SEMA Battle of the Builders Celebrates 10th Birthday

A Perfect Ten

Registration for the 2023 SEMA Battle of the Builders, the aftermarket industry’s ultimate vehicle competition, is now open here. The program is celebrating 10 years of providing SEMA Show builders a platform to showcase their craftsmanship and skills to a worldwide audience.

“The SEMA Show is synonymous with the most unique vehicles in the world, and for 10 years the Battle of the Builders program has given the builders of these vehicles an opportunity to showcase their imagination, creativity, and craftsmanship at an international level,” said RJ de Vera, SEMA vice president of marketing. “This year’s program will feature the top builders and brands exhibiting at the 2023 SEMA Show as we crown our 10th Battle of the Builders Champion.”

Since 2014, Battle of the Builders has catapulted SEMA Show builders to fame through exposure in SEMA’s communication and social channels and inclusion in a one-hour television special. The competition recognizes one winner in four different categories — Hot Rod & Hot Rod Truck; 4 Wheel Drive & Off-Road; Sport Compact, Import Performance, Luxury & Exotic; and Young Guns — before crowning and overall Battle of the Builders Champion.

The Young Guns category, open to builders 29 years and younger, is part of SEMA’s initiative to support and encourage the next generation of builders in the industry. All Young Guns entries submitted before August 15 have the opportunity to compete in one or more virtual Golden Ticket competitions for the chance to win a prize package that includes transportation of the vehicle to the SEMA Show.

“The SEMA Young Guns competition was the single-most powerful tool for me to turn my passion for building cars into a full-time career,” said Kyle Kuhnhausen, winner of the 2018 Young Guns title and current Battle of the Builders judge. “The media coverage that followed after winning the category took me from a relatively unknown young builder to self-employment building hot rods full time just months later. I’m still building hot rods, and the phone is still ringing as I continue feeling the benefits of the competition and now get to judge that category.”