A look back at some of the most memorable machines, moments, and men and women of the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, as captured by our talented team of event photographers.

December’s PRI Trade Show marked the successful return of the industry’s premier live event for motorsports professionals. The Indianapolis, Indiana-based Show was one of the most impactful in the 35-year history of PRI, with more events, activities, educational sessions, and special features than ever before. 

Tens of thousands of attendees—including media, industry influencers, enthusiasts, and professionals from nearly 1,000 exhibiting companies—gathered in the racing capital of the world for the event, which took place at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis.

Highlights from the December 9–11 Show included legendary driver and team owner Roger Penske and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles headlining the Grand Opening Breakfast; the unveiling of this year’s Indianapolis 500 ticket design with four-time race winner Helio Castroneves, a jam-packed Save Our Racecars Rally to support the all-new PRI PAC; a dedicated EV Performance Zone highlighting future trends in motorsports; and much more.

“It was great to experience the excitement and camaraderie of being back in person at the PRI Show, catch up with friends and colleagues, take advantage of opportunities to capture business, and network with other motorsports professionals,” said PRI President Dr. Jamie Meyer. “The level of industry innovation and development on display at the Show was truly outstanding and a clear demonstration of the strength and growth of motorsports.”

We couldn’t agree more, which is why we decided to take a look back at some of the most memorable machines, moments, and men and women of PRI 2021 through the lenses of our own award-winning team of photographers and content creators. Enjoy!

Vehicles

From roadsters to pullers, nostalgia drags to modifieds, PRI each year showcases an eye-popping array of competition vehicles in all shapes and sizes. Throughout a Show floor teeming with exhibits, attendees are never more than a few steps from a nitro Funny Car, or a vintage Indy car, or even a Fisher Motorsports-built 1973 Jeep with ‘79 Camaro subframe featuring a 632-cubic-inch BBC powerplant and 88-inch wheelbase that’s billed as the world’s fastest Postal truck and goes by the name “Junkmail.”

HORSEPOWER

So much hp at PRI! There’s a reason the annual Trade Show is considered an engine builder’s paradise, what with countless big and small block, LS and LT, Coyote and Godzilla, multiple generations of Hemi, and a variety of custom, vintage, and exotic platforms on full display. Beyond making big power, these creations are true works of high-performance art, illustrating what’s possible when form meets function in a package that utilizes advanced technology to push boundaries and crush expectations.

SHOW FEATURES

Traditional favorites like PRI’s world-famous Machinery Row and Featured Products Showcase provided attendees and media with a bevy of performance parts and equipment to take in, while brand-new features included the EV Performance Zone dedicated to electric race and performance vehicles, specialty EV builders, and EV component suppliers; the Content Creation Center, where industry leaders and influencers discussed all things digital content; PRI Headquarters, where visitors learned all about PRI Membership and the PRI Road Tour; and much more.

VIPs

Where else can you rub elbows with legendary driver and team owner Roger Penske, Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles, NHRA Top Fuel driver Alexis DeJoria, three-time Cup Series champion and SRX Series co-owner Tony Stewart, motorsports icon Linda Vaughn, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, and…The Donkmaster??? (Real name: Sage Thomas.) As in years past, the PRI Show once again proved it’s the perfect gathering place for racing’s movers, shakers, trendsetters and groundbreakers.

PRI EDUCATION

Attendees turned out in droves for more than two-dozen seminars offered as part of the PRI Trade Show experience. Industry leaders and experts on a host of business and technical education topics delivered the Show’s most expansive—and best-received—program to date. “For us, as a fairly new business, it’s been incredibly beneficial because we’ve been able to really identify what we need to do to move forward,” said Fast Lane Garage’s Rachel Lane. “It’s been really eye opening, and it’s been a lot of fun.”

EVENTS

As if there wasn’t enough on the Show floor to keep attendees and exhibitors busy over three full days, PRI offered a slew of special events, activities, and networking opportunities for racing professionals of all stripes. The Race Track Business Conference for facility and series operators marked its 10-year anniversary, while young men and women pursuing careers in motorsports got to interact and engage up-close with industry members. And, no PRI Show would be complete without another blockbuster signature kickoff—the Grand Opening Breakfast.