By SEMA Editors
Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.
For association-related travel, contact Manya Petropaki (manya.p@travelstore.com) at Travel Store USA, 949-930-9268.
By Ashley Reyes
SEMA members are invited to connect with Jarod DeAnda—notable industry host, presenter and ambassador of motorsports—during the SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) Facebook and Instagram live chat on Wednesday, November 16, at 12:00 p.m. (PST).
DeAnda recently emceed the SEMA Show Kick-Off Breakfast, Industry Awards Banquet and SEMA Ignited, and will be going live to share his favorite moments. He’ll also share details on his career journey and how he got started hosting events for leading brands, such as Formula DRIFT, Snap-on Tools, Harley-Davidson, Hot Wheels, Nitro Rallycross and the global launch of the all-new ’24 Ford Mustang.
DeAnda has attended the SEMA Show since 1998 and met his wife at the 1999 SEMA Show. His history and knowledge are far and wide, and just like him, his tattoos tell a story. Don’t miss out on his industry expertise and what he has to share. Tune in on November 16.
Live Chat Location: FLN Facebook page and FLN Instagram live (@fln_sema)
By Ashley Reyes
The automotive specialty-equipment industry’s record-high sales growth over the past two years is beginning to level off or subside, according to the newest SEMA market research report. Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, supply-chain issues and rising costs, companies continue to be optimistic as sales remain solid and above pre-pandemic levels.
The “SEMA State of the Industry – Fall 2022” report is the latest study to explore how businesses are doing post-pandemic.
Filled with 60 pages of data, the “SEMA State of the Industry – Fall 2022” report is the latest study to explore how businesses are doing post-pandemic. Members can use the report to gain valuable insight into key industry trends and metrics, challenges and opportunities, and an outlook for 2023 and beyond.
By downloading the report, members will gain access SEMA’s research designed to help them plan and succeed in the year ahead.
Key findings include:
Electrify Expo closes out its 2022 U.S. tour on November 12–13 in Austin, Texas, by launching two new show features—Electrify Show Off and Electrify Speed Shop.
Electrify Show Off will be a display of customized electric vehicles and can only be found at Electrify Expo’s 2023 events. Hundreds of EV owners across the United States have registered their EVs with Electrify Expo, providing an opportunity to display their custom creations at upcoming 2023 Electrify Expo events. Many of these customized rides will be displayed at Electrify Expo’s 2022 festival taking place in Austin. Interested EV Enthusiasts can submit their vehicles for consideration at www.electrifyexpo.com/showoff.
From electric cars to e-motorcycles and tricked-out e-bikes, an all-new car culture is emerging in the form of customized EVs. The automotive aftermarket is beginning to launch many go fast and styling modifications allowing EV owners to express their unique style. Everything from EV-designed tires, body kits, wheels, brakes, custom wraps and coatings, and modifications that enhance speed, torque, and all-around good looks, make driving an EV fun and stylish.
“Electrify Show Off is a major initiative for Electrify Expo to accelerate custom car culture in the EV industry,” said Peter MacGillivray, vice president of B2B and industry growth at Electrify Expo and former SEMA executive. “EV Customization is happening, and it’s reflective of the personalities stepping into EVs, and Electrify Expo aims to provide a platform for these owners to showcase the aftermarket parts specifically created to shape an electrified future.”
In addition to Show Off, the Electrify Expo Austin stop will also feature, Electrify Speed Shop, an interactive display where EVs will be modified live for attendees throughout the two-day event. The team from Austin Auto Finishes will transform an EV from stock to modified in a behind-the-scenes experience, including a color change vehicle wrap, full vehicle tint, along with tire, wheel and suspension upgrades from show open on Saturday to show close at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Known for some famous EV customizations, Austin Auto Finishes has retrofitted and upgraded hundreds of EVs from factory finish to show-ready.
“EV customization is something we know well, but with the depth and breadth of vehicles and aftermarket parts available today, the movement has grown exponentially in the last two years,” said Brian Daly, owner of Austin Detailing. “We’re the largest modification shop for EVs in Texas, and we look forward to showing attendees all of the possibilities for upgraded styling and speed.”
While Show Off and Speed Shop are launching in Austin in 2022, the entire 2023 Electrify Expo schedule will provide mass opportunities for EV enthusiasts to show off their rides at Electrify Expo. These new features will have a major footprint at each event dedicated to showing off all forms of electric vehicles.
The final event of 2022 expects to be Electrify Expo’s largest event to date, generating more than 30,000 test rides among top EV brands in attendance. From electric cars, e-bikes, e-motorcycles, e-skateboards, and e-scooters to the latest in EV charging technology, attendees can ride, drive and demo the latest in electric mobility at Electrify Expo Austin.
For more information, visit www.electrifyexpo.com/austin.
Among the big announcements and news made at the 2022 SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet were winners of two prestigious awards:
Poulson and Burns were presented with the honors in front of nearly 3,000 industry leaders and icons on Thursday evening, November 3, 2022.
Josh Poulson, owner of Auto Additions, was recognized as SEMA Person of the Year for his volunteer leadership contributions, philanthropy and overall influence on the industry.
Poulson, owner of Auto Additions, was recognized for his volunteer leadership contributions, philanthropy and overall influence on the industry. He has been volunteering on the Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) select committee since 2012. His years of advocacy for restylers and manufacturers to have a voice in the industry earned him recognition as SEMA PRO Restyler of the Year in 2012, and SEMA PRO Person of the Year in 2015.
Mike Burns (center), CEO of ValvoMax, was recognized as Gen-III Innovator of the Year for his outstanding commitment to the industry and a high level of involvement with SEMA committees, task forces, councils and overall participation.
As Gen-III Innovator of the Year, Burns, CEO of ValvoMax, was recognized for his outstanding commitment to the industry and a high level of involvement with SEMA committees, task forces, councils and overall participation. The award is presented annually to a young, entrepreneurial individual, 40 years old or younger, who is creating new innovative breakthroughs within the area(s) of industry opportunities and advancements. He was a 2018 SEMA Launch Pad semifinalist for developing an oil-change system that removes the hassle associated with traditional oil changes.
The two awards are among the most prestigious SEMA honors given to individuals in the industry. To learn more about SEMA, visit www.sema.org.
Automotion Customs Inc., an automotive restyling shop in Warner Robins, Georgia, is the winner of the third SEMA Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) Cup Challenge. Automotion Customs won the award for creating an accessory package for the 2022 Toyota Rav4 XLE that is easy to replicate and ideal for new-car dealers to add mass consumer appeal to their inventory.
Automotion Customs won this year’s SEMA PRO Cup Challenge for with its ’22 Toyota Rav4 XLE. The company's accessory package is easy to replicate and ideal for new-car dealers to add mass consumer appeal to their inventory.
The competition, which took place at the SEMA Show, pit restyler against restyler to create a package for a new-model car or truck that would take less than 40 hours to execute and costs no more than $12,500 to the dealer. Packages were judged on their mass appeal, ease to replicate and potential profitability.
Through the competition, accessory manufacturers see how their products can be packaged with other products, restylers get ideas to take back to their local markets, and SEMA Showgoers witness how new vehicles can be transformed.
The ’22 Toyota Rav4 XLE features:
“Automotion Customs created a unique accessory package that is not only stylish and affordable for dealerships but showcases the many possibilities that consumers have when choosing to accessorize their new-model cars and trucks,” said PRO Chair Josh Poulson. “We are proud of Automotion Customs for their win and are confident that this package will create profitable business relationships among restylers and new-car dealerships nationwide.”
Other companies that competed in the PRO Cup Challenge included Auto Image, ’22 Ford Mustang Mach E; Auto Trim Restyling, ’22 Cadillac Escalade Sport; Automotive Concepts, ’22 Ford Lightning; DPS Automotive, ’22 Jeep Grand Cherokee L; and Pickup Outfitters of Waco, ’23 GMC Sierra 2500 SLE. Top Coverage LTD’s ’22 Ford F-150 Lightning won the Fan Favorite Award, which was voted on by SEMA Showgoers.
The PRO Cup Challenge encourages customization of new-model vehicles and raises the awareness of vehicle accessorizing to the general public. It also encourages dealers to work with restylers as a means to generate showroom excitement and tap into hot, new markets though offering accessory packages.
To learn more about the PRO Cup Challenge, visit www.sema.org/pro-cup-challenge. For information on the SEMA Professional Restylers Organization (PRO), visit www.sema.org/PRO.
From the latest new products to custom trucks, cutting-edge car-culture trends and promoting diversity in motorsports, the SEMA Show continuously paves the way for automotive innovation.
Watch the recap of day 3’s events:
Kevin Robinson, president of TRAC LLC, was named winner of the 2022 SEMA Launch Pad competition for his product, TRAC Tire Jack, a tool designed to make removing or installing a wheel/tire from a vehicle safer, simpler and easier. Robinson walked away with a grand-prize package valued at nearly $100,000.
Kevin Robinson, president of TRAC LLC, was named winner of the 2022 SEMA Launch Pad competition for his product, TRAC Tire Jack.
“Winning SEMA Launch Pad is truly an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Myles Kovacs, one of the competition's judges. “Not only does each competitor benefit from the experience, but we are also able to shed light on the products and services that fill a gap in the industry and can inspire future inventors to do the same.”
Since 2013, the SEMA Launch Pad has served as the ultimate product-pitching competition for the automotive aftermarket. In addition to competing for a prize package that includes space at the world-renown SEMA Show and promotion on national television, contestants build connections and receive support from established experts who serve as judges and mentors in the program.
The four judges were Chip Foose, award-winning vehicle builder and artist best known from the TV hit series “Overhaulin’”; Jared Hare, an innovator and entrepreneur who founded Addictive Desert Designs in 2007 and has grown the company into one of the leading offroad brands; Kovacs, a trend setter who founded DUB magazine and launched TIS Wheels; and Alex Parker, industry advocate and CMO of the 2020 SEMA Manufacturer of the Year Winner Redline Detection.
“This year’s SEMA Launch Pad competitors were among the best that we’ve ever seen,” Kovacs said. “I’m constantly amazed at the ingenuity, passion and drive we see from competitors. It’s going to be difficult to select just one winner from the group.”
Learn more about SEMA Launch Pad at www.sema.org/launchpad.
Content creator and world-renowned automotive photographer Larry Chen was named winner of the first annual SEMA Automotive Influencer of the Year award. The award was created to honor a content creator or influencer who has built an engaged audience and used his or her platform to positively impact car enthusiasts of all ages.
Content creator Larry Chen was named winner of the first annual SEMA Automotive Influencer of the Year award for his positive impact on the automotive industry.
The award is a result of the rise of content creators’ and social-media influencers’ impact on the industry. Finalists for the award were selected based on their presence and influence across social-media channels, including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and more. This year’s finalists, which included Larry Chen, ChrisFix, TJ Hunt, Adam LZ and Alex Taylor, were recognized at the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet for their impact on growing the $50.9 billion automotive specialty-equipment industry.
“It is a huge honor to be nominated for this award, especially being alongside my peers. I am a content creator through and through, and I love telling the stories of backyard and garage builds along with the grandest collections,” said Larry Chen. “I enjoy that my audience follows along and appreciates the content I create. For me, this is about doing my best and playing my part in saving the culture that we love so much.”
Chen’s work has graced the covers of numerous magazines, and he is well known for his work with Hoonigan, Hagerty and other top automotive media companies. He also shoots for major OEMs, top builders, multiple race and event series and top automotive brands around the world. Chen is also a Canon Explorer of Light, teaches photography classes and shares his knowledge and passion with aspiring content creators. As an enthusiast himself, Chen hosts car meets, has collaborated on vehicle builds and has shown his own creations at the SEMA Show.
“Larry embodies what it means to be an ambassador for the automotive industry and car culture. He is a true enthusiast, and his contagious passion for the subject matter has not only been embraced by the car community but also continues to bring new people into our hobby,” said SEMA Chairman James Lawrence. “On behalf of SEMA and the aftermarket industry, I want to thank Larry for his ongoing contribution and can think of no better person to recognize as our first winner.”
Chen’s work can be seen on his website, Instagram page, Facebook and other social-media channels.
Power Automedia Acquires Mustang Week; 1,000hp 7.3L Godzilla Engine Giveaway Presented by Summit Racing Equipment Goes LivePower Automedia has announced the acquisition of Mustang Week, one of the largest all-Mustang events in the world. The annual, week-long event has been held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for 21 years, growing each year. After suffering through Hurricane Dorian and the pandemic, it was announced that 2022 would be the final year. Ford Muscle will be the presenting magazine for the event, which is booked for September 4-10, 2023.
In other news, with presenting sponsor Summit Racing Equipment, Power Automedia has launched the EngineLabs Engine Giveaway. The Ford 7.3L V8 “Godzilla” engine is the largest displacement gasoline engine offered by Ford Motor Company. Late Model Engines (LME) will take a Ford Performance Parts crate engine and build it into a 1,000hp-capable twin-turbo engine live on the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show floor in Indianapolis, December 8–10. Enthusiasts will have a chance to see a powerful example of this new platform come together before their eyes, and maybe even take it home!
The 1,000hp twin-turbo 7.3L Ford engine will get some upgrades thanks to this year’s participating sponsors: ATI Performance, BOOSTane, Brian Tooley Racing, Callies, Cometic, Deatschwerks, Design Engineering Inc, E3 Spark Plugs, Ford Performance Parts, Indy Power Products, Johnson Lifters, K1 Technologies, Klotz Synthetics, Kooks Headers, LTA Manufacturing, Manton Pushrods, Operational Speed Supply, Precision Turbo, Ryno Classifieds, SCT Performance, Summit Racing Equipment, Wiseco and Wrenchers.
For a chance to enter the contest, visit EngineLabsGiveaway.com. For additional build details and giveaway updates, follow EngineLabs.com.
The Wheel Group (TWG), a portfolio company of Wynnchurch Capital, has announced that current board member Wade Kawasaki has agreed to expand his role to executive chairman. Prior to joining TWG, Kawasaki served as the president and CEO of Legendary Companies, which grew under his leadership from Coker Tire into one of the largest collector car wheel/tire and restoration parts providers in the industry. Kawasaki, who is also currently the executive director of SEMA and PRI Political Action Committees, has also served as SEMA’s chairman of the Board, was selected as SEMA’s Person of the Year and in 2014 was inducted into SEMA’s Hall of Fame.
Earlier this year McKinney Corp. based in Lafayette, Indiana, acquired Florida-based Tommy Waters Race Car Products and added the entire suite of their products to the list of offerings.
RaceTec Pistons has been acquired by Taglich Private Equity. RaceTec joins the AFR, Scat Crankshafts, and Procar By Scat family of companies. The Huntington Beach, California-based piston manufacturing company was founded in 2007 by Wayne Brooks, a former owner of JE Pistons. Jeremy Gillum will retain his position as vice president of RaceTec Pistons. At the same time, its management team will also remain in place, along with its production facility and employees in Huntington Beach.
Officials with the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models have announced that current Series Competition Director Steve Francis will take over as the new series director starting at the Sunshine Nationals, January 19–21. Casey Shuman will finish off his tenure as series director this weekend at the World of Outlaws World Finals, before taking on a new role as the general manager of I-70 Speedway in Odessa, Missouri. Francis, the 2007 World of Outlaws Late Model Champion, was brought on as the competition director in August. Also a National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer, Francis is 10th all-time on the World of Outlaws wins list with 28 victories.
Scott Sulprizio, the longtime owner of United Engine & Machine (UEM), has announced Christopher Sulprizio has been named company president. Christopher had previously rejoined the family-owned and operated business in 2014 after an engineering career with Raytheon Missile Systems. Scott will retain his position as UEM owner and will continue to stay engaged in the operational facets of the piston manufacturing business. Christopher will be based out of the UEM headquarters in Carson City, Nevada.
Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA News. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.