SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1503989
THE SCORE SHOW The Off-Road Industry’s First Trade Show By Dan Sanchez 1978-1988 As an inventor and innovator, Mickey Thompson had a wide range of ideas when it came to off-road racing. At the start of SCORE in 1974, he was already thinking well beyond Baja and stadium racing. He was also tinkering with ideas from designing off-road racing shocks and tires to business ventures he thought would be lucrative and support his businesses’ efforts. One of these ideas turned out to be a shot in the arm for off-road manufacturers– the SCORE Show. In its first four years of existence, SCORE International successfully put on several races, including the Baja International (Baja 500), the Baja 1000, the Parker 400, the Mexicali 300, and the Riverside Race of Champions. “We were learning as we went along,” said Sal Fish, former President and owner of SCORE International. “We had successfully merged the Baja and Parker races into our control, as well as starting a new race in Mexicali when Mickey approached me with yet another idea.” Mickey Thompson thought the emerging off-road industry could use its own trade show, as those manufacturers making parts for off-road racing and the enthusiast vehicles associated with off-road were somewhat lost within the current automotive aftermarket trade show, the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA). This show was founded in 1963 by prominent Bonneville and Drag Racing competitors, innovators, and speed-parts manufacturers such as Vic Edelbrock Jr., Roy Richter founder of Bell Helmets and Cragar Wheels, Phil Weiand Jr. of Weiand Manifolds, Harry Webber of Weber Speed Equipment, and Ed Iskenderian of Isky Cams, to name a few of the many members. Later in 1970, the acronym for SEMA was changed to Specialty Equipment Market Association to embrace distribution chains, publications, and suppliers of this growing market. While Sal Fish, former SCORE Owner and President, had attended these shows while at Petersen Publishing, as publisher of Hot Rod and Car Craft magazines, Mickey Thompson thought Fish’s influence could help get an off-road industry show started. “In 1977, Mickey approached me about this idea for an off-road industry show and wanted me to work on organizing it and getting manufacturers to exhibit,” said Fish. “At the time, I was already overwhelmed with SCORE races and thought there was no possible way I could handle all of the logistics of the Baja races while organizing a trade show for the off-road industry. It was impossible!” Fortunately, Fish was friends with Alex Xydias, a pioneer in Bonneville speed racing and the hot-rod culture and industry. Xydias was a racer, innovator, filmmaker, and business entrepreneur. He was also the first racer to use an aircraft belly tank (an aerodynamic fuel tank) and turn it into a land-speed race car. He also started the famous SoCal Speed Shop, which still thrives today with several locations nationwide. He also worked at Petersen Publishing as the publisher of Hot Rod Industry News. At the time, Peterson Publishing, which was also a part of SEMA, was tasked with organizing its first industry event in 1967. Familiar with all the performance automotive manufacturers, Xydias became instrumental in organizing the first show in January of 1967, which was held under the grandstands at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Fish suggested Thompson contact Xydias to put on the show. In 1978, the SCORE Off-Road Equipment trade show was held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, on February 1st-5th, 1978. “Mickey and I were Bonneville racer pals for a long time, and I recall getting a call from him about his idea for an off-road trade show,” said Xydias. “He said the off-road racing business is growing, and Sal is doing good with the races, so he thought SCORE was large enough to have its own show like SEMA. While I knew all the drag and Bonneville racing speed and equipment manufacturers, I didn’t know any of them in the off-road industry, so I was excited to be the show’s director and meet new people for the first time in my career. I had my wife Helen help me organize the show as the show manager. We came up with the idea to have a weekend show where industry warehouse distributors and retailers would come on a Friday and Saturday, then open the show to consumers on Sunday.” The idea for the SCORE Show was popular with the off-road industry. As Alex and Helen Xydias contacted manufacturers to exhibit, Helen became the go-to for many of them when it came time to set up their exhibit booths and, according to Xydias, referred to her as the one in charge. Mickey Thompson created yet another business division, partnering with Xydias to make the M/TAX Corporation specifically directed to create and develop the SCORE shows. Manufacturers such as Vic Hickey, famous for building the Baja Boot and other innovations, said in a 1977 letter that the announcement of the SCORE Show came as very good news to his company and that they would commit to three booths at this first show. Other exhibitors who signed up were manufacturers of buggy chassis, wheels, headers, carburetors, cams, and many more who sold out the spaces for the event. “We are naturally delighted with the impressive list of manufacturers who have reserved space in our event,” said Xydias in the 1977 issue of SCORE News. “The SCORE Show offers each exhibitor the chance to expand sales and increase distribution during the two-and-a-half-day trade show, and then participate in a bit consumer ‘Sell-a-thon’ over the weekend,” added Mickey Thompson. “It’s an unbeatable combination.” When the show opened on February 1st, 1978, Xydias said there were lots of people who came, and they realized Mickey’s idea would be a success. “First and foremost, we had so much fun with these shows,” said Xydias. “Helen and I loved doing them, and by the third one, we decided to have a banquet at the end for all the exhibitors. During the banquet, we announced there would be a cowboy contest, and everyone had to dress up in their best cowboy attire. The winner got a large brass spittoon, which was a big laugh for everyone; it was a lot of fun.” However, the shows didn’t go without problems, but Xydias handled any issues that arose. “One of the biggest problems with the show was getting good dates for it,” he said. “The Anaheim Convention Center had contracts for other shows that were much larger than ours, so we got dates that fell around holidays such as Easter and Mother’s Day. We told the exhibitors they could have a great Saturday and then spend Sunday with their families. It was because of the loyal customers and exhibitors, however, that we were able to overcome some of the horrible dates we were given.” With the show opening for consumers on Sunday, Xydias said it was an idea that helped the off-road industry understand what enthusiasts wanted. “They didn’t like the idea at first, they only wanted to talk to warehouse distributors and retailers. But I told them that consumers are the ones who are actually using the product, and the manufacturers would come to learn that by talking to the off-road enthusiasts, it would become an advantage. Companies such as KC HiLites, Smittybuilt, BFGoodrich Tires, and many others became big manufacturers because of this show.” The SCORE Show lasted from 1978 to 1988 when Xydias, who had turned 65 by then, retired. “When I told Mickey about retiring, he felt that without me and Helen, the show would not be the same, so he sold it to a prestigious publishing house who was getting into shows,” said Xydias. “The show did what it was supposed to, and in the end, it really helped take the industry to the next level.”