By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to provide that antique vehicles and expanded-use antique vehicles are required to display registration plates only on the rear of the vehicle died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Without having been given committee consideration, legislation to provide that antique vehicles and expanded-use antique vehicles are required to display registration plates only on the rear of the vehicle died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill also allowed expanded-use antique vehicles to be operated year-round with no restriction on destination or purpose.

Under current law, expanded-use antique vehicles can be only driven without limitation during the warmer part of the year (April 1 through October 31). They are limited to traveling to and from car shows, exhibitions, servicing or demonstration during the colder months (November 1 through March 31). Under the bill, the expanded-use antique registration plate would have been available at an annual fee of $45.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to provide that antique vehicles and expanded-use antique vehicles are required to display registration plates only on the rear of the vehicle died when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Without having been given committee consideration, legislation to provide that antique vehicles and expanded-use antique vehicles are required to display registration plates only on the rear of the vehicle died when the legislature adjourned for the year. The bill also allowed expanded-use antique vehicles to be operated year-round with no restriction on destination or purpose.

Under current law, expanded-use antique vehicles can be only driven without limitation during the warmer part of the year (April 1 through October 31). They are limited to traveling to and from car shows, exhibitions, servicing or demonstration during the colder months (November 1 through March 31). Under the bill, the expanded-use antique registration plate would have been available at an annual fee of $45.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014.

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014. The bill would have increased the registration fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, from $24 to $36 for persons under age 65. For persons 65 years old and older, the fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, would have risen from $20 to $32. In addition, the measure would have increased the registration fees for property-carrying vehicles 6,000 lbs. or less from $30 to $42 for persons 65 years old and older. For all other property-carrying vehicles, the fees would have risen incrementally depending on the vehicle weight. For example, fees for trucks weighing between 4,001 and 5,000 lbs. would have increased from $40 to $53.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014.

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014. The bill would have increased the registration fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, from $24 to $36 for persons under age 65. For persons 65 years old and older, the fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, would have risen from $20 to $32. In addition, the measure would have increased the registration fees for property-carrying vehicles 6,000 lbs. or less from $30 to $42 for persons 65 years old and older. For all other property-carrying vehicles, the fees would have risen incrementally depending on the vehicle weight. For example, fees for trucks weighing between 4,001 and 5,000 lbs. would have increased from $40 to $53.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014.

Legislation to increase biennial registration fees for motor vehicles died when the legislature adjourned for 2014. The bill would have increased the registration fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, from $24 to $36 for persons under age 65. For persons 65 years old and older, the fees for private passenger vehicles, excluding trucks, would have risen from $20 to $32. In addition, the measure would have increased the registration fees for property-carrying vehicles 6,000 lbs. or less from $30 to $42 for persons 65 years old and older. For all other property-carrying vehicles, the fees would have risen incrementally depending on the vehicle weight. For example, fees for trucks weighing between 4,001 and 5,000 lbs. would have increased from $40 to $53.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By Linda Spencer

	Fullsize pickups, including the Ford Raptor and Toyota Tundra, and Jeep Wrangler and Land Cruiser are the vehicles of choice for truck enthusiasts in China.

The specialty-equipment market in China is booming, with perhaps no sector growing at a faster pace than the off-road market. Fullsize pickups, including the Ford Raptor and Toyota Tundra, and Jeep Wrangler and Land Cruiser are the vehicles of choice for truck enthusiasts.

With some distributors reporting 30% growth per year, more companies are jumping into the business, and each is trying to distinguish their business from the others by reaching new areas geographically (inland and other underserved markets), carrying products that are not yet on the market and getting into new markets, such as ATVs. This provides opportunities for U.S. manufacturers. Join us for the upcoming 2014 SEMA China Business Development Tour to Beijing and Shanghai.

SEMA members can connect with Chinese companies through face-to-face meetings with distributors at venues in both Beijing and Shanghai on 2014 SEMA China Business Development Tour. Limited slots and subsidies are available for qualified companies.

Benefits for participating SEMA members include:

• A first-hand look at the developing specialty-equipment market and an opportunity to meet with pre-vetted distributors and retailers from throughout China during stops in Shanghai and Beijing.

• The opportunity to exhibit at two events:

SEMA China Business Development Conference at Beijing-based Tuner Tribe.

SEMA Pavilion at the Shanghai-based China Auto Salon (CAS).

The U.S. Department of Commerce has partnered with SEMA to promote and subsidize the participation of U.S. specialty-equipment companies at the SEMA China Business Development Tour. Firms that certify the products promoted at the SEMA China Business Development Tour contain a minimum of 51% U.S. content may be eligible for a $1,250 grant per company and an additional $250 grant for each additional person from the same company.

Program costs include booth space at both events, hotel, meals, interpreters, access to buyers from throughout China and a bullet train from Shanghai to Beijing (flights to and from the United States are not included).

Register now for the 2014 SEMA China Business Development Tour. For more information, contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org or visit sema.org/china.

Read the 2013 SEMA post-show report.

By Linda Spencer

	Fullsize pickups, including the Ford Raptor and Toyota Tundra, and Jeep Wrangler and Land Cruiser are the vehicles of choice for truck enthusiasts in China.

The specialty-equipment market in China is booming, with perhaps no sector growing at a faster pace than the off-road market. Fullsize pickups, including the Ford Raptor and Toyota Tundra, and Jeep Wrangler and Land Cruiser are the vehicles of choice for truck enthusiasts.

With some distributors reporting 30% growth per year, more companies are jumping into the business, and each is trying to distinguish their business from the others by reaching new areas geographically (inland and other underserved markets), carrying products that are not yet on the market and getting into new markets, such as ATVs. This provides opportunities for U.S. manufacturers. Join us for the upcoming 2014 SEMA China Business Development Tour to Beijing and Shanghai.

SEMA members can connect with Chinese companies through face-to-face meetings with distributors at venues in both Beijing and Shanghai on 2014 SEMA China Business Development Tour. Limited slots and subsidies are available for qualified companies.

Benefits for participating SEMA members include:

• A first-hand look at the developing specialty-equipment market and an opportunity to meet with pre-vetted distributors and retailers from throughout China during stops in Shanghai and Beijing.

• The opportunity to exhibit at two events:

SEMA China Business Development Conference at Beijing-based Tuner Tribe.

SEMA Pavilion at the Shanghai-based China Auto Salon (CAS).

The U.S. Department of Commerce has partnered with SEMA to promote and subsidize the participation of U.S. specialty-equipment companies at the SEMA China Business Development Tour. Firms that certify the products promoted at the SEMA China Business Development Tour contain a minimum of 51% U.S. content may be eligible for a $1,250 grant per company and an additional $250 grant for each additional person from the same company.

Program costs include booth space at both events, hotel, meals, interpreters, access to buyers from throughout China and a bullet train from Shanghai to Beijing (flights to and from the United States are not included).

Register now for the 2014 SEMA China Business Development Tour. For more information, contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org or visit sema.org/china.

Read the 2013 SEMA post-show report.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

	Tanner Foust won the World RX of Finland last weekend.

Rockstar Energy Drink Driver Tanner Foust Wins World RX of Finland
Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust returned to the top step of the podium last weekend at World RX of Finland, making it the second year in a row that the American has won the Finnish stop of the championship. Foust progressed through the field over two days of competition to win his Semifinal round and line up the Rockstar Energy Drink Volkswagen Polo R in the front row for Sunday's Final. There, he shot off the start and led from wire to wire for his first overseas win this year.

The two-time Global Rallycross Champion is running a select season of four events in World RX this year, and will next appear in the series at the Canadian round in August. Next month, Foust returns his focus to Global Rallycross competition with the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross squad for back-to-back-to-back race weekends in New York, Charlotte and Detroit. The latest season of his online documentary series, "Life in the Foust Lane," returns soon.

	Bryce Menzies won the 41st SCORE International Baja 500 last weekend—his third Baja 500 victory in four years.

FOX Off-Road Drivers Win Baja 500, Australia's Finke and Ultra4 Stampede
On the same weekend, FOX athletes took multiple class wins and the overall victory in Baja, were triumphant at a short-course rock race in California and swept the podium at Australia’s biggest desert race—the Finke.

Bryce Menzies won the 41st SCORE International Baja 500 last weekend—his third Baja 500 victory in four years. Cody Parkhouse won Class 1 and finished 10th overall in his buggy, while Mike Johnson beat a field of 28 competitors in Class 10 at the Baja 500. Menzies qualified second for the Baja 500, putting him at the front of the pack. Shannon Rentsch won the Finke Desert Race in Australia. Along with Rentsch's win, FOX drivers also swept the rest of the podium at Finke and nine of the top 10 overall positions. The Ultra4 season continued with the first Western Region event since King of the Hammers. Tom Wayes took the checkered flag at the Ultra4 Stampede short course event near Sacramento, California, and now sits in first place in the Ultra4 National standings.

Carl Breeze won two races and posted a second place in the third, which moved him up one place from fifth to fourth in the standings.

United Autosports Extends Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup Series Lead
United Autosports has extended its points advantage in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup following the latest three races at Croft last weekend. Carl Breeze won two races and posted a second place in the third, which moved him up one place from fifth to fourth in the standings. Breeze, who had started from the front row—his best qualifying position of the season—won by 1.103 seconds having led from start to finish.

Mitsubishi Motors Scores a 1–2 Finish in the 2014 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
A pair of Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. (MMNA) MiEV Evolution III all-electric prototype racecars placed first and second within the Electric Vehicle division in the 92st running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) last Sunday in the hands of six-time PPIHC motorcycle champion Greg Tracy and two-time Dakar Rally winner Hiroshi Masuoka, respectively. Tracy finished 2.4 seconds behind overall 2014 Pikes Peak race winner Romain Dumas and his gasoline-powered Le Mans sports car prototype. Tracy and his Mitsubishi MiEV Evolution III powered their way to overall victory in the Electric Vehicle division with a time of 9 minutes 8.188 seconds—a new record for the category. Tracy is the first participant in the event's history to record a sub-10-minute lap time in both two-wheel and four-wheel racing categories.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

	Tanner Foust won the World RX of Finland last weekend.

Rockstar Energy Drink Driver Tanner Foust Wins World RX of Finland
Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust returned to the top step of the podium last weekend at World RX of Finland, making it the second year in a row that the American has won the Finnish stop of the championship. Foust progressed through the field over two days of competition to win his Semifinal round and line up the Rockstar Energy Drink Volkswagen Polo R in the front row for Sunday's Final. There, he shot off the start and led from wire to wire for his first overseas win this year.

The two-time Global Rallycross Champion is running a select season of four events in World RX this year, and will next appear in the series at the Canadian round in August. Next month, Foust returns his focus to Global Rallycross competition with the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross squad for back-to-back-to-back race weekends in New York, Charlotte and Detroit. The latest season of his online documentary series, "Life in the Foust Lane," returns soon.

	Bryce Menzies won the 41st SCORE International Baja 500 last weekend—his third Baja 500 victory in four years.

FOX Off-Road Drivers Win Baja 500, Australia's Finke and Ultra4 Stampede
On the same weekend, FOX athletes took multiple class wins and the overall victory in Baja, were triumphant at a short-course rock race in California and swept the podium at Australia’s biggest desert race—the Finke.

Bryce Menzies won the 41st SCORE International Baja 500 last weekend—his third Baja 500 victory in four years. Cody Parkhouse won Class 1 and finished 10th overall in his buggy, while Mike Johnson beat a field of 28 competitors in Class 10 at the Baja 500. Menzies qualified second for the Baja 500, putting him at the front of the pack. Shannon Rentsch won the Finke Desert Race in Australia. Along with Rentsch's win, FOX drivers also swept the rest of the podium at Finke and nine of the top 10 overall positions. The Ultra4 season continued with the first Western Region event since King of the Hammers. Tom Wayes took the checkered flag at the Ultra4 Stampede short course event near Sacramento, California, and now sits in first place in the Ultra4 National standings.

Carl Breeze won two races and posted a second place in the third, which moved him up one place from fifth to fourth in the standings.

United Autosports Extends Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup Series Lead
United Autosports has extended its points advantage in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup following the latest three races at Croft last weekend. Carl Breeze won two races and posted a second place in the third, which moved him up one place from fifth to fourth in the standings. Breeze, who had started from the front row—his best qualifying position of the season—won by 1.103 seconds having led from start to finish.

Mitsubishi Motors Scores a 1–2 Finish in the 2014 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
A pair of Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. (MMNA) MiEV Evolution III all-electric prototype racecars placed first and second within the Electric Vehicle division in the 92st running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) last Sunday in the hands of six-time PPIHC motorcycle champion Greg Tracy and two-time Dakar Rally winner Hiroshi Masuoka, respectively. Tracy finished 2.4 seconds behind overall 2014 Pikes Peak race winner Romain Dumas and his gasoline-powered Le Mans sports car prototype. Tracy and his Mitsubishi MiEV Evolution III powered their way to overall victory in the Electric Vehicle division with a time of 9 minutes 8.188 seconds—a new record for the category. Tracy is the first participant in the event's history to record a sub-10-minute lap time in both two-wheel and four-wheel racing categories.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NHRA News

HAGAN, BROWN, NOBILE, ARANA JR. RACE TO WINS IN CHICAGO: Matt Hagan ended an 11-race winless streak in Funny Car with a victory last Sunday at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Route 66 Raceway.

"We’ve been working at it this year," said Hagan, who now has three wins in Chicago. "It’s been a very humbling year for us. Last year, we came out and won five races, and you kind of think you are going to set the world on fire the following year."

ANDERSON LEADS PRO STOCK AND SUMMIT RACING INTO NORWALK: Since returning to the driver’s seat six races ago following heart surgery in February, four-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson has seen steady improvement out of his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro. Anderson has advanced to two final rounds since his return, but he has not been able to take the final step. Anderson is ready for that breakthrough after a winless streak has stretched more than two years and 44 total races, and an ideal time would be the upcoming eighth-annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals.

Khalid alBalooshi (Top Fuel), Johnny Gray (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the event that will once again be televised on ESPN2. It is the 13th of 24 events during the 2014 NHRA season and nobody has to explain to Anderson the importance of doing well in Norwalk.

"We’re definitely getting there, but we’re not where we need to be," Anderson said. "We’re progressing and we’re finding a way to go rounds against some extremely tough competition. There has absolutely never been a year like this before. It’s a much tougher challenge to crack into the top 10. We have to get back to winning races. To get into the Countdown you have to be able to win and that’s the way it should be."

ALBALOOSHI POWERS TO NORWALK AND SITE OF PAST SUCCESS: The results might not have shown it recently, but Khalid alBalooshi knows that his Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel team is close to returning to impressive performances. With the next race on the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series already a proven winner for alBalooshi, it could be a case of perfect timing. AlBalooshi and his 10,000-hp dragster will enter this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals as the defending winner in Top Fuel, and it couldn’t come at a more ideal time.

"We’re finding out a lot of things about the car," alBalooshi said. "Everyone is doing their job and we’re putting everything together to give me the best car we can, especially now that we’ve found the problem. We were trying something different and working on some different things, and I feel like I know exactly what it’s going to do this race. We know how to make the car keep getting better. I think you will see a lot from the Al-Anabi team very soon and I feel like we’ve got our hot rod back."

He Said, She Said

"I really like running at Norwalk. Norwalk is our closest track, and we always have great support from our local fans. It’s like a home race for us. With some of my family and friends all there, it will be extra special to have a great outing, and the Bader family always puts on a great event. It has become one of the crown-jewel events in our series, and I want a Wally from Norwalk extremely bad. I’m really proud of Jim O [Oberhofer, crew chief] and my guys with the performance we’ve shown with our Mac Tools dragster so far this year. We're all super-focused and plan to continue to be a force to be reckoned with at each and every event for the rest of the season.”

—Top Fuel points leader Doug Kalitta on racing at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park. Kalitta has yet to win at the fan-friendly facility, but raced to a runner-up finish at the track in 2013. Larry Dixon leads the Top Fuel category with two wins.

Inside the Numbers

501: Number of round wins Antron Brown has in his 298 NHRA race career. He becomes the 16th racer in the history of the sport to race to more than 500 round wins. Brown reached 500 round wins when he defeated Clay Millican in the semi-finals at Chicago. He went on to win the event when he bested Brittany Force in the finals for his 45th career win.

"We've been trying a new [engine] combination and it dropped a couple [cylinders] this weekend, but we were able to get the round wins. The Matco Tools guys are getting the car where it's happy again and it was happy in that final round. When you get to the final and you know you're racing someone like Brittany [Force] you have to put out your A-plus game because everybody we're racing is bringing their A-plus game. Her [reaction time] lights were good all day."

Did You Know

ARANA FAMILY BECOMES FIRST FATHER AND SON IN PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE FINALS: The Pro Stock category is a family affair as in Epping, where husband and wife Matt and Angie Smith faced each other in the finals. In Chicago, father and son raced for the Wally when Hector Arana and Hector Arana Jr. met in the finals. It marked the first time in Pro Stock Motorcycle history that father and son battled in the finals. The win went to Arana Jr. for his eighth career win. "We won together," said Hector Jr., who advanced to the final with victories against Gainesville winner Steve Johnson, Charlotte and Englishtown winner Andrew Hines, and Shawn Gann. "I would not be here without [Hector Sr.]. To race him in a final is a dream come true. We’ve been trying to do this for four years, and it finally happened. Now we just need a brother-brother final with me and Adam [Arana]."

View the complete 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.