Miami

The 2003 Legends Tour kickoff show fires up Florida.

The word is out! The first show of the 2003 Lowrider Magazine Legends Tour was a resounding success. Miami is a tough town since the gente are so knowledgeable about the sport of lowriding and quite serious about their vehicles. When the Miami crowd is pleased, you know that you have measured up to a tough standard. Reports after the event show this one to be the biggest in recent memory and full of non-stop action, thanks to Tour sponsors Quaker State, Nitto Tires, Black Magic, Player Wire Wheels, Exide Batteries, CCE Hydraulics, Limited Alloy Wheels and Thump Records.

Prior to the show, the excitement had been high for several weeks. This is the kickoff event of the 2003 automotive season and local body shops and hydro shops were pulling double shifts to keep up with the demand. The Saturday roll-in saw a huge crowd of people along with an especially large number of vehicles, with many in line from the day before. The Youth Expo Center in Miami is the perfect location for the event with its sprawling complex of air-conditioned buildings and carefully manicured outside display spaces. The combination creates an ideal setting for the annual Lowrider extravaganza and it was obvious that everyone was excited to be there.

Many new cars debuted at the event, to the delight of the crowd. And with three spacious buildings full of highly polished, innovatively customized vehicles, the spectators knew they were in for a day-long treat. Radical rides, stereo sounds and a variety of vendors were just the beginning of the day's entertainment. Once the crowd checked out all of the indoor attractions, the outdoor events proved equally exciting.

The Hop is always a hotbed of activity, this year leading off with Brett Kopitz' radical dancer that may set a new standard for the class. The world's largest remotely controlled car looks a lot like a Buick Regal at first glance, except that the wheel base is extended and the rear wheel openings are relocated. Then you noticed that the one-piece body with the lifting arms built in, to right the vehicle when it flips on its side! More changes like no motor under the hood and no driver's seat, along with the rigidly reinforced chassis, convince you that this Regal is in a class by itself. Kopitz' dancer showed some amazing moves on its initial outing and we're sure that it will be astounding crowds for quite some time to come. The field of hoppers and dancers that followed also convinced the Miami crowd that they were watching a group of talented switchmen, capable of some serious entertainment.

But there was more. Name acts like Lisa Lisa and Miami's traditional favorite, DJ Laz, pounded out their own brand of high volume entertainment followed by the sexy Bikini and Hard Body competition. While that marked the end of the show for the spectators, the excitement was just beginning for the competitors, with a truckload of trophies going home with smiling new owners. Dozens of car clubs were on hand with Rollin' C.C. winning Club Participation for the most car club members and Bottom Out C.C. taking the Best Club Display. The fat checks to the Hydro winners and Sweepstakes winners added to the smiles, as the first show of the new lowrider season came to a close. Those Sunshine State drivers who weren't quite ready for the January show still have the Tampa show in March to look forward to. Come on out. We'll have our cameras and we'll be looking for you!