By the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola and four SEMA members testified at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) January 10 public hearing in opposition to the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) "Advanced Clean Cars II" (ACC II) regulations to ban the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) motor vehicles by 2035. ACC II requires that 35% of new cars, SUVs and small trucks sold in California must be zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV) starting in 2026. The regulation increases ZEV sales requirements by 6% to 8% annually through 2035, when all new vehicles sold in California must be ZEV. 

Before ACC II can be implemented, CARB must receive a waiver from the EPA for the regulations to take effect. The EPA is accepting comments through Tuesday, February 27, on whether it should grant a waiver for the ACC II regulations to take effect. SEMA will be submitting a comment to the EPA in opposition to CARB's waiver request. Click here for talking points on ACC II.

"This far too-fast mandate will create a seismic shift in the automotive industry that will hurt small businesses that don't have the capacity to make the shift this quickly," said Spagnola. "While the federal government is helping some parts of the automotive industry, small businesses aren't receiving billions of dollars in government funds to fund their electric vehicle programs." 

SEMA members Kim Pendergast, CEO of Magnuson Superchargers; Mike Copeland, CEO of Arrington Performance; Ian Lehn, CEO of BOOSTane; and Laurel Moorhead, regulatory compliance engineer for Transfer Flow testified before the EPA on ACC II to express their opposition to the regulation and the impact it will have on small businesses in the specialty automotive aftermarket industry if the EPA grants California a waiver.

SEMA has opposed ACC II through state and federal regulatory and legislative efforts. In July 2022, SEMA submitted comments opposing the ACC II proposal to CARB. SEMA continues to advocate for Congress to pass a bill to prohibit the EPA from issuing a waiver to California for ACC II and any other regulations that would ban the sale of new ICE vehicles. The SEMA-supported "Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act" (H.R. 1435) passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September. The bill awaits action in the U.S. Senate. Click here to send a letter to your U.S. Senators telling them to support the "Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act" (H.R. 1435/S. 2090). 

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.  

By the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola and four SEMA members testified at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) January 10 public hearing in opposition to the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) "Advanced Clean Cars II" (ACC II) regulations to ban the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) motor vehicles by 2035. ACC II requires that 35% of new cars, SUVs and small trucks sold in California must be zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV) starting in 2026. The regulation increases ZEV sales requirements by 6% to 8% annually through 2035, when all new vehicles sold in California must be ZEV. 

Before ACC II can be implemented, CARB must receive a waiver from the EPA for the regulations to take effect. The EPA is accepting comments through Tuesday, February 27, on whether it should grant a waiver for the ACC II regulations to take effect. SEMA will be submitting a comment to the EPA in opposition to CARB's waiver request. Click here for talking points on ACC II.

"This far too-fast mandate will create a seismic shift in the automotive industry that will hurt small businesses that don't have the capacity to make the shift this quickly," said Spagnola. "While the federal government is helping some parts of the automotive industry, small businesses aren't receiving billions of dollars in government funds to fund their electric vehicle programs." 

SEMA members Kim Pendergast, CEO of Magnuson Superchargers; Mike Copeland, CEO of Arrington Performance; Ian Lehn, CEO of BOOSTane; and Laurel Moorhead, regulatory compliance engineer for Transfer Flow testified before the EPA on ACC II to express their opposition to the regulation and the impact it will have on small businesses in the specialty automotive aftermarket industry if the EPA grants California a waiver.

SEMA has opposed ACC II through state and federal regulatory and legislative efforts. In July 2022, SEMA submitted comments opposing the ACC II proposal to CARB. SEMA continues to advocate for Congress to pass a bill to prohibit the EPA from issuing a waiver to California for ACC II and any other regulations that would ban the sale of new ICE vehicles. The SEMA-supported "Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act" (H.R. 1435) passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September. The bill awaits action in the U.S. Senate. Click here to send a letter to your U.S. Senators telling them to support the "Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act" (H.R. 1435/S. 2090). 

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.  

By SEMA News Editors

iRacing, IndyCar Sign Multiyear License Agreement

iRacing and IndyCar have reached a multiyear licensing agreement reuniting the two brands.

The deal also includes the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the return of the iRacing Indianapolis 500 to the platform's special events calendar, the rebranding of IndyCar events on iRacing, access to series content for private events and leagues and more.

For more information on iRacing, visit iracing.com.

For more information on IndyCar, visit indycar.com.

Evernham, Kauffman Reviving IROC Brand

IROC Holdings, a Mooresville, North Carolina-based joint venture established by NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Ray Evernham and former NASCAR Cup Series team owner Rob Kauffman, has acquired the rights to the International Race of Champions (IROC) brand.

Held annually from 1973 to 2006, the IROC series brought together the top drivers from all forms of motorsports to compete against one another on historic tracks.

The joint venture was created to host an IROC racing event in 2024 with historic IROC cars while exploring future opportunities, according to the statement announcing the acquisition.

For more information, see the full announcement.

Chris Ward Named Historic Sportscar Racing President

Chris Ward has been named president of Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR), taking over leadership of the IMSA-owned vintage and historic sports car racing sanctioning body from David Hinton.

Ward most recently served as head of motorsport for Lamborghini North America from 2014 to 2023, where he oversaw day-to-day operations of the IMSA-sanctioned Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Series, including sanctioning body coordination, team and customer liaison and acquisition, parts supply chain management and logistics and hospitality operations.

Hinton served as HSR president for the last 11 years after acquiring majority ownership of the organization in 2012 in partnership with the late George Tuma. IMSA acquired the series in 2022.

The former HSR president will also remain on the board of directors for HSR and continue to operate his historic racing team, Heritage Motorsports, out of Clearwater, Florida.

For more information, visit hsrrace.com.

For additional racing news, visit the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) website. 

By SEMA News Editors

Sources have captured the Ram 1500 RHO during its final testing phase, providing an exclusive glimpse of the highly anticipated successor to the RAM TRX.

Photos show the unmistakable wide-body treatment inherited from the TRX, and although camouflaged, three amber lights along the hood-mounted intake lead to a power dome-style hood and the high-approach front fascia.

When viewed from the side, the prototype showcases its assertive off-road tires and generous ground clearance, while the rear boasts a prominently featured dual exhaust and a high-clearance rear bumper.

In November 2023, Ram announced that, stating that in Q3 2024, a new Ram 1500 RHO would be introduced to the lineup, equipped with the potent 540hp Hurricane H/O, solidifying America's preeminent position in off-road and performance trucks.

This positions the RHO as a de facto replacement for the TRX, even though it may not bear the same name. Sources expect an official debut in the coming months, likely at the Chicago Auto Show.

By SEMA News Editors

Resellers Able to Win Custom Chevrolet Colorado Z71 in Keys to Ride Sweepstakes

The AAM Group and its partner Lippert have announced the Keys to Ride vehicle sweepstakes is back for 2024, giving its resellers a chance to win an overlanding-inspired '24 Chevy Colorado Z71 decked out with a custom wrap and products from the Lippert Automotive family of brands. The truck will be awarded to one of six lucky finalists at the 2024 SEMA Show, November 5-8 in Las Vegas.

Resellers earn entries by purchasing the following brands from their Total Truck Centers or Performance Corner® warehouse distributor from January 1 to August 31, 2024: CURT, Ranch Hand, ARIES, LUVERNE and UWS. Each month, certain featured brands will earn double entries.

Customers of AAM Group warehouses are automatically registered for the sweepstakes. In September, six finalists will be randomly drawn from among all qualified entrants, and on November 5, they will gather at the SEMA Show to find out who will win the truck. Each finalist will also receive a $1,000 gift card and two nights of hotel accommodations for the final drawing. For complete sweepstakes rules and the bonus brands schedule, visit KeysToRide.com.

Hypercraft Appoints New President

Hypercraft, an electric powertrain manufacturing and engineering company with operations in California and Utah, has appointed former Maersk executive Brian Bowers as president.

Bowers, who has more than 24 years of business development experience, will support the growth and demand from global OEMs and the aftermarket, the company said, while working closely with co-founder and CEO Jake Hawksworth.

"Hypercraft takes all of my experience building teams and solving problems and brings it to bear at a company that has the greatest potential to impact the global EV industry," said Bowers. "To make a name for Hypercraft and establish it as an industry leader is exactly the type of opportunity I love and am most excited to leverage my skills toward." 

"We're in a position of strength to build Hypercraft for the future," said Hawksworth. "I have the greatest confidence in Brian's ability to oversee our R&D and engineering departments, working with customers and team alike, supporting our expansion as we race to lead the powertrain manufacturing market." 

For more information, visit hypercraftusa.com.  

Motion Names New SVP of Strategy and Markets

Motion Industries, a distributor of maintenance, repair and operation replacement parts, and a provider of industrial technology solutions, has named Chris Cleland as its senior vice president of strategy and markets.

Cleland previously served as principal consultant at Cummings Creative Group and brings more than 25 years of experience in consulting, strategy, marketing, branding, eCommerce, business development and more.

In the new role, Cleland will lead the company's strategy development for its business groups, as well as its eCommerce and digital teams. He will report to James Howe, Motion's executive vice president, chief commercial officer and chief technology officer.

For more information, visit motion.com.

Speedway Motors Launches Loyalty Program

Speedway Motors, the Lincoln, Nebraska-based manufacturer, retailer and distributor of automotive and racing products, has launched a new loyalty program.

The program, Speedway Motors Rewards, allows customers to earn rewards and exclusive offers through their account. Membership is free, and customers can earn points for purchases that can be redeemed at various reward levels.  

"We are excited to bring a program to our customers that allows them to earn rewards as they shop for everything they need to build their dreams," said Melissa Ward, director of marketing. "With extra savings and special gifts just for them, it's our way of saying thanks for being such a great customer."

Customers can earn points online and at the company's retail stores in Lincoln and Phoenix, Arizona.

For more information, visit speedwaymotors.com.

The SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN) has named Beth Brennan, president of TREAD Agency powered by Kahn Media, as the network's newest #SheIsSEMA spotlight member. 

Get to know Brennan in her interview with SEMA News below. 

SEMA News: What do you enjoy most about working at your current company?  

BB: I love the opportunity to be multidisciplinary and to help companies meet their marketing goals.  

SN: What is the most challenging part of your business or job?  

BB: I generally gravitate toward startups or startup-type environments. I like a faster pace. That means wearing a lot of different hats and being able to jump from one thing to another. Sometimes that can be a challenge in terms of time management and varying projects, but I'll tell you, I've never been bored! 

SN: How many years have you been in the industry, and what was your first industry job?  

BB: I've spent about eight years in the automotive aftermarket, first entering the industry with an overland rooftop tent brand, Tepui Tents. 

SN: What three qualities got you to where you are today?  

BB: I'm organized, strategic and creative. I think it's a skill set that has helped me bridge the creative and more analytical side of marketing. 

SN: Being a woman in the industry, what have been your biggest challenges and accomplishments? 

BB: I think generally, you might need to be prepared for people to dismiss you a little more easily or frequently. That’s not always been the case for me, and I've had wonderful male allies. But, I've also seen people take ideas, assert their dominance, etc. I think it's important to stand up for yourself and to assert yourself carefully. It’s also necessary to remember that when things like that arise in an executive meeting or some other group dynamic, that it probably has more to do with their own issues than you. 

SN: Who are your role models or mentors in the industry?  

BB: Emily Miller comes to mind. I've been watching what she's been building in the Rebelle Rally for years. It's fun to see people build brick-by-brick and the next thing you know, it's an epic movement. It's inspiring to follow folks like that. 

SN: What is the best career advice you have received?  

BB: My dad passed away when I was in my 20s, but anytime I’ve had a job challenge in college or after, he used to say to me, "Be patient; the cream always rises." I tend to want instant gratification, so that's some good advice that I still reference to this day. 

SN: Have you always wanted to work in the automotive industry?  

BB: Not exactly. I fell into it to some extent. I was working in the outdoor space but then went to my first SEMA Show and met a lot of great people in the industry. I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Now I make sure I have one foot in both industries that I love. 

SN: Who was the most influential person on your career/goals?  

BB: Myself. I have learned that help is not necessarily on the way. If it shows up, great, but don't expect that. It’s best to set your own goals and forge your own path while identifying allies and feedback along the way. I think I've managed to do that while holding myself accountable and still enjoying the ride.  

Fill out a #SheIsSEMA spotlight form to submit a self-nomination or nominate a colleague and highlight how you or she is contributing to the specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are automatically eligible to be considered for SBN's #SheIsSEMA Woman of the Year award, featured on SBN's social media, SEMA News and recognized on the sema.org/she-is-sema website.  

By SEMA News Editors

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings nationwide. Below are a few of the latest postings.

Total Cost Involved 

Inside Sales Representative in Ontario, California

The manufacturer of chassis and suspension products for street rods, musclecars and classic trucks is seeking an inside sales rep to sell products to dealers, classic car builders and retail customers. This position will be the main contact for all customer project issues and will offer technical advice, handle requests for quotes, assist with order processing and more.

Blue Streak Electronics

National Sales Manager in Concord, Ontario, Canada

The national sales manager's responsibilities include sales calls, trade shows, promotional material development and key sales metrics reporting. This position will also be the primary contact for an external sales rep force for Canada and the United States.

CW Bearing USA

Catalog Manager in Northville, Michigan

CW Bearing USA is searching for an individual to develop, manage and improve data systems, standards and teams. Responsibilities include collecting, configuring and controlling content and data and assisting the marketing, product development and catalog departments with analysis and data configuration projects.

By Ashley Reyes

Working with content creators and social-media influencers can help aftermarket companies reach their business and marketing goals. Effective influencer marketing will help increase brand awareness, reach targeted audiences, build brand credibility, increase conversions and keep consumers engaged with new and organic content. 

Attendees will learn about influencer marketing from DriveShop's Derek Drake (left) and Lisa Cabalquinto in the live virtual session on Tuesday, January 23.

SEMA members are invited to learn about working with influencers during the "Influencer Marketing for Aftermarket Brands" live session on Tuesday, January 23 at 10:00 a.m. PST. Attendees will hear from industry leaders at DriveShop, an influencer marketing agency specializing in the automotive aftermarket, as they deep-dive into the fundamentals of influencer marketing.  

Attendees will discover: 

• How to integrate influencer marketing into an existing marketing strategy.
• How to identify the right influencers to work with and how audience relevancy and story alignment come into play. 
• How to get the most out of influencer partnerships.
• Common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid when choosing an influencer.

Presented by DriveShop CEO Derek Drake and Program Director Lisa Cabalquinto, this online event will teach businesses the best-kept secrets for successfully utilizing social-media influencers. Attendees will participate in a live Q&A session with the speakers for real-world marketing examples that are working in the aftermarket industry. Sign up now. 

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN) is hosting an online general membership meeting on Tuesday, January 16, at 1:00 p.m. PST/4:00 p.m. EST, in which SBN leadership will discuss important updates to the network's member benefits.

Open to current and prospective SBN members, the meeting will include updates on networking, education and recognition opportunities available to women in the automotive specialty-equipment industry. 

Attendees will also learn about upcoming events and discover ways to get involved in the industry through volunteering. Time will be allotted at the end for a Q&A with the network's leadership. 

RSVP here.

By Ashley Reyes

SEMA members in the wheel and tire market are invited to attend the upcoming Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) ambassador meeting where leadership will share a new and exciting update about its membership. The meeting will take place in person on Wednesday, February 7, from 1:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. PST at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California. 

The in-person event on February 7 will include an update on WTC membership, education sessions, presentations from SEMA's legislative staff and more.

Following updates about the WTC, the event will include an education session on 3D imaging for vehicle applications, presentations from SEMA's legislative staff on the California Energy Commission (CEC) replacement tire efficiency proposal and lawsuit, plus tariff and advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) regulation updates. 

The SEMA Garage team will also give members a tour of its facility, featuring demonstrations of the state-of-the-art equipment used to assist members with product development and emissions compliance needs. The meeting will conclude with a networking reception that will help members grow their professional network.  

Secure your attendance for the meeting here. 

Questions can be directed to Nicole Bradle, SEMA WTC director, at nicoleb@sema.org.