This past December, the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Road Tour wrapped up its ambitious nationwide schedule of visits to racing and performance businesses from Indianapolis to California. With the metrics and reviews now in, it appears that the tour will pay dividends to businesses in the racing category for a long time to come.
They don’t make ‘em like they used to. Classic cars and trucks represent a vital aftermarket segment, but understanding marketing opportunities in that space poses unique challenges. To help specialty-equipment businesses get a handle on the category, SEMA Market Research has released a new report focusing on vintage vehicle customers and their customization goals. Entitled “Classic Cars, Modern Markets,” the report contains the latest data on market sizing, consumer demographics, purchasing habits, vehicle usage, and even the shifting definitions of the cars considered to be classics.
The products featured below are from SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) member companies that have attained Gold- or Platinum-level data, which means that their product data is robust and complete—likely to drive customer purchase decisions. SDC members meeting data scorecard requirements are invited to submit product releases for consideration to enews@semadatacoop.org.
Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Denmark are collectively known as the Nordic region, and its population of approximately 27 million citizens is passionate about all forms of wheeled competition, including rally racing, drag racing, drifting and circuit racing.
Since its inception in 2014, the SEMA Show’s annual Battle of the Builders (BOTB) has become one of the most anticipated events of SEMA Show week. While the cancellation of the 2020 Show in Las Vegas seemed to put the event on hold for a year, there was still plenty of industry interest in holding a BOTB-type event, even if done remotely.
Commemorating Route 66: The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives approved a SEMA-supported bill to create a commission to recommend ways to commemorate Route 66’s 100th
anniversary. The first all-paved U.S. highway was completed in 1926. The 15-person commission will include representatives from the states through which the highway ran: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. The commission may recommend the production of various written materials, films and documentaries, education programs, artistic works, commemorative memorabilia and celebrations to commemorate Route 66’s storied history. The bill was signed into law on December 23, 2020.
Annual business planning is a proven growth driver. Unfortunately, many small-business people may be tempted to skip that task for 2021, since traditional strategic planning often ties up time and resources. Plus, with COVID-19, who can predict the marketplace?
How many members of Congress grew up around racing, have three degrees from Harvard and spend their free time providing medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic? If you guessed one, you’re correct. His name is U.S. Representative Raul Ruiz (D-CA), and SEMA is fortunate to call him a friend.
’22 BMW X7: As a big, luxurious, three-row SUV, the BMW X7 is doing quite well, and work has already begun on a mid-life refresh.
’22 Kia Sportage: A thinly disguised prototype was snapped testing on the Nürburgring ahead of its likely reveal later this spring.
’22 Toyota Tundra: After almost two years, we officially have our first look at the next-gen Tundra.
The Mint 400 has earned a longstanding reputation as being one of the roughest off-road races in the country, as this photo from 1969 attests. John Thawley, reporting on the race for the June 1969 issue of Hot Rod, said 206 entries started the two-day event, but just 21 finished the required eight laps of the course—“46 miles of dust, rock, and talcum powder along Nevada desert roads laced with holes, ditches, hills, and a wide and ugly assortment of equipment-breaking surprises.”