The ’13 Ford Explorer Sport is expected to achieve fuel economy of up to 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway and at least 350 hp.

Ford will add an EcoBoost 3.5L V-6 to the Explorer for the ’13 model year, resulting in projected fuel economy of up to 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, with at least 350 hp. With the new drivetrain, the ’13 Explorer Sport will be rated to tow up to 5,000 lbs.

The new EcoBoost powertrain gives the Explorer Sport a fuel economy advantage of 2 to 4 mpg compared to V-8-powered versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango and Land Rover Range Rover Sport.

Other upgrades will include a paddle-shift six-speed automatic transmission, electric power steering, larger standard brakes and terrain management settings for 4WD versions that adapt powertrain characteristics to cope with sand, snow, mud and for hill descent. A host of comfort and convenience features are available, including a power liftgate, dual-panel moonroof, remote start and power folding mirrors, just to name a few.

Explorer Sport is manufactured at Ford’s Chicago production facility. The ’13 model will arrive in dealerships later this year.

Shelby American to Introduce 1,100hp Shelby 1000 S/C
Shelby American will introduce its most powerful Shelby yet April 5 at the New York International Auto Show. Carroll Shelby started with a ’12 Ford Shelby GT500 and pumped up the handling, performance and braking. The Shelby 1000 will be offered in both a street and a Shelby 1000 S/C “off-road” track version. According to Shelby American, the street-legal, pump-gas version dyno’s out at approximately 950 hp, while the track-oriented S/C edition is rated at more than 1,100 hp. 

To build the car that Carroll Shelby envisioned, Shelby American takes Ford’s 5.4L V8 down to the block to add new rods, crank and pistons. The team flows the heads, upgrades the cooling and exhaust, replaces the supercharger, tunes it and then sprinkles it with a little Shelby magic.

To complement the new power, the Shelby 1000 has improved the handling and stopping capabilities with six pistons in front and four pistons in the rear, while the suspension includes new struts, sway bars and bushings. The new solid driveshaft is connected to a new 9-in. rear end. Exterior cues incorporate aerodynamics while maintaining a stealthy appearance. The hood, rear panel and splitter are functional pieces. Shelby American will accept orders once the Shelby 1000 is unveiled at the New York International Auto Show. More information on the vehicle will be available after April 5, 2012, at www.shelbyamerican.com.

GenRight Off-Road Donates $1,500 to Savethehammers.org
In a move that GenRight Off-Road refers to as doing its part to protect the Johnson Valley OHV area from the 29 Palms Marine Base Expansion, the company donated $1,500 to Savethehammers.org. Currently the Marines are looking to expand the 29 Palms Marine base west into the Johnson Valley OHV area. The Johnson Valley OHV area represents 50% of the area available for off-road recreation in California. More information is available at www.savethehammers.org.

Alpine's Jim O'Neill Announces Retirement
Alpine Electronics of America Inc. announced that Jim O’Neill, executive vice president of OEM and aftermarket sales and marketing, is retiring from the company. O’Neill also serves as the president of Alpine Electronics of Canada. His last day in the office will be March 30, 2012, after which he will support Alpine as an advisor and consultant. He has been an Alpine employee for 40 years. Steve Crawford, vice president and general manager of Alpine’s aftermarket business unit, will take on the additional duty of president for Alpine Electronics of Canada. “Jim O’Neill has had a major influence on Alpine’s entire business structure,” said Kazunobu Watanabe, president, Alpine Electronics of America, Inc.  “His wisdom and business acumen shaped the foundation of our OEM division, which remains a key part of our company.  We greatly appreciate his many years of dedication and service to Alpine.”

Kristen Wentzell Joins NHRA as Director of Advertising and Promotions
Kristen Wentzell has joined the NHRA as director of advertising and promotions. NHRA reports that her primary focus will be to increase ticket sales at national events through creative and innovative strategies designed to reach the core as well as a broader fan base. Wentzell will work in partnership with national event track owners and operators on all advertising and promotions for the 23-race NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

Goodguys to Honor Ed Pink and Ed Iskenderian as "Hot Rod Heroes"
Ed Pink and Ed Iskenderian will be honored as “Hot Rod Heroes” at the Goodguys 12th Meguiar’s Del Mar Nationals, March 30–April 1, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Pink, known worldwide as one of the premier engine builders in all racing platforms will have a booth on the midway showcasing Ed Pink Racing Engines as well as his red ’29 Ford Hiboy roadster, “Old Master” top fuel dragster and other Pink-powered hot rods. Iskenderian, better known as the “Camfather,” is still going strong at 90 years old. Isky’s iconic ’27 Ford hot rod roadster will be on display throughout the weekend.  

Both icons will be available for autographs and bench racing all three days. They will headline a special “Meet & Greet” with fans on Saturday, March 31, beginning at 11:30 a.m. inside the Mission Tower at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. For more information, visit www.good-guys.com.

RK Motors Charlotte Named Primary Sponsor on Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 55 Camry
RK Motors Charlotte will be the primary sponsor on Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 55 Toyota Camry this Sunday, April 1, during the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. Brian Vickers will pilot the No. 55 Toyota in his second race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. RK Motors Charlotte will not only be present on the race track, but also in Martinsville Speedway’s Midway. “This is the first time in history RK Motors Charlotte will be the primary sponsor of a NASCAR competitor,” said Joseph Carroll, RK Motors Charlotte’s president/CEO. “NASCAR is enjoyed by millions of passionate fans who love cars as much as we do. We want to connect with those fellow enthusiasts and share the NASCAR excitement with them this weekend through our sponsorship of Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 55 Toyota.”

Atlas Copco Compressors Appoints Tom Poot to Business Line Manager
Atlas Copco Compressors appointed Tom Poot as business line manager for oil-free products in the United States, a role he began during the first quarter of 2012. Poot joined the company in 1998 as a project engineer, and he was promoted to project leader within the same group in 2002 before serving as engineering manager, oil-free air from 2004–2008. He returned to Oil-Free Air marketing in 2008 as the product marketing manager for Atlas Copco's line of large Z compressors.

Publication Founders Reacquire RACER Magazine and Racer.com
Paul Pfanner and Bill Sparks have acquired RACER Magazine and Racer.com from Haymarket Media Inc. The purchase returns the magazine to its founding management team after 11 years of majority ownership by Haymarket. RACER celebrates its 20th anniversary in April with the release of the May issue. The acquisition also includes the company's custom publishing arm, which produces SportsCar magazine for the Sports Car Club of America and the Racer Special Projects Division, which creates collateral, advertising materials, publications, websites, custom content and editorial management solutions.

Carlisle Brake & Friction Announces Senior Leadership Changes
Carlisle Brake & Friction announced two organizational leadership changes. Chris Koch, president of Carlisle Brake & Friction since 2009, is assuming the newly created role of group president, diversified products, which consist of Carlisle Transportation Products, Carlisle Food Service and Carlisle Brake & Friction. Koch will work with the president of each of the businesses to ensure continued growth of Carlisle's revenues in these segments. Matt Dietrich was appointed president of Carlisle Brake & Friction as of March 1. Dietrich joined Carlisle in 2010 as vice president of sales and marketing after more than 20 years of significant commercial and managerial experience in other industrial businesses, including Timken and Ingersoll-Rand.

Resolutions have been introduced in the Hawaii House of Representatives urging the City and County of Honolulu to create a 10% vehicle registration credit for residents who drive limited miles in their vehicles, like rarely used hobby cars. The resolutions were introduced by Representative George Fontaine to offset the burden put on certain vehicle owners by increased registration fees. Under the resolutions, the credit would extend to any resident who is registering their vehicle and can provide their two most recent safety inspections (at least 11 months apart) showing that less than 3,000 miles were driven between the two inspections. 

More information on the resolutions is available. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

Resolutions have been introduced in the Hawaii House of Representatives urging the City and County of Honolulu to create a 10% vehicle registration credit for residents who drive limited miles in their vehicles, like rarely used hobby cars. The resolutions were introduced by Representative George Fontaine to offset the burden put on certain vehicle owners by increased registration fees. Under the resolutions, the credit would extend to any resident who is registering their vehicle and can provide their two most recent safety inspections (at least 11 months apart) showing that less than 3,000 miles were driven between the two inspections. 

More information on the resolutions is available. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA-supported legislation to create a registration class and special license plate for special interest motor vehicles was signed into law by Governor Dave Heineman. The new law authorizes owners of special interest motor vehicles to operate them on Nebraska’s roads displaying a single license plate on the rear of the vehicle. Under the new law, special interest motor vehicles are defined as those vehicles “of any age, which are being collected, preserved, restored or maintained by the owner as a leisure pursuit and not used for general transportation of persons or cargo.” 

Under a SEMA-drafted amendment, special interest motor vehicles may be driven on the public streets and roads for occasional transportation, public displays, parades and related pleasure or hobby activities. SEMA worked with the bill sponsor and staff to delete provisions in the original bill that would have required proof of membership in a recognized car club; forced owners to account for all daily driver vehicles owned or operated by the applicant; obligated owners to a sworn affidavit that the vehicle would not be used for daily transportation; and mandated that these vehicles be essentially unaltered from the original manufacturer’s specifications. 

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA-supported legislation to create a registration class and special license plate for special interest motor vehicles was signed into law by Governor Dave Heineman. The new law authorizes owners of special interest motor vehicles to operate them on Nebraska’s roads displaying a single license plate on the rear of the vehicle. Under the new law, special interest motor vehicles are defined as those vehicles “of any age, which are being collected, preserved, restored or maintained by the owner as a leisure pursuit and not used for general transportation of persons or cargo.” 

Under a SEMA-drafted amendment, special interest motor vehicles may be driven on the public streets and roads for occasional transportation, public displays, parades and related pleasure or hobby activities. SEMA worked with the bill sponsor and staff to delete provisions in the original bill that would have required proof of membership in a recognized car club; forced owners to account for all daily driver vehicles owned or operated by the applicant; obligated owners to a sworn affidavit that the vehicle would not be used for daily transportation; and mandated that these vehicles be essentially unaltered from the original manufacturer’s specifications. 

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

Congress has approved bipartisan legislation designed to remove regulatory barriers for companies going public and seeking to attract investors. The SEMA-supported “Jumpstart Our Business Startups” (JOBS) Act makes it easier for small companies to comply with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules when securing outside capital investment. Companies will be able to file initial public offerings (IPO) more quickly as regulations will be phased-in over a period of five years.

The legislation raises the threshold number of shareholders triggering SEC registration from 500 to 2,000 and increases the offering threshold from $5 million to $50 million in shares. Companies can raise capital using the Internet and social media so long as the website is registered with the SEC and investors are informed about a company’s financial condition and shareholder risks. Individual investments are limited to 5% of annual income for those earning less than $100,000 a year, and 10% above that amount. Companies with gross annual revenues of up to $1 billion can sell shares to the public while being exempted from some of the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. President Obama supports the legislation and intends to sign it into law.

For more information, please contact Dan Sadowski at dans@sema.org.

Congress has approved bipartisan legislation designed to remove regulatory barriers for companies going public and seeking to attract investors. The SEMA-supported “Jumpstart Our Business Startups” (JOBS) Act makes it easier for small companies to comply with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules when securing outside capital investment. Companies will be able to file initial public offerings (IPO) more quickly as regulations will be phased-in over a period of five years.

The legislation raises the threshold number of shareholders triggering SEC registration from 500 to 2,000 and increases the offering threshold from $5 million to $50 million in shares. Companies can raise capital using the Internet and social media so long as the website is registered with the SEC and investors are informed about a company’s financial condition and shareholder risks. Individual investments are limited to 5% of annual income for those earning less than $100,000 a year, and 10% above that amount. Companies with gross annual revenues of up to $1 billion can sell shares to the public while being exempted from some of the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. President Obama supports the legislation and intends to sign it into law.

For more information, please contact Dan Sadowski at dans@sema.org.

	More than 100 riders turned out for the first annual "Ruck Out" in Los Angeles last weekend.

On Saturday March 24, more than 100 heavily modified Honda Ruckus scooters stormed the streets of Los Angeles. The first annual "Ruck Out" departed the Illest boutique in downtown Los Angeles en route to Torrance. The ride took a quick stop at Honda headquarters before continuing to Alpinestars for the meet/show portion of the Ruck Out.

The 100+ crew arrived at Alpinestars, greeted by food trucks, vendor booths, a DJ and a raffle. Prizes included product courtesy of Honda, Alpinestars, GoPro, Bell Helmets, Illest and more. The final raffle prize for the day was 2011 Moto GP champion Casey Stoner’s Ruckus pit bike. Some of the top Ruckuses in attendance were awarded prizes as well, with the top honor, “Best of Show,” going to Rucksters slammed, stretched, chopper-influenced and turbo charged “GFO Ruckus.”

The event was a joint effort between Alpinestars, Cycle World, Honda and Fatlace. Also involved were some of the Ruckus culture's most influential players, tuners and shops, such as Bowls LA, Standard Functions and Rucksters.

Legislation (H.B. 5405) to increase the age requirement for vehicles eligible for registration as “antique, rare or special-interest motor vehicles” was approved by the Connecticut Joint Committee on Planning and Development by a narrow 10–9 vote. Under the bill, vehicles seeking registration as antique, rare or special-interest motor vehicles would be required to be at least 30 years old. Currently, vehicles 20 years old or older are eligible for this status and special license plates. 

For the purpose of property taxes, the bill also increases the maximum assessment of these vehicles from $500 to $2,000. The bill will now be sent to the Connecticut House of Representatives for a vote by all members.   

More information about this bill is available. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.