SEMA News—October 2019
EVENTS
17 Must-See Features at the 2019 SEMA Show
The Thumbnail Directory to SEMA Show Features and Events
 The Hoonigan crew is back at the SEMA Show for the second year in a row. A hit at last year’s Show, the Hoonigan cast and its array of project vehicles will return to generate daily highlights on the Hoonigan Twitch feed. |
Even though expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center is well underway, the 2019 SEMA Show will be held this year largely in the same familiar spaces. But the Show’s features and events, which continually evolve year after year, will reflect and respond to changes in the specialty automotive industry. This year’s Show will offer a mix of some favorite industry events, builds and competitions, along with some brand-new events.
While the SEMA Show floor is organized by category and numbered to improve navigation, a convenient way to simplify the Show experience is with the 2019 SEMA Show app, which contains detailed exhibitor information, interactive floorplans and up-to-date event information—all from your mobile device. The Show app also features a scanning function that allows attendees to capture product and exhibitor information from feature vehicles on display. The app puts the entire SEMA Show in your pocket, and is available as a free download from your mobile device’s native app store or by logging on to www.SEMAShow.com/app.
The New Products Showcase
Skybridge Between Central and South Halls
A first stop for many attendees and a must-see for everyone else, the New Products Showcase provides a window into the automotive aftermarket for the coming year as hundreds of manufacturers roll out their latest innovations. In all, the 2019 New Products Showcase is expected to exhibit more than 3,000 new and featured products. By visiting the Showcase, buyers can focus their efforts on the companies they need to keep the product pipelines active and their inventories fresh, and media attendees can get a glimpse of the latest trends to emerge from the industry’s leading influencers. Additionally, complimentary on-site scanning tools enable communications between buyers and exhibiting companies to generate leads and drive future sales.
OPTIMA Street Car Alley
North Road
Situated along the strip between North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, the OPTIMA Street Car Alley will feature more than 80 of OPTIMA Batteries’ Ultimate Street Car Invitational competitors. OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car entrants will kick off the SEMA Cruise by leading the motorcade to SEMA Ignited.
SEMA Cruise
Silver Drive to Red Road
Vehicles from the 2019 SEMA Show begin parading out of the Convention Center at Show close—4:00 p.m. on Friday, November 8—to the delight of thousands of fans in grandstands along the route. More than 1,000 vehicles will take part in the cruise, which proceeds toward the Platinum Lot and SEMA Ignited, the Show’s official after-party. The Cruise has become one of the Show’s most anticipated events since its inception in 2011.
Hoonigan SEMA of Shred
Silver Lot, Booth #62000
A hit with Showgoers when it debuted at the 2018 SEMA Show, the Hoonigan gang returns for 2019 with an exhibition that promises to be even more entertaining than the last. On hand again will be the Hoonigan cast and vehicles, along with demonstrations, burnouts and trademark donuts. Attendees are invited to watch two live events each day, and Showgoers unable to attend can still take in the action on Hoonigan’s Twitch channel or view highlights at the show’s daily YouTube feed.
 A first stop for many attendees, the New Products Showcase provides Showgoers with an up-close opportunity to examine the more than 3,000 new products on display at the Show. |  A perennial favorite, SEMA Cruise is a prelude to SEMA Ignited, as a four-wheeled procession of Show vehicles motors down Silver Drive to the Show’s finale in the Platinum Lot. Along the parade route, it’s open to the public. |
 Overlanders—purpose-built backcountry and lifestyle vehicles—have exploded in popularity over the past decade, and The SEMA Overland Experience, a first-time exhibit at this year’s Show, spotlights the latest tech and trends in this market segment with a host of project rigs and educational programs. |  At Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT), teams of high-school students get the chance to hone their engine-building skills—and to compete for millions of dollars in college scholarships— at the HROT Dual National Championships. |
The SEMA Overland Experience
Performance Pavilion, Adjacent to South Hall
This segment of the truck and off-road lifestyle aftermarket, which has exploded in popularity over the last decade, will be showcased in the SEMA Overland Experience, a brand-new feature at the 2019 SEMA Show. Twenty featured vehicles will be on display. Throughout the week you can attend educational programs detailing the evolution and growth of overlanding, the people and products that are moving the market, and what the growth of this segment can mean for your business.
Hot Rodders of Tomorrow
Silver Lot, Booth #60007
Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) is a nonprofit that hosts engine challenges across the country to drive youth participation the aftermarket performance and automotive industry in a series of high-school team competitions held throughout the year. At the 2019 SEMA Show, the series’ top teams will compete in HROT’s Dual National Championship (the other championship event takes place at the PRI Trade Show in December) for the opportunity to win millions of dollars in college scholarships.
 The concluding event of the 2019 SEMA Show, SEMA Ignited closes out the Show with drifting exhibitions, show vehicles, live music and entertainment—and plenty of big air. |  Located on the Silver Lot, the Shell “Pioneering Performance” Live Stage will play host throughout the week to Q&As with industry leaders, live music performances, prizes and giveaways, and a special appearance or two, such as the ’68 “Bullitt” Mustang that was unveiled there at the 2018 SEMA Show. |
 It’s not quite like jumping through hoops of fire, but Ford Out Front has enough eye-catching action to hold the attention of any Blue Oval enthusiast. Also on hand at the event will be a slew of feature vehicles and exhibits from some of the most legendary Ford builders. |  Some of the automotive industry’s most prominent artists will have their newest creations on display at Artwalk, located in the Central Hall Pre-Function Area. |
First-Time & Featured Exhibitor Areas
Multiple Areas Throughout the Show
The SEMA Show comprises more than 2,400 exhibitors divided into 12 Show sections. Each year, the Show welcomes more than 400 new exhibitors, who bring new ideas and never-before-seen products. To accommodate this expansion, the Show has created several designated areas for first-time and featured companies at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, Upper South Hall, Lower South Hall, Performance Pavilion and Racing Annex. Each area offers exhibitor displays of new and innovative products representing all 12 Show categories.
SEMA Electrified
Booth #34000
Another feature that debuts at the 2019 SEMA Show is SEMA Electrified, a showcase of the latest electrification trends and technological innovations that are redefining the performance aftermarket. Some custom electric vehicle conversions will be spotlighted, as will some of the parts and products that are helping to drive the market.
Continental Tire Extreme Driving Experience
Outside South Hall, Booth #69100, #69200
At Extreme Driving Experience, Show attendees are invited to hitch a drifting ride in a car equipped with new Continental performance tires. An on-site DJ will provide tunes, and attendees are welcome to take in a display of project vehicles that have been crafted for the Show by some of world’s most gifted builders.
 The QUAD, Powered by SEMA Education, provides Showgoers with a venue to learn about aftermarket job opportunities, network with prospective employers or employees, post a résumé, or have a professional headshot taken. |  Back at the SEMA Show after its 50th-anniversary celebration last year, Hot Wheels Legends will witness more than 20 eye-catching vehicles vying for the opportunity to join the best-selling Hot Wheels product line as a die-cast car or truck. |
SEMA Ignited
Platinum Lot
On Friday, November 8, from 3:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., the 2019 SEMA Show concludes with a bang at SEMA Ignited, a multi-event extravaganza that takes place at the Platinum Lot, east of South Hall. Among the featured events are Formula Drift drifting demonstrations, a live filming of “SEMA Battle of the Builders,” and appearances by featured SEMA Show vehicles, along with celebrities, live music and food trucks. It’s open to the public, and while they need to pay an admission fee to access the event, your Show badge gets you in free of charge. (Active-duty military are also admitted free.)
Shell “Pioneering Performance”
Silver Lot, Booth 60003
The Shell “Pioneering Performance” experience also returns to the SEMA Show for 2019. Attendees can view a lineup of one-of-a-kind automotive creations and get up close and personal with legendary performance builder John Hennessey, Barrett-Jackson head Craig Jackson and many other industry leaders. Throughout the week, the “Pioneering Performance” Live Stage will host talks with industry personalities, live entertainment, prizes and giveaways. as well as special vehicle reveals such as the original ’68 “Bullitt” Mustang that was unveiled at last year’s Show.
Ford Out Front
Silver Lot, in front of Central Hall
Ford Out Front provides Show attendees with the option to ride along with professional drivers on a closed course, or to simply sit back and watch the pros put their Ford Performance vehicles through their paces. Ford Out Front is also where attendees will find a number of Ford-based projects and Show vehicles from some of the world’s best-known Blue Oval builders and customizers.
Art Walk
Central Hall Pre-Function Area
Some of the automotive industry’s premier artists will be displaying their newest creations in the SEMA Show Art Walk, including this year’s SEMA Show design artist, “old-school” Alex Carmona. Expressed in a variety of media, the automotive art features an extensive collection of pieces to complement both the home and office. You’ll find it in the Central Hall Pre-Function Area and can even meet the artists during the popular Art Walk Happy Hour, Tuesday through Thursday, 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
 Even with parking space at a premium due to construction, getting to and from the Convention Center can be as quick and easy as taking the Las Vegas Monorail, which runs directly from the center to some of the Strip’s leading hotels. It’s also a great way to meet some of your fellow Showgoers. |  The annual New Products Breakfast, held at the Westgate, honors the innovators of the automotive aftermarket industry by spotlighting their newest product offerings, with prizes awarded to the most inventive and imaginative new products seen at the Show. |
The QUAD—Powered by SEMA Education
Upper North Hall Concourse, Outside of Room N251
Your portal to SEMA Show Education provides Showgoers with a space to learn about aftermarket careers, professional development and student programs. Attendees can search for jobs and upload a résumé, and prospective employers can search for qualified applicants. As a special incentive for Showgoers, SEMA Education will capture and print your 2019 Show experience. Take a photo, tag #SEMAEDUCATION on Instagram, then visit The QUAD to pick up your picture.
SEMA Gear
Various Locations
Nine SEMA Gear stores—in the Bronze Lot, East Lobby, SEMA Central, Westgate, Grand Lobby, Grand Plaza, Central Hall, Skybridge and Lower South Hall Lobby—are located throughout the Show for your shopping convenience. Don’t forget to stop by and pick up gifts and SEMA Show memorabilia for friends and business associates back home. At each store, you’ll find T-shirts, hats, bags and more. A portion of the proceeds from every sale is donated to SEMA Cares charities.
Toyo Treadpass
Treadpass
Toyo Tires hosts two unique spaces at the 2019 SEMA Show. First, the Toyo Tires Treadpass connects the Central and South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Treadpass is an expansive destination sporting dozens of custom cars and trucks along with the full line of Toyo Tires products. Visitors can also rest their feet and re-charge their devices in the lounge area.
New Products Breakfast
Westgate Las Vegas Casino & Hotel, Paradise Event Center
The SEMA Show’s annual New Products Awards competition, which takes place Tuesday, November 5, from 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m., recognizes outstanding achievements in the development of products being introduced to the automotive specialty-equipment market at the Show. Products are judged in 16 award categories, with each category having one winner and two runners-up. For more information about entering the New Products Showcase, visit www.SEMAShow.com.
