Spectra Premium Promotes Josh Gordon To CEO
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By Counterman
The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, Inc. announced Christen Vasquez has been promoted to Events and Hospitality Manager, effective May 2026. In her expanded role, Vasquez will lead the planning and execution of Alliance events and hospitality initiatives, enhancing shareholder engagement and customer experiences while supporting industry partnerships.
“Christen has made an immediate impact on our organization through her professionalism, creativity and ability to execute exceptional events,” said John C. Washbish, president and CEO of the Alliance. “She has demonstrated outstanding leadership and brought a level of experience and strategic thinking that elevates every event and interaction. We are excited to see her continue to grow in this new role.”
Vasquez joined the Alliance in May, 2025 as events and marketing specialist, bringing more than 20 years of experience in event planning, hospitality, marketing strategy and brand development. Throughout her career, she has successfully planned and executed high-impact corporate events, conferences, trade shows, experiential activations and customer engagement programs ranging from intimate executive gatherings to large-scale events hosting thousands of attendees.
Since joining the Alliance, Vasquez has played a key role in managing event strategy and execution, including logistics, hospitality experiences, vendor partnerships, and branded marketing initiatives. She will collaborate in hosting Alliance meetings and shareholder events, customer experiences and other large-scale meetings like the upcoming Automotive Parts Services Group National Conference.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue growing with the Alliance,” said Vasquez. “Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside an amazing team and supporting events that deliver tremendous value to our members and partners. I look forward to continuing to create meaningful experiences and building on the momentum we’ve established.”
Vasquez will continue working closely with Alliance leadership, members, and industry partners to support the organization’s event and hospitality initiatives.
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By NAPA
Maddi Gordon, the driver of the
link hidden, please login to view Top Fuel dragster, continued gaining positive momentum in her rookie season at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals today in Pomona, Calif. The talented Ron Capps Motorsports standout recorded a new career-best speed and elapsed time attempting to defeat Justin Ashley in the opening round of NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competition. Although Gordon didn’t get the win light, it was a milestone event in front of a hometown crowd for the California native. In addition to recording new personal bests and winning the first round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, Gordon, the 100th woman in NHRA history to win a national event, had the honor of hosting NHRA Drag Racing legend Shirley Shahan, who captured victory No. 1 for women.
“I met Shirley at the Winternationals last year and she’s such a wonderful lady,” said Gordon. “I’ve been reading her book and learning more about her. It’s funny because she seems like this sweet lady who would be baking cookies for her grandkids but in reality, she’s bad to the bone! It was really cool to have her out here. She’s like drag racing royalty so the fact that she was hanging out with us, wearing green, was a big honor.”
While Gordon lost traction and had to shut off early in the first Friday session, the Carlyle team quickly found their groove and came back with a stellar pass of 3.819 seconds at 326.56 mph.
On Saturday, Gordon pulled double duty in qualifying, competing in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, wherein the semifinalists from the previous race get a chance at redemption. In the first round of competition for the race-within-a-race, Gordon got the starting line advantage over former world champion Shawn Langdon. She held on to that lead, crossing the finish line in 3.831 seconds at 317.34 mph. In the process, Gordon earned one bonus point for making the third-quickest pass of the session.
“We’re two to one against Shawn Langdon now,” remarked Gordon. “That’s really exciting. He’s mentored me a lot, so it’s a big deal to run against him. He’s one of the best out there. That was really cool.”
In her first Mission #2Fast2Tasty final, which also served as the last qualifying opportunity for drivers, Gordon faced Doug Kalitta. As the two rolled up to the starting line, a real-time fan poll showed that approximately 75% of fans expected Gordon to defeat the Top Fuel veteran. The pair put on a show as they both made their quickest passes of the weekend, but ultimately, Kalitta turned on the win light. Gordon’s 3.798 at 327.98 landed her in the No. 8 spot on the competition ladder.
After morning showers delayed the start of eliminations Sunday, Gordon and Ashley were the first pair on the track. In the Top Fuel Marquee Matchup, Ashley got the starting line advantage, and while Gordon made a blistering pass of 3.744 at 334.15, it was not enough for Ashley’s 3.714 at 332.43.
“We all hate to lose,” said Gordon. “But Rob (Flynn, crew chief) said we can’t hang our heads about how we did today. I had my career-best E.T. and mile per hour, but not my career-best reaction time. As a driver, that’s what I look at because that’s what I want to provide for the team. It was really cool going down the track after all the rain. Rob and Troy (Fasching, crew chief) got it right down Broadway. We made our best run yet in conditions we’ve never had. It shows just how good this team is and how well we can adapt to different conditions. Losing sucks, but running a career-best mile per hour and E.T. definitely does NOT suck!”
The weekend ended on a high note for Gordon and her family when her father, Doug Gordon, raced to victory in the Top Alcohol Funny Car category.
Gordon will continue her Rookie of the Year campaign in two weeks when the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series travels to Charlotte for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Raceway.
Start / Finish: No. 8 / def. in first round
Points Standing / Total: No. 6 / 186 pts. (-70)
Next Race: April 24-26, NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, Concord, NC
How to Watch or Listen: FS1,
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By Counterman
Premium Guard Inc. (PGI) announced it has signed an agreement to acquire key intellectual property and related assets from First Brands Group. The transaction is subject to bankruptcy court approval, among other closing conditions, and is expected to close in early April.
Strengthening product offering and development capabilities
PGI said the agreement represents an important step in strengthening its product offering and development capabilities, while maintaining its core focus as a supplier of private label programs.
Over the past three decades,
link hidden, please login to view has built a robust global supply chain, an expansive distribution network, and strong capabilities in product management, engineering and category management. The addition of these intellectual property assets enhances PGI’s ability to further develop its product offering, accelerate innovation and support customers across multiple segments and geographies. Wiper blades, spark plugs and diesel filtration
“This is a meaningful step forward for PGI,” said Anan Bishara, founder and CEO of PGI. “The know-how, patents and engineering capabilities we are acquiring, particularly in wiper blades, spark plugs and diesel filtration, significantly strengthen our platform, enabling us to continue developing advanced, reliable, and complete solutions across multiple tiers. This will allow us to better support our customers with differentiated products in highly competitive categories, while accelerating innovation and speed to market.”
Expansion into ignition and spark plugs
The acquisition also supports PGI’s expansion into additional maintenance categories, including ignition and spark plugs. Combined with PGI’s existing strengths in filtration, wiper blades and related maintenance products such as drain plugs, this creates a more complete maintenance-product portfolio.
This broader offering enhances PGI’s category management capabilities, allowing customers to benefit from a more integrated approach across different categories, improved assortment strategies and stronger attachment opportunities.
Internationally recognized brands and global markets
The addition of internationally recognized brands provides PGI with an enhanced foundation to expand its presence in global markets. This not only supports the company’s long-term strategy to grow beyond North America but also enables PGI to better support and service its customers as they expand their own businesses globally.
By leveraging its global supply chain and distribution capabilities,
link hidden, please login to view will be well positioned to align with customers’ international growth strategies. Commitment to private label programs
PGI emphasized that this transaction does not change its core business model or its commitment to customers. The company said will continue to focus on supporting its partners with “best-in-class private label programs, category management and supply chain excellence.”
According to the company, this investment strengthens PGI’s ability to deliver high-quality products, expanded coverage and advanced technology, while remaining fully aligned with its customers’ brands and growth strategies.
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By NAPA
A weekend of record high temperatures presented challenges for teams competing at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, but Rookie of the Year contender Maddi Gordon and her
link hidden, please login to view Top Fuel team adapted well and reached the semifinals for the second consecutive race Sunday afternoon at Firebird Motorsports Park. The Ron Capps Motorsports driver had the quickest car on the property on Friday and ultimately qualified a career-best fourth, setting up a promising race day in the heat. Gordon is now fifth in the Top Fuel points standings after the second of 20 races.
With crew chiefs Rob Flynn and Troy Fasching calling the shots, Gordon was the star of the first qualifying session on Friday morning as she fired off the only sub-4-second pass of the session, a 3.844-second E.T. at 329.42 mph. Though she didn’t improve in the second session, she maintained the top spot to end the day as the provisional No. 1 qualifier for the first time as a professional driver. Saturday brought Gordon’s first career Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, a race-within-a-race featuring the semifinalists from the previous event. It was a side-by-side race from stripe to stripe, but Gordon’s 3.806 E.T. came up just a tick short to two-time and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta and his 3.804 E.T. In the challenging final qualifying session, Gordon’s machine lost traction around half-track and coasted to the finish line, ultimately settling into the No. 4 starting position.
On Sunday morning, Gordon lined up against newcomer Jaren Mott. Gordon grabbed the starting line advantage and never looked back, powering to a 3.852-second pass at 324.98 mph to move on. Gordon then met up with 2025 regular season champion Tony Stewart in the quarterfinals. Though Stewart moved first, Gordon drove around him with an ultra-consistent 3.851 E.T. at 324.83 mph. In the semifinals, matched up with past world champion Shawn Langdon, Gordon started to lose traction down-track and coasted across the finish line behind Langdon. She did, however, earn a spot in the next Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge with her semifinal appearance.
“Rob and Troy have proven they know how to walk it down the hot racetracks,” Gordon said. “It’s not about applying all the power. It’s walking it through there, which can be harder than trying to slam down those fast runs at times. I’m just really, really happy. I was in the car just looking around, thinking, ‘There is nobody else I’d rather drive for than Ron (Capps), Rob and Troy, Chuck (Grospitch), everybody on our team, Carlyle Tools, and Monster Energy.
“My reaction times are getting a little bit more consistent in the .080s, and my dad and I worked on that on the practice tree this weekend,” continued Gordon, referencing her father, three-time NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car world champion Doug Gordon. “As much time as the crew chiefs spend in the lounge making the race car go fast, I try to spend the same amount of time making me the best driver I can be. My reaction time on the starting line and my reaction time catching it when it smokes the tires or something like that is what’s going to make me a valuable driver, so that’s what I’m trying to work on.”
Gordon’s rookie season behind the wheel of the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster will continue in three weeks at one of her home races on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour, the NHRA Winternationals, April 10-12, at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, California.
Start / Finish: No. 4 / def. in semifinals
Points Standing / Total: No. 5 / 152 pts. (-24)
Next Race: April 10-12, NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, Calif.
How to Watch or Listen: FS1,
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By NAPA
NHRA Rookie of the Year contender Maddi Gordon made her presence known Sunday at the NHRA Gatornationals when she raced to a semifinal finish at Gainesville Raceway. Gordon piloted her
link hidden, please login to view Top Fuel dragster out of the Ron Capps Motorsports camp to round wins over two of the most accomplished drivers in class history before tire smoke ended her run at the opening race of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. She leaves Gainesville ranked fourth in the points standings.
Gordon was the first Top Fuel driver to hit the track in Friday qualifying. Just a couple hours after announcing a multi-year major associate partnership with Monster Energy, Gordon posted a 3.861-second pass at 319.29 mph to take the provisional No. 11 position. She stepped up to a 3.793 E.T. at 321.35 mph in the Friday night session and ended the day in the No. 15 spot. On Saturday, Gordon encountered tire smoke on her third qualifying attempt but came back with a consistent 3.797 E.T. at 328.06 mph in the final qualifying session. It was the quickest pass of the round, netting Gordon three bonus points. She solidified the No. 15 slot going into race day and became the 591st driver and the 23rd woman to qualify for an NHRA Top Fuel field.
In her first-ever Top Fuel competition round, Gordon lined up against No. 2 qualifier and former world champion Shawn Langdon, who was recently named to NHRA’s Top 75 Drivers list. Crew chief Rob Flynn guided Gordon to her quickest pass of the event, a 3.762 E.T. at 334.48 mph, to get past a tire-smoking Langdon. The competition didn’t get any easier for Gordon, as she went on to face the winningest driver in the history of the class, eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, when Top Fuel returned to the starting line for the quarterfinals. Gordon powered to a 3.783 E.T. at 331.53 mph to defeat Schumacher and his 3.863 E.T. That sent Gordon to the semifinals and earned her a spot in the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the season, which will take place during Saturday qualifying at the NHRA Arizona Nationals.
The semifinals brought another battle of youth versus experience as Gordon faced her third “Top 75” driver, two-time and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta. Gordon started hazing the tires early and had to lift off the throttle as Kalitta advanced with his quickest pass of the day.
“That was just a really, really good weekend,” said Gordon, who became the 100th woman to win an NHRA national event when she drove her family’s Top Alcohol Funny Car to victory at the 2024 NHRA Northwest Nationals. “Of course, we all want to win the race, but I couldn’t have asked for much more in my debut. It was so cool to line up against Shawn in the first round. Rob was confident that the car would get down the track. When I heard (Langdon) blow the tires off in the other lane, I seriously spoke out loud, ‘That wasn’t me! We’re still going!’ Seeing that first win light was insane. I actually started to lose my voice after that one. It’s just been an amazing weekend.”
Gordon’s rookie campaign will continue at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, March 20-22, at Firebird Motorsports Park near Phoenix.
Start / Finish: No. 15 / def. in semifinals
Points Standing / Total: 4th / 74 pts. (-53)
Next Race: March 20-22, NHRA Arizona Nationals, Chandler, Ariz.
How to Watch or Listen: FS1,
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