Report From MPMC

The 2010 MPMC Media Trade Conference has moved to a brand new location, the recently renovated Radisson Suites Hotel in Covina, CA. Now in its ninth year, the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) has created a premiere event which enables its member companies to orchestrate three days of face-to-face meetings with members of the media, both print and electronic. MPMC is a subset of the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) whose annual car show in Vegas each November becomes a Mecca for performance and car enthusiasts worldwide.

The SEMA Show, because of its enormous size, is not the ideal forum for editors and journalists to get suitable face time with companies. For this reason MPMC was created to set aside a quieter space in time for making more intimate, undistracted presentations. Over a period of three days companies can have as many as forty meetings, not to mention the after hours opportunities for conducting additional business with one another.

One of the aims of the MPMC has been to raise public awareness for motorsports. Followers of AMSOIL INC. are well aware of the long time friendships we have forged within the various racing communities at all levels from the grass roots on up. (Recommended reading: the AMSOIL Racing Blog.)

As in years past AMSOIL representatives Ed Newman, director of advertising, and Karl Dedolph, director of aftermarket products, have enjoyed the privilege of being able to share the AMSOIL Story, new products and information resources for future technical articles that the media use to educate their readers and viewers. With its long history in synthetic lubrication, and as developer of the world's first synthetic motor oil to meet American Petroleum Institute certification standards, the company has decades of experience and welcomes opportunites like this to educate both consumers and the industry.

Wednesday evening the MPMC hosted a Performance Aftermarket Seminar at the NHRA Motorsports Museum at the Pomona Fairplex. The stroll back in time to the early years of rodding and motorsports history brought back many memories for all of us. The event included a panel discussion with industry leaders addressing contemporary issues. The nostalgic environment and optimistic observations by the panel left many feeling renewed confidence as we enter the new year.

Top right: Panel discussion at NHRA Museum. Left: The helmet of Bobby Unser is but one of many great racing legends recognized at the museum. Bottom: Ed Newman outlines new products and highlights information from amsoil.com for editors of Street Rodder magazine.