Racing Goes Indoors!

Volume 22, No. 2 July 2006
Racing Goes Indoors!
INSIDE:
See page 5.
• Interstate Dealers Become Reality-TV Techs
• Diagnose an Engine with Your Senses
• P.O.P. Rocks! Free Poster
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Interstate Batteries, the #1 automotive
2 New Products
for Scooters and
Motorcycles!
replacement battery, is taking its
With gas prices rising as fast as this summer’s temperatures,
proven market leadership into the
consumers are looking for ways to maximize their miles per
$50 billion all-battery market. The
gallon. And at 100 mpg, scooters are gaining ground in the
future is wireless, and that means
market. According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, sales
portable power. With an average of
rose from 12,000 in 1997 to 113,000 in 2005.
contents
20.5 battery-operated devices in every
FUEL FOR YOUR FUTURE
July 2006
2
Interstate Batteries’ nationally known and
trusted brand name is just the start.
•Fast-growing, unsaturated battery market
•Two revenue streams: Retail and Business-to-Business
interstatebatteries.com
Fast-Track Markets
•Alabama
•N. Carolina
•Colorado
•Tennessee
•Florida
•Texas
•Georgia
Other exciting markets available.
Get in the Race with
•$200K in liquid assets
•$500K investment capabilities
household and an explosion in hand-
And with the July 2006 release of the new factory activated
held electronic devices, this industry
SKUs — FAYTX4L and FAYTX5L — that power scooters,
poses an opportunity for any
this new trend in driving
retail-minded investor.
should bring more
scooter battery
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Have the Right Batteries at the Right Time
5
Racing Goes Indoors!
6
Keeping It Green: 97% of Battery Lead Recycled
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NASCAR Drives Strong Brand Loyalty
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Interstate Is the Choice of Trick My Truck
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Cheers from Home for Kids Without a Home
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Automotive Techs: Con Artists or Supermen?
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Unparalleled Service Is Our Goal
traffic through
your door!
Interstate now
has a full line
of factory activated
motorcyle batteries.
x 17"
1"
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cks! side (2st results.
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P.O Poster first for
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Cover photo: J.J. Yeley, Denny
Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Joe Gibbs,
Norm Miller, Ricky Dennis and Gary
Becker stand behind Interstate’s
new Arena race car.
franchise@ibsa.com
www.franchising.interstateallbattery.com
Please note that this material does not constitute an offer of an Interstate Battery Center franchise. An offer may be made by us only after your receipt of the
Uniform Franchise Offering Circular, which is filed with certain states. Such a filing does not constitute the state’s approval of the franchise offering.
A copy of the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular may be obtained through contacting Kevin Hogan at Interstate All Battery Center Franchising, 17400
Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77040 (800) 730-7868 or by writing to Interstate Battery Franchising & Development, Inc., 1700 Dixon Street, Des Moines,
Iowa 50316 (Attention: Kevin Hogan C/O Mickey Elam).
o
RESIDENTS OF NEW YORK: This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing
does not constitute approval by the New York Department of Law.
RESIDENTS OF CALIFORNIA: THESE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT LAW OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SUCH REGISTRATION
DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE
INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING.
SC Franchise Registration Number: S.S. Reg. No. 047. MN Franchise Registration Number: F 5119. Franchises are NOT currently being offered outside the United States.
The CURRENT is published by Interstate Battery
System of America, Inc. No part of this publication
may be reproduced in any manner without express
written consent from IBSA.
©2006 Interstate Battery System of America, Inc.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a
wise man is he who listens to counsel.
Proverbs 12:15
For information about how you can find Jesus’
unconditional love, please contact Henry Rogers,
Interstate chaplain, at:
®
INTERSTATE BATTERIES
12770 Merit Drive, Suite 1000
Dallas, TX 75251-1292
)
(Rem
Join a winning team by
calling our franchise hotline.
800.730.7868
:Diagnose an Engine
with Your Senses
The Current is also online at
InterstateDealers.com
where you can find Interstate’s
dealer locator, product details,
racing news and more.
Carlos Sepulveda, President & CEO
Charles Suscavage, VP of Advertising & PR
Jane Koenecke, Director of Communications
Karl Melton, Creative Services Manager
Greg Shull, Senior Communications Coordinator
Suzanne Keffer, Communications Specialist
Bibi Martinez, Melanie Kirk, Senior Art Directors
Joel Ritch, Gayle Gansle, Graphic Designers
Jon Simkins, Photographer
Have the Right Batteries
at the Right Time
When opportunity knocks, will you be ready?
Having the right kind of battery at the right
time can be the difference between losing a sale
and gaining a repeat customer.
Besides providing outstanding, reliable service,
your Interstate Route Sales Manager (RSM)
now has research tools that will help you customize your inventory to meet the specific battery demands in your area.
average of five or six years. That’s a long
time to wait to make up a missed battery sale.
Your Interstate RSM wants to help you get
your inventory right. We encourage you to
work with him to identify trends and sales
opportunities specific to your market.
Its next stop is Charlotte, N.C., at the Cricket Arena.
With the backing of Joe Gibbs Racing Owner an NFL
Washington Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs and Chairman
of Interstate Batteries Norm Miller, Arena Racing
USA plans to start events this November. Joe Gibbs
drivers J.J. Yeley, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin
are also supporting Arena Racing in Charlotte and
looking forward to the Arena Racing season that
runs primarily November through March.
J.J., driver of the Interstate Batteries no. 18 NASCAR
team, said, “I raced midgets and sprint cars in arenas during my USAC days. It’s a cool experience.
You really hone your skills because there’s not much
room for error.”
Ricky Dennis, founder and CEO of Arena Racing
USA, said “Arena Racing provides the most exciting,
in-your-face motorsports action available. And it’s
very affordable for fans and for competitors, too. A
team can get started for about $11,000.”
Race fans in Virginia may have attended events in
the Hampton Coliseum and Norfolk Scope, where
Arena Racing has been going since 2003.
Long term, Arena Racing USA hopes to reach
more than 1 million attendees in 30 cities over the
next five years. If you know someone who would
like more information about an Arena Racing
franchise in his or her town, please send them to
ricky@arenaracingusa.com.
The Arena Racing stock cars are half the size of
Busch or Cup cars (nine-feet long, 44-inches wide),
and they run up to 100 mph on a one-tenth mile,
banked, indoor race track.
Interstate Batteries offers unparalleled service.
We’re pleased to provide you with this information that can improve battery sales and,
even more importantly, help you gain a better
understanding of your overall business.
Your Route Sales Manager will help you have
the right batteries at the right time so you
can maximize sales opportunities.
With 14 or 15 cars on this track that can fit on a
hockey rink, wrecks happen regularly.
Tony Stewart, J.J. Yeley and Denny
Hamlin check out the cage
on an Arena race car.
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Junk-bin studies show that batteries last an
Arena Racing has none of the frustrating rain
delays, yet a whole lot of the speed, competition
and crashes that race fans crave, so it’s no surprise
that the sport is growing.
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Interstate’s research data identifies the most
common vehicle types in your zip code area.
By comparing vehicle registration data to sales
history, your Interstate RSM can determine
which types of vehicles you’re most likely to
see in need of service. You’ll be able to anticipate customer needs and have the right batteries on the rack, ready to sell. That means fewer
hot-shot deliveries or, even worse, lost sales!
Racing Goes
Indoors!
Keeping It Green
NASCAR Drives
Strong Brand Loyalty
“Green is more than the color of our batteries and our #18 Nextel Cup
NASCAR race car — it also reflects our commitment to the environment.
We are the leader in this regard, harvesting more lead than we put in the
market. In fact, for every 100 batteries Interstate sells, we return about 113
junk batteries to be recycled for their lead.”
— Carlos Sepulveda, president and CEO of Interstate Batteries
“Recycling batteries is a fundamental part
of our system because it’s the right thing
Haddock. “It’s become a more valuable
service because these days it
helps our Dealers be protected
with junk batteries.”
Interstate Dealers tell us they like Interstate’s sponsorship because:
• Independent research shows that 72% of NASCAR fans buy sponsors’ products (compared to 34% among other sports).
• NASCAR fans like buying Interstate because it helps their sport.
• NASCAR has good role models and credible endorsers.
• Fans recognize and appreciate sponsors’ contributions and are aware that, without corporate
sponsors, there would be no NASCAR.
As a result, fans learn about Interstate Batteries at the track, on TV, on the road (seeing the car and its
hauler), and at a variety of Interstate Batteries events. And that
often translates to sales at Interstate Batteries Dealer locations
throughout America.
Batteries are recycled for:
Plastic parts — reused for new batteries.
Plates, posts and other lead — recycled into a lead alloy used for new batteries.
Acid combined with lead paste — sold to create laundry detergent, glass and paper products.
If you have any questions about your state battery recycling laws, please visit
batterycouncil.org/states or batterycouncil.org/BCIMODEL.pdf.
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup is the
fastest-growing spectator
sport in the United States.
It draws 215 million TV
viewers, attracts 7 million
fans to events each year,
and has the longest season
in professional sports.
P.O.P. Rocks! Recent tests show that Interstate battery sales increase 6–9% with point-of-purchase materials and that interior
and exterior P.O.P. work best. Start using the free poster inside for your retail area today!
(For best results, first please remove staples carefully.)
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interstatebatteries.com
interstatebatteries.com
from the liability associated
“Sure, we love the sport,” said Charles Suscavage, vice president of Advertising & PR for Interstate Batteries.
“But Interstate Batteries is in NASCAR because it’s great for our Dealers’ business. The combination of
awareness, loyalty and effectiveness just can’t be beat!”
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to do,” said Interstate vice president Jeff
The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series™ hosts 17 of the 20 highest-attended
sporting events in the U.S. With 75 million fans across the country,
NASCAR is the No. 2 rated sport on television and was the No. 1
sporting event on network television for 14 of 26 weekends in 2005.
It’s no wonder Interstate Batteries is proud to be a sponsor of
NASCAR Nextel Cup racing.
Interstate Is the Choice of
Trick My Truck
Pickett Custom Trucks in
Seattle, Wa., has taken on a
big role in Country Music
Television’s (CMT)
Trick My Truck, a reality TV
show that rewards a deserving
driver with a truly awe-inspiring, totally customized
big rig!
Interstate Batteries is very excited that the show
features Interstate Dealers who are proud to use
and sell Interstate Batteries products at their shop!
Brothers Rod and Kevin Pickett are part of the crew
that customizes these trucks beyond belief.
“We do some general maintenance, but mainly we
build custom semi trucks,” Rod said. “We probably
do about 15 trucks a year. These are big jobs, so they
take a while.” He said that the producers found
them. They set up a meeting. Next thing they knew,
the Pickett brothers were doing a pilot program.
A little girl in Galich, Russia, learns to braid her hair without a mom to show her how while a boy who loves
to play soccer practices his moves without any tips from a dad.
Even the small parts of life can be a challenge for kids growing up in the Galich Orphanage without a family.
Whether their parents are unable to care for them or no longer living, they long to have someone special in
their life to value them, cheer them on, and answer
their questions about growing up. No matter how
old they are, the kids at Galich wonder what it’s
like to have a home.
The first eight shows aired last year and were so
popular that 24 more shows are in the works, slated
to start in September on CMT.
Nastya Tihonova enjoys herself during Interstate’s visit to
Galich Orphanage.
In the words of Russian-born Ira Scionka, program coordinator for Children’s HopeChest, “It can be hard,
tough and ugly to be an orphan.”
“Each letter, each prayer,
each thought for a child
really counts. It’s a cheer
from home for kids who
Starting this fall on
CMT’s Trick My Truck,
watch for Rod and
Kevin Pickett sporting their Interstate
Batteries shirts and
helping truckers
gain awareness of
Interstate products.
One of the Pickett’s
customized creations,
above, is ready to roll!
don’t have a home.”
— Ira Scionka
Know of an organization that would like to
participate in sponsoring children like these?
Visit hopechest.org to learn more.
Galich children perform, wearing
traditional Russian costumes.
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Rod and Kevin asked Interstate to be their official
battery provider for the show. When asked how
Interstate products have performed in the demanding trucks they design, Rod said,
“They’ve been killer.” He believes
that truckers and long-haulers like
their high cold-cranking amps and
the extra life. “We put the Interstate
Workaholics in there,” Rod added,
“and they’re pretty much worry-free.”
That’s why many of the employees at the
Interstate Batteries home office have chosen to
sponsor children through Interstate’s partnership
with Children’s HopeChest. The relationships
Interstaters have with their sponsored kids go
much farther than the funds they send to Russia.
The personal letters sent between Galich and Dallas
build lasting bonds for many employees. And the
love they have for their kids compelled many of
them to go to Russia in March — the fourth annual
trip for Interstate Batteries corporate employees.
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Here’s how it all started. “We were at a truck show,”
Rod explained, “and producers from Hollywood
were looking for someone who built custom trucks.
Not many people do this on trucks.”
Cheers from Home
for Kids Without a Home
Diagnose an Engine
with Your Senses
Automotive Techs:
Con Artists or Supermen?
An editorial by Interstate’s Gale Kimbrough
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By Gale Kimbrough, Technical Services Manager
After finally backing out of that position, I realized
that I had cut my arm. At this point, I was MAD!
Not just because of my arm, but because I was tired
Now, don’t get me
wrong. I know there are
some not-so-good shops
and techs. But a high percentage of technicians are
good, hardworking, smart, honest, trustworthy,
dedicated and well-educated Americans. So I wrote
a top-10 list for the “New Millennium” Technician
the public seeks.
What the Public Wants an Automotive Tech to Do:
Have you ever thought about how much
you use your senses when diagnosing
automotive problems?
How many things can you check in
the first 10 seconds you look under the hood?
1. Absorb and retain more knowledge than a doctor for far less income.
Let’s say a customer leaves her vehicle with you, a trained technician. When you drive the vehicle
into the bay, guess what? Your sight is checking for dash indicators like “Service Engine Soon,” “Check
Engine,” the engine temperature, and the oil-pressure gauge.
3. Diagnose auto problems (at no charge) over the phone or while at a soccer game, the bowling lanes or church, and take the blame if incorrect!
You are trained to use your sight to observe, absorb and diagnose potential problems and to make troubleshooting decisions about various parts and components.
4. Be an immediate friend to people with vehicle problems who will call any time to get free information.
Your smell, hearing and touch also kick in to diagnose problems like oil and coolant leaks, brake-pad noises,
exhaust leaks, unusual engine noise, drivability, front-end alignment, shock or strut problems, the front-wheel
drive axle, transmission slippage or linkage slack.
Raising the Hood
How many potential problems can you detect in just 10 seconds under the hood?
A trained technician can make several decisions regarding the:
•Brake fluid level (considering it is clear plastic)
•Engine belt or belts
•Water hoses
•Vacuum hoses
•Oil leaks
•AC fluid leaks
•Battery cleanliness
•Battery terminal connections
•Frayed or broken wires
•Alternator stability
So use your senses! These few seconds could save a customer thousands of dollars in downtime.
5. Accept full responsibility for misdiagnosis, even when the customer has self-diagnosed the vehicle’s problems.
6. Educate himself on the latest changes and updates that happen as
OEMs change models.
7. Accept full responsibility when a customer’s teenager abuses the vehicle immediately after it’s been repaired.
8. Diagnose the vehicle’s problem with only one-third of the
information.
9. Purchase $20,000 – $30,000 worth of tools at his own expense.
10.Perform these duties while some radio or TV sensationalist trashes his industry’s reputation.
Want the job? Well, despite all of this, I believe most techs love their job. I hope you’re one of them. And I
appreciate all you do to keep America driving safely!
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2. Troubleshoot and diagnose electrical/electronic problems while placing his body in physically challenging positions.
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A good friend of mine, who has been educated and trained in microbiology, can look
at a specimen and almost instantly recite
volumes of information. But he says he is
always amazed at how much I can tell when
I get a good look at his car engine.
There I was, trying to find and repair an electronic
problem under the dash on my son’s one-ton truck
when I heard the radio, “Tune in tonight for a special report on Rip-offs in the Auto Repair Industry.” At
that moment, my hands, arms and upper body were
sandwiched in an awkward position between the
seat and dash. (I don’t know why it hurts more to get
out of these positions than it does to get into them.)
of hearing the
media bad-mouth
auto, marine and
heavy-duty techs
— again!
Unparalleled Service Is Our Goal
Year after year, a Route Sales Manager’s goal is to provide each Interstate Batteries Dealer absolutely, positively
unparalleled service. Congratulations to these seven Route Sales Managers of the Year who have accomplished this
goal extremely well! Each winner earned the most points in his division. Points were awarded for participation in
sharing point-of-purchase materials, sales performance and for “High Fives” Dealers sent in for great service. Pictured
here are the 2005 winners being recognized by Chairman Norm Miller and President & CEO Carlos Sepulveda.
Todd Boyd
Fitzgerald
Williamson
IBS of Metro Austin
“Todd really worked to
help us get the ED-18,
which helped our battery
sales and provided a real
value for our customers.”
IBS of Suffolk County
“Fitz has been an absolute
pleasure to deal with …
always polite, professional.
And he is willing to go
beyond his duty.“
Austin V Shop
Longo & Sons
Jim Erickson
Tony Tuttle
IBS of Green Bay
“Jim helps us
increase sales with
signage. He takes
care of deliveries
the same day
because he knows
we depend on a
quick turnaround
for our customer
satisfaction.”
IBS of Southwest
Missouri
“Dependable
deliveries and
service are of the
utmost importance.
Tony goes past
normal duty and is
always courteous
and friendly.
Thanks, Tony!“
Cycle City, Inc.
National Seating
& Mobility
Scot Kirkland
IBS of Coastal
Alabama
“When I call him, he
always handles the
problem. We all know
and TRUST Scot.”
Gulf Hauling
& Construction
Johnnie “Mike”
Stone
Corey Sparks
IBS of Dallas
“Corey always shows a
positive attitude when he is
here. He rotates and keeps
our batteries fresh, and he
makes sure we have the right
inventory!”
Dwight & Don’s Auto Car
The Route Sales Manager of the Year contest for 2006
is already underway, so if you would like to help your
Route Sales Manager get recognition,
Submit an RSM High Five by visiting:
www.InterstateDealers.com
©2006 Interstate Battery System of America, Inc.
INTERSTATE BATTERY
SYSTEM OF AMERICA, INC.
12770 Merit Dr., Suite 1000
Dallas, Texas 75251-1292
IBS of Arkansas
“Since Mike became
our RSM, we have
been very successful.
He ensures we have
the correct inventory,
and he takes care of
our warranties and
adjustments.”
Tyson Valley
Maintenance Center
Bulk Rate U.S.
Postage Paid
Permit No. 1465
Dallas, Texas