One of the annual SEMA Show’s many distinctions is its weeklong display of greatness. From new products and innovations to the groundbreaking people driving the specialty aftermarket to new heights, the SEMA Show reflects the industry’s reach for excellence. Perhaps that’s the reason the Show’s award ceremonies resonate so deeply with thousands of Show participants.

Mike and Jim Ring of Spring Green, Wisconsin, garnered top honors at the ninth annual SEMA Battle of the Builders Presented by Mothers Polishes competition at the 2022 SEMA Show, held November 1–4 in Las Vegas. The announcement was made at the start of SEMA Ignited, the official SEMA Show after-party designed to celebrate the builders and showcase products from the trade-only Show.

It was the culmination of a hectic 90-day build schedule that engaged more than 100 volunteer wrenches ranging in experience from novice to expert. It took the combined efforts of dozens of aftermarket companies and installation facilities, and it took place across two time zones. In the end, however, the build was a smashing success. The SEMA Businesswomens’ Network (SBN) All-Female Build project, a Ford Bronco four-door Wildtrak, made its debut at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas last November before a crowd of hundreds of industry and media professionals.

Among the highlights of the 2022 SEMA Industry Awards Banquet was the announcement of a bold five-year vision to expand the SEMA Show into an “all-city” Las Vegas experience. Officially called SEMA Week, the plan seeks to develop the world’s most passionate and exciting automotive event for both industry businesses and vehicle enthusiasts. SEMA Week will kick off this November 2023 with multiple new concepts, activities and events continuing to be phased in over the five-year roll-out period.

The 2022 Showcase featured nearly 2,000 products across multiple categories, including the freshly added advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and vehicle electrification categories. Literally hundreds of industry brands participated, with everything from street performance and racing to off-roading, mobile electronics, and interior and exterior offerings on full display.

Each year prior to the SEMA Show, exhibitors are polled on the new vehicles that, in their judgment, represent the best opportunities for accessorization via the aftermarket for the coming year. Vehicles are chosen in six distinct classes—including a brand-new class for 2022, EV of the Year—and the winners are announced ahead of the start of the Show. This year’s announcement was made on Monday, October 31, on the eve of the 2022 Show. The winners are listed at right.

Did you feel the energy? A juggernaut hit Las Vegas this past November 1–4 when the annual SEMA Show roared back into the city’s convention center. And it was clear the specialty-automotive industry was ready for business.

Since the SEMA Show’s annual Battle of The Builders (BOTB) debuted in 2014, the nationwide competition series has become one of the most anticipated events of Show Week. For 2022, the action will unfold throughout the week, with cameras following along to document the journey for a TV program set to on Saturday, January 28, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. EST. (Visit www.semabotb.com for updates on TV airings.) While a panel of industry experts narrows down the selection of vehicles, it’s the builders themselves who ultimately select the four class winners as well as the overall winner. You can follow the progress during the Show at a press conference announcing the top 40 finalists at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 1, and another announcing the top 12 at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 2.

Industry icons, SEMA leadership and volunteers gathered July 29 in Anaheim, California, to honor the association's new Hall of Fame inductees at the 2022 SEMA Awards Gala. The celebration took place at the Westin Anaheim Resort, not far from the Anaheim Convention Center, a place of historical significance for the association.

There’s a reason specialty automotive buyers make the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas a top priority. When it comes to business growth, there is no other single place or event that delivers so much bang for the buck. Given that buyers put so much into the Show each year, how do they maximize their return on investment? It’s all about “connecting for success,” answers Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events.