SEMA Show 2010

Well, it’s that time of year again and the SEMA show is approaching fast.  For those that don’t know, SEMA is the aftermarket, and the SEMA show is one of the biggest conventions to hit Las Vegas.  At SEMA you will see every type of car or truck you can imagine, and every kind of aftermarket product you can dream of. It is fantastic, and something every gearhead should experience at least once in their life! However, this year there is a little different feeling going through the aftermarket, because 2010 has been a tough year on the automotive world. With the damage that Cash for Clunkers did, and the numerous other legislative battles that went on this year, the aftermarket has come to the realization that it IS possible that one day, it could actually be illegal to work on or modify your vehicle.  I know this sounds crazy, but if you saw some of the legislation  that tried to sneak thru Congress this past year, trying to regulate what you can and can’t do to your vehicle, you would not believe it.     As in most cases like this, the key to keeping the freedoms we enjoy is to fight for them, and that’s one of the main purposes that SEMA serves for the automotive enthusiast.  The problem is,  SEMA can’t do it alone.  They need all of us to get out and get involved in the industry, and help by voting for the people that are going to support our industry.    The amount of jobs that the aftermarket supplies in America is staggering.  We are talking  hundreds of thousands of jobs in repair and maintenance, restoration and customizing, racing and performance, and off-road and leisure.  The good news is, the industry has really started to come together and standup against the legislation that could crush it.  For example, all the major magazines from Source Interlink,  are running articles talking about this very issue and how you can get involved, so if you get a chance you may want to check one out. And that brings up the point of this blog.  Everybody knows you can’t sit on the sidelines and watch a game forever.   Sooner or later, the game ends and the teams leave and you are left sitting in some empty bleachers, looking at an empty field, wondering where everybody went.  The only way to keep enjoying the game, is to be  actively INVOLVED  in the game in some way.  That way, where ever the game goes, it takes you with it.   So I encourage you to get involved in whatever way you can to support this industry.  Vote...join a club…restore a vehicle…buy some parts…start a business…join SEMA…go to a race…whatever you can do.   That way you can be sure that 10 years from now, when you go out to the garage to go for a spin, you’ll know there’s actually something sitting IN the garage that you’ll enjoy driving.