Light Hits: This Week in Collision Repair
ASE Connects Hosts Weekly “Beyond the Wrench” Podcast
Jay Goninen,vice president of industry advancement at the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), is hosting a weekly podcast entitled “Beyond the Wrench.” The podcast's mission is to promote and improve careers in the automotive, diesel and collision industries.
Each week, Goninen sits down with shop owners, technicians, instructors and professionals in the automotive, diesel and collision industries to have them share their stories, experience and insights. New episodes are released every Wednesday and are available to stream on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and all other major podcast platforms, as well as on the ASE Connects YouTube channel.
For more information or to view past podcast episodes, click here.
BendPak’s Ranger Wheel Service Equipment Achieves North American Safety Certification
All current models in the Ranger Division of BendPak wheel balancers and tire changers have been ETL certified to meet applicable UL and CSA safety standards in the United States and Canada. Certification marked the culmination of an 18-month BendPak project to overhaul and redesign critical internal components and safety systems to meet the stringent standards. The effort involved sweeping upgrades to electrical architecture, structural components, and mechanical and pneumatic systems.
Read the full press release here.
Celebrate 75 Years Of America's Longest-running Antique Car Show
The Henry Ford will host Old Car Festival, America's longest-running antique car show, in Greenfield Village on Sept. 12 and 13. Powered by Hagerty, Old Car Festival brings hundreds of vehicles from the 1890s through 1932 to Greenfield Village, where American history comes alive in the perfect setting.
The Henry Ford will celebrate the 75th anniversary of Old Car Festival by honoring the people, traditions, and motor vehicles that have defined this special event for three-quarters of a century.
For more information, visit thf.org.
Crash Champions Opens New Repair Center in Pennsylvania
Crash Champions also opened a second repair center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, located at 846 Flory Mill Road. The new 20,000 square foot I-CAR Gold Class repair center is Crash Champions’ 28th location in Pennsylvania.
“We’re proud to expand our presence in Lancaster and build on the relationships our team has established throughout the community,” Ebert said. “Adding capacity in this market allows us to serve more customers and business partners while maintaining the quality, expertise, and customer experience that define Crash Champions.”
Fix Auto Minnesota Feehan Group Raises $9,500 for Minnesota Cystic Fibrosis Chapter and Pause 4 Paws
The Fix Auto Minnesota Feehan Group, consisting of Fix Auto Maple Grove, Fix Auto Brooklyn Park, and Fix Auto Monticello, hosted its annual charity golf tournament on August 3 at the Monticello Country Club, raising $9,500 in support of the Minnesota Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and local nonprofit Pause 4 Paws.
The event brought together approximately 175 attendees, including insurance partners, local businesses, customers, community members, and industry supporters for a day of golf, networking, and fundraising. The tournament was made possible through the support of 15 sponsors, whose contributions helped maximize the event's impact for both organizations.
Leno's Law Passes California Legislature
Leno's Law (SB 1392) has passed the California Legislature with a historic, bipartisan 49-4 vote. Leno’s Law seeks to provide a narrow, phased-in, collector-only pathway to smog check exemptions for qualifying collector vehicles manufactured between 1976 and 1985. The exemption would be phased in over several years and would apply only to vehicles that meet specific collector-use requirements.
Read the full press release here.
National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides Donations
The NABC Recycled Rides Program held a special ceremony for U.S. Army Veteran Caitlyn Kelly on Thursday, Sept. 3. Kelley received a 2023 Nissan Kicks SV at Faulkner Collision Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Technicians from Faulkner Collision Center worked on the vehicle, which was donated by GEICO.
On Thursday, Aug. 27, Katrina Watkins received a 2023 Honda HRV Sport. The presentation took place at the Wren’s Collision Center located in Canton, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. The vehicle was donated by Travelers Insurance and refurbished by Wren's Collision Center.