ARMO has sponsored two derby cars built by the kids of Childhelp, which will be raced at the second annual SEMA Pinewood Drag Race.

SEMA's Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) has proven its readiness to get involved in a cause that serves kids in need and unites the specialty-equipment industry for an all-around good time by sponsoring two derby cars as part of the second annual SEMA Pinewood Drag Race, sponsored by eBay Motors.

The cars will be raced at the event, which benefits children’s charities Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp. Childhelp is an organization that assists abused and neglected children, and Victory Junction Gang Camp provides life-changing camping experiences to disabled and chronically ill children.

"ARMO is proud to support the efforts of the Pinewood Derby competition," said Laura Bergan, chair-elect of ARMO. "Our Select Committee members have all chipped in together."

Approximately $40,000 was raised last year for the two charities. Stock cars were built by children at their camps and then sponsored by SEMA-member companies through their donations to the charities. Each of the 156 cars built were sponsored.

"We've purchased two cars, and even though we have many talented car builders among our membership, we've opted to let the kids have some fun by building and designing our cars," said Bergan. "After all, that's what this event is about—helping the kids!"

This year, about 250 cars will be built at both the Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp facilities. SEMA-member companies can help build cars at the Childhelp Village in Beaumont, California, on Saturday, May 16, 2009, from 9:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Similar to the previous year, a team of SEMA-member volunteers and Pinewood Committee members will lend their expertise to the children. Ryan Friedlinghaus from West Coast Customs along with his staff will also be attending.

To volunteer, contact Mike Spagnola at mike@streetsceneeq.com, or Gregory Parker at 615/746-8765 or at gp@gregoryparker.com.

Members that sponsor a child’s car will be the team owner and will race it under the child’s name. To sponsor a child, visit www.sema.org/derby.

The Pinewood Drag Race will be held 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. on August 1, 2009, at the Pasadena Convention Center. It will be followed by the SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser, where the 2009 SEMA Hall of Fame inductees will be announced.

For questions about the Pinewood Drag Race and the SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser, contact Lisa Moreno at 909/396-0289, ext. 105 or lisam@sema.org.

Del Austin, new sales director at Egge Machine Co.

Egge Machine Co. Inc. hired Del Austin as its new sales director. Austin has owned both jobber stores and machine shops and is a hands-on enthusiast. “I have known the Egge Machine Company for years, first, as a customer and more recently as an account for advertising sales. It is a great company with a vast history, and I am looking forward to working with the company and the great people there,” said Austin. He will be responsible for increasing outside sales and managing the Egge sales staff.

The Ohio Technical College was awarded the top prize—$10,000 worth of Chicago Pneumatic tools—in the 2nd annual Tomorrow’s Technician/Chicago Pneumatic competition. Tomorrow’s Technician magazine, produced by Babcox Publications, and Chicago Pneumatic created the contest to recognize top technical colleges with training programs that prepare students for real-world careers.

The Ohio Technical College was awarded the top prize in the 2nd annual Tomorrow’s Technician/Chicago Pneumatic competition.

Pilot Automotive opened its first East Coast distribution center. The company currently operates several sales offices in the eastern United States and five distribution centers in California. According to Pilot COO Mitch Williams, “Freight and time are both limiting factors for a West Coast company in serving the customers in the east as quickly and as cost effectively as possible, especially for certain types of products.” Pilot decided to locate selected products closer to the customers as a part of its ongoing Continual Improvement Initiative. Williams added, “We already have about 400,000 sq. ft. in California so this was a good time to add space in the eastern United States. This is an economy where you have to work harder and smarter to get the business, and we are very excited about the growth opportunities that this facility represents for us.”

Well-known street-rod builder Leonard Lopez of Dominator Street Rods will display several creations at WyoTech Sacramento’s 5th Annual Car Show on May 16. Lopez, who was recently honored at the 2009 San Francisco Rod, Custom and Motorcycle Show as “Trendsetter of the Year,” will sign autographs and address the crowd.

All-American off-road racer Rob MacCachren has committed his Rockstar Energy Racing team to compete in the new Traxxas TORC Series. MacCachren will drive his Dave Clark-built no. 11 Rockstar Energy Ford in the Pro 2WD division in the new short-course series.

Members of the MCA’s “Pay It Forward” restoration team gather at the Mustang 45th Anniversary Celebration.

Kicker Performance Audio will donate about $1,500 of gear toward the Mustang Makeover project—a special project of the Mustang Club of America (MCA) in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the Mustang and Drake Automotive Group's 30th anniversary. MCA club Mustangs of East Texas and the "Pay it Forward" restoration team will start with a '66 Ford Mustang convertible project car and $10,000 in parts donated by Drake Automotive Group (www.drakeautomotivegroup.org). The club will finish with a completely restored Mustang that will be displayed in the Drake Automotive Group booth during the 2009 SEMA Show this November and later sold at auction. Proceeds from the sale of the car will benefit the charity selected by the winning MCA club.

DuPont announced a five-year extension to its agreement to serve as a major corporate sponsor of the Collision Repair Technology Program at Pennsylvania College (Penn College) of Technology. Under the renewed agreement, DuPont will donate liquid coatings and its patented technology Color Proofing system for instructional use in Penn College’s collision repair labs. DuPont also will upgrade the school’s computer and mixing room equipment and provide training for faculty members. Penn College will display the DuPont logo in the collision repair laboratory and in the Parkes Automotive Technology Center.

The deadline to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22.

Exhibitors at the 2009 SEMA Show will receive valuable rewards and have access to first-ever offers, including guaranteed leads, added seniority points, discount exhibitor packages and unprecedented financing options. Taking place Tuesday–Friday, November 3–6, 2009, in Las Vegas, the SEMA Show is a trade-only event where the automotive industry goes to see the newest products and discover the hottest customizing trends.

Organizers introduced these programs and packages to reassure exhibitors that the upcoming event is on track to deliver high-quality buyers and that it remains the best place to connect with the industry.

“Exhibitors continue to tell us how valuable it is for them to be at the SEMA Show,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “These promotions help make it more affordable and give companies peace of mind in knowing that they will continue to get the best value and return on their investment at the SEMA Show.”

With six months to go before Show time, more than 1,100 companies have already signed up to exhibit at the 2009 SEMA Show.

“Based on the preliminary numbers, we are extremely pleased with the outlook for the upcoming SEMA Show,” said MacGillivray.

As in previous years, exhibitors will be able to reserve booth space up until the event arrives in November. The deadline date to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22. These companies will be able to secure the best booth locations. The Priority Booth Selection Process begins on Tuesday, June 16.

See a complete list of exhibitor programs at SEMAshow.com. To learn about exhibiting at the 2009 SEMA Show, contact ConvExx Show Management at sema-exhibit@convexx.com or 702/450-7662, ext. 120.

The deadline to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22.

Exhibitors at the 2009 SEMA Show will receive valuable rewards and have access to first-ever offers, including guaranteed leads, added seniority points, discount exhibitor packages and unprecedented financing options. Taking place Tuesday–Friday, November 3–6, 2009, in Las Vegas, the SEMA Show is a trade-only event where the automotive industry goes to see the newest products and discover the hottest customizing trends.

Organizers introduced these programs and packages to reassure exhibitors that the upcoming event is on track to deliver high-quality buyers and that it remains the best place to connect with the industry.

“Exhibitors continue to tell us how valuable it is for them to be at the SEMA Show,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “These promotions help make it more affordable and give companies peace of mind in knowing that they will continue to get the best value and return on their investment at the SEMA Show.”

With six months to go before Show time, more than 1,100 companies have already signed up to exhibit at the 2009 SEMA Show.

“Based on the preliminary numbers, we are extremely pleased with the outlook for the upcoming SEMA Show,” said MacGillivray.

As in previous years, exhibitors will be able to reserve booth space up until the event arrives in November. The deadline date to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22. These companies will be able to secure the best booth locations. The Priority Booth Selection Process begins on Tuesday, June 16.

See a complete list of exhibitor programs at SEMAshow.com. To learn about exhibiting at the 2009 SEMA Show, contact ConvExx Show Management at sema-exhibit@convexx.com or 702/450-7662, ext. 120.

The deadline to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22.

Exhibitors at the 2009 SEMA Show will receive valuable rewards and have access to first-ever offers, including guaranteed leads, added seniority points, discount exhibitor packages and unprecedented financing options. Taking place Tuesday–Friday, November 3–6, 2009, in Las Vegas, the SEMA Show is a trade-only event where the automotive industry goes to see the newest products and discover the hottest customizing trends.

Organizers introduced these programs and packages to reassure exhibitors that the upcoming event is on track to deliver high-quality buyers and that it remains the best place to connect with the industry.

“Exhibitors continue to tell us how valuable it is for them to be at the SEMA Show,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “These promotions help make it more affordable and give companies peace of mind in knowing that they will continue to get the best value and return on their investment at the SEMA Show.”

With six months to go before Show time, more than 1,100 companies have already signed up to exhibit at the 2009 SEMA Show.

“Based on the preliminary numbers, we are extremely pleased with the outlook for the upcoming SEMA Show,” said MacGillivray.

As in previous years, exhibitors will be able to reserve booth space up until the event arrives in November. The deadline date to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22. These companies will be able to secure the best booth locations. The Priority Booth Selection Process begins on Tuesday, June 16.

See a complete list of exhibitor programs at SEMAshow.com. To learn about exhibiting at the 2009 SEMA Show, contact ConvExx Show Management at sema-exhibit@convexx.com or 702/450-7662, ext. 120.

The deadline to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22.

Exhibitors at the 2009 SEMA Show will receive valuable rewards and have access to first-ever offers, including guaranteed leads, added seniority points, discount exhibitor packages and unprecedented financing options. Taking place Tuesday–Friday, November 3–6, 2009, in Las Vegas, the SEMA Show is a trade-only event where the automotive industry goes to see the newest products and discover the hottest customizing trends.

Organizers introduced these programs and packages to reassure exhibitors that the upcoming event is on track to deliver high-quality buyers and that it remains the best place to connect with the industry.

“Exhibitors continue to tell us how valuable it is for them to be at the SEMA Show,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “These promotions help make it more affordable and give companies peace of mind in knowing that they will continue to get the best value and return on their investment at the SEMA Show.”

With six months to go before Show time, more than 1,100 companies have already signed up to exhibit at the 2009 SEMA Show.

“Based on the preliminary numbers, we are extremely pleased with the outlook for the upcoming SEMA Show,” said MacGillivray.

As in previous years, exhibitors will be able to reserve booth space up until the event arrives in November. The deadline date to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22. These companies will be able to secure the best booth locations. The Priority Booth Selection Process begins on Tuesday, June 16.

See a complete list of exhibitor programs at SEMAshow.com. To learn about exhibiting at the 2009 SEMA Show, contact ConvExx Show Management at sema-exhibit@convexx.com or 702/450-7662, ext. 120.

The deadline to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22.

Exhibitors at the 2009 SEMA Show will receive valuable rewards and have access to first-ever offers, including guaranteed leads, added seniority points, discount exhibitor packages and unprecedented financing options. Taking place Tuesday–Friday, November 3–6, 2009, in Las Vegas, the SEMA Show is a trade-only event where the automotive industry goes to see the newest products and discover the hottest customizing trends.

Organizers introduced these programs and packages to reassure exhibitors that the upcoming event is on track to deliver high-quality buyers and that it remains the best place to connect with the industry.

“Exhibitors continue to tell us how valuable it is for them to be at the SEMA Show,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “These promotions help make it more affordable and give companies peace of mind in knowing that they will continue to get the best value and return on their investment at the SEMA Show.”

With six months to go before Show time, more than 1,100 companies have already signed up to exhibit at the 2009 SEMA Show.

“Based on the preliminary numbers, we are extremely pleased with the outlook for the upcoming SEMA Show,” said MacGillivray.

As in previous years, exhibitors will be able to reserve booth space up until the event arrives in November. The deadline date to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22. These companies will be able to secure the best booth locations. The Priority Booth Selection Process begins on Tuesday, June 16.

See a complete list of exhibitor programs at SEMAshow.com. To learn about exhibiting at the 2009 SEMA Show, contact ConvExx Show Management at sema-exhibit@convexx.com or 702/450-7662, ext. 120.

The deadline to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22.

Exhibitors at the 2009 SEMA Show will receive valuable rewards and have access to first-ever offers, including guaranteed leads, added seniority points, discount exhibitor packages and unprecedented financing options. Taking place Tuesday–Friday, November 3–6, 2009, in Las Vegas, the SEMA Show is a trade-only event where the automotive industry goes to see the newest products and discover the hottest customizing trends.

Organizers introduced these programs and packages to reassure exhibitors that the upcoming event is on track to deliver high-quality buyers and that it remains the best place to connect with the industry.

“Exhibitors continue to tell us how valuable it is for them to be at the SEMA Show,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “These promotions help make it more affordable and give companies peace of mind in knowing that they will continue to get the best value and return on their investment at the SEMA Show.”

With six months to go before Show time, more than 1,100 companies have already signed up to exhibit at the 2009 SEMA Show.

“Based on the preliminary numbers, we are extremely pleased with the outlook for the upcoming SEMA Show,” said MacGillivray.

As in previous years, exhibitors will be able to reserve booth space up until the event arrives in November. The deadline date to participate in the Priority Booth Selection Process is Friday, May 22. These companies will be able to secure the best booth locations. The Priority Booth Selection Process begins on Tuesday, June 16.

See a complete list of exhibitor programs at SEMAshow.com. To learn about exhibiting at the 2009 SEMA Show, contact ConvExx Show Management at sema-exhibit@convexx.com or 702/450-7662, ext. 120.