The Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) put its best foot forward during an event-filled week at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. From the council’s awards reception and the new PRO Cup Challenge to a breakfast membership meeting, seminars and Happy Hour, the restyling community had ample occasions to link up and celebrate another successful year.

Indianapolis has a rich motorsports heritage that is indelibly linked to the Indy 500, the world’s oldest major auto race. So it’s fitting that the foremost trade event for the motorsports and racing industry—the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show—has made Indianapolis its home for many years.

It’s hard to miss all the hot-rod-related activities during the SEMA Show. From Hot Rod Alley to the Hot Rod Builder’s Panel to the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) reception, a spotlight shone brightly on HRIA throughout the 2019 Show, both on and off the exhibit floor.

The Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and the industry it represents were front and center throughout the 2019 SEMA Show, from the Restoration Marketplace and the ARMO vintage-vehicle display in Central Hall—the latter jointly shared with the Hot Rod Industry Alliance—to the council’s annual awards reception, membership meeting and Restoration Builder’s Panel.

Helping SEMA-member companies expand their businesses domestically and internationally is a key tenet of SEMA’s mission. On the domestic front, the most well known and well established is, of course, the annual SEMA Show, which just completed its 53rd year as the premier trade venue to buy, sell and market the products and services that drive the industry.

As part of its mission to help its members’ businesses grow and thrive, the Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) centers its efforts on delivering meaningful benefits and opportunities during the SEMA Show. Whether it’s through educational offerings, networking venues or recognition of industry leaders during an awards ceremony, WTC invites all members and nonmembers interested in learning more about WTC to take advantage of its can’t-miss opportunities during Show week.

Activating the next generation of aftermarket industry leaders and innovators is a hot topic nowadays, as evidenced by various SEMA outreach initiatives—some new, some long-standing—aimed at youth engagement. The oldest and one of the most impactful is the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund. Since the fund was established in 1984, more than $2.5 million has been awarded to more than 1,400 worthy students.

As summer ebbs and autumn fast approaches, thoughts quickly turn to Las Vegas and the 2019 SEMA Show. Once again, the restyling community can expect to find programs and events of particular interest.

The 32nd annual Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show will take over the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis from December 12–14. Billed as the foremost event for the motorsports and racing industry, it stands to reason that SEMA’s Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) would play a visible role.