Every day, businesses rely more heavily on technology to drive growth in today’s competitive marketplaces. The specialty auto parts business is no exception.

	Team Falken continued its success in both the 2012 Formula Drift Championship and at the series event at Road Atlanta.

Falken Tire Achieves Second Three-Peat in a Row at Atlanta Formula Drift Event
Team Falken continued its success in both the 2012 Formula Drift Championship and at the series event at Road Atlanta, where Justin Pawlak, winner of the first event of the year at last month’s Long Beach street course, took the victory over Fredric Aasbo. It was Falken’s third consecutive Formula D win at the Atlanta track.
 


Driving the ’13 Falken Tire Ford Mustang, Pawlak has now notched the first two wins and leads the Formula D championship rankings by a commanding margin. The number of entrants competing in the drift series has grown significantly with 48 drivers fighting for a chance to compete in the top 32 tandem round. Falken teammate Vaughn Gittin Jr. qualified second; Pawlak eighth; while the remaining Falken team members sat in ninth (Daijiro Yoshihara); 21st (Falken privateer Walker Wilkerson); and 31st (Darren McNamara, who debuted his new Falken Tire 350Z).

Pawlak, Gittin Jr. and Wilkerson advanced to Top 16, where Gittin Jr. was defeated. Pawlak and Wilkerson continued to advance until Pawlak beat the privateer in the Top 4. It was Wilkerson’s first fourth-place finish in only his second season of drifting competition in the Formula D series.
 Round three—the “Invasion”—will be held June 1–2, at Palm Beach International Raceway.


AMA Pro Racing and Lucas Oil Announce AMA Pro Flat Track Sponsorship
AMA Pro Racing and Lucas Oil have reached an agreement naming the lubricant and motorsports company as a presenting sponsor of AMA Pro Flat Track's top division and designating MAVTV as the series broadcast partner for the 2012 season.

Starting with this month's doubleheader (Saturday, May 26) at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, 10 rounds of the newly named AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com and Lucas Oil will be aired on MAVTV with select programs slotted to air on both MAVTV and NBC Sports.

Whenever possible, broadcasts on MAVTV will be featured in a primetime motorsports timeslot during a weekday, while programs on NBC Sports will air on Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

The broadcasts, which will be one hour long, will include highlights of the event's qualifying heats followed by flag-to-flag coverage of the main event.

As part of the agreement, Lucas Oil and MAVTV will have access to at-track marketing assets at each AMA Pro Flat Track round including PA announcements, signage, banners and vendor space within the paddock.

	Team Falken continued its success in both the 2012 Formula Drift Championship and at the series event at Road Atlanta.

Falken Tire Achieves Second Three-Peat in a Row at Atlanta Formula Drift Event
Team Falken continued its success in both the 2012 Formula Drift Championship and at the series event at Road Atlanta, where Justin Pawlak, winner of the first event of the year at last month’s Long Beach street course, took the victory over Fredric Aasbo. It was Falken’s third consecutive Formula D win at the Atlanta track.
 


Driving the ’13 Falken Tire Ford Mustang, Pawlak has now notched the first two wins and leads the Formula D championship rankings by a commanding margin. The number of entrants competing in the drift series has grown significantly with 48 drivers fighting for a chance to compete in the top 32 tandem round. Falken teammate Vaughn Gittin Jr. qualified second; Pawlak eighth; while the remaining Falken team members sat in ninth (Daijiro Yoshihara); 21st (Falken privateer Walker Wilkerson); and 31st (Darren McNamara, who debuted his new Falken Tire 350Z).

Pawlak, Gittin Jr. and Wilkerson advanced to Top 16, where Gittin Jr. was defeated. Pawlak and Wilkerson continued to advance until Pawlak beat the privateer in the Top 4. It was Wilkerson’s first fourth-place finish in only his second season of drifting competition in the Formula D series.
 Round three—the “Invasion”—will be held June 1–2, at Palm Beach International Raceway.


AMA Pro Racing and Lucas Oil Announce AMA Pro Flat Track Sponsorship
AMA Pro Racing and Lucas Oil have reached an agreement naming the lubricant and motorsports company as a presenting sponsor of AMA Pro Flat Track's top division and designating MAVTV as the series broadcast partner for the 2012 season.

Starting with this month's doubleheader (Saturday, May 26) at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, 10 rounds of the newly named AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com and Lucas Oil will be aired on MAVTV with select programs slotted to air on both MAVTV and NBC Sports.

Whenever possible, broadcasts on MAVTV will be featured in a primetime motorsports timeslot during a weekday, while programs on NBC Sports will air on Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

The broadcasts, which will be one hour long, will include highlights of the event's qualifying heats followed by flag-to-flag coverage of the main event.

As part of the agreement, Lucas Oil and MAVTV will have access to at-track marketing assets at each AMA Pro Flat Track round including PA announcements, signage, banners and vendor space within the paddock.

At first glance, the team at Brenda Priddy & Co. were pretty sure that the vehicle pictured here was the recently introduced Volvo V40. Not certain, however, the group called upon some of its trusted sources with Volvo insight. After further examination, they concluded that this is the not-yet shown Volvo XC40.

With generous amounts of tape covering the front end, the team says the prototype appears to have a much more aggressive nose and a slightly different fascia than the V40 that was introduced in Geneva. Priddy reports that any other likely differences, including the ground clearance, are well hidden between the camouflage and shadows.

Priddy and team expect the all-new XC40 to make a camo-free debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show this coming fall.

Photo Copyright: Brenda Priddy & Co. 

At first glance, the team at Brenda Priddy & Co. were pretty sure that the vehicle pictured here was the recently introduced Volvo V40. Not certain, however, the group called upon some of its trusted sources with Volvo insight. After further examination, they concluded that this is the not-yet shown Volvo XC40.

With generous amounts of tape covering the front end, the team says the prototype appears to have a much more aggressive nose and a slightly different fascia than the V40 that was introduced in Geneva. Priddy reports that any other likely differences, including the ground clearance, are well hidden between the camouflage and shadows.

Priddy and team expect the all-new XC40 to make a camo-free debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show this coming fall.

Photo Copyright: Brenda Priddy & Co. 

	Dan Kahn

Gone are the days when a single new product announcement sent to magazines would effectively sell your latest parts. Are you relying on outdated techniques to generate publicity? Join the SEMA Education Institute (SEI) and presenter Dan Kahn, Kahn Media, for a webinar, Thursday, May 24, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT), as they discuss what PR looks like in the digital age. This session will cover:

• Current PR trends
• What a modern new product release looks like
• Tactics to maximize media and consumer buzz
• Potential outlets

Kahn has been entrenched in the automotive aftermarket for nearly 15 years, working on both sides of the table in PR, marketing, as an editor and at WDs and manufacturers. With a deep understanding of the media industry and the social media landscape, Kahn knows what it takes to design cutting-edge marketing campaigns that support sales teams and drive new business.

Don't miss this chance to brush up on PR best practices and learn how they translate into the digital age. Join us Thursday, May 24, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT).

Participate live or download the webinar when it's convenient. And remember: SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Discuss the techniques you use to promote your brand in the digital age through the YEN member form on LinkedIn.

	Dan Kahn

Gone are the days when a single new product announcement sent to magazines would effectively sell your latest parts. Are you relying on outdated techniques to generate publicity? Join the SEMA Education Institute (SEI) and presenter Dan Kahn, Kahn Media, for a webinar, Thursday, May 24, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT), as they discuss what PR looks like in the digital age. This session will cover:

• Current PR trends
• What a modern new product release looks like
• Tactics to maximize media and consumer buzz
• Potential outlets

Kahn has been entrenched in the automotive aftermarket for nearly 15 years, working on both sides of the table in PR, marketing, as an editor and at WDs and manufacturers. With a deep understanding of the media industry and the social media landscape, Kahn knows what it takes to design cutting-edge marketing campaigns that support sales teams and drive new business.

Don't miss this chance to brush up on PR best practices and learn how they translate into the digital age. Join us Thursday, May 24, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT).

Participate live or download the webinar when it's convenient. And remember: SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Discuss the techniques you use to promote your brand in the digital age through the YEN member form on LinkedIn.

	Dan Kahn

Gone are the days when a single new product announcement sent to magazines would effectively sell your latest parts. Are you relying on outdated techniques to generate publicity? Join the SEMA Education Institute (SEI) and presenter Dan Kahn, Kahn Media, for a webinar, Thursday, May 24, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT), as they discuss what PR looks like in the digital age. This session will cover:

• Current PR trends
• What a modern new product release looks like
• Tactics to maximize media and consumer buzz
• Potential outlets

Kahn has been entrenched in the automotive aftermarket for nearly 15 years, working on both sides of the table in PR, marketing, as an editor and at WDs and manufacturers. With a deep understanding of the media industry and the social media landscape, Kahn knows what it takes to design cutting-edge marketing campaigns that support sales teams and drive new business.

Don't miss this chance to brush up on PR best practices and learn how they translate into the digital age. Join us Thursday, May 24, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT).

Participate live or download the webinar when it's convenient. And remember: SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

Discuss the techniques you use to promote your brand in the digital age through the YEN member form on LinkedIn.