CRP Automotive Names Matt Zarlenga 2021 U.S. Sales Representative of the Year

Matt Zarlenga (center) of the Sherman-Pearson Company was named CRP Automotive’s 2021 U.S. Sales Representative of the Year.

CRP Automotive has named Matt Zarlenga of the Sherman-Pearson Company as its 2021 U.S. Sales Representative of the Year. Zarlenga has been with Sherman-Pearson Company since 2019 and has represented CRP Automotive’s AAE, REIN, Pentosin and AJUSA brands in the Northern and Central Ohio market. CRP Automotive presented the award to Zarlenga during the 2021 AAPEX Show in Las Vegas. The Rep of the Year award was presented by CRP Automotive Channel Sales Manager Nicole Ryan and U.S and Canada Sales Director Warren Morley. Zarlenga accepted the award on behalf of Sherman-Pearson, noting that the accomplishments in 2021 were the result of a solid team effort and made possible only by the dedication and hard work of everyone involved.

Prior to joining Sherman-Pearson Company, Zarlenga was a manufacturers representative with Bowdoin Marketing specializing in the automotive aftermarket. He also worked in the OE dealership channel as a sales consultant and warranty administrator.

GRIDLIFE Announces New “Circuit Legends” Festival at Lime Rock Park for Summer ‘22

GRIDLIFE hosted the “State of the Grid” press conference last Friday at the 2021 PRI Show, where they revealed their 2022 competition calendar, and announced plans for a new festival expansion to the Northeast called “Circuit Legends,” to be hosted at Lime Rock Park, August 19–20, at the celebrated circuit in Connecticut.

Circuit Legends is a new festival concept for GRIDLIFE—known for its music and motorsports festivals with late-night concerts. The Circuit Legends concept won’t feature musical acts, but instead celebrate motorsports culture of the mid-’80s through mid-’00s by featuring vehicles that represent “the golden age of touring car racing”. The goal is to resurrect all the vehicular heroes from around the world and set them loose in the hills of Lime Rock in a celebration of touring-car racing.

The Circuit Legends Festival is a collaboration between the GRIDLIFE and Lime Rock Park, which is producing the new event as partners. At Circuit Legends at Lime Rock, fans will be able to see their vehicular heroes up close and at speed. On track, GRIDLIFE will bring its HPDE, TrackBattle Time Attack, GRIDLIFE Touring Cup (GLTC) and a special “Legends session” where the legacy touring cars will be on track at speed in a shootout-style showcase. More details will be released in the coming months as production of Circuit Legends at Lime Rock begins.  

Gold Eagle Company Announces Focus on Innovation Ahead of 90th Anniversary

Gold Eagle Company, a privately held, family-owned and operated manufacturer of performance chemicals, surface treatments and a full-service contract packager, has announced its commitment to innovation ahead of its 90th anniversary in 2022. Matt Banach has been named executive vice president of market innovation and will have full responsibility for new product development and innovation to meet and exceed consumer expectations. He will also operate as the Gold Eagle brands/operations liaison involving packaging, supply-chain solutions and product management/forecasting to ensure continued innovation across all departments within the organization. Banach joined Gold Eagle in 2011 as a technical sales representative and has held the positions of event manager, brand creative director, and most recently, vice president of marketing.

Additionally, in support of the company’s product and marketing innovative efforts, Jennifer Robertson has been named director of marketing with full-scope responsibility for consumer insights and brand management, digital marketing, content marketing and event marketing. Robertson joined Gold Eagle in 2001 and has held many positions within brand management, playing an integral role over the years in helping build the majority of the company brands, most notably STA-BIL and 303.

MAHLE Motorsport Expands Staffing for Sales, Engineering Departments

MAHLE Motorsport has announced the addition of three new employees to the company’s staff headquarters in Fletcher, North Carolina. The three positions fulfill roles in sales technical support and engineering design. Sales administrator Adam Beddingfield has been hired along with engineers Brian Fair and George Wright. All three employees report to MAHLE Motorsport Product Manager Eric Grilliot.

Beddingfield joins a team of in-house PowerPak product experts and sales representatives and will provide technical product support including answering questions about the PowerPak shelf stock products, PowerPak Plus, custom-designed pistons and more. Motorsports Applications Engineer Fair is a recent graduate from Tennessee Tech University (Cookeville, Tennessee), while Wright is a recent graduate from Minnesota State University (Mankato, Minnesota). Both will work in the development of custom performance race pistons and provide input on the design and specification needed to accomplish project goals, utilize CMM and 3D scanning equipment for final design and ensure quality control.

Skyjacker Suspensions Names Armond Gilmore Media Manager

Skyjacker Suspensions has promoted Armond Gilmore, a former graphic designer, to media manager. Gilmore has worked in-house and remotely with the company for five years. He has recently returned from a tour overseas as CPT Armond Gilmore, United States Army 42B Commanding. As media manager, Gilmore will ensure that key messages align with vital business strategies decided upon by upper management. His responsibilities include building and managing the organization’s social-media profile and presence; promoting additional projects to support new-product launches; monitoring online and offline campaigns and reporting on results; and developing and producing content via social media, websites and other distribution channels. Gilmore will also lead the charge in collecting and building video content for the company’s website, YouTube and other marketing channels. 

MW Industries Acquires Two New Companies

MW Industries has completed two new acquisitions that expand its precision spring and fastener manufacturing capabilities. They include Fox Valley Spring Company—a supplier of springs, wire forms and flat springs—and Ideal Fasteners—a global manufacturer of threaded fasteners. These additions expand MW’s U.S.-based manufacturing locations and broadens its custom and stock component capabilities. This combined operation will improve the company’s capacity to supply the highest-quality custom springs and increase its stock, standard and custom fastener product lines.

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.

Verstappen Overtakes on Last Lap to Grab First F1 Title

Max Verstappen won his first F1 title last weekend.

Max Verstappen overtook rival Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the final race of the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship season to win his maiden title as a late safety car at Yas Marina brought drama to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last Sunday. By the end of the season, after Verstappen took 10 victories, 10 pole positions and 18 podium finishes, the Dutchman became Red Bull's second world champion after Sebastian Vettel annexed the title for four straight years from 2010–2013. Red Bull’s title ends Mercedes’ seven-year run that coincides with the introduction of the 1.6L V6 turbo hybrid era from 2014, while he becomes the 34th world champion in F1 history dating back to 1950. It is the first title for Honda since Ayrton Senna won the 1991 crown and comes in the engine manufacturers' final race with the team.

Texas Motorplex Releases 2022 Schedule

Heading into 2022 Texas Motorplex, the only quarter-mile multi-use racing facility in North Texas and home of the Stampede of Speed and NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, will once again host dozens of specialty events drawing fans from across the country. The addition of the Stampede of Speed in 2021, the largest continuous motorsports event second only to the Indy 500, will anchor a season of racing action in 2022. For the complete schedule, visit the Texas Motorplex website.

Xtreme Outlaw Series Created for Midgets, Non-Wing Sprint Cars

World Racing Group (WRG) CEO Brian Carter has announced the addition of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series and Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Car Series. The company behind the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars, World of Outlaws Late Models, Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds, DIRTcar Racing and more made the announcement during the 2021 PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis.

Each Series will feature a 10 to 15 race schedule with a combined point fund approaching $100,000. Long-term goals center around increasing fan interaction and engagement and building brand awareness for the sport of non-wing racing, according to WRG. Added to the annual DIRTcar Nationals, the Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Cars will debut at Volusia Speedway Park, February 14–15, 2022, in Barberville, Florida. In addition, the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets will be added to the Ironman 55 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55, August 5–6, 2022, in Pevely, Missouri. Additional events will be announced at a later date. The newly created Series will be guided by Casey Shuman, a veteran sprint and midget racer who continues to serve his fourth year as the World of Outlaws late-model series director. For more information, visit xtremeoutlawseries.com.

Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, California, Announces Closure

Auto Club Dragway, the 1/4-mile dragstrip in Fontana, California, has permanently closed. The below announcement was made by officials from Auto Club Speedway, the 2-mi. oval track also in Fontana, California.

“After careful consideration on the best direction forward for Auto Club Speedway, the difficult decision has been made to permanently close Auto Club Dragway. We thank all of the competitors, fans and corporate partners who made so many wonderful memories at Auto Club Dragway through the years, and we look forward to making new ones as we embark on our 25th Anniversary Season at the 2-mi. oval in 2022.”

It was previously announced in April that the drag strip would remained closed for the 2021 season “due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.” The track was first built in 2001 outside of the backstretch of Auto Club Speedway. For more information, visit autoclubdragway.com or autoclubspeedway.com.

Turn 3 Media, Riivet Announce “SPEED SPORT 1” Network

SPEED SPORT, the motorsports media company, and Riivet, the provider of motorsports live streaming and video production, have established SPEED SPORT 1. The new joint venture builds upon the SPEED SPORT Network launched in 2019. SPEED SPORT 1 broadcast rights holders (tracks, sanctioning bodies, promoters and broadcasters) will be given the opportunity to participate in the growth of SPEED SPORT 1 since participation will be based on longevity, broadcast performance, content syndication and other parameters to be announced in the coming weeks. The new structure incentivizes and rewards its affiliates to develop their broadcast assets and unique brands while also showcasing and promoting their content via the SPEED SPORT 1 digital television channel and the entire SPEED SPORT network of media. For more information, visit speedsport1.com.

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

This is a prototype of the upcoming ’23 Ford F-350 Chassis Cab. The model seen here is the XL trim with the Regular Cab configuration and dual rear wheels, outfitted with an aftermarket flatbed configuration.

The ’23 model year will bring about a redesign to the Super Duty lineup, complete with new front and rear fascias, interiors and potential powertrain updates. The Chassis Cab configuration seen here has the front end covered in camo, hiding its new face. Even so, we see a set of incandescent headlights and a large grille opening.

Expect the updated Super Duty to launch in late 2022.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

This is a prototype of the upcoming ’23 Ford F-350 Chassis Cab. The model seen here is the XL trim with the Regular Cab configuration and dual rear wheels, outfitted with an aftermarket flatbed configuration.

The ’23 model year will bring about a redesign to the Super Duty lineup, complete with new front and rear fascias, interiors and potential powertrain updates. The Chassis Cab configuration seen here has the front end covered in camo, hiding its new face. Even so, we see a set of incandescent headlights and a large grille opening.

Expect the updated Super Duty to launch in late 2022.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

Dear SEMA Member:

A strong SEMA Board means wise leadership and an association that serves its members well. As a member of the Association, we are currently seeking your recommendation for industry leaders to serve on the SEMA Board of Directors.

The following seats are open for this year’s election:

• Manufacturers (3 open seats)
• Manufacturers Rep (1 open seat)

Please take a moment and tell us whom you would recommend as a potential nominee for a board member position by completing and submitting a nomination form. To help the vetting process, please include brief information about the nominee’s qualifications, such as background, experience and achievements that would make that nominee an outstanding board candidate.

Nominations for the SEMA Board of Directors are due on Wednesday, January 5, 2022. Please complete and submit the nomination form.

We urge you to take part in the nominations process—our industry has many individuals who would be an asset to the Board, but we need you to help bring them to the attention of the Nominating Committee.

Thank you for your attention to this important request.

Sincerely,

Chris Kersting, CAE
SEMA President & CEO

It’s never too early to start planning for the Show. Last month, more than 100,000 industry exhibitors, buyers and media reconnected to do business for the first time in two years at the 2021 SEMA Show. With 2021 in the books, it’s now time to start planning for the 2022 SEMA Show, November 1–4, in Las Vegas.

More than 100,000 industry exhibitors, buyers and media reconnected to do business for the first time in two years at the 2021 SEMA Show.

Reserve a booth now!

For additional information about exhibiting at the SEMA Show, visit www.semashow.com/exhibitor.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The current digital issue of Off-Road Business magazine explores the conversion of a M1087 military truck known as Bantha into an overlanding transport. The vehicle’s nickname comes from the woolly mammoth-looking creature from Star Wars. It is fun to see how the rugged industrial behemoth now includes a comfortable living space.

View the magazine.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

In a win for proponents of off-highway vehicle (OHV) activity at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA), a study from the University of California, San Diego’s Scripps Institute of Oceanography on mineral dust particles in the dunes area indicates that “dune-derived mineral dust is more likely to be primarily caused by natural forces (i.e. wind) rather than human activities.” A central argument of those who oppose OHV activity at the SVRA is that it harms the environment by causing more particulate matter (dust) that worsens air quality in the region.

The study found that “There is no evidence that toxic compounds...are associated with the two major PM2.5 sources (dune dust and sea spray) during windy conditions at Oceano Dunes, so association of PM2.5 with detrimental health effects may be without foundation.” The study noted that PM2.5 “in urban locations is largely associated with emissions from motor vehicles that include high amounts of toxics, nanoparticles and transition metals. In areas where PM2.5 is dominated by natural emission sources rather than man-made combustion activities, the causal link between toxics and health effects is unlikely to hold.”

The California State Parks Departments’ Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission is holding a workshop to discuss the study on December 9. Click here for more information.

Oceano Dunes SVRA is California’s only OHV park on the Pacific Ocean, located about two hours northwest of Los Angeles near San Luis Obispo. It became a state park in 1974, originally encompassing 3,600 acres but now is less than 1,500 acres. The park draws outdoor enthusiasts from across the country and generates millions of dollars for the local economy.

Oceano Dunes SVRA has been under threat of closure for many years, primarily by groups that object to motorized recreation on the 8-mi. strip of land. Opposition is largely based on environmental arguments—airborne particulate matter (dust) and/or threatened plants and animals. For years, SEMA has joined with many other OHV groups in challenging the scientific basis for the claims and in citing the importance of the area for the enthusiast community.

Two state agencies have been locked in a conflicting jurisdictional dispute, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) and State Parks. The CCC contends that it has primacy with respect to environmental concerns while State Parks cites a mandate from the State Legislature to manage the area for OHV use.

In March 2021, the CCC voted to shut down OHV access within three years. SEMA and several other off-road groups have challenged the CCC decision in lawsuits filed in California State Superior Court for San Luis Obispo County. The Court has scheduled a hearing for January 2022.

In a separate action, the CCC is also holding a December 17 public hearing on a State Parks proposal to remove 130 acres of OHV and camping areas at Oceano Dunes as part of dust control mitigation and dune habitat restoration effort. CCC staff support State Parks request since it does not conflict with the CCC directive that all vehicular recreation be eliminated by January 2024.

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

While most members of Congress were enjoying an extended Thanksgiving break with their families, U.S. Representative Jake Ellzey (R-TX) kept a busy schedule meeting with his constituents. Rep. Ellzey visited Summit Racing in Arlington, Texas, for a tour of their retail super store, order fulfillment center and distribution center. Summit Racing is headquartered in Tallmadge, Ohio, although the company has opened three other facilities, including its Arlington location in 2017, which is their largest facility at nearly 1 million sq. ft. Rep. Ellzey’s visit provided the congressman a chance to learn more about the specialty automotive aftermarket and the role the industry plays in Texas’ 6th Congressional District, which is located both to the south and west of Dallas and includes parts of Fort Worth and Arlington.

U.S. Representative Jake Ellzey (R-TX) [third from right] visited Summit Racing in Arlington, Texas, for a tour of their retail super store, order fulfillment center and distribution center.

“The tour of Summit racing was nothing short of remarkable,” said Rep. Ellzey, “You all have a tremendous facility, but what was most impressive was all of the employees. The afternoon I spent there, I could tell that everyone cared about their job, each other and the customer. I am glad that Summit Racing is in our district. It is something we can all be proud of, and I look forward to rebuilding my ’79 F-150 with a little bit of help."

Rep. Ellzey is a native Texan, and is one of the newest members of Congress, as he won a special election in July 2021. Prior to running for elected office, Rep. Ellzey served 20 years as a Naval aviator flying H-60 helicopters, F-14 Tomcats, F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets in defense of our nation. He was deployed nine times during his military career with five combat tours over Afghanistan and two in Iraq. 

The Congressman logged more than 800 carrier landings and served a tour as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller on the ground embedded with Navy SEALs. Following his tour as Commanding Officer of Strike Fighter Squadron, he served as the Air Boss on the USS Ronald Reagan. After his Navy career, he served Texas as a Commissioner of the Texas Veterans Commission, State Representative of the 10th District of Texas, ran a small business and worked as an airline pilot.

For additional information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) named Alexander Martinez as this week’s WTC spotlight volunteer. Martinez is a WTC select committee member and the chief marketing and customer officer at SD Wheel —a distributor of wheels and tires for the automotive aftermarket.

Get to know Martinez in his interview with SEMA below.

SEMA: What led you to obtaining a career in the wheel and tire industry?

Alexander Martinez: I’ve always been passionate about people finding ways to express their individuality. It just so happens that cars were the best way to do that. My passion for bringing people together and expressing themselves through their vehicles sparked various entrepreneurial businesses when I was 17-18. Over time, this scaled into launching brands and companies that specialized in aftermarket wheels, tires and suspension.

SEMA: How has being a WTC volunteer or member impacted your professional career?

AM: It's allowed me to connect with some incredible leaders in the wheel and tire industry. From new companies to well-established brands, being a part of WTC has allowed me to listen in and learn from so many exciting and incredible people with unique stories.

SEMA: What advice do you have for someone pursuing a career in the wheel and tire segment?

AM: There are opportunities everywhere. Take the risk and make the jump! Just be sure to plan for those jumps through standard work, lean management, accountability and discipline. If you can do that, you’ll win.

SEMA: Where can we find you on a Saturday?

AM: I can be found at Road America driving my cars, hosting a car show or traveling with vendors learning about new products.

Fill out a WTC spotlight form to highlight how you or your company are contributing to the wheel and tire segment of the automotive aftermarket. Selected candidates are eligible to be featured on WTC’s social media, SEMA eNews and future WTC member updates.