World’s largest Racing Show set for Orlando

Racing industry professionals looking to accelerate business and get a fast start for 2010 will find the task begins this December in Orlando, when the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show opens its doors to its exhibit aisles.

The world’s largest racing industry trade show, billed as the three biggest business days in racing, features a variety of special events and exhibits by more than 1,200 motorsports companies. This year’s event is scheduled for December 10-12.

Over 40,000 racing industry buyers from all 50 states, plus 60 countries, attended the PRI Trade Show last year in the Orange County Convention Center. The event encompasses one million square feet. Racing retailers, professional race teams, engine builders, fabricators, and more come to preview the latest advances in racing products, motorsports engineering and precision machining equipment.

“The racing products and machinery that not only will provide the new standards in the industry, but also will provide new revenue streams and new sources of profit for racing entrepreneurs in 2010 all will be on display in Orlando," said John Kilroy, editor of Performance Racing Industry magazine. “It’s a remarkable and unique opportunity for racing professionals to see it all in one hall—thousands of new racing products! There’s nothing else like it in the world."

The PRI Trade Show is timed for racing professionals to have the opportunity to conduct business face to face with racing industry suppliers, receive hands-on sales demonstrations of new racing products, make purchase decisions and have the components in stock for the start of the next racing season.

PRI is more than just a trade show, noted Kilroy. “The PRI Trade Show offers a full package for racing industry professionals, including a wide array of special events providing valuable business learning opportunities or the chance to mix and mingle with your industry friends."

This year’s show will officially kick off with a grand opening breakfast that will feature a live episode of the popular SPEED Wind Tunnel TV show, featuring Dave Despain. He’ll be live and uncensored before a racing industry audience, which will be throwing the tough questions at him, in addition to special guests onstage and race celebrity phone-in calls.

Events at this year’s PRI Trade Show include the following:

– Motor Sport Business Forum — For the first time, the PRI Show will feature the two-day international Motor Sports Business Forum. The event will focus on the commercial side of the sport featuring presentations from leading teams, sponsors, championship promoters and industry executives. Leadership from the highest echelons of NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, ALMS, and Grand-Am Road Racing are expected among the event’s featured speakers and panelists.

– Industry Roundtable — Jeff Hammond, TV race commentator and former crew chief, moderates the best discussion of the issues in the racing industry today with a select panel of respected figures in racing.

– PRI All-Star Karting Classic — A star-studded race will greet PRI attendees who take in the wild action of the PRI All-Stars Karting Classic. Last year’s event featured such drivers as Scott Speed, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Jamie McMurray.

– AETC Conference — With this year’s theme being, “Advanced Ford Modular Performance," the Advanced Engineering Technology Conference celebrates its 20th year as the premier seminar series for race engine builders. It will be held Monday through Wednesday.

– Bobby Rahal’s Road Racing Drivers Symposium — Racing legend and President of the Road Race Drivers Club, Bobby Rahal and special guest speakers will discuss the secrets to becoming a winning driver in the world of road racing.