After a year of planning and preparation, the BFGoodrich Sport Compact Nights National Tour opened its doors at Montreal's Jarry Park on Saturday, June 7. With the crowds lining up long before the 3 o'clock opening time, the event looked more like a rock concert or movie opening than a car show. Speaking of movies, the fact that the much-anticipated sequel to "The Fast & The Furious" opened one day prior to the show, combined with a feature on the front page of Montreal's most widely distributed newspaper on the morning of the event, Le Journal De Montreal, Sport Compact Nights: Montreal appeared destined for success. Even Mother Nature decided to lend her endorsement to the show by bringing nothing but good weather despite the long-term forecast calling for rain.
When the gates opened at 3 o'clock sharp, spectators were greeted with Honda's six "Civic Nation" Si-R's, courtesy of Honda Canada. From that point on, Team SCP's signature style of "Sensory Overload" was evident, with sponsor's trailers lining the fences and more than 350 show cars strategically positioned throughout the outdoor portion of the venue. The sheer quantity of rides found in the outdoor section was only a prelude to the quality waiting inside. As one made their way down Vendor's Alley, the music emanating from the indoor section hinted at what awaited inside. Last year's edition of Sport Compact Nights was a cozy little blend of tents and spotlights. For 2003, the sponsors held nothing back, with elaborate trussing systems, custom designed booths, trick lighting and import models as far as the eye could see. Concept car audio crossed the continent all the way from Vancouver, British Columbia with their one-of-a-kind display and Contemporary Motorsports (www.shopcms.com) made their presence known by going with a monstrous booth setup to showcase their own demo car, shipped all the way from Calgary, Alberta. Icing on the cake were their two gorgeous import models on hand to pose for pics and apply CMS tattoos to lucky spectators. Talk about leaving a mark. Literally!