SEMA Ignited 2017

Photo: Bill Bogan

Nov. 3 was the last day of SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association), a trade association that is made up of a diverse group of manufacturers, publishing companies, distributors, retailers, auto restorers, car clubs, street-rod builders, restylers, race teams, and more.

Over 130,000 fans met during the 4-day show at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  On Friday the last day, at about 3 p.m., vehicle owners exited the venue, crossed Paradise Road, and parked their customized rides in the Gold Lot parking area. This procession alone is a spectacle to see the vehicles, many with over $100K in modifications, actually driven, revved, and occasionally burning rubber.

Enter the afterparty: SEMA Ignited

SEMA Ignited was opened to the public for a $20 entrance fee. Here attendees have the opportunity to check out the hundreds of customized rides, some featuring the newest and innovative mods from the SEMA Show. The event also includes food and drinks, celebrities, music, drift demonstrations, and the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition winners.

Here, bumping music and tailgating with a cold brew was permitted, as long as you didn’t mind the smoke and rubber coming from the drifters nearby.

Photo: Bill Bogan

“The BMW and the Nissan were doing tandem drifting when the Japanese car went wide and got into the rail,” Ian Bogan said, “his bumper was dragging.” Bogan, from San Diego, customizes vintage trailers and photographs for magazines back in San Diego. “Then, there was a truck that did a massive burnout, which the SEMA officials tried to bust him for.”

Another fan from California said, “It’s crazy here and I love it ….. it’s like Hot Import Nights with motorcycles, lifted trucks, and UTVs.” Then by 10 p.m., the smoke cleared, the music faded and some of the show vehicles needed jump-starts.

One lady that drove her lifted diesel truck in from New Jersey cried as she hugged her friends from Arizona. “I’ll see you guys in 2018,” she said.

Photo: Bill Bogan