By SEMA Editors

More than 3,000 credentialed media attend the SEMA Show each year. One of the many ways exhibitors can get their news to editors and reporters is by holding a press conference at the SEMA Show.

Official 2017 SEMA Show Press Conference Schedule

Monday, October 30, 2017

• 12:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.—SEMA: Media Preview Exclusive, Presented by the Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA) (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 1:00 p.m.–1:20 p.m.—SEMA: Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA), Truck and Offroad Market Updates (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 1:30 p.m.–1:50 p.m.—Texas Auto Media Association: Auto Judge Awards Presentation (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.—ARB 4x4 Accessories: Groundbreaking New Product From ARB 4x4 Accessories; lunch will be served (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.—SEMA: Vehicle Reveal (Outside the Grand Lobby Entrance)

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

• 7:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m.—SEMA: New Products Breakfast, Featuring the SEMA Award Press Conference; breakfast will be served (Paradise Event Center, located in the Westgate Hotel)
• 9:00 a.m.–9:20 a.m.—KIA Motors America Inc., KIA Motors America (Booth #10809)
• 9:30 a.m.–9:50 a.m.—House of Kolor, House of Kolor Commemorative Divco Unveiling (Booth #23513)
• 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m.—Toyota Motor North America, Toyota Press Conference (Booth #24800)
• 10:30 a.m.–10:50 a.m.—Ford Motor Co., Ford Motor Company Press Conference (Booth #22200)
• 11:00 a.m.–11:20 a.m.—Hyundai Motor America, Hyundai Motorsports and Performance Tuning (Booth #24387)
• 11:30 a.m.–11:50 a.m.—General Motors LLC, Chevrolet Performance Variants and Motorsports (Booth #23743)
• 12:00 p.m.–12:20 p.m.—SEMA: Battle of the Builders, Top 40 Finalist (Grand Lobby, SEMA Central)
• 12:30 p.m.–1:20 p.m.—SHELL, Ken Block Exclusive Video Screening and Discussion, plus Vehicle Unveil; lunch will be served (Booth #60005, Silver Lot)
• 1:30 p.m.–1:40 p.m.—Coker Tire, Coker Tire Press Conference (Booth #22775)
• 1:50 p.m.–2:00 p.m.—Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Press Conference (Booth #10639)
• 2:10 p.m.–2:20 p.m.—Valspar Automotive, Valspar Automotive Announcing New Matrix Mavericks of Color for 2018 (Booth #10839)
• 2:30 p.m.–2:50 p.m.—SCORE International, SCORE Baja 1000 50th Anniversary and Qualifier (Booth #62003, Silver Lot)
• 3:00 p.m.–3:20 p.m.—Driven Performance Brands, Unveiling of Booth Show Cars (Booth #22351)
• 3:30 p.m.–3:50 p.m.—OPTIMA Batteries, OPTIMA Batteries Unveils Expansion to Battery Technology (Booth #20323)
• 4:26 p.m.–4:50 p.m.—FCA US/Mopar, FCA U.S.: Mopar Media Briefing (Booth #43155)
• 5:40 p.m.–6:40 p.m.—Shell, Shell Press Conference; cocktails will be served (Booth #60005, Silver Lot)

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

• 9:00 a.m.–9:20 a.m.—Centerforce Clutches, Stars of “Speed is the New Black” Debut Resto-Mod Chrysler (Booth #23813)
• 9:30 a.m.–9:50 a.m.—AkzoNobel, Introducing AkzoNobel Carbeat—A Digital Process Solution (Booth #25163)
• 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m.—Skyjacker Suspensions, Skyjacker Matchbox Releases Announcements (Booth #34067)
• 10:30 a.m.–10:50 a.m.—Tire Industry Association (TIA), TIA Training and Government Affairs: 2018 Outlook and Updates (Booth #40066)
• 11:00 a.m.–11:20 a.m.—Shell, Hennessey Venom F5: Aiming for the World Record (Booth #60005, Silver Lot)
• 11:30 a.m.–11:50 a.m.—SEMA: Battle of the Builders, Top 12 Finalist (Velocity and Discovery’s Motor Village)
• 12:00 p.m.–12:50 p.m.—SEMA: Lunch Press Conference, New Tech for Old Cars; The Billion Dollar Tech Transformation; lunch will be served (Grand Lobby, SEMA Central)
• 1:00 p.m.–1:20 p.m.—TRI-ACE Wheel & Tire Corp., Tires Gone Wild (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 1:30 p.m.–1:50 p.m.—Solar Gard, Solar Gard and Zero to 60 to Unveil Top-Secret Project (Booth #12669)
• 2:00 p.m.–2:20 p.m.—Goodguys Enterprises Inc., Goodguys Gold Awards (Booth #22975)
• 2:30 p.m.–2:50 p.m.—SpeedKore Performance Group, SpeedKore New Vehicles and Carbon Fiber Parts Announcement, Plus Celebrity Appearance (Booth #24093)
• 3:00 p.m.–3:20 p.m.—Formula Drift Holdings LLC, Details for the 15th Anniversary Season to be Announced (Media Center, Rm. S220)   
• 3:30 p.m.–3:50 p.m.—AkzoNobel, AkzoNobel & Dave Kindig Launch New Custom Color Paint Line (Booth #25163)
• 4:00 p.m.–4:20 p.m.—Mothers Polishes-Waxes-Cleaners, 2017 Mothers Shine Award (Booth 22957)

Thursday, November 2, 2017

• 9:00 a.m.–9:20 a.m.—ASA Automotive Systems, ASA Introduces its Latest Software—TireMaster GTX (Booth #41069)
• 9:30 a.m.–9:50 a.m.—ECUMaster, Announcing the ECUMaster EMU CLASSIC and PMU16-DL, Plus Vehicle Reveal (Booth #34255)
• 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m.—Nexen Tire Automotive, From the Street to the Trail: Nexen Heads Off-Road (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 11:30 a.m.–11:50 a.m.—HP Tuners LLC, MPVI.2 Release (Booth #24229)
• 1:00 p.m.–1:20 p.m.—Castel Technologies, Kit for Upgrading a Car to a Smart Car (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 2:00 p.m.–2:20 p.m.—ProComp/Smittybilt/Rubicon Express/Poison Spyder/G2 Axle/LRG Rims, 3rd Annual Life is Better Off-Road Award (Booth #62112)

Friday, November 3, 2017

• 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.—SEMA: Battle of the Builders Top 12 Finalists Judging (Velocity and Discovery’s Motor Village)
• 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.—SEMA: Battle of the Builders Top 3 Finalists Announced (SEMA Cruise, North Hall)
• 7:00 p.m.—SEMA: Battle of the Builders Winner Announced (SEMA Ignited, Gold Lot)

By SEMA Editors

More than 3,000 credentialed media attend the SEMA Show each year. One of the many ways exhibitors can get their news to editors and reporters is by holding a press conference at the SEMA Show.

Official 2017 SEMA Show Press Conference Schedule

Monday, October 30, 2017

• 12:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.—SEMA: Media Preview Exclusive, Presented by the Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA) (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 1:00 p.m.–1:20 p.m.—SEMA: Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA), Truck and Offroad Market Updates (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 1:30 p.m.–1:50 p.m.—Texas Auto Media Association: Auto Judge Awards Presentation (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.—ARB 4x4 Accessories: Groundbreaking New Product From ARB 4x4 Accessories; lunch will be served (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.—SEMA: Vehicle Reveal (Outside the Grand Lobby Entrance)

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

• 7:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m.—SEMA: New Products Breakfast, Featuring the SEMA Award Press Conference; breakfast will be served (Paradise Event Center, located in the Westgate Hotel)
• 9:00 a.m.–9:20 a.m.—KIA Motors America Inc., KIA Motors America (Booth #10809)
• 9:30 a.m.–9:50 a.m.—House of Kolor, House of Kolor Commemorative Divco Unveiling (Booth #23513)
• 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m.—Toyota Motor North America, Toyota Press Conference (Booth #24800)
• 10:30 a.m.–10:50 a.m.—Ford Motor Co., Ford Motor Company Press Conference (Booth #22200)
• 11:00 a.m.–11:20 a.m.—Hyundai Motor America, Hyundai Motorsports and Performance Tuning (Booth #24387)
• 11:30 a.m.–11:50 a.m.—General Motors LLC, Chevrolet Performance Variants and Motorsports (Booth #23743)
• 12:00 p.m.–12:20 p.m.—SEMA: Battle of the Builders, Top 40 Finalist (Grand Lobby, SEMA Central)
• 12:30 p.m.–1:20 p.m.—SHELL, Ken Block Exclusive Video Screening and Discussion, plus Vehicle Unveil; lunch will be served (Booth #60005, Silver Lot)
• 1:30 p.m.–1:40 p.m.—Coker Tire, Coker Tire Press Conference (Booth #22775)
• 1:50 p.m.–2:00 p.m.—Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Press Conference (Booth #10639)
• 2:10 p.m.–2:20 p.m.—Valspar Automotive, Valspar Automotive Announcing New Matrix Mavericks of Color for 2018 (Booth #10839)
• 2:30 p.m.–2:50 p.m.—SCORE International, SCORE Baja 1000 50th Anniversary and Qualifier (Booth #62003, Silver Lot)
• 3:00 p.m.–3:20 p.m.—Driven Performance Brands, Unveiling of Booth Show Cars (Booth #22351)
• 3:30 p.m.–3:50 p.m.—OPTIMA Batteries, OPTIMA Batteries Unveils Expansion to Battery Technology (Booth #20323)
• 4:26 p.m.–4:50 p.m.—FCA US/Mopar, FCA U.S.: Mopar Media Briefing (Booth #43155)
• 5:40 p.m.–6:40 p.m.—Shell, Shell Press Conference; cocktails will be served (Booth #60005, Silver Lot)

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

• 9:00 a.m.–9:20 a.m.—Centerforce Clutches, Stars of “Speed is the New Black” Debut Resto-Mod Chrysler (Booth #23813)
• 9:30 a.m.–9:50 a.m.—AkzoNobel, Introducing AkzoNobel Carbeat—A Digital Process Solution (Booth #25163)
• 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m.—Skyjacker Suspensions, Skyjacker Matchbox Releases Announcements (Booth #34067)
• 10:30 a.m.–10:50 a.m.—Tire Industry Association (TIA), TIA Training and Government Affairs: 2018 Outlook and Updates (Booth #40066)
• 11:00 a.m.–11:20 a.m.—Shell, Hennessey Venom F5: Aiming for the World Record (Booth #60005, Silver Lot)
• 11:30 a.m.–11:50 a.m.—SEMA: Battle of the Builders, Top 12 Finalist (Velocity and Discovery’s Motor Village)
• 12:00 p.m.–12:50 p.m.—SEMA: Lunch Press Conference, New Tech for Old Cars; The Billion Dollar Tech Transformation; lunch will be served (Grand Lobby, SEMA Central)
• 1:00 p.m.–1:20 p.m.—TRI-ACE Wheel & Tire Corp., Tires Gone Wild (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 1:30 p.m.–1:50 p.m.—Solar Gard, Solar Gard and Zero to 60 to Unveil Top-Secret Project (Booth #12669)
• 2:00 p.m.–2:20 p.m.—Goodguys Enterprises Inc., Goodguys Gold Awards (Booth #22975)
• 2:30 p.m.–2:50 p.m.—SpeedKore Performance Group, SpeedKore New Vehicles and Carbon Fiber Parts Announcement, Plus Celebrity Appearance (Booth #24093)
• 3:00 p.m.–3:20 p.m.—Formula Drift Holdings LLC, Details for the 15th Anniversary Season to be Announced (Media Center, Rm. S220)   
• 3:30 p.m.–3:50 p.m.—AkzoNobel, AkzoNobel & Dave Kindig Launch New Custom Color Paint Line (Booth #25163)
• 4:00 p.m.–4:20 p.m.—Mothers Polishes-Waxes-Cleaners, 2017 Mothers Shine Award (Booth 22957)

Thursday, November 2, 2017

• 9:00 a.m.–9:20 a.m.—ASA Automotive Systems, ASA Introduces its Latest Software—TireMaster GTX (Booth #41069)
• 9:30 a.m.–9:50 a.m.—ECUMaster, Announcing the ECUMaster EMU CLASSIC and PMU16-DL, Plus Vehicle Reveal (Booth #34255)
• 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m.—Nexen Tire Automotive, From the Street to the Trail: Nexen Heads Off-Road (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 11:30 a.m.–11:50 a.m.—HP Tuners LLC, MPVI.2 Release (Booth #24229)
• 1:00 p.m.–1:20 p.m.—Castel Technologies, Kit for Upgrading a Car to a Smart Car (Media Center, Rm. S220)
• 2:00 p.m.–2:20 p.m.—ProComp/Smittybilt/Rubicon Express/Poison Spyder/G2 Axle/LRG Rims, 3rd Annual Life is Better Off-Road Award (Booth #62112)

Friday, November 3, 2017

• 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.—SEMA: Battle of the Builders Top 12 Finalists Judging (Velocity and Discovery’s Motor Village)
• 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.—SEMA: Battle of the Builders Top 3 Finalists Announced (SEMA Cruise, North Hall)
• 7:00 p.m.—SEMA: Battle of the Builders Winner Announced (SEMA Ignited, Gold Lot)

Compiled by SEMA Editors

James Deane defeated Chris Forsberg in Formula DRIFT Round 7 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Formula DRIFT Round 7: James Deane Increases His Chances for a Championship

Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras returned to Texas Motor Speedway for Round 7: AutoZone Showdown, where James Deane in the Worthhouse/Falken Tire Nissan S15 had a perfect weekend as the number-one qualifier with his second consecutive event victory. Deane has tied a Formula DRIFT record with his fourth event victory in a single season to increase his lead in the Pro Championship standings with only one event remaining. Deane edged out former champion and second in points Fredric Aasbo in the Rockstar Energy/Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM to advance to the finals. On the other side of the Top 4 bracket, former champion Chris Forsberg in the NOS Energy/Hankook Nissan 370Z defeated Aurimas Bakchis in the Falken Tires/Drifz Wheels Nissan 240. In the Finals, Deane’s consistent driving proved to be too much as Forsberg fell back and took a shallow line on his chase run, which ultimately lead to his win and a considerable lead heading into the finals. The action continues to Round 8: Title Fight, October 13–14, at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, California.

Yokohama is the title sponsor of the 2018 Yokohama National Off-Road Racing Association’s (NORRA) Mexican 1000.

Yokohama Tire to Rock Baja as Title Sponsor of the 2018 NORRA Mexican 1000

Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) has announced it has fortified its off-road racing ties as the title sponsor of the 2018 Yokohama National Off-Road Racing Association’s (NORRA) Mexican 1000—a five-day, 1,300-mile blast down Mexico’s Baja peninsula. The 51st running of the rally begins April 22, 2018, in Ensenada, with pre-event activities starting April 20.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

James Deane defeated Chris Forsberg in Formula DRIFT Round 7 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Formula DRIFT Round 7: James Deane Increases His Chances for a Championship

Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras returned to Texas Motor Speedway for Round 7: AutoZone Showdown, where James Deane in the Worthhouse/Falken Tire Nissan S15 had a perfect weekend as the number-one qualifier with his second consecutive event victory. Deane has tied a Formula DRIFT record with his fourth event victory in a single season to increase his lead in the Pro Championship standings with only one event remaining. Deane edged out former champion and second in points Fredric Aasbo in the Rockstar Energy/Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM to advance to the finals. On the other side of the Top 4 bracket, former champion Chris Forsberg in the NOS Energy/Hankook Nissan 370Z defeated Aurimas Bakchis in the Falken Tires/Drifz Wheels Nissan 240. In the Finals, Deane’s consistent driving proved to be too much as Forsberg fell back and took a shallow line on his chase run, which ultimately lead to his win and a considerable lead heading into the finals. The action continues to Round 8: Title Fight, October 13–14, at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, California.

Yokohama is the title sponsor of the 2018 Yokohama National Off-Road Racing Association’s (NORRA) Mexican 1000.

Yokohama Tire to Rock Baja as Title Sponsor of the 2018 NORRA Mexican 1000

Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) has announced it has fortified its off-road racing ties as the title sponsor of the 2018 Yokohama National Off-Road Racing Association’s (NORRA) Mexican 1000—a five-day, 1,300-mile blast down Mexico’s Baja peninsula. The 51st running of the rally begins April 22, 2018, in Ensenada, with pre-event activities starting April 20.

Johnson and his ’70 Chevy Camaro are heading to the 2017 SEMA Show to compete in the Battle of the Builders competition.

https://youtu.be/iTYjiK8fm1w

Johnson and his ’70 Chevy Camaro are heading to the 2017 SEMA Show to compete in the Battle of the Builders competition.

https://youtu.be/iTYjiK8fm1w

Johnson and his ’70 Chevy Camaro are heading to the 2017 SEMA Show to compete in the Battle of the Builders competition.

https://youtu.be/iTYjiK8fm1w

By SEMA Editors

WD-40 Co. is teaming with builder Aaron Vaccar and The Vaccar Co. on a SEMA Show restoration build featuring the iconic ’66 Ford Bronco.

WD-40 Co. is teaming with noted builder Aaron Vaccar and The Vaccar Co. on a restoration build that blends old and new: the iconic ’66 Ford Bronco—the vehicle’s debut year—equipped with a turbocharged EcoBoost drivetrain.

Continuing WD-40 Co.’s eight-year partnership with SEMA, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco will make its debut at the 2017 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Tuesday, October 31, in the WD-40 Brand booth (#62129), and will be auctioned off in 2018 to benefit SEMA Cares. Through SEMA Cares, proceeds will benefit Childhelp, an organization that provides services to abused and neglected children, and the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, which offers scholarships to students entering the automotive aftermarket. 

To date, WD-40 Co. has raised more than $800,000 for these charities through vehicle restorations and auctions.

The Vaccar Co. was selected as the vehicle builder after an extensive search by WD-40 Co. Vaccar’s affinity for the WD-40 brand, foresight for putting WD-40 brand products to use in the build and creativity in developing the vehicle concept stood out above the rest, according to Tim Lesmeister, vice president of marketing at WD-40 Co. For Vaccar, the build is a passion project.

“The WD-40/SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco allows us to pay tribute to traditional hot-rodding standards of execution and finish with a first-of-its-kind vehicle,” said Vaccar. “The EcoBoost drivetrain will give the cult classic a modern spin and turbocharged power and efficiency for the future. There could not be a more iconic brand than WD-40 brand to partner with on a vehicle sure to generate excitement from Bronco, off-road and automotive enthusiasts nationwide.”

The vehicle’s color is inspired by the famous blue-and-yellow can of WD-40 Multi-Use Product. In addition to this product, several WD-40 Specialist products will be instrumental to the build, including WD-40 Specialist Superior Performance True Multi-Purpose Grease, Spray & Stay Gel Lubricant, Rust Release Penetrant Spray and the new WD-40 Specialist Industrial-Strength Cleaner & Degreaser, which has a water-based, non-aerosol formula.

“We have a long history of supporting the automotive industry with products that help auto pros get the job done and through our partnership with SEMA,” said Lesmeister. “This project allows WD-40 Co. to continue that tradition of support for the automotive industry, aftermarket professionals and auto enthusiasts in their restoration and customization projects.”

Build partners that have donated product for use on the Bronco include AIRAID, AMSOIL, AutoMeter, B&M, BASF, Blood & Grease, Detroit Steel Wheel, Diode Dynamics, Flowmaster, General Tire, Grip Royal, Mishimoto, POR-15, The Club, VMS Racing and XS Power.

The vehicle will be featured in the WD-40 Brand booth #62129 outside the South Hall at the SEMA Show.

By SEMA Editors

WD-40 Co. is teaming with builder Aaron Vaccar and The Vaccar Co. on a SEMA Show restoration build featuring the iconic ’66 Ford Bronco.

WD-40 Co. is teaming with noted builder Aaron Vaccar and The Vaccar Co. on a restoration build that blends old and new: the iconic ’66 Ford Bronco—the vehicle’s debut year—equipped with a turbocharged EcoBoost drivetrain.

Continuing WD-40 Co.’s eight-year partnership with SEMA, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco will make its debut at the 2017 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Tuesday, October 31, in the WD-40 Brand booth (#62129), and will be auctioned off in 2018 to benefit SEMA Cares. Through SEMA Cares, proceeds will benefit Childhelp, an organization that provides services to abused and neglected children, and the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, which offers scholarships to students entering the automotive aftermarket. 

To date, WD-40 Co. has raised more than $800,000 for these charities through vehicle restorations and auctions.

The Vaccar Co. was selected as the vehicle builder after an extensive search by WD-40 Co. Vaccar’s affinity for the WD-40 brand, foresight for putting WD-40 brand products to use in the build and creativity in developing the vehicle concept stood out above the rest, according to Tim Lesmeister, vice president of marketing at WD-40 Co. For Vaccar, the build is a passion project.

“The WD-40/SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco allows us to pay tribute to traditional hot-rodding standards of execution and finish with a first-of-its-kind vehicle,” said Vaccar. “The EcoBoost drivetrain will give the cult classic a modern spin and turbocharged power and efficiency for the future. There could not be a more iconic brand than WD-40 brand to partner with on a vehicle sure to generate excitement from Bronco, off-road and automotive enthusiasts nationwide.”

The vehicle’s color is inspired by the famous blue-and-yellow can of WD-40 Multi-Use Product. In addition to this product, several WD-40 Specialist products will be instrumental to the build, including WD-40 Specialist Superior Performance True Multi-Purpose Grease, Spray & Stay Gel Lubricant, Rust Release Penetrant Spray and the new WD-40 Specialist Industrial-Strength Cleaner & Degreaser, which has a water-based, non-aerosol formula.

“We have a long history of supporting the automotive industry with products that help auto pros get the job done and through our partnership with SEMA,” said Lesmeister. “This project allows WD-40 Co. to continue that tradition of support for the automotive industry, aftermarket professionals and auto enthusiasts in their restoration and customization projects.”

Build partners that have donated product for use on the Bronco include AIRAID, AMSOIL, AutoMeter, B&M, BASF, Blood & Grease, Detroit Steel Wheel, Diode Dynamics, Flowmaster, General Tire, Grip Royal, Mishimoto, POR-15, The Club, VMS Racing and XS Power.

The vehicle will be featured in the WD-40 Brand booth #62129 outside the South Hall at the SEMA Show.

By SEMA Editors

WD-40 Co. is teaming with builder Aaron Vaccar and The Vaccar Co. on a SEMA Show restoration build featuring the iconic ’66 Ford Bronco.

WD-40 Co. is teaming with noted builder Aaron Vaccar and The Vaccar Co. on a restoration build that blends old and new: the iconic ’66 Ford Bronco—the vehicle’s debut year—equipped with a turbocharged EcoBoost drivetrain.

Continuing WD-40 Co.’s eight-year partnership with SEMA, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco will make its debut at the 2017 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Tuesday, October 31, in the WD-40 Brand booth (#62129), and will be auctioned off in 2018 to benefit SEMA Cares. Through SEMA Cares, proceeds will benefit Childhelp, an organization that provides services to abused and neglected children, and the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, which offers scholarships to students entering the automotive aftermarket. 

To date, WD-40 Co. has raised more than $800,000 for these charities through vehicle restorations and auctions.

The Vaccar Co. was selected as the vehicle builder after an extensive search by WD-40 Co. Vaccar’s affinity for the WD-40 brand, foresight for putting WD-40 brand products to use in the build and creativity in developing the vehicle concept stood out above the rest, according to Tim Lesmeister, vice president of marketing at WD-40 Co. For Vaccar, the build is a passion project.

“The WD-40/SEMA Cares Boosted Bronco allows us to pay tribute to traditional hot-rodding standards of execution and finish with a first-of-its-kind vehicle,” said Vaccar. “The EcoBoost drivetrain will give the cult classic a modern spin and turbocharged power and efficiency for the future. There could not be a more iconic brand than WD-40 brand to partner with on a vehicle sure to generate excitement from Bronco, off-road and automotive enthusiasts nationwide.”

The vehicle’s color is inspired by the famous blue-and-yellow can of WD-40 Multi-Use Product. In addition to this product, several WD-40 Specialist products will be instrumental to the build, including WD-40 Specialist Superior Performance True Multi-Purpose Grease, Spray & Stay Gel Lubricant, Rust Release Penetrant Spray and the new WD-40 Specialist Industrial-Strength Cleaner & Degreaser, which has a water-based, non-aerosol formula.

“We have a long history of supporting the automotive industry with products that help auto pros get the job done and through our partnership with SEMA,” said Lesmeister. “This project allows WD-40 Co. to continue that tradition of support for the automotive industry, aftermarket professionals and auto enthusiasts in their restoration and customization projects.”

Build partners that have donated product for use on the Bronco include AIRAID, AMSOIL, AutoMeter, B&M, BASF, Blood & Grease, Detroit Steel Wheel, Diode Dynamics, Flowmaster, General Tire, Grip Royal, Mishimoto, POR-15, The Club, VMS Racing and XS Power.

The vehicle will be featured in the WD-40 Brand booth #62129 outside the South Hall at the SEMA Show.