That voice. The honeyed baritone was so distinctive, immediately recognizable whether he was addressing thousands at an NHRA drag race, hundreds at a SEMA Banquet or in one-on-one conversation. And it wasn’t just the tenor of his voice; even when he was behind the microphone, Dave McClelland sounded like he was talking to just you, car guy to car guy (or gal), fully engaged in the passion he shared with fans and friends.
The virtual panel discussion will be led by Amy Fitzgerald of Cool Hand Customs and feature panelists Jonathan Goolsby, Stacey David and Scott Parker.
When the average person thinks of racing, they usually picture an oval track or a dragstrip. While it’s true that these two types of racetracks dominate the hobby, motorsports today encompasses so much more. From off-road racing to land-speed racing, rock crawling, drifting and even donk racing (big-wheel vehicles), it’s clear that motorsports today is a big tent with something for everyone.
The SEMA Launch Pad program, the ultimate product-pitching competition for automotive entrepreneurs, returned for the 10th consecutive year to give innovators a chance to establish their product within the automotive industry. “SEMA Launch Pad helps bring these emerging inventors to the forefront, providing a platform for them to potentially take their new creations to the next level,” said RJ de Vera, SEMA vice president of marketing.
In June 2021, Jake Merrick Sr., the owner of Merrick Tool in Hinton, Oklahoma, had a new product for the automotive industry. He was trying to think of ways to get the word out about his innovative new socket for removing stripped lug nuts.
In 1958, Ford introduced the FE V8 engine series, named for its intended use in Ford and Edsel passenger cars. Vic Edelbrock Sr., who built his namesake speed equipment business engineering parts for Ford’s Flathead V8, “took an immediate interest in the new Ford engine,” said Hot Rod’s Ray Brock. So did Edelbrock’s customers, who asked about the engine’s power potential and modifications needed to get there. Edelbrock bought an Edsel version of the FE, measuring 361 ci and rated at 303 hp and 405 lb.-ft. of peak torque, and embarked on a series of tests to see just what the engine was capable of. He invited Brock to cover the tests, which resulted in a two-part series, “Full House for ’58 Fords,” in the August and September 1958 issues.
Nearly $300,000 was distributed to 119 students and recent graduates.
Drag racer and team owner urges congress to pass the RPM Act and protect the ability to convert street vehicles into dedicated race cars.
With a two-pronged strategy of catering to niche markets and maintaining a full range of partner-manufacturer product lines, Turn 14 Distribution has emerged as a major player in the warehouse distributor space, and few have been as responsible for the company's success as Daryl Sampson, who joined Turn 14 Distribution in 2009 as the company’s business development manager. As a relatively new player in the WD arena, the company needed to establish a strong national brand identity, and Sampson was tasked with the assignment of building Turn 14 Distribution’s marketing department. Under his guidance over the ensuing decade, the company launched numerous initiatives across print, digital, and social media, combined with event marketing and motorsports sponsorships.
If you run a successful business, you know the power of planning. And if you started that business, you know that power intimately.