 Each year, hundreds of SEMA-member companies step up to generously sponsor pinewood cars with 100% of the proceeds going to help the SEMA Cares children's charities—Childhelp and Victory Junction. |
Nothing says "Americana" like a good-old-fashioned pinewood drag race, where the thrill of the build is matched only by the adrenaline rush of the race. SEMA Cares has announced the 2013 Pinewood Drags, and it looks to be bigger and better than ever. Each year, hundreds of SEMA-member companies step up to generously sponsor pinewood cars, with 100% of the proceeds going to help SEMA Cares.
Once again, held in conjunction with the SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser, the SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races will return Friday, July 26, 2013, at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Convention Center in Pomona, California. The finals will take place during the cocktail reception shortly before the banquet begins. In addition to the Stock & Unlimited classes, a special Menzler Class has been created for last year's Pinewood Drags honorary starter John Menzler. As an added bonus this year, SEMA Cares will auction 12 Pinewood Drag cars at $500 each with the total proceeds going toward bone marrow donation programs.
SEMA members can race either a car or truck in three classes: Stock, Unlimited and Modified. Council members can either sponsor child-built cars and trucks in the Build It for Me (BIFM) Stock Class or they can build and enter their own SEMA-supplied stock car or truck. Stock-Class racing usually garners the most entries with a typical speed of 3.2 seconds on a 50-ft. track. For hardcore speed enthusiasts, the Unlimited Class has only one rule—that one item from the stock kit be used. Cars in this class run sub-3 seconds and many of the past top builders have included some of the most recognized names in SEMA. The Modified Class is for the racer who wants to put a little more time into "tuning" the SEMA-supplied stock kit.
Special features of SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races include the annual HRIA Builders Challenge and Council Cup. Watch as some of the biggest names in hot rodding build state-of-the-art custom pinewoods that will be raced and then auctioned off with all of the proceeds going to SEMA Cares. Council members are invited to come out and challenge their peers for the opportunity to win the coveted Council Cup. The more cars or trucks fielded by each council member the greater their chances of winning. If you're the hands-on type of council member, SEMA invites you to attend one of several to-be-announced build days where you can help the children sand, paint and assemble the pinewood cars. Each child will build two cars: one to keep and one reserved for sponsorship by a caring SEMA-member company or individual. Members interested in participating in one of the build days are invited to contact derby@sema.org or visit the Pinewood Drag Races and SEMA Cares Facebook pages.