Continental Tire has signed on to sponsor the 2007 SEMA Show media center, which will be called the Continental Tire Media Experience.

Located near the show floor and specifically designated for qualified journalists covering the event, the Continental Tire Media Experience provides access to exhibitor publicity and media materials, complete with newsroom equipment for those who file stories during the show. The Continental Tire Media Experience features:

• Internet and phone access, computers, copy and fax machines
• Exhibitor media kits available for all media personnel
• Interview and meeting areas, refreshments and lounge areas
• SEMA will post high-resolution images of the New Products Showcase and general SEMA Show photos on the internet for media use during and after the show

The Continental Tire Media Experience hours are:

• Thursday, Oct. 25 – Sunday, Oct. 28: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 29: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 30: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 31: 7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 1: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 2: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Members of the media with questions may contact the SEMA Public Relations department at pr@sema.org

Nearly 100 SEMA members were on hand for the inaugural Internet Symposium presented by the Sport Compact Council (SCC). Billed as a must-attend event for survival in the technology-dependent future, attendees were brought up to speed on the latest Internet-related technologies.

Topics covered during the day-long session included the evolution of e-commerce, how to turn technology into sales, protecting your brand on the Internet and how to maximize your investment on Internet-related expenses. The comprehensive list of speakers included Dan Jondron, President, Advanced Digital Strategies LLC; Luanne Brown, President, eTool Developers LLC; Dave Schwartz, Senior Category Director, Automotive Yahoo Inc.; Richard Nessary, Senior Intellectual Property Counsel eBay Inc.; Jeff Van Hoosear, Partner, Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP; Alise Miner, Vice President, SEMA Information Systems and Special Teams; and Gigi Ho, Vice President & Co-Founder, Digital Performance Inc.

“I want to add my thanks and congratulations to the SCC for putting on a very successful first-time event Saturday,” said SCC Chairman Eric Breslow. “The Internet Symposium was standing room only at 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday after a late-night banquet! Sitting in the back of the room, I watched as attendees were engaged and interactive. My sincere thanks go out to Dan Jondron, the SEMA staff lead by Paul Moritz (SCC liaison) and Tracie Nunez our chair-elect who donated large amounts of her time to make sure our council looked good.”

For more information on the Internet Symposium, or the Sport Compact Council, please contact Paul Moritz at paulm@sema.org, or  909/396-0289, ext. 112.

A capacity crowd was on hand for the inaugural Internet Symposium presented by the Sport Compact Council (SCC). Topics included the evolution of e-commerce, how to turn technology into sales, protecting your brand on the internet, and how to maximize your investment on internet-related expenses.

Jeff Van Hoosear, a partner at Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP, outlined strategies and explained how companies can protect themselves in cyberspace.

Filler for eNews

With gas prices easing up slightly, it's a small surprise to see online auction sales of air intake and fuel delivery products up nearly 70% compared to last month, surging to a single-day sales high of $126,800 on July 27 - a record amount for any single-day sales in 2007.

The data, gathered by Terapeak, a developer of market-focused research software that monitors online sales and auctions, shows that sales from the last week of July (7/21-7/27) outpaced those from the last week of June by 70 percent, and those from the last week of May by 73 percent.

Despite the late July surge though, sales from the 90-day period between April 29-July 27 actually trailed sales between Jan.29-April 28, but only by about 7 percent.

The most popular items included in the category were fuel pumps, followed by products labeled as fuel "savers" (largely, products that create swirl in intake air and purportedly increase fuel efficiency), fuel injection and carb kits, and fuel injectors, especially for diesel applications.

How prevalent is Internet purchasing among specialty-equipment enthusiasts?

"The past two years, SEMA research has shown that the highest percentage of automotive enthusiasts indicate they purchased their performance parts and accessories over the Internet," says SEMA research analyst Ty Michael.

"Interestingly, roughly the same percentage of enthusiasts indicated that they purchased their parts at traditional brick and mortar shops. Thirty-nine percent of enthusiasts said they purchased on the Internet, compared to 31% who indicated they went to a physical location to make their purchases."

Filler for eNews

Spy photographer Brenda Priddy tells us that this crossover is what sources close to the Dodge division are calling the Crew.

“For a ‘top-secret’ vehicle, we've managed to catch this four times since January, all across the country,” Priddy says. “Now it appears that the folks at the Desert Proving Grounds have nearly a dozen of these vinyl-clad prototypes in their possession.”

The Crew (although that may not be its final name) will be built in Toluca, Mexico, on the Sebring platform, with production scheduled to start in December 2007 and an on-sale date of early 2008.

Chrysler may also get a version of this. Referred to as the "JZ49,” Chrysler's Sebring-based crossover will likely not arrive before the 2010 model year and could replace the retro-styled PT Cruiser. Wearing completely unique sheetmetal, the Chrysler model will only account for 25% of the total units built.

Size-wise, the new crossover measures in a bit larger than Honda's CR-V, Hyundai's Santa Fe and the Toyota RAV4, and domestically it looks to compete with the Ford Edge. Priddy says, however, that her team has spotted it in consumer clinics being compared alongside the Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Nissan Murano and Hyundai Santa Fe.

“The car-based crossover will be offered in a FWD configuration and an optional AWD,” Priddy adds. “We've heard a lot of speculation regarding engines and transmissions, but the 3.5L V6 from the Sebring is guaranteed to be one of the several offerings, as is a 2.4L powerplant with 170-plus horsepower.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has established a new test procedure to demonstrate that the front passenger airbag will be suppressed during deployment when a child safety seat is present.  All vehicles manufactured after September 1, 2008, must comply with the rule.  The tests apply to child seats attached with lower anchors and tethers (“LATCH”), a system that bypasses a vehicle’s seat belts.

Click on this link for a copy of the new test procedures: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-13565.pdf.  Questions, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

THE MERGER: It is clearly the time of the merger in NASCAR racing. After last week’s reported merger between Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Ginn Racing, Robert Yates Racing joined forces with Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing, bringing together one of auto racing’s best stock-car teams and one of the best open-wheel teams.

WORKING TOGETHER: On Monday, JR Motorsports, which is owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports announced they would merge their NASCAR Busch Series programs, with both the No. 5 and No. 88 coming out of the JR Motorsports shops while running with Hendrick engines and Hendrick technical support. Also, Richard Childress Racing and Kevin Harvick Inc. have signed an agreement to work together in the Busch Series.

FIRST TIME: Although Toyota had previously won races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the company posted its first NASCAR stock car victory when Jason Leffler won the Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. It is Toyota’s first season of competition in the Busch and Nextel Cup Series.

CHANGING JOBS: Mike Neff, who tunes the Funny Cars wheeled by Gary Scelzi, will leave the Don Schumacher Racing team at the end of the season, and he will join John Force Racing next season, but as a Funny Car driver, not a crew chief.

TWICE AS NICE: Jerry Coons Jr. became a two-time winner of the Belleville Nationals for midget cars, the most prestigious midget race of the summer season. As well, Tony Stewart won the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard for the second time.

ONE MILLION: Champ Car World Series officials claim its attendance is up 16% this year and that the series greeted its one millionth fan during Saturday’s activities at the San Jose Grand Prix.

NEAR THE END: American Formula One driver Scott Speed is nearing the end of his rope with the Toro Rosso team for which he drives. “As far as my future in Formula One is concerned, you can’t pay me enough money to race for those two people again,” Speed said of team owners Franz Tost and Gerhard Berger.

NEW LEADER: Despite having the weekend off, IndyCar Series driver Scott Dixon, who has won three straight races, moved to the top of the National Speed Sport News Power Rankings.

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

NHRA POWERADE SERIES TELECONFERENCE TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1 P.M. EST/10 A.M. PST: The NHRA POWERade Series will be hosting the first in a series of teleconferences between now and the end of this inaugural Countdown to the Championship season on Tuesday, July 31, at 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST. The drivers on the call will be able to provide a variety of perspectives, from what it’s like to have clinched early to what it’s like to be sitting on the bubble.

FORCE’S FOURTH SEAT IS FILLED: Mike Neff, longtime crew chief for Gary Scelzi, has been named the driver of the fourth John Force Racing Ford Mustang. Neff will finish the 2007 season as Scelzi’s crew chief, and he will move to JFR as the driver of the Castrol Syntec Ford in 2008. John Medlen will be the crew chief.

IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (ON THE TOP FUEL BUBBLE): The Countdown to the Championship bubble may not be any wilder than in Top Fuel where there are 70 points separating six drivers competing for what appears to be the eighth playoff berth. The driver who holds his own destiny is eighth-place Dave Grubnic (703 points), but it is a tenuous hold. When and if he slips up, it’ll be like the gold rush behind him with Melanie Troxel (-45), Doug Herbert (-53), Doug Kalitta and Hillary Will (-64) and Cory McClenathan (-70) all scrambling for that eighth-and-final playoff berth in Top Fuel.

A FITTING TRIBUTE TO ERIC MEDLEN: More than 2,000 fans attended the inaugural “Eric Medlen Ice Cream Social” at Infineon Raceway following the race on Sunday evening. There were more than 30 “scoopers” including Morgan Lucas and Eric’s mother Mimi, and the event raised $9,086—$4,543 from fans and a 100% match by Infineon Raceway—for the Eric Medlen Scholarship Fund. The money raised will be awarded to the winner of Infineon Raceway’s high school bracket drag division in Eric Medlen’s name.

SONOMA SENDS EIGHT MORE DRIVERS INTO THE COUNTDOWN PLAYOFFS: Sunday was a busy day for clinching Countdown playoff berths as eight more drivers secured spots. In all now, there are five drivers in Top Fuel (Rod Fuller, Tony Schumacher, Brandon Bernstein, Larry Dixon and J.R. Todd) and Pro Stock (Greg Anderson, Jeg Coughlin, Dave Connolly, Allen Johnson and Jason Line) who have clinched and two drivers in Funny Car (Ron Capps and Robert Hight) and Pro Stock Motorcycle (Matt Smith and Angelle Sampey) who have clinched. For more information on the Countdown, go to nhra.com and click on the Countdown to the Championship logo on the right-hand side of the front page.

A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH: It’s difficult to separate hyperbole from fact when John Force speaks, but when he pronounced himself back after his win at Bristol a month ago, it turns out he was spot on. The NHRA icon has added a semi, a runner-up and another win (yesterday at the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals in Sonoma) to move from 15th place and championship afterthought to 7th place and legitimate championship threat. Force helped his own cause immensely en route to his win at Sonoma with a quarterfinal win over then-ninth-place Cruz Pedregon (who’s now in 10th and 105 points behind Force), a semifinal win over Tommy Johnson Jr. (11th place, 108 points behind Force) and a final-round win over ninth-place Del Worsham. With the win, Force ended up in 7th place and 89 points ahead of Worsham; if he’d lost, he would have been in eighth place and just 49 points ahead of Worsham.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS, BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, AUGUST 9–12: Set in the lake surrounded area of Northern Minnesota, this event is the next-to-last race in the 17-race Countdown to the Championship regular season. Defending event winners include Brandon Bernstein, Tommy Johnson Jr., Dave Connolly and Antron Brown.

TOYO TIRES NHRA NATIONALS, MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY, AUGUST 16–19: The final race of the Countdown to the Championship regular season, this will be the last chance for drivers to either maintain or move into position to clinch a playoff berth. Defending event winners include J.R. Todd, Phil Burkart, Greg Anderson and Karen Stoffer.

MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS, O’REILLY RACEWAY PARK, AUGUST 29–SEPTEMBER 3: Long known as the most prestigious race on the POWERade Series, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals takes on an even more significant role in 2007 with the inception of the Countdown to the Championship. The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is the first race in the four-race Countdown playoff that will halve the field of eligible championship teams from eight to four. The annual Skoal Showdown (Funny Car) and the Ringers Gloves (Pro Stock Motorcycle) races-within-a-race will also be contested during the popular Labor Day weekend event.

.INSIDE THE NUMBERS

50: Greg Anderson, who made it a perfect 7-for-7 in final rounds in 2007 with his win Sunday at the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Sonoma, moved into sole possession of sixth place on the all-time NHRA POWERade Series wins list with 50. The Top five are: John Force (124), Warren Johnson (96), Bob Glidden (85), Kenny Bernstein (69) and Joe Amato (52).

DRIVERS TELL ALL

ANDERSON ON HIS 50TH WIN: “It’s quite an accomplishment (to reach 50 wins). I don’t know how to explain it. It’s fitting that we had a struggle between number 49 and number 50. Fifty should be tough to get. It should be hard. We were cruising right along, but then we got slapped in the face this summer. It’s a real reminder to never get too cocky.”

For more information, visit www.nhra.com.

Hayes Lemmerz International Inc. appointed Fred Bentley to the new position of COO of Hayes Lemmerz International Inc. and president of the company's Global Wheel Group. As COO, Bentley will be responsible for all of the company's manufacturing and business unit operations. Bentley joined the company in 2001 and most recently served as COO and president of the company's Global Wheel Group. Bentley will continue to report to Curtis J. Clawson, president, CEO and chairman of the board.

Restylers' Choice LLC announced that it purchased the remaining assets of Auto Trim Express Inc., including the exclusive rights to the designs, website, phone numbers and more. Production of the Auto Trim Express line resumed on August 1, and is being produced using digital technology. Designs will maintain the same look and color combinations.

Mitchell 1, along with the North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) named Bruce Amacker as Educator of the Year. Mitchell 1 recognizes one of the nation’s top teachers annually for excellence in automotive repair instruction. Amacker is the Owner of TurboTraining, where he provides instruction and training for PowerStroke/T444E/ DT466E Engines, School Bus Fleet Maintenance, ABS Braking Systems, Multiplexing, Automotive Fuel Control and other topics across the United States. Amacker was presented with a check for $500 along with a recognition certificate, courtesy of Mitchell 1.

Terry Kohl, president of Media Management Marketing, authored a new book, Lost Your Job? Now What! The book takes the situation that most people fear and demonstrates how losing a job can change someone’s life for the better. Kohl’s 116-page book is available for $9.95 online at www.LostYourJobNowWhat.com.

Forecast Products, based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, hired aftermarket industry veteran Gary Allen as its vice president of sales. Prior to joining Forecast, Allen was national sales manager for Cooper Bussmann and Cadna Automotive, as well as program group sales manager for TRW/Autospecialty.