Las Vegas, Nevada–November 11, 2019–If you went down to Las Vegas looking for some auto aftermarket-themed excitement, this year’s SEMA Show had it in spades. If you missed out–no sweat–Collision Repair has your back! Our staff had their cameras ready to capture the big moments, bright smiles and warm reunions seen on the convention floor.
We’ve even compiled a full photo album for you to check out.
Just in case that’s not enough SEMA to satiate you, we’ve also included a selection of mini-reports on the events we couldn’t cover last week, including on the Battle of the Builders and SEMA Ignited!
Battle of the Builders–The finalists of the 2019 Battle of the Builders were announced Wednesday, Nov. 6, though only one could be crowned the top builder in the country. The listed finalists were:
Hot Rod:
Eric Peratt — 1936 Ford roadster
Gary Corkell — 1932 Ford Phantom
Jim and Mike Ring — 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
Sport Compact:
Edison Sarkisyan — 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder
Louie Shefchik — 1968 Iso Rivolta
TJ Russell — 1991 Porsche 911
Truck/Off-Road:
Darin Smith — 1972 Chevrolet C10 shortbed
Erik Barnlund — 1972 Ford Bronco
Randy Borcherding — 1955 Chevrolet truck
Young Guns:
Brad Swaney — 1971 Chevrolet C10
Kyle Ray — 1988 BMW E30
Luke Merrill — 1940 Chevrolet two-door sedan
Once the SEMA Cruise had wrapped up and SEMA Ignited was well underway, the winner of the Battle of the Builders was finally revealed. A ‘69 Camaro named “VALKYRJA” build by the Ringbrothers took home the title of Top Ride.
SEMA Ignited–Held on the Platinum Lot, this event was held as the culmination of the week at SEMA. Custom cars made from around the world came to life during the SEMA Cruise, before parking for closer inspection from the public. All Battle of the Builder finalists were in attendance, as live music and a banquet kicked off the night.
As guests circulated to the food trucks situated throughout the lot, Formula Drift gave drifting demonstrations. One car took the name “Ignited” too literally and burst into flames during its final drifts, though, thankfully, no one was injured and the festivities soon continued. Nitro Circus wowed the crowds with stunt shows in the center ring, with Cackle Cars—restored dragsters from the ‘60s—blasting their engines in flame-filled, deafening roars to ensure that all senses were overloaded in this final sendoff to a vehicle-appreciative week.
SEMA Vehicles of the Year–These awards were announced just in time for the SEMA Show so buyers and onlookers would know exactly which brands to keep an eye out for.
Ford took home the Car of the Year award with its signature Mustang, with Truck of the Year being handed over to Chevrolet for its Silverado. The Jeep Wrangler was named the 4×4/SUV of the Year while Audi placed first in the Sport Compact of the Year category with its RS 3. Last but not least was the Powersports Vehicle of the Year which was given to the Polaris RZR.
SEMA Annual Top Honours–The top honours of the week were awarded during the show’s culmination at the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet on Nov. 7. Five prestigious categories were named.
Dan Khan of Khan Media, a southern California-based PR group, was named SEMA Person of the Year. Khan has long been with the automotive aftermarket industry–even working on the SEMA Board of Directors.
Chris Candido, a co-founder of Turn 14 Distribution, was awarded the title of SEMA Gen-III Innovator of the Year for Turn 14’s efforts as a Performance Warehouse distributor. Apart from his SEMA honours, Candido was also named to the SEMA 35 under 35 list, which recognizes young leaders in the industry.
The title of SEMA Rep Agency of the Year was awarded to Kunzman & Associates, a manufacturer rep group out of Michigan as well as a seven-time recipient of the title.
AllPro Distributing, a truck, jeep and off-road accessory warehouse based in the south-east U.S. was named the SEMA Warehouse Distributor of the Year. AllPro prides itself on fast turnaround times for customers due to it owning its own warehouse for more direct control of the shipping process.
Hunter Engineering was selected for the title of SEMA Manufacturer of the Year. At the SEMA show this year, the company debuted nine brand new products, including the HawkEye Elite alignment system, as well as 15 enhanced products from previous years.
Chris Kersting, the president and CEO of SEMA, shared his feeling towards the awards that cap off his show.
“We are honoured to recognize each year the individuals and companies who embody the spirit of our industry,” said Kersting. “The SEMA Industry Awards Banquet is a highlight of the SEMA Show and a great way to culminate an outstanding week of business. It’s always great to spend time with friends and family, celebrating the industry that we all love.”
