It was my first time at a HIN, and it was a last minute decision. I guess I should've asked what to expect. First of all I expected a much bigger turnout in terms of cars, and I thought at least part of the show was gonna be inside. You couldn't complain about the weather but it was too hot to be outside all day on the pavement. The event was too long with lousy foutrageously priced food (no surprise). But all of that is ok with me.

What I detested was the unescapable, obnoxious, vulgar, hip-hop-rap, crap, or whatever it's called these days. I wish I had brought my Ipod. I won't even repeat their names but, the "entertainment?" was nothing short of disgusting in my opinion. If that's the mindset behind these shows, and by default what the attendees are associated with, I won't go back to HIN or anything that is similar.

I came to show my car because it's unique and to get some ideas from what others had done, especially in the paint department. Unforntunately, there was no escaping the "entertainment?" since you couldn't move your car until the end. Surely I wasn't the only one offended. I've been to big shows before, so I'm not naive. I'm too old to be naive. I was at SEMA in Vegas last year and yes there was lots of eye candy there; however, it was a respectable professionally run event and you weren't subjected to anything that you couldn't walk away from voluntarily. I can't believe St Pete actually allowed families to bring in their kids to an event that should have been at least "R" rated if for nothing else the language from and spectable on the stage. If you went out on the street in Clearwater Beach and screamed the lryics to "dammit man" you'd be arrested. I'd better hush before I really say what I think....I did send a letter to Mazda Execs to have them check out the lyrics of the "entertainment?" that graced the HIN stage with Mazda's name plastered all over it, just in case they didn't know what they're sponsoring. That won't make a difference but it made me feel better.

So much for the "entertainment?"....Now for the cars....There were some interesting rides built by some very talented people. I'd be interested in knowing how many of cars there were daily drivers that were actually built by their owners.

I didn't pay much attention at the end because I didn't expect to win anything (my exterior paint is 30 years old and tired - one of these days I'll decide what the repaint will be). So...were any of the winners locals? If so, my hat's off to you. Congrats.

I think I'll stick to the local daily-driver meets, and decent no-rap-hip-hop stripper-less events.

Ed aka W9R1