Discover what the judges chose as their top picks from a selection of more than 400 entries in the Featured Products Showcase at the 2024 PRI Show.  To see all the products, visit here.

When the racing industry descends on Indianapolis for the annual PRI Show, exhibitors bring thousands of new and innovative products with them, filling the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium with the latest and greatest developments in the racing industry. But there’s only one place on the Show floor where you can see them all at once: the Featured Product Showcase.

This annual feature of the PRI Show highlights hundreds of products—submitted by the manufacturers themselves—across every segment, category, and discipline of the racing world. Whether it’s a rear-view mirror or a full suspension kit, a 3D printer or an air pressure gauge, the submissions showcase the non-stop innovation happening throughout the industry. 

“It’s the pinnacle,” said Scott Parker, chief operating officer of POWER Automedia, Temecula, California. “When you look at the cream of the crop, the best new products are at the PRI Show and in the Showcase.”

Every year, a panel of judges—consisting of media members and sanctioning body officials—comb through the cases of products and ultimately provide their picks for products they believe will resonate with the market in the coming year.

Parker, who served as one of nine judges for the 2024 Showcase, had a difficult time narrowing down his list, but ultimately decided on the two-piece Powerglide case from FTI Performance in DeLand, Florida, as his Judge’s Pick. Versatility, he said, was a key factor in his decision, with the added bonus of increased safety.

“Powerglide and Turbo 400 are probably the two most popular transmissions here at PRI, whether you’re drag racing, mud, anything,” Parker said. “To see somebody come out with a two-piece case is really crucial, so you can bolt it up to anything.

“And being SFI certified, that’s really cool,” he added. “I love to see something that really enhances safety.”

Joe Legan, technical manager at SRO Motorsports, based in Arlington, Nebraska, donned his enthusiast hat while judging, he said, in addition to his perspective as a race official. He first evaluated the products as a racer himself, then again as a representative of SRO.

Legan was impressed by the range of products in the Showcase and the variety of applications, uses, and markets represented. There was something on offer for just about anyone, from the grassroots levels to the upper echelons of motorsports.

Ultimately, Legan opted to recognize a product that has a very specific application but represents the constant search for higher performance that permeates throughout the industry: Brembo’s IMSA GTP/WEC Hypercar brake system.

“The level of tech that goes in those cars, it just shows Brembo’s commitment to never stand still,” Legan said. “They’re always trying to make them stronger, lighter, and more affordable.”

Joe Balash, sporting and technical director of the NASCAR Euro Series in Saint Denis sur Loire, France, found the process useful for his own purposes, mirroring how the thousands of attendees who visit the PRI Show use the Showcase as a jumping-off point, while also signaling the importance of the Show for sanctioning bodies. 

“I had been looking for a reversing camera for a project that I’m working on, and there it was,” said Balash, who selected the uC-10 Reversing Camera Kit from Haltech as his Judge’s Pick. 

The reversing camera will ultimately be considered for use in the NASCAR Euro Series.

“The PRI Show allows sanctioning bodies to develop and establish relationships with the vendors,” Balash said. “You’re always looking to see what is next for the sport, and the [Featured Product Showcase] shows what’s next.”

That sentiment applies no matter the discipline, according to Balash. “I was impressed with all the new products; how well the products were put together; and the fit, finish, and quality of all the parts,” he said. “There’s such a variety of vendors and products that, no matter what motorsport you’re involved in, there’s something that will attract you into their booth to talk about their product.”

Legan agreed, noting that the wide range of products and applications represented in the Showcase is a strength of the industry. “The industry is so much wider than SRO,” Legan said. “As motorsports enthusiasts, we get so myopic. When you see the [Featured Product Showcase], you see there are so many other ways to interpret the word ‘motorsports.’ 

“It drove home how varied it is and what the state of it is,” he added. “We always seem to find a way.”

Following are the judges' top choices of products from the Featured Products Showcase followed by their favorite picks...

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