Get Ready For Spring Break Nationals

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.— The 16th Annual Spring Break Nationals (SBN), to be held March 22-24, is expected to draw double the attendance of last year or a total of 40,000 people, according to Paul Papadeas, president of Soundcrafters and IASCA, as well as founder and president of the SBN.

The event, which now spills out onto the beach, boardwalk, and Ocean Center, will feature a Tantric concert sponsored by JVC, as well as IASCA and USAC contests, the 5th Annual Street Glo neon glo off, a tuner competition sponsored by Toucan Industries and Falken Tire, plus the usual swimsuit competition, and a pizza-eating contest sponsored by Audiobahn. Sirius is the title sponsor of the entire event.

JBL will debut here what it claims is the world's most powerful car audio amplifier. The GTi series unit is the result of a joint venture with sister company Crown International. It delivers 6,000 watts RMS and will be shown in a 2002 black Dodge Ram dually. No shipping or pricing information has been set.

SBN expects more than 120 exhibitors with one of the more unusual displays being the Lightning Audio booth. Two members of the Church of Body Modification, who have a practice of hanging by their skin from shark hooks (as shown in Lightning Audio ads) will sign autographs. Although a spokesman said the company does not necessarily condone this behavior, it fits with the company's "push the envelope," marketing.

JVC will have makeup artists at its booth from Urban Decay cosmetics, offering free makeovers to promote the company's new girl radio line. In addition, JVC is one of the few suppliers showing other consumer electronics products apart from car audio, including video camcorders and home mini systems.

A few blocks away from SBN is another event called the Primedia Spring Break Tuner Bash, which will feature a concert by the Goo Goo Dolls sponsored by Pioneer, as well as other events sponsored by XM Satellite Radio.