Road to SEMA To Capture 11 Car Builders on Their Journeys to the SEMA Show

Automotive content creators are on a mission to show the world that the car community is for everyone, SEMA Show organizers stated in a press release. Through Road to SEMA, 11 car builders will document their multi-state and cross-country journeys to showcase their vehicles at the 2025 SEMA Show. Social media audiences can follow along as the drivers share their unique stories, relatable challenges and inspiring triumphs along the way, noted the release.

As content creators take on a growing role in the automotive world, Road to SEMA celebrates their influence and connection to the industry. Traveling hundreds of miles from small-town garages, desert highways, and even across the Atlantic Ocean, their content will serve as a bridge where viewers can connect with car culture—and the SEMA Show—in fresh, authentic ways, officials said.

“The SEMA Show showcases thousands of vehicles each year, but it’s the stories behind those vehicles that truly inspire,” said RJ de Vera, SEMA vice president of marketing. “By supporting initiatives like Road to SEMA, we’re celebrating the courage of creators who aren’t driven by trends but defining what’s next and showing the world what’s possible.”

The Road to SEMA Showcase Will Inspire & Motivate

Each creator’s journey will culminate with their arrival at the SEMA Show, taking place Nov. 4-7 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Each build will be featured in the Road to SEMA Showcase, located in Central Hall, booth #21651. Here, SEMA says that show attendees will not only be inspired but also reminded that anyone can make their mark in the automotive world.

“Road to SEMA offers an authentic view on the everyday people that have a passion for this industry,” said Road to SEMA participant Steven Nadaskai. “Our goal is to show that everyone has a place in the automotive community—no matter your background or level of experience.”

Road to SEMA Participants

Driver: Don Abenante, @donabenante

• Vehicle: 1970 Chevelle
• Origin Point: Rhode Island
• Miles Driven to SEMA Show: 2,700 miles
• Journey: Abenante has owned the Chevelle since he was 15, originally planning it as a father-son build with his late dad. Though they never finished it together, the Chevelle became Abenante’s source of strength, learning and purpose through every chapter of his life. Over 21 years, it has evolved alongside him, now reborn as a modern street machine that wears its patina proudly. Beneath its classic shell hides a 1,400-horsepower twin-turbo Coyote engine.

Drivers: Ashley Cooley, @_rustic_beauty; Christina Lardie, @christinalardie; Audrey LeMay, @audreysquadries; Riley Schlick, @rileysrebuilds; Annie Van Orman, @annies_vw

• Vehicle: 1966 Ford Fairlane
• Origin point: Denver, Colorado
• Miles Driven to SEMA Show: 506 miles
• Journey: The Creator Race Team, in partnership with the Jessi Combs Foundation, honored Jessi Combs by building and racing a 1966 Ford Fairlane in The Great Race. Now, they continue her mission with a road trip through the Rockies, Moab, Zion and the Nevada desert, arriving at the SEMA Show to carry her torch and inspire the next generation of builders.

Driver: Brad Eldershaw, @backfire.brad

• Vehicle: 1999 Mercedes E240 Limousine 
• Origin Point: Stoke-on-Trent, England 
• Miles Driven to SEMA Show: 3,500 miles driven to the SEMA Show, 5,125 miles from the UK
• Journey: The Road2SEMA Drift Limo is a 1,100-bhp LS twin-turbo V-8. Featuring six bucket seats, a full drift differential and suspension setup, and a completely strengthened, rebuilt chassis, it’s engineered for high-octane sideways performance with uncompromising power and precision.

Driver: Corey England, @corezlark

• Vehicle: 2015 Lamborghini Huracan Twin Turbo V-10
• Origin Point: Exeter, England
• Miles Driven to SEMA Show: 3,500 miles driven to SEMA, 5,000-plus miles from the UK
• Journey: The twin-turbo Lamborghini Huracán is a 1,100-bhp, 5.2L V-10 supercar built for extreme performance. Limited to 220 mph, this engineering marvel features world-class power, endurance and precision on the Road2SEMA charity rally.

Driver: Louis Hadfield, @haddzy

• Vehicle: 1994 Subaru GF8 22B WRX STi Wagon
• Origin Point: Preston, UK
• Miles Driven to SEMA Show: 11,000-plus miles – includes travel from Preston, UK, to Malta, UK, for the engine swap and back to the UK for shipping to New Jersey.
• Journey: Hadfield’s 1-of-200 first-series WRX STI GF8 Wagon has been masterfully restyled into a 22B-inspired creation, making it a true 1-of-1 worldwide. Powered by a naturally aspirated Ferrari 360 V-8 and equipped with an EBC Brakes big brake kit, it perfectly balances power, precision and exclusivity.

Driver: Jack Thorton, @jackbuildsit

• Vehicle: Mk4 Supra
• Origin Point: Winter Garden, Florida
• Miles Driven to SEMA Show: 3,500 miles
• Journey: Once a wrecked, hopeless Supra with dented panels, cracked bumpers, and faded paint that sat forgotten in Thorton’s shop, he rebuilt it piece by piece. Now, under the bright lights of the SEMA Show, its deep green paint gleams like armor. The nightmare became a masterpiece with fresh metal, a restored heart and a new soul.

Driver: Steven Nadaski, @typicalstevenn

• Vehicle: 2013 Porsche Cayenne & 2011 Volkswagen GTI
• Origin point: Mission Viejo, California
• Miles Driven: 280 miles
• Journey to the Show: The Volkswagen has been at SEMA since 2019, competing as Nadaski’s SEMA Battle of the Builders Young Guns build. This year, he is bringing it back again, but trailered by his newest build: an off-road/overland-built Porsche Cayenne.