congrats and thank yous

congrats to everyone and thanks to all!

But most importantly,

Thanks to Todd Crowder and TCAudio. With my win and John's win in intro consumer I think that makes 20 World Championships Todd has built. Wow...seriously man...awesome. Thanks so much for being there and building me a great car.

Thanks to mutha freakin Team Hybrids! We're getting this team together in a big way that will just get bigger. Bill Pleasant, David Seal, Steve Anderson, Monty Jones, and of course the good Dr. himself...Scott Buwalda. Our Team support that came were freaking amazing, it was like 7-10 deep at times.

Thanks to John Yi for a great Tru Billet amp.

And Thanks to Eric and the rest of the crew at Kinetik who swept the big SQ classes. Those batteries are for real...so great.

And of course, Todd, Scott, and I would like to thank our collective hair care products for their support. Inside joke.

And a special thank you to all of the judges...both the Finals judges and the BOS judges and Tim Goudy for making it tick and having us done at 4:30pm Sunday.

It's funny.. Everyone has noticed that when I finally have a beer in my hand (that was most likely uncermoniously stolen from a competitor's cooler) that the SQ show is over. I noticed after I popped the first beer, everyone started cleaning up. I guess I AM that predictable...

JOHN , IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE FINALLY MEET YOU IN PERSON , YOUR MORE LIKABLE IN PERSON. LOL.
..............JUST JOKING .
YOUR GREAT AND KNOW YOUR STUFF.IT WAS VERY ENJOYABLE.
OH ! I REALLY , REALLY LOVE YOUR CAR .

I guess this is about the best thread to put this on so here goes….

First and foremost, I’d like to thank all of the SQ competitors. You guys are the ones that make the SQ organization what it is. I think I heard the best compliment I could have heard this weekend from the staff at the registration booth this weekend. We were talking about next year and IF SQ got their own hall and a couple of the girls in the booth were already volunteering to be our personal administrators because “the SQ guys are nice, friendly and don’t get excited by a little problem, they’re really cool and easy to work with”. I take that as a HUGE compliment to our professionalism in our side of the hall. Also, I appreciate everyone being so friendly with each other. Some of the “old guard” and I were talking this weekend and everyone remarked how much friendlier it was in the SQ hall than it used to be. I think that is a GREAT thing.

Chris and Melissa, Larry, Joel and our friends from Mexico, again, GREAT job. Ya’ll were there on time every time and as usual, very professional. You would not believe how much strain that takes off of me when I don’t have to deal with “excited” competitors complaining about how judges are doing things. I really appreciate all of the help, the efficiency and especially the willingness to step out of the box on my crazy idea for BOS that turned out really cool, ya’ll are real pros.

Did I forget someone…….(looks around)… (taps finger on desk)…. No, OH wait, I did!! How could I forget Rick Sellers? Man, you did one helluva job this weekend. I couldn’t have asked for anyone better for their first year judging finals. You were all over parking and greeting people at the door. You did an outstanding job of being approachable by the competitors and the staff. You also did a very professional job of judging every car you were assigned in a very thorough manner. I really appreciate all of the help this weekend and I’d welcome you to judge any event at any time, expecially if I am involved in that event.

I’d also like to really thank Gary Biggs, Mickey Brones, Mark Eldridge, Robert Albels, Chris Pate, Scott Buwalda, Todd Crowder, Nick Wingate and Tyrone Chestnut for helping me bring an idea to fruition that was literally conceived on the fly from a seed planted by Tyrone earlier in the show. I think it was very cool of ya’ll to help me and the organization out like that. I’m not aware of any other organization in the car audio industry that has even attempted something like that, let alone pulled it off to the degree that we did. I REALLY appreciate the help and hope the way we did it this year sets the benchmark for all of the other organizations!!

Thanks everyone and I am looking forward to next year, as long as Jenissa allows us to come to finals and participate next year. Want to know more about this, PM her and ask for the details…

Sketoe!!!! CONGRATS in a big way!!! I have enjoyed our friendly rivalry each year! Man, I was so nervous last year and even more nervous this year. Plus when I pulled in to the arens and they said you are next to Sketoe! I was like "WHAT" hahahahah. Here we go hahaha. I had so much fun it was unreal. You definetly deserved the win buddy. That is what finals is all about. Rivalries are awesome and you guys at hybrid are fantastic. I enjoy competeing with my team from Focal and we have a fantastic, friendly, friendly and professinal rivalry that will last for a few more years I am sure. Anyways I wanted to say GREAT JOB!!! and I will see ya next year.

James

Jan and Monty - You guys are the BEST!!! Congrats on the domination of the pro class and even more on the BOS win!!! You were also the best of hosts and Cesar and myself want to thank you!!!! It was an awesome weekend!! Wrestling around with Cesar to putting my hat on Chris's daugter hahaha, Nicks Gumbo!!!!, UFC, bbq lunch, pushing the GTI to the gas station hehehe, forgetting my wallet on the floor at the show!!! ughhh how embarrassing, being selected for bos, being runner upo in my class and champion in q!!! I cant say thank you enough. Nick, without you our team wouldnt even be possible!! thank you so much!!! You are the best!! Thanx again and I can wait till next year. Talk to ya all soon!!! Thanx for the ideas for the mustang next year Nick!! It will be done.

James

James...I'll always like competing with you. Good times. Honestly it was great being parked by your strongest competition. I liked it...and would do it again. Congrats to you for laying the smack down in Q. Way to go man! I couldn't get MF out of your pimp-chairs...LOL.

I think you guys will have a couple new rivals in a few months.

Well, I'm disappointed I couldn't make it this year. But congratulations to everyone who took it to the top. Hopefully next year I will be able to bring the vette out to the lanes again. It's great to have an awesome install and sounding car, but no good when you can't enjoy it with your friends. Have a great off season and maybe Finals can be in Dallas again???????

George...it's in FtWorth next year.
Chris...sounds great...I talked to Roland he told me about why the truck wasn't there. Roland if you're watching, it was great talking to you at Finals. See you in the lanes next time for sure! New competition and others stepping up is what it's all about. We are already discussing our Team additions and class changes for next year. Chris you should have a couple of cars in your class from our Team next year as well.

John, John, John!!! Wow, big tome congrats homeskippy!!! It was my humble honor to roll in there wearing the same jersey as you and compete along side you as team mates. It was an even BIGGER honor to be selected along with you and Jan (congrats Jan!) as the last three in BOS! Holy CRAP!!!! I thought I would pass out I was so nervous!

Enjoy it mang, you deserve it!

~Bill

I cant even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed being a small part of the Finals this year. My first year and I didn't win anything, but the friends I made, both new and old, and an opportunity to hear cars like I have never heard has furthered my resolve to get my butt in gear and have something worthy for next year.
I have the best Team in the world behind me, and the best wife in the world beside me. She was responsible for the brownies and cookies that many of ya'll got to sample.
For me to even make it to the first round of BOS was a complete surprise and like a dream come true. See you next year.

I want to say Hey to all the people that were at the finals that I actually met.

Sketoe: Hey
James: Hey
Foosman: Hey
Jan and Monte: Hey
Pate and fambly: Hey
Nick Wingate: Hey
Eldridge: Hey
Andy Jones: Hey
Ruperto: Hey
Mickey: Hey
Gary Biggs: Hey
Lou Le: Hey
Adam Pate and fambly: Hey
Brenda Wingate: Hey


seriously though, for someone who didn't have a car there (yet again), I was still met with an awesome feeling of being a competitor, from tuning cars with Nick, to listening to other cars, to the comraderie of between the competition...it is nice to feel like I belong.

Congrats to all who drove home with a trophy! And a special congrats to those who didn't, cause you were there to support the hobby you love, and to show all that you deserved to be there as much as the winners.

Thanks for allowing me to enjoy the show with you.

--Joe

And Joe...it was great meeting you as well!

Joe - you are a class act through and through!! Thanx for a great time this weekend at the show.

In Nick's voice to Joe, "Shutup and get your car done". LOL
Lou to Joe, "SQ in what? Really?"