Back in the ’60s, not a few doubted made-in-Japan imports. Flowing into the US market at a surprisingly steady and frightening pace, quality concerns met the peak of Japan exports. Now, it’s China’s turn to answer similar quality concerns as made-in-China auto parts flood the US automotive industry.

Aftermarket auto part exports from China witnessed a more than six-fold increase in the last five years from 2002–2006, breaching the $1 billion mark in April 2007 and rising among the rapidly growing category of Chinese industrial product sold overseas.

Over half of these auto parts are exported to US followed by Europe and Japan. The increase in China’s aftermarket auto part exports is an aspect of a broader scenario. China is shifting its focus from producing essential goods such as shoes, textiles, and toys towards producing high-value industrialized goods as the production of high-value goods provide better wages.

Rising output levels at Chinese aftermarket auto assembly plants are generating a huge demand for auto parts and creating the economies of large-scale production that was earlier possible only in North America, Europe and Japan.

Car exports to follow aftermarket auto parts

Chinese auto parts would soon find a demand in overseas markets not just in crates but also as part of fully assembled cars as several Chinese automakers are planning to export in the coming few years, said an RNCOS report titled “China Automobile Industry Forecast.”

RNCO, a global industry research firm, said Chinese auto parts in the aftermarket segment of the automotive industry would witness a good growth in the near future as global manufacturers look for local sourcing of the components. Domestic producers are looking for avenues of growth in the export market.

The report added that the revenue generated by the Chinese auto part market in the year 2005 to 2006, covering auto engines, parts, tyres and other related product exports, respectively generated foreign exchanges of approximately $22 Billion.

China’s shift from light to heft

To date, the Chinese government’s efforts to cultivate national champions in higher-end industries such as autos, aircraft and semiconductors have met with mixed results. Haier has carved out a profitable niche in the USA selling small refrigerators and other appliances. But Chinese automakers have penetrated only less competitive markets such as the Middle East.

US companies, which operate their own factories in China and use Chinese suppliers, say they employ rigorous safeguards to ensure that their goods are sound. Goodyear Tire & Rubber, for example, puts potential suppliers through an intense “process audit” of its production system and quality controls before placing its first order, Goodyear spokesman Ed Markey says.

‘If it doesn’t meet the standards, it’s destroyed’

Goodyear suppliers also must obtain a certification called “ISO 9000,” which attests to a company’s use of consistent quality procedures and must be periodically renewed.

The tiremaker has a corporate office in Shanghai, which allows it to maintain close oversight of a Chinese tire factory in nearby Hangzhou. That supplier began producing tires for Goodyear in the middle of last year, for sale in the USA under private-label brands, not the Goodyear name, Markey says.

Each tire that comes off the Chinese assembly line is individually balanced and visually inspected. “If it doesn’t meet the (Goodyear) standards, it’s destroyed,” Markey says.

These days, one can obtain nearly all automotive components essential to a car, like crash parts or performance perts for instance, through two ways: by ordering these parts from an auto manufacturer which are companies that market these items stamped with their names. These are the original equipment manufacturers or OEMs as opposed to the aftermarket parts providers, the latter being companies that commercially distribute generic auto merchandise. That is, parts that carry no brand names. The fact of the matter was, before the aftermarket performance parts manufacturers emerged into the light and threw the OEMs into a fervent rush to stay on top of the game, OEMs were able to set prices as high as consumers would allow it. A thing costs as much as anyone is willing to pay for it—as the saying goes.

However, the arrival of the aftermarket parts manufacturers in the landscape altered everything for consumers and OEMs. Competition bloomed, preventing OEMs from ever assuming the degree of control that these companies had previously enjoyed. This admittedly threw a crimp in the works on the part of the OEMs since they were forced to share the profit with the Afternarkets. Nothing, though, could be done about the matter. Progress is an up-ward and onward movement, after all.

This resulted into a leveling down of prices on a considerable number of OEM products. Prices for a majority of these were dropped a near 30 percent. Consumers, though, can consider the matter as a decided blessing since the emergence of aftermarket parts initiated significant changes in the market dynamics that essentially improved a great deal for buyers.

This later gave way to the existing competition between OEM and aftermarket performance parts. And though talks discussing the merits of one over the other have already been made, time and again, the conclusions have been rhetorical at best since decisions ruling whether OEM pieces are better than aftermarket performance parts or vice versa, has proven moot so far. Both sides afford consumers a great deal of advantage in terms of functionality and durability.

Still, hecklers cannot be avoided and each has had its own share of complaints.

For instance, of the many issues that involve these two are talks of safety. Some critics say that using an aftermarket performance part does quite a lot in undermining the performance one’s vehicle by compromising a number of automotive processes.

However, on this note, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or IIHS decidedly shed a different light on the matter as it released an official statement stating the fact that there the employment of such parts had no direct adverse effect in the driving performance of the machine nor did it pose any danger to the safety of consumers. The IIHS declared these claims on the basis of the crash test results that the institute had conducted.

Providing further support to the claims generated by the IIHS, the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) also informed the public of that generic parts do not, in any way, ruin the existing warranty of a vehicle. The company even contributed to the growing body of discussion about OEMs and aftermarket parts by putting forward the idea that a number of generic parts are produced by the same companies and are constructed in the same manner.

Thus, there is not a particle of truth to the notion that having aftermarket parts in place of OEMs is a sure invitation for danger as well as risk. Still, whether one chooses to use an aftermarket performance part or an OEM component, one can breathe easy knowing that one can go for either one without having to worry about safety concerns and issues.

If one ventures forward to inquire into the strong popularity of automotive accessories, one will find themselves confronting one and one idea in all its various interpretations and expressions: personalization. Each case is distinctive. One may wish to equip one’s Honda with a lift kit enabling the car to go toe-to-toe with any four-by-four vehicle that it happens to drive alongside the road with and one has all the freedom to do so as well as the werewithal to put that plan into action. The aftermarket market is at hand at all times.

When it comes to performance parts, one can find equal satisfaction in the market, if not actually greater since performance parts abound in a great many models and forms. The matter is not without financial advantages either since aftermarket performance parts are significantly more affordable when it comes to their prices rather than parts from OEMs or Original Equipment Manufacturers.

This accounts for the considerable interest that the market has succeeded in gaining over the years from consumers. And since companies producing aftermarket auto components have made great strides in providing performance parts that demonstrate nothing but great durability and function, consumers often decide to go for an aftermarket performance part in place of an OEM piece.

Understanding the dynamics of the current situation is simple, of course. It’s the principles of supply and demand at work. However, with the arrival of these aftermarket automotive part manufacturers, OEM businesses have been forced to face the music. After all, before the emergence and eventual growth in the number of aftermarket performance parts manufacturers, OEMs had a nice and  absolute hammerlock on the profit pie. However, when the aftermarket makers started rolling in with their band of parts, consumers began to take notice and the notice was considerable. Seeing how the market was first dominated by OEMs, the first aftermarket part producers must have operated on nothing more than mere chutzpah. That is, until consumers began to go for aftermarket parts against OEMs.

Given this situation, it is no wonder why OEMs have long since been obliged to topple aftermarket players in the scene. The strong competition that have sprang up between OEMs and Aftermarket suppliers have since been fraught with intense rivalry.

One can hardly fault those who place their money on the side of aftermarket makers though. Cheaper parts that demonstrate similar or at times even greater performance than OEM ones, there is no contest.  At least, that is one way to look at it. As supporters of OEMs put particular emphasis on the superiority of parts that carry the manufacturer’s brand name, those who are keen on saving a dime or two look simply take such comments in stride and continue on in their use and support of aftermarket parts.

On the other hand, for the case of those who have big, big plans to customize their rides, to outfit them in the manner that would suit their tastes and style, no matter how odd or eclectic the mix may be—think airplane wheels on a road car—there is no escaping the fact that having aftermarket parts available take a lot of the sting out of the costs. On this front, one can conclude with all confidence that aftermarket parts have kept  one up over the OEMs very well, indeed.

Pundits and analysts in the after market parts field are speculating on the forthcoming growth in company sales. With the growing awareness of the community regarding matters that pertain to environmentally friendly auto products, a number of aftermarket parts suppliers are turning their eyes to one common direction: green technology. The production of products the likes of BMW aftermarket performance parts, Toyota performance parts and others of the same breed with the use of greener materials are gaining more than just a cursory look from companies. Whereas previous actions constituted of companies merely glossing over these intended plans, serious considerations are now being given to the said proposals.

Ecologically sound means of dealing with the ever-present emissions problems that have long since plagued and bedeviled the auto parts market have been satisfactorily gotten to in many respects. Fuel filter systems and other fuel system add-on devices that reduce the amount of harmful emissions that are allowed into the atmosphere are now in place in most cars, in most parts of the world.

Aftermarket part providers are wholly aware of this. Still, it has not been until of late that significant developments have started to take full effect. Interest in the production of greener aftermarket performance parts have never been stronger as it is now.

One can tie this up to recent events in the car community itself. To be more specific, to the renewed and energetic responses that prominent members of the automotive industry have been giving to the notion of offering consumers with cars that are able and competent in fulfilling roles as environment-friendly vehicles. With more and more cars being launched in strategic global markets, the count of consumers opting for cars and car manufacturers that exhibit more than a passing attention to such matters is certainly showing a marked climb. With the combined efforts of the car industry with institutional leaders in environmental concerns, it is not a surprise that the message about the conservation of the earth’s current and dwindling resources is getting across to the public.

Consumers are now waiting for the aftermarket performance industry to follow suit. And judging by the technologies that a considerable number of these institutions are studying to bring to consumers all the world over, such developments won’t be far behind.

This also includes companies that concern themselves with re-manufactured performance parts. Re-manufactured auto parts, after all, hold true to the environmental rule of recycling. By the time the mid 1990s arrived, the robust attention in the market had served to lower the count of the car industry’s waste produce. This is particularly true for rubber waste that spring from the many millions of tires that get dumped every year. Companies that supply re-manufactured products thus are largely responsible for eliminating waste materials of this sort.

Studies reveal that re-manufactured parts make up more than 75% of the sales in the UK aftermarket industry. Though the UK market has always been primarily geared toward the distribution of manufactured parts, the jump in their sales is phenomenal from 40%, which was the previous figure their sales amounted to.

Formed by Shelby Automobiles along with Scott Drake Enterprises Inc., a new performance parts business is set to be launched at the 33rd Annual Mid-America Ford Performance and Shelby meet on the 14th of July, 2007. The new company, which will carry the name Shelby Performance Parts, LLC is expected to provide a wide and comprehensive line-up of products certain to improve on 2005 and latest of the Ford Mustangs models, Shelby’s GT’s and Shelby’s GT500’s. A considerable number of the principal elements from Shelby’s collaboration with Ford Racing will be at the celebration. One will be introduced to the racing circuit with the new Super Snake package intended for the Ford Shelby GT500 model.

“Genuine Shelby parts will pump up the capabilities of any contemporary Ford or Shelby Mustang,” remarked Amy Boylan, Shelby Performance Parts Co-Founder. She further adds that “The aggressive suspension and engine packages are taken from lessons learned during development of Ford Shelby cars. Working with Scott Drake Enterprises, we developed components and packages that will power these cars to the front of the pack.”

The packages that will be made available from the company will include enhancements to the handling, styling as well as power of all present V6 and V8 Ford Mustangs and Shelby’s. Fresh developments on the designs are certain to bring the engines performances greater than previously observed. The queue of individual performance parts will have upgraded brakes, supercharged packages along with suspension components and cosmetic items such as hoods as well as fascias that are exclusively created at the Shelby Automotives. Engine turning choices will begin at 300 HP (with warranty) for the V6 Mustang and is expected to reach to over 725 HP from the 5.4L V8, with this one having no warranty. Shelby Performance Parts will also supply consumers with the Shelby CS6 and Shelby GT500 40th anniversary packages that comes with clothing and other accessories.

Some of those parts are included in the new Shelby GT500 Super Snake package for the year 2007 and 2008 Ford Shelby GT500. At the Shelby rig, the prototype hot rod Shelby will be put on display all throughout.

In the meantime, Scott Drake, co-founder and Managing partner of Shelby Performance Parts, shares the following:

“We’re announcing Shelby Performance Parts at the Mid-America Ford and Performance Meet because the enthusiasts who attend are always seeking a new competitive edge. Our goal is to give enthusiasts more ways to enjoy their pony cars. By combining the experience at Scott Drake Enterprises with the performance expertise at Shelby Automobiles, we believe Shelby Performance Parts will become a hot spot for serious performance fanatics.”

The Mid -America Ford Performance and Shelby Meet is expected to offer a wide array of activities that include drag racing, a cruise night and road racing exhibitions. A car show and banquet is also in the order of things. Several Shelby models that have been in stock or those that have been modified are also to be displayed at the event headquarters, located at the Tulsa Marriott south of the I-44 at the Lewis Avenue exit.

In the industry, reports on the general exclusion order for particular Ford aftermarket performance parts—already put into effect–is making life a wee bit harder for Keystone Automotive Industries, Inc. The said company had previously filed a petition for reconsideration with the International Trade Commission regarding the matter of Ford’s patents and the sale of Ford aftermarket performance parts. However, members of the commission decided granting the petition and thus, ordered the enterprise to put an end to its ongoing investigations that had to do with the patents. The general exclusion order that the said commission had issued strongly discouraged the importation of Ford aftermarket performance parts or collision parts by any importer—of which Keystone is one–that was clearly and obviously doing a huge injustice to the car maker giant, Ford, by violating the distinctiveness in any of the seven design patents from Ford. All seven have been determined to be valid patents under Ford.

The final decision that the International Trade Commission gave provided the onset of the mandatory 60-day Presidential review period for the case. Respondents in the case, though, believe that they would have to appeal to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, at a later date.

Just one day following the United States Supreme Court’s April 30, 2007 decision in the KSR Inernational Co. VS Teleflex Inc., Keystone, along with the other respondents, filed the petition for reconsideration with the Comission.

Rick Keister, chief executive officer of Keystone, had released a statement earlier, saying: “As we have continuously stated, the industry and consumers greatly benefit from the utilization of quality replacement parts and a competitive marketplace. There are clearly broader issues related to the validity of design patents in the collision industry, and they need to be addressed. The International Trade Commission’s determination was not surprising and we intend to vigorously defend our position on behalf of our shareholders and consumers. We look forward to a successful resolution of this matter.”

Keister further details that of the parts being offered at this point by Keystone related to the ruling stood for less than .1 percent of the total sales in fiscal 2007 of the company.

Keystone Automotive Industries, Inc. at large part, distributes its products to collision repair shops through its distribution facilities. On this note, there are a total of 137, all in all. 22 of these are used as regional hubs, placed in 39 states of the United States as well as in other strategic areas in Canada. Automotive body parts, bumpers and re-manufactured alloy wheels along with paint and other materials that are made used of in restoring a damaged car model –all these constitute the product lines of the said company.

Significantly, the report stresses the aggressive campaigns being taken by a car manufacturer to rain on the parade of the aftermarket collision replacement parts industry. This includes the subject of patenting vehicle parts old by the aftermarket that have ultimately led to the instigation of litigation proceedings involving trademark violations. Legislation that lends support to the OEM’s, too, seems to be possible. At this time though, it remains to be seen whether OEM or aftermarket performance part suppliers will get trounced in the negotiations.

A number of aftermarket suppliers are set to participate in the Nicole Racing Japan Co. at the 30th Anniversary Celebration to be held on June 29, 2007. The celebrations will be held at Fuji International Speedway located in Fuji, Japan.

A considerable lot of the participating parties remain as respected and esteemed top market leaders in the distribution as well as manufacture of lifestyle products and top notch Aftermarket performance parts of the most well known automotive names in the industry. Some notably supply performance parts for the Mini ™, the one that collectors know and recognize as a classic as well as for the BMW Mini Cooper. Thus, the acceptance of the organizations’ heads of the invite for the coming event places several after market part providers in the midst of one of the most exciting gatherings for those in the car racing circuit. These auto part companies will be expected to take part in the exhibition laps in the race that are part of the program for the said festivities.

The celebration will happen at the Formula 1 (F1) race track located just at the fringe of Fuji, Japan. Fuji International Speedway was built in the year 1967, occupying one of the most prime spots for racing. As most prime places for racing events, the said location has one of the richest natural settings in the field that affords the racing community with a number of truly exceptional views of the renowned Mount Fuji. That, in itself, is enough of an inducement for visitors to come and observe the upcoming activities set to begin in motion at the Fuji International Speedway. The course length measures about a stretch of 2.8 miles. It’s front straights is one of the longest on the world F1 circuit, reaching over a mile.

Don Racine—from one of the participating parties in the program–is expected to drive the Fuji circuit for the very first time. On the occasion, he remarks “I am thrilled with the opportunity to not only demonstrate the World Class performance of our MINI on this world class track but am extremely honored to represent Nicole Racing on this special occasion.” Racine has raced throughout the USA and has used his knowledge in the field to develop and improve on a considerable number of auto components for the market. He has been racing for thirty years and his expertise on the matter is considered to be among the best in the industry.

Several cars like the Mini Mania BMW Mini Cooper S race car, was shipped to Japan in preparation for this particular event. The Mini Cooper S is only one of the many test cars in the said event. Other car products from several participating parties are also anticipated to be employed in a bid for publicity, with the cars providing the racing community with the varied advantages of different company product development programs. Most of the models would have been designed and built to perform extraordinarily well in terms of endurance racing at the many club events in the United States so visitors and competitors alike will be in for a thrilling ride.

As this group of global market leaders for top drawer automotive aftermarket parts—with most of them already having their own line of high performance parts that even offer very specialized services to an ever-widening audience base—come together in such racing events, one can expect not only a good measure of thrilling victories but of convivial times that are often rare in the pressure-driven world of racing. Certainly, it’s a good development that serves to keep the community together as each member company commits to one common vision and goal.

Quantum International, manufacturer of high performance engines and drive trains for the original equipment and aftermarket auto parts industries, spearheaded this week the launching of Norsk hydrogen refueling station as part of Europe’s effort to build a “Hydrogen Highway” across the continent.

Lines of Toyota 2007 Prius took to the refueling station outside the company’s research center at Heroya, Porsgrunn, Norway. It was officially opened on June 12 by State Secretary Steinulf Tungesvik of the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications, and Norsk Hydro’s president Eivind Reiten.

The planned Hydrogen Highway between Oslo and Stavanger will cover a total of 580 kilometers of road. The Norwegian HyNor plan calls for five refueling stations along the main highway from Oslo to Stavanger, the center of the national petroleum industry that makes Norway the world’s third largest oil exporter, after Saudi Arabia and Russia.

By 2009, HyNor plans to have enough fueling stations along the 580 km route to allow hydrogen-powered vehicles to routinely make the trip. The ultimate goal is to extend the hydrogen infrastructure network through much of Scandinavia under the Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway Partnership, a joint organization formed by HyNor, Sweden’s HyFuture, and Denmark’s Hydrogen Link earlier this year.

“We are excited to participate with Miljobil Grenland, Norsk Hydro, Statoil, and the Norwegian government in building the foundation for one of the most progressive public-private hydrogen partnerships in the world,” said Alan Niedzwiecki, president of Quantum International. “Quantum’s hydrogen hybrid Priuses are generating increasing interest from around the world as clean, fuel-efficient alternatives to petroleum-fueled vehicles.”

“Based on the enthusiastic reception we received at the grand opening of the Norsk Hydro hydrogen station, we believe that opportunities will continue to grow for Quantum’s hydrogen hybrid Priuses throughout Europe and North America,” the Quantum president added.

Europe’s planned shift to hydrogen fuel cells came on the heels of a poll done by CarGurus.com, a US-based automotive community site, which revealed that a majority of the more than 500 respondents, or 80 percent, have no plans to buy a hybrid vehicle as their next car despite rising gas prices and a growing interest in curbing the emission of gases that contribute to global climate change. Hybrids cut emissions and gas use by using a fuel cell, like hydrogen, at slow speeds.

“Taking these results with the results of another survey we did in January, which showed the top two reasons car shoppers have for buying a new cars is better performance and better gas mileage, I think the concern here about hybrids is they don’t deliver on performance,” said Langley Steinert, CEO of CarGurus.com.

Hybrid cars do deliver better gas mileage. The 2007 Toyota Prius gets a combined city and highway gas mileage of 70 km per gallon, according to the US Department of Energy. That is far higher than the 35 kpg average fuel efficiency for other vehicles in the midsize car segment. But the 2007 Prius goes from 0 to 80 kph in a sluggish 10.1 seconds and achieves a top speed of only 130 kph, which could leave many new-car buyers cold, Steinert said.

There may be other road blocks for hybrid sales, which have wobbled since August. These include a decline in gas prices late last year and the fact that Toyota has run up against a federal limit for tax credits that have helped drive sales of the gas-friendly sedan. Another reason is recently revised fuel mileage standards from the Environmental Protection Agency that are designed to more accurately reflect how Americans drive their cars and will cut fuel economy estimates for cars like the Prius by an average 8 to 12 percent beginning this year.

Exhaust systems are typically one of the first things to be upgraded on a Mustang. The sound of an exhaust system can transform the image of a car from a quiet and simple daily driver to a mean muscle car that sets off car alarms as it drives down the street.

For most Mustang owners, the optimal exhaust system lies somewhere between the two. The performance aspect of replacing the stock exhaust system is also enticing, as a free-flowing exhaust can mean more horsepower and torque. Gibson, manufacturer of performance exhaust system based in Corona, California, recently launched a line of muscle car exhaust systems including one for the S197 Mustang GT.

Gibson performance exhaust was recently put to test opposite a 2007 Mustang GT test car. The GT was fitted with a set of Gibson shorty headers, x-pipe crossover pipe without catalytic converters, tailpipes, and dual mufflers. The system is built from T-304 stainless steel and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

Each component is completely bolt-on and requires no welding and includes all hardware necessary for installation. The headers and mufflers are 50 state smog legal, although the x-pipe is for “off road use only”. One will need to keep the stock crossover pipe with catalytic converters if passing an emissions test is a consideration.

Gibson put particular effort into developing their Superflow CFT Performance mufflers. The design utilizes chambers, baffles, and louvers to provide for optimal air flow, particularly in the low and mid range where it is most usable. Gibson’s tests show approximately a twenty percent increase in air flow, improving from 300 cfm to over 360 cfm. The system also provides a more aggressive exhaust tone.

“On a V8 everybody wants that deep, throaty sound,” said Shawn Seidelman, Gibson’s head of research and development department. “That’s what we strive for here—that perfect sound. We did tests on the Mustang for a month and a half trying to get the right sound and the right power out of it.”

Gibson’s system does indeed improve exhaust efficiency. The dyno tests done on the test car before and after the installation showed a significant increase in both horsepower and torque across the entire rpm range. With the shorty headers, x-pipe, and mufflers installed, our Mustang GT netted an additional 20.9 horsepower and 26.1 lb-ft torque.

As for the sound, the system proved a much deeper and more aggressive tone, but stayed relatively quiet and unobtrusive at idle. The system’s high points include the quiet Mustang cabin while cruising and the aggressive sound during acceleration.

Overall, the Gibson system provided an excellent improvement in both power and sound. Pricing has yet to be announced, but Gibson officials said it will be competitively priced like other Gibson performance exhaust systems. Installation does not effect vehicle warranty. Exact specifications assure the installer and purchaser that all systems fit properly and yield programmed benefits.

Gibson has been in the aftermarket performance parts industry for close to 30 years. It offers one of the the most cost-effective performance-grade exhaust systems in the market and each Gibson assembly is emission legal in all 50 states.

LOS ANGELES, California—SCORE International, organizer of the premiere off-road racing in the country, has just added the Robert Bosch Tool Corp. in its stable of race sponsors for the Las Vegas Terrible Cup III. Bosch USA joined perennial race sponsors American Suzuki and NAPA Chassis, setting the stage for what promises to be the most exciting SCORE event of the year.

“SCORE has a long history of having great sponsor partners and adding Bosch is very special and having Suzuki and NAPA return to our series is a distinct honor,” said SCORE International president Sal Fish, who has led SCORE since soon after it was founded in 1973.

“We welcome all three companies to our SCORE family of sponsor partners and look forward to helping them achieve their marketing objectives through SCORE desert racing,” he added.

All three companies will have a significant presence at the upcoming third edition of the Las Vegas Terrible Cup. The third round of the six-race SCORE Desert Series, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series, held from June 1 to 3 in Ensenada, Mexico, attracted nearly 500 entries competing in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs.

Current SCORE official sponsors include big names in the aftermarket industry: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Sunoco Race Fuels/Bryant Petroleum-official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, American Racing ATX Series-official wheel, Slime-official tire sealant, Airstar America-official space lighting provider, Red Bull–official energy drink and Bosch Power Tools-official power tool.

Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Communications, Kartek Off-Road, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Bendix, American Suzuki, NAPA Chassis, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.

Bosch is one of the world’s largest private industrial corporation’s worldwide, with 261,300 associates and annual sale of 54.5 billion. In North America, the Bosch Group has nearly 24,750 associates, and in 2006 achieved total consolidated sales of $8.8 billion.

“The relationship with SCORE was an easy decision for Bosch,” said Mark Fishburn, key account manager for the Western United States. “Bosch customers not only work hard, but play hard. Bosch wanted to recognize this by supporting SCORE in our customers playground-Las Vegas. The toughness and grit of the SCORE races is synonymous with the quality and toughness of Bosch Power Tools.”

Bosch Power Tools has three partners this racing season. Besides SCORE, Bosch is partnering with The Milwaukee Mile racing complex for three major event weekends. One will be for an IRL race, one will have both NASCAR Busch and NASCAR Truck Series races, and the third will be an ARCA RE/MAX event.

Bosch is also a sponsor of the No. 18 Dodge driven by veteran Ken Schrader in the NASCAR Truck Series. As part of its agreement with SCORE International, Bosch developed a special contingency program for racers, which it unveiled during the 40th anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 last November.

The third edition of the Terrible Cup will be held from July 19 to 21 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. All classes will race twice on Friday night and twice on Saturday night. The draw lots for starting position will be held this Friday, June 15.