When we launched the Performance Engine Builder of the Year competition in 2012, we looked at it as a chance to celebrate the unsung heroes of the racing world.
After all, the driver, the crew chief, the team owner – heck even the driver’s dog – each got more TV time and fan recognition than the engine builder.
There is an old adage about winning races: “To finish first, you must first finish.” A less familiar adage is “You won’t even start the race without an engine.”
Engine Builder has supported all types of engine building since its birth in 1964. And whether your customers are starting a race, starting a truck or starting a drive to the store, they’re not going anwhere without your engines.
Now, as we prepare to celebrate the Engine Builder of The Year’s fifth anniversary, I’m excited to announce that the party is about to get much bigger.
Together with our program sponsor, Federal-Mogul Motorparts and the Fel-Pro, Sealed Power and Speed-Pro brands, we’re no longer only looking for the best performance engine builder, but the cream of the crop in building vintage and diesel engines as well.
This year we’ll be presenting three awards, looking for great examples of creativity and innovation, training and education, merchandising and promotion, professional standards and conduct, appearance, solid business management, community involvement, business growth, achievement and general overall excellence. Yeah, that’s an impressive list – and let’s face it, you know that you meet all of those criteria.
Applications for the awards will be accepted starting May 1, 2016 through September 30 at the official award website, TopEngineBuilders.com. You’ll find complete contest rules and prize descriptions at the same place.
In addition to creating two new championships for engine builders to strive for, we’re implementing some other exciting elements into the competition. Social media will play a big role in the promotion of the contest as well as the ultimate announcement of the winners.
More information will be coming over the next few weeks and month, both at TopEngineBuilders.com and on the Engine Builder website EngineBuilderMag.com. You can learn more today simply by turning to page 16.
Engine builders can nominate their own businesses; you can nominate your friend across town; your customers can nominate you; your suppliers can nominate you. All it takes to get started is to answer a few simple questions online, and be prepared to go into more detail if you’re selected as a finalist.
Know in advance what you’re up against – I’ve already been told by some past entrants that they are significantly ratcheting up their entries this year to impress our judges, a panel consisting of industry experts including representatives of Federal-Mogul and Engine Builder. Others have told me that the fact they haven’t won in the past is fuel for their fire this time.
This passion is what we hope to reward when the Performance Engine Builder of the Year, the Diesel Engine Builder of the Year and the Vintage Engine Builder of the Year are announced in December.
Since 2012, Frank Honsowetz from Ed Pink Racing Engines, Kevin Kroyer from Kroyer Racing Engines, Tom Nickerson from NVR Racing and Ray Field from Dougans Racing have stood on the podium with me. This year, we’ll be adding three more names to the trophy case. Will yours be one of them? n