Zan Martin, the president and founder of Martin & Company Advertising, is retiring after a five-decade career in the automotive aftermarket and closing the agency.

Martin is a former SEMA board member and also served as the chair of the SEMA Businesswomen's Network from 2001 to 2003.

Martin founded the agency with late husband Randal Martin, who served as its creative director and CFO, and worked with a number of iconic industry brands during its 32 years of operation, including MAHLE Motorsport, Bridgestone, Hot Shot's Secret, Aeromotive and more.

The company will cease operations on March 6.

For more information on Martin's career, visit martincoadvertising.com.

Gold Eagle Company, the Chicago-based manufacturer of STA-BIL fuel stabilizer, 303 cleaners and protectants and Hot Shot's Secret performance lubricants, has named Ben Decker as the company's new private brands national account manager.

Decker will report directly to Gold Eagle Company Senior Director-Private Brand Sales Brant Sarkisian and is responsible for managing the company's original equipment manufacturer and private brands accounts and securing new accounts.

Decker has more than 16 years of experience working in management for Kem Krest, a leader in supply chain, fulfillment and aftersales solutions specializing in the marketing of OEM products, most recently as director of solutions implementation.

For more information, visit goldeagle.com.

The Haas F1 Team has promoted Laura Mueller to race engineer ahead of the 2025 season, making her the first female to hold the position.

Promoted from her previous position as performance engineer, Mueller will take on the senior trackside role and serve as the main link between the driver—Esteban Ocon—and the team. Mueller joined Haas F1 Team in 2022, working in the simulator department.

"What she's really good at is, when she sees a problem, she digs deep, and she doesn't stop at the first answer. Some people, when they find the answer, first answer, they stop there. They think, 'Oh, great, I found the solution, move on,'" said Haas F1 Team Principal Ayao Komatsu. "She has a good work ethic such that when she finds the first solution, she knows that there's 10 things, now you've got new questions to answer. Her determination is the one that impresses me the most."

For more information, visit formula1.com.

President Donald Trump kept a key campaign promise, using his executive powers on day one of his new administration to halt federal electric vehicle mandates.

PRI and SEMA, on behalf of its thousands of members in the motorsports and automotive aftermarket industries, and the nation's millions of racing and automotive enthusiasts, applaud and thank President Trump for keeping this important promise.

The organizations now call on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to meet its obligation to the American people by sending the Clean Air Act waivers granted to California to Congress to begin the Congressional Review Act oversight process. These waivers are not narrowly focused, as some in the EPA claim; rather, these waivers have broad, national implications, and Congress should have the opportunity to review the final rules and overturn any waiver that grants California the power to set national policies on carbon emissions.

"On day one of his new administration, President Trump reclaimed the nation's freedom of vehicle choice, proclaiming the authority of the United States of America, rather than so-called United States of California, to set national policies. PRI and SEMA thank President Trump for his bold, decisive actions to deliver the will of the American people: a commitment to innovation, a belief in the freedom of vehicle choice, and a strong faith in the power of American ingenuity," said SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. "SEMA now urges the EPA to submit the California waivers over to Congress so our lawmakers can utilize their Congressional Review Act authority to pull the plug on dangerous EV mandates."

PRI and SEMA champion a technology-neutral approach that fosters innovation and ingenuity. The associations will continue efforts to preserve Americans' rights to vehicle choice and the automotive aftermarket industry's ability to design, manufacture and bring to market products that help solve the emissions challenge.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, PRI and SEMA, through the Driving Force Action SuperPAC, educated voters about the damaging impact of EV mandates, and the profound importance of empowering the automotive aftermarket to develop innovative solutions to carbon emissions using American ingenuity.

Evelyn Tallman-Duceshi driving "Betsy" in the 1960s. Photo courtesy of the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame.

The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHOF) has announced its Class of 2024 inductee Evelyn Tallman-Duceshi has passed away. She was 97 years old.

Tallman-Duceshi, affectionately known as "The Purple Lady of Pismo," was an off-road pioneer from the central coast of California. Her motorsports career began in the 1960s when she was often seen behind the wheel of her beloved "Betsy" dune vehicle and helping to grow the sport of dune buggy racing. In the 1970s, she co-founded the co-founded the California Off Road Vehicle Association (CORVA), an organization uniting the industry to advocate for the sport. She also served on the California Trails Advisory Committee to help preserve safe recreational spaces.  

Tallman-Duceshi was inducted into the ORMHOF in front of a record crowd at the 2024 Induction & Awards Gala in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

For more on Tallman-Duceshi and her illustrious career, read the ORMHOF article here.

The United States Senate has begun its work to evaluate President Donald Trump's cabinet selections, with a trio of nominees important to the automotive aftermarket and racing industries on Capitol Hill this week for their confirmation hearings. PRI continues to closely monitor the hearings for former U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI), Secretary of Transportation nominee; North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior nominee; and former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY), administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency nominee.  

Following the hearings, the Senate committee that is responsible for overseeing the nominee's appointed department will hold a vote on whether to confirm the nominee. Once approved, which simply requires a majority, the full Senate will then vote on the nomination (a simple majority is required for the nominee to be confirmed). 

Industry members are encouraged to send letters of support for each of the three nominees. Use our easy online tool to send your letter now. 

Sean Duffy 

Former Rep. Sean Duffy appeared before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee to discuss his nomination to lead the Department of Transportation. In his statement prior to questioning, Wisconsin native Duffy promised to prioritize road safety, while noting that transportation is the federal issue that most impacts Americans' daily lives. 

Doug Burgum 

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing today on North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump's choice to lead the Department of the Interior. Burgum is a passionate outdoor recreationist and enjoys off-roading on his side-by-side.  

Lee Zeldin 

Also today, former Rep. Lee Zeldin appeared before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Zeldin, from New York, vowed to help stop electric vehicle mandates. 

Holly Springs Motorsports Park, the Mississippi home of the IHRA SuperSeries World Finals, is under new ownership, according to reports.

Dominic Blasco, Raymond Poirier and Jack Ludvigsen have purchased the facility, according to the IHRA, which features an eighth-mile drag strip, eight staging lanes, concrete walls, guardrails and an uphill shutdown area. The track also has LED lighting, an AccuTime timing system, acres of paved parking and other amenities.

Track manager Jody Brooks and other staff members will continue to work at the venue.

For more information, visit ihra.com.

Cleetus McFarland--motorsports and auto enthusiast YouTuber who owns the Freedom Factory oval track in Bradenton, Florida--has secured a 50% stake in Bradenton Motorsports Park (BMP), the drag facility in Bradenton, Florida, according to his most recent YouTube video. McFarland joins current BMP owner Victor Alvarez.

Founded in 1974, BMP is situated just south of Tampa in the same city as McFarland's Freedom Factory, a 3/8-oval track brought back to life after his purchase in 2017.

Boasting an NHRA-sanctioned quarter-mile dragstrip, spacious pit areas and ample spectator parking, BMP hosts some of the biggest events in the country, including the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, U.S. Street Nationals and FL2K as well as other heads-up drag races, bracket races, grudge races, car shows, swap meets, private professional test sessions, and more.

For more information, visit racebmp.com.

The NHRA has added Concho Valley Dragway in San Angelo, Texas, and Darlington Dragway in Hartsville, South Carolina, to the NHRA Member Track Network, and recently announced a dedicated effort to support relief efforts for those impacted by the California wildfires.

Darlington Dragway, open since 1977, will join the NHRA Member Track Network in the Southeast Division 2, while Concho Valley Dragway will join the network in the South Central Division 4.

As NHRA member tracks, Concho Valley Dragway and Darlington Dragway will be eligible to offer a variety of NHRA racing opportunities in the future, including the NHRA Summit Racing Series, the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, NHRA Street Legal, NHRA Jr. Street and more. Additionally, the track will have the chance to host NHRA specialty events, like the NHRA Summit King of the Track and more.

Additionally, the NHRA has announced it is working with the American Red Cross to support aid for California wildfire victims. Headquartered near affected areas in San Dimas, California, the NHRA has set up a dedicated site to accept donations to the Red Cross.

Click HERE to donate.

For more information, visit nhra.com.

The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has announced new leadership. Alex Roach has been appointed as the new CEO, while Rich Schaefer has been appointed as president. 

IHRA released the following statement: 

This dynamic duo is committed to expanding the drag racing community, with a special focus on engaging the younger generation.

Under the stewardship of Cuttel Motorsports, the ownership group of IHRA, we are proud to have board members from diverse sectors, including AI, Automotive, Private Equity, and Logistics Industries, ensuring a robust and forward-thinking approach to our beloved sport's future.

For more information, visit ihra.com.