Why Compete

  • Get exposure through media coverage in top publications and online sites
  • Have content generated on your build, your products, and your story
  • Grow your notoriety and have your shop stand out on social media
  • Get featured in SEMA publications and social profiles
  • Network with top builders from around the globe
  • Be part of the 1-hour Battle of Builders TV special

Now taking entries.

ENTER YOUR BUILD

2022 SEMA Battle of the Builders Champion

Mike Ring - Ringbrothers

1948 Chevrolet Pickup Loadmaster

Booth: Mothers

Booth/Location: 22357

This original-cab 1948 chevrolet loadmaster is the result of 2,500 design-engineering hours and 8,600 construction hours. The vehicle is chopped 4 in., narrowed 4 in., lengthened 2 in., and wedge cut 2-4 in. Through the cab. Carbon features include a two-piece clamshell hood, belly pan, diffusers, doors, bed sides, spoiler, brake ducts, side air intakes, fan shrouds, door panels, dash, seats, torque tube, headliner and seats. The pickup further boasts an open-wheel design, porsche 911 pin drive and hre wheels wrapped in 18-in. Race slicks, front and rear. The ahlman engineering-designed chassis incorporates a roadster shop cantilevered independent suspension front and rear, a corvette tube-transaxle 480ls transmission, ohlin shocks and brembo brakes. Good for 1,000 hp on race gas, the 510ci todd goodwin engine boasts a kinsler fuel-injection eight stack, custom ss headers, titanium side exhaust and a “ton of machined parts.”

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2022 Top 4 Builder Finalists

Sport Compact, Luxury & Exotics

TJ Russell

1991 Porsche 911 BAJA

Booth: Front of Central Hall

Booth/Location: V052

4-Wheel Drive & Off-Road

Ringbrothers - Jim Ring

1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer

Booth: HRIA

Booth/Location: 23295

Young Guns | 29 & Under

Josh Michels

1966 Chevrolet Corvette

Booth: Battle of the Builders

Booth/Location: 10139

Hot Rod/ Hot Rod Truck

Ringbrothers - Mike Ring

1948 Chevrolet Pickup Loadmaster

Booth: Mothers

Booth/Location: 22357

2022 Top 12 Builder Finalists

Hot Rod/ Hot Rod Truck

Ringbrothers

1948 Chevrolet Pickup Loadmaster

Booth: Mothers

Booth/Location: 22357

This original-cab 1948 chevrolet loadmaster is the result of 2,500 design-engineering hours and 8,600 construction hours. The vehicle is chopped 4 in., narrowed 4 in., lengthened 2 in., and wedge cut 2-4 in. Through the cab. Carbon features include a two-piece clamshell hood, belly pan, diffusers, doors, bed sides, spoiler, brake ducts, side air intakes, fan shrouds, door panels, dash, seats, torque tube, headliner and seats. The pickup further boasts an open-wheel design, porsche 911 pin drive and hre wheels wrapped in 18-in. Race slicks, front and rear. The ahlman engineering-designed chassis incorporates a roadster shop cantilevered independent suspension front and rear, a corvette tube-transaxle 480ls transmission, ohlin shocks and brembo brakes. Good for 1,000 hp on race gas, the 510ci todd goodwin engine boasts a kinsler fuel-injection eight stack, custom ss headers, titanium side exhaust and a “ton of machined parts.”

Tyler Nelson

1958 Ford F100

Booth: Mothers South

Booth/Location: Silver Lot

Tyler Nelson’s 1958 Ford F100 specs include: wheel openings pulled forward; a widened box gapped to the cab; extended rockers; custom roll pan; custom billet bed floor inserts; hand-built tailgate with EZ lift design; shaved and pancaked roof; flush-mount glass; custom bumpers; one-piece billet grille; one-off wheels; hood opening changed to open only on top; extended fenders to meet the hood top; Whipple-supercharged Ford Racing Coyote motor; custom-built chassis; one-off gauges; custom leather interior; leather floor with carpet inserts on floor; custom-machined pedals and shifter; and custom-machined single-pivot hood hinges.

Tim Devlin

1934 Chevrolet Roadster

Booth: HRIA

Booth/Location: 23295

This vehicle was built as an all-Chevy platform to go up against the Fords in AMBR competition. The roadster was designed by Eric Black to evoke a traditional yet extremely elegant vibe. The car features all-steel construction using a ’29/’31 Holden-bodied roadster, and the chassis is a one-off Roadster Shop design with cantilever coilovers. Wheels, grille, windshield, trim and interior are also all one-off machined pieces. Power derives from a 650hp Dart LS with hidden EFI and a five-speed manual transmission. The vehicle’s custom gauges are by Classic Instruments, and its convertible top manually opens into the hinged tonneau sculpted into the body. The paint has no metallic, and the other finishes are Cerakote. Devlin’s roadster was built to be a champion and is succeeding—it is the current AMBR winner and Goodguys Street Rod of the Year, and now a BOTB Top 12 contender.

Sport Compact, Luxury & Exotics

TJ Russell

1991 Porsche 911 BAJA

Booth: Front of Central Hall

Booth/Location: V052

The “BAJA 911” started life as a 1991 Porsche Carrera 4 Cabriolet before receiving the full treatment from Russell Built. This luxury Prerunner-inspired build merges world-class, race-bred engineering and chassis fabrication with the fit and finish expected from concourse-level show cars. The vehicle seamlessly merges a purpose-built Baja race-prepared chassis, long-travel suspension, an exclusive AWD drivetrain, and all the modern-day creature comforts into a highly refined luxury dual-purpose Porsche 911.

Shawn Bassett

1991 Nissan Skyline GT-R

Booth: Moton

Booth/Location: 20555

Competitive as a modern race car but with some serious style points, this 1991 Skyline GTR started life as an Omori Factory-built (NISMO) car but never raced until now, after a full custom rebuild. The engine is fully built and stroked 2.8L RB26. BMW DCT utilizes 200-millisecond shifts via a custom paddle-shift steering wheel. The custom Winters Quick Change differential dials in the gear ratio. The Skyline rides on special-edition Volk TE37 wheels with 295/35/ZR R888R Toyo Tires. The carbon-fiber body and aero were fabricated in-house. Engine management and PDM are full Motec/Milspec. The build incorporates custom-built billet suspension arms and Moton three-way coilovers and Air Jacks. The Skyline also has an AP Pro5000 Big Brake kit and a custom dry- sump oiling system. There is also a chassis-mounted APR Performance 70-in. Dual Element Wing.

CJ Pullman

1977 Ford Pinto

Booth: Front of Central Hall

Booth/Location: V319

This is a 1977 Pinto crusing wagon with a big twist. It’s built on an Art Morrison chassis with IFS/IRS, and powered by a 2.3L Ford EcoBoost with a Precision turbo running through a Garrett intercooler. Mountune supplied the dry-sump system to finish up the engine. For stopping power, there are Wilwood four-piston brakes on all four corners. The custom interior is by DJ Designs, and the Classic Paint was laid down by Art Hemsiland and supplied by PPG. To wrap it all up, the Pinto sits on a set of classic BFGoodrich white-letter tires. In bringing the vehicle to the 2022 SEMA Show, Pullman said he “wanted to build something that had a very classic look but has all the creature comforts and reliability of a new car.” He added, “I hope you like it, and I look forward to being invited to the BOTB.”

4-Wheel Drive & Off-Road

Ringbrothers

1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer

Booth: HRIA

Booth/Location: 23295

Riding on a Roadster Shop chassis, BULLY’s 6.8L. 1,200 horsepower is transferred to the ground through a Bowler Tru-Street GM 4L80E automatic transmission. The Currie Dana 44 front and Dana 60 rear axles tie to the chassis via a triangulated four-link suspension that employs two FOX coilover shocks per wheel. Stopping power is provided by Baer six-piston brakes on all four corners. A Holley Dominator EFI system handles fuel- management duties while Motul lubricants keep the engine at peak performance. Flowmaster headers and mufflers customized by Ringbrothers deliver the soundtrack. Inside, the Blazer features fully custom upholstery by Steve Pearson at Upholstery Unlimited. The in-house fabricated seats use an aesthetic based on the theme of “floating” and combine the Blazer’s rugged nature with supreme craftsmanship. Three individual pods separate the dashboard and house the Dakota Digital instrumentation and custom Ringbrothers carbon- fiber steering wheel.

Cody Dabney

1970 Ford F-250

Booth: Central Hall

Booth/Location: CO7

The Velocity Modern Classic’s 1970 F-250 build reimagines the iconic classic pickup with modern luxury features. The truck pairs a carefully restored body on a Roadstershop chassis, a Coyote V8 engine with custom exhaust, and a hand-crafted interior with modern creature comforts. The entire restoration process has been handled in-house by the Velocity team, from rendering and custom Glasurit paint to custom-machined exterior components and hand-finished leather interior. The truck also features custom-valved Fox Shocks, all- new Dana axles, Baer Brakes, an Atlas II Transfer Case, Dakota Digital Gauge Cluster, Vintage Air air conditioning, a Retro Sound Huntington Head Unit, Morel Sound System, Moore & Giles interior materials, and J.W. Speaker Headlights.

Greg Ward

1971 Toyota FJ40 Landcruiser

Booth: North Hall

Booth/Location: 10215

Greg Ward says, “This Landcruiser has to be one of the nicest versions we have released to a customer to date, with about 3,000 hours [going] into building it.” One of the major reasons this truck is so stunning, he added, “is because the customer understood how hard it is to build a custom vehicle.” Not rushing the process allowed the end product to be that much more amazing. The Landcruiser boasts a GM Performance LS crate motor bolted to a new late-model Toyota H55F five-speed transmission and a new OEM transfer case. From a distance, the vehicle looks like a stock FJ40, but up close you’ll start noticing all sorts of hidden features from the custom sound system to cold air intake. The refinements include True Dual Systems exhaust, an electric e- brake, Vintage Air air conditioning, custom paint, Black Rhino wheels, Raptor-lined interior, a power-steering swap, a new HFS steel tub, M8274 Warn Winch, Bilstein shocks and more.

Young Guns | 29 & Under

Cameron Cocalis

2015 Scion FR-S

Booth/Location: Toyo Treadpass

This Scion boasts a tube chassis and interior cage to replace the original structure with a nearly completely space-frame design. It features cantilever/pushrod rear suspension, fabricated paneling throughout, an LS3 376/525 long-block enhanced with aftermarket accessories, a custom equal-length 8-into-1 header, Tremec Magnum F transmission with sequential conversion, and a hidden rear-mount radiator setup. Additional upgrades include Haltech Elite 2500 engine management, a Radium fuel system, an FDF Fab suspension arms and angle kit, Wilwood six-piston front and dual four-piston rear brakes, a Pandem V3 widebody kit, and Work S1 3P wheels. An Airlift 3P suspension, custom exhaust, custom two-tone paint job, and numerous other parts and fabricated components round out the package. All fabrication, engine work, paintwork, installations and overall design were done by Cocalis.

Austin Phipps

1966 Chevrolet Nova

Booth: Battle of the Builders

Booth/Location: 10139

Austin Phipps’ 1966 Chevrolet Nova specs include: an LS3 engine with a BTR stage 4 PDS cam, a Whipple 2.9 Supercharger, a custom titanium dual filter intake and a 3-in. stainless oval exhaust. The interior has one-of-one Custom TMI seats, door panels, a headliner with an all-metal ’59 Impala dash and Restomod air vents. It also has a Sparc Industries steering wheel with a custom center console, custom pedals, custom Wilwood pedal arms and a custom hardline airline display. The body has shaved door handles, a shaved wiper cowl, custom inner fenders, a shaved custom firewall, custom-mix blue paint, and burnt- bronze Cerakote with a color-matched bedliner on the bottom side. Wheels are a one-of-one set of Rushforth Prowler, Nexen Nfera AU7 tires, and Wilwood four-piston brakes. The suspension has a Scott’s Hotrod front clip.

Josh Michels

1966 Chevrolet Corvette

Booth: Battle of the Builders

Booth/Location: 10139

Josh Michels’ 1966 Corvette specs include: a ’19 Corvette ZR1 755hp LT5 motor with a GM 8L90 paddle- shifted automatic transmission; ’19 Corvette ZR1 spindles and control arms, ‘19 Corvette ZR1 carbon ceramic 15-in. rotors; and ’19 Corvette Brembo carbon ceramic calipers. It also includes a Camaro ZL1 independent rear with 3.73 gears; a McLeod dual disc clutch; a Roadster Shop Spec 7 chassis; ’17 Corvette Laguna Blue paint; Forgeline custom-built rims, 19x9.5 front/19x12 rear; 275/30/ZR19 front tires, 355/20/ZR19 rear tires; custom tucked bumpers; Vintage Air air conditioning, Dakota Digital gauges, Lamborghini Italian creme leather interior; custom-made center console and dash; custom rear floor and tubs to accommodate 355-series tires in the rear; a new front clip, quarters and taillight panel; and a custom TIG-welded exhaust.

2022 SEMA BATTLE OF THE BUILDERS® Top 40

Hot Rod/ Hot Rod Truck

BUILDERS Name Vehicle Booth Booth/Location
Will Posey 1961 Chevrolet Impala Hushmat 23195
Eddie Pettus 1963 Chevrolet Corvette BASF 20365
Troy Ladd 1932 Ford Coupe Battle of the Builders 10139
Troy Gudgel 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle HRIA 23295
Ringbrothers 1948 Chevrolet Pick up Loadmaster Mothers 22357
Justin l Nichols 1932 Ford roadster truck Coker Tire 22677
Tyler Nelson 1958 Ford F100 Mothers South Silver Lot
Brian Limberg 1936 Willys Model 77 Pickup Presta Products 54149
Jonathan Goolsby 1969 Dodge A-108 Van BASF 20365
Tim Devlin 1934 Chevrolet Roadster HRIA 23295

Sport Compact, Luxury & Exotics

BUILDERS Name Vehicle Booth Booth/Location
TJ Russel 1991 Porsche 911 BAJA Front of Central Hall V052
Scott Kanemura 1993 Toyota 4Runner Paddock 81050
Jeff Norris 1960 Lotus Eleven Mothers North Silver Lot
Ronald Norat 1988 BMW E30 / M3 Renner 47183
John Sarkisyan 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300sl Toyo Treadpass
Shawn Bassett 1991 Nissan Skyline GT-R Moton 20555
Shawn Bassett 2019 Audi RS3 Toyo Treadpass
Dan Long 1966 Superformance GT40 Mk2 Superformance 24975
Austin Barnett 1976 Porsche 911 Toyo Treadpass
CJ Pullman 1977 Ford pinto Front of Central Hall V319

4-Wheel Drive & Off-Road

BUILDERS Name Vehicle
Rob Hester 2022 GMC Jimmy Flat Out Autos 24675
Cody Bennett 2005 Chevrolet Silverado Outside South Hall V516
Ringbrothers 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer HRIA 23295
Jerry Harding 1950 Willys Station Wagon Toyo Treadpass
Cody Dabney 1970 Ford F-250 South Hall CO7
Gregory R Henderson 2022 Jeep 4XE Rubicon JL Quadratec 58085
Nathan Staker 1979 Jeep Wagoneer Tremec 81280
Mark Harlow 1981 Jeep Stretched CJ5 Front of Central Hall V142
Greg Ward 1971 Toyota FJ40 Landcruiser North Hall 10215
Chad Anderson 2010 Toyota Tundra Front of Central Hall V021

Young Guns | 29 & Under

BUILDERS Name Vehicle
Bryce Adams 1983 Chevrolet C10 Battle of the Builders 10139
Cameron Cocalis 2015 Scion Fr-s Toyo Treadpass
Connor Crews 1998 Chevrolet C1500 Front of Central Hall V032
Jordan Fields 1965 Ford Shelby Cobra South Hall Lower VS104
Tyler Adams 1967 Chevrolet K-10 Battle of the Builders 10139
Luke Rowe 1935 Ford truck K&N 22351
Logan Adkins 1954 Ford F100 Battle of the Builders 10139
Austin Phipps 1966 Chevrolet Nova Battle of the Builders 10139
Josh Michels 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Battle of the Builders 10139
Dayton jacobson 1954 Oldsmobile 88 convertible Battle of the Builders 10139
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE TOP 40 LIST

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

All builders with a vehicle displaying at the 2023 SEMA Show may enter the competition at www.semabotb.com before the deadline on October 13, 2023. Photos can be uploaded directly onto the online applications, which judges will use to select the finalists. Please refer to the "Submissions" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all competition entry application requirements.

Yes. A vehicle must be approved by the Show committee to be on display at the SEMA Show and can be either a feature vehicle, or a booth vehicle. You may still enter the SEMA Battle of the Builders as you work to secure your vehicle spot at the Show. However, the BOTB operations team will review all applications for the 2023 SEMA Battle of the Builders and check their status for displaying at the 2023 SEMA Show. Those vehicles who are registered for the 2023 BOTB competition, but not confirmed to display at the 2023 SEMA Show will not be allowed to continue in the BOTB competition. You must have your feature vehicle space or booth space secured by October 13, 2023 to continue in the 2023 BOTB competition. To apply for a feature vehicle space at the 2023 SEMA Show, you must first have a SEMA Show exhibiting company sponsor the space. Once you have secured such sponsorship, you may apply for the feature vehicle space here. Please read the rules and regulations for feature vehicles here. If you have questions about applying for a feature vehicle space, you may also contact Maurice O'Connell at mauriceo@sema.org.

The BOTB operations team will be in contact with you via email to confirm receipt of your application and provide you with additional information regarding dates and deadlines. The email will also provide you with contact information for the BOTB team if you have any additional questions. If you have applied in the Young Guns category, you will also receive information regarding the virtual regional Golden Ticket competition for your chance to win one of several Young Guns SEMA Show prize packages.

Only an individual may enter. If you built the vehicle with the shop, you must have acted as a builder on the vehicle project. Please refer to the "Eligibility" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all eligibility requirements.

Unfortunately, no. Only the individual who acted as a builder on the vehicle project may be listed. Please refer to the "Eligibility" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all eligibility requirements.

Supporting and inspiring young builders is crucial to the future of the automotive specialty equipment market. The Young Guns category is designed to encourage young builders to pursue their passions and shines the light on the up-and-coming builders.

"Young Guns" is a designation within the overall BOTB competition to recognize builders who are under the age of 29 (as of Nov. 3, 2023). Those who meet the criteria and have selected the Young Guns category on the online application are eligible to participate. Please refer to the "Eligibility" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all eligibility requirements. All competitors in the Young Guns category will be competing against the overall field of builders, regardless of how they entered the competition.

All eligible Young Guns applicants who have submitted their online application before August 1, 2023 may be selected to compete in one or more virtual regional Golden Ticket competitions for the chance to win a Golden Ticket SEMA Show prize package. Those Young Guns eligible applicants who have been selected for this will be contacted via email or phone separately by the BOTB operations team. Please refer to the "Young Guns" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all rules and requirements of the virtual regional Golden Ticket competitions.

With more than 300 participants, industry experts will review all qualifying applications, including vehicle descriptions and photos. Judges will then select the Top 40 finalists in the competition (10 from the hot-rod / hot-rod trucks category; 10 from the off-road / 4-wheel-drive category; 10 from the sport-compact / import performance / luxury & exotics category; and 10 from the Young Guns category). After the Top 40 finalists are announced, the judges then narrow the finalists down to the Top 12 (3 from the hot-rod / hot-rod trucks category; 3 from the off-road / 4-wheel-drive category; 3 from the sport-compact / import performance / luxury & exotics category; and 3 from the Young Guns category). The Top 12 finalists then become the judges and select from amongst themselves who are the Top 4 category winners, and who is named the Top Overall Builder of the SEMA BOTB. Please refer to the "Judging" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all judging policies.

Only the regional Young Guns virtual regional Golden Ticket competitions leading up to the SEMA Show will be virtual. Once on site at the 2023 SEMA Show, all activities will be in-person.

The Top 40 winners, the Top 12 winners, the Top 4 class champions and the Top Overall BOTB Builder will all be announced live throughout the week at the Battle of the Builders Stage at the 2023 SEMA Show. Once each live announcement is made, the winners will also be announced on SEMA Show's social media channels.

Each vehicle at the SEMA Show is a unique, one-of-a-kind creation. Personal tastes may vary and opinions will differ. Industry experts with years of experience serve as judges and narrow the entries down to finalists. However, it is the Top 12 finalists themselves who will be judging, voting and selecting the ultimate winner.

As builders, the finalists know and understand the challenges and complexity involved with a vehicle build. They can assess and determine the creativity, craftsmanship and skill that went into each vehicle, before selecting the winner. Please refer to the "Judging" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all judging policies.