SEMA: The First Time I Walked Through Those Doors
By Tom Neal
Bigfoot Trails Basecamp | Independent Adventure Media
Since I was a kid, I have been fascinated by custom vehicles—cars, trucks, bikes, even trailers. All my trailers even get aftermarket wheels at a minimum, but they generally get customized in some way. Nothing I own stays stock.
“Stock Sucks!”
I started working in the automotive industry at 19 years old, and I have stayed in it for over 30 years, working for others as well as owning my own businesses. In my early years, I would see these high-dollar customs, drool, and fantasize about owning one. Then I wanted to build them! I soon found out about SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, and the yearly SEMA Show.
My first year at the show was 2004. It doesn’t seem that long ago to me, but to the younger generation, it probably seems like a long time ago. I went in there with a plan. For weeks beforehand, I was on the SEMA website checking out all the vendors, which halls they were in, analyzing the map. I had a mission.
I flew into Vegas on Monday before the show, walked over to the convention center to get my badge, and peeked in to see what I could see while they were setting up. It was so exciting!
Tuesday morning came, and I was at the door waiting for them to open and let the buyers in. Hurry up, man, I got shit to do, and only four days to do it in!
Finally, the doors opened, and security let us in. I think I made it 20 yards, and my plan flew out the window.
Holy Fuck, this place is amazing!!!
And I was only looking at one of many halls I had to get to.
“Back in my day,” we had a card, and the vendors had card readers. We could just go up to the vendor, swipe a card, walk away, and that vendor would mail out information to us. That was cool, and dangerous at the same time!
Day 1 consisted of having a mental overload of cool shit. I ran around swiping my card everywhere, meeting cool, famous builders, and just having fun. I didn’t accomplish a whole lot of what I was there for.
Wednesday morning came around, and I had an important breakfast meeting to attend.
It was the NHRA Breakfast!
I was at the door waiting to get in about 30 minutes early. I wanted a good seat! One of the NHRA girls opened the doors to let us in, and I went right for the front. I saw the name placard for Wally Parks, the founder of NHRA, and sat right in front of his spot.
Fuck yeah! I’m looking at place holders for Wally Parks, John Force, Don Prudhomme, and Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins—NHRA legends.
About 10 minutes later, the same NHRA lady comes up to me.
“Excuse me, but Barbara Parks, Wally Parks’ wife, always sits in front of her husband.”
“Oh,” I said. “I would be happy to move for her if you want.”
She said, “No! You were the first person in the door. I want you to stay where you are.”
“Barbara is more than welcome to sit on my lap,” I jokingly said, though I was partially serious too.
She laughingly replied, “No, but do you mind if we put a chair in the aisle next to you for her to sit in?”
“Hell yes, of course.”
So here we are. I am so excited to see Wally Parks and the other legends. We still have a good 20 minutes before they all come out, and Barbara Parks plants her ass right next to me. The NHRA lady introduces us and mentions how and why the seating was set up with her in the aisle.
Barbara laughs and asks me if I know about Wally.
There was a screen set up, playing some old drag racing footage while we waited, and Barbara was giving me history on some of the videos, as well as telling me about her and Wally, and how and why NHRA started.
Just being there with Barbara was AMAZING.
Then she introduces me to Alex Xydias, founder of So-Cal Speed Shop and a longtime photographer for NHRA, Jim Kelly.
I felt like some sort of superstar. Shit, I have Barbara Parks introducing ME to other famous NHRA legends just out of the blue.
Barbara on my right side, Jim Kelly on my left, and Alex Xydias next to Jim.
Now, if the NHRA lady came back to sit in my lap, I would have been in heaven!
After the breakfast, they were doing autographs with the speakers, and people were jumping up to get whatever they brought with them autographed. I had my ticket to the event, but as I got up to Wally and he signed my ticket, I whipped out my NHRA Competition License and asked him to sign that.
He looked at the license, looked at me, and said, “If I sign this, it becomes non-valid.”
I replied, “Mr. Parks, if YOU sign it, I should get into the events for free!”
We laughed a bit, and at this time Barbara was with Wally. She told him to “sign it anyway,” and “that we had a great time together.”
The look on his face was priceless, and he signed my license. We shook hands.
I said my goodbyes to Barbara, not knowing she would pass away only a year later.
When I got that news, I cried like she was a family member. She was an amazing woman. I loved her just in those couple of hours I knew her.
Wally passed away the next year, but I mourned more for Barbara because we had a connection.
Back up to the show after the NHRA Breakfast, and it was the same thing as Tuesday. Actually, the rest of the show went the same. I ran around like a kid in a candy store and just in amazement.
I attended some classes they had, partially to aid in business and partially to get off my feet. I had a great time, met some amazing people, and networked with others.
I got contacts with a lot of companies and started selling products for a number of them. It all worked out great, even though I didn’t follow my plan.
The next year, I took my wife down with me. Again, I went with a plan to meet up with people from certain companies before anything else. Once I did my dealings with them, THEN I could go “play.”
Again, we attended the NHRA Breakfast, and it was John Force and his family on the stage. It was cool, but the best part was talking again with Alex Xydias, who was seated just a few spots down from me, and him introducing me to Linda Vaughn, Miss Hurst and First Lady of Motorsports.
This year, I took down my big NHRA 50th Anniversary book and had her, Wally Parks, and many others sign it. My wife got a picture of Linda signing my book.
This year was way more productive for me than the previous year. I went in knowing what to expect!
I went to the SEMA Show for four years in a row while owning my business, and one year when I worked at a Corvette restoration and customization shop.
I learned so much during those years, met some great people, and have so many memories.
I may go back for 2026, but with my medical issues, I don’t know. My current plan is to get my truck built up to take a trip down to Vegas in 2027 for SEMA.
Not build a SEMA “show truck,” but build a capable truck to make not only the journey to Las Vegas, but more importantly, make the trip via plenty of off-road areas. Once into Nevada, I hope to make a lot of the trip through the desert trails.
Considering going to Area 51 as well, at least as far as I can go. I don’t expect to see anything, but just to say I did it.
We already did Rachel, NV, and the Little A’Le’Inn years ago with the kids.
If I can make it this year, I plan to network more than I did back in the day, get plenty of stories, get tons of contacts, and “work the floor.” Maybe get support for the truck build for next year, and have it in someone’s booth?
Doubtful, but one can dream, right?!
SEMA Show 2004
SEMA Show 2005 - Jahanel Neal — Photographer, Bigfoot Trails Basecamp
SEMA Show 2006 - Jahanel Neal — Photographer, Bigfoot Trails Basecamp
About the Author
Tom Neal is the founder of Bigfoot Trails Basecamp, an independent adventure media project built around real experiences. He’s spent most of his life around vehicles, motorcycles, racing, travel, and projects that tend to take longer and cost more than originally planned.
After decades of doing all that stuff, he’s learned that the best stories usually aren’t the ones you planned. They’re the people you meet, the places you stumble across, the things that go wrong, and the moments you never expected.
That’s what he wants to capture with BTB.
He doesn’t want to write about adventure from the outside. He wants to go experience it, then tell you what happened.
