SEMA has announced the finalists for two prestigious awards: Manufacturer of the Year and Channel Partner of the Year. Winners will be named at the 2022 SEMA Show Kickoff Breakfast, Tuesday, November 1.
SEMA will announce the winners of the Manufacturer of the Year and Channel Partner of the Year awards at the 2022 SEMA Show Kickoff Breakfast, Tuesday, November 1.
Both awards are a part of SEMA’s esteemed industry awards program that honors outstanding companies for their positive impact and contributions to the specialty-equipment market during the past year. This year’s finalists are:
SEMA Manufacturer of the Year:
Baja Designs
Diode Dynamics
Max Trac Suspension
SEMA Channel Partner of the Year:
English Racing
Torqued Distribution
Turn 14 Distribution
The SEMA Manufacturer of Year award recognizes an influential business for their business practices and service to customers. The SEMA Channel Partner of the Year award, which is an expansion of the previous SEMA Warehouse Distributor of the Year award, honors the contributions of sales, distributors, retailers and e-commerce channel(s) in the industry.
All SEMA Showgoers are invited to be among the first to learn who the award winners are by attending the SEMA Show Kickoff Breakfast, Tuesday, November 1, at 7:30 a.m., in the Westgate Paradise Event Center. The breakfast will conclude just before 9:00 a.m., giving those in attendance time to hit the Show floor when it opens.
The 2022 SEMA Show will include a brand-new feature—the eBay Motors Experience, where attendees will be able to experience the industry’s products live, in action. Located in more than 100,000-sq.-ft. of space in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center, eBay Motors Experience will anchor the outdoor area and welcome Showgoers with dynamic, experiential activities as soon as they arrive onsite.
Showgoers will be able to witness extreme performance at the Hoonigan Burnyard, take part in immersive ride-alongs, and get up-close to some of the industry’s most coveted vehicle builds.
The eBay Motors Experience will consist of multiple activities taking place simultaneously. Showgoers will be able to witness extreme performance at the Hoonigan Burnyard, take part in immersive ride-alongs, and get up-close to some of the industry’s most coveted vehicle builds.
“The eBay Motors Experience will be the center of the action at this year’s Show,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events. “It will be set up so that attendees are able to engage with the vehicles and the products in a way that they’ve never been able to do before. Showgoers are going to feel the impact of the feature immediately when they arrive at the Show.”
The Hoonigan Burnyard returns to the SEMA Show with its signature brand of drifting, burnouts and aggressive, high-powered vehicles.
The eBay Motors Experience is open to all credentialed SEMA Showgoers during the event, Tuesday-Friday, November 1–4. To learn more about the 2022 SEMA Show or to register for the event, visit www.semashow.com or download the official SEMA Show mobile app.
SEMA is calling all SEMA Show car builders to register for SEMA Battle of the Builders—the aftermarket industry’s ultimate vehicle competition—by the October 14 deadline. Open exclusively to builders with a car or truck displayed at the annual trade show, the competition celebrates and honors top builders for participating in what many consider to be the pinnacle of automotive events.
“Since 2014, we’ve provided vehicle builders a special platform to showcase their imagination, creativity and craftsmanship while also fueling the love for competition and pride of accomplishment,” said RJ de Vera, SEMA vice president of marketing. “SEMA Show Exhibitors are tremendously selective with the vehicles they choose to showcase their products, capture attention and drive traffic to their booths. SEMA Battle of the Builders not only offers an additional avenue for further exposure by featuring the top builders and brands that exhibit at the SEMA Show but also provides a chance for top builders from different genres to learn from each other building meaningful connections as they judge each other’s builds in the final round.”
SEMA Battle of the Builders gives builders to opportunity to gain global recognition, including possible inclusion in a one-hour television special or SEMA’s social channels, and a chance to be recognized and named as the industry’s top builder. The competition recognizes one winner in four different categories:
Hot Rod & Hot Rod Truck
4 Wheel Drive & Off-Road
Sport Compact, Import Performance, Luxury & Exotic
Young Guns—before crowning the coveted title, Battle of the Builders Champion.
The four categories have evolved for the 2022 competition. Hot Rod Trucks will now compete with traditional Hot Rod builds. The former Truck class becomes more focused on 4 Wheel Drive & Off-Road builds while the Sport Compact class is expanded to include Import Performance, Luxury & Exotic builds as well. The age limit for the Young Guns class has also been raised from 27 to 29 years old. As part of SEMA’s initiative to support and encourage the next generation of builders in the industry, the association will continue its SEMA Young Guns category for builders who are 29 and younger.
“Each year, we meet amazing young builders through the Young Guns program,” said de Vera. “It is inspiring to witness the passion, drive and courage they have to put their blood, sweat and tears into their projects and to compete with their pride and joy in this competition. To see the industry embrace them as they build a network of contacts and connections that will fuel a lifelong career is exactly why the Young Guns class was created. Fortune definitely favors the brave, and we want to highlight that.”
Although the SEMA Show is a trade-only event, consumers can experience the excitement of the event and see the winning Battle of the Builder vehicles during the SEMA Cruise and at SEMA Ignited (www.semaignited.com), the official SEMA Show after-party taking place from 3:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., in the West Hall parking lot of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
For more information on the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition or to register, visit www.semabotb.com. The deadline to register is October 14. Calling all builders!
The 2022 SEMA Show is about four weeks away. Here’s a rundown of key deadlines, including early-bird and advance rates available for several booth services, as well as checklists to keep you on track and on budget.
The deadlines checklist provides a breakdown of all of the deadlines for booth orders, rentals, booth vehicle applications, celebrity appearance notifications and much more.
The budget checklist form allows you to keep track of all your costs and ensures that you are adequately prepared for your experience at the SEMA Show.
SEMA Show exhibitors and attendees preparing for the 2022 SEMA Show can lock in the guaranteed lowest hotel rate now by booking in the SEMA Show Block.
Making hotel reservations in the block provides you with the most affordable and convenient options for a wide range of hotels located on and off the Strip.
Shuttle bus service is provided from all hotels in the SEMA Show block.
The following are advantages of booking in the SEMA Show block versus an Airbnb:
Customer Service
Lodging through the SEMA Show block will give you dedicated customer service support for managing your reservation and will still have on-site customer service from the hotel. This includes check-in, housekeeping and concierge services.
Airbnb customer service can be difficult to contact, and is often left to the Airbnb host to manage. Check-in for your lodging can be difficult to navigate with lock boxes, keycodes or having to make a trip to an alternate location to access lodging keys. Airbnb lodgings often do not include dedicated customer service unless booking through the Airbnb Luxe program.
Proximity to Venue
For larger city venues, such as the Las Vegas Convention Center, proximity should be factored in. Hotels are typically offered within a radius that allows for an event-sponsored shuttle route, walking distance to the convention center or a short and inexpensive ride-share option. With Airbnb, locations tend to be further away from the city center, main attractions or the convention center.
Booking Lodging for a Large Group?
Airbnb does tend to lend for a better budget when traveling in large groups; however, this option does not cater to privacy for your group members, and keep an eye out for fees associated with additional guests. You may find the hotel will offer more privacy at a better rate.
Hotel Group reservations (those including multiple rooms) are available for the 2022 SEMA Show. The SEMA Show block online system makes this complex responsibility easy: simply look for the “Group Bookings (2+ Rooms)” option when conducting your initial search and you’ll be all set to make/manage rooms for your whole team with more flexibility than anywhere else.
Hotel Reward Points
Airbnb currently doesn’t offer loyalty rewards that most major hotels do, which can be utilized for room upgrades, free room nights and more, depending on the hotel loyalty program.
By booking in the SEMA Show block, you can earn rewards points with your preferred hotel chain—simply enter your rewards or frequent guest number when booking through our online system. When we transfer your reservation details to the hotel approximately two weeks prior to the event, your frequent guest number will be included with your information, and you will receive your points.
Transportation to and From the SEMA Show
The SEMA Show block offers convenient access to the Las Vegas Monorail with station stops at the below hotels:
SAHARA
Westgate
Harrah’s/The Linq
Flamingo/Caesars Palace Station
Bally’s/Paris
MGM Grand
Shuttle bus service is provided from all hotels in the SEMA Show block, excluding those located within a quarter-mile distance to the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The New Products Showcase is consistently voted as the No. 1 destination by SEMA Show buyers and media. The first product entered in one category is free! The deadline to submit additional products for $75 each is October 7, after which, the cost is $150 per entry.
In addition, the New Products Showcase will expand to include two new product categories. Showgoers will find products related to electric vehicles (EV) and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), along with products in 16 other categories, in what is the world’s largest display of new automotive aftermarket products.
Accessible exclusively to SEMA Showgoers, November 1–4, the New Products Showcase is the automotive aftermarket industry’s most comprehensive collection of new and trending products. SEMA Show attendees visit the area to discover and see parts and accessories before they hit the market. A Featured Products component includes items that may not qualify as new; the product may have been on the market for more than a year but is among an exhibitor’s top products.
“Through the SEMA Show New Products Showcase, buyers, retailers and distributors can easily discover and learn about all the hot products that they may want to carry,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events. “They will find details about the products, including the exhibitor’s booth number. They can then connect directly with the manufacturer on the Show floor to learn more. It’s no surprise that SEMA Show buyers rely on the New Products Showcase to help them stock their shelves.”
Details on all the products from the Showcase are also included in the SEMA Show mobile app, giving attendees a year-round resource to help them after the Show. The mobile app’s product-scanning feature enables attendees to flag items of interest and create custom lists of noteworthy products. At the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, attendees will be able to connect with all product experts from exhibiting companies for quality one-on-one discussions, demos and presentations.
Participation in the New Products Showcase, available as a benefit to SEMA Show exhibitors, is easy and affordable. All exhibitors qualify to submit one product entry at no cost. Subsequent entries range from $75–$150 each, depending on the submission date, and there is no limit to the number of entries. New this year is an on-site freight-delivery service to make it easier than ever for exhibitors in West, North and Central Halls to participate.
Through the new service, exhibitors drop off their products at a nearby designated area in their respective hall, and then coordinate to meet the product at the New Products check-in area in South Hall.
Qualifying products may also be recognized as a Best New Product. Winners and runners-up in 18 categories—including the new EV and ADAS categories—will be announced and presented at the Kickoff Breakfast, Tuesday, November 1, just before the official opening of the SEMA Show. Additionally, all products in the Showcase are professionally photographed. The photos are often used by outside media and help brand awareness.
“Exhibitors that participate in the New Products Showcase report much higher success than those that do not participate,” said Gattuso. “Research tells us that exhibitors with products in the Showcase see more buyers in their booths and receive more media coverage than those that do not participate in the Showcase.”
A nearby transportation hub that includes taxi and shuttle drop-off, as well as an entry point for the Las Vegas Convention Center underground tunnel, makes it easy for attendees to visit the Showcase. More than 2,000 product entries are expected to be included in this year’s Showcase.
“You can have a 10x10-ft. booth and be up against booths that are 100 times bigger, but in the New Products Showcase, you’re the same size. If you come up with something great, it’s going to get noticed there.”
With SEMA-member companies based in Florida, SEMA is working with the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF) to aid individuals and families in the industry who may have been adversely impacted by Hurricane Ian.
Founded in 1959, the AACF has been providing sustainable solutions to individuals in the industry who have fallen on hard times. The service is confidential and has helped struggling individuals who have exhausted other available resources.
SEMA members in need of assistance are encouraged to contact AACF directly at info@aacfi.org or visit www.aacfi.org.
Those interested in supporting AACF can make a tax-deductible donation at www.aacfi.org/donate-today by mail at P.O. Box 864520, Orlando, FL 32886, or by calling 772-286-5500.
As the only national nonprofit dedicated to serving more than 4.1 million employees of the automotive aftermarket, AACF provides emergency grant funding to aftermarket employees that lack sufficient means when they suffer catastrophic circumstances.
Our spy in Colorado caught the ’24 GMC Acadia undergoing high-altitude testing and confirmed the addition of Super Cruise.
The exterior grows in size compared to the current model, returning the Acadia back to large crossover proportions of the first-generation model.
Inside, the next-gen Acadia gets a whole new cabin complete with a new steering wheel. While we don’t see the screen, we can certainly see where it will be placed, along with the placement of the air vents and cup holders.
Torrence, Hight, Enders and M. Smith Claim Key Playoff Wins at NHRA Midwest Nationals
Steve Torrence put together a run of 3.741 seconds at 328.70 mph in the final round in his 11,000hp Capco Contractors dragster, slipping past Josh Hart, who went 3.749 at 329.67.
Four-time defending Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence is back in the title hunt, powering to his second straight win at World Wide Technology Raceway last Sunday at the 11th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals. Robert Hight (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also picked up wins at the 19th event in the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the third of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Torrence put together a run of 3.741 seconds at 328.70 mph in the final round in his 11,000hp Capco Contractors dragster, slipping past Josh Hart, who went 3.749 at 329.67. Torrence jumped three spots in the standings to move into second in the title chase. He trails Justin Ashley by just 14 points with three races remaining.
In the Funny Car final round, points leader Hight took down defending world champ Ron Capps on a holeshot, as his run of 3.911 at 331.61 in his 11,000hp Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS was enough to get past Capps’ quicker 3.908 at 330.47.
Enders now has the most wins at World Wide Technology Raceway of any driver in NHRA history, claiming her sixth St. Louis win by knocking off Dallas Glenn in the finals in her Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Camaro. Glenn went red, while Enders put together a pass of 6.535 at 210.28, extending her points lead.
Smith finished off a nearly-perfect weekend in Pro Stock Motorcycle, rolling to the win—and moving back into the points lead—on his Denso Auto Parts Buell with a run of 6.756 at 202.00 against Jerry Savoie in the championship round.
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action October 13–16, with the Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas.
Jessica Fickenscher Named Executive Director for 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race
Speedway Motorsports executive Jessica Fickenscher has been named executive director for the upcoming May 21, 2023, NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. A 23-year veteran with the company, Fickenscher will add planning, community relations and stakeholder coordination surrounding All-Star Race week to her current role as chief experience officer for Speedway Motorsports.
IndyCar Releases Complete 2023 Schedule
IndyCar has announced a 17-race schedule for the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series as the sport’s athletes will be showcased with traditional weekend dates, 13 races on NBC and a late-summer swing leading to another climactic ending to the 2023 championship. The 2023 season opens Sunday, March 5, on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. Racing then will take place all spring and summer, including the 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 28, before the season ends on Sunday, September 10, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.
Complete 2023 NTT IndyCar Series Schedule:
Sunday, March 5: Streets of St. Petersburg
Sunday, April 2: Texas Motor Speedway
Sunday, April 16: Streets of Long Beach
Sunday, April 30: Barber Motorsports Park
Saturday, May 13: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (road course)
Sunday, May 28: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (oval)
Sunday, June 4: Streets of Detroit
Sunday, June 18: Road America
Sunday, July 2: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Sunday, July 16: Streets of Toronto
Saturday, July 22: Iowa Speedway
Sunday, July 23: Iowa Speedway
Sunday, Aug. 6: Streets of Nashville
Saturday, Aug. 12: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (road course)
Sunday, Aug. 27: World Wide Technology Raceway
Sunday, Sept. 3: Portland International Raceway
Sunday, Sept. 10: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
IHRA Names New Director of Track and Racer Relations
The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) announced recently that Paige Hamlin has been named the IHRA director of track and racer relations. Hamlin has worked with promoters, including Tommy Phillips, Luke Bogacki, Coalburg Promotions, Great American Bracket Races, and Final Call Promotions, and on major events, such as the Great American Guaranteed Million, the World Footbrake Challenge and the Million Dollar Race. In addition, she promoted her own major event, the Rudd Racing Engines Six Shooter Showdown at Xtreme Raceway Park in April. Hamlin also serves as social-media manager for Xtreme Raceway Park. She previously held a similar role with Drag Champ to help spotlight the Sportsman racer.
Jessica Fickenscher Named Executive Director for 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race
IHRA Names New Director of Track and Racer Relations