Going to the SEMA Show for the First Time Was a Life-Affirming Experience

“The industry’s alive and well. We’re going to continue to be able to modify no matter what. We’re going to continue to individualize no matter what. Whether it’s EV or whether it’s internal combustion engine or whether it’s hydrogen or whether it’s other alternative fuels, we’re going to continue to push the envelope because that’s what people want,” says SEMA CEO Mike Spagnola.

The Las Vegas Convention Center is a 3-million-square-foot campus comprised of four buildings in total, with a vast lot shared between them. It’s used throughout the year for various conferences and expos. None fill up that space quite like the annual Speciality Equipment Market Association show.

Every fall, thousands of vendors and builders take up every last square inch of the convention center. Hundreds of thousands of people attend to see what’s new and exciting and who’s put together the best display of craftsmanship and ingenuity. And while it used to have a reputation as kind of a silly carnival, that’s shifting in recent years along as the new car industry is roiled by change and the aftermarket is focusing more on preserving car culture. In many ways, if you want a peek at the future of enthusiasm, SEMA is the place to get it.

As a lifelong car enthusiast, attending the SEMA show has always been on my agenda, come hell or high water. This year, I finally had my chance to get out to Vegas and see it for myself. But I didn’t just go on some routine press trip. From immersing myself in the sea of incredible builds and enthusiasts to going for a ride with a drift legend, I got the full experience. But even if you don’t go full-force like I did, beyond a shadow of a doubt, getting out to SEMA is an item that should be on every car nut’s to-do list—because thanks to the new policy of opening it up to the general public on the Friday of show week, it’s not just a B2B conference anymore.

The Immortal SEMA

SEMA is much more than an annual trade show. The Specialty Equipment Market Association primarily focuses on helping industry professionals do their jobs to the best of their ability. I sat down with Mike Spagnola earlier this year. We talked about SEMA as a whole and what it does for the industry year-round. We finally met at the show. He shared that, despite the many uncertainties the industry is facing in recent times, it is alive and doing well. The show’s upward trend is a great indication of that. With 160,000 people in attendance at the show this year, and more than 2,400 vendors, SEMA is stronger than ever. It has officially surpassed pre-COVID numbers.

Like any enthusiast with more of an interest in things built in garages than factories, I’ve always seen SEMA as a bit of a fabled oasis. Aftermarket brands are there showcasing the latest and greatest products, surrounded by all sorts of amazing builds. All of the biggest influencers and celebrities in the space are also in attendance. The exclusivity of it historically being a business-to-business affair makes it all the more desirable to be there.

And full disclosure: I wasn’t there just to bring back this report. As The Drive’s commerce editor, part of my job is meeting with companies to ask/convince/beg them to hand over review units of all sorts of products—from impact wrenches to independent front suspension systems to crate engines—so Mike Febbo and I can evaluate whether they’re worth your money. My goal for 2025 is to push The Garage to the next level with some really kickass projects, and there’s no better place than SEMA to make the right connections and get the ball rolling.

Every day we rushed from booth to booth, shaking hands, kissing babies, pitching The Drive’s brand. I spent hours on my feet, but never got tired. The atmosphere was just electrifying—and so was the response we got from some big names companies to partner up next year. More on that soon!

Taking It All In

I can’t overstate how much wheeling and dealing we did at the show. I packed every available moment with meetings with reps and CEOs to talk shop about everything we could. But even as I rushed from both to both, reviewing what was discussed in emails between each step, I made sure to engage with that part of myself that’s still an enthusiast under it all.

There is no shortage of amazing builds to look at. As a Mopar nut, I am very taken up by the sudden rise in appreciation for classic Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars. Everywhere I looked, there was a second-generation Charger built for me to drool over. It was even a little more humbling than normal. Even the Joe Dirt replica on display at the ACES Fuel Injection booth served as a benchmark from which I could take notes. I definitely love the “homegrown hotrod” aspect of my Charger. But, man, do I need to step it up a notch.

Thankfully, I also had the chance to sit down and talk to Jim Ring, one of the legendary Ringbrothers. His stories of their humble beginnings that led to what is now one of the most well-respected names in custom builds had me feeling like there’s hope for me yet. While I’ll never be able to hold a candle to what these guys put out, I’m hoping a bit of his magic rubbed off on me while we rubbed elbows.

The Ringbrothers also happened to have an absolutely gorgeous Mopar on display, which was their 1970 Plymouth Barracuda dubbed Infected. However, the Grand National, known as INVADR, just a few booths away, was the talk of the show. Detuned to produce just north of 1,200 horsepower, the V6-powered tyrant is capable of belting out an astounding 1,800 horsepower on full boost. It was also a spectacular display of Ringbrother’s insane skill and painstaking attention to detail. Every last millimeter of the car had received the grace of their legendary touch. I could have spent hours just taking it all in.

As much time as I could have spent around the types of cars I’d normally flock to, I made sure to change things up a bit as well. Putting a car together, no matter the operational scale, is an artistic endeavor. As such, you should blend bits of inspiration from all over to keep it from feeling stale. That’s why I made sure to check out some non-domestic builds and look at the culture from a position I normally wouldn’t—like inside a professional drift car, with Tanner Foust at the wheel.

Now, I’m not running from the event with plans to convert my Charger into a drift car. Getting to watch someone as talented as him work his magic first-hand was definitely inspirational, though. Drifting is an intense sport that takes a lot of concentration and practice. Feeling that power as the car slung around while the crowd cheered us on reminded me that even I needed to loosen up and have a little more fun with my car. That experience also added some dimension to my first time at SEMA, which I’d otherwise have missed. Not only was I surrounded by radical cars, but I got to feel full force.

In the Right Place

Perhaps the most incredible thing about the SEMA show is just how much is happening all at once on the scale that it is. Everywhere you look there are celebrities signing autographs, people showcasing amazing builds, suppliers talking about some game changing technology, and it’s all happening at every corner of the absolutely enormous facility.

There was a moment in all of the chaos when it hit me: I was right where I belonged. Not because I knew what I was doing was beneficial to my job, but because I truly connected with it and felt a deep purpose behind it. It’s not often you feel that in life, and when you do, you know great things are about to happen.

That moment hit me as I looked around and saw familiar faces in the crowd. I was surrounded by icons and heroes that I’ve been looking up to since this whole thing started. Folks I’ve immortalized for the impact they’ve had on me and the industry at large. And to see them in a moment of profound self-enlightenment was a moment in time I’ll remember forever.