Photography by Mark Pereira
All car shows are not created equal, just ask SpoCom USA organizer Mike Morita and Pro-Motion Distributing. Now entering its 3rd straight year, the annual SpoCom event continues to turn up the heat in SoCal and proves the automotive aftermarket is alive and kicking contrary to any industry recession talk.
Judging by the healthy turnout and strong support from the scene’s top brands, the tuner scene was thriving inside the Long Beach Convention Center. Enthusiasts lined up to check out the hottest displays, rides, models, entertainment and products SpoCom could offer.
With top drivers and pro drift cars at every turn, Formula D made their presence known as we drooled over reigning champion Tanner Foust's Papadakis Racing RockStar tC and past champ Rhys Millen's Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe, both found in the AEM display.
The exciting Redline Time Attack series rolled out the red carpet with hot rides in attendance including Billy Johnson's FX Motorsports Development Acura NSX and JC Meynet's Harman Motive STi and Scott Vanderheide's Cosworth/HB Speed/RobiSpec STi.
Car crews and team displays were in full force as Team Hybrid, and TWCompetition, all went head-to-head for the ultimate recognition with many of the sickest cars in all of SoCal.
Of course no show would be complete without the lovely ladies taking to the stage for the lingerie show and bikini contest. The babelicious models brought their A-game, signing autographs, posing for pics and shaking their money-makers for fans all day long.
The atmosphere was fueled by the auto-passion SpoCom brings together and the supportive names and brands in the house deserve recognition for supporting the scene. The roots of aftermarket tuning are clearly Californian and SpoCom USA always leaves crowds wanting, waiting and wishing for more next year (us included).