The second annual SEMA Award was presented to the Chevrolet Camaro for the Hottest Car, the Fiat 500 for the Hottest Sport Compact Car, the Ford F-Series for the Hottest Truck and the Jeep Wrangler for the Hottest 4x4-SUV. The winners were announced on the opening day of the 2011 SEMA Show. View the the Chevrolet Camaros on display at the 2011 SEMA Show.

On Thursday, November 3, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC hosted its ninth annual Gran Turismo Awards at the 2011 SEMA Show at the Marquee Nightclub in The Cosmopolitan Hotel Las Vegas. Each year, the Gran Turismo Awards offer SEMA Show exhibitors the opportunity to join the ranks of the famed Gran Turismo video game racing fleet, awarding one car the honor of being added to the Gran Turismo franchise as a playable car in the game and driven virtually by millions across the globe.

How do you get your share of attention at the SEMA Show when foot traffic is shoulder-to-shoulder thick? Some gimmicks these days have gotten pretty outrageous but—as you can see in this photo from the 1971 Show—SEMA showmanship is a decades-long tradition.

More than 150 companies were recognized by an international panel of automotive experts participating in the 2011 SEMA Show Global Media Awards Program. Marking the eighth consecutive year, the unique program consists of a prestigious group of international journalists serving as judges.

For more than a decade, 4:00 p.m. on Friday has marked “magic time,” with the Show’s numerous display vehicles forming an unofficial parade exiting the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). This year, that procession was made official. At a time when people are traditionally leaving the SEMA Show, thousands of spectators gathered at Show close last Friday to view the inaugural SEMA Cruise. Even unseasonably cold rain and gridlocked traffic couldn’t faze spectators who witnessed the best rolling car show on the planet. 

SEMA presented John Menzler of the COMP Performance Group with the 2011 Person of the Year Award at the SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet in Las Vegas. As a long-time SEMA member, HRIA Select Committee member and mentor to many in the industry, he received ringing applause as Banquet emcee Dave McClelland announced to a packed house, "Congratulations, John!"

The winners of the New Products Showcase Awards were announced during the New Products Breakfast held at the 2011 SEMA Show. The event recognizes the most cutting-edge automotive products either on the market or about to hit the market. Nearly 2,000 new products were submitted this year for consideration.

Each year, the SEMA Chairman of the Board has the opportunity to present the Chairman’s Service award to one outstanding individual. That prerogative, however, is not necessarily acted on annually, making the award especially prestigious.

The vehicle photo gallery on www.enjoythedrive.com includes more than 2,000 photos of the vehicles on display at the 2010 SEMA Show. A new category, grouping or vehicle type is included in SEMA eNews each week.

HushMat has partnered with RA Motorsports from Lee's Summit, Missouri, to support the American Cancer Society Mystical Build ’67 Shelby Mustang Fastback unveiled at the SEMA Show in the Dynacorn booth. The Mustang is being built by RA Motorsports through parts donated by a long list of companies, including HushMat, PPG, Dynacorn, Ford Motor Co., Mustangs Unlimited and many others.