taking orders and resolving technical issues promptly via the telephone and email. This position requires the ability and endurance to answer a high volume of calls while maintaining accuracy, good interpersonal skills and excellent telephone manners.  

Outside Sales Rep
Cognito Motorsports Inc.

Cognito Motorsports Inc. is hiring an outside sales rep responsible for new dealer acquisition, top-line sales production, relationship management and customer retention. The successful candidate will be an effective hunter and relationship builder capable of consistently adding new resellers to our existing book of business. Strong connections in the passenger truck and UTV upfitting dealer markets is preferred. At least 2–3 years of experience with executing on the full sales cycle for an established automotive aftermarket brand/distributor is required.

Creative and Design Manager
Edelbrock Group

Edelbrock Group is hiring a creative and design manager to oversee a team of creatives, collaborate with others inside and outside of marketing for project specifics, improve the quality of current design/graphics work and ensure all finished creative work is accurate, on brand and on time for the entire team. To be successful in this role, you must be a well-rounded creative expert who is skilled in all of aspects traditional and digital marketing design. You must have experience executing a diverse mix of creative projects from conception to production in a multi-brand environment.

By SEMA Editors

Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.

Compiled By SEMA Editors

Luke McMillin and Rob MacCachren teamed to rise above the rest in a field of 276 starters to win the overall and SCORE Trophy Truck title in the season-ending BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts. The international event was the season-finale of the four-race 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship.

Starting second physically on the road in the elapsed time race and splitting the driving in McMillin’s Big Blue M racing machine all-wheel-drive 4 Wheel Parts/BFGoodrich Tires No. 83 Chevy 1500, the duo worked their way to the front of the pack and finished the 828.25-mile race around the Northern Part of Mexico’s Baja peninsula in a penalty-free time of 16:37:46 with an average speed of 49.81 mph.

One of several ”super teams” competing in this race primarily because of the length of the course, Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee MacCachren stabled his aging two-wheel-drive thoroughbred when invited to join the Big Blue M race team again for this historic race and be McMillin’s second driver in the McMillin’s No. 83 McMilling Racing AWD Chevy 1500 built by Mason Motorsports.

Using McMillin’s No. 83 SCORE Trophy Truck, McMillin entered the race as the SCORE Trophy Truck overall point leader for 2022 and second in the SCORE Overall points. A third-generation desert racer, McMillin and MacCachren started second behind another ”super team” of Bryce Menzies and Luke McMillin’s cousin Andy McMillin. Last year, the McMillin family allowed MacCachren to be driver of record while driving in Luke’s truck and the pair won that race as well and MacCachren earned the SCORE Trophy Truck season point-championship.

This year, MacCachren started and stayed the course, with Luke McMillin taking over the wheel at race mile 394, they then battled Luke’s older brother Dan McMillin and Josh Daniel, passing Josh when he had a flat tire, never looking back the rest of the way to the checkered flag. Dan McMillin and Daniel finished second to give the McMillin Racing family their first one-two overall finish in a SCORE race.

With his victory, Luke McMillin also earned a U.S. $25,000 contingency bonus from long-time SCORE sponsor and race title sponsor BFGoodrich Tires, offered to the winner of this year’s race. The victory also marked the 33rd overall victory in this race for vehicles equipped with BFGoodrich Tires.

For complete results visit the SCORE International website.

Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League to Be Discontinued in 2023

Lucas Oil Products has decided to discontinue its ownership and operation of the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League following the conclusion of the 2022 season. Established in 2006, the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League has operated as one of the premier pulling organizations in the country, with 14 member state groups and 1,400 competitors across several different divisions. The Champions Tour and Silver Series comprised 13 classes of pulling action. The series officially wrapped at the 2022 Champions Tour Banquet held at the Hyatt Regency in Louisville, Kentucky, November 19. For more information, visit propulling.com or contact lucasoil@godriven360.com.

NASCAR Announces Launch of Brazil Sprint Race Series

NASCAR has announced the creation of the NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, the sanctioning body’s fourth international series and first in South America. The series, which will begin competition in 2023, is a partnership between NASCAR and the GT Sprint Race series in Brazil.

GT Sprint Race was founded in 2012 by Thiago Marques, a former standout stock car driver in Brazil, with the goal of balancing high levels of competition, performance and safety. The 2022 schedule included 18 sprint races over nine weekends at road courses across Brazil, including Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace (Interlagos) in São Paulo. The 2023 schedule will be released at a future date.

NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race joins the NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada) and NASCAR Whelen Euro Series as the fourth international series racing under the NASCAR banner. In 2023, NASCAR racing will take place in 12 different countries on three continents. For more information, visit nascar.com.

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

Mickey Thompson Names Heather Tausch Senior Director, Marketing

Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels has promoted Heather Tausch to senior director of marketing. She was formerly director of product management. In this new role, Tausch will lead Mickey Thompson’s product and marketing teams and oversee the strategy and execution of all product development and marketing activities to form holistic consumer-targeted go-to-market plans, a company release stated.

Since Tausch joined the company in 2020, Mickey Thompson has won four SEMA Best New Product awards over two consecutive years. She has extensive experience in various aftermarket segments, including MOMO Motorsports and Peak’s BlueDEF. Additionally, Tausch serves as both a select committee member of the SEMA Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) and as Mickey Thompson’s liaison as a PRI Founding Member.

Hemmings Names Evan Perkins Director, Digital Content

Hemmings has appointed Evan Perkins as director, digital content. Perkins has more than 10 years of experience in the automotive publishing industry, including roles as editor-in-chief of HOT ROD magazine, editor of Super Chevy magazine and editor of Fastest Street Car magazine. In addition, Perkins produced tech-driven SEO content for top-of-page search results for Race Winning Brands, and Holley as a content marketing manager.

Holley Names Brian Appelgate Interim COO

Holley has announced Brian Appelgate as the interim COO. He has advised Holley since 2018 as the head of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). As interim COO, Appelgate will be focused on driving near-term improvement in the end-to-end supply chain, manufacturing and engineering functional areas. As a performance automotive industry veteran, Appelgate has experience in branded enthusiast consumer products, manufacturing and distribution in private, private equity and public market environments. He has served on multiple boards in the industry and is a former SEMA chairman. Prior to advising Holley, he was president and CEO of Driven Performance Brands.

NGK Spark Plugs Adds Two to Its Leadership Team

NGK Spark Plugs has announced the appointment of two individuals to its leadership team. Megan McDonald, an NGK associate for more than 23 years, has been promoted to general manager of corporate planning. In this newly created role, she will be responsible for the execution of NGK’s critical business initiatives from planning through implementation, expediting NGK’s decision-making process, creating transparency and optimizing its risk management.

Alex Sanchez Salazar has joined the company as general manager of internal audit. In his new role, Salazar will be responsible for providing consult, audit and advisory services to effectively identify and address significant risks to the company across all business units. Sanchez Salazar joins NGK Spark Plugs with more than 30 years of experience in manufacturing finance and compliance.

eBay Bans Non-Emissions-Compliant Tuning Parts, Accessories

eBay has banned the sale of automotive tuning devices that defeat the factory emissions systems. The announcement was likely primarily due to policy and regulations implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA can charge eBay up to $4,819 for each non-compliant part sold through its site, according to published reports. Any product that may “bypass, defeat or render inoperative emissions-control systems” is not allowed either on its own or when combined with other hardware or software.

Prohibited components include, but are not limited to:

• Tuners, services, software or devices that modify the performance of vehicles, such as cars, trucks and off-road vehicles.
• Aftermarket standalone (non-OEM) electronic control unit (ECU), including full electronic fuel injection (EFI) conversion kits.
• Powertrain or exhaust parts intended for “race only” or “off-road only.”
• Active fuel management/dynamic fuel management or auto start-stop disablers.
• Blocking plates for emissions-control systems.
• Products that remove factory catalytic converters (CAT) or diesel particulate filters (DPF), selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF).
• Throttle-response controllers.
• Exhaust servo eliminators.
• Devices intended to bypass or reduce flow to oxygen sensors.

For more information, visit the eBay Emissions Control Defeat Devices Policy here.

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.

The first-gen VW Tiguan was introduced in 2007 and received a facelift in 2011. Similarly, the current, second-gen was launched in 2015 based on the MQB platform, with a facelift in 2020 with design changes and the addition of the eHybrid PHEV variant, plus a China-only coupe bodystyle. This means that a third-gen Tiguan should be introduced in 2024, which would allow it to be offered in ICE-powered, hybrid forms and a BEV variant. Spies in Austria caught the new model in an ICE-powered production guise.

Volkswagen has been focused on the ever-expanding ID. range of MEB-based electric vehicles, but it will likely keep updating the core models including the likes of the Polo, Golf, T-Roc and Tiguan for as long as possible. VW expects only 25% of its global sales to come from EVs by 2026, combined with the popularity of the aforementioned nameplates, so they will likely live for at least one more generation before the range becomes EV-only in the 2030s.

The pretty small-time window before the ICE ban in Europe and other markets means that we will be sticking with updated versions of current platforms since the automakers are investing heavily in EV-dedicated architectures. Volkswagen—alongside rival brands—will probably offer a fully electric version of the Tiguan even if this means they will have to electrify the evolution of the MQB Evo platform that could also be utilized by other brands of the VW Group, making it worth the investment. While the entry-level trims will likely be offered with mild-hybrid powertrains for a lower cost, the majority of the sales volume will likely consist of plug-in hybrids that will still cost less than the possible full-blown EV variants.

In terms of looks, the next Tiguan will inherit several design features from the ID. range of electric models, like the China-bound Lamando L fastback did quite recently. Those will include the full-width LED headlights and taillights, textured cover for the intakes and a more rounded approach in the surfacing. The new Tiguan will get a sportier and more aerodynamic shape with dynamic proportions and exterior dimensions similar to the current model.

Inside, big changes are expected with an even more tech-focused dashboard featuring a fully digital cockpit and an advanced head-up display, plus the latest ADAS and safety features from VW Group’s parts bin.

The production version of the C-SUV could be unveiled in 2024, before a rumoured market launch in 2025.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

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.

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

Production Development Engineer
AAM Competition LLC

AAM Competition LLC is hiring an experienced production development engineer. Candidates must have the ability to conceptualize, design and fabricate new aftermarket exhaust systems, intake systems, turbo kits and products using CAD software and shop equipment. The ability to tig weld thin-wall stainless and aluminum is essential.  

Motorsports Technician
Canepa

Canepa is seeking a motorsports technician who is quality-minded, hardworking and dedicated to providing the highest level of service in the industry. Applicants must have a broad knowledge base of all mechanical aspects of a vehicle, from suspension and brakes to engine and transmission, and be highly versatile with superior skills and produce work of the highest quality. Candidates should have exceptional diagnostic ability, along with race preparation experience.

Industrial Designer
Mile Marker Industries Inc.

Mile Marker Industries Inc. is hiring an industrial designer to assist in restyling/reconfiguring its current product. This candidate will also assist in styling and designing future products that are in process and being brought to market soon. A perfect fit for this role would be someone who is artistic, creative and conceptual, but also has a basic understanding of manufacturing processes and mechanical design. This position will work with the engineers to create high-quality products that feature both aesthetics and performance.

By SEMA Editors

Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA and more than 400 industry trade groups have called on Congress to intervene in an ongoing labor dispute that threatens to shut down rail shipments as soon as December 5.

Four unions have rejected a tentative contract reached in September and approved by eight other unions. If a strike occurs, an estimated $2 billion worth of daily shipments would be impacted, covering everything from auto parts to food, energy and other retail products, and commuter rail services. The unions and railroads have until December 9 to resolve differences before workers could strike or be locked out. However, railroads must safely reduce operations and secure their customers’ goods days in advance of a potential strike, which would halt shipments of chemicals, fertilizers, chlorine and some other essential products at least four days sooner.

SEMA joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, National Retail Federation and many other organizations in urging Congress to protect interstate commerce and America’s economic health. Our letter to congressional leadership notes that “No one wins when the railroads stop running...While a voluntary agreement with the four holdout unions is the best outcome, the risks to America’s economy and communities simply make a national rail strike unacceptable.” The groups called on lawmakers to take immediate steps to prevent a national rail strike and the certain economic destruction that would follow.

President Biden has also called on Congress to pass legislation immediately to adopt the tentative labor agreement. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said the House of Representatives would vote this week on a bill to adopt the tentative accord and send it to the Senate for ratification. Congress has intervened 18 times since 1926 in labor negotiations that threatened interstate commerce.

The proposed rail contract includes a 24% pay increase over five years, along with a $5,000 bonus, an added paid day off and no disruptions to current health care plans. The labor dispute centers on requests for more lenient attendance policies and upgraded sick leave policies, which the rail companies argue would require them to hire more staffers.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.