Canadian among finalist for SEMA young builders battle

An aspiring Canadian vehicle builder will be heading to Las Vegas to take part in the Young Guns portion of the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition in November.

Slated to take place during the SEMA Show from Nov. 2-5 at the Las Vegas Convention Centre, the coveted Battle of the Builders competition is only open to builders with vehicles. It will feature three 2021 Young Guns regional winners.

Cole Marten of Penticton, B.C. and his 1991 Skyline R32 GTR is representing the Pacific region. He will be joined by Thomas Dickerson from Athens, Georgia, representing the Eastern region, with his 1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 and Dayton Jacobsen from Burnsville, Minnesota, representing the Midwest region, with his 2000 Chevrolet S10.

Three virtual regional qualifiers events were held for builders under the age of 27 as part of an initiative to support and encourage young builders to engage with the automotive industry. Builders from across North America competed for a Golden Ticket, which included a trip for two to the SEMA Show, an entry to the competition and transportation for their vehicle.

The Young Guns category was introduced to the Battle of the Builders competition in 2017. It provides exposure to rising young builders who were otherwise unable to qualify for the competition due to certain requirements.