Tim Martin from K&N Engineering has been elected the chairman-elect of SEMA and will help the SEMA Board of Directors lead the association for the 2017-2019 term. Martin fills the position held for the past two years by Wade Kawasaki of The Coker Group.

Kawasaki will begin serving his term as chairman in July. James Lawrence from Power Automedia was also voted onto the SEMA Board of Directors, and Greg Adler from Transamerican Auto Parts was re-elected and will serve another term.

SEMA Board members are industry representatives who volunteer their time to lead and guide the association. They are elected by all SEMA-member companies and represent the key membership categories: manufacturers, distributors/retailers, manufacturer reps, and services.

The entire 2017-18 SEMA Board of Directors will be honored and recognized during the SEMA Installation and Gala in July. At the same time, current SEMA immediate past-chair/secretary Nate Shelton will be concluding his volunteer term and honored for his service and contributions. The event will also feature a special tribute to the 2017 SEMA Hall of Fame Inductees: GiGi Carleton, Doug Evans, and Barry Meguiar.

The roster of the 2017-2018 SEMA Board of Directors is below.

ROSTER OF THE 2017-2018 SEMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
    •    Chairman of the Board: Wade Kawasaki, President, Coker Group
    •    Chairman-Elect: Tim Martin, Vice President, K&N Engineering Inc.
    •    Immediate Past-Chairman & Secretary: Doug Evans, Director of Business Development, Bonnier Corp.
    •    Treasurer: John Johnson, Managing Director, The Spartan Group
 
    •    Greg Adler, CEO, Transamerican Auto Parts
    •    Jim Bingham, President & CEO, Winner’s Circle Speed & Custom, Inc.
    •    Susan Carpenter, President, JR Products
    •    Laurel Dasher, National Accounts Manager, MagnaFlow
    •    Chris Douglas, Vice President of Marketing, COMP Performance Group
    •    Kyle Fickler, Director of Business Development, Aeromotive, Inc.
    •    Nick Gramelspacher, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Meyer Distributing
    •    Dan Kahn, President, Kahn Media Inc.
·         James Lawrence, CEO, Power Auto Media
    •    Bunyan L. (Les) Rudd, President, Bob Cook Sales
 
    •    General Counsel: Russ Deane, Partner, Trainum, Snowdon & Deane

SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $39.2 billion specialty automotive industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. Association resources include market research, legislative advocacy, training and product development support, as well as leading trade shows such as the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, and the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis, IN. For more information, visit www.sema.org,www.semashow.com or www.performanceracing.com.

In a continued effort to recognize strong leaders from within the company, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) has promoted four seasoned team members to new roles.

The promotions, announced by SMI Vice President of Sales and Marketing Braun Smith, are effective immediately.

“Speedway Motorsports prides itself on developing strong leadership from within,” Smith said. “We are proud to recognize the individual efforts of each of our team members and reward them for their dedication, leadership and ongoing efforts to make Speedway Motorsports the gold standard in the entertainment business.”

Promotions include:

Daniel Bandoly, Director of Business Development

Bryan Hammond, Executive Director of Business Development and Entertainment

Kelly Watts, Manager of Business Development

Mike Ziegler, Vice President of Business Development

“These hard-working individuals have decades of combined experience within the Speedway Motorsports family and valuable industry experience beyond that,” Smith said. “Their passion for our work and efforts to exceed expectations are second to none, and I’m confident they will continue to push Speedway Motorsports even greater heights in the years to come.”

The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series recently added to its 2017 schedule with the addition of its return to the Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, South Dakota on Saturday, July 1.

The series competed at the three-eighths-mile, located on the South Dakota State Fairgrounds, for the first time in 2015, with eight-time and defending series champion Donny Schatz picking up the win over Shane Stewart.

The event at Dakota State Fair Speedway will be one of just two races this season for the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series in the state of South Dakota. Last year, Stewart, Brad Sweet and Schatz were all victorious in the state.

Joining the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series will be the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds. A large fireworks display is also planned for the event.

The 2017 season has seen nine drivers visit victory lane so far with the Outlaws. A strong contingent of 16 full-time drivers are currently following the series full-time, 11 of whom raced in the inaugural series event at Dakota State Fair Speedway in 2015.

Information on tickets for the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series return to Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, South Dakota, on Saturday, July 1 will be available soon at www.slspromotions.com.

Matt Andrews, left, and George Benson, right.

Obp Motorsport recently announced the addition of two new members to its sales team.

Matt Andrews will serve as the new Sales, Marketing & Business Development Manager.
 
Andrews joined the company with a sales and marketing background, ranging from technical sales to aftermarket sales. Andrews also has a keen interest in the motorsports industry.
 
Meanwhile, George Benson will serve as the new Sales Executive.
 
Benson is a fan of motorsports and is said to want to develop his knowledge and experience within the company.

Obp Motorsport is a designer/manufacturer of pedal boxes, hydraulic handbrakes, alloy products and other motorsports parts. Obp products are developed, designed, tested and manufactured at its factory based in the Motorsport Valley near Cambridge, England.

For more information or to order, call +44 (0) 1487-812301 or visit www.obpltd.com.

Race industry professionals can now visit www.pri2017.com to register for the leading business-to-business event dedicated solely to the motorsports industry, the 2017 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show, held December 7–9, 2017, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. The online application is easy and convenient to fill out, and it includes links to secure Indianapolis-area Show hotel rooms at special discounted rates.  

By registering early, buyers and exhibitors can receive their credentials before the Show — credentials begin mailing out in October — allowing them to save time and bypass lines at the registration desk on-site.

The 30th annual PRI Show will feature more than 1,100 exhibiting companies, and tens of thousands of buyers from all 50 states and 70 countries will be able to traverse more than 750,000 square feet to learn about the latest products, services, machinery, simulation and testing technologies, and trailers for motorsports.

"Thanks to new features and exhibits, and more than 45 conferences and seminars, the 2017 Performance Racing Industry Show is gearing up to be another great, memorable show,” said PRI General Manager Bill Miller. “It’s the place where the motorsports industry comes to do business, and the only way to ensure you are part of the 30th annual PRI Show is to register and book a hotel today."

New for this year's PRI Trade Show, a special Featured Products Showcase section has been added, allowing exhibitors to highlight their products and connect with buyers like never before. Additionally, new exhibit locations, an exclusive AJ Foyt exhibition, and dozens of conferences and seminars, among them the Race Track Business Conference and Advanced Engineering Technology Conference, will make the PRI Show the premier place for racing professionals to network and conduct business face-to-face.

"The PRI Show brings the entire motorsports industry together under one roof for the three biggest business days in racing," said Miller. "Exhibitors serving all types of auto racing rely on the PRI Show to connect with buyers and network with industry experts, and programs like the Featured Products Showcase continue to make the PRI Show the foremost trade show for the racing industry."

In addition, the Indiana Convention Center and surrounding areas will host Race Industry Week in the days leading up to and including the PRI Show, offering a range of motorsports-related activities beginning on Monday, December 4. Numerous conferences, seminars and other special events will offer unlimited business opportunities and provide invaluable insight on the latest technologies and how to apply them throughout the racing world.

To register for the 2017 PRI Trade Show and secure hotel reservations, log on to www.pri2017.com.      

Former U.S. Nationals-winning Top Fuel driver Johnny Abbott passed away on May 20. He was 79.

Abbott, who began his Top Fuel career in the early 1960s and continued competing into the mid-1980s, is said to have had the greatest day of his career at the 1981 U.S. Nationals, where he captured the sport’s biggest prize with a final-round defeat of David Pace.

Abbott, who also scored NHRA national event runner-up sat the 1979 U.S. Nationals and 1978 Le Grandnational, also captured Top Fuel wins in AHRA, IHRA and UDRA competition.

He was inducted the Colorado Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, the NHRA Division 5 Hall of Fame in 2007, and the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2014.

International Speedway Corporation (ISC) Chairman James (Jim) France, has been selected as the 2018 recipient of NASCAR’s Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

The announcement was made at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, following a vote by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel.

France was chosen from a list of five nominees including Janet Guthrie, the first female to compete in a NASCAR premier series superspeedway race; Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman who also established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.; Ralph Seagraves, who formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company; and, Ken Squier, legendary radio and television broadcaster.

“Jim deserves this honor as the epitome of what the Landmark Award represents,” stated ISC CEO Lesa France Kennedy. “His unassuming yet steady, decisive leadership has been a significant contributor to the growth of the sport through the years. He has left a lasting mark on NASCAR’s legacy. For someone who never seeks the spotlight, I am so pleased to see it shined on him today.”

France grew up in the early years of stock car racing, living and learning every detail of the sport from his own experiences as well as those provided by his parents Bill France, Sr. and Annie B. France, along with brother Bill France Jr. Joining ISC in 1959, France assumed a role in the family business from a young age working in all phases of operations including parking, ticketing and gate operations.

France was elected to ISC’s Board of Directors in 1970 and has served as the Company’s Secretary, Assistant Treasurer, Vice President and Executive Vice President before being named ISC’s President and Chief Operating Officer in 1987. France served as President until 2003, followed by Vice Chairman and CEO from 2003 to 2007 and Chairman and CEO from 2007 to 2009. France is currently ISC’s Chairman of the Board and has been a member of NASCAR’s Board of Directors since 2000.

An avid motorsports fan, his passion for sports car racing has been well documented. He founded the GRAND-AM Road Racing Association, which began in 2000. GRAND-AM was acquired by NASCAR in 2008, and in 2012, France spearheaded the historic merger between GRAND-AM and the American Le Mans Series, resulting in the creation of the new International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) of which he is presently Chairman.

Since 2014, IMSA has operated and sanctioned its flagship IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, featuring prestigious North American endurance races such as the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida. In total, IMSA now sanctions seven different road racing series competing in the U.S. and Canada and more than 80 races each year.

The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) recently announced June 1 is the deadline this year for SCCA Hall of Fame nominations. Any member of the SCCA can submit a nomination to the Hall of Fame Committee by simply filling out a convenient online nomination form.

Nominations can also be emailed to SCCAHoF@scca.com or mailed to SCCA Hall of Fame, 6620 SE Dwight St; Topeka, KS 66619.
 
The purpose of the SCCA Hall of Fame is to preserve, protect and record the history and accomplishments of the Club for current and future members by recognizing those who have had a significant impact on the Club and the sport. This may be through service to the national organization, achievements in competition, advancement of the sport or bringing recognition to the SCCA that inspires enthusiasts to seek out and become SCCA members.
 
Since 2005, a wide array of individuals has been nominated to the Hall of Fame. Candidates have been indispensable members from a Region or Division, as well as those who have made an impact on a national level. Some people have been nominated based on the fact they attracted others to the Club or have even been role models.
 
According to the SCCA, a successful nomination will be approximately two pages in length and summarize the nominee’s background and reasons for consideration. But a submission should be more than just a resume. The goal should be to help the Nomination, Legacy and Selection Committees understand why and how the nominee was impactful.

More than 115 representatives from the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) gathered in the nation’s capital to participate in SEMA’s 2017 Washington Rally on Wednesday, May 17. Racing business owners and industry leaders took to the halls of Congress to remind lawmakers of the cultural and economic importance of motorsports and the automotive specialty-equipment industry.

A top focus during the rally was H.R. 350/S.203, the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act of 2017. The bipartisan bill would protect Americans’ right to modify street vehicles into dedicated racecars and the industry’s right to sell the parts that enable racers to compete.

The RPM Act now has 118 cosponsors in the House and 29 cosponsors in the Senate, and the number continues to grow. Members also talked to their lawmakers about other issues facing the specialty-equipment industry, including countering burdensome regulations, preventing higher ethanol content in gasoline and fighting counterfeit products.

“I thank the SEMA members who traveled to Washington, D.C. to talk to lawmakers about the issues that are most important to our industry, including the RPM Act,” said SEMA Chairman of the Board Doug Evans. “The record-setting turnout underscores our industry’s passion and commitment to getting the RPM Act across the finish line. Passage of this bipartisan bill is the only way to make it clear that it is legal to modify a street vehicle into a racecar used exclusively at the track now and into the future. We urge Members of Congress to pass this critical bill and protect motorsports for generations to come.”

This year’s event, which was the largest SEMA Rally to date, marks the 14th time representatives from SEMA have held a rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The event raises SEMA’s profile on Capitol Hill and plays a pivotal role in the association’s advocacy efforts.

SEMA members who couldn’t make it to the rally this year are urged to reach out to the SEMA D.C. office at san@sema.org and learn how to they can get in touch with their lawmakers in Congress.

Concept image depicts the road course/short oval configuration.

IndyCar has released the “NEXT” concept images of the car that will be used by all Verizon IndyCar Series competitors in 2018.

The newest images give more definition to the sleek and bold look of the universal aerodynamic bodywork kit that will fit the current Dallara IR-12 chassis in 2018. The supplier of the universal kit has yet to be finalized, but the kit has been reverse-designed to start with a look of past Indy car favorites while also incorporating the latest technological and safety advancements.

IndyCar, the sanctioning body for the premier North American open-wheel racing series, is on target to begin testing the car by mid-summer. Verizon IndyCar Series teams will still choose between Chevrolet and Honda engines for competition in 2018.

As with the current aero kits provided by Chevrolet and Honda through the end of this season, the universal car will come in two configurations: one for superspeedway ovals and the other for street courses, road courses and short ovals.

To view the complete set of concept photos, visit here.