In the show’s first product awards, the Performance Racing Industry gave some love to products that showcased innovation and excellence in the race and performance space.
The Best New Products awards are a hallmark of the SEMA show every year. Manufacturers get a substantial boost in awareness from the awards as consumers and buyers are introduced to the year’s best in innovation and creativity. In the past, however, while the SEMA-owned Performance Racing Industry show in Indianapolis has been a venue for the race and performance space, it has been up to the audience to find the products that they found to be the most useful in their space. While a Featured Product Showcase has been part of the show, introducing the public to products submitted by vendors, it wasn’t until this year that the Performance Racing Industry chose to put their stamp of approval on 30 of those parts and accessories with its first Featured Product Awards.
“The Feature Product Awards program highlighted the amazing products and innovation that PRI Show exhibitors developed during the two years that the industry was apart,” said PRI President Dr. Jamie Meyer. “The program also showcased some of the industry’s most prolific media outlets who served as judges and helped amplify news on these products.”
Twelve industry experts representing traditional and new media, as well as sanctioning bodies and race tracks, judged the more than 340 entries from the show’s popular Featured Products Showcase were up for consideration. Judging took place on day one of the show and identified outstanding products across eight separate categories: Accessory, Chassis, Drivetrain, Engine, In-Vehicle/Electronic/Telemetry, Race Fluid, Shop Equipment, and Suspension—along with Judge’s Pick for overall excellence.
The awards largely honored products that were game changers in their field, like Turbosmart’s StraightGate 50, a butterfly valve style external wastegate for turbocharged engines, which was awarded multiple Judge’s Picks as well as acknowledgement in the Best Engine Product category.
“There were lots of great new products, but this one stood out to me because I have a newfound understanding of why it’s important,” said judge Alex Taylor, a popular social media personality who builds cars and drag races. “With the precision and consistency that the StraightGate50 would allow, I can see it being a game-changer.”
Others agreed, as three more judges—Chad Reynolds from BangShift, Kevin Wells from Formula Drift, and Mike Galimi from ProMedia—also selected the StraightGate50 as their Judge’s Pick for 2021.
Twenty-five PRI exhibitors received either a Judge’s Pick or a Category Award through the program.
“The Featured Products Showcase is a low-investment, high-return program focused solely on highlighting motorsports products,” said PRI Trade Show Director Karin Davidson. “It’s open only to PRI exhibitors, and is the single-best opportunity to increase product awareness.”
Now, exhibitors and vendors can add the Featured Product Awards to the value of that program.
Best Accessory Product
• Fastway Trailer Products, FLASH Integrated Scale Ball Mount
• RaceQuip, FIA Composite Full Containment Seats
• VP Racing Fuels Inc, VP Trigger Hose
Best Chassis Product
• PE Racing, PE Mounting Clamps
• Verkline, Front Lightweight Tubular Subframe Mercedes-AMG GT GT S GT C GT R Pro
• Verkline, Full suspension set bundle – Toyota GR Yaris
Best Drivetrain Product
• PEM Racing, PEM Carbon Fiber Drive Shaft
• Sonnax, 4L80-E, 4L85-E Heavy Duty Input Shaft
• Speedway Motors, Premium Lightweight Quick Change Gear Sets
Best Engine Product
• AWA Forged Composites, Composite Lifters
• Billet Connection – Clear View Filtration, Clear View Filtration’s New Billet Dry Sump Tanks
• Turbosmart, Electronic StraightGate 50
Best In-Vehicle/Electronic/Telemetry Product
• FuelTech ECU, FT550 EFI System
• HP Tuners, MPVI2+
• Intercomp, RFX Wireless Suspension Load Stick
• VBOX Motorsport, VBOX Video HD Lite
Best Race Fluid
• Engine Ice, Engine Ice High Performance Snowmobile and Winter Coolant and Antifreeze
• VP Racing Fuels Inc., Speed Sauce
• Wilwood Disc Brakes, XR Racing Brake Fluid
Best Shop Equipment
• Blue Demon Welding Products, BlueArc 140MSI MIG-STICK Inverter Machine
• Lincoln Electric, Square Wave TIG 200 TIG Welder
• United Race Parts, Tire Scraper
Best Suspension Product
• Intercomp, RFX Wireless Suspension Load Stick
• QA1, C5/C6 MOD Series Coil-Overs
• QA1, GM 2.0 Control Arms
Judge’s Picks
• AWA Forged Composites, Composite Lifters – awarded by Garrett Reed, Americanmusclehd
• Blue Demon Welding Products, BlueArc 140MSI MIG-STICK Inverter Machine – awarded by Joe Skotnicki, Race of Champions
• EAT SLEEP RACE, 123 Count with Car Parts Book – awarded by Wes Buck, Drag Illustrated
• Flagtronics by Ballenger Motorsports, Flagtronics FT200 Kit – awarded by J.A. Ackley, Outside Groove
• FUELAB, 40501 Brushless Spur Gear 6GPM – awarded by Chris Blair, World Wide Technology Raceway
• FUELAB, 40501 Brushless Spur Gear 6GPM – awarded by David Kennedy, NHRA
• ProCharger Supercharger Systems, CrankDrive™ F-4X-140 – awarded by Brian Dunlap, World Racing Group
• RaceQuip, RaceQuip PRO20 Carbon Fiber Top-Air – awarded by Karl Fredrickson, Speedway Illustrated
• Turbosmart, Electronic StraightGate 50 – awarded by Alex Taylor, Alex Taylor Racing
• Turbosmart, Electronic StraightGate 50 – awarded by Chad Reynolds, BangShift
• Turbosmart, Electronic StraightGate 50 – awarded by Kevin Wells, Formula Drift
• Turbosmart, Electronic StraightGate 50 – awarded by Mike Galimi, ProMedia
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