By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation (H.B. 1755) introduced in Texas to create a specific registration and titling class for assembled vehicles, including kit cars and dune buggies, and former military vehicles passed the House and now awaits consideration in the Senate Transportation Committee.

Legislation (H.B. 1755) introduced in Texas to create a specific registration and titling class for assembled vehicles, including kit cars and dune buggies, and former military vehicles passed the House and now awaits consideration in the Senate Transportation Committee.

H.B. 1755 will provide guidance to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles on how to treat assembled vehicles.  Currently, there is no specific registration and titling class for certain assembled vehicles such as dune buggies.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law legislation (S.B. 493) that exempts historic military vehicles from the requirement to display license plates.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law legislation (S.B. 493) that exempts historic military vehicles from the requirement to display license plates. Currently, an historic military vehicle is defined as being 25 years old or older, manufactured for use in any country’s military and maintained to represent the vehicle’s military design and markings. The new law will preserve the accurate display of these vehicles’ military design and markings as well as protect their aesthetic contours.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law legislation (S.B. 493) that exempts historic military vehicles from the requirement to display license plates.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law legislation (S.B. 493) that exempts historic military vehicles from the requirement to display license plates. Currently, an historic military vehicle is defined as being 25 years old or older, manufactured for use in any country’s military and maintained to represent the vehicle’s military design and markings. The new law will preserve the accurate display of these vehicles’ military design and markings as well as protect their aesthetic contours.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law legislation (S.B. 493) that exempts historic military vehicles from the requirement to display license plates.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law legislation (S.B. 493) that exempts historic military vehicles from the requirement to display license plates. Currently, an historic military vehicle is defined as being 25 years old or older, manufactured for use in any country’s military and maintained to represent the vehicle’s military design and markings. The new law will preserve the accurate display of these vehicles’ military design and markings as well as protect their aesthetic contours.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law legislation (S.B. 493) that exempts historic military vehicles from the requirement to display license plates.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law legislation (S.B. 493) that exempts historic military vehicles from the requirement to display license plates. Currently, an historic military vehicle is defined as being 25 years old or older, manufactured for use in any country’s military and maintained to represent the vehicle’s military design and markings. The new law will preserve the accurate display of these vehicles’ military design and markings as well as protect their aesthetic contours.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has concluded that it is technologically possible to provide the tire identification number (TIN) data in an electronic format for all tires. The findings are included in a Congressional study required under the 2015 Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The electronically readable data would be a marking or tag within or on the tire sidewall. The TIN could then be captured and transmitted electronically using a hand-held scanning tool.   

The TIN is a string of 6 to 13 letters and numbers marked on the sidewall of a tire that contains information about the tire, including the plant where the tire was manufactured, the tire size and the week/year of manufacture. The TIN assists in owner notification when there is a tire recall. The TIN is not unique to the individual tire but rather applies to all of the same types of tires produced at a factory during a specific calendar week.

NHTSA identified two candidates for creating an electronic TIN: radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and two-dimensional (2-D) barcodes. RFID tags are small electronic components that consist of a small chip and an antenna. RFID tags are typically attached to, or implanted within, an item and contain electronic information used to identify that item.  

The 2-D barcodes are two-dimensional optical arrays that represent data using many small, contrasting geometric shapes, such as squares and circles. The barcodes are usually applied to an item and encoded with information used to identify, track or provide details about the item. NHTSA noted that it does not have complete information regarding the long-term durability for these technologies and it did not perform a cost/benefit analysis for implementing this solution.

Electronic technology could provide the industry an easier and more accurate method to scan tire data as they are sold rather than relying on paper registrations. The TIN could then be linked to the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), making it a more reliable way to contact the current registered owner in case of a recall.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has concluded that it is technologically possible to provide the tire identification number (TIN) data in an electronic format for all tires. The findings are included in a Congressional study required under the 2015 Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The electronically readable data would be a marking or tag within or on the tire sidewall. The TIN could then be captured and transmitted electronically using a hand-held scanning tool.   

The TIN is a string of 6 to 13 letters and numbers marked on the sidewall of a tire that contains information about the tire, including the plant where the tire was manufactured, the tire size and the week/year of manufacture. The TIN assists in owner notification when there is a tire recall. The TIN is not unique to the individual tire but rather applies to all of the same types of tires produced at a factory during a specific calendar week.

NHTSA identified two candidates for creating an electronic TIN: radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and two-dimensional (2-D) barcodes. RFID tags are small electronic components that consist of a small chip and an antenna. RFID tags are typically attached to, or implanted within, an item and contain electronic information used to identify that item.  

The 2-D barcodes are two-dimensional optical arrays that represent data using many small, contrasting geometric shapes, such as squares and circles. The barcodes are usually applied to an item and encoded with information used to identify, track or provide details about the item. NHTSA noted that it does not have complete information regarding the long-term durability for these technologies and it did not perform a cost/benefit analysis for implementing this solution.

Electronic technology could provide the industry an easier and more accurate method to scan tire data as they are sold rather than relying on paper registrations. The TIN could then be linked to the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), making it a more reliable way to contact the current registered owner in case of a recall.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has concluded that it is technologically possible to provide the tire identification number (TIN) data in an electronic format for all tires. The findings are included in a Congressional study required under the 2015 Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The electronically readable data would be a marking or tag within or on the tire sidewall. The TIN could then be captured and transmitted electronically using a hand-held scanning tool.   

The TIN is a string of 6 to 13 letters and numbers marked on the sidewall of a tire that contains information about the tire, including the plant where the tire was manufactured, the tire size and the week/year of manufacture. The TIN assists in owner notification when there is a tire recall. The TIN is not unique to the individual tire but rather applies to all of the same types of tires produced at a factory during a specific calendar week.

NHTSA identified two candidates for creating an electronic TIN: radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and two-dimensional (2-D) barcodes. RFID tags are small electronic components that consist of a small chip and an antenna. RFID tags are typically attached to, or implanted within, an item and contain electronic information used to identify that item.  

The 2-D barcodes are two-dimensional optical arrays that represent data using many small, contrasting geometric shapes, such as squares and circles. The barcodes are usually applied to an item and encoded with information used to identify, track or provide details about the item. NHTSA noted that it does not have complete information regarding the long-term durability for these technologies and it did not perform a cost/benefit analysis for implementing this solution.

Electronic technology could provide the industry an easier and more accurate method to scan tire data as they are sold rather than relying on paper registrations. The TIN could then be linked to the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), making it a more reliable way to contact the current registered owner in case of a recall.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Vern Kaufman

Hellwig Suspension Products Hires Vern Kaufman as Sales and Business Development Manager

Hellwig Suspension Products has announced that Vern Kaufman will join the Hellwig team as its new sales and business development manager, bringing his 34 years of sales and marketing experience to the Hellwig sales department. In his new position, Kaufman will seek to expand the sales department in the automotive and light-truck industries as it moves into new markets while also further strengthening distributor relationships. Kaufman previously worked for Westin Automotive, holding several evolving sales roles during his tenure. He then began working for Lund International as its sales director for the Lund and AVS brands before working as the North American aftermarket and fleet sales manager for Thule. Most recently, Kaufman was the western director of sales for Truck Hero where he established and executed commercial business strategies for several brands under the Truck Hero name.

Westin Acquires Superwinch

Westin has announced it has added Superwinch to its family of automotive products. Westin plans to expand upon the current Superwinch product offerings, with new designs in the future while providing distributors with additional added value through its line of winch-capable products. In the coming weeks, Westin will work on new Superwinch product programs, availability and marketing materials.

Competition Specialties Announces Two Employee Promotions

Competition Specialties (CSI) has announced the promotion of Jon Butler to outside sales representative in the company’s Central and Southern Oregon territory, and the promotion of Randy Williamson from inside/phone sales representative to inside/phone sales manager. Prior to joining CSI, Butler’s employment with CSI began in 2011 as a member of the inside sales team. In August 2015, he was promoted to phone room manager. Williamson, an employee of six years, joined CSI after a brief career in the insurance industry as a customer service application developer. 

Will Cherry

SSV Works Appoints Will Cherry to Sales Director

SSV Works has announced that it has named industry veteran Will Cherry to the position of sales director. For the past 15 years, Cherry has worked with Scosche Industries and Battery-Biz, holding domestic and international sales and business development managerial titles.

4 Wheel Parts Launches North American Workshops to Support Women in Off-Road

4 Wheel Parts has announced a partnership with the Ladies Offroad Network for their 2019 Trail Training Tour, a nationwide series of workshops aimed at teaching women beginner-to-advanced-level skills in off-road repair and recovery. Each five-hour class will focus on the skills required to be self-sufficient in common recovery situations. Classes will be taught by Charlene Bower, a lifelong off-roader with extensive experience in Jeeps, 4x4s, UTVS and dirt bikes. Voted by her peers as an Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame Industry Rising Star in 2016 and ORMHOF Advocate in 2018, Bower is certified by the International 4 Wheel Drive Training Association (I4WDTA), whose mission is to promote environmentally responsible, safe and skilled off-road use.

The 2019 Trail Training Tour is broken up into five segments: Arizona (May 3–5), West (June 6–July 1), East 1 (August 7–23), East 2 (September 3–22) and California (November 13–25). Classes will be held in the vehicle bays of 66 4WP stores in 33 states and Canadian provinces. Registration information can be found online. In addition, between May 3–November 25, 4WP sales associates will ask customers if they would be willing to round-up their store purchases to the dollar. All proceeds will go to five non-profit charities: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Warfighter Made (veterans), Provision Project (breast cancer), Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance and Arizona Trail Project.

Elgin Industries Earns Top Supplier Recognition From General Motors

Elgin Industries has again earned Platinum Supplier status from the General Motors Customer Care and Aftersales organization. Platinum status, GM’s top supplier level, is awarded only to manufacturers that have maintained 100% on-time delivery over the course of a year. In announcing the award, GM representatives applauded Elgin for its “dedication and commitment to consistently perform above expectations.”

Battery-Biz Hires Automotive Industry Expert Tiffany Dorin as National Sales Manager

Battery-Biz has added industry expert Tiffany Dorin to the organization as national sales manager, and will be primarily focused on selling Battery-Biz’s Duracell and Goodyear product lines to national retailers. She joins the company with 14 years of experience selling aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. She began her career selling performance accessories and upgrades at a small performance retail shop. She then joined Keystone Automotive Operations. Most recently, Dorin sold exhaust systems and converters for MagnaFlow to national automotive retailers, wholesale distributors and e-commerce accounts. She has also been an elected member of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) since 2016 and was named one of SEMA News’ “35 under 35” in 2014.

Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA eNews. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Forrest Wang won both the Friday and Saturday events in his Achilles Tire/Yellowspeed Racing/NRG Innovations Nissan.

Forrest Wang Claims Double Victory at Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge

Coming off a strong second place at the 2019 Formula DRIFT on the Streets of Long Beach, Forrest Wang (USA) won both the Friday and Saturday events in his Achilles Tire/Yellowspeed Racing/NRG Innovations Nissan. In the Final, Wang met Federico Sceriffo (Italy) in the FFF Drifting Department Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Drift Spec “Fiorella.” It was a similar story to his previous contests, where Wang was able to run deeper and get closer to his competitor on both runs. It gave the judges an easy decision and put Wang on the top step of the podium, with Sceriffo second and Faruk Kugay (Poland) third. Moving into the Final on Saturday, Wang was matched against Dean Kearney (Ireland) in the Oracle Lighting/Achilles Tire Dodge Viper. On his lead run, Kearney drifted out to the walls in the first Touch & Go and Outside Zone, with Wang remaining close but unable to run as deep. Wang was gifted the win when Kearney made a mistake in the final turn, forcing him to take a tighter line and making light contact with Wang’s car. Kearney took second place on the podium with Sceriffo in third. The 2019 Formula DRIFT series continues April 25–27 in Orlando, Florida, with AutoZone Scorched presented by Black Magic. It will feature the second round of the Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship and the first round of the Formula DRIFT Link ECU Pro 2 Championship. 

Craig Bennett took the checkered flag last Saturday in his ’90 Nissan 300ZX.

Bennett Sweeps Motorsports Association Sanctioned Historic IMSA Race at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

Craig Bennett of Millford, Michigan, swept qualifying and the Historic IMSA GTO Challenge race in his ’90 Nissan 300ZX at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Bennett took the checkered flag last Saturday at the Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA)-sanctioned race. It was his second win at Long Beach. Joel Miller of Irvine, California, finished second in his ’91 Mazda RX7 and Escondido, California’s Ken Davis rounded out the top three in his ’85 Ford Mustang.

Team Derale Performance of York County School of Technology finished in first place with a time of 24:26.

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow York County Tech Qualifier Results

Team Derale Performance of York County School of Technology finished in first place with a time of 24:26 at the York County Tech Qualifier, April 6, in York, Pennsylvania.

Another two teams qualified for the Dual National Championship at last weekend’s NASCAR UTI Tech Qualifier in Mooresville, North Carolina, Team Autometer’s Burton Center Arts and Tech finished with a time of 19:48, and Energy Suspension’s Americus Sumter High School finished with a time of 32:18. For complete results, visit www.hotroddersoftomorow.com.

Yokohama Tire Rewards SCCA Time Trials Nationals Tour, Finale Drivers

Partner support continues to grow for the Tire Rack SCCA Time Trials National Tour Presented by Hagerty and Tire Rack Time Trials Nationals presented by Hagerty, as Yokohama Tire becomes the latest company to step up and provide backing for those taking part in events planned this year. With the new "#OnYokohamas" incentive program, participants can earn a $75 discount on entry fees to this year’s nine Time Trials events by participating on Yokohama Tires, regardless of finishing position. To take advantage of the incentive program, drivers must pre-register for the Yokohama program online. They then become eligible for the entry discount as long as they utilize any of Yokohama's tires, available online through Tire Rack on their competition car (all four tires) and have Yokohama stickers on both sides of their vehicle.

MagnaFlow Releases “The Sound of Passion” Featuring Mario Andretti

MagnaFlow has announced the release of its latest video spotlight, “The Sound of Passion,” which features MagnaFlow brand ambassador and racing legend Mario Andretti. The video allows viewers to join Andretti in his home as he recalls his early childhood years in Italy, beginning with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Throughout the course of his racing career, which lasted nearly five decades, Andretti drove everything from midget cars to Formula One, taking the checkered flag 111 times and solidifying his legacy as one of the most decorated drivers of all time. He was named “Driver of the Year” in three different decades (’60s, ’70s and ’80s), “Driver of the Quarter Century” in the ’90s and the Associated Press named him “Driver of the Century” in January 2000. Andretti has served as an ambassador to MagnaFlow for more than 17 years.

Landon Simon has announced the addition of several new partners for the 2019 racing season and beyond.

Landon Simon Partners With New Sponsors for 2019 and Beyond 

Landon Simon has announced the addition of several new partners for the 2019 racing season and beyond. Wanzer Financial, Kings Poultry, Wicked Energy Gum, Hergott Real Estate Group and The Hayloft Farm to Table Store have jumped onboard with the #24 team. Landon Simon Racing will also move forward with continued support from long-time partners DRC Chassis, Simpson Race Products, Brown and Miller, DMI, Astro Titanium, Hoosier Racing Tire, KSE, Rod End Supply and Keizer Wheels. Dubbed “The Hayloft Special,” the 2019 LSR scheme will take on an old-school sprint-car look complete with gold leaf and pinstriping by Nemesis Design in collaboration with High Side Design.

Champion Racing Oil Named Title Sponsor for 10th Annual 360 Sprint Car National Open

Champion has recently announced that it will be the title sponsor of the 10th Annual 360 Nationals at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri. The two-day event held August 31 and September 1 pays $10,000 for the win. The American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) National Tour and the ASCS Warrior Region will headline the Memorial Day weekend classic.

For more racing news, visit the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) website.