New Dual Championship Format Will Involve More Teams and Increase Excitement for Engine Challenge

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade shows are two of the most anticipated events in the automotive industry each year. These are often the site of major announcements, press conferences, product debuts and more. Wandering the seemingly endless aisles of displays ranges everyone from the regular shadetree mechanic to the most recognizable names of the industry. It is in this arena that high school students from across the nation will face off against the clock and against each other in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge finals.

The Engine Challenge, designed to equip and inspire the next generation of gear heads, is a series of cross-country events in which high school teams compete in complete factory crate engine rebuilds. Each of these students gains valuable mechanical skills and learns to work efficiently under pressure, all in an environment that demands teamwork and precision. Participating in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge has afforded many students opportunities for scholarships, secondary schooling and promising careers that would not have been available otherwise. In recent history, automotive interest was waning among young adults. Efforts like those of Hot Rodders of Tomorrow is bringing about a resurgence of enthusiasm among the next generation of hot rodders.

During the ten events held in 2014, over 29 teams completed their rebuild in under 35 minutes, qualifying them for the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Championship. In the past five seasons, a single Engine Challenge Championship was held either at the PRI Show or SEMA Show. With the exponential growth of the program, this year Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has expanded their reach in a dual championship format. Seventeen teams will compete in a semi-final championship during the SEMA Show (November 4th – 7th 2014) and another seventeen teams will compete in a semi-final championship at PRI Show (December 11th -13th 2014). The top 2 teams from the SEMA Show and PRI Show will face off starting on Friday, December 12th at 5pm, and will compete another 2 times on Saturday. The team with the best average time will be crowned the 2014 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Champion!