Overall, the size of the show and the exhibitor booths appeared to be just as big as we remembered in the past. But, that’s due in part to the remodeling work being done at the O.C. Fair & Exposition Center. They ended up tearing down Building 17, which relocated those exhibitors into other spaces throughout the fairgrounds. Therefore, even though exhibitor count was down, the show still looked as full as it did the previous year. By the way, the O.C. Fair & Exposition Center is replacing building 17 with a modern 23,500 square-foot exhibit hall, and they are planning to build a new breezeway between buildings 14 and 16. All of this construction work is scheduled to be finished in time for the 11th annual SSSS this September. So, we are excited to see these changes when we return to Costa Mesa later this year.

Compared to some of the shows in previous years, the number of sand car builders was definitely down this year. Unfortunately, some car builders have gone out of business, while others simply may not have been able to attend as a result of the slumping economy (there’s also the issue with new environmental restrictions placed upon sand car manufacturers and engine builders in the state of California, which has taken its toll). However, what the show lacked in fancy off-road cars with long-travel suspension, it definitely made up for with UTVs galore. Everywhere you looked there was a tricked out Yamaha Rhino, Polaris RZR, Kawasaki Teryx, Arctic Cat or similar model. It was also interesting to get a close look at some of the UTVs built for short course competition.