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 Parts Unlimited sales force (in red) pose for a group photo with their counterparts from Drag Specialties 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 National Vendor Presentations. It's a virtual "school" where the Parts Unlimited and Drag Specialties sales force attend mini-seminars from selected suppliers of products seen in the Parts Unlimited catalogs. I'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, Wisconsin.
     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 Parts Unlimited 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.

Parts Unlimited sales rep Rich Attianese checks out a new Akrapovic muffler during one of the NVP seminar sessions.
Curt Leaverton of Pivot Works explains to the sales reps some features of his line of bearing and seal replacement kits for 2006.

Parts Unlimited invites most of their sponsored racers to attend the Showcase and sign autographs. This section of the show was a virtual mob scene.
Jeremy McGrath was just one of the many racing legends on hand this year.

Butch Whittington (right) shows off an ITP ATV wheel.
Travis Pastrana has fans of all ages and is always happy to have a photo snapped with his trademark "thumbs up" pose.

The manufacturers gallery was also packed the whole day at the Showcase.
Phil Davy (holding helmet) stays busy wherever he goes talking about the hot-selling Icon line of helmets, boots, and apparel items.

Parts Unlimited President/CEO Jeff Fox (6th from left) invited his sponsored riders who were on hand to come out to his Fox Den Farm after a day of autograph signing. Many of the Showcase attendees and exhibitors joined them for a final reception and barbecue to close out the 2005 NVP/Showcase. The riders got a few hot laps in on Jeff's motocross course, to the delight of everyone there.


Left to Right- Back Row: Fred Andrews, Rodney Smith, Trevor Vines, Sebastien Tortelli, Travis Pastrana, Jeff Fox, Justin Fox, Craig Fox, Scott Summers, Dick Burleson, Ryan Hughes, Ivan Tedesco, Michael Byrne, Jeremy McGrath, Grant Langston.
Front Row- Kneeling: Victor Sheldon, Andy Gustafson

Jeremy McGrath enjoys the well-groomed Fox Den Farms motocross course. Seeing how fast he still rides makes it hard to believe he has retired from Supercross.
It really doesn't matter to Travis Pastrana if it's got two wheels or four, he finds out how to have fun.

Never tell racers it's not a race. Supercross/motocross rivals Grant Langston (8) and Ryan Hughes (105) had a really good scrap going for quite a while.
Travis Pastrana poses with some of the Parts Canada crew. From left: Adam Amat, Jeff Roth, Craig Johnson, Pastrana, Amanda Yanish and Wade Claypool.

Jeff Fox with a new addition to the Fox Den Farms stable, courtesy of Pro Circuit.
After a hard-working weekend at the Convention Center, people stayed late at Fox Den Farms before finally wrapping things up.
See you next year!

0510 COVER
Parts Magazine
Volume 12 #12

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