COLORADO
Drive Train Industries Inc. (DTI), a distributor of heavy-duty truck parts based in Denver, was one of only 22 Bendix distributors in the United States and Canada to achieve the platinum ranking, the highest of four levels in the performance-based Bendix Premier Distributor Program. "The program has given us a clear path to how we can further enhance our performance as a genuine Bendix distributor," DTI President Jim Burke said. "By being a better partner to Bendix, we become an even more trusted partner to our customers."
GO Pontiac Buick GMC West, an AutoNation dealership in Golden, has hired Bob Davidson to serve as its parts manager. Davidson said he has more than 25 years of General Motors parts experience in the Colorado market.
Phil Long Ford of Motor City teamed up with Home Depot during its annual Contractor Days on Aug. 9, said Parts Manager Scott Frederick. Phil Long Ford of Motor City was one of several vendors exhibiting at the Home Depot at 2250 S. Gate St. in Colorado Springs. Frederick said he put up a PowerStroke display because the PowerStroke trailer scheduled to be in Colorado Springs that day was delayed.
Volkswagen of America Inc. set a record with its Touareg V-10 TDI driven by Ryan Arciero at the 2007 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) on July 21. Arciero's time of 13:17:70 was officially declared the new record for the alternative-fuel diesel truck high-performance showroom stock division. The division's previous record was set in 2000 with a time of 13:34:63. "It's a great honor to be recognized as the record holder at a historic race like Pikes Peak," Arciero said. "The Touareg V-10 TDI is the perfect vehicle for this race, giving the driver an abundance of torque, traction, and stability. That's a highly effective combination for the short straights, 156 corners, and switchbacks of this race."
In other PPIHC news, Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, driving his modified Suzuki Sport XL7 Hill Climb Special, broke the long-standing overall time record at this year's PPIHC. Tajima crossed the Devil's Playground finish line in 10 minutes, 1.408 seconds, breaking the 1994 record of New Zealand's Rod Millen by nearly three seconds.
U-Pull-&-Pay, owned by the David J. Joseph Co., purchased the assets and business of A-1 Auto Recyclers in Colorado Springs, which had been owned and operated by Lawrence Pelletier and Terry Mandel. A-1 Auto Recyclers has been operating as a self-serve used-auto-parts store since 2000. U-Pull-&-Pay will operate the Springs store under the U-Pull-&-Pay name.
Ryan McName opened Ryan's Performance Motors (RPM) off of U.S. 24 in Leadville earlier this year. McName said he worked in the Frisco area for the last 10 years and wanted to open a shop in Leadville to be closer to his family and contribute to the community.
Foree Tire Distributors, a regional distributor of wholesale tires, equipment, and supplies, hired Chris Mills as inside sales representative last March. Mills said he has more than 12 years of experience working at several Discount Tire stores throughout Metro Denver.
Infiniti of Denver recently hired a new parts department employee--Danny Ginther, a parts representative who brings six years of collision repair parts experience to the dealership.
Advantage DataSystems Corp., a marketer of dealership wholesale parts, has hired Charlie Segraves Jr. to serve as its sales and marketing executive for Denver. Segraves represents Big Mike Naughton Ford, Gateway Mazda, Infiniti of Denver, Pollard Friendly Motor Co., Fisher Chevrolet, and Fisher Honda, calling on shops along the Front Range from Boulder to Monument.
Big Mike Naughton Ford of Aurora has hired Chuck Richards to serve as its outside parts and service representative. Richards has more than 37 years of experience with Ford in metro Denver.
The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) has honored the "Top 50" users of its S/P2 (Safety and Pollution Prevention) e-learning program in the Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES) schools. The schools were recognized by CCAR during the recent AYES Instructor Training Conference in Dearborn, Mich. Front Range Community College in Fort Collins and Warren Technical Center in Lakewood were among the Top 50.
Tony Perry, a longtime collision repair employee at Mike Shaw Chevy Saab of Denver, purchased Morse Evergreen Auto Body in Evergreen with his wife, Janet Perry, in July. The former owners of the 25-year-old shop, Gary and Lynne Morse, have retired.
WYOMING
Freedom Automotive celebrated its grand opening this summer at 1413 Highway 239 in Freedom. Owner Ted Jenkins said his shop gave a transmission flush and injection flush to each attendee. Jenkins is a fifth-generation resident of Star Valley.
