How SEMA’s Mike Spagnola Is Paving New Roads Into Motorsports Late To Grid

How SEMA’s Mike Spagnola is Paving New Roads Into Motorsports

3M ago 50:54

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In this episode of Late To Grid, we sit down with Mike Spagnola, the President and CEO of SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) — one of the most influential organizations in the automotive and motorsports world.

Mike shares his incredible journey from his early days tinkering in his family’s garage to leading an industry powerhouse that champions innovation, customization, and grassroots racing. We dive deep into how SEMA is actively working to get new people into motorsports, empower young builders and racers, and bridge the gap between car culture and career opportunity.

We talk about:

Mike’s personal path into the automotive world
How SEMA supports emerging talent and future builders
The role of track days, autocross, and HPDE in attracting new racers
Why education and access are key to growing the motorsports community
SEMA’s evolving initiatives to engage younger generations
Insights on the future of the motorsports industry and how YOU can get involved

Whether you're already wrenching on your track car or just curious how to get started, this conversation is packed with inspiration, practical advice, and industry insights.

Let’s grow grassroots racing — one new driver at a time.

🎯 Keywords: Motorsports, Racing, Grassroots Racing, SEMA, Track Day, Autocross, HPDE, Racing Career, Motorsports Journey, High-Performance Driving, Automotive Industry

Race season is here. If you need to catch up on setup, or have something that needs repaired, you need to be Atomic prepped. Get to https://atomicautosports.com/ to get your car ready to get out there next weekend.

If you're chasing lap times, you need a track ready setup for your car. Get to AtomicAutosports.com to get your car scheduled to get you on the podium.

Track ready setups for time trial drivers and others

Thanks for listening and taking an interest in growing grassroots racing. The Late To Grid podcast shares the stories and inspiration that help listeners along their motorsports journey.
Find all episodes on the Atomic Autosports website.

Chapters

1. Intro: Meet Mike Spagnola, President of SEMA (00:00:00)

2. Mike’s journey from car enthusiast to industry leader (00:03:10)

3. SEMA’s mission and grassroots focus (00:08:55)

4. Attracting the next generation into motorsports (00:13:40)

5. The power of education, exposure & mentorship (00:21:00)

6. Track days, autocross, and how to get started (00:28:45)

7. Building careers through car culture (00:35:10)

8. SEMA’s vision for the future of motorsports (00:42:00)

9. Final advice for those late to grid (00:49:30)

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