"The future of North Wilkesboro Speedway is bright," Smith said. "There is a great opportunity to revive this fantastic venue to be, not just a racetrack, but a place that can host lots of events, a place that people will come to from far away and enjoy the community, enjoy the region and enjoy special events."

It's a historic turnaround for a track that promoters tout as "one of stock car racing's most storied venues." In fact, the speedway's comeback offers a case study in what grassroots activism combined with ownership, government and sanctioning-body cooperation can accomplish—and may well be a template for preserving other racing venues across the nation.

Although no one knows the actual number of endangered racing facilities, there is a general industry sense that the recent pandemic may have added to the stress factors that tracks have already been facing for some time. Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Track Ambassador Tom Deery, who has been keeping an eye on the trend, characterizes the problem as one of ongoing and persistent pressures that are taking a toll on facilities throughout the United States.

"There's always going to be an issue that will pop up," he said. "The challenge that most motorsports facilities have is they used to be out in the country or they used to be remote, and [with] many of the places that are being targeted right now, the community has grown up around them or near them, and that has created a whole new dynamic."

For most of these tracks, as urban landscapes grew, "all of a sudden people began to complain," explained Deery. "In a general sense, a motorsports facility is always going to be a target of someone. They create noise. They create traffic. They create activity. They create a thousand things that somebody within their universe doesn't like. And if they're not a motorsports fan, then they will always be that person that's raising their hand saying, 'Why are we doing this? What are we doing? How can we stop this?'"

Add various economic stressors to changing zoning, noise abatement and other regulatory requirements, he added, and you can easily understand why many tracks are struggling. And should they continue to shutter, those closures could have vast consequences not only for grassroots racing, but ultimately higher-level motorsports as well.

The Grassroots Factor

Which brings us back to the North Wilkesboro Speedway, whose path to reopening was greased in no small part by Save the Speedway, a grassroots organization co-founded in 2005 by racing nostalgia fans Robert Marsden and Steve Wilson.

Over time, discussions between track ownership and business and civic leaders gained momentum. Soon supporters of all stripes were pitching in, including racing legend Dale Earnhardt Jr., who in 2019 led volunteers in cleaning the venue so it could be scanned into the iRacing platform. ("Some of my best memories as a little boy were going to North Wilkesboro," he would recall. "And it got even better when I raced there as a teenager.")

With that groundswell of support, Speedway Motorsports was able to announce the return of grassroots racing events in April 2022, as Smith charted a vision for full raceway restoration.

"Water, sewer, electricity, roads, connectivity–those are a lot of the building blocks that we need to get done," he said. "We want to keep the character of the property, celebrate the history, but, of course, make it safe, convenient and enjoyable for everyone who comes to visit. In the car world, I would call it a restomod. It's going to look old, but it's going to work new."

››› While water, sewer, electrical and other infrastructure will be brought up to standard, the look and "patina" of the speedway will be retained. Marcus Smith of Speedway Motorsports calls it a "restomod" plan. Courtesy Speedway Motorsports

State government also threw itself behind the program. Following a tour of the track in May 2022, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper reconfirmed the importance of motorsports to the state's economy. "North Carolina's speedways are strong economic drivers for communities across the state that bring friends, families and neighbors together for a rip-roaring good time," he said. "North Wilkesboro Speedway is just one of many racetracks that will be able to cross the finish line on much-needed repairs with [state] funds. Racing in North Carolina is back and here to stay."

And there's every indication he's right. County infrastructure and access routes to the venue are currently undergoing improvement, adding to Smith's optimism for the future.

"Bringing back races, bringing back special events, bringing back tourism, creating a very special place where the community can gather, it's exciting," he said. "When you think about nostalgic opportunities, this is one of those one-in-a-million opportunities."

Smith also credited community support for the turnaround. "Anybody might have said this place is too far gone, but this community rallied and brought it to a place where we can rebuild it and it can be a fantastic jewel," he said.

For his part, Wilson says the Save the Speedway organization will stay focused on North Wilkesboro, supporting the racing events planned through 2023 and ongoing restoration efforts. He added that he is proud of the role that grassroots fans played alongside others to revive the track.

"We were just a group of people that came together," he observed. "We were just people that were interested in racing, people that remember racing during that time period, and wondered where things went and why they went away. And, you know, the deeper we dug, the more we found there was opportunity to work together."

SP: Obviously, big-wheel racing takes skill. Have you ever had one of those "uh-oh" moments where you had to call on every skill you had?

ST: Oh yeah—one particular time when my car started leaking coolant. After I went into high gear, I was feeling so much pressure in my engine that the coolant line started seeping and dripping on the track. When I did a one-two shift, I started spinning towards the wall a little bit, but I gathered it up pretty quickly and overcorrected something, but it straightened out. I went to third gear, and I just had to pedal on through it. But yeah, I've had a couple of "uh-oh" moments.

SP: What should the aftermarket know about the car culture surrounding big-wheel events?

ST: It's exciting. It's flashy. It's loud. There's a lot of different things to see. You might pull up to the racetrack at a car show and see a Honda Civic with 50 speakers hanging out of it. Or you might see a Donk on big wheels running 170 mph. It's truly fun.

When it comes to the racing and performance, the annual Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis offers a concentrated glimpse of the category and a foretaste of trends seen at the SEMA Show. Billed as the "three biggest business days in motorsports," the Show roared back to the Indiana Convention Center late last year, its aisles bustling with exhibitors and attendees eager to gain a competitive edge for 2023. It offered many takeaways that attendees of this year's SEMA Show should also keep an eye on.

››› First launched in 2019, SEMA Electrified grew to a SEMA Show section featuring more than 60 cutting-edge vehicles in 2022. Rebranded as the SEMA FutureTech Studio for 2023, it will add hybrids and other alternative-propulsion vehicles to its showcase.

A Place of Exploration

Tompkins added that the industry is poised for change. "The SEMA Show's legacy has of course been ICE vehicles. But our industry has always been open to the new ways of tomorrow. We see our Show as a platform for dialogue where the entire automotive aftermarket can come together and discuss possibilities. This section is another tool to forecast the future and spark new ideas and evolutions that we're not even thinking of yet," he said.

Morales added that part of that discussion will center on comparing the inherent advantages and challenges of all the technologies consumers will soon have to choose from.

"By definition, when you look at alternative fuels and powertrains, you have to do a life cycle analysis [LCA]," he observed. "In that LCA, for example, you have to ask how the fuel is being produced—what energy resources are being used? You have to account for the carbon footprint from the fuel's origin outwards to the tailpipe."

"And that's a big argument for a lot of folks questioning an EV-only future. The car might be carbon-emissions-free right at tailpipe. But there are a lot of other emissions associated with producing batteries and generating the electricity to charge those vehicles. Proponents of hydrogen and propane argue that they look at the whole cycle to become carbon-neutral."

››› A place of discovery and discussion, the Show section also supports the SEMA Show's educational mission to help attendees understand alternative-propulsion technologies and the new opportunities they afford the aftermarket.

››› Onboard safety systems are set to proliferate as ADAS, LIDAR and other driver-assistance technologies become more universal. This FullVue mirror from BrandMotion gives truck owners three distinct rear views for monitoring the truck's bed or a towed load. Courtesy Brandmotion

Emerging Trends AND Technologies

The pandemic-related surge in off-road motorized recreation, including overlanding, impacted the mobile-electronics sector as well. "The absolutely insane growth in the off-road space during the pandemic was surprising to us," said Brian Sherman, vice president of product and marketing at Maxxsonics USA. "We exceeded forecast in aftermarket and OEM sales during this period by double digits. This has allowed us to hire additional engineering and support staff to fuel future growth and develop new applications more aggressively."

"It's an advantageous time to be in the aftermarket performance business," added Zach Luke.

Consumer demand for more advanced safety systems—which already constitutes some 30% of the automotive mobile-
electronics market—continues to drive new product innovation. "On the powersports and off-road side of our business, we're seeing more advanced technologies used," Sherman noted. "We recently completed a dual camera setup for one OEM customer and have added multi-camera inputs to most of our marine and powersports source units."

Challenges and Opportunities

Economic headwinds can also present opportunities in secondary markets. "Rising interest rates and manufacturing costs will force OEMs to be more frugal with development and sourcing," Sherman said, adding that "this can provide more opportunities for upgrades from the aftermarket."

"Today we find ourselves in a position where we need to elevate our business strategies and offerings, both where B2B and B2C are involved, with better service, support and product," said Luke. "We're once again competing with an expanded list of items and events that consumers can spend their money on."

Varick doesn't see any "one-size-fits-all-solutions anymore, like a backup camera. I think you really have to come up with custom solutions and niche applications."

››› Higher-end niche applications have gained market share in the mobile space. This all-in-one Rockford Fosgate ST audio system for the Harley-Davidson Low Rider series provides an example of the type. Courtesy Rockford Fosgate

"You used to see a lot of '32s and all that kind of stuff," said Dennis Overholser, co-founder and vice president of product development at Painless Performance Products. "Now it's either lowered trucks or something that's like 10 ft. in the air. It's amazing that in the last two or three years, the number of shows that are truck only."

Mohr called the later C-series GM trucks the leaders of the pack. "We have quite a bit of '60–'66 products, but the '67 all the way up to '87 are huge. Ford trucks in that '67–'72 market have been climbing as well."

"We can't make [products] fast enough," Overholser added. "We're coming out with more conversion kits for LS engines." According to him, of the questions he fielded at a Goodguys event the week before this interview, more than half pertained to the C10 and LS. "The only thing halfway close is the Jeep market."

The rationale? "I think people are just sort of getting priced into what they can afford, and what they can afford right now is trucks," said Hemmings' Director of Digital Content Evan Perkins.

And The Weird

According to the breadth of emerging markets, that volume could well hold the key to success.

"Everybody has been doing the C10s," McLeod noted. "But now you're starting to get the orphan trucks. The Old Body Style ['88–'98 GM] trucks are now coming on strong. So are later Ford trucks. We're even starting to see Dodge trucks."

"Now that trucks have become the piece, we're starting to get G-bodies," McLeod said. Case in point: Last year Vintage Air introduced kits for those cars, and it just released one for '82–'92 Camaros and Firebirds.

"There's quite a bit of what I call cross-pollination going on, truck guys buying G-bodies and putting big wheels on 'em," Sandoval observed. "You would never have thought, you know, a [guy] with a Dixon flannel and a flat-brim hat would be cruising some big-wheel G-body, but here we are! It's a new world, and they think it's cool.

SP: Describe your first race. What do you remember most about it?

AT: I was 16. My dad, mom and I had built my first car that I was originally just going to drive to high school—a '68 Camaro. I had wanted to do Hot Rod Drag Week since 2007, and as we were building it, Dad said we could build it for me to take on Drag Week if I wanted to.

I raced it in the Daily Driver class. I started the week running high 12s and ended up running 11.70s by the end of the week. When it was all said and done, Dad came and picked us back up, and I drove the car back to high school the following Monday.

SP: You started working in your dad's shop at a very young age. What's the very first job you remember doing?

AT: My parents owned a business building production fiberglass Fords and Willys. When I was probably seven or eight, I started helping lay up fiberglass after school for fun. They would hand me a roller, and while they would work, I would help roll the bubbles out.

SP: How steep was the learning curve to become a co-host for "Hot Rod Garage"? How is it different from, say, producing a YouTube video?

AT: It wasn't that bad. The biggest adjustment was getting used to working in someone else's garage at first—learning what tools we had and where they were. I'm thankful to work with an incredible crew that made me feel welcome from day one. YouTube, for me, is a lot more drawn out. I like to show details and tell stories and explain things, whereas on "Hot Rod Garage," everything is a lot more summarized and fast-paced.

SP: You've also been a judge for SEMA's Battle of the Builders competition. How did you approach the assignment, and what did you learn from it?

AT: It was a really cool experience. I was nervous going into it because out of the other influencer judges, I had the smallest following, I was the youngest, I had the least equipment, and I had never done anything like it. I learned there that confidence is key, and the thing that matters most is how you present yourself.

SP: You're the two-time defending champion at Roadkill Nights' Hellcat Grudge Match. Are you planning for a three-peat in 2023?

AT: I think the Dodge/Motor Trend crew may be going a different route this year on the grudge match, so I don't know if I will be competing in that part. I will be at RKN, though, with the '55.

SP: Between wrenching, racing, hosting a TV show, staying active on social media and running your own business, how and where do you find time to unwind?

AT: I don't really. I get to work with my family and friends for almost everything I do, though, so even when we're gone on "work trips," we still find ways to squeeze in a nice dinner or some fun here and there. I feel like now is the time to work hard and grow and I can unwind more later. But don't get me wrong—I still stop and enjoy the moments I'm living.

SP: What advice can you give to young women who might want to get involved in racing but who don't have any family connections to the sport?

AT: Enjoy the process. Find something in the industry that interests you (racing, building, welding, painting, photography, business, etc.) and start researching it online. Knowledge is your best friend. Find people you look up to or trust and ask questions. Learn and absorb, and you will naturally grow and evolve.

SP: Describe a perfect day in the life of Alex Taylor.

AT: It depends on the day! Some days I'm behind the laptop, some days are on the road, some days are out in the shop, and some days are just spent on a random adventure. I like having that mix, and if I had any kind of redundancy, it would drive me nuts. Routine can be good—but too much routine kills my creativity.

SP: What's your next goal as a racer/builder?

AT: I really want to grow the ATR brand. I want to get my shop finished so I can get more into the business side of selling stuff like private-label parts and filling areas that I see gaps.

The vehicular market segment that industry-watchers refer to as the "powersports" market is, in a way, easier to label than it is to define. What, after all, is the connective tissue that joins such disparate market segments as ATVs and side-by-sides, motorcycles and dirt bikes, snowmobiles and personal watercraft—especially considering that very few of these vehicles are ever used in a "sporting," i.e., competitive venue?

Whatever it is, one thing is certain: the powersports market is growing. For this article we consulted several industry experts for their assessments of the powersports market. What follows has been edited for clarity and length.

The State of the Market

Overall, our sources felt the state of the market was solid, though most cautioned against the likelihood of another growth surge as was the case in 2020.

"I would say the market is in recovery," said Jason D'Armond, director of sales and marketing for PRP Seats. "COVID was a big boom for the off-road industry, and last year we saw the pendulum swinging back a bit. We expect it to contract a bit more this year but stabilize."

On the other hand, Josh and Matt Martelli, owners of motorsports marketing group Mad Media, are seeing more optimism from their industry partners. "Most [supply-chain] issues have been resolved, but there seems to still be a greater demand than supply for sport-model UTVs. Overall, the market appears to be strong, and the companies we are speaking to [were] excited for 2023 and the events we [had] planned for consumer-facing activation."

Glenn Hansen, former editor of Powersports Business, related his experience at the Parts Unlimited NVP Product Expo, held in Louisville, Kentucky, last January. "I talked to dozens of aftermarket companies and interviewed and listened to Parts Unlimited executives," he said, "and there's a lot of optimism with a little bit of hesitation behind it—but on the whole, optimism and excitement moving forward."

In any event, there appears to be plenty of room for growth within the segment. As proof, companies that hadn't previously been a presence are now entering the space with powersports-specific products. Pennzoil, for one, has introduced a new line of lubricants for quads, UTVs and watercraft. "Whether it's enjoying the backcountry on an ATV or enjoying time boating with the family, we're excited to bring this new line to outdoor enthusiasts to give them peace of mind during their adventures," said Bree Sandlin, Shell vice president of lubricants marketing.

Similarly, Wilwood has recently launched its first-ever UTV disc-brake conversion kits for the Polaris RZR, Honda Talon and Can-AM X3. "UTVs are bigger than anyone would think," said John Grieco, Wilwood marketing manager.

And Atturo Tire has entered the powersports market with two new tires designed for UTVs, the Trail Blade X/T SXS and Trail Blade Boss SXS. "Atturo may be new to the powersports market, but we will be a familiar name to the UTV consumer," said Michael Mathis, president of Atturo Tire. "Nearly every side-by-side owner already owns a truck and will be familiar with the Atturo brand from our years in the market."

The OE manufacturers themselves are similarly diversifying their product lines to meet a growing demand from consumers seeking more varied uses for their vehicles. Polaris has reintroduced its Ranger UTV series aimed at farmers and ranchers, and re-engineered the Sportsman ATV line for extreme terrain such as mud and snow.

"The sport side gets the glamour," Hansen added, "but there's such a bigger marketplace for the whole utility and professional or 'prosumer' side, such as small-time landscapers who use their vehicles for work during the week and then go hunting on the weekends."

Gauging The Market: What's Hot

Our panel of experts generally agreed that UTVs continue to set the pace, and among these, the Polaris RZR Pro XP/Pro R/Turbo R platform was cited as continued sources of growth, though D'Armond noted lower adoption rates from what was typically the case with new models in
the past.

Hansen points to a growing diversification of the market, as more players enter more market niches. "Polaris continues to do well. A company like BRP continues to innovate and draw attention to their unique products, and they're talking about electric motorcycles under the old Can-Am name. Triumph is doing amazing things. Their sales have done quite well, and now they're talking about getting involved in off-road and supercross racing."

As with late-model trucks and SUVs, consumer preferences in the North American market seem to lean towards "bigger is better." The Martellis see "the increase in the size and power of sport UTVs driving the growth of the market. The new faster, stronger, more powerful UTVs are attracting new customers that might have otherwise opted for custom-built trucks with large motor packages—further expanding their market reach."

The powersports market has always held a strong appeal for accessorizers. According to the latest "SEMA Market Report," owners who accessorize their vehicles are almost twice as likely to own off-road recreation equipment—in particular ATVs, RVs and motorboats—in addition to their primary vehicle(s).

"In the UTV segment, tires and wheels, radios, fresh-air helmets, aftermarket bucket seats, additional light bars and light pods, and race-quality harnesses remain strong market leaders," said Josh Martelli. "OEMs like Polaris, Can-Am and Kawasaki have done a great job improving the accessories that now come with most sport-model UTVs, but for the more advanced riders, there is still a need for these additional features and creature comforts."

"The tire market is always good across the board since they are a highly consumable product," Hansen concurs. "Gear is another big item, whether it's fashion-
related or performance-related or providing protection for off-riders."

"Storage is always a need for UTV enthusiasts," D'Armond said. "It's why we R&D and launch complete suites of storage options for every new sport UTV to hit the market. Our Kawasaki KRX suite did particularly well in the last couple of years and we've expanded into the crossover UTV market.

"Seats also continue to be strong. People want to be comfortable on their long rides, and stock seats just don't do it for most."

Another new market driver is the emergence of women in the segment. According to a 2018 survey conducted by the Motorcycle Industry Council, nearly one in five motorcycle owners are women, double the number from 10 years earlier. "Adventure-bike riding gear is expanding on the side for women riders who want something more than just a motorcycle jacket that fits a smaller man," Hansen notes. "That's a growing market for sure."

Consumer Trends and Marketing Opportunities

Most of our sources continued to be bullish on the subject of overlanding, at least for the near term.

"Overlanding is definitely top of the list when talking about growth in off-road," said D'Armond. "Our concern is the longevity of the trend, so the products we're looking at developing will serve a wider audience."

The Martellis agree. "The overlanding market is on fire. The pandemic gave it a huge boost because folks had less to do locally and time to get out and explore nature and trails and parks in the United States. In every product sector—from portable power stations to solar auto packages to camping trailers, you name it—it's all up." Hansen likewise concurs, adding that overlanding "opens up a door for all kinds of companies that make the right products to get you to places where you can do some off-road camping."

Most of our sources agreed that racing is still a potent marketing tool.

"Marketing at race events provides the best opportunity for proof of concept, on-site activation, and social reach," Josh Martelli explained. "Marketing messages today get lost in the noise. But when paired with engaging content, they can track up to 600% more effectively in viewer
engagement."

Hansen points to MotoAmerica's King of the Baggers racing series, which began as a single event in 2020 but which has since expanded into a multi-race circuit nationwide, as an example of how a small niche can drive interest at the dealership level: "It's basically V-twin Harley-Davidson and Indian touring bikes that literally have hard bags on them. They had a whole race season last year, and it got great TV attention and it drew a bunch of interest. The series is expanding with a lot of publicity and promotion behind it, and savvy dealers are taking advantage of it."

The View Ahead

Most of our panelists took a guardedly optimistic attitude toward the coming year, citing higher interest rates and ongoing supply-chain issues as causes for concern. While D'Armond forecasts a slight a drop in sales, the Martellis see long-term growth fueled by a devoted enthusiast base: "Off-roading is a culture—meaning that people just don't stop being off-roaders when times get tough. They just get selective about their spending habits.

"We're still in a post-pandemic space where consumers want to customize their vehicles, explore with them, and turn them into mobile offices equipped with solar power solutions­—and now, even remote internet access thanks to products like Starlink. There are no real indicators that any of that excitement and energy will taper off, especially since gas prices have largely returned to normal."

"I don't think we're headed for a deep recession like a lot of people might want to think," Hansen observed, "though we can force our own errors if we're not careful.

"I think if we're flat, we're good. But I think there will be continued activity that allows aftermarket companies and dealers to have success in their markets."