CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS: The fifth-annual Economaki Champion of Champions Award presented by Rockett Brand Racing Fuel will be awarded December 6, at 3:00 p.m., during the PRI Trade Show in Orlando, Florida.

PAY DAY: Jimmie Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports team earned a check for $7,317,499 at the annual NASCAR Nextel Cup Series banquet in New York City.

NEW RIDES: Two World of Outlaws sprint-car racers will have new rides next season. Australian Kerry Madsen will move to the VerMeer Motorsports team, which for the first time will contest the series full time. Series veteran Craig Dollansky will team with California-based car owner Larry Woodward in the No. 2 sprint car.

BIG WINNERS: Augie Grill and Dave Steele were big short-track winners. Grill grabbed the prestigious Snowball Derby late-model race, while Steele topped the Florida 400 sprint-car event.

FULL-TIMER: West Coast midget racer Kody Swanson has landed with Steve Lewis’s Nine Racing USAC midget operation for the 2008 season.

NUMBER ONE: Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson remained atop the National Speed Sport News Power Rankings.

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NEWS NUGGETS

NHRA ANNOUNCES HOT ROD HERITAGE SERIES: To help preserve NHRA's rich history and tradition while seizing on the success of nostalgic drag racing competition, NHRA has announced the formation of the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series that will crown year-end points champions in 14 categories.

“This new series is an exciting step that will appeal to drag racing fans young and old,” said Peter Clifford, executive vice president and general manager, NHRA. “It's a great way to introduce the younger generation to the history of our sport and give fans young and old a glimpse of racing the way it used to be.”

The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series will kick off with the famed March Meet at Bakersfield, California March 7–9, and conclude October 10–12 at the California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California back at Bakersfield's Auto Club Famoso Raceway. For more on this story, visit www.nhra.com/content/news/25854.htm.

BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY GOES ALL-CONCRETE: A major track re-surfacing project began recently at Bandimere Speedway in Denver. Beyond the existing concrete surface extending to the 660-foot mark, the remaining asphalt to the finish line at 1,320 feet, plus an additional 60 feet past the finish line, has been removed. More than 4,100 feet of under-track drainage and 30,000 feet of rebar have been laid in preparation for over 900 yards of concrete to finish the surface.

Once complete, it will be one of two all-concrete tracks hosting an NHRA POWERade Series event, the other being the Texas Motorplex in Dallas. Vice President of Facility Operations Larry Cripse is heading up the project and is looking forward to the benefits of an all-concrete surface. In addition to a longer life-expectancy, and quicker drying times in the event of rain, concrete tracks allow for a wider variety of chemicals to be used in track preparation and oil-down clean-up. For more on this story, including photos, visit www.nhra.com/content/news/25848.htm.

NHRA DRIVERS NOMINATED FOR AARWBA ALL-AMERICA TEAM: NHRA POWERade Series world champions Tony Schumacher, Tony Pedregon and Jeg Coughlin headline the drag racing nominees for the 2007 American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) Auto Racing All-America Team. Two racers from each of seven categories—Drag Racing, Open Wheel, Stock Car, Road Racing, Short Track, Touring Series and At Large—will be selected to the first team by the members of the motorsports press association.

Two second-team racers from each category also will be named. The remaining racers in each category receiving 5% of the vote will receive honorable-mention status. In addition to Schumacher, Pedregon and Coughlin, Pro Stock runner-up Greg Anderson was nominated in the Drag Racing category, and Top Alcohol Funny Car season champion Frank Manzo was nominated in the At Large category.

The driver receiving the most votes overall will be presented the prestigious Jerry Titus Award, recognizing AARWBA's Driver of the Year. Schumacher won the coveted award last year, and 14-time NHRA Funny Car world champ John Force is a four-time winner (1996, 1999, 2000 and 2002). Shirley Muldowney (1982) and Don Prudhomme (1976) are the only other drag racers to ever win the Titus Award.

RACING ELECTRONICS RENEWS AS NHRA OFFICIAL SPONSOR: Racing Electronics Inc., a leader in providing radio communications products to the motorsports industry, has renewed its sponsorship as the official radio communications company of NHRA, its five owned and operated drag racing facilities, and the NHRA Safety Safari, officials from the world's largest motorsports sanctioning body announced. In the multiyear agreement, Racing Electronics will supply handheld radios, headsets, mobile units, ancillary products, base radios, antennas, onsite setup and support for the 24-race NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series and the 44-race NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series during the term of the agreement.

“Racing Electronics has vast experience in the motorsports industry and understands the significance of communication needs among staff at NHRA POWERade Series events and the Lucas Oil Series divisional races as well,” said Gary Darcy, NHRA senior vice president of sales & marketing. “Their products enable NHRA to continue to provide safe and exciting racing that NHRA fans and sponsors have come to expect.”

In addition, Racing Electronics will have a major presence along the NHRA Manufacturers Midway, providing on-site sales, rentals and service of scanners, headsets and communications needs for NHRA race teams and fans. 

“We are delighted to be associated with NHRA to secure a position within a sport that we feel is important for our business and company model,” said Racing Electronics General Manager Bruce Silver. “The folks at NHRA have been terrific to work with, and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.”

DAVID POWERS MOTORSPORTS RELOCATES RACE SHOP IN INDY: David Powers Motorsports has relocated to a new, state-of-the-art facility in Brownsburg, Indiana. The 40,000-sq.-ft. race shop is on Southpoint Circle in the Indianapolis suburb on the west side of town. The shop will house both the Matco Tools and Caterpillar Top Fuel teams and allows for future expansion. The building features a modern look and offers a fan-friendly viewing area.

The complex was constructed by Acme Buildings and is owned by Tim Buckley, president of Vintage Design and financial partner of David Powers Motorsports. The team had previously worked out of a facility in Pittsboro, Indiana.

"We are thrilled to be fully moved into our new shop in Brownsburg," Powers said. "I want to thank Lee Beard and our entire race team for making such a smooth transition. We wanted to design a race shop with a unique look that is comfortable to our employees, sponsors and race fans, and we feel we have accomplished that. It's exciting to have our shop in Brownsburg, which has quickly become the capital of NHRA Drag Racing." For more, please visit www.nhra.com/content/news/25832.htm.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

NITRO BLAST OFF, LAS VEGAS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, JANUARY 18–20: The elite teams of the NHRA POWERade Series will begin making preparations for 2008 competition at this first of three optional showcase pre-season test sessions.

NATIONAL TIME TRIALS, PHOENIX, FIREBIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, JANUARY 25–27: Pre-season action moves from Nevada to Arizona as the professional teams continue to tweak off-season changes at this second of three optional test sessions.

LAST-CHANCE TEST SESSION AND PONTIAC PRO STOCK SHOWDOWN, LAS VEGAS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, FEBRUARY 1–3: This aptly named test session is the final of three optional events that allow professional drivers to test their machines before formal competition opens for 2008. The 200-mph NHRA Pro Stock cars also will race for bragging rights in the annual Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown.

CARQUEST AUTO PARTS WINTERNATIONALS, AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, FEBRUARY 7–10: Kick off the 2008 NHRA POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship at the historic track where last year’s winners included J.R. Todd, Gary Scelzi and Greg Anderson.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

CORY MAC SEEKING VICTORY DOWN UNDER: Top Fuel veterans Cory McClenathan and Mike Dunn will compete against a host of Aussie drivers in the Australia vs. USA Top Fuel Showdown December 8–9 at Western Sydney International Dragway in Australia. It is McClenathan’s first trip to Australia and he hopes to come home a winner. 

“I’m excited to see the country and be a tourist for a few days," McClenathan said. "But you know me—when that helmet goes on, I'm all about winning. You don't fly for 20 hours to come in second. I'm really fired up about meeting and racing against our Australian counterparts. It will be fun to see someone new in the other lane. Plus, although we're great friends now, Mike and I had quite the history on the racetrack, so we'll have a chance to renew that rivalry down there."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

7,707: The number of miles as the crow flies from Cory McClenathan’s residence in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, to Sydney, Australia.

DRIVERS TELL ALL

HOT ROD FULLER REFLECTS ON DREAM SEASON: Caterpillar Top Fuel driver Hot Rod Fuller says 2007 was his best ever, despite coming up short for the POWERade Series world championship title.  "We had an awesome year," Fuller said. "It was disappointing to not win the championship when we would have a year ago (under the old points system), but it is what it is. I still support the Countdown, and my guys have nothing to hang their heads about. We had an awesome year and came up one round short. I don't see any reason why we can't do it again in 2008."

Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. announced that Kenji Nakakura was appointed the company’s new president and chief executive officer.  Mr. Nakakura will also serve as the representative director for the company and will continue to serve as a member of the board.  He will assume all responsibilities effective January 1, 2008. Mr. Nakakura replaces Yoshio Kataoka, who will become advisor to the president and will continue serving as a member of the board.

Terry Edwards was named the vice president of the Kumho America Technical Center, located in Fairlawn, Ohio. Edwards, former Continental Tire North America executive, will oversee day-to-day operations of Kumho Tire (USA) Corp.’s U.S. R&D facility.

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC announced that Masao Wada, a 37-year veteran of the Bridgestone group of companies and president of Bridgestone Firestone Manufacturing Operations, will retire effective March 1, 2008.  Wada, who will be succeeded by Steven Brooks, vice president of Bridgestone Firestone Manufacturing Operations, will also retire from his positions as executive vice president and member of the board of directors of Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc. Brooks’ appointment is effective January 1, 2008, to provide a smooth management transition. 

Lund International Inc. entered into an agreement to be purchased by Linsalata Capital Partners and Resilience Capital Partners.  The terms of the agreement were not provided. Linsalata Capital and Resilience Capital Partners bring additional management resources to the company and industry veterans to the board of directors.  “We are pleased with the transition.  Both firms bring a strong history of supporting growth of quality companies,” said George Scherff, CEO of Lund. 

Digital Performance Inc. announced that since the debut of its Digital Performance Shopping Guide in April, it has more than doubled its reach and tripled its utilization in the past three months. Launched on the company’s own directory sites, the guide has since been incorporated into more automotive enthusiast sites, and is available to 1.3 million enthusiasts every month.

3M Corp. acquired Venture Tape Corp., a worldwide manufacturer of specialty tapes based in Rockland, Massachusetts. The sale was finalized on October 1, and neither company has disclosed the terms of the buyout.

Sport-Compact Council (SCC)

SCC is hosting a Jobber Focus Panel on Friday, December 7, 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m., during the PRI Trade Show in Orlando. The meeting, open to all SEMA members, will cover the latest compact-performance trends and outline the current direction of the market. The meeting is set for the Orange County Convention Center, Meeting Room S331B (on the third level). To RSVP or for more information, contact Paul Moritz at 909/396-0289, ext. 112 or e-mail paulm@sema.org.

For more information about SCC, visit www.sema.org/scc or contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO)

For more information about ARMO, visit www.sema.org/armo or contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA)

HRIA Seminar Workshop Lineup for the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show

Located in the Indiana Convention Center on Thursday, February 28, 2008, all SEMA members are encouraged to participate in the workshops at the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show that focus on product use, tips and techniques. Click here to access additional information and a registration form, or contact Jan Desma (jand@sema.org) at 909/396-0289, ext. 134.

For more information about HRIA, visit www.sema.org/hria or contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

Manufacturers' Rep Council (MRC)

For more information about MRC, visit www.sema.org/mrc or contact Jan Desma at jand@sema.org.

Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC)

MPMC is hosting its annual Motorsports Sanctioning Body Panel breakfast meeting at the PRI Show in Orlando Florida, Saturday December 8. For more information, contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

For more information about MPMC, visit www.sema.org/mpmc contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA)

For more information about TORA, visit www.sema.org/TORA or contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

Professional Restylers Organization (PRO)

For the latest council news, read the PRO column in SEMA Member News by clicking here.

For more information about PRO, visit www.sema.org/pro or contact Ellen McKoy at ellenm@sema.org.

For more information about WTC, visit www.sema.org/wtc or contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN)

For more information about SBN, visit www.sema.org/sbn or contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

Young Executives Network (YEN)

For more information about YEN, visit www.sema.org/yen or contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org.

Registration for SEMA Spring Expo and SEMA OFFROAD, February 8–9, 2008, in Indianapolis, is in full swing and available for attendees online by visiting www.semaspringexpo.com and www.semaoffroad.com. The spring events deliver the acclaimed SEMA Show experience to the Indianapolis area and surrounding regions. With a special emphasis on trucks and SUVs, exhibitors will display a variety of products and services covering accessories, restyling, wheels and tires, and mobile electronics.

Both shows are sponsored by the Light-Truck Accessory Alliance (TORA) and Professional Restylers Organization (PRO). For more information about TORA, click here or e-mail Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org. For more information about PRO, click here or e-mail Ellen McKoy at ellenm@sema.org.

Filler for eNews

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

SEMA-member companies have posted several new listings for job opportunities at www.sema.org/classifieds. Working for a SEMA-member company has many advantages. In addition to working for a company that supports and contributes to the success of the overall industry, being employed by a SEMA-member company enable the employee to participate in webinars, access free market research, join SEMA committees and more. The newest classified listings posted under Positions Available include:

• Product Sales & Application Specialist, Caledonia, Michigan
• Shipping and Receiving Clerk, Caledonia, Michigan
• Wholesale Wheel Sales, Youngstown, Ohio
• Customer Service Representative, Denver, Colorado
• Warehouse Manager, Chicago, Illinois

SEMA members: Have a job opening that you need filled? Members are invited to post classified ads on www.sema.org/classifieds free of charge. Categories available are: Positions Available, Positions Wanted, Rep Opportunities, WD Opportunities, For Sale, Items Wanted, Business Opportunities and Internships. Visit the site for details.

Getting a big boost from 2007 newcomers, sales of subcompact cars shot up 41% during the first nine months of this year. Sales of the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa and Honda Fit reached double and triple digits from January to September of this year, compared to the same period in 2006. One question remains, however: do subcompact car buyers accessorize their vehicles?

To help answer this question, SEMA surveyed automotive-enthusiast magazine subscribers and visitors to their websites, collectively referred to as the Automotive Lifestyles survey, to identify what, if any, car-customizing behavior exists among subcompact owners. Although a very small sample of subcompact owners was collected (only 1% of the over 3,300 enthusiasts that responded to this online survey over the last two months), it was enough to obtain a broad look at this group of consumers. A quick glance at the top 20 specialty-equipment products purchased by subcompact owners shows that these enthusiasts seek out performance modifications, including exhaust, headers and air intakes. 

The inexpensive price tag of most subcompacts means owners typically have money left over for customization, and specialty-equipment companies that traditionally build parts for larger compacts, such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, may want to take a closer look at the subcompact enthusiast market.

For more information, contact the SEMA Research & Information Center at 909/396-0289, ext. 118. Check out of the research reports available online at www.sema.org/research.

For the second consecutive year, light trucks and off-road vehicles led the total number of display vehicles at the 2007 SEMA Show. Light trucks accounted for 24% of total display vehicles, up 3% from 2006, according to SEMA research. Off-road display vehicles rose 4%, comprising 21% of the show totals.

The top three pickups at the Show this year included the Ford F-Series, the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra and the Toyota Tundra, while the SUV list was topped by the Jeep Wrangler, Cadillac Escalade and Chevy Tahoe.

By contrast, the sport-compact offerings dwindled, accounting for just 14% of total display vehicles this year (down from 19%), led by the Scion xB, Nissan 350Z and Scion tC. Motorsports and racing display vehicles jumped to 7%, while street rods/hot rods fell from 6% in 2006 to just 3%.

For more industry insight and research, please visit www.sema.org/research.