Rudely awakened by the obnoxious vibration of the Subaru STI's rear wing, I wiped the drool off my cheek and peered out the side window where I noticed the picturesque canyons passing by in a blaze. I managed to sit up straight and I peered over the driver's seat. To my surprise, I noticed we were flying down the highway in excess of 150mph. "Damn Sugano [TEIN USA R&D], you in a rush or something?" I shouted from the rear seat as Sugano quickly looked over his shoulder with an evil grin and responded in his Engrish accent, "I drive quickly to San Mateo because so far... I just want to get there quickly and begin setting up our booth." I sneered and replied back, "Go as fast as you want, just don't kill us in the process!" Eventually I dozed off to sleep again.
On April 24, 2004, the quiet city of San Mateo, Calif., played host to Hot Import Nights at the San Mateo Expo Center. Entertainment consisted of the Hillsdale Shopping Center, San Francisco Airport and the hole-in the-wall sushi bar off El Camino Real. To tell you the truth, there isn't much to be said for activities in this lovely county. That is, until a yearly event turns this bland county into import car central, as vehicles throughout Nor-Cal and neighboring areas congregated into the Expo's main quad, six connecting halls and a grass field, exhibiting an orgy of hot import models and nonstop automotive flossing. As thousands of spectators lined the event, pouring in through the entrance from 5pm to 12am, the halls quickly filled to max capacity. Walking room became an elbow-to-elbow shindig. With 300-plus vehicles on display, ranging from a million-dollar Mercedes to the twin Spoon vehicles, we can argue this show was one of the largest in attendance for HIN in the 2004 season. It just proves even a small county like San Mateo can boom, "If you build it, they will come," to all who will hear.