Hot Import Nights: Del Mar, California

It's Getting Hot HIN Here! Toyo Tires' Hot Import Nights/HIN City, presented by Valvoline

Actually, it was somewhat breezy on the West Coast (Del Mar, home of horses and rich people, to be exact) and the outside temperature was hovering around 50*F, but that didn't keep me from sweating bullets at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, home of this year's inaugural HIN City/Hot Import Nights event. Here's why:

(1) Hot cars: All of the cars that were hiding out in garages and work areas across the greater Southern California area came out in full force to show off their new wares. High-quality multi-coat paint jobs, body conversions like a mo' fo', horsepower mods to put some NASCAR drivers to shame, and more in-car entertainment than most Circuit City stores. The show car crowd has upped the ante--are you ready and willing to compete?

(2) Hot vendors: Big-name sponsors made sure there was plenty to look at, plenty to sample and plenty to do. Pepsi Blue was in the house giving out free samples of a new caffeinated "extreme" beverage. JBL, long known for its standing in the professional music industry, displayed a number of its own project cars, showcasing the company's best ICE forward. Auto manufacturers Mazda and Nissan were in for the ride, displaying tuned versions of their respective platforms and looking good while doing it. Toyo Tires, Valvoline, Ichiban, APC and even Manny, Moe and Jack (Pep Boys) hawked their wares and extolled the virtues of import performance tuning.

(3) Hot attractions: Doing the tour of duty around the several halls and tents at the Fairgrounds proved the lifestyle facet of the industry is coming out stronger than ever. Various locations around the Fairgrounds were host to random acts of three of the four elements of hip-hop (the fourth, graffiti, was seen at the satellite horse-racing betting area next door). Small groups of breakdancers (most of them not old enough to remember when breakdancing first came out) formed little battle circles. DJs around the event pumped up their respective volumes to overcome the madness that is known as "techno music." In one corner, I witnessed an MC battle that made me want to rush home and watch "Beat Street" on DVD; my ears (OK, eyes) were diverted, however, by the pole-riding go-go dancers some 12 feet in the air.

(4) Hot women: Go-go dancers, models and even most female showgoers were obviously immune to the outside temperatures. A mere visual inspection of the grounds might lead one to believe that it was the middle of August and that we were somewhere on the Riviera. Bare skin was everywhere, and rough estimates indicate no more than 2 sq yd of fabric were used to clothe all the female bodies in attendance. And did I mention that there were pole-riding go-go dancers?

(5) Hot dogs: Actually, the only thing hot dogshave to do with HIN City is that I ate several before I left for the show and, covered with chili and followed with beer, the little weiners slowly began to exact a toll on my digestive system. Since there was so much to see, I decided to suck it up and stick it out. Hence, mad bullets dripping from my forehead (coupled with in an inimitable grin and a decidedly awkward gait).