Future Investment: Education at the PRI Show
![Performance racing industry educational seminar at the PRI Show 2024. PRI Education](/sites/default/files/styles/article_full/public/2025-02/1410x790_PRIEduPRIShow.png?itok=K8oEK8Lo)
Knowledge was the most valuable commodity at the 2024 PRI Show.
The constant buzz heard throughout the Indiana Convention Center (ICC) and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, was the exchange of countless bits of invaluable knowledge. Exhibitors learning about customer needs, racers discovering the latest performance products, old friends swapping stories after a long season. For everyone who attended, the 2024 PRI Show was likely the most educational three days of their entire year.
The free-wheeling exchange of information was not limited to just the bustling show floor either. The popular PRI Education program, now a core component of the PRI Show, offered attendees a thoughtfully curated lineup of 12 seminars covering a wide range of motorsports topics. Each seminar was free for Show attendees, providing an exclusive opportunity to learn from influential thought leaders, innovators, and experts in the motorsports industry.
For many, the sessions are one of the major benefits of coming to the PRI Show.
“The PRI Education sessions are always a highlight of my trip to the PRI Show,” said Amanda Van Den Elzen, founder of Racer on Demand, Seymour, Wisconsin. “Since we launched our business and website in early 2024, I was eager to soak up practical advice, and I wasn’t disappointed.”
Van Den Elzen acutely understands the importance of sharing knowledge within the motorsports community. In fact, she founded her business to “give racers the tools, skills, and resources they need to build meaningful connections with fans and sponsors—ultimately putting more money in their pockets.” As she works to continue building her business, she attended six PRI Education seminars and gained valuable information from each.
“The Women in Motorsports Panel made a big impact. This was my fourth year attending, and I always leave feeling more empowered,” said Van Den Elzen. “Elly Wong’s advice about conducting informational interviews to fill knowledge gaps really hit home for me, especially as I look to scale my business into areas of motorsports I’m less familiar with. Another great moment was when Madison Conrad posed the question, ‘What is the ROI of your social media?’ That prompted me to rethink how I spend my time on social platforms and whether I’m reaching the right audience—those who are actively moving through my sales funnel. Since coming home, I’ve been reimagining my social media strategy to prioritize reaching a more targeted audience with less time spent.”
That’s the value of PRI Education: Highlight the issues limiting growth for motorsports businesses and then provide solutions to overcome those challenges. This year, PRI Education seminars provided answers on a variety of topics including technical information to optimize vehicle performance, best practices for increasing sales revenues, valuable guidance for selling sponsorship, and more.
For readers at home, we gathered the Cliffs Notes from a few select sessions, with additional insight from instructors and attendees. For those wanting to learn more, sessions are available to stream on PRI’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/user/pritradeshow...
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