SEMA 2017: Hot Rodders Of Tomorrow Qualifying Event

First place team, Lakeshore H.S., Stevensville, Michigan.

Starting with the basic question of “where are the future hot rodders going to come from?” The Hot Rodders Of Tomorrow Engine Challenge began in 2008 with five high school teams and 35 students. The idea of teaching high school automotive enthusiasts how to tear down and rebuild a small-block Chevy competitively against the clock (and other teams) took off like wildfire. The second year had 36 teams and 3 events.

Second Place team: William Fremd H.S., Palatine, Illinois.

Fast forward to 2016 where the event had grown to 164 teams who competed in 11 qualifying events for the right to compete in the finals at the PRI show in Indianapolis, Indiana. The teams competed for 4.55 Million dollars in scholarship opportunities. The question has been answered. The future hot rodders are coming from the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge.

Stopping at the 2017 SEMA show in Las Vegas, Nevada, to add four teams into the elite eight at the PRI Tradeshow in Indianapolis, where a National Champion team will be crowned. In total, the SEMA event saw 27 teams battle through 21 rounds for the four spots to advance. Total points scoring is an average time of 3 runs and a written test factored in.

Third Place team: Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center, Choctaw, Oklahoma.

The perennial powerhouse teams continue to represent their communities each year, and have become familiar names in the competition. Loara High School, Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center, Elkhart Area Career Center, and Burton Center for Arts and Tech have programs that other schools look to when building their own programs. With millions of dollars of scholarship money on the line, these teams take the competition seriously.

This year was no different as the teams battled round after round. True to form, four familar names claimed the final four qualifying spots for the Nationals Championship at the PRI show next month.

Final Results