May 17, 2007
It all happens here first! One million square feet of new racing technology and products will be on display at the 20th Annual Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, in Orlando, Florida, on December 6-8, 2007.
During these three big days, the North/South Building of the Orange County Convention Center houses the world’s largest racing trade show, attracting 45,000 racing industry members, from over 45 countries.
Returning to Orlando for the third straight year, the 2007 edition of the PRI Trade Show will attract 1,450 exhibiting companies in a whopping 4200 booths! The robust racing market will be gathered in full force to shop the hottest, most-advanced race components, services, machines, tools, and equipment. In preparation for a successful 2008 racing sales season, the PRI Trade Show is a ‘can’t miss’ event!
As a testament to the vibrant state of the auto racing market, the PRI Trade Show has been named to Tradeshow Week magazine’s 50 Fastest Growing Trade Shows. Tradeshow Week also named the PRI Trade Show the 45th largest Trade Show produced in the US.
While much of the excitement of the PRI Trade Show will occur in the Orange County Convention Center on Thursday through Saturday, the Show has grown to encompass an entire week’s worth of special racing industry attractions. Be sure to visit Orlando a few days prior to the start of the Trade Show for valuable business and educational opportunities, such as the Industry Roundtable and the Advanced Engineering Technology Conference.
In addition, Orlando’s mild climate has made it possible to add outdoor racing festivities to the PRI Trade Show experience. There is an All-Star Kart race outside the Convention Center on Thursday night. It’s organized by the Snap-On Stars of Karting Presented by the IRL, and featured such famous racers last year as Buddy Rice, Bryan Herta, Alex Taglianni, Wayne Taylor, Ron Capps, and many more. The 3rd Annual MOPAR-PRI Classic will be held Friday evening. Orlando’s the perfect place to do business during the day and mingle with racing industry friends at night.
Founded by legendary race engine builder Smokey Yunick 10 years ago, PRI’s Industry Roundtable provides a forum where racing industry decision-makers discuss some of the most compelling issues facing the sport today. The candid nature of the Roundtable and the breadth of topics covered each year has made this event quite popular among PRI attendees.
A valuable experience for all who attend, over 800 people filled the hall at last year’s Industry Roundtable discussion. It’s hosted by NASCAR crew chief great and TV commentator Jeff Hammond. Past members of the panel have included racing industry luminaries such as Randy Dorton, Herb Fishel, Bobby Unser, Don Garlits, Ken Schrader, Benny Parsons, Vic Edelbrock Jr., Don Prudhomme, Eddie Cheever, Steve Kinser, Buddy Baker, Earl Gaerte, and many more.
The Industry Roundtable will begin at 1:30 p.m., on Wednesday, December 7, and will conclude at 3:30 p.m., in the North/South Building Meeting Rooms of the Orange County Convention Center. There is no charge to attend the Industry Roundtable for registered attendees.
From Smokey Yunick to Tony Stewart, Bobby Unser to Jack Roush, Robert Yates to John Force, some of the biggest names in the history of American racing have shared their colorful racing stories at the Grand Opening Breakfast of the PRI Trade Show. It’s the remarkable kick-off event for the PRI Trade Show, and starts in the northwest corner of the exhibit hall at 8 a.m. sharp.
At the close of the first day of the Trade Show is the famous PRI Happy Hour sponsored by Budweiser and held in the main lobby of the Convention Center. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided, and Budweiser will bring plenty of ice-cold beer for the racing industry to enjoy. Tell your industry friends to meet up with you at the PRI Happy Hour at the end of the day where you can coordinate your business entertainment activities over a cold drink, and make plans for dinner. Or, catch some of the best racing action with the All Star Kart Race presented by the Stars of Karting. The race will begin at 7 p.m.
Educational opportunities abound at the PRI Trade Show. Arrive at the hall early on Friday and Saturday mornings to attend one of the PRI Retail Management Seminars. Many exhibitors are also sponsoring seminars during the PRI Trade Show. Seminars are a great way to gear up for the 2008 racing retail year.
Immediately following the Grand Opening Breakfast at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, the doors will open to the 20th Annual Performance Racing Industry Trade Show. Racing industry buyers will file into the main hall of the North/South Building to shop the newest race components and shop machinery available for the 2008 race season.
As PRI Trade Show visitors discovered in the past two years, the Orange Country Convention Center offers a spacious atmosphere where attendees can visit all of the exhibitors on one show floor, all in one exhibit hall. There is one million square feet of exhibit space in the Orange County Convention Center!
From one end of the Convention Center to the other, the hall will be packed with racing entrepreneurs looking to do business. One perennial favorite location of the PRI Trade Show is Machinery Row. Live machinery will be set up for engine builders, fabricators, and others to see in action, actually machining real race parts during the Trade Show. Over 120 manufacturers will be featured in this section of the Trade Show. Plus, don’t miss the outside dyno area, which features several displays of chassis dynos in full operation.
Be sure to plan which booths you’d like to visit in advance of the PRI Trade Show, as the hall is very large and can be overwhelming—especially for first-time visitors. One way to plan ahead is to go to the PRI Trade Show web site—www.performanceracing.com—and use the My Show Planner function. This part of the web site allows you to set an itinerary for the Trade Show, as well as look up exhibitors, use translation and currency conversion services, and more.
On the Show floor, a warm “Welcome” in several languages awaits international visitors in the International Lounge. Translation services are available there, as well as e-mail access. With international buyer attendance increasing every year, the PRI Trade Show team is dedicated to making it as easy as possible to conduct business at the world’s largest racing trade show. Stop by for an espresso, or a quick check of your business e-mail, and check out the special meeting rooms available for your private business conferences.
Each year, the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) brings a large UK-based trade group to the PRI Trade Show, situated in the Show’s Motorsport Valley Zone. you’ll discover some of the latest high tech developments in British motorsports engineering, including current F1 technology.
Another ‘must’ at the PRI Trade Show is the amazing display of tow vehicles, motor coaches, and trailers. This section features some of the newest, state-of-the-art trends in hauling. See how the top professional racers live at the track, or shop for a hauler that fits your needs and budget. Like all racing product lines at the PRI Trade Show, there’s a very wide selection!
Leave the driving to PRI by using a shuttle bus that offers complimentary rides between Show hotels and the Orange County Convention Center.
And, the highly popular ‘Bud on the Bus’ program returns this year to transport attendees back their on the return trip from the Trade Show to Show hotels on Thursday and Friday. Let us do the driving, while you enjoy a complimentary cold one from Budweiser on the shuttle bus.
Another PRI Trade Show tradition is the annual Engine Charity Sweepstakes. For a mere $3 per ticket, attendees enter a drawing to win a race engine built by a well known engine builder. This year, the lucky winner of the annual Engine Charity Sweepstakes, sponsored by Sunnen, will own a race engine built by Nick Ramey of Roush-Yates Racing Engines. Ramey will build the engine onsite at the Engine Charity Sweepstakes booth during the PRI Trade Show. All proceeds from this event go to the Victory Junction camp for kids with special health care needs. The winning ticket will be drawn at 3 p.m., on Saturday, December 8, at the Engine Charity Sweepstakes booth in the Orange County Convention Center. The winner will incur all costs of transporting the engine from the Convention Center.
Space is filling up at choice PRI Trade Show hotels in Orlando. To book hotels and travel in advance of the PRI Trade Show, contact the PRI Travel and Housing Department at 949/499-2044, go to the PRI web site to make an on-line reservation, or e-mail Michelle Gallegos with questions at MichelleG@performanceracing.com.
