red lifted truck with a quad on the back
By Brady L. Kay
SEMA is Back title
man standing with his camera
RECAPPING THE ANNUAL AFTERMARKET SHOW
After taking a COVID break and offering a virtual show in 2020, the largest automotive show returned in 2021 but it still felt off with travel restrictions in place for a lot of people. Fast forward to SEMA 2022 and for the first time in three years it felt like the show was back to normal and as big as ever.

I feel a little guilty that I don’t have that same excitement for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) annual show as I did the first time I got to go. Don’t get me wrong: I still look forward to it like a 6-year-old counts down to Christmas, but you can tell the first-timers at the show. They’re the ones who strip down to their Hanes and roll around on the convention center floor and have a giddy laugh. Oh yeah, their Frisbee eyes give them away.

The reputation of SEMA being an over-the-top auto aftermarket show is well earned and it never disappoints. Not only will you find amazing builds that completely overload your senses, but this is where a lot of manufacturers release new products. It’s arguably the only must-attend event in our industry as nothing can compare to it. It featured more than 1,900 exhibiting companies this year and nearly 65,000 buyers, all packed into four Las Vegas Convention Center halls.

As we walked the show – averaging over 10 miles a day – we tried to take it all in and here are some of the favorite trucks, products and sights that we saw during the four-day show.

truck with camper tent set up on the back
black truck with six wheels
replica inspired batmobile
(above left) Good luck trying to prove those tire marks aren’t yours. (left) The latest Batmobile from the 2022 blockbuster movie, The Batman was on display at the Mickey Thompson booth. (above) Photos don’t do this paint job justice. In the sunlight especially it sparkles like a new pair of Rock Revival jeans.
black truck with six wheels
Good luck trying to prove those tire marks aren’t yours.
replica inspired batmobile
The latest Batmobile from the 2022 blockbuster movie, The Batman was on display at the Mickey Thompson booth.
white truck with purple trim
Photos don’t do this paint job justice. In the sunlight especially it sparkles like a new pair of Rock Revival jeans.
University of Miami customized lifted truck
You don’t have to be a University of Miami fan to appreciate this build…but it wouldn’t hurt.
old red and white truck
white truck with red trim and hood open
black truck with neon yellow trim
old metal truck
white truck with orange trim and white truck with pink trim
This was one of the many “Fusion Rows” at the show as the bumper manufacturer was well represented this year.
black truck with orange trim
all blue truck
black lifted truck with blue trim
purple truck
white truck with white dune buggy on top
Kind of cool to see a loaded Duramax with a matching side-by-side.
black truck with bronze trim and a matching snow mobile on the back
If a truck didn’t have the “wow factor” it wouldn’t be at SEMA, but what we liked about his build was the extra attention to details that ties the truck together well. It even had a matching snowmobile on the back.
black and bronze snowmobile
custom bronze grill of a truck
close up of tire with bronze rim
close up of bronze truck details
close up of underneath a truck
row of black lifted trucks at an event
Everything is bigger in Vegas, but even this beast with a monster lift seemed to blend in a little with the other lifted trucks next to it.
(above) The stars come out at SEMA and Richard Petty, nicknamed “The King” made an appearance at the MAHLE booth. (upper right) We can only imagine what these horns from HornBlasters sound like. Next to hitches, their horns might have been the most popular upgrade on all the trucks this year. (right) Some truck names come off as inspiring but we’re not sure what to think about this one.
close up of gray air horns under a truck
white truck with red trim
Richard Petty making an appearance
The stars come out at SEMA and Richard Petty, nicknamed “The King” made an appearance at the MAHLE booth.
close up of gray air horns under a truck
We can only imagine what these horns from HornBlasters sound like. Next to hitches, their horns might have been the most popular upgrade on all the trucks this year.
white truck with red trim
Some truck names come off as inspiring but we’re not sure what to think about this one.
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