Hotter Summer Nights 2008
WORDS Niky Tamayo  | 3 May 2008

Photos by Niky Tamayo VIsit our forums for more pictures of this event. Unlike most of the other major shows on the yearly car show circuit, Hot Summer Nights is one big free-for-all, where spectators and onlookers can wander into and out of the show to look at the show cars. And this relaxed, easygoing atmosphere is matched by the crowds. Unlike the picture-snapping crowds of car-geeks whom you might find at other shows, HSN reaches an audience consisting not only of the regular car club / enthusiast crowd, but also interested onlookers who are getting their first taste of Car Culture at the show. And it’s a rich amount of culture. HSN 08’ boasted over 100 entries, from your typical economy car with rims and a dash of paint to full-on show-cars with wild graphics, modifications and in-car-entertainment. There were cars ranging from the classic to the ultra-modern. For the car-show regular, many of the entries are quite familiar from other shows, but there were a few cars making their debut here, some with a level of detail and finish that garnered them trophies here and should ensure them many more trophies in the shows to come. Some entries were club-level, not really serious show cars, but daily-driven cars being shown off by their clubs and owners... some with interesting modifications... others needing just a teeny bit more work to be considered show-level quality. In recognition of club participation, aside from the de facto “best in...” trophies given out at the end of the night, there were also club awards given for hot, hotter and hottest car clubs. One big surprise for the night is Team Genix beating out Team Rage for the top honors... but with the quality of their presentation and participation, all of the clubs deserved, and got recognition. And for the typical car enthusiast crowd, (your average 16-25 year old male) who consider these things a staple of any car show and who are expecting more, there was also the opportunity to have photos taken with the FHM Girls and EB Babes. For those of us whose tastes tend more towards burning rubber, though... there was also the drifting exhibition put on by DMF that went on through the night. The show didn’t seem like it was going to push through, though... issues with the construction of the MOA parking lot made preparation difficult. MOA’s outdoor parking lots are covered in pavers which are stamped into the ground rather than fixed to a concrete bed. DMF considered not running the heavier cars, as pavers would fly up on every fifth run, even with the surface wetted down to reduce friction. But by night-time, all the cars were running in show whose last set ended at just half an hour before midnight. DMF’s drifting team included Atoy of A-Toys, who drove a Mercedes Benz 190E equipped with a turbocharged Nissan engine and one of Atoy’s own wild body-kits. He looked like he was having fun... he’d have to to get his money’s worth, he was sponsoring the Avon tires that he and his fellow drifters were doing their best to turn into rubber dust. After the dust had settled, it was on to the awarding. A few of the more spectacular entries rightly got awards, a few others whom we were not expecting also did (well... it may just be me, but I think fake handbag interior leather is just a bit too much...), but almost everyone who deserved an award went home with one... as for the others? Well, e-mail me and I’ll forward your complaints to the judges. All in all, though, it was a great night. And it’s the most bang-for-the-buck on the summer circuit, simply because you’re not paying anything for the show, yet getting a show that’s not too far off the TranSport Show in quality... just lacking some of the major shop exhibits and the more valuable vintage and exotic automobiles you can find at the TranSport Show. Thankfully, despite the show’s name, it wasn’t too hot, and even better, it didn’t rain. Just hope the weather is as friendly next year. The relaxed atmosphere at HSN makes it a great place to hang around and have a beer at Thanks to Jonathan Chio (man, how do you stay awake that long?) and J.B. Gosiaco of UCCP for organizing a good show, and to the major sponsors of HSN, for supporting their work. See you guys next year!

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