2022 SEMA Battle of the Builders Special to Air on FYI Channel in January

Posted on by in Industry News.

Mike and Jim Ring of Spring Green, Wisconsin, garnered top honors at the ninth annual SEMA Battle of the Builders Presented by Mothers Polishes competition at the 2022 SEMA Show, held November 1–4 in Las Vegas. The announcement was made at the start of SEMA Ignited, the official SEMA Show after-party designed to celebrate the builders and showcase products from the trade-only Show.

The Ringbrothers celebrated their win at 2022 Battle of the Builders Presented by Mothers Polishes.

The four class winners of this year’s competition will be highlighted along with other featured builders in a new TV special, “SEMA: Battle of the Builders, Presented by Mothers High Performance Car Care” scheduled to debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and History’s Drive block Saturday, January 28, at 9:00 a.m. (EST). Check your local station listings for additional broadcast details.

For 2022, the Battle of the Builders competition was fine-tuned to reflect changes in the customization space and to encourage greater diversity in the field of entrants. The Hot Rod category was modified to include street trucks for the first time, and the Truck/Off-Road category was altered to Four-Wheel Drive/Off-Road. The Sport-Compact category was expanded to include Import Performance, Luxury and Exotic vehicles, and the age limit for the The Young Guns competition was bumped up from 27 to 29 years old.

A panel of industry experts assessed all the entrants and narrowed down the field of more than 200 entries to a Top 40 (10 in each category) before selecting the top 12 builds overall.

The top 12 finalists are listed in the sidebar to the right.

BOTB finalists’ vehicles were on display throughout SEMA Show week inside North Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Top 12 Finalists:

Hot Rod/Hot Rod Truck

  • Mike Ring/Ringbrothers–’48 Chevrolet Loadmaster pickup
  • Tim Devlin–’34 Chevrolet roadster
  • Tyler Nelson–’58 Ford F100

Sport Compact, Import Performance, Luxury and Exotic

  • CJ Pullman–’77 Ford Pinto
  • Shawn Bassett–’91 Nissan Skyline GT-R
  • TJ Russell–’91 Porsche 911 Baja

4-Wheel Drive/Off-Road

  • Cody Dabney–’70 Ford F-250
  • Greg Ward–’71 Toyota FJ40 Landcruiser
  • Jim Ring/Ringbrothers–’72 Chevrolet K5 Blazer

Young Guns

  • Austin Phipps–’66 Chevrolet Nova
  • Cameron Cocalis–’15 Scion FR-S
  • Josh Michels–’66 Chevrolet Corvette

SiriusXM To Air 45 College Football Games This Postseason

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NEW YORK – December 26, 2022 – SiriusXM announced today that it is providing fans with access to 45 games this college football postseason. SiriusXM will carry live play-by-play of every Division I FBS bowl game – including the College Football Playoff Semifinals and National Championship – as well as the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) National Championship game and other postseason All-Star games. Subscribers can tune in to these games on the SiriusXM radios in their cars and on the SXM App.

The schedule begins this Friday, December 16. A schedule of games and their SiriusXM channel assignments can be found at SiriusXM.com/BowlGames.

On New Year’s Eve, subscribers can tune in for broadcasts of both College Football Playoff Semifinal games – the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl featuring #2 Michigan vs. #3 TCU (4 pm ET), followed by #1 Georgia vs. #4 Ohio State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (8 pm ET). Then on January 9, listeners will get live play-by-play as the winners of those two games face off in the College Football Playoff National Championship at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California (7:30 pm ET). For all three games the ESPN Radio broadcast will air on SiriusXM channel 80 (ESPN Radio), and team broadcasts can be found on SiriusXM channels 81 (ESPN Xtra), 82 (Mad Dog Sports Radio) or 84 (ESPNU Radio).

In addition to the College Football Playoff games, SiriusXM’s postseason schedule also features seven other matchups between AP Top 25-ranked teams:

  • #22 UTSA #23 Troy – Duluth Trading Cure Bowl (Dec. 16)
  • #12 Washington #21 Texas – Valero Alamo Bowl (Dec. 29)
  • #6 Tennessee #10 Clemson – Capital One Orange Bowl (Dec. 30)
  • #19 Notre Dame #20 South Carolina – TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (Dec. 30)
  • #5 Alabama #11 Kansas State – Allstate Sugar Bowl (Dec. 31)
  • #8 USC #14 Tulane – Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (Jan. 2)
  • #7 Utah #9 Penn State – Rose Bowl Game (Jan. 2)

SiriusXM will carry Westwood One’s broadcast of the FCS Football Championship on January 8 (1:30 pm ET). The FCS Football Championship game will feature the winners of this weekend’s semifinal games – North Dakota St. vs. Incarnate Word and South Dakota St. vs. Montana St.

SiriusXM will also air other postseason All-Star football games of interest, including the HBCU Pigskin Showdown, showcasing the best senior football stars from historically black colleges and universities (Dec. 17 at 1 pm ET) and the All-American Bowl, which will be played by the best high school players from around the country (Jan. 7 at 1 pm ET). 

SiriusXM will carry the official radio broadcasts for many of the schools playing in Division I FBS bowl games through its agreement with LEARFIELD or individual universities. Twenty of the bowl game broadcasts – including the College Football Playoff Semifinals and College Football Playoff National Championship – are produced and provided by ESPN Radio or an affiliate. Other broadcast providers are NBC Sports Audio Network, Bowl Season Radio, Touchdown Radio and Westwood One.

During the postseason, and throughout the year, SiriusXM offers fans the most in-depth audio analysis of the college game with six channels dedicated to collegiate sports. These include ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM, SiriusXM ACC Radio, SiriusXM Big Ten Radio, SiriusXM Pac-12 Radio, SiriusXM SEC Radio and SiriusXM Big 12 Radio.

College football bowl games and SiriusXM’s college sports programming are available to subscribers nationwide in their cars, as well as on their phones and connected devices at home with the SXM App.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All Across the 12Volt Industry

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SHREVEPORT, LA (12.23.2022) – We truly wish all across the 12volt industry a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Season.

During this time of the year we wanted to take time to thank all across the 12volt industry for their support, encouragement and business in 2022 as we continue to work each day to showcase positives across the 12volt industry.

The year 2022 continued to be an uncertain time in the world and 12volt industry with so many changing factors at play. In many cases inventory supply issues were solved in 2022 but high inflation and gas prices impacted consumer spending on non-essentials. Many brick and mortar retailers are well stocked but are not seeing the 2021 sales spike from stimulus checks. Increases in online spending continues impact the brick and mortar 12volt marketplace as well.

Work is now underway on the grounds of the LVCC in Vegas for CES 2023. The presence of 12volt companies planning to exhibit seems to reach a new low each CES as auto manufactures have taken so much space in the North Hall with huge booths. Travel concerns also continue with recurring COVID-19 spikes and other transmittable health issues.

The above narrative is a harsh reality that each business is facing.

The Christmas tree is up at the 12volt Central Studios.

From the 12volt Central Studios, we encourage all to evaluate their situation and play to their strengths. Build on your company’s strengths and highlight the positives in your every day activities…Manufacturers, Distributors, Rep Firms and Retailers alike. Let’s all work to make a bigger pie for all to share across the 12volt industry.

We look forward to continuing to showcase positives from companies across the 12volt industry in 2023.

Race Sport Lighting Partners with Falcon Sales in the Pacific Northwest

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WASHOUGAL, WA (12.23.22) – “Falcon Sales & Marketing is excited to have been chosen by Race Sport Lighting to represent their brand in the Pacific NW,” Dave Gates, Falcon Sales/Mt Hood Marketing Principal, related. 

Dave Gates pictured on site at a recent area PowerSports event.

Gates continued, “The timing is perfect for us as we will focus heavily on business related to Power Sports and Heavy Duty vehicles in 2023. Especially since a lot of the brands that we represent like Kicker, Memphis Audio, PowerBass, Arc Audio and Alpine are currently involved in or venturing into this category. I love powersports and all motorsports as well. We plan on attending as many events as possible to support our current and future clients.”

The Race Sport Lighting catalogs are available from Falcón Sales.

“2023 is going to be a new adventure for Falcon Sales. We will continue our business and look to grow in other markets like Powersports and big rig builders,” Gates concluded.

For more see www.falconsalesanddistribution.com.

SiriusXM Decks the Halls with Biggest Lineup of Holiday Music Channels Ever

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NEW YORK, NY (12.23.22) – SiriusXM unveiled its extensive holiday music lineup with 22 holiday-themed channels, including new to 2022 channels: Jingle Jamz, Cool Jazz Christmas, and Kids Christmas. The holiday season officially kicks off today on SiriusXM with many of the popular channels live now and streaming on the SXM App.  

SiriusXM brings listeners the most extensive collection of holiday channels to-date with a soundtrack to celebrate every holiday occasion. Hear beloved holiday tunes, traditional Christmas carols, and Hanukkah music, or put a twist on the classics with contemporary favorites or our genre-specific channels like holiday pop, seasonal soul, or country Christmas.

SiriusXM’s holiday channels are available to subscribers nationwide in their car and on the SXM App. The SXM App is available to subscribers on mobile devices and a wide variety of connected platforms in the home including smart speakers, smart TVs and streaming media players. Streaming access is included with all of SiriusXM’s audio trials and most popular plans. 

SiriusXM’s Holiday Channel Line-Up 

70s/80s Holidays: Sing-along to the biggest and most familiar Christmas and holiday songs from the 1970s & 80s. Available on the SXM App now through December 27.

Acoustic Christmas: Unplug this holiday season with nothing but acoustic Christmas tunes. Hear new and classic holiday songs stripped down for a relaxing seasonal vibe. Available on the SXM App now through December 27 and on channel 6 beginning December 24 through December 25.

Christmas Spirit: Christmas music and holiday favorites exclusively from contemporary Christian artists. Here, the reason for the season is not just remembered, He’s celebrated in song, commercial free! Available on the SXM App now through December 27 and on channel 63 beginning December 7 through December 27.

Cool Jazz Christmas: A jazzy holiday soundtrack that is everything you need for a cool yule! Pour the eggnog and let the festivities begin with Christmas classics from some of the greatest contemporary jazz instrumentalists including Dave Koz, David Benoit, Jonathan Butler and Kenny G, plus a sprinkling of some of the smoothest vocals of the season from the likes of Anita Baker, Diana Krall, Take 6, and Natalie Cole. Available on the SXM App now through December 27.

Country Christmas: Spanning the generations of country Christmas music, including Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood and George Strait. Available on the SXM App and on channel 55 now through December 27. 

Hallmark Channel Radio: Hallmark Channel Radio is back for the holidays featuring timeless Christmas music and carols that celebrate the joy of the season hosted by Lacey Chabert. Hear the songs you love brought to you by beloved Hallmark Channel stars like Jonathan Bennett, Brooke D’Orsay and Tyler Hynes who will share their favorite holiday songs, traditions and more. They’ll also take you behind the scenes of their new Countdown to Christmas movies. Hallmark Channel Radio is the perfect way to embrace the wonder of the season with loved ones near and far. Listen all season long. Available on the SXM App and on channel 105 now through December 27. 

Holiday Chill-Out: SiriusXM brings you the first ever 24/7 Holiday Chill-Out channel featuring downtempo, chilled-out holiday favorites. Tis the season to relax. Available on the SXM App now through December 27.

Holiday Instrumentals: Holiday favorites but the vocals are replaced with instruments. String, piano, orchestra versions and more of your favorite holiday hits. Feel free to sing along with holiday hits instrumental style. Available on the SXM App now through December 27.

Holiday Pops: Classical Christmas carols and holiday favorites performed by the greatest classical artists of all-time, including Andrea Bocelli, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Luciano Pavarotti, New York Philharmonic, The Choir of King’s College, Boston Pops Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Available on the SXM App now through December 27 and on channel 76 beginning December 24 through December 25.

Holiday Soul: Classic soul and Motown holiday music from the 60s and 70s, along with R&B holiday favorites from the 80’s including Aretha Franklin, Temptations, James Brown, Lou Rawls, Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick, The Jackson 5, the Four Tops, The Supremes and many more. Available on the SXM App now through December 27 and on channel 49 beginning December 7 through December 28.

Holiday Traditions: Traditional holiday recordings that you can sing along with by well-known vocalists from the ‘40s through the ‘60s such as Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Peggy Lee, The Carpenters and Nat King Cole. Available now on the SXM App and on channel 71 through December 27. 

Holly: Contemporary holiday hits featuring songs by Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, Kelly Clarkson, Pentatonix, Rod Stewart, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Josh Groban, Madonna, John Legend and more. Available on the SXM App and on channel 104 now through December 27.

Jingle Jamz: Jingle Jamz is a mix of R&B and Hip Hop artists from 1990 to now, singing and rapping about the holidays.  There will be artist takeovers and specials. You’ll hear Alicia Keys, Boyz II Men, Mary J. Blige, TLC, Brian McKnight, Mariah Carey, Ashanti, Babyface, Ludacris, El DeBarge, Run-D.M.C., Musiq Soulchild, Jodeci, Gucci Mane, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, DMX and Kurtis Blow. Available on the SXM App now through December 27.

Jolly Christmas: Upbeat, energetic holiday tunes from Alvin and the Chipmunks and Gene Autry to Mariah Carey and José Feliciano. Feel-good and sing-along with songs that bring smiles to the season! Always a holiday hit…on Jolly Christmas. Available on the SXM App now through December 27 and on channel 14 beginning November 11 through December 27.

Kids Christmas: The soundtrack for the most magical time of year! Welcome the holiday season with songs the whole family will love. From holiday classics to today’s most jingle-jangling tunes: It’s all here on Kid’s Christmas! Rudolph, Santa Claus, and Frosty the Snowman take over the airwaves to delight both kids and kids-at-heart all season long. Available on the SXM App now through December 27.

Navidad: Traditional Latin Holiday classics and popular treats of today!  Featuring songs by Ricky Martin, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Gloria Estefan, José Feliciano, Tito El Bambino, Marco Antonio Solís and Fania All-Stars.  Celebrate “Navidad” with this annual soundtrack leading to Three Kings Day. Available on the SXM App now through January 6.

New Year’s Nation: New Year’s Nation is custom curated to serve as your ultimate New Year’s celebration playlist powering your party with the best pop, rhythm, dance and hip-hop hits from across the nation to ring in 2023. Featuring songs from Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Lizzo, Sam Smith, Doja Cat, Post Malone, Dua Lipa, Lil Nas X, Rihanna and more. Available on the SXM App and on channel 104 beginning December 27 through January 3. 

Noël Incontournable: Holiday music channel featuring Francophone Christmas classics and contemporary holiday hits from the ‘60s to today with music from Ginette Reno, Bruno Pelletier and Laurence Nerbonne. Available year-round on the SXM App.

Mannheim Steamroller Channel: Celebrate the holidays with Mannheim Steamroller featuring their signature blend of symphonic, new age and rock inspired Christmas music. Hosted by founder Chip Davis; explore more than three decades of their majestic sounds plus Chip’s groundbreaking Fresh Aire music. Available on the SXM App now through December 27.

Radio Hanukkah: Extensive collection of Hanukkah-themed music, including contemporary, traditional and children’s selections as well as daily reflections and prayers related to the holiday. Available on the SXM App beginning December 16 through December 27.

Real Jazz Holiday: Bop and swing under the mistletoe with some of the most memorable Christmas classics that make for a “real” jazz holiday!  Hear jazz masters like Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and the Count Basie Orchestra to today’s stars like Wynton Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Norah Jones and Christian McBride. Available on the SXM App now through December 27.

Rockin’ Xmas: SiriusXM’s Rockin’ Xmas Channel features classic Christmas songs that rock including hits from AC/DC, Paul McCartney, Bon Jovi, U2, Tom Petty, REO Speedwagon, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Eagles and more.  Plus, some humorous tunes from Cheech & Chong, Adam Sandler and others. Available on the SXM App now through December 27.

Visit siriusxm.com for more.

Alpine to Offer Virtual Product and Sales Training for Authorized Dealers

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AUBURN HILLS, MI (12.22.22) – Alps Alpine North America, Inc. (“Alpine”) will offer a choice of three, one-hour virtual training sessions for their U.S. Authorized Dealers. These sessions will focus on newly released and upcoming Alpine products. This is the third year in a row that Alpine has offered virtual product training sessions for their dealers.

Straight from the Source
What started as a necessity during the virtual environment of the pandemic has evolved into an efficient method of communicating new product introductions, marketing promotions, and detailed product training directly to partnering businesses.

“We are proud to continue offering virtual product training in an effort to streamline communication and offer important updates and announcements from Alpine in a convenient and accessible format,” said Mike Anderson, Executive Director at Alps Alpine North America, Inc. “The virtual approach also allows us to deliver a pure Alpine brand experience to a wider audience in a way that equips and energizes our partnering stores.”

Led by Alpine National Trainer, Eric Brooks, the virtual training will highlight the new generation of High-Resolution sound and display audio family systems inspired by the technology and design of the Ultra High-Resolution AlpineF#1Status system. The webinar will also include effective selling and marketing techniques for the 2023 Alpine Product Line.

Registrants can choose from the following days to attend:

Tuesday, January 10, 2023 noon (EST)
Wednesday, January 11, 2023 3 p.m. (EST)
Thursday, January 12, 2023 6 p.m. (EST)

All U.S. Alpine Authorized Dealers are encouraged to register for this free webinar by contacting their Alpine Rep.

Visit alpsalpine.com for more.

Oracle Lighting’s New Fiber Optic ColorShift Wheel Liner Kit Ready for Pre-Order

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METAIRIE, LA (12.22.22) – After an incredibly successful launch at the recent 2022 SEMA Show, Oracle Lighting has announced that its new Fiber Optic ColorShift Wheel Liner Kit is now available for pre-order. Available at oraclelights.com with an MSRP of $339.95, the new kit (p/n 5898-333) is scheduled to ship January 2023.

“It did not come as a big surprise that our new Fiber Optic ColorShift Wheel Liner Kit probably gained the most attention during the recent SEMA Show in Las Vegas since it has such a unique eye-catching appearance,” said Justin Hartenstein, Oracle Lighting director of development. “This is a totally universal product…if your truck or SUV has wheel liners, you can install this kit. This kit allows you to convert your dull and boring wheel liners into the focal point of your vehicle, with the unique color-changing constellation offering a truly custom one-of-a-kind appearance.”

Oracle Lighting’s Fiber Optic ColorShift Wheel Liner Kit includes four individual ColorSHIFT LED light engines, each illuminating 150 strands of fiber optic cable to create a beautiful star-scape in otherwise dark wheel wells.

“This kit provides a really unique POP of color and turns plenty of heads,” Hartenstein continued. “It is a tedious installation since the fibers are individually punched into the plastic wheel liner. It’s more of an arts-and-crafts project to be honest, which is a great opportunity to enlist the help of your kids or nieces and nephews to help with the seemingly endless number of stars that need to be installed. They will love working on a project and there is no wrong way to arrange the constellations so it would be hard to mess up!”

Installation is pretty straight forward, and it really provides a unique, colorful look that will turn plenty of heads. The cables are individually inserted through drilled holes in whatever pattern you choose in the plastic wheel liners, and then glued from the back to secure in place. The light engines are then connected to 12V power, and the included remote control or the free app via Bluetooth on your smartphone allows you to select the LED effects, brightness, and colors.

With over 40 Watts of total LED light and 600 light fibers this kit makes a big impact which is sure to get your truck noticed at the next night show. The colors, brightness, and effects of the LED stars are controlled through the included remote control. The lights can also be controlled wirelessly through Bluetooth with the free app and any smartphone device. It is not recommended to use this product on-road without first checking with your local rules and regulations. 

Additional features and specifications include:

  • 4 x 10W RGBW LED fiver engines
  • 600 x 0.75mm fiber optic cables
  • 4 x 12V power cables
  • Housing material: aluminum alloy
  • LED rating: 50,000 hours
  • Warranty: 2 years

Louisiana-based Oracle Lighting has been designing innovative lighting products and technologies for the automotive/12Volt, powersports, motorcycle, and marine markets since 1999. Oracle’s philosophy is this: in today’s world of fly-by-night vendors, we think it is important to partner with businesses that you can trust to be there for you today, tomorrow, and for years to come.

For more information on Oracle Lighting and its full product line, please visit www.oraclelights.com, call (800) 407-5776, or email info@oraclelights.com.

Ken’s Car Tunes Features Custom Gift Cards

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MOBILE, AL (12.22.22) – Ken’s Car Tunes Custom Gift Cards make great gifts for Holiday Giving.

National news Tuesday announced gift cards are very popular as Christmas gifts this Holiday Season. Ken’s Car Tunes is ahead of the curve.

This image is the replica of the Ken’s Car Tunes gift card awarded during a post area high school graduation. On display in the store showroom customers can see gift cards are available.

Ken Stafford related “We have been offering our custom gift cards for a couple of years. It’s a super easy way for a parent to give a gift that will be appreciated by the recipient. That way the gift card recipient can select exactly what they want when adding to the vehicles audio system, bike, UTV or boat. Today’s selection of mobile electronics goes so far beyond just car audio with security, in-vehicle connectivity, lighting, portable Bluetooth products, headphones and more. With a Ken’s Gift Card in hand our customer certainly has a lot of options. The customer can always pay the difference if the item selected is more than the value of the card.”

The POS system at Ken’s Car Tunes actually tracks the amount of the gift card. The customer can come back to make an additional purchase and use the balance toward a new purchase.

“We actually sold a Ken’s Gift Card for a high school graduation gathering. The organizers of the event actually made a large replica of our gift card that was displayed at the event. We now have that large custom Ken’s Gift Card on display in one of our showrooms so it is easy for customers to see we offer gift cards” Stafford concluded.

Ken’s Car Tunes opened for business in 1983. In 2023 the company will celebrate 40 years in business. Ken’s Car Tunes operates stores in Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL.

Visit kenscartunes.com for more.

SEMA Show Industry Awards: Icons and a Big Announcement Took Center Stage

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DIAMOND BAR, CA (12.21.22) – One of the annual SEMA Show’s many distinctions is its weeklong display of greatness. From new products and innovations to the groundbreaking people driving the specialty aftermarket to new heights, the SEMA Show reflects the industry’s reach for excellence. Perhaps that’s the reason the Show’s award ceremonies resonate so deeply with thousands of Show participants.

“We are pleased to congratulate all the winners that we celebrated throughout numerous events and competitions during the 2022 SEMA Show Week,” said SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. “This is an industry founded on deep-seated passion and the constant enthusiasm to excel at one’s craft—and all our SEMA Show winners and honorees embody that spirit.”

SEMA Launch Pad WInner
(Industry Banquet)
Kevin Robinson, TRAC LLC
Sharing the Passion
(Industry Banquet)
James Lawrence, SEMA Chairman of the Board

The 2022 SEMA Show introduced several major updates to its traditional awards presentations. First, with e-commerce expanding and data-driven transactions becoming more routine, the SEMA Warehouse Distributor of the Year award evolved into a new Channel Partner of the Year award. The award honors the contributions of sales, distributors, retailers and e-commerce channel(s) in the industry as well as the distribution companies that support retailers.

Celebrating an Industry
(Industry Banquet)
Mike Spagnola, SEMA president and CEO
Chairman’s Service Award
(Industry Banquet)
WD-40

In addition, the Channel Partner of the Year and the Manufacturer of the Year award presentations were moved to the SEMA Show Kickoff Breakfast on Tuesday morning, November 1, at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. Held just before the Show’s official opening, the event was previously called the New Products Awards Breakfast. Under its new name, the 2022 event continued its tradition of honoring the Show’s best new products across numerous categories, including two new categories for electric vehicle and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) products.

Jarod DeAnda, known as the “voice of Formula Drift,” hosted the reformatted 2022 breakfast. He was joined on stage by Hoonigan driver Ken Block and Hoonigan Co-Founder Brian Scotto, who discussed “Electrikhana,” a new video featuring an all-electric Audi S1 Hoonitron that was shot on the streets of Las Vegas. “Electrikhana” is the latest video of the wildly popular “Gymkhana” series.

GEN-III Innovator of the Year
(Industry Banquet)
Mike Burns, ValvoMax
Influencer of the Year
(Industry Banquet)
Larry Chen, Photographer/Videographer

“Combining the Channel Partner of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year and New Product Awards into one event early in the week enabled winners to promote their honors throughout Show Week,” said SEMA Vice President of Events Tom Gattuso. “We were also very honored and excited to have Ken Block and Brian Scotto at the event. They are inspirational, and the ‘Gymkhana’ series and cars represent what our industry is all about.”

Person of the Year
(Industry Banquet)
Josh Poulson, Auto Additions Inc.
Industry Icons
(Kickoff Breakfast)
Jarod DeAnda, Brian Scotto, Ken Block

Meanwhile, the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet, the traditional Thursday-night venue for major awards, also got a dynamic makeover, which included a novel center stage and a streamlined run time. Themed “Further. Faster. Together.,” the event featured the SEMA Person of the Year and GEN-III Innovator of the Year awards, along with the first-ever SEMA Influencer of the Year award designed to honor content creators who make a positive industry impact across social-media channels. The evening also included a tribute to industry icons Walker Evans, Jack Roush and Robert Eugene “Gene” Winfield, who were named to the SEMA Hall of Fame in the summer of 2022.

The banquet further made headlines with the announcement that the SEMA Show is going citywide in Las Vegas, starting this year. Another high point came with the audience of about 3,000 casting the deciding votes via text to name Kevin Robinson, inventor of the TRAC Tire Jack, as the ultimate winner of the 2022 SEMA Launch Pad competition. Winnowed from a field of five Show finalists, he and runner-up Susan Pieper, DMOS Collective CEO, got to pitch their product ideas before panelists Chip Foose, Jared Hare, Myles Kovacs and Alex Parker just before the audience vote.

Channel Partner of the Year
(Kickoff Breakfast)
Turn 14 Distribution Inc.
Manufacturer of the Year
(Kickoff Breakfast)
Baja Designs Inc.

“There were many changes to our Show’s recognition programs for 2022,” observed Gattuso. “All our awards and recognitions represent an extremely dynamic industry, so as our industry has evolved, we’ve been pleased to evolve with it.”

The photos above capture the winning moments and highlights of the Show’s many award presentations at the Kickoff Breakfast and the Industry Awards Banquet.

Visit sema.org/awards for more.

This article was written by Mike Imlay for sema.org.

Sony Car Audio Announces Top 10 Demo Car Build Winners

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SAN DIEGO, CA (12.21.22) – Sony Car Audio has announced its Top 10 demo cars from its recent Sony Mobile ES demo car build contest:

• Absolute Electronix, Rockville, MD
• All That Jazz – Philadelphia, PA
• Audio Edge – Phoenix, AZ
• Car Toys Tulsa – Tulsa, OK
• Car Toyz – Richmond, VA
• Kartele Mobile Electronics – Waterbury, CT
• M&C Car Audio – San Antonio, TX
• Ox Audio – Cheltenham, PA
• Sound Decision – Johnson City, TN
• Xtreme Auto Sound – Louisville, KY

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be announced early next week.

Contestants were tasked with building an effective Sony Mobile ES demo vehicle with the following expectations:
• Use your installation creativity to highlight Sony Mobile ES benefits to consumers.
• Highlight the Mobile ES name in the build.
• Demonstrate how you’ll use the vehicle as a practical sales tool to sell Sony Mobile ES systems.

In addition to custom plaques and significant account credits for Sony products, the top prize winner gets high-end Sony wireless noise-canceling headphones for the whole crew and a staff dinner with their Sony Field Account Manager.

“Our Sony Mobile ES products are some of the best products we’ve made over the last 30 years. In this contest, more than 70 retailers submitted a demo car to be judged, so each of them now has a highly effective sales tool to show them off,” said Anthony Tozzi, Sony Car Audio Distribution Accounts Manager. “What better way to show off our great product and have a fully functional example of what your installation team can do with it? It’s a win-win! Congratulations to the top ten listed here, and we can’t wait to announce the winners next week.”

Reach out to Anthony Tozzi at Anthony.Tozzi@Sony.com for more information about Sony, the Mobile ES line, or how to connect to an authorized distributor.