World champion Italian cyclist Ivan Basso will be at the Kenda Tyres booth Friday, May 24, during the 2013 Autopromotec trade fair. He will sign autographs from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Tags: 2013 Autopromotec, Trade show

The 2013 International Biennal Exhibition of Automotive Equipment and Aftermarket Products -- otherwise known as Autopromotec -- is ready to welcome visitors. The trade fair will open its doors in Bologna, Italy, on Wednesday, May 22nd.

Tags: 2013 Autopromotec, Trade show

Dick Cepek Tire & Wheels is introducing 12 new sizes of the Fun Country radial with a hybrid design. The company says the completely redesigned Fun Country is one of the most impressive all-terrain tires in the history of the Dick Cepek line.

Tags: All-Terrain Tires, Dick Cepek Tire & Wheel, Fun Country, Ken Warner

King Tony America says repair techs can increase productivity with the new Swivel Head Quick Release ratchet from KT Pro. With a 360-degree swivel head and 5-degree ratcheting action (72 teeth), the ratchet allows work in tight spaces.

Tags: King Tony America, Shop Tools, Swivel Head Quick Release Ratchet, Wrenches

Legislation (LD 453) that prohibits a person from selling or offering for sale gasoline that contains corn-based ethanol as an additive at a level greater than 10% by volume has been signed into law by Maine Gov. Paul LePage.

Tags: E10 Gas, E15 Gas, Ethanol Gas, Ethanol Gas Ban, SAN, SEMA

A tire doesn’t talk, but it still can tell you a lot about itself, especially its purpose in life. It’s all written on the sidewall.

Tags: 2013 Performance Handbook, Load index, Performance Handbook

One of the most common modifications your customers make to their cars is to replace the wheels. It’s easy to see why — there is really no faster, more effective way to customize a car’s look or feel than by changing the wheels.

Tags: 2013 Performance Handbook, Offset, Performance Handbook, Sean Phillips, Wheel offset

Today’s uni-body vehicles are considerably lighter and have much stiffer suspension systems than they did just 10 years ago, says Kevin Keefe, vice president of marketing for Hennessy Industries Inc. “Gone are the generous cushions and dampeners that typified the suspensions of yesteryear. Today’s vehicles are more sensitive to vibration than they used to be."

Tags: 2013 Performance Handbook, Hennessy Industries, Hunter Engineering Co., Mounting and balancing, Performance Handbook, Snap-on Equipment

A couple of guys riding around in a Corvette stop at a tire dealership and tell the dealer they need new tires. When asked what kind, the driver says, “Nylon premiums, the best.” The dealer replies, “That’ll run you $45 apiece.” Unconcerned, the driver agrees to the sales price. Nylon tires for a Corvette? High performance, premium tires that cost only $45 apiece? What year is this?

Tags: 2013 Performance Handbook, Corvette, High performance tires, Performance Handbook, UHP tires, ultra-high performance tires

New car manufacturers are continuing to drive the UHP tire trend. According to the 2013 Modern Tire Dealer Facts Issue, original equipment tire shipments have steadily increased from 34.6 million units in 2010 to 40.7 million in 2012, when many OEMs released new models with ultra-high performance fitments.

Tags: OE tires, UHP tires, Ultra-high performance, ultra-high performance tires