DIAMOND BAR, Calif. (July 6, 2021) – With an expanded prize package and increased benefits to applicants, the 9th annual SEMA Launch Pad competition included a record-high number of applications from entrepreneurs of new automotive-related products. At 181, the number surpasses the previous high of 120 applications.

“Based on interest in the SEMA Launch Pad, innovation and creativity in the industry are stronger than ever” said Ted Wentz, SEMA Board Member and Chair of the SEMA Launch Pad Task Force. “Not only did we receive more applications than ever before, but the quality of the applications is impressive. The products represent such a variety and spectrum of items that support vehicle customization.”

Fifteen applicants have been selected as semi-finalists and will advance to the next round. The applicants will be narrowed down further, down to five finalists who will pitch their business ideas at the 2021 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev. There, a panel of judges will select three winners to receive cash prizes in the amount of $5,000, $20,000, and $75,000 to be used for the benefit of their business.

The 2021 SEMA Launch Pad Semi-finalists are:

Cameron Crummie, Owner, MDV
Product: Guard – Modular LED Bluetooth-controlled brush guard for trucks and SUVs.

Adam Gruener, CEO, Off Road In Mind
Product: RGB-Recovery Gear Box – Can be used for recovery gear, emergency gear, or for any other storage needs, and is typically attached to a spare tire on the back of a vehicle.

Jonathan Hurley, Owner, ToolBox Widget
Product: ToolBox Widget – Modular tool organizers that allow a mechanic to connect as many tool organizers together as needed, making them customizable to the mechanic.

Monika Kalenski, President and CEO, Removeable Trail Armor
Product: Removable Trail Armor – Printed side body protection paneling utilizing nano-hold technology to stick to aluminum and non-metal vehicles. Protects vehicles from scrapes and scratches when off-roading while adding style with printed graphics.

Brendan McGrath, CEO, Dyme Performance Systems Inc.
Product: Rattlesnake Toolkit – Toolkit that can measure the exact length and angle of a hose assembly down to the millimeter, significantly reducing time and cost.

Robert McKeirnan, President and Managing Partner, Stratos Meccanica LLC
Product: Strada and Corsa Concealed Quick Disconnect Interface – Concealed interface for mounting a license plate to the front of a vehicle. Does not require having to drill holes into the front bumper and does not require tools to remove once installed.

D.J. Potter, CEO, Sawtooth
Product: Sawtooth STRETCH Tonneau Cover and Sawtooth SURFBOARD Cartop Carrier – Tonneau that loads, secures, and protects cargo taller than the pickup truck bed walls.

Alan Reyes, Co-founder and President, Xtrusion Designs LLC
Product: Modular Cargo Bedracks – Modular cargo solution that allows the usage of T-Slot aluminum profiles as its main component, allowing a complete customizable platform for the end user.

Kevin Robinson, President, TRAC LLC
Product: TRAC Tire Rotation Assistance Cart – Tool designed to simply lift and remove a wheel from a vehicle during service. The tool is designed to reduce workplace injuries while increasing productivity.

Paul Rooprai, CEO, AutoBio LLC
Product: AutoBio Tags – 2.5-inch round cling that goes inside the windshield and is embedded with technology (QR & NFC) that serves as a portal to a car’s story and is scannable with a smartphone.

Michael Ruhs, Co-founder and CEO, TailHand
Product: TailHand – Customizable platform and accessories system that mounts directly to most pickup truck tailgates, providing an “extra hand” for securing tools and raw materials, transforming a tailgate into a versatile mobile-workstation.

Tom Sawarynski, Owner, Off-Road Research
Product: Smart Cap Module (SCM) – Allows any aftermarket shock absorber with a bridge or remote mounted reservoir to broadcast damper position to an external module or modules.

Michael Sullivan, Owner, Fox Products LLC
Product: RaZorTop Retractable Cap – Roll open tonneau cover that raises up to a full-size cap when needed and retracts by the press of a button on a wireless remote control.

Edward Tansingco, President, Thinskinz
Product: Thinskinz Door Protectors – Removable, hard plastic interior door panel protectors that snap onto OEM interior door panels without fasteners or adhesives to protect doors against damage from objects or pets inside the vehicle.

Dustin Woolf, Owner, Woolfpack Racing
Product: Natural Nitrous – Stand-alone refrigerated system for the air induction of the motor. It lowers the air charge and dehumidifies the moisture, which increases horsepower because there are dense oxygen atoms in the cylinder. It also lowers emissions because of the complete burn of the fuel.

To learn more about SEMA Launch Pad and each of the 15 semi-finalists, visit http://www.sema.org/launchpad.

SHREVEPORT LA (07.05.21)  WTF…Win This Friday. CG Car Audio won the SiriusXM Prize on the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel on Friday morning, July 2nd.

The 12volt Spin-to-Win Wheel was created to bring an element of fun to the 12volt industry. Six months ago we celebrated the 2nd Anniversary of the weekly 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel.

The 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel rolled for 134th time on Friday morning July 2nd. The Wheel landed on the SiriusXM space. The CG Car Audio slip was drawn from the jar and an Instagram post of the winning slip was posted. A video of the Wheel spin was also posted.
We reached out by phone several times to contact the dealer in Kissimmee FL. Instagram message too. We will continue efforts to contact CG Car Audio.
Spinning out a winner each Friday, a lucky 12volt retailer can win a cool prize and top brands receive visibility across the marketplace.

12volt brands with a space on the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel include Kicker, NavAtlas, SiriusXM, Accele, PowerBass, CRUX, DS18, SoundStream, AIS, JBL, Kenwood, Power Acoustik, JVC and ZZ-2. 12volt News $100. cash awards have spaces on the 12volt Spin-To-Wheel for a winning 12volt retailer.

Past winners of the 12volt Spin-To-Win include…Stereo & Video Center-Tyler TX, The Outlaw Garage-Franklin TN, Exotic Sounds-West Palm Beach FL, Endless Possibilities-Aurora IL., Go Auto Sound in Union City NJ, Al&Ed’s South Bay CA, No Limitz Car Audio in Upland CA, Neil’s Specialty-Eureka CA, Sturgess Customs-Lexington SC, Audio By Art-San Antonio TX, SMS Car Audio in Marreo LA and Sweet Wheelz in Mississauga Ontario Canada, Cartronics in Biscayne FL, The CarAudio Shop in St Louis MO, Exotic Sounds in West Palm Beach FL, High North Customs in Grand Prairie Alberta Canada and AMS Audio in Bakersfield CA, Team QRT in Abbeyville LA and California Sound in Fontana CA and Jackie Cooper Electronics, Oklahoma City OK, MARS Audio-Orlando FL, All American Audio in Nutley NJ, Proline Car Stereo in Brooklyn NY, Custom Shop Miami, Tunes and Tint in Lakeland FL, Mobile Concepts Inc in Mokena IL, Seismic Auto Sound in Concord CA, Brooklyn Car Audio in Brooklyn NY, Audio Solutions in Florence MS, Enhanced Customs in Largo FL, Rayco Auto Clinic, Audio Design in San Jose CA, Go Bass Mode in Florida, Avenue Sound in Freeport NY, Audio Plus in Riverview FL, Stereo Zone in Whittier CA, In-Phase Car Audio in Omaha NE, AutoLife Group, N&H Electronics, SK Customs, Land & Sea, The Audio One, NC Custom Shop,Tint World Orlando, Ricky Smith’s Audio, VIP Custom Woks, Mobile Audio Concepts, Audio Lad, Sound Sensations, Dave’s Stereo, Stereo Design, Badlands Customs, Custom Audio-Erie PA, Voltz Autosports-Bridgeport CT, Infinity Sound and Security-Kissimmee, Autosport Plus-Canton OH, Stereo City Pros in Carmichael CA, Devine Concepts in Naples FL, The Sound Shop in Indian Trail NC, Extreme Performance Audio in Fresno CA, Audio Depot in Arlington TX, Audio Security in Houston TX, Earmark Car Audio and Marine in Lewisville TX, Audio Jam in Bear DE, Stereo City Ontario, Ontario CA, Audio By Art, San Antonio TX, Code Zero Customs in Tulsa OK, Ken’s Car Tunes in Mobile AL, Soundz Plus in Naperville IL, Markland Designs in Lithonia GA, Electronics Plus in Salinas CA, Xtreme Autosports in Santa Clarita CA, Superior Audio Sounds in San Angelo TX and Model Electronics in Ramsey NJ, Texas Dreamz Customs in Spring TX, Wired Electronics in Linden NJ and Intense Car Audio in OKC, OK, Underground Auto in Sarasota FL, Car Toys Tulsa in Tulsa OK,  Real Audio in Erie PA, Go Autosound in Union NJ, DFM Stereo in Ukiah CA, Impact Tint and Audio in Tyler TX, Mobile Sound Systems in Arlington TX, Redline Audio and Performance In Spindale NC, Car Audio Land in San Diego CA, Audio X Custom Car Audio in Florence AL, River Oaks Car Stereo in Houston TX, American Radio Orlando in Sanford FL, Illustrious Customs in Woodbridge VA, Remote Start Pros in Lawrence MA, HiPro Audio in Victoria TX, AudioPlanetNY in Huntington Station NY, Endless Possibilities in Aurora IL, Audio Finesse in Santa Monica, Drive Customs in San Luis Obispo CA, Custom Works, Noblesville IN, AtoZ Detail in West Haven CT, Cars 843 in Charleston SC, CarTunes Atlanta in Atlanta GA, Mobile Concepts in Garwood NJ, Duke’s Car Stereo in Flint MI, Infinity Auto Sound, King Car Audio in Norwalk CT, PopTronics in Baltimore MD, Sanford Sound in Sanford ME,  Angelvip2474 in Draper UT, Dynamic Car Audio in Baltimore MD, Hi-Pro Audio in Victoria TX, Car Stereo Max in Houston, Pro Audio Center in Richland MS, Rhodes Off-Roads in Farmington MO, Model Electronics in Ramsey NJ, Class A Sounds in Athens OH. Just Audio Video in North Providence RI, CT_Custom in Philadelphia, Audio Solutions in Florence MS and The Audio Shop RC in Rapid City SD, DG Motorsportz in High Point NC, ST Mobile in Texarkana TX, AR Custom OC in Orange CA, Temecula Mobile Sound in Temecula CA,  Unique Auto Sound in Lindenhurst NY, D’s Garage in Corona CA and DS2 Mobile Solutionz in Tomball TX.. Congratulations to all.

WTF… Where’s the Fun. On the next spin of the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel… on Friday, July 9th.

METAIRIE, LA, July 2, 2021 – Oracle Lighting (www.oraclelights.com), the market leader in high-quality and innovative LED solutions for the automotive/12Volt, power sports, motorcycle, and marine markets, is proud to announce its the new Rear Bumper LED Reverse Lights for Jeep Gladiator JT (p/n 5878-504) are now shipping. The new reverse lights have an MSRP of $149.95 per pair, and are also available for Jeep Wrangler JL.

Unsatisfied with the visibility of your Jeep Gladiator reverse lighting when backing up at night? Then replace the factory bumper reflectors with high-output
replacement auxiliary LED reverse lights from Oracle Lighting. This reverse light design seamlessly integrates into the bumper reflector area to provide more than 1,500 additional lumens when backing up in a Jeep Gladiator.

“We noticed a consensus of Gladiator owners who had the same problem…complaints of low visibility when backing up at night,” said Justin
Hartenstein, Oracle Lighting director of development. “Many tried to supplement with auxiliary lights and light bars which just did not fit, had limited ground clearance, and just looked out-of-place. We immediately saw an opportunity to use our expertise to provide a functional integrated solution.”

Designed for function and durability, these lights feature an aluminum housing with PMMA lens while also maintaining the rear reflector function with a scaled-down version integrated into the housing.

These compact lights pack a big punch with a total of 30 high-powered LEDs to add additional lighting to improve your Jeep Gladiator reverse visibility. They come ready to install out of the box, ensuring that you will have rear visibility in your Jeep Gladiator when it matters. Installation uses factory mounting hardware, and these lights tie into the rear light wiring with the included T-taps or with the optional Plug-and-Play adapter (p/n 5881-504) for even easier installation.

Additional features and specifications include:
• Connects to existing reverse light power source without error code
• Integrated rear reflector for OE appearance and function
• Total of 30 high-powered LEDs with 3,000 raw Lumen output
• Aluminum housing with black powder coat finish
• Optic-focused beam pattern for an extended field of view

Louisiana-based Oracle Lighting has been designing innovative lighting products and technologies for the automotive/12Volt, powersports, motorcycle, and marine markets since 1999. Oracle’s philosophy is this: in today’s world of fly-by-night vendors, we think it is important to partner with businesses that you can trust to be there for you today, tomorrow, and for years to come.

For more information on Oracle Lighting and its full product line, please visit http://www.oraclelights.com, call (800) 407-5776, or email info@oraclelights.com.

NEW YORK, July 2, 2021 — MINI USA and SiriusXM announced today that SiriusXM’s leading audio entertainment service is now a standard feature in all MINI models sold in the United States, beginning with model year 2022 vehicles that are on sale now.  MINI owners also receive a 12-month subscription to SiriusXM’s All Access package with the purchase or lease of a new vehicle.

“MINI delivers a true fun-to-drive experience with the enjoyment of being out on the open road, music on, in a car that offers go-kart handling and turns heads with its iconic design,” said Patrick McKenna, Department Head, Marketing, Product and Strategy, MINI USA. “We’re pleased to now offer SiriusXM as a standard premium feature that further enhances the in-car experience and driving fun across the full range of MY 2022 MINI vehicles.”

“We’re honored that MINI values SiriusXM as an important part of MINI’s fun-to-drive experience and we’re excited to be expanding our relationship to make SiriusXM’s leading audio entertainment service a standard feature across their lineup,” said Chris Paganini, SVP, Automotive Partnerships, for SiriusXM. “Now all MINI drivers can enjoy SiriusXM’s unparalleled selection of ad-free music, plus sports, entertainment and much more.”

The standard availability of SiriusXM in 2022 MY MINI vehicles is part of a recently-signed agreement between SiriusXM and MINI parent company, the BMW Group. This agreement extends the relationship between the companies through the 2026 calendar year.

The All Access subscription that MINI owners and lessees receive provides SiriusXM’s full lineup of varied programming, plus access to SiriusXM outside their vehicle on the SXM App and on connected devices and speakers in their home.  For more on all the programming that SiriusXM offers, and all the ways you can listen, go to www.SiriusXM.com.  

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (July 1, 2021) – Alpine Electronics of America, Inc. announces the annual NJ Jeep Invasion vendor show located on Wildwood Beach, New Jersey from Friday, July 9 – Sunday, July 11 (https://www.njjpinvasion.com/).

Following cancellation in 2020, this highly anticipated event returns with an estimated 2,300 Jeep_® vehicles at the 2021 event along with 100 of the industry’s top vendors, including Alpine, who continues to be the premium choice for aftermarket upgrades by Jeep_® enthusiasts.

Located on Wildwood Beach at Rio Grande Avenue, Alpine will be represented by Alpine Authorized Retailer Proline Car Stereo and Alpine sales representatives from Focused Marketing Solutions, who will be available to give on-site vehicle demonstrations and answer product questions. NJ Wildwood Jeep Invasion attendees who visit the Alpine booth can get hands-on with Alpine products and walk away with free giveaways.

Alpine’s 2018 Jeep_® Wrangler will be on-site, equipped with a premium solution that includes an X409-WRA-JL 9-inch Weather-Resistant Navigation head unit with Off-Road Mode, a PSS-23WRA Weather-Resistant Sound System, the new SPV-65-JLT Weather-Resistant Rear Soundbar, and the new SPV-65-SXS 6.5” Weather-Resistant Coaxial Speaker Pods.

All products are available for purchase during the event with special, event-only pricing. Installation will not be offered during the event; however, recommendations can be made by the on-site Alpine/Proline Car Stereo team.

Alpine will also provide an SPV-65X-WRA 2-Way Weather-Resistant Speaker System for the NJ Jeep Invasion event raffle. Event attendees can receive raffle tickets by donating canned or preserved foods to the event. All donations will be sent to the Community Food Bank of NJ.

CERRITOS CA (07.01.21) – Gear up, Harley fans! We teased them at Knowledge Fest 2019, and they’re finally here! The long-awaited SoundSkins Pro Harley Davidson Pre-Cut Saddlebag Kits for Road Glide, Road King, Street Glide, and Electra Glide models 2014 and up!

Designed by the best in the motorcycle business, American Hard Bag, these kits are pre-cut sound dampening kits for your motorcycle saddlebags designed to dramatically lower their resonant characteristics to make them much better speaker enclosures and reduce unwanted noises.

This kit can be used alone, but it is intended to be covered by a custom bag liner to prevent erosion of the material. It fits both standard factory bags, extended bags, as well as aftermarket stretch bags.

For more see soundskinsglobal.com