I go to a lot of shows throughout the course of a competition year. Between IASCA, USAC, Hot Import Nights, and all of my company's functions, it's pretty rare to have a weekend off during the summer months. All of this traveling gives me the opportunity to meet many different people who also show their cars. These people ask me a lot of questions, but one of the most common is this: how do I make my car better? Of course, that's a loaded question. Usually the goal is to make the car fit the rules of the competition's criteria in the best possible way, while at the same time being creative and innovative enough to be different than the car next to you. In the seemingly non-stop quest to make our cars better, sometimes we forget why we got into competition in the first place. No matter what type of car competition you are in, the ultimate goal should be to have fun! While making your car better can be difficult and expensive (not that it's ever stopped most of us), making yourself a better competitor is the easiest way to have more fun at shows. I know what you're thinking: I'm not Stuart Smalley, and I don't need no stinkin'12 step program. Well, doggonit, it's only a four-stepper, and here they go, in no particular order:
Step 1: Know your car. How many times have you asked someone a detail about their car or system only to have them give you a blank stare? This is no fun for spectators or judges at a show. Not everyone has the time or resources necessary to build their own system without some help, and there is definitely nothing wrong with that. If you're having your car done at a shop, it's important to know what they're doing to it. Try to spend some time in the installation facility if possible to watch some of the steps that go into building a car. Don't forget to have your installer take pictures of all of these steps so you can show judges and spectators just what makes your vehicle so special. The next time a judge or spectator asks you just how you got that amp to look like it's floating in your trunk, you will know how to answer them intelligently. You will be having more fun because you'll get more respect (not to mention more points) from everyone who looks at or judges your car.
Step 2: Have your car open. Remember, it's a car show, which means you should be there to put your car on display. It's amazing how many times I see cars at sound-off's or car shows that are closed, with spectators peering through the windows to try to get a glimpse of what's inside. The car that's open at a show will always draw a bigger crowd than the closed one next to it. Remember that shops hold contests to draw spectators (a.k.a. potential customers), so give them a reason to put on another show next year. Moreover, it's even better if the owner of the car is standing next to it, ready and able to answer any questions someone might have about their pride and joy. Put your photo book on display as well. You might be surprised how many people want to see how the system went together (just as much or more than the finished product). Many systems require more labor to construct the things underneath the panels that can't be seen, especially on stealth-type systems. Some competitors seem to worry about "giving up their secrets" when they leave their cars open. This is ridiculous. We're not talking about national security here, people. If someone "steals your ideas" they probably don't have the creativity or motivation to build a winning car anyway, so don't worry about it. The best cars are always unique in their own way, and nobody can copy that.