Hot Shot's Secret Expands NTPA Sponsorship for 2023

Hot Shot's Secret has announced an expansion of its National Tractor Pullers Association Championship Pulling Series sponsorship for 2023. The new accord establishes a six-event bonus series and point fund titled the Hot Shot's Secret Challenge. This points challenge will provide a payout in excess of $30,000 to the top three-point earners per division. The challenge is open to Grand National competitors in all 13 premier-level divisions.

All divisions that appear at each qualified event are participating in the program. This challenge establishes a four-hook series for Light Modifieds, a six-hook series for two divisions (Light Super Stock and Super Semi), an eight-hook series for seven divisions (Super Stock Open, Super Farm, Pro Stock, Four Wheel Drive, Super Stock Diesel 4x4, Modified, and Unlimited), a 10-hook series for two divisions (Super Stock Diesel, Two Wheel Drive) and a 12-hook series for Modified Minis.

To be eligible for a payout, a vehicle must be registered for the 2023 Grand National series and also prominently display Hot Shot's Secret point fund decals on both sides of the participating vehicle.

Locations for the 2023 Hot Shot's Secret Challenge include the Farley Nationals in Farley, Iowa (June 9-10); the Budweiser Dairyland Super Nationals in Tomah, Wisconsin (June 22-24); the Lions Super Pull of the South in Chapel Hill, Tennessee (July 21-22); the Fort Recovery Grand Nationals in Fort Recovery, Ohio (July 28-29); the North Iowa Nationals in Rockwell, Iowa (August 3-5); and concluding at the National Tractor Pulling Championships in Bowling Green, Ohio (August 17-19).

Additionally for 2023, Hot Shot's Secret will be the prime sponsor of five "Hot Shot's Secret Spotlight" segments to appear during NTPA's weekly "Championship Pulling" television show on RFD-TV. The company will maintain its visibility in trackside signage, public address announcements, and in graphics that will appear on NTPA's official mobile videoboard.

Prock, Hight, Kramer and Herrera Pick Up Wins at Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

John Force Racing swept the nitro classes last Sunday at zMAX Dragway, as Austin Prock and Robert Hight rolled to wins in Top Fuel and Funny Car, respectively, at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. Deric Kramer (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the fifth of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

In the Top Fuel final quad, Prock went 3.684 seconds at 330.88 mph in his 11,000hp Montana Brands/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster, beating a group that also included points leader Steve Torrence, Josh Hart and Leah Pruett. He finished first in all three quads, posting a 3.686 in the opening quad and then making the quickest run of eliminations in the final round. Pruett finished as the runner-up with her run of 3.708 at 329.99, with Hart taking third. Torrence maintains his points lead in the class.

In Funny Car, Hight powered to a 3.888 at 328.30 in his 11,000hp Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Camaro SS to beat John Force, defending world champ Ron Capps and Alexis DeJoria. The multi-time champ and his team rolled to the win in every quad as he collected his 63rd career Wally. DeJoria finished as the runner-up as she continued her solid season, while Capps was third. Despite a first-round exit, Hagan maintained the points lead in Funny Car over DeJoria.

Kramer drove to his first win in nearly four years by going 6.555 at 208.88 in his Get BioFuel Chevrolet Camaro in the championship round. Kramer ousted the likes of points leader Dallas Glenn, who was after his third straight win, No. 1 qualifier Matt Hartford and Fernando Cuadra Jr. to earn his fifth career victory.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Herrera stayed perfect, breaking the track E.T. record with a run of 6.710 at 202.00 in the final round on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Suzuki. After qualifying No. 1 for the second straight race, Herrera made the quickest run in two of the three rounds on Sunday, defeating teammate Eddie Krawiec, defending world champ Matt Smith and defending event winner Steve Johnson. Herrera finished first in both quads heading into the final and then ran away from his competition in the final round, posting a .013 reaction time and making the quickest PSM run at zMAX Dragway.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action May 19-21 with the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago.

Candidates Named for 2024-2025 IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship

Officials with IMSA have announced the finalists for the 2024-2025 IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship. The recipient, to be named later this year, will receive benefits worth more than $250,000 to assist them in competing in one of three IMSA-sanctioned series during the 2024 season.

Over the next few months, the 10 selected candidates will participate in a series of learning modules to bolster their off-track skills and assist them in approaching teams and submitting their final business plans. The 2024-2025 scholarship recipient will be announced in the fall.

The list of candidates for the third annual IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship consists of eight men and two women, and four of the candidates were finalists in past years. The candidates are Antonio Abrom (21; Winston, Georgia); Andrea Castro (24; New York, New York); Sabre Cook* (28; Carmel, Indiana); Ken Fukuda (35; Beacon, New York); Heather Hadley (21; Sherrills Ford, North Carolina); Bryson Lew* (20; Salt Lake City, Utah); Kyle Loh* (24; San Jose, California); Baley Monette (27; Alpharetta, Georgia); Brad Perez* (26; Kannapolis, North Carolina); and Westin Workman (18; Charlotte, North Carolina). [An asterisk (*) indicates a finalist in a previous year.]

For more racing news, visit Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) website.

R&R Marketing Welcomes Jason Sakurai as Sales and Marketing Representative

R&R Marketing Consultants Inc. has announced the recent hire of Jason Sakurai, who will join the RRMCI sales and marketing team in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Sakurai is a sales and marketing professional with 20 years of experience, which has also included many lifestyle brands, such as Alpine Electronics, Team Dynamics, Vans footwear, No Fear Action Sports Gear and more. The 2019 SEMA Truck & Off-Road Alliance Influencer of the Year, he continues to participate in the industry that has fueled his lifelong passion for automotive culture. Sakurai joins RRMCI's roster of more than 15 employees, including executives, consultants, sales and marketing representatives and e-Commerce specialists.

Toyota Women Recognized for Leadership in Manufacturing Industry

Toyota had three honorees at the Women MAKE Awards, presented by the Manufacturing Institute. The three Toyota employees were among the women recognized for delivering leadership in the industry and making contributions to communities in which they live. This year's ceremony celebrated 100 honorees plus 30 Emerging Leaders award winners, which recognizes 30 women under the age of 30 who have achieved unique accomplishments at the start of their careers. Toyota's honorees included:

• Christine Garramone, CPSM, CPM, who is a general manager in the purchasing Supplier development division, managing supply of all powertrain components assembled into vehicles assembled in North America.
• Maura Smith, general manager of Line 1 Production at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky (TMMK).
• Jessica Buck (Emerging Leader), senior vehicle dynamics engineer at Toyota's North American R&D headquarters in Michigan.

Each year, the Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, recognizes women in the science, technology, engineering and production areas of the manufacturing industry who exemplify leadership and excellence in their careers.

Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA News. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.

 By Drew Hardin

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.

Cognito Motorsports

Outside Contract Sales Rep

Cognito Motorsports, located in Bakersfield, California, is hiring an outside contract sales rep responsible for new dealer acquisition, top-line sales production, relationship management and customer retention. The successful candidate will be an effective hunter and relationship builder capable of consistently recruiting new Cognito dealers and helping them to grow and maintain their sales volume.

Toms Offroad

Accountant Controller

Toms Offroad, located in Medford, Oregon, is hiring an accountant controller to comply with federal, state and local legal requirements by studying existing and new legislation, anticipating future legislation, enforcing requirements, filing financial reports and advising management on needed actions. The ideal candidate for this position would be a self-starter who can manage projects accordingly, is experienced in the field, knowledgeable in QuickBooks and has a growth mindset.

QA1

Content Marketing Strategist

QA1, located in Lakeville, Minnesota, is hiring a content marketing strategist responsible for translating business goals into content strategies to be delivered through a wide variety of mediums. The ideal candidate should be a big-picture thinker who leads the strategy and development of messaging to be delivered in all forms of media. This position requires a high level of creativity and ability to facilitate the creation of highly engaging content to the QA1 audience.

For more information, including how to apply to jobs or to post job listings, visit the SEMA Career Center here. 

By SEMA Editors

Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA's Washington, D.C., advocacy team invites members to join the PRI Political Action Committee (PAC) for the Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 13. What better way to kick off summer than inside a fully catered "Gasoline Alley" luxury suite with exclusive indoor and rooftop views?

What role does the PAC have within SEMA? United States law restricts groups like SEMA from directly funding elections. However, our members' voices need to be heard! A PAC allows members to pool their resources to support lawmakers and candidates who stand up for the racing industry. 

Purchase required to attend. Interested in the event or have questions? Contact Alicia Steger at alicias@sema.org. 

By Ashley Reyes

Among the benefits and perks of SEMA membership is the ability to access dozens of free research reports on the automotive specialty-equipment market at sema.org/research. Conducted by professional market researchers, the studies are filled with data and insights on consumer behavior, purchasing habits, economic indicators, and sales figures--all specific to the automotive specialty equipment market. It's the best place to find industry-focused data.

SEMA members may obtain the reports at no cost. Nonmembers may purchase individual reports for as much as $2,000 per study.  

New studies are posted throughout the year. 

Current reports include:

The "SEMA Market Report"

How big is the specialty-equipment market? In 2021, the performance and accessory market climbed more than $50 billion. The 2022 "SEMA Market Report" details the size and scope of the market to help members better understand their business opportunities.  

Industry Trends 

How is the industry doing, and where is it going? The "SEMA Future Trends" and "SEMA State of the Industry" reports uncover industry shifts in the automotive specialty-equipment market. Look to these reports to understand where growth is occurring and where the industry might evolve next. 

Consumer Insights 

What motivates your customers to purchase accessories? The consumer insights reports focus on specific consumer behaviors, including how they research, shop and buy upgrades and modifications. SEMA offers reports for many important customer targets, including pickup owners, Jeep owners, modern musclecars and more. 

While the SEMA Market Research team focuses primarily on developing research reports, they are always happy to answer questions about the industry. Visit the SEMA Market Research website to learn more, or contact Gavin Knapp, gavink@sema.org or 909-978-6712. 

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) is hosting a networking Happy Hour during Minnesota Steet Rod Association's Back to the '50s Weekend on Thursday, June 22, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT.

All HRIA members are invited to O'Gara's Restaurant at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, where they can network with industry friends, meet other hot-rod businesses, and enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres and beverages.

Attendees will learn about HRIA's latest initiatives, meet members of the select committee and discover how to get more involved with the council. Prospective members are also invited to attend, as it will be a great event to learn about the HRIA member benefits available to hot-rod businesses.

RSVP here.

By Ashley Reyes
Building a diverse network is essential for discovering new ideas and perspectives to help you grow your professional career and business.  

To help wheel and tire professionals in the automotive aftermarket establish new business connections, the SEMA Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) will host its next Coffee & Conversation networking event on June 1 at 9:00 a.m. PDT/12:00 p.m. EDT.   

The free online event will bring wheel and tire members together from different occupations and include an informative discussion on challenges and opportunities facing the wheel and tire industry. It's the ideal event to connect with others with varying perspectives on the industry, create new business connections, and gain insight into problems and solutions in the wheel and tire market.  

"I certainly learned a lot from those that contributed," said Jeff Wade of Aftermarket Sales about the first WTC Coffee & Conversations event. "It was interesting to hear the points of view from various individuals from different segments within the industry. I look forward to the next session!"  

Register for the event here. 

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA) has named Kevin Robinson as the council's newest spotlight volunteer. As president and owner of TRAC LLC, Robinson was the winner of the 2022 SEMA Launch Pad competition for his TRAC Tire Jack--a tool that makes removing or installing a wheel or tire from a vehicle safer, simpler and easier. Get to know Robinson in his interview with SEMA below.

SEMA News: What inspired you to pursue a career in the truck and off-road industry?

Kevin Robinson: I have been in the off-road environment since the early days of riding dirt bikes. Now with 40-in. tires that I need to remove and install on my Jeep, I can see a need for our tools. The tools absolutely provide safety in the workplace and home shop.

SEMA News: Why did you decide to volunteer for TORA? How has it or will it impact you?

KR: I have attended TORA events and can see the passion that the members have. These members only want the best for SEMA and what it stands for. Even the cross-council mixers share everyone's passions for the industry, and if I can be of help in any way, I'll be there.

SEMA News: What advice do you have for someone pursuing a career in the automotive aftermarket?

KR: Whatever you choose to pursue, know that there will be many people to go to for guidance. Mostly everyone is there for assistance, not competition.

SEMA News: What is your dream truck or off-road vehicle?

KR: My dream truck is my Jeep LJ, but with an LS swap and an unlimited fuel card to go with it! 

Fill out a TORA-member spotlight form to highlight how you or your company are contributing to the truck and off-road specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are eligible to be featured on TORA's social media, SEMA News and future TORA member updates.