Prelude

Growing up, every young boy has that poster of their dream car pinned to the wall - for me it was an Acura NSX. Unfortunately, when my first tooth fell out and the tooth fairy didn't leave $90,000 under my pillow, I knew I had to make a slight adjustment when shooting for my first new car. That's when I started researching the little brother Acura, the RSX. I was fortunate enough to get hired at a local nickel arcade and work my way up through the ranks to become a store manager. You know the old addage, "a penny saved is a penny earned?" After trudging through the vomit, clogged toilets, and crying children, I certainly do. I continued to spend the next two years as miserly as possible, hoarding every nickel I could peel off of the soda stained carpets of that hell hole so that I could put it towards my runner-up dream car. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and before I knew it, 2005 had come to pass. The RSX was officially marked for execution, and the new incarnation of the K20Z heritage had taken the spotlight. If I couldn't have the NSX's little brother, I suppose his nephew, the Civic Si, would have to do.

Spring 2006

I cruise into my nearest dealership after visiting several others disappointed and ask if they have any Rallye Red Civic Si's with navigation in stock. The sales associate frowns, shakes her head and states that the only navi Civic in stock is a Habanero Red Civic. It has no options and the only thing tacked onto the pricetag is a 5000 "fair market price" mark up. I tell her I hate the color and am only interested in Rallye Red. I hand her my number and instruct her to call me once one comes in.

Every day following that day they call asking me if I've reconsidered their offer for the HRP Civic sitting in their show room. I finally buckle under the pressure, mostly because I still couldn't find any Rallye Reds in all of Southern California. I arrive and they agree to let my dad test drive it. They set off down the road and vanish over a hill - a few seconds later I hear an audible scream as my dad hit 6500 rpms. Upon returning with the vehicle my father is ecstatic, expressing his complete satisfation. After the test drive, it has seven miles on it. I tell her I'll take it if they take off the mark up, and the stand off between Hardin Honda and the Yonehara's begins.

After two hours of vicious haggling back and fourth they take 3k off the mark-up and have succesfully worn down my patience. Beaten and battered, I stand up, and begin to turn tail with my dad. A last ditch effort is thrown onto the table as the guy asks me if I'd be willing to buy it for 26k OTD. By today's standards anything above MSRP is a rip-off, but back then when demand was high and Civics with navi and no add-ons were hard to come by, I was sold. After wading through miles of paperwork and signatures, I was handed the keys and took her home.

My new baby was in desparate need of new shoes. I purchased my Volk GT-7's wrapped in Toyo Proxes as well as had them installed and aligned by Wheel Warehouse. Thanks to MJH Sound, I managed to get my car featured in a tech article for Super Street Magazine involving the install and dynograph of the Magnaflow Exhaust System for new Civics. Back then, my Volks were gorgeous and few Civic owners had rims, as well as exhausts. I still love the low roar the Magnaflow exerts as I press into the pedal. The deep tone and low pitched growl is the perfect blend between aggressive and conservative. The appearance is similar to a stock exhaust so it doesn't attract too much attention, but anyone who knows Civics will know that it's a far cry from stock. My car was on it's way.

Summer 2006

Summer was filled with various meets and barbecues. My baby had a chance to take in the local sights and sounds of Southern California, as well as get a feel for her sporty suspension and rugged handling. Summers warmth was slowly fading away into the sunset as took my car to the beach for one last photoshoot before Fall. Luckily, before Falls cold zephyrs could grab hold of my baby, I was able to make my final payment to the credit union that financed my car. She was finally mine.. time to mark my territory. I added my custom license plate and my father wittled a custom frame from billet aluminum and had it powdercoated gunmetal to match my wheels. Pink slip in hand, I was one happy camper.

Fall 2006

I took my Civic to even more meets around So Cal. Fonds were formed and friendships were forged with all of the Southern California members of 8thcivic.com. Now I'm not usually the type to just go out and meet new people, but Shglbmx a.k.a. Dan was more than friendly enough for the both of us. He helped me overcome my social anxiety and after a few meets, I knew most of the regular members and had no problem meeting new faces. My baby was shy at first too, but after a while she fit right in! She made new friends as well as lost a dear Habanero brother this season.

R.I.P. Slicks

Winter 2006

I'm normally a very restrained person, but after owning the Si for the better half of a year I had to take her to the desert to test out the Megan Coilovers that Shglbmx so graciously provided me. She was finally able to stretch her legs out for the first time and show me what she was made of. Her and I spent the day with Shglbmx and his Si.

It was a blast, and I don't regret getting Megans at all. The coilovers are 32-way adjustable, so I had no problem tearing up the gravel as well as the salt lake beds rock hard surfaces. Letting her fly through the desert at blinding triple digit speeds was fun too. I really got to see how well our cars can perform, and I wasn't disappointed one bit. After devoting an entire week to cleaning the silt deposites which had made their way into every crevice and body panel, I vowed to NEVER do that again.

I spent the new years with her and a bottle of fine wine at the MGM Grand Signature Suites. Don't tell her, but after she fell asleep I snuck over to the Ferrari museum for a tryst I'll never forget. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

Spring 2007

I was starting to get a little mod happy and decided to enter my car in a show along with Albert(Ayenoc), Dan(Shglbmx) and his team. A Seibon carbon fiber hood, Seibon carbon fiber trunk, and a ViS concept wing later, my car looked pretty riced out. I somehow managed to convince AFE Performance Filters and Anzo USA to sponsor my car. AFE Performance designed a short ram intake system that drew air in from a pressure pocket just underneath the front cowl. Anzo USA donated a set of their yet to be released projector headlights which give off a cool ambient glow from their BMW style angel eye halos.

The big day arrived and like a scene straight out of the Fast and the Furious, half a dozen cars including an S2000, Subaru WRX, Nissan 350Z and a genuine Toyota Tureno Sprinter rolled up to my house as I finished applying my last coat of wax to my car. Stepping out of the vehicles were crew members from Team Innovate, ready to transform their up-and-coming status to a fully fledged show team.

The event was a huge success. Over thirty thousand people attended and hundreds of people came to visit our team. Having so many people come by and take photos with my car filled me with a sense of joy and pride that I had yet to experience until then. The support from all of the 8thcivic.com members as well as the friends I'd made along the way gave me the confidence I needed to continue with my show career. I didn't win any awards, but I wasn't expecting to beat out the other heavily modified Hondas there as it was. The pro drift and stunt drivers put on an amazing show and the talent on the boost mobile stage put on a performance that we won't soon forget.

Summer 2007

One more Hot Import Night show later along with some more gadgets added to my car, and I was beginning to feel pretty burnt out. Unfortunately Team Innovate wasn't able to register in time for the Chula Vista Nightshift event, so I had to make the trek to San Mateo alone. A three hour drive through heavy I-5 traffic with Dan proved to be a lesson in patience. Creating new bonds of friendship here allowed me to work through the various difficulties of attending an event so far away from my home with little to no support. We recruited an unwieldy older gentlemen who owned a twin-turbo widebody IS300, as well as a younger entrepreneur who designes his own carbon fiber and carbon kevlar street bikes. The event came to a close as the spectators began to dwindle to a trickle and the lights began to fade in my rearview mirrow as I made my way home.

I gained two more sponsors just before the event; Grafixpressions and Optima Batteries. Optima was kind enough to ship out a pair of their Yellow Top deep cycle batteries which allow for long periods of drain time without having to worry about the battery dying out on you. Graphixpressions provided the various vinyls that were used on my car for the San Mateo show. My original intent for this car was for it to be a tasteful car with light mods because it was my daily driver. Well, that certainly didn't happen.

I still loved the way it stood out above the crowd and got all the attention, but I needed something a bit more showy, and I couldn't obtain that with this car - or so I thought at the time. I went in search of a new car that I could appreciate and enjoy as much as my civic. After many weeks of sifting through forums and classifieds, I came across a listing in the NSX prime forums...

Armed with HRE 17/18" wheels, a complete audio system, Tein RA coilovers, an 02 conversion, Gruppe-M sideskirts, a new paint job, and new leather interior, it was flawless in every way and performed like no other car I've ever driven. The mid-engine beast pulled me back into the bucket seat, blew my eardrums out, and caught the eye of every passer by on the road. What more could a guy ask for? I traveled up Californias lifeline, the I-5 to San Fransisco to check it out on Saturday, got my car sold on Sunday, and on Monday, I was approved for my loan and my insurance company gave me a fair quote. I was 100% ready to go through with this car... or so I thought.

10:30 a.m. - Tuesday, July 10th 2007

I walk in to work and start my opening proceedures and the owner is there waiting for me. Last Friday my cashier made the mistake of being $150 under during his shift, I couldn't find the problem and left it for him to inspect. He couldn't find anything wrong. This was the fourth time in the past two months that my register was off by more than $100, and I'm pretty sure most of you can figure out what happens next. I was terminated.

Now i have no job, I have to refund the guys who bought my car their deposit, and I have to tell the owner of the NSX, that I won't be buying it after all. Today is Wednesday, and I'm starting my job hunt. My friend owns an Electircal Contracting company. He said he'd let me apply through his apprenticeship program, but it was nothing short of hard labor working from 6 in the morning to 6 at night. The pay is decent, but I've got no experience and he said that I probably won't enjoy the job at all if I do meet all the requirements. The other stipulation is that recently I've met a girl that I'm very interested in. I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm madly in love with her, but she's definitely a girl worth making sacrifices for. She likes my Civic and thinks that purchasing an NSX is a horrible investment whose only purpose for being on this Earth is to let people know that I've got a bigger car penis than them. She's pretty spot on about the NSX. I don't want it for it's GREAT mileage or the tons of cargo space. I want it because it's a bad-ass toy that gets attention and stares everywhere it goes.

Well, now I'm back in business but instead of having a secure and EASY job where I'd make a comfortable living and be able to go to school, I'm stuck with the possibility of having a VERY difficult and strenuous job where I'll still be able to afford the NSX, but I won't be able to go to college, and I definitely won't make the girl very happy.

too long didn't read: Almost bought an NSX, but lost my job, and future-girlfriend didn't want me to buy it. I ended up keeping the Civic Si.

(yay?)

Fall 2007

My window of opportunity has passed, and I won't own an NSX for a long time. On the bright side, I'm back in school, I've got a wonderful girlfriend, and thanks to her I work at Source Interlink Media as the Assistant Web Producer for Super Street Magazine. Hot Import Nights rolls into down again and Team Innovate gathers at the registration gates once again, making this it's third and final show for 2007. The show was a blast. The future members of Team Genex showed up and "REPPED HARD" as well as "ROLLED DEEP", and my baby had plenty of friends show up to keep her company, which was good because I was pre-occupied with my gorgeous new girlfriend. As the last of the red and orange leaves fell to the ground and the sky's ominous clouds began to loom overhead, I was able to mount new Skunk2 camber arms onto my baby and remedy her poor alignment.

After Hot Import Nights of course was the "big" NorCal/SoCal meet where I hold the record of not only most tickets, but ALL tickets for the meet. One for no front license plate, and front tint, and another for speeding. The food was mediocre, I dropped my cookies on the floor, and I spent almost $100 in gas as well as earned my car a few new rock chips. The end of the year didn't hold any promise of happy endings for me.

Winter 2007

Christmas arrives. Despite the limited of funds, Santa manages to scrounge up a fair of black foglights for my baby.

Next up was the New Years Meet. What a blast! Ayenoc never ceases to amaze me with his astounding locations as well as choice delectables. It began with everyone congregating around a Shakeys and eventually overwhelming the staff with our sheer numbers. Next up was a trip to Cal State LA for a photoshoot only to be thwarted by the campus Police, then a quick trip to one of the best boba shops in L.A. where we watched an M3 and several others get pulled over by the LAPD. After words had been shared and boba had been consumed, we all parted ways.

Next up on the show roster was NWP New Years Bash at Eibach Springs facility. "Startin' off the near year with a bang" is an understatement if you went to this car fest. The best part of this event couldn't be captured in any photos - the energy and devotion towards the car scene. S2000s, NSXs, as well as some of Nissans and Toyotas best showed up to strut their rare and exotic JDM bling. This didn't stop any of the Euro tuners from bringing their A game to the scene. Two of the sickest Audis, one owned by one of the leaders of Hot Import Nights, decided to crash the Import fest. It was aparent after checking out some of the newer faces in this scene that my baby was starting to fall behind the pack. I needed to put more spice into my Habi.

Enter the Greddy Performance Festival. Greddy's best and most powerful vehicles were lined up like an unruly gang of machine gun-toting mafioso. Dressed up in their sunday best; 6-pot brakes, Volks, carbon fiber - you didn't even need to ask what awaited undeneath each and every one of their hoods. That's when it hit me. I needed power. I have the show, where's my go? I spent the rest of the day admiring the other show queens as well as enjoying my fill of free NOS energy drink, but in the back of my head an idea was hatching.

Fast foward to the end of February. A listing pops up on dc5nation.com as well as rsxclub and 8thcivic. At first sight I didn't believe it. My archrival, a black Civic Si with the Tourenn body kit, Lamborghini doors, Bride interior, and the crowning achievement, a Greddy Turbocharger, is listed up for sale. Immediately I run down to my credit union, get pre-approved for a loan, and scoop up this gem.

Time for a little swap.

I call up my mechanic, Ken, and let him know that we've got quite the project ahead of us. Okay, I lied. I told him that HE had quite a project ahead of HIM. The next weekend I bring both cars to him and let him work his magic.

Saturday - He starts tearing through the Black Si like a tazmanian devil on steroids and somehow manages to remove the entire turbo setup, as well every single interior piece and the speakers. We spend the rest of the day relaxing infront of my entertainment system watching Speed channel and betting on Pinks.

Sunday - I'll be honest. I cried a little when I handed him the keys. I knew what was about to become of my car and it hurt inside. Alot. Halfway into the day my car's intestines lay sprawled out before me on Ken's lawn. It was an experience to behold. As the sun fell behind the horizon my car slowly pieced itself back together and by sunset it was a reasonable facsimilie of what it looked like earlier that morning sans the front bumper and a few plastic clips. I take his "rental car" home and get little sleep knowing my baby isn't tucked safely away inside my garage.

Monday - I head over to Ken's house and judging by the look on Ken's face when I meet him, I won't be driving it home any time soon. He lets me know that the car isn't starting. The immobilizer key icon won't light up for some reason. I call everyone I know for advice. My buddy Dan exhausts all of his resources, my buddy Chris, who is a previous owner of a 2006 Turbo Si comes to inspect the connections and comes up empty handed. As a last ditch effort to revive the Habanero God, Ken calls two friends who work at a local Honda dealer. After lugging the beast onto a flatbed, we head down to the Honda dealer and they inspect it to no avail. What could be holding me back? We leave my baby over night so the head technician can take a look at it in the morning.

Tuesday - Ken calls me. He tells me that the car's starting. Not only is it starting, but it's running strong and is ready for pick-up immediately. I'm stuck at work, but he offers to pick it up and store it at his house until I get off. 6:00p.m. rolls around and I head over to his house. The first thing I ask, "What was wrong with it?" Ken replies ashamed, "Loose ground." Wow. We forgot to tighten the ground wire to the fuel rail. Well, at least my baby is up and running. Good thing too. Spring's going to be a busy month.

Spring 2008

Less than a week goes by since the turbo install and I recieve a call from Mikell. I'll need to back-track for this story. You see, Mikell is the appointed staff coordinator for Honda's "Civic Nation" ad campaign. A few weeks before I met up with her, thanks to my friend Luis, at Autobacs. My car was chosen along with about two-dozen other Civics to appear in a Honda commercial. We were told that we'd most liekly be extras who are parked at a scene.

Whoopie, my car would get to be an object in the background of a commercial!

I show up in a delapidated, run down area of LA at 8:00 am in the morning. I'm cruising down the street and as I turn the corner I see several cops and in the midst of them is a single Si. I think to myself, "thank god it's him and not me that got pulled over." I drive by and notice that it's one of my buddies, so I turn back and see Mikell standing around with the five-oh. I pull up and she directs me around the corner, where I find a myriad of tuned Civics and a full movie staff setup for what seems like the next Fast and the Furious scene. I get out and do the typical meet and greet with all the regulars that showed up. Next comes the twist to my little run-in with Honda.

We're told to line up in accordance with whichever sticker we're given. I go back to my car to find a "NuBreed" sticker on my windshield. "Cool", I think to myself. I line up with the rest of my newly formed NuBreed bretheren and we prepare for whatever it is we're about to do. As I sit in my car wondering where we're about to go park our cars for whatever scene they're be extras in, they have my team move foward onto the main street. Cops have both ends blocked off. Out of the corner of my eye I see a rather large black man with what appears to be two important white guys trailing behind him. He whispers something in one of the white guys ears and the subordinate walks over to my car. I lower my window and he tells me to pull to the lead of the pack. From this point on, I was designated Mosaic - leader of team NuBreed.

The rest of the day involved me performing and following basic queues from the directors and their staff. I'd lead the pack around corners and past police blockades, enjoying my newly founded boost flutter. As the day came to a rest, my team and the opposing team Street Stunnaz met for a "Sound Bomb" at a Bridge underpass. Enter the actors. All of the car owners/make-shift stunt drivers were told to stand by the sidelines as the actors took the spotlight. After a slight drizzle, we all headed home for a well deserved nights rest.

A week goes by and Mikell calls me back for a private photoshoot. I spend the day in a gigantic white room with some photographers, Mikell, her sister and a catering team. Five hours later, I'm released with my car and sent on my merry way. My role in the Honda Commercial was finally complete.

A few days go by and I receive a call from a friend, Justin of Team RL2. "Hey David, want a free body kit?" - do you even have to ask? Of course I do! John of AIT Racing calls me up a few days later and instructs me to drop my car off at their headquarters in City of Industry, and I comply. My supportive girlfriend follows me enthusiastically in hopes of getting a glimpse at the new kit and escorts me home while my car spends a few nights in their R&D department. Unfortunately for me, the annual Eibach Springs Honda show passes by and I'm unable to show off my newly found glory. I managed to hitch a ride to the gathering with a few photographer friends of mine and we soaked in the fun-in-the-sun filled atmosphere and free pizza. After the show I get a call to pick up my car the following Monday. It would be raining heavily but that wouldn't stop me from seeing my baby - nothing would. Monday rolls around and I hop into my dad's Ridgeline with my pops and my girl to see the result of what AIT had accomplished over the week. I wasn't disappointed.

AIT's B-Magic series was their high end line of body kits and it showed. Everything from the large opening that fed my intercooler to the brake and side air ducts looked like they had been crafted with the utmost precision. The rear diffuser was agressive and mean, the sideskirts gave the car a lower stance and the car looked like it ate nails and puppy dogs for breakfast. The Habanero God had developed into quite the build. I was once again struck with a feeling of overwhelming pride and enthusiasm as I drove her home for a thorough detailing. 2008 was definitely going to be my year.

Summer 2008

The cloudy weather had all retired to other regions and California was left with the arid heat that taken its place. I didn't let that discourage me though. I was determined to make the best of this Summer and aparently so was AIT. John of AIT rang me up with another generous gift - a vented carbon fiber hood! And just in time as Justin from RL2 requested my car's presence at Extreme Autofest in San Diego for the Spyder Auto vendors booth. I picked up my now ex-coworker from Automotive Inc., my ever vigilant girlfriend and a cooler full of soda (and maybe a Corona or two), and headed for the streets of Chula Vista.

Inevitably we were all overcome with heat stroke, but not before we met up with the rest of Justin's crew - RL2. This is were my car show career would truely begin. Each and every member had a car that glistened in the sun like a jewel. First in the line up was Jerry and Ivette. Their love for eachother is the only thing that out shines the Veilside Nissan 350Z they built together. Next up was Joser who was obviously the strong, silent type. He didn't need to say much - his agressively immaculate Audi A3 spoke for him. Danny, who was obviously the mischevious deviant who would ensure that the days were never boring or without drama owned not one, but two Nissan 350Zs. Next in line was the odd-couple, Mr. Business-Man-Ferdie paired up with with a JDM-to-the-max Mazda Familia. Calm collected, and probably certified to do your taxes, the last thing you'd expect to see this guy rolling in is a Mazda. Drawing in the crowd with its extremely rare blue carbon accents was Marcus' Corolla. Marcus seemed to be the pitbull of the group - intimidating from a distance and definitely someone you don't want to piss off, but as a friend he's more loyal and devout than anyone I know. Last but certainly not least was a Jeep green EM2 Civic. But where was the owner? He was busy handing out posters and promoting the team as well as his sponsors. Victor was the outspoken energetic publicist who couldn't stand still for more than a millisecond. Sitting behind all the cars on his cell-phone, no doubt on a very important conference call with the organizers of Hot Import Nights, was the leader and co-founder of RL2, Edgar. Another strong and silent type, Edgar grew up with high-octane blood in his veins and lived for the tuner scene. I've never met someone so involved and dedicated towards making everything count when it comes to displays, vendors, and the show experience as a whole. After spending the rest of the day enjoying a few cold ones under the palms of San Diego with the guys and girls of RL2, we all packed up and headed back home.

I had become a bastard child since Team Innovate had disbanded, but luckily Justin took me in under his wing yet again for Nisei week. I met up with the usual suspects at a gas station just outside Los Angeles and we waited as all the stragglers exited the freeway onramp. This time there were a few new faces. First off was Kevin. I'm not usually one ot be scared of inanimate objects, but Kevin's Supra scares the hell out of me. It's as powerful as it is beautiful. Eric Moon's EP3 Si on the other hand is on the opposite end of the spectrum. His Si is about as scary as a puppy dog, but don't let the looks fool you - it's got a full roll cage, amazing pearlescent paint, and a naturally aspirated K20 under the hood. The show was incredibly hot but it was hard to focus on the swealtering tempuratures with Justin's constant hyjinx. RL2 Took some a couple well deserved trophies and as the sun set on the LA skylines, we all headed home for some R&R.

As the end of Summer approached I spent more and more time with RL2. We attened the Redline Time Attack Event at the Fontana Raceway, a few more local shows at Autobacs, and I even snuck my car into an all Scion event. Show after show piled up and I found myself spending every weekend detailing my car and preparing for the next judging and awards ceremony. Hot Import Nights in Pomona was probably the most memorable event, as RL2 took home several trophys and my adoring girl fought to get me a good spot at our booth. Heck, she even designed a graffiti style graphic around my car in chalk! If that isn't dedication I don't know what is.

Fall 2008

Once again, the leaves changed shades and the windy zephyrs of Fall approached but I wouldn't be deterred. The show 'season' was almost over and there were a few shows left until Winter break. Extreme Autofest visited the convention center and all the guys met up for another day of show and shine. Another day, another show.

The next show was the most memorable, if not the most regrettable show of my career. It started in Corona, where all of RL2 converged to resupply and refuel. Once everyone was prepared, we started up our engines and set off for Hot Import Nights Arizona. I had been consumed with preparations for the show and was on edge. The long journey to Arizona on the interstate had played a number on my back and my patience and being the short-tempered person I am, I took it out on the only person in the car with me, Yirah. We'd arrived at the hotel and as soon as we finished unpacking Justin was running around the halls, naked as a jay bird. An elderly couple was unlucky enough to have front and center seats to the unwieldy show. Yirah and I escaped the escapades at the hotel to meet up with her brother and his wife. We enjoyed a cold beer and hot wings at a local Wingstop and spent the rest of the night in eachother's company. The show was a success, as we took home several trophies and everyone had a blast in more ways than one - one of the trucks that ran on the dyno had a catastrophic failure and the trans-axle almost collided with Yirah's leg. The morning after the show seemed to drag on forever as well all packed up our cars and prepared for the long drive home. Unfortunately for me, I failed to realize the tension that was mounting over the weekend and it would later come back to bite me in the ass. The ride home wasn't much better than the drive there, and I ended up spending most of the time with the radio turned up in an attempt to drown out the silence that had grown between me and Yirah.

Looking back, I can't help but wonder why we do some of the things we do. The SEMA Show was the last event I'd attend with the woman that had convinced me to keep my baby. I won't go into great detail here as this the purpose of this document is to chronicle the history of the Habanero God, but I will say it was truely sad to see the step-mother, who had helped me build my car go. Regardless, yet another Fall had come to pass, and the Winter festivities were about to begin.

Winter 2008

The shine was off the boot yet again so to speak. I was growing more tired of the show scene by the minute as they piled on as Christmas grew near. Toys for Tots, and dozens of other food and present drives were the perfect reason to get a bunch of cars guys together. Even Norm Reeves Honda held a car show to drum up something to donate to all the needy children. Everyone had lots of good intentions, but not much action to back them up. Stupid economy.

Spring 2009

The NWP's New Years Kickoff, Hot Import Nights at the Angel Stadium, and Extreme Autofest Anaheim all reeked of the typical hum drum car show antics. Buff up the car to a mirror finish, prance around for the judges, and hold a brief question and answer seminar to a few curious minds. But wait! There's more to one of these shows. That's right, the Habanero God was finally recognized by one of the judges as one of the top three Hondas of the show. I pulled into third place at Extreme Autofest thanks to the owner of 5Zigen, who must've fallen in love with the gorgeous OEM paint - that or he felt sorry for me. Either way I had no qualms with his ruling.

More to come...