No disrespect to Prince, but 1999 was really nothing to party about. At least not when you consider the possibility of celebrating 100 years with no end in sight.
But before we get too deep in the past, let’s return to the present … and the future.
As of May 1, 2018, engine builders, customers and fans have been able to nominate their favorite custom engine builder for one of the titles of Engine Builder of the Year. Together with our title sponsor Fel-Pro Performance Gaskets and several other iconic brands from Federal-Mogul Motorparts, we will announce the names of our Race, Diesel and Vintage Engine Builders of the Year prior to this year’s PRI Show in Indianapolis in December.
Before then, of course, we’ll need to sort through all of the nominations that will come in from all over the country. Engine builders can nominate their own engine building businesses, or others can nominate them. The entry process is simple: the person making the nomination needs to write a short (300-word maximum) essay explaining why that person/operation should be considered and provide basic information about the engine builder being nominated. The entry deadline is September 7, 2018.
All entrants in each of the three categories will be reviewed and a group of semi-finalists selected. The semi-finalists will then be asked to provide additional information for final judging.
From there, a panel of judges – including representatives from Fel-Pro, Speed-Pro, Sealed Power and the Engine Builder staff – will select two finalists in each category. After further deliberation, the judges will name one of the finalists the Grand Prize Winner and the other the Runner-up. The winner in each category will be announced in December.
Just visit TopEngineBuilders.com for all the details, including rules, prizes and features about our past winners. Not sure if you’re in the same class as some of our champions? You might be suprised. You see, we’re not really looking for the biggest – we’re looking for the best.
We started this program in 2012 to recognize the unsung heroes of the race team – the people who ensure that the person who celebrates in Victory Lane has the power to actually GET to victory lane. Over those years, we have celebrated engine builders with widely diversified engine expertise ranging from dirt track bullrings to sports car endurance courses and the wilds of Baja, to custom diesel builders who manufacture every component from a block of aluminum and then go out and set records with it, to vintage engine experts who know the difference between a Dayton, a Kissel, a Tatra, a Delahaye and a Lagonda.
See, for more than 50 years at Engine Builder, we’ve been interested in the STORIES about what makes you a winner, not just the hardware on a trophy shelf. And since 1918, our sponsor Fel-Pro has been interested in your stories, too. As they prepare to celebrate their 100th anniversary this summer in Skokie, IL, the Fel-Pro team has been collecting the best engine building stories from the field and will soon share them.
“Fel-Pro’s 100th anniversary campaign celebrates a century of industry leadership and, above all, customer loyalty,” explains Ann Skrycki-Mohler, Fel-Pro brand manager. “It shines a spotlight on the multiple generations of technicians, engine builders, racing teams and Fel-Pro employees that have helped build this great brand. We want them the enjoy the spotlight by telling their stories throughout our anniversary celebration.”
Last year’s Engine Builders of the Year celebration in Indianapolis was nothing short of fantastic and we anticipate that this year will be even better. Will you be joining us?
You can’t win if you aren’t nominated, either by yourself, a staff member or a customer. Tell us your story and help us party by visiting TopEngineBuilders.com today.
