Photos by Kinney Jones and Don Emde

The Class of 2005. As they do each year at the Lemans Showcase and National Vendor Presentations, the Drag Specialties sales force (in black) pose for a group photo with their counterparts from Parts Unlimited and others who work in-house on brand marketing.

f there is one event in the motorcycle industry that clearly signals the approach of the new year, it's the annual Showcase held by LeMans Corporation, parent company of Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited.
     The event is two-fold. The first portion is the "NVP," which stands for the National Vendor Presentations. It's a virtual "school" where the Drag Specialties sales force and their counterparts at Parts Unlimited attend mini-seminars from selected suppliers of products seen in the FatBook and other catalogs. It's an intense three-day event that keeps the reps moving eagerly from one room to the next in the Monona Terrace convention center in Madison, WI.
     Each seminar is an opportunity for the reps to see new products for the coming year, and also to ask questions of the manufacturers. The result is a better-informed sales force that will in turn provide better service to Drag Specialties customers.
With the NVP done, LeMans opens its doors at the corporate headquarters and main warehouse in nearby Janesville. The "Meet & Greet" event is a great welcoming event for the many retailers who come in for the Showcase the following day.
     And on that final day, the doors of the Monona Terrace are opened up for the throng of top retailers who come from across the country and world for a chance to have a first look at some of the new products for the coming year.

Graham Matcham came from the headquarters of Avon Tyres in England to participate in the vendor presentations. The tire cutaway he is holding is just one example of the type of technical knowledge the manufacturers can bring to an event like the NVP.
Gary Gallagher of EBC Brakes shows off their new line of brake rotors for Harleys.

Hot wheels! Performance Machine knows how to get people's attention when they present their new line.
For many years Sportec focused mainly on snowmobile products, but in recent years the company has expanded its scope greatly. Chris Carlson showed the Drag reps their innovative new line of windshields for cruisers at the NVP.

From left: Lemans Chairman Fred Fox and Wisconsin sales rep Tom Culver with Ryan Kerchner and Kris Burgert of Kutters Harley-Davidson at the ÒMeet & GreetÓ reception.
Samson's new line of exhaust systems for Harleys was just one of the many products that dealers attending Showcase 2005 got a chance to see up close and personal.

The atmosphere at Showcase is always great. It's a one-day opportunity for the top retailers in the industry to come see first-hand what's new for 2006.
The Vance & Hines booth is an important stop at any trade event and Showcase 2005 was no exception. The latest models of exhaust and new Fuel Pak were on display.

Ed Files of 2 Wheel Tunes (middle) looks well pleased with the dealer's reception to his great new line of sounds systems for motorcycles. He has all the hookups for iPod and popular mp3 players.
They come by bus, by car, and by bike. Any time LeMans Corporation opens up its Wisconsin warehouse doors for industry guests, it's a must-do event. People are always fascinated by the size of the facility (it's just one of eight in North America!) plus the food and refreshments inside is always first class.


Drag Specialties Magazine
Volume 12 #11

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