Now in its seventh year of existence, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) enables young automotive enthusiasts to develop and show off their mechanical skills while being exposed to the automotive specialty-equipment industry. The organization’s purpose is to replenish the aging automotive field with essential future talent by expanding high-school education programs and providing career guidance to students while promoting the value of teamwork.

“We started out recruiting high-school and college students and soon realized where the need was,” said Jim Bingham, HROT chairman and president/CEO of Winner’s Circle Speed & Custom based in Joliet, Illinois. “At the high-school level, we can get kids pointed in the right direction; we’re actually changing lives. It sends a chill down your spine when you see what you’ve done for these kids; we’re getting them to go to school.”

Shelby American had a presence at the High Performance and Custom Equipment Trade Show at Dodger Stadium in 1967, the event that would go on to become the SEMA Show. It’s interesting to see what’s in the Shelby booth—as well as what’s not. Shelby’s iconic Cobra roadster and the GT350 Mustang are represented only by photos on the booth’s back wall. Note, too, the “wanted” poster on the easel soliciting for manufacturer’s representatives to handle Shelby’s parts and equipment.

The engine in the center of the booth is a small-block Ford outfitted with a Paxton supercharger. Shelby began offering the blower on ’66 GT350 models, though the expensive option found few takers. Only 11 GT350s left the factory as supercharged models.

We’re pleased to report that the SEMA Data Co-op has surpassed critical mass and is rolling! Your industry-owned product data repository now has more than 350 brands covering more than 2.7 million live part numbers. Every week, we see thousands of data exports pulled down by data receivers—our industry’s resellers and retailers. That means that more products are getting more exposure, leading to increased sales.

That’s great news. Meanwhile, the marketplace continues to evolve. These days, more than 50% of all sales begin with online research, and studies show that a product listing that offers an image is more than twice as likely to sell as one with no image. Rich data—images with multiple views, video files, audio files—is reported to be as much as 17 times more likely to prompt a sale.

With the Right Demographic, a Potential Boon

Businesses with a significant demographic skewed toward “hipper,” generally younger tech users—people who like to stay on the edge of what’s happening digitally—should take a serious look at QR-code marketing. Most of us have come across a QR (quick reach) code in our travels. It’s that framed square of hieroglyphic-like symbols that we flip to in a magazine, which triggers our smartphones to reveal a company website when scanned. Or it’s on that advertisement we see at an airport or train station that, when scanned, conjures up an electronic coupon on our tablets that can be used at a coffee shop, often only steps away.

In addition to being one of the world’s largest trade events, the SEMA Show is a car show like no other. Automotive specialty-equipment manufacturers from throughout the world exhibit their wares on some of the most finely crafted vehicles in existence, and many are on display for the first time anywhere.

The feature vehicles shown in this listing and online will appear in exhibitor booths and in display areas throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center and the adjacent outdoor grounds. Check them out in person—and, in many cases, see how they turned out—when you get to the SEMA Show!

Playing in the Recreational Mecca

The annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas is, first and foremost, one of the world’s largest automotive trade events, and business is the number-one priority. But that doesn’t preclude a ton of fun on the side—especially given all the opportunities the city presents. The following items are a few highlighted attractions, but be sure to visit the official city website at www.lasvegas.com for its huge listing of activities, shows, tours and more. You can even download a guide to the city at the site or order a hard copy. The breadth of possibilities is amazing!

TIA Executive Vice President

On behalf of the Tire Industry Association (TIA), welcome to the 2014 Global Tire Expo—Powered by TIA. The Global Tire Expo (GTE) continues to be a world-class show that is unmatched in the industry. From discovering new products to networking, I hope that you will take advantage of all the opportunities that GTE has to offer.

I am excited that the Global Tire Expo continues to experience growth and am pleased to welcome many new exhibitors. TIA has worked closely with our valuable partner SEMA to ensure this year’s show will be a tremendous success.

For much of 2014, SEMA members have generally reported having a good year and, for some, a great year. I’ve observed that the SEMA Show is a barometer of industry strength, reflected by participation and investment in the Show. This year’s pre-Show registration indicates that the SEMA Show will be an outstanding springboard for growth opportunities in 2015.

This marks the fifth straight year that the Show has had increased participation levels since the lows of the recession in 2009. This makes for a larger Show, but more important than size is how many innovative manufacturers are taking the opportunity...

Interested in placing an ad in the SEMA News Product and Catalog Showcase?

The following celebrities and industry personalities represent a sample of of the hundreds scheduled to appear at the 2014 SEMA Show. To view the entire real-time celebrities and industry personalities list, visit here.