HOT IMPORT NIGHTS -Where Dreams Are Reality Tour
By Aaron Guardado and Mari Umekubo; Photos By Mari Umekubo unless where noted

Hot Import Nights 2009 cruised through comfortably on a clear sunny day at Angel’s Stadium in Anaheim, CA.  Throngs of car enthusiasts and automotive media stood patiently in line to enter into a realm of exotic and audaciously modified cars, sexy car models, cycle, scooter, and race car showcases, scratchy DJ music, and hour long bathroom lines!

The event featured unique trophy winning autos and their owners at the ready to talk to anyone interested in their prized creations.  Some were bold statements of creativity others seemed more typical until closer inspection. Apparently one vehicle had alligator skins sewn into its ceiling!!  Many had DVD screens built into them left and right!  Another vehicle had hydraulics placed in its trunk as its main showpiece.  It looked like a massive intertwining of shiny brass piping.  At any rate, every entry from the curiously daring to the more reserved drew attention and deservedly so.   

Hot Import Nights also featured alluring go-go girls doing their thing to “music” blaring from car-sized speakers, DJ’s workin’ in practically every aisle, crowds standing tall to view the evening’s entertainment – break dancers and rappers performing on a multicolored laser lit stage stage, motorcyclists amazing their audiences by their death defying air tricks off of two storied ramps, as well as race cars that tore through a maze of figure eights. 

The brothers caught each other on the go. Here's Aaron with his BMW M5!	Shaun's in his Audi SR4!

 A couple of our editors Shaun and Aaron Guardado, competed in a grip/drift based competition that was held by the AUTO BARREL RACING Company.  The race was intense for drivers and spectators. Against a backdrop of a night sky the event was underway. The brothers competed against multiple cars from purpose built Honda and Nissan drift cars to the BMW M5 that Aaron drove. His brother Shaun competed in an Audi RS4. The race involved open practice amongst all the drivers and soon after, qualifying would pick the 16 top drivers to compete for the $5000.00 purse.

The objective was to drift around 3 barrels placed 100 feet apart without contacting the barrel or the walls. After completing the revolutions a small sprint to the finish line would complete the run. The driver talent varied greatly amongst the participants. The M5 has a great amount of power and handling on a racetrack but the heavy weight did not help much with the agile handling needed. Audi is well known for their Quattro all wheel drive system, so it’s possible that these competitors figured there could be some sort of an advantage in using the RS4.  The weight of the car combined with the close proximity of the course resulted in the RS4 not being victorious.

Overall those advocates who attended drove into the night and were hoping a better time during each run. The object of the driving was not to have the most power or handling, but in this case, an equal balance of both should have prevailed. Quoc Ly, a Formula Drift driver on the competition in a Mazda Speed Miata gracefully made his revolutions, sped off, and made it through the finish to take the win. His driving skills were 2nd to none.

All in all, Hot Import Nights, was a fun, wild out of this world experience.  See for yourself. Take a look at our picture gallery!