CSK and NHRA to Educate Youth on Dangers of Street Racing
CSK Auto Inc. and the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) have joined forces to educate America’s youth of the dangers of street racing and the benefits of racing at licensed race tracks under controlled conditions. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for people aged 16 to 20. CSK Funny Car drivers Del Worsham and Phil Burkart, in conjunction with local police departments, are scheduling visits to high schools throughout the country to share their professional racing experience and offer firsthand knowledge of why drivers should “Race on the Track, Never on the Street.”
2003 Indy 500 Winner Gil de Ferran to Speak at SAE World Congress
Two-time CART FedEx Series Champion and Winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 500, Gil de Ferran, has been confirmed as a speaker in the SAE 2004 World Congress, to be held at Cobo Center in Detroit, Mich., March 8-11. The charismatic Brazil native will join an all-star group of racing experts in a session entitled “Passion for Performance” – The Transfer of Technology from Racing to High Performance Cars, to be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 at 1:30 p.m. in the Dana Technical Innovation Forum, part of the SAE World Congress Exhibition.
ChevronTexaco Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Havoline Brand
ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants is launching a year-long program to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Havoline brand. As part of the centennial celebration, ChevronTexaco said it is investing in numerous marketing programs and consumer promotions to drive the Havoline name in 2004, including sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Team competing in the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games, retro product packaging and a sweepstakes with a grand prize of $1 million.
Delphi Debuts New Ad Campaign; Aims to Bring Automotive Technology to Other Markets
Delphi has debuted a new television ad campaign aimed at showing how the company is taking automotive technology to other markets. The new campaign, created by McCann Erickson’s Detroit office, depicts how Delphi technologies can be used to benefit other industries outside the automotive arena, including medical, homeland security and computers.
Bankrupt Venture Might Sell Some Assets
Bankrupt auto supplier Venture Corp. plans to put itself up for sale to see if there is any interest in the Fraser firm’s assets or business contracts, say lawyers and others familiar with the struggling company. Venture, which makes plastic parts such as instrument panels for the auto industry, has asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit for permission to market the company. A hearing to get approval and determine how marketing would be handled is scheduled for March 11.
2004 AAPEX Booth Selection Begins; New Online Process Initiated
As of March 1, all qualified companies participating in the 2004 Online Space Drawing for the 2004 Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) received their scheduled booth selection date and time for the Online Space Drawing. The Online Space Drawing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. (EST) on Monday, March 15.
New Video to Highlight Importance of Automotive Suppliers
MEMA and its market segment associations, in conjunction with Blue Sky Productions, are producing a special 5-minute video that highlights the importance of automotive suppliers – in terms of how they contribute to America’s manufacturing base and economy and how they fit into the entire automotive industry. John McElroy will narrate the video which will be shown at industry events, to legislators and regulators on Capitol Hill and on the MEMA Web site.
Dale Hobbs Named Director of Sales at Parts Plus
Dale Hobbs has been named director of sales at Parts Plus. Mike Lambert, president of Parts Plus, announced the appointment. Dale Hobbs has been named director of sales at Parts Plus. Mike Lambert, president of Parts Plus, announced the appointment.
Hankook Tire Boosts Sales in 2003
Hankook Tire America Corp. has reported one of its strongest 12-month sales periods in the company’s history. Increased supply from overseas and major OE contracts played pivotal roles in boosting 2003 sales, according to Bill Bainbridge, marketing director for Hankook.
Jim Pearl Rejoins Denman Tire Corp.
James Pearl has rejoined Denman Tire Corp. as senior vice president of sales and marketing. Pearl worked for Denman for ten years prior to leaving in late 2002 to pursue other opportunities. Pearl will once again have overall responsibility for the sales and marketing functions and will be leading and coordinating the efforts of the sales and marketing department.
ASC Adds West Coast National Accounts Manager
ASC Industries has hired Alfred Cardoza as its new West coast national accounts manager. In this new role, Cardoza will be responsible for growing sales and managing account activity West of the Rocky Mountains. ASC recently expanded its distributor network in the West.
Earl Scheib Adds Two Board Directors
The board of directors for Earl Scheib Inc. has appointed James Burra and Salvatore Zizza as members. The board also accepted the resignation of Gregory Helm from the board. Helm resigned to pursue other interests. Earl Scheib is a nationwide operator of 115 auto paint and body shops throughout the U.S.