From left to right: Fred Williams, National Street Rod Association; Stan Goodwin, Wyoming Street Rod Association; Representative Pat Childers; Governor Dave Freudenthal; Representative Stan Blake; Representative Mike Gilmore.

SEMA-model legislation to create a vehicle registration classification for street rods and custom vehicles and provide for special license plates for these vehicles was approved by the Wyoming Legislature and signed into law by Governor Dave Freudenthal. The new law defines a street rod as an altered vehicle manufactured before 1949 and a custom as an altered vehicle at least 25 years old and manufactured after 1948.

The law allows kit cars and replica vehicles to be assigned a certificate of title bearing the same model-year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble. For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

NEW GIG: Justin Wilson, who won one IndyCar Series race for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing last year, has landed a drive for Dale Coyne Racing this year. He will work with engineer Bill Pappas.

HISTORY MADE: A spectacular celebration featuring 19 former winners of the Indianapolis 500 kicked off the Centennial celebration for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. More than 1,400 people attended the event in the Sagamore Room of the Indiana Convention Center.

HE’S BACK: Two-time Indy 500 winning crew chief Owen Snyder has returned to Indy car racing and will work with driver Stanton Barrett at Team 3G this season.

THE FAST LANE: Penske Racing driver Ryan Briscoe was the fastest during two days of IndyCar Series testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

TOP DOG: Donny Schatz returned to the top of the weekly National Speed Sport News Power Rankings. Schatz won the only race of the week for the World of Outlaws and has three victories in four events for the series this year. The rankings appear weekly in America’s motorsports authority.

SUBSCRIBE: National Speed Sport News has been published weekly since 1934. To subscribe to National Speed Sport News, click on the following link for a special industry rate: www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/subscribe.html?pid=NQ%2BVfhkepT4%3D.

NEWS NUGGETS  

BIKES SET FOR RETURN AND START OF SEASON AT ACDELCO NHRA GATORNATIONALS: It’s a tradition as old as the class itself. Since it became a professional category in 1987, the Pro Stock Motorcycle class has begun each season under the warm Florida sun at the historic Gainesville Raceway. The 2009 Full Throttle Drag Racing season will be no exception as the 190-mph class prepares to officially kick off the season at the 40th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals, March 12–15 in Gainesville, Florida.

Typically the third stop for Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock drivers, Pro Stock Motorcycle riders spend the entire three-month off-season tuning, testing and prepping for the historic and revered stop on the Full Throttle circuit.

“Right now, we’re at the shop, working every day,” said Snap-On Tools Suzuki rider and 2005 Gatornationals winner, Steve Johnson. “We’ve got a new bike for 2009, and we’re trying to get it finished. It’s full speed ahead to get ready for Gainesville.”

The scene in Johnson’s shop is similar to that in every Pro Stock Motorcycle shop around the country with teams making last-minute changes before the event. For many drivers, the off-season saw new life with new teams.

The 2007 Full Throttle World Champion, Matt Smith, was one of those riders. Smith, who had spent most of his Pro Stock Motorcycle career tuning and working on his own bikes, made the move from his family-owned team to the famed and legendary Don Schumacher Racing stable. The move also put Smith on a Suzuki—a change from the Buell-powered bikes he has run the past two years.

“I’m excited,” said Smith. “I’m looking forward to working with Steve (Tartaglia, crew chief) and Don (Schumacher) this year and seeing what we can do on that Suzuki. And try to win some races and win a championship.”

Defending Full Throttle World Champion Eddie Krawiec is also hoping to get the boost he knows he’ll need to defend his title.

“Going into Gainesville is a little bittersweet,” said Krawiec. “It’s the first race defending the championship, but I also know I have a target on my back and they’ll all be gunning for me. My main focus is to represent Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to the best of my ability and to help the team maintain the consistency we’ve shown since the second part of last season. This is what it will take to defend the championship.”

Krawiec, Johnson and Smith will join the rest of the Pro Stock Motorcycle category as it makes its 2009 NHRA Full Throttle season debut at the 40th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals.

GAINESVILLE ENTRIES ON THE RISE: With the 40th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals just two weeks away, competitors from around the country are preparing for this popular and historic East Coast event and fields are filling up fast in all four Full Throttle series categories. The pre-entry lists for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle have more than enough entries to field the traditional 16-car fields, and fans will have the opportunity to see some of the best and favorite drivers of the NHRA Full Throttle Series, with many full- and part-time teams making the trip to Florida.

Fan-relief programs offered for Friday, Saturday and even Sunday racing will give families the opportunity to spend a weekend at the dragstrip. 

COMING ATTRACTIONS

ACDELCO NHRA GATORNATIONALS, GAINESVILLE RACEWAY, MARCH 12–15: The Pro Stock Motorcycle category opens its 2009 season at the Gatornationals, annually one of the most popular stops on the NHRA Full Throttle Series tour. Defending event winners include Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel); Tony Pedregon (Funny Car); Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock); and Matt Guidera (Pro Stock Motorcycle). 

O’REILLY NHRA SPRING NATIONALS, HOUSTON RACEWAY PARK, MARCH 27–29: Heading back to the Lone Star State, all four categories in the NHRA Full Throttle Series will compete for points towards the Countdown to the Championship. Defending event winners include Antron Brown (Top Fuel); Del Worsham (Funny Car); Greg Anderson (Pro Stock); and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle). 

SUMMITRACING.COM NHRA NATIONALS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, APRIL 2–5: NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing returns to Las Vegas for the annual spring event. Defending event winners include Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel); Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car); and Jason Line (Pro Stock). 

HE SAID, SHE SAID

HUNGRY FOR A WIN: Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster pilot Brandon Bernstein, on pursuing his first win in almost 19 months: “Our goal was to start the season strong and so far we’ve accomplished that. We’re hungry for a win, but we are staying focused and attacking race day one round at a time. Consistency is the name of the game.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

21: That’s how many years, since it was made a professional class in 1987, that the Pro Stock Motorcycle class has begun its season at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals.

DID YOU KNOW…

…that since its first race as a professional category, the Pro Stock Motorcycle class has only had three back-to-back event winners at Gainesville Raceway. Terry Vance ('87-’88), John Myers ('94-’95) and Dave Schultz ('96-’97). Matt Guidera hopes to be the fourth with a second win at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals this year.

Standards Testing Laboratories Vice President of Marketing Cheryl Schnuth

Race car designer Frank Kurtis was the winner of the 2009 Justice Brothers – Shav Glick Award presented at the NASCAR Auto Club 500 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Kurtis’s son Arlen accepted the award. Among his motorsports innovations, Kurtis—founder of Kurtis Kraft—designed the V8 front-wheel-drive Novi Governor Special, which set a track record (133.944 mph) at Indy in 1946.  

Dennis DeLeonard

Century Truck Caps, a division of the Truck Accessory Group (TAG), announced a financial restructuring plan aimed at the growth and stability of the Century brand. TAG Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Business Development Dennis DeLeonard will work with TAG National Marketing Director Joel Ayres, and TAG Sales Managers Mike Sanford and John Stethem to extend Century’s distribution. Dealers can expect an immediate movement toward improved products, updated facilities, better delivery schedules and more streamlined communications with the company.

Leading automobile manufacturers and suppliers have formed the GENIVI Alliance, a nonprofit organization committed to driving the development and broad adoption of an open source In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) reference platform. The founding members include BMW Group, Delphi, General Motors Corp., Intel, Magneti Marelli, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Visteon Corp. and Wind River. Alliance members are collaborating to create a shared GENIVI platform that will accelerate the pace at which automakers can deliver new solutions.

Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels is a sponsor of the ORSCA Outlaw 10.5 Racing Class. Mickey Thompson's Buy Now bonus program will award $5,000 to the 2009 Outlaw 10.5 Class championship team for using Mickey Thompson racing tires and displaying the Buy Now program decal on their vehicles.

HandiGate selected SS Sales & Marketing as its sales representatives for the West Coast. HandiGate is a tailgate ramp system developed by an ATV enthusiast.

The website for the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) was redesigned to include improved attendees features, such as a speaker spotlight section, multimedia page and a direct link to register for hotel accommodations. The GAAS is an educational industry conference for senior-level executives and is supported by several automotive trade associations, including SEMA. The net proceeds from the event help fund scholarships for students planning for careers in the automotive aftermarket.
     The GAAS is set for Wednesday and Thursday, May 6 and 7, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare near Chicago. For registration and additional information on the GAAS, visit www.globalsymposium.org. Early-bird registration savings of $200 ends March 20.

Kasey Kahne and his custom ride built by Orange County Choppers

The Kasey Kahne Foundation and the Sonoma (California) Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities have partnered for a fundraiser where one lucky race fan will win a custom-built chopper at the 2009 Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Infineon Raceway, June 19–21. The Kasey Kahne Custom Chopper Raffle officially kicked off on Friday, February 27.
     The red-and-white chopper up for raffle was built for Kahne by the popular Orange County Choppers. Tickets for the raffle are available for $9 each by contacting 800/870-RACE. Kahne will pull the winning raffle ticket in the Wine Country Winner’s Circle at Infineon Raceway on Sunday, June 21 (Father’s Day). 

Bassforms appointed new representatives firms to cover the United States for its fiberglass enclosures. The firms are: David Lee Marketing, End Result, RDS Sales and Marketing, Dynamic Marketing, J&S Marketing, Preferred Marketing and KLM Marketing.

Click on the logo to visit SBN's website.

SBN and YEN Mixer

SBN and YEN members are invited to attend a networking opportunity during the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show. The event will be held Thursday, March 12, 2009, from 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. at:
Ram Restaurant & Big Horn Brewery
140 South Illinois Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46225

Take this chance to meet other SBN and YEN members and interact with industry leaders.

If you have any questions about the mixer, contact Paul Moritz at 909/396-0289, ext. 112, or paulm@sema.org.

Discover the SEMA Mentoring Program—Powered by the SBN

Everyone needs help or expert advice from time to time, and SEMA’s Mentoring Program is an excellent resource to get answers to all your questions. Whether you need to know more about SEMA, market information for a start-up company or advice on how to approach your boss about a new position, the SEMA Mentoring Program can help.

“Ask A Mentor” is perfect for one-time questions. You can expect multiple SEMA mentors to provide online guidance and answers to your industry-related questions.

Short-term Assistance/Guidance is for help with a specific project or task. A SEMA council/committee mentor with the expertise you seek will be paired up with you to provide guidance with your project.

Long-term Relationship is helpful for developing your professional career. In this program segment you will be paired with a SEMA council/committee mentor who will provide guidance and assistance for ongoing career development or a long-term project.

So whether you just need an answer to a question or you want to cultivate a mentoring friendship, the SEMA Mentoring Program—Powered by the SBN is available to help. After all, we can all use a little help from our friends.

For more information on the SEMA Mentoring Program, click here.

SBN Column in SEMA Member News

Read SBN's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about SBN, contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

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Did you know that the SEMA Young Executives Network has more than 500 members networking in the industry and is the largest SEMA committee? If you are employed by a SEMA-member company and are under the age of 39, then you can join the SEMA Young Executives Network for FREE. If you are interested in becoming part of the team, please visit our website at www.sema.org/yen.

YEN Member of the Month Spotlight

Did you know that YEN has a Member of the Month Spotlight on the SEMA website and that anyone can be nominated? To view previous selections or to make a nomination, visit www.sema.org/yen.

Discover The SEMA Mentoring Program—Powered by the SBN

“I’ll get by with a little help from my friends…” - Joe Cocker

Everyone needs help or expert advice from time to time, and SEMA’s Mentoring Program is an excellent resource to get answers to all your questions. Whether you need to know more about SEMA, market information for a start-up company or advice on how to approach your boss about a new position, the SEMA Mentoring Program can help.

“Ask A Mentor” is perfect for one-time questions. You can expect multiple SEMA mentors to provide online guidance and answers to your industry-related questions.

Short-term Assistance/Guidance is for help with a specific project or task. A SEMA council/committee mentor with the expertise you seek will be paired up with you to provide guidance with your project.

Long-term Relationship is helpful for developing your professional career.  In this program segment you will be paired with a SEMA council/committee mentor who will provide guidance and assistance for ongoing career development or a long-term project.

So whether you just need an answer to a question or you want to cultivate a mentoring friendship, the SEMA Mentoring Program—Powered by the SBN is available to help. After all, we can all use a little help from our friends.

For more information on the SEMA Mentoring Program, click here.

YEN Column in SEMA Member News

Read YEN's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about YEN, contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

Attention ARMO Members Attending the Hotrod & Restoration Show

The Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show in Indianapolis from March 12–14, is a definite “don’t miss” event. Not only is this one of the greatest trade shows for our niche industry, but there are several educational and networking opportunities in store for ARMO members:

• Exhibitors of the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show can sign up to host a workshop/seminar during the Hot Rod Industry Alliance’s (HRIA) Education & Training Day on Thursday, March 12. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise with attendees during your own one-hour session. Click here for details on HRIA Education & Training Day.

• All ARMO members are invited to attend a networking mixer hosted by the Young Executives Network (YEN) at The Ram Restaurant & Brewery, 140 S. Illinois St., from 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Mix, mingle and meet new and old industry friends.

• Saturday, March 14, at 9:00 a.m., ARMO is hosting a seminar on "10 Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Website Results Tomorrow" by Brian Offenberger.  

ARMO Column in SEMA Member News

Read ARMO's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

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Click on the logo to visit HRIA's website.

HRIA Education & Training Day at Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show

A record number of manufacturers are on the slate to present seminars and workshops at the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show in Indianapolis, on March 12–14. The HRIA Education & Training Day, scheduled for March 12, provides a unique opportunity for manufacturers to discuss their products in great detail, focusing on the technical aspects, zeroing in on sales strategies and providing you the knowledge necessary to increase your bottom line.

With only a handful of time slots remaining, sign up today to talk about your products, or join the more than 1,000 attendees learning how to make their businesses stronger and more profitable.

Receive a certificate of completion for each session you attend from start to finish. Available sessions include:

HRIA Column in SEMA Member News

Read HRIA's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For more information about HRIA, contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

 

Click on the logo to visit TORA's website.

George Lathouris Named TORA Chair-Elect

The TORA Select Committee has named Keystone’s George Lathouris as its chair-elect. Lathouris will assume his new responsibilities on July 1, when Kelly Kneifl assumes the duties of chairman from current Chairman Ron DiVincenzo. Congratulations to George!

TORA Column in SEMA Member News

Read TORA's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For more information about TORA, contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

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Click on the logo to visit MRC's website.

Nominations Now Being Accepted for MRC Select Committee

MRC’s mission is to provide a forum for manufacturers’ representatives to increase their impact as a vital industry segment, exploring issues of common interest and concern, increasing the collective knowledge of all agents and elevating the overall image of the profession.

Members of MRC have the unique opportunity to help shape the future of the manufacturers’ representative industry by choosing appropriate representatives to serve on the Select Committee as their eyes, ears and voice. The MRC Select Committee is asking you to identify the industry's most talented leaders and nominate them for a seat on the MRC Select Committee. 

We urge you to review the MRC nomination form by clicking here. Tell us about a potential nominee and their leadership background. Self-nominations are also welcome. When filling out the nomination forms, remember that often the best background and experience information comes from the source.
 
Nominations are due Friday, March 6, 2009. Please direct questions and submit forms to Staci Bostock at stacib@sema.org or call 909/396-0289, ext. 104.

Manufacturers Seeking Rep List Now Available

Manufacturers’ representatives are encouraged to contact Staci Bostock at stacib@sema.org to request the Manufacturers Seeking Rep List, which is available at no cost. Compiled using information collected from manufacturers prior to the 2008 SEMA Show, the listing contains details on manufacturers currently seeking the services of manufacturers’ representatives along with the lines available and company contact information. The list was originally available in the MRC Rep Center during the week of the 2008 SEMA Show.

MRC Column in SEMA Member News

Read MRC's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about MRC, contact Staci Bostock at stacib@sema.org. 

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MPMC Column in SEMA Member News

Read MPMC's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about MPMC, contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

Click on the logo to visit PRO's website.

PRO Business Development Guidebook Now On Sale

In today’s ever-changing marketplace, staying ahead of the competition is more important and challenging than ever. To be successful, you not only need an effective business strategy, but also the tools and resources to help your company excel and stand out from the pack. The PRO Business Development Guidebook is your handy reference guide.

Beginning with an overview of the importance of having a business plan—including tips on how to develop a business plan and the many purposes it can serve—the manual offers chapter-by-chapter strategies for making your business a success.

From understanding the basics of business finance and the importance of quality and service and how to make them hallmarks of your business, to building knowledge and skills among your employees to branding your restyling business as a market leader, the guidebook offers information critical to the day-to-day and long-term operation of your business.

Whether you’re starting your own restyling business or already own one—be it mobile or brick and mortar—you’ll find the answers that you’ve been looking for in the guidebook. PRO Council members contributed much of the information contained in the guidebook, drawing on their experience and knowledge to present a valuable business tool.

Click here to download the PRO business guidebook order form, or contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

PRO Column in SEMA Member News

Read PRO's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about PRO, contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

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Click on the logo to visit SPC's website.

SPC Column in SEMA Member News

Read SPC's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

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Click on the logo to visit WTC's website.

WTC Column in SEMA Member News

Read WTC's column featured in the March/April issue of SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For information about WTC, contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

Filler for eNews

More than 4,000 attendees will be descending upon the 12th annual Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show for the sold-out HRIA Educational Workshop Program, held on Thursday, March 12, 2009, from 8:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.

Participants will be presented with a full day of workshops and networking opportunities. There will be 40 manufacturers at the event to discuss their products and share their sales strategies. For a full schedule of available workshops, visit www.hotrodshow.com. To attend a workshop, download the Workshop Attendee Registration Form here.

The Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show will be sending each attendee a certificate of completion for each session attended from start to finish, after the close of the show.

Be sure to join ARMO at the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show as well as it hosts the ARMO Educational Seminar, entitled “10 Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Website Results Tomorrow,” held Saturday, March 14, 2009, from 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m., and presented by Brian Offenberger. The seminar will provide insight on current website marketing strategies and help your company’s website stand out from the rest of the crowd.

One of the many tips that Offenberger offers in his web-themed seminars is to "make sure you promote your retail store on your website."

"Promote store hours, locations, credit policies and product availability," Offenberger added. "Many shoppers will look online first before coming into your store."

All attendees of the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show may participate in the seminar. For any questions on the ARMO Educational Program, contact Jan Desma at 909/396-0289 x134, or JanD@sema.org.

Offenberger, president of BizGrowth Solutions, is a prominent presenter of the SEMA webinar series, and his past SEMA webinars, as well as a calendar of future webinars, are available on www.sema.org/webinar.

Dates and locations for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows and activities have been announced. Details are:

SEMA Webinar, "Offensive and Defensive Strategies for Supply-Chain Management," March 5, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)

SEMA Webinar, "Increasing Profits With Fewer Customers," March 12, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)

Hotrod and Restoration Trade Show, March 12–14, 2009, Indianapolis, Indiana

SEMA Webinar, "Protecting Your Finances from the Economy," March 19, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)

SEMA Webinar, "Inventory Management: Stop Storing Cash in the Warehouse," March 25, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)   

SEMA Webinar, "Job Costing Systems That Will Boost Your Cash Flow," April 2, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)

SEMA Webinar, "Tough Times Bring Change: Learn How to Manage Moving Forward," April 9, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)

 The 2009 NCMA Knowledge Exchange Conference, May 2–5, 2009, Newport Beach, California

SEMA Webinar, "Contract Law 101: Sponsored by SEMA SPC," May 7, 2009 (PST)

SEMA Webinar, "Black Book," May 21, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)

SEMA Webinar, "Sales and Marketing Strategies Guaranteed to Make SEMA 2009 a Success," June 11, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)

SEMA Webinar, "An Interactive Discussion on Selling Online," June 25, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)

PAACE Automechanika Mexico, July 15–17, 2009, Mexico City

SEMA Webinar, "Introduction to Internet Marketing," July 16, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)

SEMA Webinar, "Internet Marketing Tools," August 6, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PST)

SEMA Webinar, "25 Ways to be Successful at the SEMA Show," August 20, 2009 (PST)

SEMA Webinar, "Basics of Website Design and Content," September 24, 2009

SEMA Show, November 3–6, 2009, Las Vegas, Nevada

For association-related travel, contact Manya Petropaki (manya.p@travelstoreusa.com) at Travel Store USA, 949/930-9268.

Looking for Some Extra Publicity for Your Industry Event?
Publicize your events through the SEMA Online Calendar of Events located at www.sema.org/calendar. The calendar is stocked with information on events taking place throughout the year, broken down by month. Examples of events featured in the calendar include consumer shows and club events, educational and training workshops, conventions and trade shows, races and more.

To submit your event details for the calendar, e-mail company name and the date(s), location and name of the event to Shirley Presecan at shirleyp@sema.org.

We are definitely in the age of mass customization. Today, consumers can get mainstream products designed specifically for them, such as:

• Private labeled soft drinks (Jones Soda, etc.) 
• Customized candy (M&Ms, etc.)
• Customized toys (Build-A-Bear, etc.)  
• Custom designed shoes (Nike, etc.) 

Naturally, car companies began to respond to consumer expectations. The answer was to offer increased numbers of models and more variations of existing models. Did you know that the United States has gone from less than 50 light-vehicle models in 1947 to more than 300 today?

Automakers offer more than 300 nameplates in the United States today.

AutoPacific, an automotive industry research firm labels the approach the car companies have been using as “atomization.”

Atomization: Adding new, incremental car and light-truck nameplates to more accurately hit customer target needs, wants and desires, resulting in increased overall sales.

This rapid addition of nameplates is a result of product strategists and marketers attempting to provide products targeted at much more finely defined product niches. Consumers prefer focused products, and today’s automotive research can identify exactly what those consumers want. The conclusion has been to develop a vehicle targeted at each identified buyer group.

The chief risk to this strategy is the loss of profitability as production costs increase. When sales of cars and light trucks remain constant and the number of models increases, the sales per nameplate must decrease. This means a vehicle has to be profitable at a lower volume. In down sales years, such as 2007 and 2008, sales per nameplate drop precipitously and profitability becomes nearly impossible.

“Lean customization and atomization principles are having an increased impact on vehicle engineering and offer new product-development opportunities for OEM and SEMA companies," says John Waraniak, SEMA vice president of vehicle technology. "OEMs are being driven to reduce vehicle complexity while simultaneously having the flexibility to build more models and top-hat variants off of fewer platforms.

Waraniak adds: “SEMA member companies can also help take the complexity out of the assembly plants by collaborating with OEMs to develop products and vehicle architectures with cost-effective, simplified bills of material that can be profitably customized with factory and SEMA-member branded parts and accessories at dealers, customization centers and independent installers."

At the previous industry peak, in 2000 when sales hit 17.3 million units, there were 208 car and light-truck nameplates sold in the United States. From those numbers it is easy to see an average volume of slightly more than 83,000 units per nameplate. In 2008, when sales were 13.2 million units and there were 285 models, the average volume dropped to only 46,300 units sold per nameplate.

This was a whopping 36,700-unit deterioration (-44%) in the sales volume per nameplate. Furthermore, in just one year—from the end of 2007 through 2008—sales per nameplate fell more than 10,000 units.

In other words, carmakers needed to make a profit while selling a lower volume of cars or trucks per model or model variant. As the OEMs are forced to cut back the number of nameplates they offer, there is an opportunity for the specialty-equipment industry to partner in ways that have never existed before.

For the car companies to have satisfied customers, they must offer some level of customized vehicles, but at the same time, to be profitable, they have to increase the production runs of each model. — SEMA Research & Information Center

For more original market research, visit www.sema.org/research.

Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube: What do these names all have in common? 

They are all social networking sites that attract millions of users worldwide. In a fast-paced society that relies on such networking websites to relay information and keep up-to-date on anything from news to gossip, it is curious to wonder why more automotive companies have not used these websites to help promote and market their products. This is especially important for younger audiences. 

Some progressive SEMA members are engaging in these new forms of communication.

“Turbonetics has always tried to be aggressive in emerging technologies and various forms of marketing," says Tyler Tanaka, marketing brand manager of Turbonetics. "It seems that social media networks have been lying in wait for businesses to realize their branding potential and are now catching on as excellent low-cost alternatives to traditional advertising.”

Ford recently announced a competition facilitated with the use of online social mediums. It has prepared to release 100 Fiestas—a subcompact it hopes will energize a new generation of buyers—to chosen participants on its www.Fiestamovement.com website. The competition represents a big step forward in utilizing social networking in its marketing campaign.

Under this new venture, participants will be loaned new Fiestas to drive, documenting the experience publicly along the way. Ford is hoping to capitalize on the hype and press that these participants will generate on websites, such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Twitter, by having them complete objectives and missions every month.

With the Fiesta already a successful platform in Europe, Ford hopes to bring its success here to the United States amidst the pushes to go green and minimize carbon footprints. 

With more than 120 million users alone of Facebook and 110 million users on MySpace, companies and manufacturers have the chance to reach millions of people via social networking sites. 

Tanaka sees potential with existing and new consumers alike.

"MySpace and YouTube started it all with a free way to communicate with enthusiasts, and Facebook has taken it to a new level," he explains. "Our ability to directly communicate with our product fans, enthusiasts and general consumers is greatly enhanced by participating inside these communities.”

Since 2007, SEMA has polled automotive enthusiasts about the websites they visit regularly. Automotive and lifestyle sites have been the focus of the research and indicate where consumers go for information and entertainment. Each year SEMA surveys more than 3,000 enthusiasts about their online activity and one striking statistic is the merging of these two messages; information and entertainment often overlap within the automotive lifestyle. 

With this convergence, it is important to recognize the need to abide by social etiquette.

"Much like smart companies are finding out about forum sponsorships, users are not there to be hard sold products, nor are they always looking to buy," according to Tanaka. "It's a leisure activity that they enjoy and a community of very tight-knit people. Branding still has incredible leverage in the long term to help generate revenue.

Tanaka continues, "We all need to be cognizant of the right times to separate selling and branding. Do not overwhelm them. Spam in your e-mail inbox is the same thing as getting 'Poked', 'Mob-Wars invites', 'Passing A Drink,' etc. The list of digital garbage in social networks goes on and on. Treat people like you want to be treated electronically. Send out good content and people will thank you.”

Of the 16-to-27 age group, nearly 90% of enthusiasts visit YouTube each month and roughly half (48%) have a Facebook account and are active with their profiles. MySpace, the once dominant portal, still remains the largest pool of the sites. Usage has remained somewhat flat as enthusiasts shift their attention elsewhere, however. As the leading automotive-focus community, CarDomain has sustained growth year over year, especially with the younger demographic.

One tempting feature of these types of sites is their accessibility; they are free to join. The initial costs to companies and manufacturers are minimal. As pointed out by Business Week however, maintaining a site or launching a successful marketing campaign can be more costly if expectations are set too high.

To build an audience, maintain a profile, create assets and sustain interaction with your target audience takes labor and expertise, usually in the form of a web-savvy employee.

“We invest a minimum of 30 minutes per day," Tanaka says. "It can be answering messages, posting pictures or videos or placing links to other cool and fun information. There is something else that I want to make sure people understand, however. Everything is digitally tied together to catch anyone that visits any one of our sites and expose them to as much information and branding as possible." — SEMA Research & Information Center

For more original market research, visit www.sema.org/research.