Rebels With Causes

Drifters, Donks and Rat Rods - the Youth Market is Leading a Revolution of Style and Performance

DIAMOND BAR, Calif., Sept. 19 -- Three emerging youth culture trends are making a big impact in the specialty industry these days. All three are cool, crazy and full of potential -- and as different as they are outrageous. First you've got donks -- big-built, high-rise rolling jewelry, inspired by the rags-to-riches hip-hop culture. Donk owners take 70's, 80's and 90's domestic sedans and trick them out with custom interiors, paint, monster tires and engine modifications, sinking upwards of $60,000 into making them over-the-top street sensations.

Then there's the rat rod -- a veritable Franken-car, a junkyard medley of stripped-down power. The gloves are off with these anti-street rods, just like the bells and whistles. Every non-essential part is gone. The roofline and suspension are chopped. Upholstery is home-made, paint job, primer gray. Big money goes into these rides, but all of it's under the hood -- if there is a hood, that is.

And finally, there's drifting -- the hottest new development in extreme motorsports, taking tight corners at high speed with low traction. Drifting is one of the most dynamic and exciting forms of head-to-head competition to come along since drag racing. Big in Japan, this daredevil's pastime is just beginning its rise to super-status in the U.S. All three of these exciting trends add up to great potential for the specialty industry -- not just in terms of increased sales now, but also in the cultivation of customer loyalty.

SEMA has always recognized the critical importance of the youth market to the ongoing success of the industry, and nowhere is that more apparent than at the SEMA Show, where you can see up close and in depth what's next for this lucrative market, and get everything you need to take advantage of it. Check out the incredible feature vehicles and the newest performance and accessory products that are inspiring young drivers. Find out what they'll be buying next. Catch the drifting demos on the Motor Trend Proving Grounds. And meet all the exhibiting manufacturers on the cutting edge of these three huge new trends -- all at SEMA Show 2006.

Find everything you need to know about the three newest trends moving the growing youth market. To pre-register, go to www.semashow.com/register.

About the SEMA Show

The SEMA Show, the annual showcase of technology, trends and products for the $34 billion automotive accessories industry, will be held Oct. 31 -- Nov. 3, 2006 at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

This year's exclusive event, open only to verified industry professionals and media, will feature more than 2,000 exhibitors in over one million square feet of space. Over 100,000 trade professionals are expected to attend this year to walk through the 11 market-based sections and view the anticipated 1,400 never-before seen products that will be displayed in the New Products Showcase.

Online registration and additional information about the SEMA Show is available at, www.semashow.com, or by contacting ConvExx Show Management at askus@convexx.com, or 702/450-7662, ext. 118.

SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $34 billion specialty automotive industry of 6,817 member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765, tel: 909/396-0289, or visit www.sema.org and www.enjoythedrive.com.