Author Archives: Steve Stern

One of the best things about our club and contests is that we are involved with our local, regional, and sometimes national charities. MECA was affiliated with 21 events in 2019 that donated money, time, and toys to benefit our communities. Our Event Directors and Judges donate their time, too, which benefits the outcome of the donations.

As we conclude the year, and get ready for the “winter break”, the club is involved with 8 Toy Drives, most associated with the Marines Toys For Tots program. We have 3 this weekend:

Date(s)	Name (click for details)	Location	Mult.
12/13	Santa Slam – Toys For Tots	Byram, MS	1X
12/14	2019 Santa Burnout Car Show-Toys For Tots Benefit	Brooksville, FL	2X
12/14	MECA @ SOC (Save Our Christmas) 2019 Charity Event	North Las Vegas, NV	1X

Then, next weekend, Audio Anarchy in Shreveport, LA will host it’s toy drive.

These events show people who are not familiar with us sound-off types a real positive side of our Members and the car audio community. If our sport is to grow and gain recognition, it is important that we showcase our people, with big hearts, sharing and contributing to the communities we serve.

Thanks to everyone who supports what we do in and out of the lanes.

Have a Happy and Heathy Holiday Season and cya in 2020!

The 2020 SQL Judge Traning session will be held in Nashville the weekend of February 22/23rd.
Space is limited, with registration fee at $100, which includes the Symphony ticket. Judge Trainees will gather on Saturday, 2/22 for “classroom” portion, attend the Symphony at 8 PM Saturday night, and continue training and practice at the Freezefest event on Sunday.
More details to be announced.
Here is info on Symphony program:
https://www.nashvillesymphony.org/…/beethovens-birthday-ba…/

Contact mecacaraudio@comcast.net to make arrangements for the SQL Judge Training.

This week the club begins our holiday benefit events, with Toys For Tots and local initiatives the focus of our donations. Check our Event Schedule for an event near you that will help brighten many lives, young and old.

Our club is already hosting events and posting results and points for 2020.
Our webmaster, Jason Clark in Salt Lake City, put a tremendous amount of work into upgrading the sites and improving accessability and speed, especially for mobile devices. Our event results tracking should be very reliable now. 🙂

We added the Ruckus & Chill Show in Fayetteville, NC for this Saturday, November 2nd. Join Conehead, Eric Halfacre, and Heather Newman for SQL and SPL fun and games.

Please keep your eyes and ears open for potential hosts and sponsors for MECA events in your area. That is how we get most of our shows, with member help and support. We want MECA events in your area just as much as you do, so please let us know if there are people we should reach out to for creating events.

Please make sure you are signed up for MECA club emails on the home page, upper right corner. This is how we get the news out about the club activities and, especially, this is how we set up Finals Invitations and RSVP.s for our members.

We enter the club’s 22nd year with anticipation and invite all to experience our sound-off contests at car/truck/motorcyle shows.

MECAhead of the Year – Conehead (O.S.C.), TN
Competitor of the Year – Tony Rodriquez (Audio X), IL
Mike Bayler SQL Sportsmanship Award – Michael Myers (ST6/AP/Zapco), TN
Retail Member of the Year – SoundCheck, IN
SQL Rookie of the Year – Tony Gutermuth (Audio X), IN
SPL Rookie of the Year – Nicholas Coleman (#TeamSoLow), TN
4 ——Distinguished Service Award – Bud Ballinger (BOAB), KY – Shannon Ballinger (BOAB), KY –
Grace Fitzpatrick, SC – Matt Roberts, SC
2 ——SQL Hatfield & McCoy Award – MODIFIED CLASS: Bruce Miller (Audio X/SSQ/Zapco), WV and
Michael Myers (ST6/AP/Zapco), TN
3 —–MASTER CLASS: Mike Nicholls (US Acoustics), CA/Vin Quach TRU), CA/
Brian Mitchell (Arc Audio), CA
2 —– SPL Hatfield & McCoy Award – Greg Kelley (High Voltage) TN and Dale Efaw (OSC), TN
SQL Dueling Demos Hatfield & McCoy Award – Sodda Pop Kid (Imperial), PA and
Mark Cunningham (Mystery Sound Machine/SSQ), OH
Stinking Loud Award – Shawn Mayo (Sundown), TN
Neighborhood Nuisance Award – Hank Veach (SoundCheck), IN
MECA Kids Neighborhood Nuisance Award – Alek Wiser (Imperial), OH
Motormouth Award – Conehead (O.S.C.), TN
Survivor Award – Ron Baker (Melodic Acoustic), PA
Johnny Appleseed Award – Mike Flanagan, MS
SPL Judge of the Year – Sunil Boodram, FL
SQL Judge of the Year – Vinny Taylor, TN
Event Director of the Year – Richard Papasin, CA
Team of the Year – O.S.C., TN
3 ——SPL Loud Spouses – Jeremy & Dorthy Williams, VA and Solomon & Ieshia Solomon, CA, and
dB Rev MJ & dB Rev RJ, KY
2 —— SQL Spouses – Robert & Shannon Corwin (Audio Specialists), OH and
Rob & Julie Bess (Audio Specialists), TN
Judge Team of the Year – Bangin On A Budget, Indiana & Kentucky
MECA Spirit Award – Mensah Green, MI
SPL Spirit Award – Chris Caudel, KY
Show & Shine Spirit Award – Ken Reed (Audio X), AL
Park & Pound Spirit Award – Joe Melton, IL
Dueling Demos Spirit Award – Randy Smith (Close Enough), IN
SQL Spirit Award – Brian Mitchell (Arc Audio), CA
Manufacturer of the Year – XS Power
Best Press Coverage Award – 12VoltNews.com
Pioneer Award – Victor O’Brien, (New Creation), AL
Venue of the Year – Slamology
TCB (Taking Care of Business Award) – Sidney Wright (Team 614), OH
12 Volt Industry Award – Arc Audio
Alma Gates Lifetime Achievement Award – Steve Cook (Audio X), AL
Best Penmanship – Linda Kobayashi, CA
High School Student of the Year – Emily Myers (Hybrid Audio), IL
Commissioner’s Award – Stuart McNeal, LA

Thanks to these active and engaged Members!

SPL Best of Show – Brad Lee Zink (FlopBox), IN

Sound Pressure
Street 1 – Chris Caudel, KY – 148.29 dB
Street 2 – Quantez Watkins (BOAB/Massive), IN – 149.98 dB
Street 3 – Salena Ballinger (SoundCheck/BOAB), KY – 153.37 dB
Street 4 – Chad Smith (OSC), TN – 154.69 dB
Street 5 – Shawn Mayo (Sundown), TN – 157.85 dB
Trunk 1 – Danny Black (614), OH – 152.67 dB
Trunk 2 – Jeffrey Sanford, IN – 153.60 dB
Modified Street 1 – Jason Conrad, OH – 152.57 dB
Modified Street 2 – Walt Johnson (Suindown), SC – 155.06 dB
Modified Street 3 – dB Rev Chris (dB Revolution/Sundown/XS Power), TN – 158.50 dB
Modified Street 4 – Hank Veach (SoundCheck), IN – 162.65 dB
Modified 1 – Michael Davis (SoundCheck/BOAB), IN – 146.35 dB
Modified 2 – Chris Gregory (WSF/Incriminator/XS Power), TN – 153.26 dB
Modified 3 – Ryan Wheaton (BOAB), KY – 157.27 dB
Modified 4 – dB Rev Patrick (dB Revolution/Sundown/XS Power), TN – 161.82 dB
Modified 5 – dB Rev Jay (dB Revolution/Sundown/XS Power), KY – 169.46 dB
Radical XC – Walt Johnson (Sundown), SC – 159.43 dB
Radical X – RP Patel (SoundCheck), IN – 178.89 dB

Park & Pound
Park & Pound DB1 – Josh Moreash (Imperial), NY – 126.19 dB
Park & Pound DB2 – Derek Wiser (Imperial), OH – 131.07 dB
Park & Pound DB3 – Ryan Wheaton (BOAB), KY – 133.53 dB
Park & Pound DB4 – Don Ward (Imperial), PA – 135.77 dB
Park & Pound DB5 – Greg Kelley (Kelley’s Garage/High Voltage), TN – 138.55 dB

MECA Kids
MECA Kids MK1 – Adysen Kelley (Kelley’s Garage/High Voltage), TN – 155.28 dB
MECA Kids MK2 – Alek Wiser (Imperial), OH – 149.83 dB
MECA Kids Park & Pound – Alek Wiser (Imperial), OH – 127.35 dB

Sound Quality (Judged In Driver’s Seat, 3 Judge Average)
Stock – Todd Woodworth, CA – 75.42
Street – Scott Brazelton (Audio X), AL – 78.92
Modified Street – Kirk Proffitt (Audio Specialists), AL – 84.33
Modified – Robert Corwin (Audio Specialists/OH Generator), OH – 84.58
Modex – Rob Bess (Audio Specialists ), TN – 86.42
Extreme – Tim Smith (Audio X/TRU/XS Power/Zapco), TN – 85.67
Master – Jason Hale (Audio Specialists), TN – 85.08

Install
Stock – Ken Reed (Audio X), AL – 74.5
Street – Tony Horton, PA – 77.50
Modified – Robert Corwin (Audio Specialists/OH Generator), OH – 94
Extreme – Brian Mitchell (Arc Audio), CA – 93.25

RTA Freq Out
Robert Corwin (Audio Specialists/OH Generator), OH – 37

SQ2 – 2 Seat Judging
SQ2 – Tom Meyers (Hybrid Audio), IL – 139.25
SQ2+ – Rob Bess (Audio Specialists), TN – 161.5

Culbertson Cup – Sound Quality Best of Show
Rob Bess (Audio Specialists), TN

Alma Gates Cup – Sound Quality Best of Show (Lower 3 Classes)
Kirk Proffitt (Audio Specialists), AL

The Zenner – SQL Best of Show
Robert Corwin (Audio Specialists/OH Generator), Oh

Install Best of Show
Robert Corwin (Audio Specialists/OH Generator), OH

Best of Best of Show
Ken Reed (Audio X), AL

Scores are based on 100 point score sheet for SQ and Install, 200 points for SQ2, and 40 points for RTA Freq Out

Dueling Demos
Street+ – Jason Hammer (Imperial), PA
Modified – Greg Kelley (Kelley’s Garage/High Voltage), TN
Extreme – Anthony Caldwell (XFL/Mechman/True Bass/XS Power), TN
MECA Kids – Alek Wiser (Imperial), OH

81 Sound Quality League and 86 Sound Pressure League vehicles have pre-registered and are vying for World Championships in each class.  This is the largest turn-out for Finals in MECA history.

Working with the dB Drag Racing and IASCA organizations, MECA is part of the annual Car Audio Championship event.  Featuring the best sounding, best installations, and loudest vehicles in the USA and Mexico, this is the largest gathering of the high-level car audio systems in North America.

TRU Technology is the SQL Title Sponsor and will have a huge Team and booth display.

Ohio Generator, Sundown Audio, and XS Power are the SPL sponsors and have many competitors using their products. Sponsor logos will be featured on all awards.

Official MECA Team names are listed with the competitors results, displaying profiiency and excellence in the lanes.

Judging for Finals come from coast to coast, and Canada.  Our distinquished Judge Team brings together the best ears, minds, experience,and engaged officials.  The members will benefit from this dedicated crew:

SPL

Joe Ault (OH)

Bud Ballinger (KY)

Shannon Ballinger (KY)

Sunil Boodram (FL)

Victor O’Brien (AL)

Malani Puni (TN)

Mike VanMol (AL)

SQL

Cory Bradley (IN)

Grace Fitzpatrick (SC)

Mike Flanagan (MS)

Russell Jones (FL)

Linda Kobayashi (CA)

Richard Papasin (CA)

Julian Ridi (CN)

Matt Roberts (SC)

Vinny Taylor (TN)

Commissioner Stern will be handling registration, memberships, and awards presentations.  “We are excited to bring the car audio community together for this huge event.  Our members have worked hard to earn their place at Finals, and we determine our World Champs, and present our Club Awards, including State Champion certificates in all classes.”

Thanks to our Members:  Competitor, Retail, and Manufacturer for an outstanding season!
Thanks to our Judges for doing the work!

State Finals in CA, FL, GA, IN, PA, and TN this weekend!

3 SQL 4X events are part of these State Finals: CA, FL, TN

Thanks to all our Judges and Staff that make all this possible, and fair and fun!

Date(s)	Name (click for details)	Location	Mult.
9/28	West Coast Regional Finals – SQL	Riverside, CA	4X
9/28	Florida Soundfest – SPL State Finals	Winter Haven, FL	3X
9/28	Florida Soundfest – SQL State Finals	Winter Haven, FL	4X
9/28	Louisiana Soundfest – State Finals	Shreveport, LA	3X
9/28	A #UNTOUCHABLE Car Show/SPL Competition	Hannibal, MO	1X
9/29	West Coast Regional Finals – SPL and Show & Shine	Riverside, CA	3X
9/29	GA Soundfest – State Finals @ East10Drift	Braselton, GA	3X
9/29	Indiana Soundfest – State Finals	Lafayette, IN	3X
9/29	Pennsylvania Soundfest – State Finals	Wattsburg, PA	3X
9/29	TN Soundfest – State Finals	Goodlettsville, TN	3X
9/29	TN Soundfest – SQL and Show & Shine State Finals	Goodlettsville, TN	4X

Kentucky and Mississippi State Finals on Sunday

9/21	Louisiana Points Purchase	Gonzales, LA	3X
9/21	Team O.S.C.’s Thunder On The Hill #4	Sweetwater, TN	2X
9/21	MECA @ Hot Import Nights in San Jose	San Jose, CA	2X
9/22	Kentucky Soundfest – State Finals	Russellville, KY	3X
9/22	Mississippi Soundfest – State Finals	Byram, MS	3X