By SEMA Editors
 The SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races will take place Friday, July 29, 2016, at the Fairplex Conference Center in Pomona, California. |
The 2016 Pinewood Drag Races season is now open! Nothing is more Americana than a good old-fashioned pinewood race, and this year’s SEMA Cares-sponsored event promises to be the biggest ever. Each year, hundreds of SEMA-member companies step up to generously sponsor pinewood cars, with 100% of the proceeds going to qualified SEMA Cares charities. To learn more and register, visit www.sema.org/pinewood.
Once again held in conjunction with the SEMA Installation Gala Fundraiser, the SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races will take place Friday, July 29, 2016, at the Fairplex Conference Center in Pomona, California. There’s no better location for drag racing than Pomona—home of NHRA’s famed 1/4-mile and the NHRA Museum. The finals will take place during the cocktail reception, shortly before the banquet begins.
SEMA members can race either a car or a truck in three classes: Build It For Me (BIFM), Stock and Unlimited. Members can either sponsor child-built cars and trucks in the Build It For Me (BIFM) or Stock Class, or they can build and enter their own SEMA-supplied stock car or truck. Stock-Class racing usually garners the most entries with a typical speed of 3.2 seconds on a 50-ft. track. For hardcore speed enthusiasts, the Unlimited Class has only one rule—that one item from the stock kit be used. Cars in this class run sub-3 seconds, and many of the past top builders include some of the most recognized names in the industry.
SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races special features include the annual HRIA Builders Challenge and Council Cup. Watch as some of the biggest names in hot rodding build state-of-the-art custom pinewoods that will be raced and then auctioned-off, with all of the proceeds going to SEMA Cares. Council members are invited to come out and challenge their peers for the opportunity to win the coveted Council Cup. The more cars or trucks fielded by each council member, the greater their chances of winning.
If you're the hands-on type, SEMA invites you to attend one of several to-be-announced build days where you can help the children sand, paint and assemble cars for the races. Each child will build two cars: one to keep and one reserved for sponsorship by a caring SEMA-member company or individual. Members interested in participating in one of the build days are invited to contact gracielas@sema.org or visit the SEMA Cares Facebook page.
Proceeds from the races will benefit SEMA Cares charities, including Childhelp and Victory Junction. Childhelp assists abused and neglected children by providing counseling and programs in a safe and secure living environment. Victory Junction provides the camp experience for children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses who otherwise would not be able to go. Sponsoring a SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races car or truck is easy and rewarding. Help a child in need today!