SEMA takes the PRI show reins

I have a love/hate relationship with trade shows. The hate part is tainted by 30-plus years of being away from home in a town I’d probably chose not to visit were it not for the show, and the vapid rhetorical questions that stand for show conversation starters — “Are you having a good show?” or “When did you get in?”  The love part, which is admittedly significantly smaller than its counterpart, is about the opportunity to network and learn.

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So, I was interested to learn that SEMA had recently acquired the Performance Racing Industry Show. And no, not because I have a fondness for visiting Orlando a couple of weeks before Christmas each year, rather for the good of the racing segment of the aftermarket, which will always hold a fond place in my heart.

In its nearly quarter-century tenure, the PRI Show has occupied an important niche. The annual gathering of motorheads from literally every form of motorsport is a must-attend event for race teams, engine builders, track owners, fabricators, retailers and motorsport hustlers. I remember the first one I attended in Indianapolis back in the 80s and being amazed at the sheer number of exhibitors I had never heard of displaying an amazing array of racing products. The show had its own unique culture, and a vibe that was profoundly grittier than your typical aftermarket booth show.

Steve Lewis, PRI’s founder, has had a great run, and I think it was smart for him to turn the reins over to SEMA. It’s important to the aftermarket in general and the performance segment specifically to have the show in the association’s hands. SEMA has gotten pretty good at putting on shows in the 40-some years that they have been doing their little fall party. The resources and expertise they have in this area can only benefit the PRI show. 

Significantly, Chris Kersting, the CEO of SEMA, had the good sense to structure the acquisition of PRI in a way that will protect the show’s unique style and culture. Rather than simply absorbing PRI into the belly of the SEMA beast, he has opted to operate it autonomously. Nearly all of the PRI staff will remain in place at their current location and John Kilroy, a 20-year veteran with PRI, will oversee the day-to-day operations. That should give the motorheads who support the show confidence that PRI is not about to become “SEMA East.”

The racing segment, as always, felt the effects of economic pressures. In fact, they are usually the ones that take it on the jaw before the rest of us are even aware of economy hiccups. The stability that SEMA will bring to the show and the organization will help. There has also been some tumult in the racing segment with dueling racing shows. Racers and their suppliers should not be forced into picking one over the other. It would be my hope that industry association ownership of PRI will be a tempering factor and bring some rationality to that situation. 

So in all, this is a good thing. The SEMA Show will be the SEMA Show and the PRI Show will be the PRI Show. And I’ll get to go to two of my least favorite towns at the worst possible times of the year for a long time to come. Good move SEMA.