Without an empty seat in the house, the 2011 Las Vegas Hop set the stage for the Super Show’s outdoor activities. Anticipation for this event is always at a fever pitch and with four different classes and five grand up for the taking; the stakes were high for all competitors involved.
In the Street Singles class, three Regals and a Monte Carlo were the first to throw the dice. Rather than lady luck deciding the winner, it would be the roar of the crowd acting as judge and jury, and they were more than happy to hold court. Kool Aid, Frank Castillo, and Armando Vargas were betting on the Buicks with Black Magic Hydraulics going for the long shot in its Monte. As the cars bounced up and down, the foursome looked like a classroom full of toddlers all waving their hands with the correct answer. Like the roar of a scolding teacher, the crowd ultimately chose Frank Castillo’s Regal as the Street Single winner.
The Truck Hop winner however would not be left to chance. Despite Shorty’s Hydraulics and Cool Cars’ best attempts; it was Ariel Avila who had the highest mark at 112, winning by only one inch!
The Car Dance portion of this year’s event finally turned out to be a competition instead of a solo act. Alegandro Fregoso’s Cutlass, “El Macizo,” squared up against Shorty Hydraulics’ Blazer, “El Mero Mero,” to see who had the moves and who had to move out of the way. El Macizo jumped and danced and shook everything it had before giving El Mero Mero the floor. During the Blazer’s routine, some mechanical problems forced a shutdown and also forced the crowd to give the crown to Alegandro Fregoso and his Cutlass.
As the undercards came to a close, it was finally time for the title match. Ten prizefighters stepped into the ring for the Radical Hop, with only one being allowed to leave. As each car set the mark, another would either raise the bar or leave the ring. It wasn’t until Michael Moreno’s 1960 Impala Cop Car hit an astonishing 120 inches that a lone victor was crowned.
This year’s hop set the tone for the show and another astonishing Super Show was well underway. As the fans made their way back inside, not a face in the crowd had a look of disappointment; and the day had only begun! n