By Della Domingo

Automotive journalists Solomon Lunger (F-100 Builder’s Guide) and Jef White (The SHOP magazine) will join SEMA at the SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit, July 26–28, in Las Vegas.

Exhibitors will receive valuable insight and learn tips for improving success and gaining greater ROI at the SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit in Las Vegas.

The annual event allows exhibitors a chance to connect directly with SEMA Show organizers and vendors. Exhibitors receive valuable insight and learn tips for improving success and gaining greater ROI. Lunger and White will be part of a breakout session titled “Hear Directly From Media Covering the SEMA Show.” The session gives exhibitors the unique opportunity to hear directly from journalists who cover the SEMA Show. Participants will learn how the media navigate the Las Vegas Convention Center during the Show, what they look for, why they may not be able to cover a story, what their biggest frustrations are, and how exhibitors can increase the likelihood of being featured.

The SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit is open to all exhibitors, but space is limited. Registration is free and includes free hotel and meals during the event.

“The SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit is about helping our exhibitors succeed,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events. “We do everything we can to ensure they are informed about the programs available to help them reach their goals, whether it’s driving buyer traffic to their booths, creating industry awareness, generating media coverage or something else. We work with exhibitors individually to connect them with the programs and resources that meet their individual needs.”

To learn more about the Exhibitor Summit, visit www.semashow.com/exhibitor-summit. To learn more about media opportunities for exhibitors, contact pr@sema.org.

Thirteen-year-old Frances Farnam of Tinkergineering in Sierra Madre, California, bought her first car—a ’76 Porsche 914—using the money she made picking grapefruit and vegetables from her garden and selling them at the local farmer’s market.

Recently, she brought the 914 to the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California, where Director of Vehicle Technology Luis Morales demonstrated the Garage’s 3-D scanning capability. Farnam and her father Daniel plan to restore the car themselves and convert it to electric before showing it off at “SEMA Electrified” during the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

“I was always making things in my garage next to my dad, constantly stealing his solder wire to make figurines,” Farnam said. “I first got into cars when I bought this one at age 11 1/2. I don’t know where this project will take me, but I am still young and have tons of options out there. I know that this will be a stepping stone to get where I will eventually end up.”

Through her YouTube channel Tinkergineering, Farnam hopes to inspire other kids, both young and old, to get out there and make their dreams come true.

For more information about the SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com. For more information about the SEMA Garage, visit www.semagarage.com.

Here’s a first look at the ’23 Ford Super Duty King Ranch with its front end completely exposed.

The exposed front end shows off a completely revised design which includes a new hood, fenders, grille, lower front clip and headlights that are incorporated into the grille design (which appears to share its design with the King Ranch logo). Ford also carries over the C-clamp corporate look, although this time it encompasses the LED running light design. The King Ranch and Platinum are expected to share the same front-end design, minus paint combos. Around back, the changes appear to be minimal, with the addition of revised LED tail lamps.

Inside, the Super Duty will gain a sleek new 12-in. touchscreen mounted horizontally along with all the King Ranch touches, which include leather, and then more leather.

Power is still expected to come from a 3-engine portfolio: 6.2L V8, 7.3L V8 and the 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel. All engine options are expected to be mated to the TorqShift 10-speed automatic transmission. There should be a slight bump in power when it comes to the 6.7L Turbo Diesel.

Production of the Ford Super Duty will continue at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville. Expect an official debut sometime this fall.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

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.

The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is one of several hotels in the SEMA Show block located within one mile of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

All of the hotels available through the SEMA Show Block come with a low-price guarantee. To help ensure that your price remains the lowest, SEMA will price-match lower advertised rates, even after your reservations are set. Whether you're looking for your favorite place to stay, or for a hotel within close proximity to the Show, you can book with confidence knowing you will get the rooms you need at the the most affordable price available.

The SEMA Show also provides shuttle service to and from the Show for the hotels listed that are not within walking distance to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

There are more than 45 hotels available in the block. For more information on the hotels listed below, including rating, price per night and distance from the Las Vegas Convention Center, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

The following hotels are located within one mile of the Las Vegas Convention Center:

• Courtyard by Marriott – Las Vegas Convention Center (0.7 miles)
• Embassy Suites by Hilton – Las Vegas Convention Center (0.6 miles)
• Hilton Grand Vacations – Las Vegas Convention Center (0.7 miles)
• Las Vegas Marriott (0.9 miles)
• Residence Inn by Marriott – Las Vegas Convention Center (0.7 miles)
• Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino (0.1 miles)

Book your hotel now!

To reserve your booth for the 2022 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com/buyabooth.

 Exhibiting at the SEMA Show and entering at least one product in the New Products Showcase puts your latest products in front of thousands of qualified buyers from every segment of the specialty-equipment industry. The best part: the first product you enter is free!

The New Products Showcase is considered by many media and buyers to be the No. 1 destination to discover what’s new at the SEMA Show.

Entry Fees:

• The first product entered in one category in the New Products Showcase is FREE!
•  Additional $75 per product category before October 7.
•  After October 7, the cost is $150 per entry.
•  No refunds provided after October 7.
•  Entries submitted on-site will be accepted on a space availability basis.

The New Products Showcase is considered by many media and buyers to be the No. 1 destination to discover what’s new at the SEMA Show. Even if a product does not qualify as “new,” exhibitors are able to enter it as a featured product and still attract eyeballs to the item. All submissions are also professionally photographed in a mock studio on a white seamless background. The photos are shared and used by media in SEMA Show coverage and are also available to exhibitors to use for marketing purposes.

Exhibitors may enter as many products into the Showcase as they would like, and because every exhibitor qualifies to submit one entry at no cost, there is absolutely no reason for an exhibitor not to participate. The free product entry is one example of how exhibiting at the SEMA Show delivers great ROI. SEMA Show organizers offer many programs and services targeted to small businesses. Dedicated account reps are available to help exhibitors navigate the process, and the SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit is a free, two-day workshop designed to teach exhibitors how to get the most out of the SEMA Show.

Enter your new products now!

For more information on New Products Showcase display guidelines, visit www.semashow.com/esm.

 Feature Vehicle Applications are due Friday, July 29.

  Each year, the SEMA Show displays hundreds of vehicles throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center as part of the Show’s Feature Vehicle Program.

All vehicles on display are sponsored by an exhibiting company, allowing manufacturers to expand their footprint at the SEMA Show beyond their booth.

All vehicles on display are sponsored by an exhibiting company, allowing manufacturers to expand their footprint at the SEMA Show beyond their booth.

Each vehicle accepted will also be featured in the SEMA Show app, which displays each vehicle’s image, make, model, year, color, the products used as part of the build, the builder’s name and the name and booth number of the sponsoring exhibiting company.  

When completing the Feature Vehicle application, you may also select the option of having your vehicle enrolled for consideration in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition. The competition is judged by industry experts with top honors presented to individuals who have demonstrated extreme talent, creativity and craftsmanship in modifying cars, trucks and SUVs.

Submit your Feature Vehicle Application by the July 29 deadline.  

For any additional questions on submitting your Feature Vehicle application contact Maurice O’Connell at mauriceo@sema.org.

Click here for a complete list of SEMA Show deadlines.

By SEMA Editors

The SEMA Awards Gala, taking place on July 29, in Anaheim, California, is a celebration of the volunteers and pioneers who have helped build today's $50-billion specialty-equipment industry. Among those to be honored at this year’s Gala are incoming and outgoing board members, and 2022 SEMA Hall of Fame inductees Walker Evans, Jack Roush and “Gene” Winfield.

A limited number of tickets are still available for the prestigious SEMA Awards Gala. Get you tickets at www.sema.org/gala.

“The SEMA Awards Gala is a great opportunity for the industry to come together at mid-year to connect in person and have meaningful conversations in an intimate setting,” said SEMA CEO Mike Spagnola.

The SEMA Cares Pinewood Drags, a cherished Gala tradition, will also return to offer industry participants the chance to sponsor a child-built pinewood racecar or challenge industry colleagues in head-to-head competition. The SEMA Cares Pinewood Drags fundraiser runs in conjunction with the Gala. If you’d like to sponsor a race car or challenge colleagues, visit www.sema.org/semacares.

The races, which are run throughout the Friday reception and into the evening.

Tickets for he gala are available at www.sema.org/gala.

Immediately following the gala, there is a private SEMA PAC reception scheduled. For more information, contact Samantha Large at samanthal@sema.org or 202-796-2252.

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

CAD Vehicle Coordinator
Global Logistics Services

Global Logistics Services is seeking a technical CAD vehicle coordinator who will work with SEMA and General Motors on programs, such as Tech Transfer, measuring sessions and more. Successful candidates will serve as a key contact providing engineering and technical support to the aftermarket community. The job is a great opportunity to build contacts in the industry and plays a critical role in the product development of new products. 

Salesperson
4 Wheel Parts

4 Wheel Parts is hiring a salesperson to assist customers with product inquiries and sales, meet weekly and monthly sales objectives, pitch monthly sales promotions and assist in inventory control and stocking. Candidates should have consumer sales experience in a retail environment. Automotive experience and knowledge of four-wheel/off-road products are preferred.

Paint and Body Professional
Goolsby Customs

Goolsby Customs is looking to hire paint and body professionals. Candidates must be experienced in the custom hot-rod industry. The company offers competitive pay, benefits, moving expenses and paid time off for qualified candidates.

Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD Named Official Truck & Tow Vehicle of the NMCA

Chevrolet, a longtime sponsor and supporter of the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals, has expanded its role with the popular sanctioning body by becoming the “Official Truck & Tow Vehicle of NMCA” for 2022 and beyond.

The NMCA national event series has partnered with Chevrolet Performance for more than 20 years in various programs from launching the LSX lineup of factory performance parts to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the famed COPO Camaro. As the Official Truck & Tow Vehicle of NMCA, Chevrolet has provided the series a pair of 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD dually pickup trucks for towing and fire/safety purposes with more than a dozen competitions on the schedule as both a sanctioning body and event production company.

“Our long-term relationship with Chevrolet is very valuable to NMCA from their deeply engrained performance division and now their line-up of new trucks and tow vehicles. We’re thrilled to showcase these trucks across the country, displaying their capabilities to our racing community and relying on them as key components to fire/safety response in our high-speed sport,” said Rollie Miller, general manager and national event director of ProMedia Events & Publishing, the parent company to the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals, Holley NMRA Ford Nationals and ProMedia Productions.

The top-of-the-line Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD trucks will be showcased at all events for racers and fans—even as they stand ready to respond on the racetrack. The NMCA/NMRA teams use the trucks to move two large-sized United Trailers from Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales from track to track. The trailers contain safety equipment, onsite transportation, a series merchandise store, and the office space needed to successfully operate the second largest sanctioning body in drag racing.

For more information on the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD visit www.chevrolet.com/trucks/silverado/2500hd-3500hd.  For more information about the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals, visit www.NMCAdigital.com.

UPcarparts.com Named Headline Sponsor for 2022 C10 SLO Down

United Pacific Industries’ (UPI) subdivision UPcarparts.com is 2022’s main sponsor for one of the biggest Chevrolet C10 events of the year, the San Luis Obispo “C10
SLO Down.” Hosted at the 27-acre Madonna Inn, more than 800 classic Chevy and GM trucks are registered to show their vehicles on Saturday, July 23, from 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (PDT). Originated by C10 Club Central Coast representative Paul Karp, the event began as a casual, annual meet-up at various locations throughout Central California, before being more formally coordinated this year. 2022 organizers are Tony Ortega, president of C10 Club Sacramento, Carlos Vidales of Dropped Lower, and John Oro of C10 Club, who hope to create a tighter bond between Southern and Northern California C10 fans at this free-to-attend event.

UPI will showcase four vehicles at its event booth: Tony Cole’s ’74 C10, Lance Teruya’s ’87 C10, Eddie Dean Franco’s ’86 Chevy K5 Blazer and Oro’s ’71 K5 Blazer (aka “Prom Queen”), all of which feature UPI’s line of LED lights. The UPI team will have C10 LED lights onsite for sale at a 15% discount, is raffling multiple items, and will be livestreaming on its @upcarparts Facebook and Instagram pages throughout the day.

Mishimoto Announces Summer Car Park Party

Mishimoto announced that it will hold its Summer Car Park Party—along with Turn14 and Pit+Paddock—at the Mishimoto Headquarters in Delaware, 5:00 p.m., Saturday, July 23.

The Summer Car Park Party will feature specialized custom vehicles, unique enthusiast builds and opportunities for for attendees to get sneak peek at Mishimoto’s R&D facility. The event will also feature a live DJ and food trucks.

Mullen Automotive Receives Order for 600 Cargo Vans

Emerging electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, Mullen Automotive Inc., announced it signed a binding agreement with DelPack Logistics LLC (DPL), an Amazon Delivery Service Partner, for DPL to purchase up to 600 Mullen Class 2 EV cargo vans over the next 18 months. Conditions to the binding agreement between Mullen and DPL include: DPL will place a purchase order for up to 600 Mullen Class 2 electric cargo vans over the next 18 months; the 600 Class 2 EV Cargo Vans will be fully homologated for the United States; and the first 300 fully homologated for the United States Mullen Class 2 EV Cargo Vans can be delivered to DPL by November 30, 2022, at the request of DPL.

All Mullen Class 2 electric cargo vans will be equipped with all airbags as required by United States standards and a cabin comfort package, including adjustable seats, cup holders, an infotainment system, and a comfortable passenger seat. In addition, the Mullen Class 2 electric cargo vans will carry a minimum of an 80 kilowatt-per-hour battery pack.

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.

  Registration for the 2022 SEMA Show, the premier gathering for the automotive specialty-equipment industry, is now open at www.semashow.com/register.

Taking place November 1–4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the 2022 SEMA Show will build upon the positive momentum following last year’s event, which successfully connected the $47.8 billion industry in person in what was the largest automotive trade show in North America since the pandemic shut everything down in 2020.

“The SEMA Show is where industry professionals go to grow existing relationships, create new ones and push their businesses forward,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events. “Exhibitors are eager to showcase their products and services to the tens of thousands of qualified professionals in attendance.”

Anticipation for this year's SEMA Show ramped up in recent weeks as exhibitors selected their booth locations during Priority Space Selection, a weeks-long process that took place May 2–18.

“Enthusiasm for the 2022 Show continues to exceed last year’s, with more than 1 million sq. ft. of exhibitor space already committed for the 2022 SEMA Show and confirmed spaces running 25% above last year,” said Warren Kosikov, SEMA vice president of sales.

Attendees at the 2022 SEMA Show will learn about the latest products, trends and technology in the industry from manufacturers exhibiting throughout the entire Las Vegas Convention Center, including the surrounding parking lots. Educational seminars led by industry experts and networking events that bring market niches together will also be available during the four-day trade event.

“Our industry continues to thrive despite current challenges in the marketplace, and last year’s event proved that the value of conducting business and networking face-to-face can never be replaced,” said Gattuso. “Our mission is to help continue that momentum by providing an unparalleled experience that builds meaningful business relationships.”

Registration for the 2022 SEMA Show is offered in three categories—attendee, exhibitor and media—and everyone must qualify to attend. Attendees are encouraged to register early at www.semashow.com/register so they can secure their credentials and receive updates on breaking news from the 2022 SEMA Show.

Attendees are encouraged to check the floorplan to see where the companies they need to interact with will be located at the 2022 SEMA Show.

For more information about qualifying documents and the 2022 SEMA Show, log on to www.semashow.com.