For those of you who have heard the term SEMA, but aren’t entirely sure what it is, I’d like to give you my take on it.
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, was formed in 1963 and now includes over 6,000 member companies that represent everything you can imagine that is associated with the automobile aftermarket. According to the SEMA website, “SEMA members make, buy, sell and use all kinds of specialty parts and accessories to make vehicles more attractive, more unique, more convenient, faster, safer, more fun and even like-new again.”
The SEMA organization does a lot for us. Again, according to the SEMA website, “the organization performs many services for its members and for the hobby as a whole. Perhaps most importantly, SEMA works hard to protect consumers' rights to drive accessorized, customized and vintage vehicles.” So what does that mean for us? It means they are on the front lines of making sure that we can do the things we want to do TO our vehicles so that we can go out and do the things we want to do WITH our vehicles. Lifting your rig, installing larger tires, and adding accessories are all part of the things we do to make it so we can explore further, challenge ourselves more, and experience the things that others are not able to.
THANK YOU SEMA!
So, what is the SEMA show? It’s the largest gathering of automotive enthusiasts in the world and it happens next week in Las Vegas, Nevada, and we are going to be there. I’ve been to the show a few times before, but each time I was a guest of my wife’s company. She worked for a large tire distributor and I was able to ride her coat tails all the way to the show. While I was there, I walked the floor and got some interviews. I saw a lot of cool products and met some amazing people. One year, I took Jose with me...like 5 minutes after I met him...and we had a great time. I am so glad he decided to come with me on that trip. It really solidified the decision to bring him on the show full time and we are better for it.
This year, however, I was able to get us registered as “media,” and the entire team is going. You may say, “Cody, taking Matt, Jose, and Casey to Las Vegas for a week without any spousal supervision sounds like a bad idea.” And I would say, “You are absolutely correct. It is a horrible idea, but we are going to do it anyway, and I couldn’t be more excited.” I am very, very, excited. First, SEMA is an amazing experience. For anyone that loves anything related to the automotive world, this event inundates you with non-stop coolness. From the most over the top sports car to the most bad-ass off road rig, every company there is displaying their absolute best work for this one week. Companies have spent months preparing for this, and it shows. Second, We are registered as “real live media.” Now, you and I both know that this is a mistake. We are just dorks, talking into microphones, in my spare bedroom. But somehow, the powers that be didn’t catch it and we are going to get in with media credentials. I am as surprised as you are, but I am going to enjoy the crap out of it. This is a huge step in the direction of the show. We said we want to push harder to do more, and this is part of that plan. We are planning on using this opportunity to talk to as many cool people as possible, to see as many new widgets as possible, and to bring those stories back to you. I am certain there will be some shenanigans along the way. Which brings me to the third reason I am so excited; I get to experience this with my brothers (both literal and figurative). The fact that all four of us are going to be there this year makes it really special for me. I am certain we are going to have a lot of fun (assuming I can keep track of them) and we are going to get a lot of content. My favorite part about the guys is that they flourish in this environment. You can throw Matt, Casey, and Jose in a podiatrist convention, and they will make friends and make all their new friends laugh. It really doesn’t matter where we are or what is going on, these guys find a way to make it a hilariously memorable experience.
During the week, we are going to try and do some live broadcasting on Instagram and/or Tictok, we are planning on doing our normal YouTube Live session on Tuesday night from the hotel, and I am hoping that we will be able to clip together a bunch of audio for release on Thursday. Please keep your ears out for all the stuff we are going to be throwing out into the interwebs.
So, what is SEMA? It’s a place where all kinds of automotive enthusiast come to celebrate the world of motorsports, it’s a place where like minded people get the chance to share stories, it’s a place where The Trailchasers Podcast is legitimately considered “Media,” and, it’s likely to be the last place I ever see Matt and Casey alive.
Let’s do this fellas!