Las Vegas, NV — Team MOROSO – Loara High School from Anaheim, CA, won the 3rd Annual “Showdown at SEMA” with a record breaking time of 21:08 minutes.

As a matter of fact, the timed averages from the top six of the 10 teams competing this year would have beat last year’s winning time of 31 minutes.  And, all ten teams competing this year would have beat the 2009 winning time of 44:22.

“Showdown at SEMA” is the title of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge National Championship held at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. This year, 10 High School Auto Tech teams competed Nov. 1-4 in an engine teardown and rebuild contest in front of thousands of spectators.

The 10 teams earned their way to the “Showdown at SEMA” national championship through divisional events held throughout the year.

Six teams were invited to this year’s showdown by winning their division heats straight out.

An additional four teams, which had the next best qualifying times at divisional events across the nation, were invited to compete as wildcards.

The 10 Qualifying Teams:
Team ROYAL PURPLE: Burton Center for Arts & Technology, Salem, VA – Division 1 Winner
Team ARP: East Ridge High School from Chattanooga, TN  (#2) – Division 2 Winner
Team FEL-PRO: Joliet Central High School, Joliet, IL – Division 3 Winner
Team PAINLESS PERFORMANCE: Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center, Choctaw, OK – Division 4 Winner
Team MOROSO: Loara High School from Anaheim, CA – Division 7 Winner
Team MOTIVE GEAR: Belvidere North High School, Belvidere, IL – Division 8 Winner
Team COMP CAMS: East Ridge High School from Chattanooga, TN (#1) -  Division 2 Wildcard
Team K&N FILTERS: North Orange County ROP, Anaheim, CA – Division 7 Wildcard
Team HAWK PERFORMANCE: Elkhart Area Career Center (#1) – Division 8 Wildcard (#1)
Team AUTO METER: Elkhart Area Career Center (#2) – Division 8 Wildcard (#2)

Time Averaged Playoff Format
During the divisional playoffs, all teams compete once. The best time wins the division and the team has the opportunity to compete at SEMA.

However, during the “Showdown at SEMA,” all the teams compete once each day, Tuesday through Thursday, for a total of three times.

At the end of the third day, the times are averaged. The National Champion for 2011 – Team MOROSO (Loara High School from Anaheim, CA) had the best average time of 21:08.  They were recognized Nov. 3 during the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet.

Trophies and scholarships were presented the following day at the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow award presentation.