Attendees explain why they put the PRI Show high on their must-attend list every year and provide a glimpse of what paid off at the 35th edition of the ULTIMATE motorsports trade show.

The 2023 PRI Show may be over, but its influence on the racing industry is only beginning to be felt.

On December 7–9, tens of thousands of motorsports professionals gathered at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis for the 2023 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show, the most influential business event in racing. Featuring more than 1,000 exhibitors and almost 3,600 booths, it was an action-packed three days of education, networking, and showcasing cutting-edge products and machinery.

The reasons for attending the PRI Show are as varied as the disciplines we race—some folks come to build connections, others to buy the newest race parts, and many value the free education sessions—but in an industry where efficiency is essential, being able to accomplish multiple goals in one place makes the PRI Show valuable for everyone.

Wheeling and Dealing

“We come here every year with a goal to look for more speed,” said George Bessette Jr., a modified racer from Connecticut. “We always leave here with something, no matter if it’s knowledge or product.”

This year, Bessette was pleased to have found a good deal on a belt sander. “They have great deals here with show pricing. It’s awesome just to be able to come here and meet with people we usually talk to over the phone,” he explained.

The Northeast modified racer wasn’t alone in that last sentiment, as several attendees heralded the benefits of conducting business face-to-face with fellow motorsports professionals. For example, Volkswagen drag racer JD Curry Jr. traveled from Ohio to Indianapolis in search of hard-to-find parts for his VW. The trip paid off, as he found one vendor to custom build new intakes for a set of heads and another vendor to build a custom carburetor.

“What’s nice about coming here is you actually get to meet the people,” said Curry. “You can’t do that over the phone or through the Internet. The personal attention here is absolutely awesome.”

First-Time Connections

The opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and fellow gearheads keeps industry veterans coming back to Indianapolis on an annual basis. However, the PRI Show also offers an opportunity for fresh faces to introduce themselves to the industry. For first-time attendee John Esburnett, the general manager of Lee USA Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire, he arrived to Indy ready to learn.

“I’m new to the general managing role of [Lee USA Speedway], so we decided to come down here to PRI to learn new things,” said Esburnett. “I’m 25, so I’m just sponging it up and absorbing all that I can.”

When we spoke with Esburnett, he had just finished listening to the “State of the Racing Market” education session—one of 22 PRI Education seminars offered throughout the three days. The sessions were free to Show attendees and covered important topics ranging from “Advanced Technology in Dirt Late Model Racing” to “Digital Advertising: Measuring Success.” (Learn more about the PRI Education sessions beginning on page 50.)

Another first-time attendee was California-based Late Model driver, Kylie Glick. At only 13 years old, the young racer and her family flew from California to Indianapolis to help her gain exposure in the industry.

“This is our best opportunity to shake hands with big brands, meet people in the industry, meet other drivers, and just learn a ton,” said Mirinda Glick, Kylie’s mom. “Being able to collect it all in one spot where we can get that all accomplished, it definitely makes the trip worthwhile.”

For racers like Kylie, a simple handshake in Indy can be the first step to building a lasting connection that launches a lifelong career. The PRI Show is also a critical opportunity for organizations within the industry to connect and strategize for the coming year.

Indianapolis local McKenna Haase is a 410 sprint car racer on the track, but off the track works to support the next generation of racers. She founded a youth motorsports foundation, Youth Racers of America Inc., as well as a youth racing team, Compass Racing Development LLC. Haase explained she was using the PRI Show as an opportunity to meet with folks from another youth racing organization, Speed Youths.

“We are just trying to get [youth racing] to be more important to this industry,” said Haase. “I think it is definitely a deficit that we need to address, and this event is giving us an opportunity to connect on that and have a good dialogue about it.”

Ultimately, that’s what the PRI Show is all about—connecting, networking, and planning how to improve for the 2024 season. No matter what your racing business specializes in, the PRI Show is where the business of racing gets done.

Chasing the Cutting-Edge

Just as race teams are always looking to elevate their performance, the same is true for the team at PRI. We listen to feedback and work year-round to improve the PRI Show and make it more valuable to our industry. In 2022, we began limiting attendance to PRI Members. The show floor is still revved up, but as New Jersey-based shop owner Andrew Jackson noted, the quality of the attendees has improved.

“Every year has been good, but also every year has been getting better,” said Jackson. “It’s become more condensed, less of a show for everybody and more of a show just for the industry. You’re able to talk to more companies because of the simple fact that there’s less congestion. It’s definitely been a better experience because you’re able to get more time with different people.”

For 2023, we continued to innovate and improve. We activated the space inside the Lucas Oil Stadium area to highlight the emerging trend of alternative racing—particularly EV & Alt racing and Esports. New activations included the return of live racing action on the e-karting track and dozens of cutting-edge simulation rigs for attendees to test their talent in sim racing. The updated layout infused new energy and showcased new disciplines, while the PRI Ekarting Classic presented by Top Kart USA had our PRI Happy Hour buzzing on the Show’s opening night.

“PRI has a lot of newer stuff out, like with the e-kart track and the simulators,” said Missouri-based drag racer Cory Clemens. “It’s been great this year.”

In its 35th year, the PRI Show was stronger than ever—both a celebration of our racing community and an essential event for the industry. From drivers to track owners, builders to buyers, the PRI Show provided a coveted once-a-year opportunity to gain invaluable knowledge, parts, and connections to fuel on-track success in 2024.

“If you’re not here, you’re not seeing what’s out there and what’s great about whatever type of racing you’re in,” said Clemens. “You’ve got to be cutting edge, and that’s what PRI is all about.”