Innovative thinkers and dynamic presenters are wanted for the 2023 SEMA Show and the association’s year-round virtual education program --

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is planning its 2023 education program and has issued a call for speakers for its annual SEMA Show--taking place in Las Vegas in November 2023--and its year-round virtual education program. Dynamic and entertaining presenters who can share new skills and ideas targeted to the automotive aftermarket are invited to apply at www.sema.org/speakers.

Check out the newest hot rod to roll out of Jerry Bickel Race Cars. This new Camaro is destined for Canadian Jay Santos and will compete in the Pro Modified division. 

At five-foot-six, 155-pounds, Justin Ashley knew his options were limited, yet it didn't deter him from pushing beyond his natural boundaries. The high school football standout wanted to play college ball, so he tried out for Ithaca College.

Ashley made the team in the most longshot odds since Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger's experience with Notre Dame.

It didn't take Ashley long to realize the differences between high school sports and the NCAA, even in Division III. In high school, Ashley was an all-district wide receiver and team captain.

Chevrolet Performance has announced the release of the 2023 COPO Camaro. Unlike the supercharged cars that get so much attention, this example has an EFI-equipped big-block engine but displaces what may be the most cubes in the history of OEM car releases – 632 CID!

Every drag racer has milestone moments in their career - the first time they win a national event, for example. Those moments usually don't coincide with their worst moment. For Top Alcohol Dragster newcomer Taylor Vetter, both moments occurred within seconds of each other at the Auto Club NHRA Finals last month.

"I'm still pretty emotional about the whole thing," said Vetter. "Just waking up and knowing that we were getting to race on Sunday was huge for us. When that win light came on in the semis, it was almost like disbelief. The guys were just so stoked, and it was awesome to see how excited they were. Because without them, I wouldn't be there. They work so hard, and they are such a fun group of guys."

The "guys" Vetter refers to - Nick Januik, Nick Shultzman, Cody Crubaugh, Jeremy Kilby, and Brian Stevenson - didn't have much time to celebrate. They had to hustle to get ready for the final round of competition.

 
When longtime crew chief John Medlen announced his retirement toward the end of the 2022 NHRA Camping World Series season, the Ron Capps Motorsports team knew they were left with big shoes to fill. For the past six years, Medlen had worked side-by-side with lead tuner Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli. The co-crew chiefs enjoyed tremendous success together, including most recently, having tuned team owner/driver Ron Capps and the NAPA AUTO PARTS Funny Car to two consecutive world championships, seven wins, 14 final rounds, and 10 poles over the past two NHRA seasons.
 
Rather than go the traditional route and tap into the pool of nitro crew chiefs with long resumes and proven track records, Capps and Antonelli decided to hire from within to fill the vacancy left by Medlen’s departure, and are pleased to announce that they have promoted car chief Tom Buckingham to the role of assistant crew chief. In his new position, Buckingham will continue to oversee the crew, but will also take on the added responsibility of many of the team’s day-to-day operations such as ordering parts, and coordinating work and travel schedules. He will also learn more about the tuning aspects of the car.

Funny Car Chaos creators Chris and Tera Graves have announced the expansion of their Nitro Chaos events to a four-race points series for the 2023 season. Nitro Chaos matches Funny Car Chaos with its rules-free approach, allowing any engine combination or car style. Well, there is one rule, you must run a minimum of 80%+ nitromethane, and that's it. 

Funny Cars, Fuel Altereds, Pro Mods, and dragsters compete heads up in 'A' and 'B' fields of eight qualified cars for guaranteed purses of $34,000+. This concept is a combined effort with Gerald Kramer and Iowa's Eddyville Raceway Park, where the first event was held in July of 2021. Top fuel star Scott Palmer won the elite 'A' Field and re-set both ends of the track record at the inaugural event.