By SEMA Editors

Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.

  Exhibitors of the 2022 SEMA Show are invited to expand their reach, product exposure and Show-floor presence by offering products to builders through the Products for Project-Vehicle Builders list. The list connects manufacturers with builders looking to create or complete a vehicle project.

The list, which will be updated in SEMA eNews, features product offers and contact information provided by confirmed SEMA Show exhibitors. Builders interested in obtaining a product use the information to contact exhibitors directly. With each project vehicle required to be supported by a current 2022 SEMA Show exhibitor, all product-placement decisions, negotiations and agreements are the responsibility of the exhibiting manufacturer and the builder.

The list is open to exhibitors of the 2022 SEMA Show only. To be included in the list, complete the form.

Exhibitors: Each submission will appear on a first-come, first-served basis. As participation increases, all submissions will also be archived on www.SEMAShow.com.

Note: For verification purposes, the Project-Vehicle Builders form must be used to participate in the program; email submissions will not be included in the list. Participation in the list does not guarantee product or vehicle placement at the 2022 SEMA Show.

View the Products for Project-Vehicle Builders list.

By Ashley Reyes

Automakers have been creating high-performance vehicles for decades. The Big Three U.S. manufacturers have been a particularly dominant source for the aftermarket community.

SEMA members are invited to join a Facebook and Instagram live chat on Wednesday, July 27, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT), where three performance builders—each of whom focuses on a different brand—will share their expert opinions on where the industry is going, and why they choose to work with the OEMs that they do. Featuring Brian Tooley, Brian Tooley Racing; Sujal “Skip” Patel, partner at Demon Performance; and Joe Irwin, Fast Forward Race Engines, the live chat will dive into the unique characteristics of each of the Big Three OEMs and include live interactive questions and answers from the group.

Live Chat Location: SEMA Emerging Trends and Technology Network (ETTN) Facebook page and Instagram live (@ettn_sema).

By Ashley Reyes

Three customized third-generation Toyota 4Runners and two Jeep Wrangler TJs are now available for purchase via auction on BringaTrailer.com, as part of the SEMA High School Vehicle Build Program.

Each vehicle features dozens of donated parts from automotive parts manufacturers, and was built by students in high school automotive shop classes under the guidance of industry experts.

The public is invited to bid on the vehicles in auctions that are currently running on BringaTrailer.com.

The five vehicles and details, including the date the auction began, are:

July 18: A ’97 Toyota 4Runner customized by John Hersey High School in Chicago. The vehicle features the factory Desert Dune exterior color with a tan interior. Upgrades also include Alpine 7-in. screen multimedia head unit and backup camera, K&N cold-air intake, ICON Vehicle Dynamics Stage 2 suspension, as well as a True North Fabrications front and rear plate bumpers and a WARN winch.

Bid here.

John Hersey’s ’97 Toyota 4Runner.

July 19: An ’01 Jeep Wrangler TJ customized by Career Center High School in Winston Salem, North Carolina. The vehicle’s exterior has been fully custom painted in red, roll cage in black, with a complementing black vinyl soft top. Upgrades also include Katzkin front and rear custom leather seats, Azzy’s gauge overlay kit, and Rugged Ridge Drakon wheels on Atturo 33x12.5R17LT Trail Blade M/T Tires, 32.8-in. height.

Bid here.

Career Center High School’s ’01 Jeep Wrangler TJ.

July 20: A ’96 Toyota 4Runner customized by OPS Career Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The exterior is Sunfire Red Pearl with a black and tan interior. Upgrades also include PRP Enduro reclining seats and a custom back bench seat, Borla cat-back exhaust,True North Fabrications front and rear plate bumpers with spare-tire carrier swingout and RBP Saharan wheels on Atturo LT275/65/R18 Trail Blade M/T Tires, 32.3-in. height.

OPS Career Center’s ’96 Toyota 4Runner.

July 21: An ’02 Jeep Wrangler TJ customized by Santa Fe ECO in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The vehicle is custom painted in a USC Dominator Bed Liner tinted Matte Green with the original black hardtop. Both the OEM doors and trail doors are included, each with their own set of mirrors. The frame and under body are detailed and painted with 3M undercoating, topped with SEM semi-gloss hot-rod black.

Santa Fe ECO’s ’02 Jeep Wrangler TJ.

July 22: A ’97 Toyota 4Runner customized by Comstock HS in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The vehicle features a full exterior repaint in Quicksand Tan, Katzkin front and rear custom leather seats, Borla cat-back exhaust, True North Fabrications front and rear plate bumpers with spare-tire carrier swingout, and bronze-finished ICON wheels on Atturo 35x12.5R17LT Trail Blade M/T Tires, 34.8-in. height.

Comstock HS’ ’97 Toyota 4Runner.

Visit BringaTrailer.com to see all the upgrades and build details of each vehicle in the upcoming auction.

Ten participating high schools participated in the 2020 SEMA High School Vehicle Build Program, which was put on hold due to COVID-19 and resumed earlier this year. The program helps students learn about the automotive customization hobby and give them real-world, hands-on educational experiences. They also received build training directly from product manufacturers and industry members who visited the schools.
The remaining five vehicles will be auctioned off in late September. Proceeds from the auctions will be reinvested back into the program and other SEMA Education Youth Engagement initiatives.

For more details about the program and the vehicles, visit www.sema.org/student-builds.

The SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) named Kristina Coburn, marketing manager of the truck bed cover division at RealTruck, as the newest #SheIsSEMA spotlight member.

Get to know Coburn in her interview with SEMA below.

SEMA: What do you enjoy most about working at RealTruck?

Kristina Coburn: I love it for being such a large corporation but they keep the family feel.

SEMA: What is the most challenging part of running your business or job?

KC: The most challenging part of my job specifically is managing the several bed cover brands while making sure they all keep their unique brand voices throughout the market.

SEMA: How many years have you been in the industry and what was your first industry job?

KC: I have been in the automotive industry just under 10 years and it all started way back when at 4WheelDrive Hardware. I got hired in to be a customer service rep and fell in love with Jeeps and off-roading.

SEMA: What are three qualities that got you to where you are today?

KC: Three key qualities that I believe helped me get to this level in my career would be organization, addiction to problem-solving, and the big one—passion. The passion to be better personally, professionally and help my team and company.

SEMA: Being a woman in the industry, what have been your biggest challenges and accomplishments?

KC: I hate to say I have had challenges just because I am a woman in what they call “a man’s industry.”  Times have changed for the most part I think, but the biggest challenge was coming into the industry as an adult falling in love with it, and having to play catch up alongside colleagues and peers who, for the most part, have been living and breathing this industry since they were children.

SEMA: Who are your role models or mentors in the industry?

KC: Easy! There are two women in this industry that I have looked up to for several years, though they may not know this or know their stories and leadership have inspired me to grow and also get more and more involved in the industry as a whole. They are Erika Marquez and Marla Moore.

SEMA: What is the best career advice you have received?

KC: My grandmother would always tell me a situation can make you better or bitter. This works in my everyday life at home or in the office—something happens or just doesn’t go your way. Choose to be better, not bitter.

SEMA: Have you always wanted to work in the automotive industry?

KC: I stumbled into this industry about 10 years ago looking for office work to help build my resume. I was answering phones for 4WheelDrive Hardware, a Jeep-focused business, and fell in love. As I started to focus on my career and growth it was suggested to me to network and volunteer for a SEMA network. I got linked up with SBN and it’s all history from there. The people in this industry are amazing and always there to help you learn and grow and be involved.

SEMA: Who was the most influential person on your career or goals?

KC: My mother.

Do you know, or are you, a woman with a career in the automotive industry? Fill out a #SheIsSEMA spotlight form to submit a self-nomination or nominate a colleague and highlight how you or she is contributing to the specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are automatically eligible to be considered for SBN's #SheIsSEMA Woman of the Year award, featured on SBN's social media, SEMA News and recognized on the www.sema.org/she-is-sema website.

Pruett, Hight, Hartford and M. Smith Open Western Swing With Wins at Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals

Leah Pruett went 3.884 seconds at 316.38 mph in her 11,000-hp Dodge Power Brokers dragster to knock off Shawn Langdon in the final round.

Leah Pruett delivered the first Top Fuel win for Tony Stewart Racing, powering to the victory on Sunday at the 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. Robert Hight (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the 11th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. The stop in Denver marks the first event in the three-race NHRA Western Swing. Pruett went 3.884 seconds at 316.38 mph in her 11,000-hp Dodge Power Brokers dragster to knock off Shawn Langdon in the final round.

In a Funny Car finals rematch of the most recent race in Norwalk, Hight delivered the same result against Bob Tasca III, continuing his incredible season by going 4.065 at 311.92 in his 11,000-hp Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS. That gives the points leader his second straight win, fifth this season and 58th in his career, and his fifth victory in Denver.

Hartford used a .004 reaction time and then a strong run of 6.967 at 196.36 in his Total Seal Camaro to knock off No. 1 qualifier Aaron Stanfield in the finals.

Smith capped off a dominant weekend in Pro Stock Motorcycle by going 7.097 at 190.22 on his Denso Auto Parts Buell to knock off Joey Gladstone and win for the second straight time in Denver.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action July 22–24 with the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway.

Chicago To Host First-Ever NASCAR Cup Series Street Race In 2023

NASCAR has announced the NASCAR Cup Series will race on the streets of downtown Chicago, July 1–2, 2023. The first-ever NASCAR Chicago Street Race will take place July 2, and be preceded by an IMSA-sanctioned race, which will run July 1. The specific IMSA series will be announced at a later date.

Officials will transform Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue, Columbus Drive and surrounding thoroughfares into a 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course, with the start-finish line and pit road located along South Columbus Drive in front of Buckingham Fountain. The course will pass through Grant Park, as well as approach the northern edge of Soldier Field—home to the Chicago Bears and the site of the only other Cup Series race to take place in Chicago in 1956.

The course layout was first developed on the iRacing platform, which was used in the 2021 eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series.

The Chicago Street Race will replace Road America on the Independence Day weekend schedule, as confirmed by Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing development and strategy.

For more information, visit nascar.com.

NMCA Announces ‘All-Star’ Event for NMCA All-American Nationals

ProMedia’s National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) has announced a new “All-Star” race is set for the NMCA All-American Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, August 25–28. The NMCA vs. Buckeye Stock/Super Stock All Stars presented by A&A Transmission class will feature a 32 cars. The field will include the top five in points for both the NMCA Stock Eliminator and Super Stock Eliminator classes, along with the top 10 in points for the Buckeye team, which runs its events as a single combination class of Stock and Super Stock racers. Then, the top points earner will be able to select a blocker from the non-seeded cars, and the remaining slots will be filled from the top qualifiers in Stock and Super Stock after Q1.

“There are basically two races for one entry fee,” NMCA’s Jim Bailey said in a release. “The NMCA and Buckeye Stock/Super Stock groups are each offering an extra $1,000 bonus if one of their cars wins. If a driver [wins] this deal, [they’ll] get $1,000 plus the other $1,000, and if [they] turn around and win the NMCA race that’s around $3,000—that’s a $5,000 weekend for a $150 entry fee.”

For more information, visit nmcadigital.com.

NHRA Announces First Four Races of 2023 Camping World Season

NHRA officials have announced the dates for the first four races for the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule, as the upcoming season will open March 9–12 with the 54th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Fans can also look forward to all four professional categories (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle) in attendance at Gainesville to start the season.

Following the March opener in Gainesville, the NHRA will head to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park on March 24–26 for the final NHRA Arizona Nationals. Drivers will look to end nearly four decades of racing in Phoenix with a victory, and the last NHRA Arizona Nationals also starts a three-race stretch over four weeks on the West Coast. The 63rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals takes place the following weekend, March 30–April 2, at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

After an off week, the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series will go to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on April 14–16 for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals to wrap up the first four races of the 2023 NHRA season. It is the first of two races in Las Vegas, with the spring race featuring four-wide racing.

The full 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule will be announced soon, as well as details on class schedules.

For more racing news, visit Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) website.

By Ashley Reyes

Shop owners can gain a competitive edge by becoming product experts. The SEMA Professional Restylers Organization’s (PRO) Installer Training and General Membership Meeting on August 18 will include activities that will help restylers, installers and technicians learn about some of the newest and hottest auto accessories, including installation tips, techniques and marketing messages. Participants will be able to answer any questions their customers may have about the products, and provide top-quality service.  

The PRO Installer Training and General Membership Meeting on August 18 will include activities that will help restylers, installers and technicians learn about some of the newest and hottest auto accessories.

The agenda includes hands-on installation techniques from Katzkin, Llumar, Brandmotion, Voxx and Champion Auto, and shop owners will engage in high-quality roundtable discussions with other shop owners and sales personnel from throughout the area.  

“There’s no other training that provides such an intimate setting for shop owners and installers to level up their skills and learn the product knowledge needed to give them a competitive edge,” said PRO Council Director Denise Waddingham. “Our specialists are targeted to help our members master their craft, which can ultimately boost their business.”  

This opportunity is free to PRO member companies and their staff, making it affordable for shop owners to grow their team’s knowledge. Attendees will also have the chance to attend a PRO networking event at Old Burdick’s in Kalamazoo from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. the same evening, and are invited to attend a Cars and Coffee at the SEMA Garage Detroit on August 19 and stay for the Woodward Dream Cruise on August 20. Auto Image is a two-hour drive from SEMA Garage Detroit and the Woodward Dream Cruise.

Learn more and sign up here. 

By Ashley Reyes

The product-development process has evolved tremendously. In addition to having to adapt to complex vehicle technology, engineers today have tools and resources that impact the way products are made. The SEMA Emerging Trends & Technology Network (ETTN) is hosting a comprehensive event where engineers will learn how to develop products for today’s sophisticated cars and trucks while keeping the vehicles in compliance, as well as discover ways to streamline the product development process for greater efficiency and accuracy.

Called the Networking, Education, Resources, Development (N.E.R.D) Symposium, the first-ever event will take place August 16–19 in conjunction with the grand opening of the new SEMA Garage in Detroit. Participants will take part in in-depth training sessions focused on:

• Computer modeling electric vehicles for the performance vehicle industry.
• Emissions regulations and lessons learned for the performance aftermarket.
• Advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS).

Participants will also meet and learn about vendors that can assist with 3-D scanning, printing, data management and more.

The SEMA ETTN N.E.R.D. Symposium is the best place for automotive aftermarket engineers to connect and talk about the issues and challenges that affect them most.

“Meeting with experts is one of the best ways to stay informed, and this event will help engineers stay up-to-date on the emerging trends and tools related to electric vehicles, engine tuning, emissions compliance and advanced driver assistance systems,” said ETTN Council Director Nicole Bradle. “These technologies represent significant opportunities and challenges for the performance aftermarket, so it’s important to know the latest trends and hear from experts in these areas.”

Education sessions will focus on the latest emissions regulations that OEMs are tackling and common issues experienced while trying to emissions-certify aftermarket products, as well as the latest technologies and strategies for performance engine calibration within the constraints of emissions compliance.

Modeling and simulation of electric vehicles—which are critical tools for designing groundbreaking EV products—and the latest developments and techniques for responsible modification of vehicles with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems will also be presented.

View the full event schedule and register here by July 22.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) announced his support for the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act during a recent visit to HP Tuners in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.

(From left) Keith Prociuk, HP Tuners’ CEO and co-wwner; Rep. Brad Schneider; Andrew Mernone, HP Tuners’ COO; and Eric Snyder with SEMA.

Rep. Schneider toured the facility and met with company employees to learn more about how HP Tuners designs and manufactures its software and hardware tools that are used both for racing and helping to bring motor vehicles into emissions compliance—or to maintain emissions compliance. He also got to see firsthand how important the RPM Act is to the specialty automotive aftermarket at large and to HP Tuners in particular, including its leadership and workforce.

The bipartisan RPM Act aims to protect Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated race cars, and the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete. It essentially reverses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s interpretation that the Clean Air Act does not allow a motor vehicle designed for street use to be converted into a dedicated race car.

Rep. Schneider addresses HP Tuners’ employees and answers questions.

To date, more than 150 federal lawmakers and candidates on both sides of the aisle have either signed on as co-sponsors or expressed support for the RPM Act.  

“We were happy to welcome Congressman Brad Schneider to come take a tour of HP Tuners and share some insights with our employees,” said co-owner and CEO Keith Prociuk, who founded HP Tuners more than 20 years ago to help offset the costs associated with his passion for racing.

“Thank you to the Congressman for visiting and engaging in a thoughtful dialogue about some of the most important issues facing the industry,” he added, “including the RPM Act, the right to repair and modify vehicles, tax policy, and data protection/cyber security. We appreciate Rep. Schneider voicing his support for the RPM Act, which is so critically important to our company and racers like myself.”

Rep. Schneider and Keith Prociuk discuss computer chips during a tour of HP Tuners’ warehouse.

For more on the RPM Act and how to host your federal lawmakers, visit saveourracecars.com. For additional information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org. 

As automotive technology continues to evolve, aftermarket businesses and automotive enthusiasts must have access to the tools and information necessary to modify and service motor vehicles. SEMA is committed to protecting your right to modify, but we need your help NOW!

The REPAIR Act (Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair), H.R. 6570, is a bipartisan bill in the U.S. House by Representatives that would ensure enthusiasts, aftermarket businesses and repair shops have access to the information and tools that are needed to maintain and modify the cars, trucks and SUVs we love. Click here to send a letter to your U.S. House member asking them to support the REPAIR Act.

The REPAIR Act:

• Protects consumer access to independent repair and maintenance by allowing vehicle owners to securely share their vehicle’s repair and maintenance data with their repairer of choice.
• Enshrines into law enthusiasts’ ability to modify their vehicles by prohibiting vehicle manufacturers from imposing any technological or legal barriers that block aftermarket parts manufacturers from accessing critical information and tools necessary to develop products that are interoperable with emerging vehicle technology.
• Establishes the right for aftermarket businesses and independent repair shops to access critical information, tools and equipment needed to maintain and improve the performance of vehicles.
• Requires companies producing vehicles equipped with telematics (wireless transmission of data) to make available to aftermarket manufacturers and repair facilities any critical repair information and tools at a fair and reasonable cost.

Now more than ever, our message must be heard! Don’t wait—your member of Congress needs to protect the right to modify and repair vehicles before it’s too late.