Bobby shares his first experience at the SEMA Show, highlighting the massive scale of the event and the diverse range of automotive products on display. He discusses the challenges of navigating the venue, the impressive new products he encountered, and the presence of notable figures like Larry Chen and Jay Leno. The episode also touches on the controversial takeover pit and its implications for car culture. Bobby reflects on the importance of having a plan for attendees and hints at upcoming coverage from the GTR Festival.
In this episode of the Right Hand Drive Guys Podcast, we break down our full experience at the 2025 SEMA Show — the biggest one yet. From cutting-edge new products to some of the cleanest and craziest JDM builds we’ve ever seen, we cover everything that made this year’s show absolutely massive.
We talk about the standout booths, the game-changing parts, and the moments that had the whole crowd buzzing. Plus, we dive into the after-meets, the pop-up events, and all the wild stuff that happens once the convention center lights go out.
🎙️ New tech, iconic builds, and the true scale of the biggest automotive show on earth — SEMA 2025 did not disappoint.
"...They had tire mounters. They had tire cutters for disposing tires..."
Tire mounters help put tires onto wheels. They make it easier and faster to change or install tires on cars.
Tire mounters are machines used to mount tires onto wheels. They simplify the process of fitting tires, ensuring they are securely attached and properly seated on the wheel.
"...they had car washes in there. No bullshit full car wash..."
A car wash is a place where you can get your car cleaned. They use water and soap to wash the outside and sometimes the inside of the car.
A car wash is a facility or service that cleans vehicles, typically using water, soap, and various cleaning tools. They can be automatic or manual, providing different levels of service.
"...Miller was there and had this insane welding setup and like had guys trying stuff out in these booths..."
Miller makes tools and machines for welding, which is the process of joining metal pieces together. They are popular among people who work with metal.
Miller is a well-known manufacturer of welding equipment and supplies. They offer a range of products for both professional and hobbyist welders, including welding machines and accessories.
"...the team who 240Z or whatever it is that they had a few other car random..."
The Nissan 240Z is a classic sports car from the 1970s that many people admire for its style and performance. It's often sought after by collectors and car lovers.
The Nissan 240Z is a classic sports car that was introduced in the early 1970s. It is known for its sleek design, performance, and affordability, making it a popular choice among car enthusiasts and collectors.
"...I have never seen an AE86 shell and seen the craftsmanship of it, right? I don't understand. I wouldn't understand the difference. It seems super frigging legit..."
The Toyota AE86 is a small sports car from the 1980s that is loved for its ability to drift and handle well. It's a favorite among car fans and has a strong following today.
The Toyota AE86 is a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive sports car that gained popularity in the 1980s, particularly among drifting enthusiasts. It is known for its balanced handling and is often celebrated in car culture for its performance and tuning potential.
"they just dismantle and they scan and they measure and right and they like get it right, I mean now if we're comparing like the materials used..."
Manufacturing processes are the steps taken to make products, like cars. This includes what materials are used and how they are put together, which can affect how strong or reliable the car is.
Manufacturing processes refer to the methods and techniques used to produce goods, including the materials, machinery, and labor involved. In automotive contexts, this can affect the quality and durability of vehicles.
"...there was a ton of drifting...different cars...34s and Sylvia's and everything everywhere..."
The Nissan Silvia is a sporty car that many people like for racing and drifting. It's known for being fun to drive and easy to modify for better performance.
The Nissan Silvia is a line of sports cars that are popular in drifting and motorsports. Known for their rear-wheel drive layout and tunable engines, they have a strong following among car enthusiasts.
"...there was a ton of drifting...did you have to check out this R34? Yeah, I saw his 34 at the..."
The Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 is a famous sports car that many car enthusiasts love. It's known for being fast and having great handling, making it popular in racing and car shows.
The Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 is a high-performance sports car known for its advanced technology and racing pedigree. It features a turbocharged inline-six engine and is celebrated for its handling and performance, especially in motorsports and street racing culture.
"Kind of relate right like in your head you create SEMA
Because of the culture we're in right which right-hand drive cars, right import cars"
SEMA is a big car show in Las Vegas where companies display custom cars and parts. It's a place for car lovers to see new products and trends in the automotive world.
SEMA stands for the Specialty Equipment Market Association, which hosts an annual trade show in Las Vegas showcasing aftermarket automotive products and custom vehicles. It's a major event for car enthusiasts and industry professionals to see the latest innovations and trends in the automotive aftermarket.
"Because of the culture we're in right which right-hand drive cars, right import cars
Like Han is Nissan's Toyotas, right?"
Right-hand drive cars have the steering wheel on the right side, which is how cars are set up in countries where people drive on the left side of the road, like the UK or Japan.
Right-hand drive cars are vehicles designed for driving on the left side of the road, with the steering wheel on the right side of the vehicle. This configuration is common in countries like the UK, Australia, and Japan.
Toyota is another major car company from Japan, famous for making reliable cars that many people trust, like the Camry and Prius.
Toyota is a leading Japanese automotive manufacturer known for its reliable and fuel-efficient vehicles. It produces a variety of models, including the popular Toyota Camry and the innovative Toyota Prius.
Nissan is a car company from Japan that makes many types of vehicles, including popular sports cars and family cars.
Nissan is a Japanese automobile manufacturer known for producing a wide range of vehicles, including sedans, SUVs, and sports cars. The brand is well-regarded for models like the Nissan GT-R and Nissan Z.
"...I can still admire old schools. I can still admire resto mods..."
A restomod is a classic car that has been updated with new parts to make it perform better and be more reliable, while still looking like the original car.
Restomod refers to a vehicle that has been restored and modified with modern components while retaining its classic appearance. This approach allows enthusiasts to enjoy the aesthetics of vintage cars while benefiting from contemporary performance and technology.
"...I can still admire trucks a chip foos build. Oh, dude. Yeah, dude..."
Chip Foose is a famous car designer who creates custom cars. He's well-known for his work on TV shows and for making cars that look really cool and unique.
Chip Foose is a renowned automotive designer and builder known for his custom car designs and builds. He gained fame through television shows and his unique style that blends classic and modern elements.
Fortune Auto makes parts that help cars handle better and ride smoother, especially for people who want to race or modify their cars.
Fortune Auto is a company that specializes in high-performance suspension systems and coilovers for various car models. They are known for their quality and customization options.
The Nissan 350Z is a sporty car that many people enjoy driving. It's known for being fast and fun, and some people modify it to make it even more powerful.
The Nissan 350Z is a sports car that was produced from 2002 to 2009. It is known for its rear-wheel-drive layout and strong performance, particularly with its V6 engine that can be modified for high horsepower.
"...like doing the donuts around each other and or whatever..."
Doing donuts means spinning a car in circles, making the tires skid and leave marks on the ground. It's usually done for fun and can be seen in car shows or movies.
In automotive terms, 'doing donuts' refers to a driving maneuver where a driver spins the car in tight circles, causing the rear tires to lose traction and create circular skid marks. This is often done for fun or as a demonstration of driving skill.
"...like the hangout strap, right? Like it's a harness that straps..."
A harness is a safety strap that keeps you securely in your seat while driving. It's used in race cars and can help keep you safe during fast turns or stops.
A harness in automotive contexts is a safety device that secures the occupant in their seat, often used in racing or performance driving. It typically replaces the standard seatbelt and provides better support during high-speed maneuvers.
"there was a beautiful red NSX like it, you know, there's plenty of great JDM cars there for sure."
The NSX is a sports car made by Acura, famous for being fast and having a unique design. It's a favorite among car enthusiasts.
The Acura NSX is a Japanese sports car known for its performance and innovative design, particularly its mid-engine layout and use of lightweight materials.
"there's plenty of great JDM cars there for sure."
JDM means Japanese Domestic Market. It refers to cars that are made in Japan and are popular for their speed and style.
JDM stands for Japanese Domestic Market, referring to vehicles and parts that are made specifically for the Japanese market, often known for their performance and tuning potential.
"...34 with a RB 26 swap fresh wide body like the thing was immaculate. It was sick..."
The RB26 is a powerful engine from Nissan that many car enthusiasts love to modify for better performance, especially in racing.
The Nissan RB26 is a 2.6-liter inline-six engine known for its performance and reliability, often used in the Nissan Skyline GT-R. It's famous for its tuning potential and has a strong following in the automotive community.
"...Toyota was there with a huge display Nismo was there..."
Nismo is a part of Nissan that makes cars and parts designed for better performance, often used in racing.
Nismo is the performance division of Nissan, focusing on motorsports and high-performance vehicles. They develop parts and vehicles that enhance the driving experience and performance of Nissan cars.
"we are headed down to South Dallas, Texas to Texas Motorplex and we are going to See what we can do at GTR festival"
The GTR festival is a special event for fans of the Nissan GT-R, a fast sports car. At this festival, people can see the cars, meet other fans, and sometimes watch races.
The GTR festival is an event that celebrates the Nissan GT-R, a high-performance sports car known for its advanced technology and racing pedigree. It typically features car shows, races, and gatherings of enthusiasts and owners.
Select text to request an explanation
Hey, and welcome back to the next episode of the right-hand drive guys podcast the podcast for guys who like right-hand drives
I'm Bobby. This is Aaron. Yeah, yeah, and this is episode 160 and
Ladies and gentlemen, I have just returned from
Seema I couldn't find the button
I'm like you found it. What do you know? So yeah, Seema Seema first time Seema. What's Seema stand for?
southeastern I
don't even know I
Forget I don't know either. No, I went there, but I don't remember you didn't see it right manufacturers association something
I don't I don't know no, it was I didn't see it written out. No
Or else I'd be like quoting it
Look it up. Okay. So while he looks that up. This is episode 160 and I did actually just get back from Seema and
This was my first time
Obviously I've wanted to go for forever got it go ahead especially equipment market associate
I knew that of course you did so did I but like we've heard that we've seen it
Of course, I'm not gonna remember right now. Let me look it up. So yeah, and so yeah, so it was my first time
You know Aaron wanted to go but sometimes you gotta take care of stuff in life and sometimes you do that is what it is
But I still went and represented and
Yeah, I don't know. So obviously I've wanted to go forever, right?
Just like any like car dude that always sees these premieres at Seema and you're like, dude, what the heck I need to be there
So, I mean even since back in the day and like the super streets and stuff that would have like the Seema
Yeah, yeah, it was like basically it always felt like, you know, of course
We always want to go to Tokyo Auto Salon, right?
But Seema felt like as close as you could get right like some of the manufacturers or some of the
Aftermarket people would be there and so it would feel as close as you could get right right now that we've gone to Tokyo Auto Salon
Like a little different now. It's more of almost like a professional reason to want to go like okay
I want to I want to network with these people. I want to like see this stuff so I can like report on it, right?
so
Yeah, I mean, I
Don't know where to start. I feel like I'm there again because I had no clue where to start
Literally, dude, so okay. How how big is this space for the people that haven't been before how big is this space?
Like can you put it into perspective?
Bigger than you think that's literally it's Vegas, right?
And and crazier and like and if you don't know which most of you should know
Vegas is like where all the conventions happen, right?
Like of course they happen around the country, but like Vegas is the epicenter for conventions that so the Las Vegas Convention Center is
for that purpose huge, right because
They could be having literal five of them going on at the same time
But this was one and so there's like a West Hall a North Hall a South Hall and I'm thinking East Hall
Yeah, and then there's other parts of those halls. So like
Dude, I didn't even I didn't get to I didn't get to make it dude. I walked so much and I didn't see everything
I didn't even see I would say I probably saw 30% to 40% of
truly what's there because what I was
Viewing I was trying to be intentional about right and so
guys basically I
Flew in on Tuesday afternoon. So SEMA had already started. I was able to make it for two hours that day
I hustled over got my pass. Yeah, I literally walked. So this is how dude
These halls are so big that I had to walk outside on the front side of 101 and from that front side
It was point nine miles to the backside. I
Walked point nine miles from the front entrance to the rear entrance, dude. I
Was like you can so whoa
Funny story not so funny then kind of funny now
So I walk in and I'm just trying to get my pass dude because they are you know
I was with our friends Shawn from the detail department and squirk from rollers and you could I guess when you get like a
Buyer's pass you can get it sent to you ahead of time. Yeah, maybe you could media but like I definitely didn't know that so I
Have a media pass that RJ de Vera hooked up
I'm trying to find out where to get it. So I walk into the front of the South Hall. Yeah, and what do I do?
Like dude, there's a big thing that says information, right?
So I walk up to that because I'm like dude, this is like where you get information. They'll point me the right way
Yeah, so this older lady is like, oh
Yeah, no, that's out back that's out back, you know and tells me it's out back like three times
Yeah, so I am like, okay. Well, can I walk through the show hall? No, you don't have a pass
Like you got to find your way out back. You can either go take the Tesla loop. Oh
Yeah, you can either go take the Tesla loop to the back of the building
And so I'm like, okay, that sounds like a waste of time. How far could it be?
She's like or you can walk all down along this side of the building. I'm like shoot, okay
I'll walk like I'm not I'm not no lazy dude
Yeah, point not my nine miles there. So I go in and it's saying like exhibitors and
And buyers right and I'm just like I must just be in here somewhere. I go I wait in the line
I finally get called up and they like scan my pass and stuff and they're like, oh, you're media and I'm like
Yeah, no, I know
And she's like, yeah, no, you don't know that you're actually need to be up front
And I'm like what I'm like not I'm like all information girls told me I need to be back here
And she's like well, she was wrong and I was like, okay, so again
I'm like, so can I just like walk through the show hall and they're like no security's not gonna let you in there
And I was like dude, okay. Well, I know the way back. Thank you
So I walk all the way up dude and dude
I could see it and like now that I know I need to be looking there, dude
I could see it from the information desk. I could see the leg little thing and I'm like so anyways
I find it I get my pass. I check I check out the south hall because that's really all the time I have
So yeah, that was that was basically like my first day, right?
It was just trying to get the pass and like, you know getting in there and I did check out the north hall, which is
Wheels tire wheels and tires like that type of stuff. Yeah, so they have it all organized like that. Yeah, there's like
Performance there's wheels and tires. There's like a detail hall type thing with all kinds of guys like that
and I
Don't remember what the other hall was because I didn't even get to see it. So
But it is organized. So if you do have an agenda you can definitely and there's like maps everywhere
There's a whole app the app sucks like
I'm sorry, dude like ask anyone who was there
I wish we could get a collar on right now because I'd say okay in one word the SEMA app
They would say sucks because it just it's
Overcomplicated it's it's like too much instead of being super user-friendly
It's like way too detailed and way too much like if you just want to find a booth
Yeah, you're you're doing some work to try to figure that out. So like I
Get where they were going with it because of how many industry professionals are there
But it didn't work like whatever they did it just didn't work
So like what I was using was and maybe I'm just like getting too old I like yo
I hit 40 that yeah, the clock struck 40 dude, and I didn't figure out how to use the SEMA app, dude
I don't know, you know
But I was using they they were super good about having like the directories everywhere
Like everywhere you looked was like a directory that's like you're here. This is what's here
This is where you can go for other things. So I was using that in
dude
just to get between the North Hall and
The West Hall dude over a mile walk
Through all of it. Yeah through yeah through like
Hallways and bridges and like all of these things right and I'm just like dude. This is like crazy, you know
It's insane. So okay, we're over it. It's huge, right? It's it's huge
But it's awesome. And so because it's all it's anything and everything
correlated you've ever thought about our truck. Yeah, like
cleaning tools. Yeah mechanic stuff. They had tire mounters. They had tire cutters for disposing tires
It'll cut your tires in half like mulch them up for you pretty much, you know, they had like
Generators that were on trailers. They had car washes in there. No bullshit full car wash. Oh, yeah, I was like
Okay
This is sick. But like last thing I expect to see a SEMA was a legit car wash
I was just like damn dude, but like it was cool. It is like
You know, I can see why it's so popular because if you are
In the automotive industry. Yeah, you literally can find what you're looking for there
Whether it's a supplier for tools a supplier for tires wheels, like we said detailing equipment
Right, just all the equipment like dude. It was crazy. They had
Miller was there and had this insane welding setup and like had guys trying stuff out in these booths
They were legit welding stuff right in the middle of SEMA. Yeah, I mean, you know, so
Yeah, like as a regular person, let's just say you or I not on a media pass. Yeah, I
If you're really really into it, I could see how it could be cool like as a regular person, right?
Of course, like you're getting to see the new stuff. You're getting to you know, but as an actual
Entrepreneur or business owner. I think it's super valuable, you know, like so for example our friend Shawn from the detail department
He is trying to create his own line of
Accessories brushes
Towels, you know, whatever it may be that you would brand it. He's trying to have him branded and so, you know
Hey, dude, if you didn't know this if you're listening and like you didn't know this like hey like SEMA is a lot of Chinese companies
Oh, there is a lot of Chinese companies at SEMA. It's a whole haul of right because listen a
Lot of your stuff, right? Like you don't realize it, but it's just being white labeled
Yeah, a lot of your stuff's being white label. Somebody's already making it in China
Yep, they have a machine to throw your label on it and boom and so stuff that you may think is from
This company that you love and swear by yeah
Could it probably came from China? Like I hate to say it, you know, so but it's whatever, right?
Like a lot of the things around us came from China. So there's a lot of these
People there and so like I said Sean's looking to kind of make a connection and a relationship
And then squirk is there with rollers trying to find somebody from China to create forged wheels for his
For his brand, you know
And so they're both walking through these aisles of Chinese brands named all kinds of stuff that you could imagine
Yeah, and they're trying to make relationships trying to find the deal trying to find the person that's gonna work with them
And so I think it's awesome for that like I think it like to me
I was like, oh shit. What company could I start here? Like damn?
There's like dudes that do everything. Yeah, like literally everything even bodies the the team who 8 6 was out there
Yeah, I saw I saw the team who 8 6 and the team who 240 z or whatever it is that they had a few other car random
Yeah, um and you know like of course I
Don't know dude like I can't I mean I have never seen an AE 86
shell and seen
The the craftsmanship of it, right? I don't understand. I wouldn't understand the difference. It seems super frigging legit
Yeah, like looking at it without
Thinking oh, this is Chinese. Yeah, I was like dude. I'm looking at like a friggin brand new 86
This is insane like that's what it looks like
I mean that car was built in the 80s like China has progressed as a country beyond of Japan in the 80s
So why wouldn't they be able to? Oh, I believe that they can car, right? Yeah, like we're talking about off the podcast
Like or whatever, right? Yeah, like you said like they just dismantle and they scan and they measure and right and they like get it
right, I mean
Now if we're comparing like the materials used I don't know I can't vouch for the China materials because they are
Known for having like weaker materials because the processes are rushed right compared to like Japan, but the shape is correct
Oh, yeah. Yeah, it was it was 86 dude. I was like this is crazy, you know, and so right down to literal bodies
There's Chinese manufacturers there, you know period
And I think it it was cool to be able to see that and see that like you can in a lot of the products that I was seeing at
These spaces were like seem to be decent quality
You know, so
You know, that's one really cool thing about it
You know another cool thing that I thought was awesome was all of the
New products like they had a whole space with like dude just cases for days full of new products and like
Revolutionary products and you know just things that like that's where I spent a lot of my time was just kind of
Browsing these products and just like thinking to myself like wow, okay
Like which problem did this solve in order to get into SEMA and be in this case?
Like what what problem is this solving and you know, dude
I saw everything from full carbon fiber roof boxes that weighed literally nothing down to tools that were like
Completely rubber coated besides where they touched like for example like these completely rubber coated
Wrenches, yeah that everywhere was coated besides where it touches the bolt right and like I couldn't really figure out the problem
Maybe it was slip resistant or probably have to do with EVs. Oh, yeah, that I guess
Yeah, I've never yeah, I've never done that so that would make sense
Like so that was one of the like and dude
I should have just asked you because I was just trying to think I stood there for so long like how the fuck is it?
Revolutionary dude, it's tools that are rubber, you know, like I'm like like in my head. I'm just like this makes no sense
Like but realistically that does make sense
I only know that because back in the day when I worked at the dealership when the leaf came in like there was a special tool kit for
I see and it had all rubber coated stuff and they made the big deal about it. I see so that's the only reason
I know yeah, yeah
But all kinds of stuff like that right and so it was cool seeing like what people are thinking and what's like
Needed almost, you know, so
Another like super cool thing and I know everybody kind of knows about this because it's been everywhere or whatever
But like Larry Chen being the artist of the show was like so sick
I don't think I could have picked a better year to go in the sense of the overall vibes because Larry Chen is like
Our dude in the sense of this culture. Yeah, like he's very in tune with our culture and he has been
Obviously in it forever. So just seeing some of the photo like dude
It was so cool like shout out to Larry for really putting in so much effort because I can't imagine
like just
Everything so like when you walk into this hall
it's like
This main hall and everything is all of his stuff like it's everywhere and like the main piece like photos and stuff
Yeah, yeah, like it's all built into everything dude
It's crazy like but there was this one piece on the wall that was huge and it was like a
Rally car. I don't think it was Ken's car, but it was a rally car doing a jump
Yeah, and like the headlights and everything worked. It was so cool. It was like in the wall. Yes
It was so cool. Yeah, like, you know
And that's just like nothing compared to everything that he did every piece of signage had one of his photos on it
Everything period. So, you know, shout out to Larry for like, you know, repping our culture, you know this year and
You know, like I said to go around and see all of this, you know, there was a ton of drifting
Yeah photos that he used a ton of Ken's photos a ton of the ones that he's done around the world of just different cars
There's 34s and Sylvia's and everything everywhere. It was just so cool. You know, so did you have to check out this R34?
Yeah, I saw his 34 at the it was like his is like his slash
Carrera media's booth
because obviously they're putting out shutter speed right now and
Unfortunately, I couldn't get one because by the time I asked Ryan if I could get one
He's like, dude, all I have is the displays on the table left like we sold them all on Tuesday
And I was like, yeah, I guess I believe it, you know what I mean because I would have liked but I you know
I'll get one in the future. I think he's supposed to be at GTR festival this weekend
So but yeah, good for them. And and yeah, dude. Yeah, like Larry's car was like men, dude
Obviously, it was it's a Yoshida spec, dude. It was yeah, it was meant, you know
So that was cool to see as you know, obviously I did see Larry's car
Before it went to Yoshida
So I do actually have something to compare it to and like mostly it was just that the paint was more like
Deep and vibrant because it's fresh, you know, but that I mean like his car was already decent. So
Yeah, I mean
So beyond that, you know, it's like one thing, you know in your head, right and maybe some of you guys
listening can kind of
Kind of relate right like in your head you create SEMA
Because of the culture we're in right which right-hand drive cars, right import cars
Like Han is Nissan's Toyotas, right?
You picture way more of that there than what there actually is because
your
The delivery method that you're receiving every single year when you see SEMA content is
Someone from your culture, right? Right? So you're seeing all yes
So you want to see every literally everything and you don't realize that you're like, oh, dude, imagine everything I missed
Yeah, yeah, well, you know and don't get me wrong. I get it like SEMA is not just for import cars
Not at all, right? It's completely not at all first import cars and for the longest time
There was hardly any there. So
That's what I came to realize, you know, I'm walking around these halls like it's what are these trucks
Yes, like it's gonna be Tokyo Auto Salon pretty much right because I've been there, you know
So so I'm like, okay, where's the next one? Where's the next one?
But they were kind of few and far between, you know, there was some obviously you guys saw the pictures all over this last week
But it was not
What I expected, right?
There was there was a lot more fluff in between every single one
But some of the fluff was sick. I can still admire old schools. I can still admire resto mods
I can still admire trucks a chip foos build. Oh, dude. Yeah, dude
I I literally accidentally ran into chip foos like with my shoulder and he turned around was like, hey, man
I was like, hey, dude, what's up and shook his hand
No, but yeah, I mean in in so to that point dude, there were
There were I don't know what to call them, but there were
Influencers I would call chip foos and influencer in a sense, right?
But an early one. Yeah, like but regardless, right? There were stars influencers famous people, whatever you want to say like
Plenty like I I saw I saw a ton. You know what I mean?
And so it like dude like TJ Hunt was just out there hanging out like I'm not all fanboy over him
But like he has done a good job with what he's doing and he's just right there
Jay Leno dude like Jay Leno was
Right across from me, right? Like, you know, and you could like some so these guys would do things like signings and stuff
Yeah, and so Jay Leno did a signing. There was a friggin line like a mile long, right?
Still in the same building, but a mile long, you know, what was that guy's Gabriel Gabriel Glacius or something?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, he was there signing stuff and like taking pictures with people his van was there
It was like an insane build that they did at Jay Leno's garage or something, you know
You know, like we said Larry was there signing autographs once a day like it was pretty cool
You know to have them out and about and like
You could also have conversations with him like when you when you see him, right?
Like so that I thought was pretty cool because a lot of times those people are a
Lot less accessible, right? I felt that at SEMA
These people that are involved with our our industry were super accessible like more than I had ever seen right
It's like that's what they're there for. Yeah, whereas at any other event you see them at whether it's at a track or wherever
They're not there for that specific reason, right or they're just doing an appearance, right?
You know or whatever it may be like whereas here like they're here because they like it as well
So I thought that was that was pretty cool
Let's see so I
Did not see so unfortunately, you know as much as I want to do this amazing coverage. Yeah
Dude, it's just too much. Yeah, so like, you know, how do people get around there, dude?
I
think you know like you either have to be like with an agenda like I said or
Without one but trying to see everything, right again my first year if I go back it will be different
Yeah, but my first year I couldn't even put it all together, dude. I was like an idiot, dude
I just couldn't I'm like, dude. What do I what do I want to do?
Like do I want to go over here? Like I'm trying to at least check off some of these things that I know are worth it
Yeah, you know the the Toyo area
I needed to make sure that I for sure got there because I knew that they put some effort into it, you know, I wanted to see
I want to make sure I saw import alliance
Spashes
M. Speckner was there, which you know, we've seen plenty of times, but it was just cool to see it, you know at SEMA
Yeah, that's cool. And my friend Justin Wong had his midnight purple three
Exet it eccentric car built car there and he was at the what was it fortune auto?
Yeah, the fortune. Yeah, yeah fortune booth and so I got to see that in real life because I've
Been friends of them on the internet for quite a while and and watching his build and like, you know
Seeing it from a stock vehicle to what it is now. Yeah, it's like an 800 horsepower, you know 34
So, you know, I want to make sure I hit some of these some of these things, right?
The food at SEMA
I
Haven't heard anyone talk about the food. Yeah, because they probably were trying to avoid it. It's like I
Would relate it to like concessions at like I would imagine a game or something. Yeah, like, you know, just like twice the price
Yeah, like super expensive and not that great, right? So
The food maybe steer clear, you know, like go find there's plenty of places in Vegas to eat. You know, you don't need to eat there
Let me think what else so I did get to walk through some of the outdoor
Yeah, I did not get that's I've seen a few things from the outdoor
Events they had going on there like crazy shit. Yeah, I mean, I didn't get I only just got to see some of the vehicles
I didn't really get to see
Yeah, any burnout
Stuff. Yeah, I've seen a lot of things a lot of people online
Talking about their
Takeover style pit that they had going on. I saw a video of like the semi doing doughnuts
And I did see the video all the cars around it doing doughnuts and just like heard there was crashes and just
It was a mess and people were like why the hell are they glorifying the takeovers, dude?
Yeah, like what the hell are they doing?
so
It's weird like I mean my perspective maybe is a little different. Maybe some people won't
Maybe feel this or agree with it, but yeah in in first and foremost I
I don't know I think that they're just too far there. They're far ahead. Okay. I think they
The timing is messed up. Okay, because I get what SEMA is trying to do
SEMA is trying to do what what we as a culture did with drifting and
You know drag racing and all these things, right?
SEMA essentially is doing like a beta tester of
How can we because these younger kids are into this right these younger kids?
You know for the most part, you know are into the takeover style of
Using their cars right right like because I guess now there's like also legal
Pits where people right and so that's what it's not all in intersections, right?
And so what I think is is SEMA trying to see
So far ahead like okay if we can create a legal way for these people to do this with supervision with some sort of
Rules, yeah, maybe we can get them out of the streets
Maybe we can provide a safe place for them to still do this as much as maybe we don't think it's that awesome
Yeah, a safe place for them to do this so that we are not ruining the culture
Period because as we can see around the US
It's being lumped together the
The takeovers are being lumped together with car guys period. Yeah, right? Yeah. Yeah, and so for sure it sucks
unpopular opinion
SEMA has the right idea to try to do something. Yeah, but I think that the timing
Because of what has happened so recently. Yeah is where maybe they're a little ahead of themselves, right?
You know what? I mean, but like because like takeovers they've been around forever, right? Like yeah, Sajo Sam dude going out there
In the Bay Area like
Bottom side shows and that's like before he's been rapping about it since we're in diapers. Exactly dude
so it's like it's not like it's a new thing but
Whenever COVID happened, I think is whenever it like really shot off and because the streets were empty, right?
And the takeover part of it started happening where like they were
Catching cars on fire people were getting hit like dude remember the one dude
Pants
Dang dude, like they were going hard during COVID dude. I've never seen that sense
Right, but I feel like that's where like the extreme of it came from and that's like what everyone hates about it
And that's like, I mean that's dude. I wouldn't want to fuck with that
I wouldn't want to be around that I wouldn't want to be involved with like any sort of takeover, right?
Yeah, I mean I understand that right and and
Maybe
the
You know the part that Seema's trying to replicate. Okay, isn't what actually gets these kids excited. Yeah
Unfortunately
It's not probably the driving
Part of it that's getting kids excited like doing the donuts around each other and or whatever
Yeah, like it's the thrill of all the people being in the street doing something illegal
Yeah, the the the almost getting hit by a car, right? That's really not your buddy's car, right?
Hey, and we were actually talking about yesterday. We're like, dude, okay, and don't call me on this because we wouldn't do this
But what if we were the guys who made?
The accessories for takeovers like like the hangout strap, right? Like it's a harness that straps
Yeah, it's strap it plugs into where the seatbelt goes you put that thing on dude
You're hanging out your homies window the whole takeover dude. You're not
No, we wouldn't do that we would not condone that but I mean somebody's gonna so
But yeah, I mean again like maybe it's an unpopular opinion
But I think Seema is doing their best to adapt to where things are going right and not
Ignore something that maybe needs to be addressed. It just maybe there, you know, maybe their delivery didn't hit like they thought with with people, you know
Calling it a takeover pit if that's really what they don't know what they called. Okay, because if they really called it that that's a little
Yeah, I don't know what they called it. I just saw it. Yeah, I was just like what the hell
so yeah, I mean I didn't get to see that I like again dude like I was
Yeah, it was hard and there was a lot of people
Yeah, it is not as many people as an auto salon like but maybe it is but it's so much more spread out
Yeah, because dude auto salon was like not to but this past year where this was like busy
But like you could still get through you could still get to where you're going
So
After meets after parties all that stuff nothing boss. Yeah, like we showed up to multiples and the cops were already there
like
Just
Pretty much kicking everyone out or not. Yo, that shit was orchestrated. Yeah, that's how it felt
Yeah, like it was kind of bad
So and I remember last year seeing some awesome videos of some meets, you know, like at Fuku burger and different stuff and
Yeah, I was really kind of bummed because it made it so that the nightlife became like everybody going and like drinking and doing that
Type of thing instead of everybody, you know, I was like, yeah, I was like dude that it's not really me
So it
Kind of sucked because I end up just hanging out with people drinking and I'm not drinking and I'm just like all right
I should probably just go to bed or something, you know, all of a sudden it's okay, and I'm still not sleeping like Vegas is crazy like that
All of a sudden it's 3 30 a.m. And I'm like what the hell I didn't even do anything. It's 3 30 a.m. I'm still awake. This is crazy
But I did so I did miss the last day
I did miss the last day. I I mean dude, there was tons of awesome cars
There there were you know, I don't even like benzes, but there are two old-school benzes in the Toyo
Section that were just insane, you know, there was a beautiful red NSX like it, you know, there's
Plenty of great JDM cars there for sure. I
Saw a four-door
34 with a
RB 26 swap fresh wide body like the thing was immaculate. It was sick
I don't even think I have a pick maybe I do if you're watching YouTube. I'll try to overlay it, but I
Mean definitely some some beautiful cars
You know the manufacturers showed out to like Toyota Toyota was there with a huge display Nismo was there
You know, it it was cool. Like I said like
My I guess my biggest suggestion is go with a plan. Yeah, if you have if like
If you're gonna go go with a plan like this is what I want to do
Look at last year's map like and try to make a plan because I feel like that would be the best use of your time
Yeah, but without over overdoing it walking way too much
Because that's all you can do is walk some people do I can't believe it. I can't believe they do this
They rent out those little shopping cart things like from Hanifra or from a grocery store those little scooters to anyone
Really? Yeah, it was stupid. I was like dude what like those things just dude you get that dude
You know how they have a basket on the front dude this one chick dude rolling around no shoes on her feet out dude up on
The basket like her feet up on the basket just rolling around just sitting there with a Starbucks and I'm just like
Mmm
Okay, let's limit this to like legally or whatever handicap because this is kind of stupid like it was just
Very congested. Oh with all those. Yeah, I was like dude. What the heck like just walk, right?
I'm sure they're not even that much faster than walking girl. You're not that pretty like you could just walk
You know like just walk like no, but for real it was it was kind of crazy
Yeah, I mean dude like it it's hard cuz like I
Only saw 30% and I wish I could say more, you know, but between
You know and so here's the thing like I was with a group of guys which I loved like I love I love
Squirk love Sean love everybody else. I was with us, but
Especially your first year like go go solo or with like your homie
That has the same exact agenda as you because they're agenda in my agenda didn't match and so I would end up taking off
But then trying to find them after that. Yeah, dude. So I'm so hard dude like oh, I think I'm over
Okay, cool. I'll go over there and I heard a different count. Yes, exactly
you know, so it was just one of those things but
if you're listening to this on
Saturday, then we are actually
At GTR festival as we speak like we're not literally right now, but right go tomorrow
Yeah, yeah, so
When it drops, yes, we are headed down to
South Dallas, Texas to Texas Motorplex and we are going to
See what we can do at GTR festival our our plan is to get you guys some
hopefully some live interviews
If everything goes great, we'll get you some live interviews. If not
We will definitely we made these metal cards these little aluminum cards that pretty much invite somebody to be a guest on the podcast
So we're definitely gonna put those out there so that we can line people up
But hopefully we'll get you some live ones or something like that
So definitely listen next week and catch that if you weren't able to make it a GTR festival
hopefully we'll have a
Much better than SEMA coverage
Yeah, yeah for sure
But yeah guys for sure you can find us at our HD
Gys you can find SEMA at at SEMA show if you want to check it out for next year
Definitely look in the show notes for our Facebook group
We love just shooting the shit on there and meeting you guys and just talking about everything but for episode
160 the SEMA show I'm Bobby. This is Aaron. See ya. Peace
Request an explanation for:
6 cars
6 cars featured
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark.
Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.
