A prototype for Ford's SVT Mustang has been caught without its heavy camouflage while running on the Nürburgring. The latest shots provide a first look at the aggressive styling destined for what will be—for now at least—for the top-performing pony in the Mustang lineup.

Photo credit: KGP Photography

A prototype for Ford's SVT Mustang has been caught without its heavy camouflage while running on the Nürburgring. The latest shots provide a first look at the aggressive styling destined for what will be—for now at least—for the top-performing pony in the Mustang lineup.

Photo credit: KGP Photography

A prototype for Ford's SVT Mustang has been caught without its heavy camouflage while running on the Nürburgring. The latest shots provide a first look at the aggressive styling destined for what will be—for now at least—for the top-performing pony in the Mustang lineup.

Photo credit: KGP Photography

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NHRA News

HAGAN HAS BIG GOALS HEADING INTO DENVER: Matt Hagan isn’t going to make any bold claims following his first win of the season. But heading into a crucial stretch of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season it was precisely the type of performance the Funny Car standout wanted to see. Hagan picked up a hard-earned victory in Chicago, giving the team a noticeable burst of energy. It also sets up Hagan and his 10,000-hp Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger favorably for the three-week NHRA Western Swing that begins with the 35th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. The pivotal three-race stretch is a major opportunity for drivers to make an impressive move in the points standings with the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship right around the corner.

"You definitely want to kick off Denver and the Western Swing in the right direction," Hagan said. "It’s huge to do well in this three-race swing. It’s a dream of mine to sweep the swing, but you have to take it one race at a time. You have to stay humble with these cars. You need consistency and a bunch of good runs, and then you can talk about a championship. You can’t get too excited from one win."

MASSEY READY TO TACKLE CHALLENGE OF MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS: The drivers on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit will have to deal with racing at an elevation of more than 5,800 ft. this weekend at Bandimere Speedway. They will also have to deal with warm temperatures and the rising pressure of each race with the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship looming. In other words, it’s precisely what Top Fuel standout Spencer Massey lives for. Massey will look to make it two straight wins at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. With a strong recent track record in Denver, along with a penchant for running well during the summer months, Massey is locked in heading into one of the most crucial stretches of the season.

"I like racing in the heat, and I don’t think we fall off much performance-wise,” Massey said. "I love the pressure, and I love when it gets close to the Countdown. I love these situations, and the more pressure the better. The entire team shines in those situations, and we can’t wait for Denver. I love racing there."

GAINES EAGER TO GET BACK HOME TO DENVER: After the kind of slump V Gaines has been in lately on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit, heading home might be the best solution. That is what Gaines—a prominent businessman in the Denver area—is banking on as the Pro Stock standout starts the three-week NHRA Western Swing with the 35th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. He has finished as the runner-up the past two years at his home track, losing both times to Allen Johnson. But that kind of success would serve as a major boost for Gaines and his Kendall Oil Dodge Avenger after a particularly rough five-race stretch. Gaines lost four straight first-round matchups and then didn’t qualify for the most recent race in Norwalk, adding even more salt to the wound.

"We’ve known for the past month what the problem is but we’ve just been unable to find the right solution," Gaines said. "We’ve been kind of chasing it until we were able to round up the right parts. We’ve been doing quite a bit of testing and I think we’ve got it working. So after testing we know it works up here in Denver. The question is if it will work the next week in Sonoma."

He Said, She Said

"It's as brutal a change or swing of conditions that you'll see. I don't know how these crew chiefs sleep at night to begin with, but to go up in the mountain like we have to go first and compete in those conditions and make power up there and do what we have to do, and come back down to really less than sea level almost in Sonoma and then go to Seattle where you've got all those trees producing the oxygen that you don't normally see. You've just got to have a good crew chief."

—Funny Car racer Ron Capps on the difficulty of sweeping all three races in the Western Swing. John Force is the only Funny Car racer to win all three races, which hasn’t been achieved since 1994.

Inside the Numbers

2009: The last year that a driver in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series swept the three races in the Western Swing was 2009. Antron Brown achieved that feat when he strung together three weekends and became the seventh driver to sweep the stretch of races. He also is just the fifth Top Fuel driver to win all three events. Joe Amato (1991), Cory McClenathan (1997), Larry Dixon (2003) and Tony Schumacher (2008) are the other Top Fuel racers to do the sweep. John Force in Funny Car (1994), and Greg Anderson in Pro Stock (2004) are the other drivers to dominate the Western Swing.

“The Western Swing is one of those grueling marathon of races,” said Brown. “You travel to the West Coast and each race is almost 1,000 miles between each other and the crews are going back-to-back-to back. From Denver at mile-high conditions, to Sonoma at sea level, to Seattle where the track can be tricky but good too. We are always glad to go on the Western Swing because it shows you what the great teams are made of.”

Did You Know

JENNA HADDOCK TO MAKE TOP FUEL DEBUT IN DENVER: Jenna Haddock, wife of well-known Funny Car driver Terry Haddock, has earned her Top Fuel competition license and has signed a multi-race agreement with Patriot Grading & Engineering. She will make her debut at the 35th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, July 18–20. Haddock’s plans also include competing at the 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle, August 1–3, and the 50th Annual Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona, November 13–16.

"I am beyond ecstatic to get to do this. I have been going to the races since I was a little girl, and now getting to be part of the show is an honor. I want to thank Terry, my team and my sponsors for supporting me and believing in me enough to give me the opportunity to do this. They have worked so hard to make this happen for me. I know that we have our work cut out for us but I so badly want to make everyone proud."

View the complete 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NHRA News

HAGAN HAS BIG GOALS HEADING INTO DENVER: Matt Hagan isn’t going to make any bold claims following his first win of the season. But heading into a crucial stretch of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season it was precisely the type of performance the Funny Car standout wanted to see. Hagan picked up a hard-earned victory in Chicago, giving the team a noticeable burst of energy. It also sets up Hagan and his 10,000-hp Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger favorably for the three-week NHRA Western Swing that begins with the 35th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. The pivotal three-race stretch is a major opportunity for drivers to make an impressive move in the points standings with the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship right around the corner.

"You definitely want to kick off Denver and the Western Swing in the right direction," Hagan said. "It’s huge to do well in this three-race swing. It’s a dream of mine to sweep the swing, but you have to take it one race at a time. You have to stay humble with these cars. You need consistency and a bunch of good runs, and then you can talk about a championship. You can’t get too excited from one win."

MASSEY READY TO TACKLE CHALLENGE OF MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS: The drivers on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit will have to deal with racing at an elevation of more than 5,800 ft. this weekend at Bandimere Speedway. They will also have to deal with warm temperatures and the rising pressure of each race with the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship looming. In other words, it’s precisely what Top Fuel standout Spencer Massey lives for. Massey will look to make it two straight wins at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. With a strong recent track record in Denver, along with a penchant for running well during the summer months, Massey is locked in heading into one of the most crucial stretches of the season.

"I like racing in the heat, and I don’t think we fall off much performance-wise,” Massey said. "I love the pressure, and I love when it gets close to the Countdown. I love these situations, and the more pressure the better. The entire team shines in those situations, and we can’t wait for Denver. I love racing there."

GAINES EAGER TO GET BACK HOME TO DENVER: After the kind of slump V Gaines has been in lately on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit, heading home might be the best solution. That is what Gaines—a prominent businessman in the Denver area—is banking on as the Pro Stock standout starts the three-week NHRA Western Swing with the 35th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. He has finished as the runner-up the past two years at his home track, losing both times to Allen Johnson. But that kind of success would serve as a major boost for Gaines and his Kendall Oil Dodge Avenger after a particularly rough five-race stretch. Gaines lost four straight first-round matchups and then didn’t qualify for the most recent race in Norwalk, adding even more salt to the wound.

"We’ve known for the past month what the problem is but we’ve just been unable to find the right solution," Gaines said. "We’ve been kind of chasing it until we were able to round up the right parts. We’ve been doing quite a bit of testing and I think we’ve got it working. So after testing we know it works up here in Denver. The question is if it will work the next week in Sonoma."

He Said, She Said

"It's as brutal a change or swing of conditions that you'll see. I don't know how these crew chiefs sleep at night to begin with, but to go up in the mountain like we have to go first and compete in those conditions and make power up there and do what we have to do, and come back down to really less than sea level almost in Sonoma and then go to Seattle where you've got all those trees producing the oxygen that you don't normally see. You've just got to have a good crew chief."

—Funny Car racer Ron Capps on the difficulty of sweeping all three races in the Western Swing. John Force is the only Funny Car racer to win all three races, which hasn’t been achieved since 1994.

Inside the Numbers

2009: The last year that a driver in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series swept the three races in the Western Swing was 2009. Antron Brown achieved that feat when he strung together three weekends and became the seventh driver to sweep the stretch of races. He also is just the fifth Top Fuel driver to win all three events. Joe Amato (1991), Cory McClenathan (1997), Larry Dixon (2003) and Tony Schumacher (2008) are the other Top Fuel racers to do the sweep. John Force in Funny Car (1994), and Greg Anderson in Pro Stock (2004) are the other drivers to dominate the Western Swing.

“The Western Swing is one of those grueling marathon of races,” said Brown. “You travel to the West Coast and each race is almost 1,000 miles between each other and the crews are going back-to-back-to back. From Denver at mile-high conditions, to Sonoma at sea level, to Seattle where the track can be tricky but good too. We are always glad to go on the Western Swing because it shows you what the great teams are made of.”

Did You Know

JENNA HADDOCK TO MAKE TOP FUEL DEBUT IN DENVER: Jenna Haddock, wife of well-known Funny Car driver Terry Haddock, has earned her Top Fuel competition license and has signed a multi-race agreement with Patriot Grading & Engineering. She will make her debut at the 35th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, July 18–20. Haddock’s plans also include competing at the 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle, August 1–3, and the 50th Annual Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona, November 13–16.

"I am beyond ecstatic to get to do this. I have been going to the races since I was a little girl, and now getting to be part of the show is an honor. I want to thank Terry, my team and my sponsors for supporting me and believing in me enough to give me the opportunity to do this. They have worked so hard to make this happen for me. I know that we have our work cut out for us but I so badly want to make everyone proud."

View the complete 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NHRA News

HAGAN HAS BIG GOALS HEADING INTO DENVER: Matt Hagan isn’t going to make any bold claims following his first win of the season. But heading into a crucial stretch of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season it was precisely the type of performance the Funny Car standout wanted to see. Hagan picked up a hard-earned victory in Chicago, giving the team a noticeable burst of energy. It also sets up Hagan and his 10,000-hp Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger favorably for the three-week NHRA Western Swing that begins with the 35th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. The pivotal three-race stretch is a major opportunity for drivers to make an impressive move in the points standings with the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship right around the corner.

"You definitely want to kick off Denver and the Western Swing in the right direction," Hagan said. "It’s huge to do well in this three-race swing. It’s a dream of mine to sweep the swing, but you have to take it one race at a time. You have to stay humble with these cars. You need consistency and a bunch of good runs, and then you can talk about a championship. You can’t get too excited from one win."

MASSEY READY TO TACKLE CHALLENGE OF MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS: The drivers on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit will have to deal with racing at an elevation of more than 5,800 ft. this weekend at Bandimere Speedway. They will also have to deal with warm temperatures and the rising pressure of each race with the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship looming. In other words, it’s precisely what Top Fuel standout Spencer Massey lives for. Massey will look to make it two straight wins at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. With a strong recent track record in Denver, along with a penchant for running well during the summer months, Massey is locked in heading into one of the most crucial stretches of the season.

"I like racing in the heat, and I don’t think we fall off much performance-wise,” Massey said. "I love the pressure, and I love when it gets close to the Countdown. I love these situations, and the more pressure the better. The entire team shines in those situations, and we can’t wait for Denver. I love racing there."

GAINES EAGER TO GET BACK HOME TO DENVER: After the kind of slump V Gaines has been in lately on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit, heading home might be the best solution. That is what Gaines—a prominent businessman in the Denver area—is banking on as the Pro Stock standout starts the three-week NHRA Western Swing with the 35th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. He has finished as the runner-up the past two years at his home track, losing both times to Allen Johnson. But that kind of success would serve as a major boost for Gaines and his Kendall Oil Dodge Avenger after a particularly rough five-race stretch. Gaines lost four straight first-round matchups and then didn’t qualify for the most recent race in Norwalk, adding even more salt to the wound.

"We’ve known for the past month what the problem is but we’ve just been unable to find the right solution," Gaines said. "We’ve been kind of chasing it until we were able to round up the right parts. We’ve been doing quite a bit of testing and I think we’ve got it working. So after testing we know it works up here in Denver. The question is if it will work the next week in Sonoma."

He Said, She Said

"It's as brutal a change or swing of conditions that you'll see. I don't know how these crew chiefs sleep at night to begin with, but to go up in the mountain like we have to go first and compete in those conditions and make power up there and do what we have to do, and come back down to really less than sea level almost in Sonoma and then go to Seattle where you've got all those trees producing the oxygen that you don't normally see. You've just got to have a good crew chief."

—Funny Car racer Ron Capps on the difficulty of sweeping all three races in the Western Swing. John Force is the only Funny Car racer to win all three races, which hasn’t been achieved since 1994.

Inside the Numbers

2009: The last year that a driver in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series swept the three races in the Western Swing was 2009. Antron Brown achieved that feat when he strung together three weekends and became the seventh driver to sweep the stretch of races. He also is just the fifth Top Fuel driver to win all three events. Joe Amato (1991), Cory McClenathan (1997), Larry Dixon (2003) and Tony Schumacher (2008) are the other Top Fuel racers to do the sweep. John Force in Funny Car (1994), and Greg Anderson in Pro Stock (2004) are the other drivers to dominate the Western Swing.

“The Western Swing is one of those grueling marathon of races,” said Brown. “You travel to the West Coast and each race is almost 1,000 miles between each other and the crews are going back-to-back-to back. From Denver at mile-high conditions, to Sonoma at sea level, to Seattle where the track can be tricky but good too. We are always glad to go on the Western Swing because it shows you what the great teams are made of.”

Did You Know

JENNA HADDOCK TO MAKE TOP FUEL DEBUT IN DENVER: Jenna Haddock, wife of well-known Funny Car driver Terry Haddock, has earned her Top Fuel competition license and has signed a multi-race agreement with Patriot Grading & Engineering. She will make her debut at the 35th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, July 18–20. Haddock’s plans also include competing at the 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle, August 1–3, and the 50th Annual Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona, November 13–16.

"I am beyond ecstatic to get to do this. I have been going to the races since I was a little girl, and now getting to be part of the show is an honor. I want to thank Terry, my team and my sponsors for supporting me and believing in me enough to give me the opportunity to do this. They have worked so hard to make this happen for me. I know that we have our work cut out for us but I so badly want to make everyone proud."

View the complete 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

By SEMA Editors

	Exhibiting companies with special pricing, promotions, two-for-one offers, Show demonstrations and other incentives or specials are encouraged to let SEMA know.

SEMA Show exhibitors are invited to generate more opportunities and awareness for their company and products by announcing SEMA Show incentives in SEMA eNews.

Exhibiting companies with special pricing, promotions, two-for-one offers, Show demonstrations and other incentives or specials are encouraged to let SEMA know. The information will be included each week in SEMA eNews from now until the opening of the 2014 SEMA Show.

To be included, send information to editors@sema.org.

Even though the majority of buyer orders take place in the weeks following the Show, a growing trend is for more business deals to be conducted on site. SEMA research reveals that 45% of buyers in 2013 placed an order at the show, up from 40% in 2012.

SEMA research also indicates that buyers are increasingly eager to take advantage of deals at the Show. Even though only 38% of exhibitors offered a Show discount, 76% of buyers report taking advantage of SEMA Show specials or discounts during the Show.

For more information on the 2014 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

By SEMA Editors

	Exhibiting companies with special pricing, promotions, two-for-one offers, Show demonstrations and other incentives or specials are encouraged to let SEMA know.

SEMA Show exhibitors are invited to generate more opportunities and awareness for their company and products by announcing SEMA Show incentives in SEMA eNews.

Exhibiting companies with special pricing, promotions, two-for-one offers, Show demonstrations and other incentives or specials are encouraged to let SEMA know. The information will be included each week in SEMA eNews from now until the opening of the 2014 SEMA Show.

To be included, send information to editors@sema.org.

Even though the majority of buyer orders take place in the weeks following the Show, a growing trend is for more business deals to be conducted on site. SEMA research reveals that 45% of buyers in 2013 placed an order at the show, up from 40% in 2012.

SEMA research also indicates that buyers are increasingly eager to take advantage of deals at the Show. Even though only 38% of exhibitors offered a Show discount, 76% of buyers report taking advantage of SEMA Show specials or discounts during the Show.

For more information on the 2014 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

By SEMA Editors

	Exhibiting companies with special pricing, promotions, two-for-one offers, Show demonstrations and other incentives or specials are encouraged to let SEMA know.

SEMA Show exhibitors are invited to generate more opportunities and awareness for their company and products by announcing SEMA Show incentives in SEMA eNews.

Exhibiting companies with special pricing, promotions, two-for-one offers, Show demonstrations and other incentives or specials are encouraged to let SEMA know. The information will be included each week in SEMA eNews from now until the opening of the 2014 SEMA Show.

To be included, send information to editors@sema.org.

Even though the majority of buyer orders take place in the weeks following the Show, a growing trend is for more business deals to be conducted on site. SEMA research reveals that 45% of buyers in 2013 placed an order at the show, up from 40% in 2012.

SEMA research also indicates that buyers are increasingly eager to take advantage of deals at the Show. Even though only 38% of exhibitors offered a Show discount, 76% of buyers report taking advantage of SEMA Show specials or discounts during the Show.

For more information on the 2014 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

By SEMA Editors

	Dodge's project vehicle program for 2014 offers companies the opportunity to get a jump start on the competition by securing one of the new ’15-MY Challengers in advance of market availability.

Dodge has announced its project vehicle program for 2014. This program offers companies the opportunity to get a jump start on the competition by securing one of the new ’15-MY Challengers in advance of market availability. The upcoming launch of Scat Pack and Shaker heritage models provides an opportunity to stand out in a competitive market. The automaker requests that project-vehicle proposals be submitted per the criteria outlined below.

Proposal Submission Deadline: August 1, 2014
Award Recipient Notification Date: by August 22, 2014

All project vehicle requests must be submitted and meet the following Dodge Project Vehicle Program criteria:

• E-mail a one-page project summary—must be received by August 1, 2014. Include bullet points for:
• Vehicle Theme: Describe very clearly your overall build theme, target audience, etc.
• Proposed vehicle modifications
• New products potentially being developed for the Challenger through the project
• Promotional, media and social media outreach plan prior to and beyond the SEMA Show, such as:
  • Tour of events (location and dates)
  • Specific magazine feature articles
  • Online promotion
  • Company advertising featuring the vehicle
  • Additional exposure
• Examples of previous project vehicles and promotional activities by the applicant
• Detailed renderings of the proposed vehicle in .jpg format
• Vehicle display location at the 2014 SEMA Show

Requirements:

• Preservation of vehicle badging, not to be painted
• High level of paint and build quality; no wraps
• Commit to periodic design and build check-ins
• Retain vehicle insurance totaling at least $3 million until the completion of the two-year contract.
• Order a California-certified vehicle if you intend to register or use the vehicle primarily in California or any other state that has adopted California emissions standards. Failure to do so may subject you to a state fine.
• Be financially and technically capable of building a one-off show car without financial or parts support from Dodge.
• Be willing to partner with other non-competing aftermarket companies or enthusiast publications to enhance the vehicle project.
• A history of active promotion of vehicle projects with an established marketing plan.
• Commit to creating bi-weekly progress reports during the vehicle build process and product development, including photos, video and commentary.
• Grant Dodge the right to use content from the bi-weekly progress reports and assist Dodge in acquiring usage rights from any sponsors or individuals whose logos or images might appear in that content.
• Commit to make the vehicle available to Dodge or its dealers, if requested, for additional shows and exhibits for a minimum of two years from the initial delivery date.
• Commit to provide quarterly reports to Dodge regarding media coverage and event activity for the project vehicle for a minimum of two years from the initial delivery date.
• Commit to have the completed vehicle available for photography in California by Monday, October 27, 2014.

Please submit formal proposals to Chad Seymour.