Celebrating five decades of Desert Racing excellence in the coming year, SCORE International has released its four-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Champion Golden Anniversary schedule.

With 2023 marking SCORE's 50th desert-racing season, the organization has continued to innovate and create an increasing variety of opportunities, with Mexico's Baja California peninsula again playing host to the official four-race schedule for the championship. In the storied history of the "World's Foremost Desert Racing Organization," 2023 will represent the eighth consecutive year featuring all four races on the peninsula, with coverage airing domestically and being syndicated internationally.

While the season-opener will once again be in San Felipe, two of other three events on the 2023 calendar will start and finish in Ensenada, the off-road capital of the world, while the golden grand finale of the season will start in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and finish in Ensenada, Baja California. The official SCORE World Desert Championship race schedule can be found at: http://score-international.com/raceinfo.

A Proud History

SCORE was founded in August 1973 by the late, legendary Mickey Thompson with the SCORE World Championship short-course event at the old Riverside International Raceway. SCORE Baja desert racing officially began on July 26, 1974, with the SCORE Baja Internacional, which later became the SCORE Baja 500.

SCORE was then owned and run for more than 38 years by the iconic Sal Fish, considered by many as the godfather of desert racing around the world. Fish sold SCORE on December 12, 2012, to Roger and Elise Norman.

The Normans continue today developing SCORE marketing and sponsor programs with Abelardo Grijalva as SCORE president/race director, Juan Tintos Funcke as SCORE general manager, and Jim Ryan as the vice-president of marketing and sales.

"What an extremely phenomenal, precious treasure we all have in SCORE International, and to be able to be part of celebrating the Golden Anniversary of SCORE in 2023 is extremely humbling and inspiring for all of us at the same time," commented Grijalva.

As part of the lead-up to its Golden Anniversary season, SCORE International returns to the 2022 SEMA Show with an exciting collection of desert-racing and support vehicles, along with other activities. You'll find the SCORE International exhibit in the recently completed West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Fueled by Record Demand, the Powersports Market Explodes, Crossing Into the Mainstream

Powersports sales have been on fire, dramatically increasing across the board since 2020, but resulting in part of the supply-chain woes we're constantly reading about in the news. The culprit: enthusiasts and even ordinary people desperately seeking adventure to distract themselves or reemerge from the COVID-19 doldrums.

However, the supply-chain conundrum has limited the number of vehicles being manufactured, which has required dealerships to turn to preordering, according to Dave McMahon, content director for Power Sports Business magazine. In the past, dealers may have had stacks of ATVs sitting in the parking lot waiting to get into the showroom. With a gap in dealer inventory, demand is far outpacing supply. Now, every unit is often already presold and out the door. Dealers have had to adapt to a whole new way of doing business.

The supply-chain meltdown is also preventing manufacturers from getting parts to finish their products, and everybody in the powersports industry is feeling the heat.
"Shock absorber manufacturers are missing a couple of pieces, and they can't get product off the shelves because they're not completed yet," said Jim Ryan, marketing and sales director for SCORE International. "It's little things that are causing tremendous wait orders."

Not to be outdone by UTVs, motorcycle sales have increased almost 22%, thanks in large part to economic stimulus money and low interest rates, according to Carl Parker, owner/publisher of ADVMoto magazine.

"Dealers are selling out of all kinds of vehicles, from two to four wheels," Parker said. "They're selling at retail-plus and sometimes even retail-plus-plus. In the motorcycle industry, we've found a heavy emphasis on smaller, beginner-oriented bikes. Many people are buying them—not just new riders but also experienced riders who are shifting to smaller models."

The COVID-19 Factor

COVID-19 forced people to get outside to spend time with their families, so the pandemic has been a boon to business for motorcycle, ATV and side-by-side manufacturers and dealers.

"Dealerships have had their best couple of years ever because people are just looking for something to do," McMahon said. "That might mean buying a first motorcycle and learning how to ride. Or maybe you have an ATV and now you buy a side-by-side to take the family out. A lot of that has changed now, but at the onset of the pandemic, dealers told us that's what drove much of the sales."

According to Ryan, the pandemic blew everything up in a positive way. Dirt-bike sales—which had been in decline for years—suddenly took off, so the demand caused by COVID led to orders being placed at record levels not only with racing but also lifestyle usage.
Parker added that for accessories, there was also a shift to internet purchasing.

"It was positive in a sense, but it was a double-edged sword," he said. "Many providers didn't know how the pandemic would affect them, so some of them went shy on inventory, thinking there was going to be an economic collapse... The market surge left a lot of people out of supply. They ended up having to turn away customers, which you never want to do."

What's Trending

From SCORE's perspective, Ryan said that UTVs have assumed more duties than the first utility vehicles built many years ago. Today they're found in top-level motorsports and enthusiast programs, and they're even used for agricultural applications and have overlanding capabilities. In terms of trends, their usage just keeps growing into other lifestyle categories; it's not just racing.

McMahon estimated that approximately two out of three side-by-sides are used for work, recreation or utility.

"You hop into your side-by-side when you go ice fishing in Minnesota, and it's a fully enclosed cab with automatic windows, full heat and air conditioning," McMahon said.

"The comfort level that some of these manufacturers are providing goes beyond what a customer would have expected they'd be able to get coming into the market for the first time during the pandemic."

The vehicles also get bigger and stronger every year, pushing the limits of what the machines can do, according to Larry Gray, sales manager for IMMI (booth #60043)—a safety restraint supplier of three-point and multi-point harnesses to both OEMs and the aftermarket. Side-by-sides have hit their power threshold, Gray said, and because of that, the focus will trend toward upgrading the vehicle's interior.

Among older enthusiasts, there tends to be a large crossover demographic between off-road riding, motorcycling and off-road four-wheeling with UTVs.

"Because of the cost of the new UTVs, you're generally looking at a slightly older demographic, closer to retirement age," Parker said. "They have the money, and many of them have both motorcycles and side-by-sides in their garages. It's not like they're giving up on one and going to the other or vice versa. These types of vehicles actually complement each other, and there's a buyer's market for both of them. Consumers want to be able to explore the world off-road, and both have their own merits. I'd be willing to bet that many of the off-road side-by-side enthusiasts also have dirt bikes in their garages."

The bottom line is that powersports enthusiasts just want to get dirty and explore, whether on a side-by-side or motorcycle. Both new and used adventure dual-sport bikes are doing extremely well, and so are the aftermarket parts and accessories for them, Parker said. Items such as clothing and hard parts are in short supply, including helmets, armor and gear.

"We expect this trend to continue as people move away from a traditional employment environment to more flexible work duties and conditions," Parker said.

Global Tire Expo—Powered by TIA was created as a result of a merger of the International Tire Expo and the SEMA Show and has grown into one of the world's largest tire expositions under the direction of the TIA (booths #40067 and #41067). TIA is a nonprofit organization, and its mission is to promote tire safety through education and training, to act as the tire industry's principal advocate in legislative affairs, and to represent the industry at public and industry events such as the SEMA Show. TIA offers training and certification courses in automotive, commercial, earthmover and farm tire service, and more than 150,000 technicians have completed TIA coursework to date.

For 2022, TIA returns for its 101st anniversary at the Global Tire Expo (GTE)/SEMA Show. TIA's pre-show events are slated to be held at Bally's Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, which was selected as its host hotel for GTE/SEMA.

TIA's Annual Membership Meeting, Advisory Council Meeting, Cocktail Reception and Tire Industry Honors Awards Ceremony all will take place October 31, at the hotel, one day prior to the start of the Global Tire Expo/SEMA Show. There is no charge for any of these pre-show events, but you must reserve a ticket to attend.

In addition, for the second year in a row, TIA will host a TopGolf Challenge TIA Government Affairs Benefit at TopGolf of Las Vegas on Sunday, October 30, from 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. The cost is $150 per golfer, or $900 for a private bay (six golfers).

Meanwhile, TIA is hosting a full range of industry educational seminars during SEMA Show Week:

Tuesday, November 1

• 10:00 am: TPMS at 10: TPMS Activation Tool and Sensor Platforms (Upper South Hall room S226)

This panel discussion will explore how TPMS activation tool technology can be used to ensure TPMS operation and make system relearns and sensor replacements a more streamlined process.

• 11:00 a.m.: Truck Tires at 10: OSHA Compliance Training for Commercial Dealers (Upper South Hall room S227)

A panel of experts will share their thoughts on the different types of instruction that is necessary and when it must take place when hiring a new employee or providing ongoing training for experienced technicians.

• 2:00 p.m.: Tires at 2: Successful Tire Dealers Share Their Secrets (Upper South Hall room S226)

We've invited the Modern Tire Dealer Tire Dealer of the Year, the Tire Business Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award winner and the Tire Review Top Shop winner to make brief presentations on what makes them successful.

Wednesday, November 2

• 10:00 a.m.: TPMS at 10: The State of TPMS Sensors (Upper South Hall room S226)

A panel of TPMS manufacturers will share their thoughts on the current and future state of TPMS sensors providing attendees a better understanding of what is available, what to expect and how they can train their technicians to ensure future system
operation.

• 10:00 a.m.: Truck Tires at 10: Jacking and Lifting Safety (Upper South Hall room S227)

Industry experts will discuss the equipment that is needed to safely secure the axles of commercial vehicles during service as well as the practices that must be followed to ensure the associated hazards are minimized.

• 2:00 p.m.: Management at 2: How to Investigate an Accident (Upper South Hall room S226)

This seminar is an up-close and personal look at what companies can expect when an accident results in serious/fatal injuries or property
damage.

Going into 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic may have roiled some sectors of the aftermarket, but it failed to influence the Tire Industry Association's (TIA, booths #40067 and #41067) core mission.

"The pandemic didn't make tires any safer from a technician's standpoint," said Kevin Rohlwing, TIA chief technical officer. "The hazards of servicing tires are still present, even in a pandemic, so our mission hasn't changed."

In fact, the continued evolutions of tire technology prompted TIA toward several key initiatives at the 2022 Global Tire Expo (GTE) that have set the table for what Show attendees will see at this year's event. "We didn't stop updating our programs," Rohlwing noted. "The industry is changing, and our training programs need to evolve with those changes."

One of the changes TIA adopted in response to the pandemic was a new emphasis on producing outdoor training videos for use when indoor educational sessions weren't possible due to COVID quarantine and distancing protocols. For 2022, Rohlwing announced, all videos produced under the auspices of the TIA Online University would also include closed captioning.

"Some of our board members have deaf and hard-of-hearing employees, and closed captioning makes learning much more effective for them," Rohlwing said. "It costs us more money and it takes more time, but the board felt that it was worth the added expense."

Additionally, TIA announced updates for its Certified Commercial Tire Service program and for its Earth Mover Tire Service programs in 2022.

"We're going to keep these programs current and relevant," Rohlwing said.

In 2022, TIA also undertook a new partnership with Mohr Retail, a retail training and consulting firm, to launch a new educational initiative on the subject of management training.

"We don't have the staff to support something like this, so we've partnered with Mohr on a program we piloted last year," Rohlwing said. "It was a retail training program teaching managers to be better leaders. It also taught about conflict resolution and how to better motivate people."

The response to the program was positive, Rohlwing noted, "so we came up with a weekly program that's more aimed to the commercial side of the business. The response we've gotten has been fantastic. We're excited about the future prospects of it, and it's something that our members have been asking for."

An additional training program aimed at area or regional managers was in the works as well.

CEO Richard "Dick" Gust also offered his thoughts about the direction of the organization moving forward.

"My plan is to build on the great foundation that has been placed by Roy Littlefield [who retired last year] and the rest of the TIA leadership team," he said. "We've developed the most outstanding training program in the country, and it's all because our members are concerned about safety."

SEMA Show exhibitors and attendees preparing for the 2022 SEMA Show can lock in the guaranteed lowest hotel rate now by booking in the SEMA Show Block through onPeak. As the official hotel provider for the SEMA Show, onPeak has negotiated exclusive, discounted nightly rates at the best hotels in Las Vegas.

Making hotel reservations in the block provides you with the most affordable and convenient options for a wide range of hotels located on and off the Strip. All the hotels available through the SEMA Show Block come with a low-price guarantee. To help ensure that your price remains the lowest, SEMA will price-match lower advertised rates, even after your reservations are set. 

The SEMA Show also provides shuttle service to and from the Show for the hotels listed that are not within walking distance to the Las Vegas Convention Center.
There are more than 45 hotels available in the block. For more information on the hotels listed below, including rating, price per night and distance from the Las Vegas Convention Center, visit  www.SEMAShow.com.

The following hotels are located within one mile of the Las Vegas Convention Center:

• Courtyard by Marriott–Las Vegas Convention Center (0.7 miles)
• Embassy Suites by Hilton–Las Vegas Convention Center (0.6 miles)
• Hilton Grand Vacations–Las Vegas Convention Center (0.7 miles)
• Las Vegas Marriott (0.9 miles)
• Residence Inn by Marriott–Las Vegas Convention Center (0.7 miles)
• Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino (0.1 miles)

To book, go to https://compass.onpeak.com/e/63SEM2022HIR/7.

Legendary car builder and industry icon Chip Foose will help give the 2022 SEMA Show a new look as the official artist of this year's trade event. Foose created original pieces of art that will be woven into signage throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center and in marketing materials for the Show to help reflect each segment of the industry in a special and authentic way.

"This opportunity is allowing me to be creative in a different fashion," said Foose. "I'm excited to entertain and connect with SEMA Show attendees in a new way."

SEMA Show officials feature a new artist every three years to add a level of authenticity to something that most trade shows in the world leave to a sign designer. Foose is the fourth celebrated automotive artist—joining Alex Carmona, Max Grundy and Ed Tillrock—whose artwork will give Showgoers a new experience at the event.

Each year at the SEMA Show, SEMA Education presents a variety of free daily seminars aimed at helping member companies realize their potential, increase their earnings, maximize efficiencies and stay abreast of the latest and most consequential changes to the workplace. The following are some program highlights. Register to attend at www.SEMAShow.com/education.

How to Market and Sell in the Post-Pandemic World

• Monday, October 31, 9:00 a.m.– 10:00 a.m.
• Location: N258

The pandemic drastically altered the business world. What will the marketplace look like throughout the decade? How can your company adapt to an evolving business climate? Understand what drives customers' purchasing decisions and how to influence their journey. Gain insights into the best ways to connect with B2B, B2C or e-commerce buyers. Discover the tools and messaging that can make your company as a market leader.

Uncover Strategies for a Profitable Automotive Business

• Monday, October 31, 11:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m.
• Location: N258

Running an automotive business can be challenging. Whether dealing with cash-flow issues, looking to up your marketing game or trying to hire the next best employee, this session is for you. Identify proven strategies to uncover hidden profit and build a consistent flow of qualified leads.

Ideation to Creation: A Roadmap to Developing a Profitable Product

• Monday October 31, 1:00 p.m.– 2:00 p.m.
• Location: N258

What does it take to bring an idea through the design process and create a successful product? Grasp the essentials of the product-development process. Follow a roadmap from idea inception and prototyping to the role of research and competitive analysis to engineering and manufacturing.

Diversity and Inclusion: How You Can Advance Equal Opportunity in Your Workplace

• Tuesday, November 1, 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.
• Location: N258

It has never been more important to understand the social constructs of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and how these concepts impact communities and organizations. Gain valuable insights and information about what companies can do to advance equal opportunity within their workplaces.

Keys to Running a Lucrative Tuning Business

• Tuesday November 1, 3:00 p.m.– 4:00 p.m.
• Location: N254

Modifying vehicles to optimize engine performance and handling characteristics takes time, talent and technical know-how. Pinpoint the keys to running a successful tuning business, beginning with the challenges involved in tuning modern vehicles.

Leadership for Remote Teams: Sharpening Your Skill Set

• Wednesday, November 2, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• Location: N252

Post-pandemic aftershocks have transformed workplace environments. Many companies are pivoting to an all-remote or hybrid workforce. Remote teams need a remote leader with a unique skill set. Uncover techniques to sharpen soft skills, such as empathy, coaching and active listening. Nail down long-term strategies to create an organizational culture that cultivates employee loyalty.

Understanding Private Equity in the Aftermarket Industry

• Wednesday, November 2, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
• Location: N254

Private equity can take on many forms, from complex leveraged buyouts to venture capital. Private-equity firms are very active in the automotive aftermarket. Join a panel of industry professionals, including institutional investors, fund managers and specialist advisors, as they cover a wide range of topics.

Tips and Tactics to Rally Your Career

• Wednesday, November 2, 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Location: N252

Discover hidden parallels between an off-road rally and an aftermarket career pathway. Compare the challenges of an all-female desert rally to navigating everyday workplace situations and the need to rely on teammates for motivation and resources.

10 Ways to Increase Revenue

• Thursday, November 3, 11:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m.
• Location: N258

Increasing revenue streams is essential to long-term success. Hear humorous and time-tested examples of real-world techniques to help shop owners, managers and salespeople increase sales. Understand how to build an impactful brand strategy. Get a handle on basic sales processes.

Proven Strategies to Recruit and Retain Top Talent

• Thursday, November 3, 1:00 p.m.– 2:00 p.m.
• Location: N254

With unemployment at an all-time low, employers need to up their game to attract and retain top talent. Learn how compensation trends and regulations, overtime, paid time off and other factors influence a company's ability to hire, motivate and engage employees.

Start your pre-event planning with the 2022 SEMA Show app, available now for free download at your mobile device’s native app Store. The app “puts the SEMA Show in your pocket” and can help you begin to build an event itinerary before you arrive in Las Vegas.

Key features include:

• My Schedule Planner: Allowing attendees, media and exhibitors alike to plan and save all of the educational sessions, events and meetings they wish to experience at the Show.
   
• Maps and Step-by-Step Show Navigation: Find your connections quickly, along with the quickest, easiest route to them.
   
• New Products Showcase Scanning: The app is the only way to scan and view all the product entries in the Showcase, plus it offers direct links to exhibiting companies and their booth locations.
   
• Show Vehicle Scanning: Similar to the New Products Showcase, attendees can scan any vehicles displayed at the Show. These include featured, sponsored and booth vehicles. The feature lets you learn more about a vehicle build, including its make, model and year; the products used in the build; the builder’s name; and direct links to the sponsoring exhibitor.
   
• Event Listings: Including all celebrity appearances, Show events, educational sessions and speakers.

Celebrating its 55th birthday in 2022, the annual SEMA Show has evolved to fit the times, reflecting and responding to changes in the specialty automotive industry, and this year’s Show will be no different. While all of the information contained here was accurate at the time this issue went to press, many new features were still being fine-tuned, so be sure to visit  www.SEMAShow.com or the SEMA Show app for the latest updates and schedules.
 
SEMA Award Presentation
Silver Drive, Outside the Central Hall Entrance
Monday, October 31, 5:00–7:00 p.m. 
The annual SEMA Awards, given to the top-trending vehicle models in six categories, will be presented Monday, October 31, the day before the 2022 SEMA Show officially opens.

SEMA Central
Grand Lobby
Monday, October 31–Thursday, November 3, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Friday, November 4, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
This year, SEMA Central expands to offer Showgoers a more immersive industry experience than ever before.

The New Products Showcase 
Upper South Hall, Booth #31307
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.

SEMA Overland Experience
West Hall, Booth #62236
Buyers at the 2022 SEMA Show will be able to see products and vehicles specifically for overlanding in the all-new SEMA Overland Experience area.

SEMA Electrified
North Hall, Booth #11268
SEMA Electrified offers the industry an opportunity to see where this growing segment might take us in the next five to 10 years and beyond.

SEMA Launch Pad 
Central Hall, Booth #22970
Fifteen executive-level innovators compete in a “Shark Tank”-like business competition for automotive entrepreneurs. The Top 5 are then selected for an elimination competition to be held on Wednesday, November 2, at SEMA Central, with the final two candidates presenting their pitches at the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet, Thursday, November 3.  

Battle of the Builders
North Hall, Booth #10139
SEMA’s premier showcase of the builder’s art culminates in final competition on Friday November 4, 10:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. 

The SEMA Cruise Presented by CTEK
Silver Drive, Adjacent to Central Hall
Vehicles from the 2022 SEMA Show begin parading out of the Convention Center at Show close—4:00 p.m. on Friday, November 7—to the delight of thousands of fans in grandstands along the route. 

SEMA Ignited
LVCC West Hall Parking Lot
The 2022 SEMA Show Week culminates with SEMA Ignited, the official after-party that launches immediately after the Show ends on Friday, November 4. The event takes place in the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall Parking Lot.

LVCC Loop
West Hall, Central Hall, Lower South Hall
Walking the SEMA Show floor can eat into valuable time, but Showgoers looking to maximize their efficiency can take advantage of the new LVCC Loop.

With the 55th annual SEMA Show upon us, the specialty-equipment industry is again gearing up for some serious—and exciting—business. The 2022 SEMA Show takes place November 1–4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. To assist with advanced Show planning, SEMA News has produced this 2022 SEMA Show Preview.

The annual SEMA Show is the only place in the world that brings together every segment of the automotive industry to celebrate innovation, ingenuity and passion for automobiles. After a highly successful return to live events in 2021, this year's trade event is designed to promote business growth through partnerships, collaborations, education, and insights into industry trends and new products.

This publication offers a sneak peek into the key features, events and opportunities awaiting you at the Show. From Racing & Performance to Business Services, we shine a spotlight on each market category to be found there. To add background and context to what you'll see on the Show floor, we've also included our latest reporting relating to category trends and SEMA market research. Exhibitor listings and other noteworthy items round out our pre-Show coverage. With many exhibitors increasing their booth spaces or otherwise enhancing their Show presence for 2022, there will be plenty of new and exciting innovations to discover.

The information we present was up to date as of press time. Please consult www.SEMAShow.com or the SEMA Show mobile app for the latest exhibitor listings, attendee news and media updates. The website is also the place to go to register for the Show and SEMA Education tracks.

Ultimately, leveraging the 2022 SEMA Show to its fullest can deliver a substantial ROI for your business. We hope this special issue from SEMA News serves as both an invitation and a guide to access everything the Show has to offer.