SEMA PRO Cup Challenge: Building Better Restylers
How an annual contest became a blueprint for growth in the auto restyling industry...
Every year, the SEMA Show in Las Vegas brings together the best our industry has to offer—spotlighting everything from innovation, craftsmanship and technology to bold vehicle design. For professional restylers, however, one event stands apart from the rest: the SEMA PRO Cup Challenge.
Started in 2019 by the Professional Restylers Organization (PRO), a Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) council, the PRO Cup Challenge has become a way to showcase the automotive restyling industry. It is more than a competition or a simple collection of impressive builds—it’s a proving ground where creativity must meet business discipline, dealer expectations and real-world profitability.
Here at Automotive Concepts, we’ve had the privilege of participating in the PRO Cup Challenge five times, bringing home three trophies, including the 2025 title with our Ford F-150 Black Label Edition.
While the recognition is something we are incredibly proud of, the real value of this experience goes far beyond the trophy.
My purpose in sharing this is not to boast, but to encourage other restyling shops across the country to step into this arena. The PRO Cup Challenge is one of the most impactful business-building experiences we’ve ever participated in, and I believe it can be the same for others in our industry.
Growing Stronger
The PRO Cup Challenge is not just about building vehicles—it’s about building stronger businesses, stronger teams and stronger partnerships.
What makes this event unique is that it reflects the same challenges and opportunities we face every day in our businesses. These are not one-off concept vehicles built without limits. Instead, every PRO Cup entry must be designed with dealership viability, curb appeal, profitability and repeatability in mind.
The central question is simple: “Could this vehicle be sold successfully on a dealership showroom floor tomorrow?”
That’s what makes it so powerful.
Last year, our team had the opportunity to answer that question with a build we called the Black Label Edition, a customized F-150 that ultimately earned the overall first place trophy. More importantly, it became a defining project for our team.
From the very beginning, this build was a collaborative effort that brought out the best in our staff. From styling concepts and the final wheel package to the interior finish, suspension design and visual details, this was a team project.
One of the most rewarding parts of the PRO Cup Challenge is seeing your employees take ownership of the vision. When people are given the opportunity to contribute creatively, they invest themselves in the outcome.
The Black Label build energized our entire company and reminded us how powerful teamwork can be when everyone is pulling toward a common goal. That collaboration translated directly into the finished vehicle.
The Black Label Edition was designed to be bold, dominating and fully dealer showroom-floor ready. Every component had to serve a purpose—not just visually, but functionally. The package had to be exciting enough to draw the attention of SEMA Show attendees while still being practical enough for dealership replication and profitable resale.
That balance is where the PRO Cup Challenge truly elevates the craft of professional restyling.
Unique Dealer Offerings
The project also significantly strengthened our dealer relations.
Our dealer partner on this build, Metropolitan Ford in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, played a major role in the build’s success. Its willingness to release a vehicle from inventory weeks ahead of the show for us to upfit demonstrated tremendous trust in our team and our ability to execute at the highest level.
That trust matters. When dealerships see firsthand what a professional restyler can create, it reinforces the strategic value accessorization can bring to their business.
Mike Nelson, general sales manager at Metropolitan Ford, joined us at the show and was able to witness firsthand the industry response to the truck. It was through his input that we added a Whipple supercharger when the truck returned to Minnesota.
And, as luck would have it, a consumer from Chattanooga, Tennessee, who happened to see the Black Label Edition F-150 in person on Friday (consumer day at the SEMA Show), was also destined to see it in his driveway.
The truck was delivered three weeks after the show. More importantly for us, since then, four additional Black Label Edition trucks have been built for Metropolitan Ford.
Vendor Participation
The PRO Cup Challenge also strengthens another critical part of our business: vendor partnerships.
Each time we participate, our aftermarket manufacturer partners are eager to support the build. They recognize the exposure and credibility it provides and the benefits of showcasing their products in a real-world, dealer-focused application.
Several years ago, I was given a piece of advice that has guided much of my career: “Treat your employees, your customers and your vendor partners like your very best customer.” The PRO Cup Challenge brings that principle to life.
It reminds us that success is built through relationships, inside our companies, with our dealership partners and throughout our vendor network.
Best Practices
A final reason I strongly encourage other shops to participate in this challenge is the level of excellence among the competing builders. The competition is exceptional.
Every year, shops from across the country bring extraordinary builds that showcase the very best of our industry. The creativity, craftsmanship and business strategy on display continue to raise the standard for professional restylers everywhere.
In my opinion, 2025 was one of the strongest years yet, making our victory even more meaningful. So, for any restyling shop considering participation, my message is simple: Take the leap:
- Whether you win or not, the process itself will elevate your business.
- It strengthens your team.
- It deepens your dealer and vendor relationships.
- It challenges your creativity.
- It showcases your capabilities on a national stage.
At Automotive Concepts, we have been truly blessed by the opportunity to participate in this event over the years, and we are grateful for the chance to share that experience with others.
The SEMA PRO Cup Challenge is not just about building vehicles—it’s about building businesses. And for those willing to step onto that stage, the rewards extend far beyond the trophy.
