2008 Slamfest - The 17th Annual Slamfest Plays To A Packed House

The More You Do It, The Better You Get At It!

February, 2009

Author: Joe Greeves

Photography: Joe Greeves

0902 8L 01 2008 Slamfest Slamfest Spectators

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More than 4,000 spectators...

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We have all seen some of our favorite events disappear from the show circuit, and the current tight economy aggravates the situation even further. When you have to decide between heading to a show or filling the tank, the answer is obvious. Even in this difficult situation, however, there are a few events that seem to thrive-getting bigger and better each year. Slamfest, now in its 12th year, is still the largest and longest-running club-sponsored show in Florida. Held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, this year's event drew more than 900 vehicles and more than 4,000 spectators.

Balmy 80-degree weather made wandering the rows of multicolored vehicles the favorite Saturday pastime. The Mini Madness club members manned the huge drive-thru judging tent with multiple lanes and practically no waiting. Once the judging was done, you were free to enjoy the rest of the weekend. Park your truck and look at everyone else's or head into the Expo Hall to see another great collection of vehicles along with vendors and food. Slammed dualies have always been a favorite, but now the number of custom lifted trucks seems to be getting larger each year. Slamfest had plenty of both.

If Saturday was devoted to checking out your favorite vehicles, Sunday was set aside for fun and games. The Slamfest Burnout competition had a little bit of everything, from motorcycles and muscle cars to mini-trucks and monsters. There is nothing like the torque of a 6- or 7-liter turbocharged diesel V-8 grinding the tires down to the rim. It was great entertainment for the crowd and sent the winners home with cash. Club games have always been a Slamfest tradition and everyone gets involved. Dizzy Izzy, Ding Dong Truck Push, and Wear A Frozen T-Shirt contests were fun for the participants and spectators alike.

0902 8L 02 2008 Slamfest 1993 Chevrolet Dualie

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The bright Papaya Orange paint...

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With hardly a break in the action, the Mini Madness crew began tossing out freebies to the crowd, with the bootie ranging from T-shirts to iPods. As exciting as it is to have wardrobe items and electronics falling from the sky, the final entertainment of the day was the show's most anticipated spectator sport. The Miss Slamfest competition saw some of Florida's finest, looking to take home a share of the $1,000 cash prize. While the judges were working hard to narrow the field down to just three, most digital-camera memory cards lapsed into overload.

The awards ceremony presented more than 100 trophies to deserving drivers, along with $500 in cash to the Best Truck Fullsize, Best Mini-Truck, Best Domestic Car, and Best Import. The final award came from the Mini Madness club members who always reward the club's favorite vehicle. This year, the Mini Madness pick went to the under-construction '94 Ranger owned by Jonah Martinez. Equipped with innovations like righthand drive and a Plexiglas floor, the radical ride earned Jonah the big $1,000 grand prize.

If you should find yourself in the Southeast during the first week of October, stop by to see what everyone else already knows. Before long, Slamfest will be one of your favorites too. Special thanks to supportive sponsors Diesel Wheels, Scrape-N-Customs, Street Options, AVE Car Stereo Warehouse, Auto Styles, and Red's Miami. For more information on next year's schedule, visit www.minimadness.com.

Show promoter TC Coleman not... read full caption Show promoter TC Coleman not only runs the show, but is active in the sport as well. His '00 Ford F-350 dualie is a former 8-Lug feature vehicle (May '08).	For the driver without the... read full caption For the driver without the time, tools, or tenacity to build his own, there were several well-constructed rigs like this big lifted Ford with "For Sale" signs on them.	The lifted F-350 from Wolf's... read full caption The lifted F-350 from Wolf's Trucking cast a menacing stance and demanded attention.
Willy Martin's airbag-equipped... read full caption Willy Martin's airbag-equipped Ford F-350, with almost 100,000 miles, is no trailer queen but regularly takes home Best of Show trophies. The truck appeared in our sister publication, Diesel Power (Feb. '08).	Rolling on big wheels, sporting... read full caption Rolling on big wheels, sporting an ultra-low profile, and about as long as your average Greyhound bus, it's hard to beat the looks of a modern slammed dualie.	Mild 2 Wild has been creating... read full caption Mild 2 Wild has been creating trophy-winning customs for years. From the looks of its GMC tow vehicle, the shop truck could take home a few trophies as well.
Need to block off the street... read full caption Need to block off the street for a little traffic control? A pair of custom dualies gets the job done in style.	The popularity of big, lifted... read full caption The popularity of big, lifted trucks, like this clean Ford 4x4, has increased dramatically in the past few years.	Cope Customs in Bradenton,... read full caption Cope Customs in Bradenton, Florida, specializes in over-the-top 4x4 custom trucks like this one, called Orange Crush. Twin stacks, fat tires, and bright orange paint ensure this truck will never travel anywhere unnoticed.
Joe Cochran's '02 Chevrolet... read full caption Joe Cochran's '02 Chevrolet with a 6.6L diesel is a strong contender in 4x4 pull offs and is loaded with a world-class stereo besides. The interior is filled with speakers and the bed is filled with amps.	Although we doubt it would... read full caption Although we doubt it would have any trouble, this beautiful black Ford 4x4 might be too pretty to run off-road.	This '04 Dodge Ram 2500, owned... read full caption This '04 Dodge Ram 2500, owned by Mike Freeman, looks good on the outside and has an elaborate stereo inside, complete with custom door panels, console, and stadium loudspeakers (!) mounted underneath.
Joe Speaks' '00 F-350, Airsick,... read full caption Joe Speaks' '00 F-350, Airsick, was originally a work truck in his painting business. Now a show winner, it gets its altitude from adjustable Kelderman bags that provide 12 inches of lift. Here it is, showing off its side-to-side moves.	The indoor display gave spectators... read full caption The indoor display gave spectators a chance to see the custom stereo setup in Mike Ayala's '02 F-250 Super Duty. Four Kicker 12s reside in the new fiberglass center console and component sets were added to all four doors.	The burnout contest showed... read full caption The burnout contest showed the advantage of a high-torque diesel motor.
With $1,000 going to the top... read full caption With $1,000 going to the top three finishers, the Bikini Contest attracted some of the prettiest gals in the Sunshine State.	More than 4,000 spectators... read full caption More than 4,000 spectators attended this year's Slamfest at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Here they are, watching for T-shirts falling from the sky.	T&A Customs displayed its... read full caption T&A Customs displayed its latest lifted '06 Dodge Ram 2500, owned by Forrest Welling.
Club games were fun to watch... read full caption Club games were fun to watch and a challenge for those who had to put on a frozen T-shirt. Quick thawing techniques (that included bashing them on the deck) were the keys to success!	As the event came to a close,... read full caption As the event came to a close, Mini Madness club members began displaying the more than 100 trophies destined for creative customizers.

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