Table of contents for March/April 2025 in SEMA Magazine

If you’ve been following the news, you’re likely aware of an important development in the fight against the overregulation of internal combustion engines (ICEs) in the United States. SEMA is celebrating a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to examine the legality of California’s Clean Air Act exemption, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted the state in 2024. This past December, the court granted a writ of certiorari for a critical question in the case of Diamond Alternative Energy LLC vs. EPA, which SEMA had requested via an amicus brief. In granting the writ, the court agreed to rule on the important question: whether some business interests and trade organizations, including members of the automotive aftermarket, have standing to make a legal claim that California’s waiver allows the state to…

Of the several honors and recognitions that SEMA bestows each year, the SEMA Person of the Year Award is among the most prestigious. Determined by a special committee and presented at the annual SEMA Show’s Industry Banquet, the award recognizes exceptional volunteerism and service to the association and the industry. Accordingly, on Thursday night, November 7, 2024, before a gathering of 1,400 SEMA Show banquet attendees, Trim Illusion President Colby McLaughlin was named the award’s most recent recipient. While the announcement took him completely off guard, those familiar with his work were not surprised. McLaughlin has distinguished himself as an enthusiastic volunteer on the SEMA Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) Select Committee for many years, and now chairs the council, guiding it in creating valuable benefits that enhance the business practices…

For many consumers, building their rig or Sunday racer begins in the digital world, scouring online retailers and distributors for the right parts and matching applications. To help consumers navigate this vast online marketplace, specialty-equipment manufacturers create extensive datasets for resellers to create product descriptions with specifications. But where is the standardization for this data? Where can it be housed, and is the information as detailed and accurate as it should be? Years ago, former SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting and other association advocates saw that aftermarket manufacturers could vastly improve their appeal to resellers and distributors through standardized product data. So, with the SEMA Board of Directors’ approval, the association launched the Data Co-Op, now called SEMA Data, to set the industry standard. CONSUMERS WANT AS MUCH INFORMATION…

The SEMA Show is an action-packed week for conducting business, making connections and seeing the industry’s newest, most exciting products in person. That’s why it’s also a great opportunity for SEMA to give elected federal, state and local lawmakers firsthand looks at everything the automotive specialty-equipment market has to offer, as well as the role the industry plays in driving the economy in American communities. On the industry’s behalf, SEMA’s government affairs team invites officials to the event each year, hosting tours that showcase exhibitors from each lawmakers’ home state. The 2024 SEMA Show was a banner event for lawmaker engagement; despite its close proximity to the election, more than 25 federal and state lawmakers made SEMA a priority and were in attendance. During the week, they were welcomed with…

“I don’t know, the PRI Show just seems a little more vibrant this year,” said one buyer in the Holley booth while looking over a new high-ram intake manifold designed for the big-block Chevy. “Which is good, right?” Sure, any large trade event held shortly after a national presidential election could have had a sobering or guarded atmosphere as few would venture what the future holds for their industry. But the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show aisles inside Indianapolis’ Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium were busy with thousands of retailers, fabricators, shop owners, with engine builders and other motorsports industry buyers visiting just over 3,740 booths from 1,043 exhibitors to see the latest products and services. “Man, the Show is going great for me,” boasted NHRA Top Fuel…

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In late 2023, fabricator Riccardo Salatino and his customer-turned-business partner, Jason Zimmerman, launched Blazin’ Rodz—a custom car building shop in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. The duo wasn’t interested in easing into the new business; they wanted to make a statement. “What do we need to do to put ourselves on the map right away?” asked Zimmerman. A daunting question for a brand-new business, but Salatino had a radical idea for what to do with a ’70 Chevrolet Chevelle. This would not be a sleek restomod, but a mind-bending design that pushed the boundaries of custom car building—a classic car that possesses the handling of a Porsche, the power of a drag-racing car and the luxury of a modern sports car. “I gave this idea to the guys and said, ‘Let’s…

CONNECTICUT—INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES: Following the 2024 election, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced that the state was no longer considering an electric vehicle (EV) mandate. Connecticut, as a CARB state, had sought—and failed—to phase out all new sales of internal combustion engines (ICEs) by 2035. The decision represents a major advocacy win for SEMA and its members. SEMA is not anti-EV but instead believes that the government should remain technology-neutral in its efforts to support carbon emissions reductions. THE COURT AGREED TO DECIDE THE IMPORTANT QUESTION OF WHETHER [TRADE ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHERS] HAVE STANDING… SEMA invested heavily in educating Connecticut residents and lawmakers about the dire impact of EV mandates on their state. It commissioned a poll showing overwhelming disapproval of a state ban on gas-powered vehicles and ran an advertisement…