News | Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)

Tanner Foust Wins Global Rallycross Championship

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 16:00

	Tanner Foust defended his Global Rallycross Championship title with season-finale win on the purpose-built rallycross course constructed at the 2012 SEMA Show.

Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust successfully defended his Global Rallycross Championship title with a season-finale win last Tuesday at the 2012 SEMA Show.

"This was a whole team effort," said Foust. "The Global Rallycross Championship was very competitive, and it is a credit to the strength of the Ford Fiesta that we were able to bring home this championship and the manufacturer's title again in 2012."

Racing took place under the lights on a rallycross course constructed at the Las Vegas Convention Center in downtown Las Vegas. The course featured a 30%–70% mix of dirt and tarmac more similar to the traditional tracks Foust has faced in two European Rallycross Championship seasons. For this round, the traditional 70-ft.-gap jump was constructed from dirt.

"It was awesome to have this race at the SEMA Show," said Foust. "We finally got to show the core group of professionals in the automotive industry what the rallycross hype is all about."

The title fight came down to a tight contest between Foust and his teammate Brian Deegan. The two have traded split-seconds in competition before. In 2010, Foust won the two gold medals for rally car racing competition at X Games, while Deegan earned a pair of silvers. They swapped positions in 2011.

Foust's overseas competition experience played to his benefit in Las Vegas. He has run full rallycross campaigns in both Europe and the United States for the past two years. He had a pair of wins and took third place overall in the European Rallycross Championship this season—despite having to miss three rounds due to scheduling conflicts.

In Las Vegas on Tuesday, Foust won both of his heat races to bypass the Last Chance Qualifier and advance directly to the Final. After an exciting battle with fellow Ford driver Ken Block, Foust took the lead with one lap to go. But his championship bid was momentarily denied when Block's Fiesta caught fire, prompting a red flag and race restart. In the re-run of the Final, a determined Foust led from start to finish, fending off a capable challenge from teammate Deegan.

"I could hear the crashing behind me as I led through the first corner and I knew there was a battle going on," said Foust. "But I never saw another car out there."

It was the second 2012 win for Foust in the six-round championship. He stood on the top step of the podium a month ago in Las Vegas. He was the only repeat winner in the field on Tuesday. Foust also scored the Discount Tire America's Tire Cup. A trophy and prize purse of $25,000 were awarded to the driver who earned the top points tally in three select events in the six-round series: Texas, New Hampshire and Las Vegas.

Have You Registered Your Trademark? Here Is a Low-Cost Option

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 15:59

Protecting the intellectual property rights of members is a top SEMA priority. The process begins when companies establish certain legal rights by obtaining patents, and by registering their trademarks and copyrights with government agencies in the United States and other countries.

With respect to trademarks, SEMA urges companies to register their most valuable marks at the federal level with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Federal registrations provide nationwide coverage and are legally admissible evidence showing that the owner has the exclusive and, eventually, incontestable right to use the trademark.

Nevertheless, there are instances when it may be useful to register your less valuable marks at the state level. Some primary reasons are that the typical fee is minimal, the time to register is usually quick, the examination process may not be as stringent as that at the federal level and a company employee can file the modest paperwork with state officials. While the protection and evidentiary value of state registrations are generally limited to one particular state, a state registration may nonetheless provide a good defense to third parties adopting confusingly similar trademarks, and it may discourage potential infringers since state registrations typically appear in trademark search reports.

Whether you are test-launching a new product or seeking to secure a minimum level of protection in advance of securing a federal registration, registering the mark in one or several states may be a useful tool. View the list of trademark offices for all 50 states.

A basic guide to protecting your patents, trademarks and copyrights is available at www.sema.org/ipr.

Questions may be directed to Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

Have You Registered Your Trademark? Here Is a Low-Cost Option

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 15:59

Protecting the intellectual property rights of members is a top SEMA priority. The process begins when companies establish certain legal rights by obtaining patents, and by registering their trademarks and copyrights with government agencies in the United States and other countries.

With respect to trademarks, SEMA urges companies to register their most valuable marks at the federal level with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Federal registrations provide nationwide coverage and are legally admissible evidence showing that the owner has the exclusive and, eventually, incontestable right to use the trademark.

Nevertheless, there are instances when it may be useful to register your less valuable marks at the state level. Some primary reasons are that the typical fee is minimal, the time to register is usually quick, the examination process may not be as stringent as that at the federal level and a company employee can file the modest paperwork with state officials. While the protection and evidentiary value of state registrations are generally limited to one particular state, a state registration may nonetheless provide a good defense to third parties adopting confusingly similar trademarks, and it may discourage potential infringers since state registrations typically appear in trademark search reports.

Whether you are test-launching a new product or seeking to secure a minimum level of protection in advance of securing a federal registration, registering the mark in one or several states may be a useful tool. View the list of trademark offices for all 50 states.

A basic guide to protecting your patents, trademarks and copyrights is available at www.sema.org/ipr.

Questions may be directed to Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

Job-Hunting? Top Automotive Jobs Here

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 15:57

Are you hunting for a new job? The “Positions Available” section in the SEMA Member Classifieds lists more than 50 job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest classifieds posted to the website.

AAM Competition LLC, located in Annapolis Junction, Maryland, is hiring a sales and marketing manager responsible for the entire AAM Competition product line sales program. The successful candidate will have performance products sales experience, five year's general sales experience and knowledge of the automotive aftermarket industry.

American Eagle Wheel Corp., located in Indianapolis, is hiring sales personnel with exceptional communication skills, strong sales experience, excellent organizational skills and ability to meet and exceed quotas. Wheel and tire experience is a must.

Diamond Eye Performance, located in Athena, Oregon, is hiring a sales support/engineering assistant. The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills and the ability to work with customers to solve technical support problems over the phone. Good mechanical knowledge and the ability to work with automotive exhaust systems are required.

Meezer Group, located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, is hiring a Mustang mechanic. Responsibilities include repairs, parts installations, maintenance, diagnostics, supervising other mechanics and traveling to race meetings. This job will be offered at first for a six-month term.

More automotive job listings.

Job-Hunting? Top Automotive Jobs Here

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 15:57

Are you hunting for a new job? The “Positions Available” section in the SEMA Member Classifieds lists more than 50 job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest classifieds posted to the website.

AAM Competition LLC, located in Annapolis Junction, Maryland, is hiring a sales and marketing manager responsible for the entire AAM Competition product line sales program. The successful candidate will have performance products sales experience, five year's general sales experience and knowledge of the automotive aftermarket industry.

American Eagle Wheel Corp., located in Indianapolis, is hiring sales personnel with exceptional communication skills, strong sales experience, excellent organizational skills and ability to meet and exceed quotas. Wheel and tire experience is a must.

Diamond Eye Performance, located in Athena, Oregon, is hiring a sales support/engineering assistant. The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills and the ability to work with customers to solve technical support problems over the phone. Good mechanical knowledge and the ability to work with automotive exhaust systems are required.

Meezer Group, located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, is hiring a Mustang mechanic. Responsibilities include repairs, parts installations, maintenance, diagnostics, supervising other mechanics and traveling to race meetings. This job will be offered at first for a six-month term.

More automotive job listings.

Job-Hunting? Top Automotive Jobs Here

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 15:57

Are you hunting for a new job? The “Positions Available” section in the SEMA Member Classifieds lists more than 50 job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest classifieds posted to the website.

AAM Competition LLC, located in Annapolis Junction, Maryland, is hiring a sales and marketing manager responsible for the entire AAM Competition product line sales program. The successful candidate will have performance products sales experience, five year's general sales experience and knowledge of the automotive aftermarket industry.

American Eagle Wheel Corp., located in Indianapolis, is hiring sales personnel with exceptional communication skills, strong sales experience, excellent organizational skills and ability to meet and exceed quotas. Wheel and tire experience is a must.

Diamond Eye Performance, located in Athena, Oregon, is hiring a sales support/engineering assistant. The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills and the ability to work with customers to solve technical support problems over the phone. Good mechanical knowledge and the ability to work with automotive exhaust systems are required.

Meezer Group, located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, is hiring a Mustang mechanic. Responsibilities include repairs, parts installations, maintenance, diagnostics, supervising other mechanics and traveling to race meetings. This job will be offered at first for a six-month term.

More automotive job listings.

Job-Hunting? Top Automotive Jobs Here

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 15:57

Are you hunting for a new job? The “Positions Available” section in the SEMA Member Classifieds lists more than 50 job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest classifieds posted to the website.

AAM Competition LLC, located in Annapolis Junction, Maryland, is hiring a sales and marketing manager responsible for the entire AAM Competition product line sales program. The successful candidate will have performance products sales experience, five year's general sales experience and knowledge of the automotive aftermarket industry.

American Eagle Wheel Corp., located in Indianapolis, is hiring sales personnel with exceptional communication skills, strong sales experience, excellent organizational skills and ability to meet and exceed quotas. Wheel and tire experience is a must.

Diamond Eye Performance, located in Athena, Oregon, is hiring a sales support/engineering assistant. The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills and the ability to work with customers to solve technical support problems over the phone. Good mechanical knowledge and the ability to work with automotive exhaust systems are required.

Meezer Group, located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, is hiring a Mustang mechanic. Responsibilities include repairs, parts installations, maintenance, diagnostics, supervising other mechanics and traveling to race meetings. This job will be offered at first for a six-month term.

More automotive job listings.

SEMA Council & Committee News

Thu, 11/08/2012 - 15:56

Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO)	Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA)
Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA)	Manufacturers' Rep Council (MRC)
Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC)	Professional Restylers Organization (PRO)
Street Performance Council (SPC)	Wheel & Tire Council (WTC)
SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN)	Young Executives Network (YEN)


Visit ARMO's website.

Why ARMO?

Is your business involved in the restoration segment and not yet an ARMO member? In addition to direct access with its 275 restoration company members, the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) provides a number of other benefits, including education and outreach for small businesses in the restoration market, product exposure through an annual New Products Showcase and collective support of the restoration hobby.

Top Reasons to Join ARMO:

Networking Opportunities: The primary strength of ARMO is its member companies. The organization provides multiple venues for ARMO members to interact and share ideas through its long-range planning meetings, new-products mixer at Spring Carlisle and the ARMO awards reception at the 2012 SEMA Show, as well as discussion groups on MySEMA and social media websites.

Education: The annual ARMO education seminars at the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show bring industry leaders and experts together to share their real-world experience with small-business owners, providing tips and insights to help them grow their businesses. The ARMO Restoration Trademark Licensing Guide provides ARMO members with the basic forms needed to begin the process of getting products licensed by an original-equipment manufacturer. The licensing guide is available through the SEMA Education Institute.

Supporting Hobby Growth: ARMO recognizes the importance of the individual hobbyist to the industry and supports Collector Car Appreciation Day activities across the country. Every April, the ARMO New Products Showcase puts member company products directly in front of 100,000+ restoration enthusiasts each year at Spring Carlisle. In addition, ARMO’s “Take a Kid to a Car Show” (TKCS) program strives to get children involved in automotive hobbies at an early age. The interactive TKCS website provides information on how to get involved for kids and adults alike.

Contact ARMO’s staff liaison Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org for more information.

Are you on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter? ARMO Is!

Be sure to follow ARMO on all of your favorite social networking sites. To find these sites, go to www.sema.org/armo and use the links in the top right-hand corner.

ARMO Column in SEMA Member News

Read ARMO's column featured in the November/December issue of SEMA Member News.

For more information about ARMO, contact Jim Skelly.

Chris Thomson	Jim Cozzie
Ron Funfar	Keith Dorton

Chris Thomson	Jim Cozzie
Ron Funfar	Keith Dorton

Chris Thomson	Jim Cozzie
Ron Funfar	Keith Dorton