• In 2008, Daniel took 4th place at Finals in MX1 with 149.6 dB and was the TN SQL Modex Install Champion.
• In 2009, he earned 3 TN State Championships:  M3 with 152.8 dB, and the SQL Modex SQ and Modex Install Championships. At Finals, he won DB3 for the World Championship with 121.5 dB, and finished 3rd in M3 with 152.0 dB, 2nd in Modex Install with 69.5 points, and 6th in Modex SQ with 67.8 points.  Daniel was also our 2009 High School Student of the Year.
• As the 2010 season begins, it looks like Daniel is going to focus more on Sound Pressure and Drive-by SPL Parade.  He's got a great support team with the WSF crew and family members working together to get outstanding results in the lanes.

Congratulations to John Hrabik from Munhall, PA for his selection as our September 2009 Member of the Month. John is an old school Competitor, and has been a member since 2005, but competed at MECA contests since the beginning of the club. His 1990 Black Suburban has been on the sound-off scene a long time. The original install, with some mighty fine "vintage" equipment, is still performing at a high level in SQL and SPL contests. John is our 2009 National Points Champion in SQL Extreme Install with 86 points, along with the PA State Champ. He also hit 150 dB in X2 for the PA Championship in 2009, and last year did the same number for the state record.

John is one of the most dedicated Competitors in the club. He frequents almost all of the PA and OH events, doing all SPL and SQL contests for BOBOS eligibility. His sportsmanship and longevity are part of our MECA lore. He has been nominated for this honor many times over the past few years.

Congratulations to John Hrabik for being a MECA Member with history, performance, and sportsmanship contributing to his Member of the Month honor.

MECA is the Mobile Electronics Competition Association, a club and contest organization.  We have car shows with music, fair and fun contests for people who love cars and trucks and the mobile electronics, and bling, that are used to customize our rides.  Competive car/truck/motorcycle exhibitions with our Show & Shine score sheet are offered at most events.  Our Sound Quality League and Sound Pressure League contests are designed for all levels of competitors, beginner to advanced professional.  Ride the Light specialty lighting contests are great night-time events.  MECA Kids is our bass music contest using powerwheels toys with our MECA Kids operating the audio systems

Join us for our 15th season of car show and sound-off events.  Our 2013 Event/Show Schedule is building now, and most events aren't listed until April or later.  Some events pop up 3-4 weeks before, but we try to get the dates organized and confirmed as soon as we can.

MECA is part of, and serves, the Mobile Electronics, or 12 Volt, Industry.  MECA is an Allied Association of the Consumer Electronics Association www.ce.org and works to promote our Manufacturer and Retail Members with cost-effective, grassroots, partnership/sponsorship programs.

Winning at MECA contests is based on performance in the lanes, not products, politics, or personalities.  Everyone is invited to participate in our club and contest activities.  MECA State Champion credentials earn bragging rights, and our World Champions are recognized among the most accomplished competitors in organized car audio sports.

Thanks to our Competitors, Judges, Fans, Retail Members, and Manufacturer Members for all the support and participation that brings us together.

Congratulations to D R Kirkland from Taft, TN who is our November 2009 Member of the Month. We only had one event in November, but the MOTM is well qualified to receive this honor. This is D R's 3rd season with MECA. He's been bringing family and friends to our events since he starting making the trip from Taft, right next to the Alabama border. Now a member of Wall Street's Finest, and featuring a pick-up truck full of Memphis, his Avalanche is 150+ dB and his Drive-by SPL Parade scores are 130+ dB MECA certified. D R likes to play his music loud, full range, and his truck is "Ballin" and it says so on both rear side windows. He also competes in SQL Sound Quality and Install contests. He's been SPL Best of Show and Best of Best of Show at over a dozen events.

Here are his up-to-date credentials:

2008

• Street Install - TN Champ
• DB3 - 126.7 dB - 4th Place World Finals
• AS3 - 146.7 dB - World Champ

2009

• Street Install - TN Champ
• DB 5 - 131.7 dB - TN Champ
• S5 - 151.3 dB - TN Champ
• Street Install - 6th Place World Finals
• DB5 - 128.3 dB - 5th Place World Finals
• S5 - 153.9 dB - 2nd Place World Finals
• Ride the Light - Interior - 2nd Place World Finals
• Ride the Light - Exterior - 2nd Place World Finals
• Phat I.C.E. - World Finals
• S5 - National Points Champ

That's a pretty good list! 

D R works with his son Daniel, who was our 2009 High School Student of the Year award winner, to be at as many events as they can in TN and AL. D R's wife, Linda, will be in the lanes in 2010. He's also brought Allen Poole and Matt Richardson to our events and is a MECA Kids grandpa. The Kirkland's were presented with the 2009 award for MECA Royal Family. MECA Royal Families have at least 3 Members who all compete, and the Kirkland's have the most family participation in MECA history.

D R's getting more people involved in MECA in the Fayetteville, TN area, the biggest city in that neck of the woods. D R worked with Wall Street's Finest and Jay at Cartunes Customs to present 3 events at the 1st National Bank in Fayetteville last season. He is working on 5 events now for 2010 and will be adding them to the schedule soon. Kirkland's Pest Control is the main sponsor of the series in Fayetteville, so D R uses MECA to help promote his business, too.

D R is a strong Competitor and likes to share and show his fleet of family sound-off vehicles at MECA events. Team work and sportsmanship are integral parts of who he is, and what he is shares with his family. This is one outstanding MECA Member and we honor him as our November 2009 Member of the Month.

Congratulations to Jeff Kidwell from Wimauma, FL for being the August 2009 Member of the Month. There were about a dozen worthy members considered for this honor. Jeff has been a member since 2004 and has faced challenges every year finding MECA events in his area. He's had to travel, more than most, to earn points in SQL Sound Quality contests. He's always at SBN, and we talk about having more events in FL. I promise him that I'm doing everything I can, and things are looking promising for 2010 , but Jeff's had to rack up the miles to earn points. Jeff was the Florida 2008 SQL Modified Champion and looks to repeat this year.

Jeff was at ESN and the Jacksonville event in August. He needs 1 more point to qualify in Modified SQ for the State Championship and the Invite to Finals. He sounds psyched about competing at Finals with his 2006 Silver Jeep Commander. Jeff uses Xstatic Batcaps for reserve power. He will travel to Atlanta for next week's GA Soundfest and is counting on getting that last point. Go Jeff Go

I've had many members over the last few years comment on Jeff's dedication and the challenge he deals with in Florida to get points. We all can appreciate the investment it takes to make those longer trips to attend the events. So, for all the right reasons: dedication, sportsmanship, great attitude, perseverance, great spirit, and friendship, we recognize Jeff Kidwell as our 2009 August Member of the Month.

Jeff had the following to say about being chosen the August 2009 MECA Member of the Month:

First off, thank you Steve, and MECA in general, for providing a fair, friendly atmosphere for this hobby. The people of MECA; its competitors, staff and judges are some of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and are people I truely call friends. This is a great honor to be chosen from so many deserving people to be the MOTM! I thank those who nominated me and wish everyone best of luck out there.

I would like to thank Fred Lynch, Walt Bollinger, George Delgado and Steve Head for helping keep this truck going from year to year. There are so many people that have given me good information and shared what they have learned that I can't thank them all one by one here, but thank you! I can't wait to see everyone at finals to wrap up another great season in MECA.

July's Member of the Month is one of our old-school members, the Sodda Pop Kid from New Kensington, PA. He has his own barber shop, so that's his day job. And, he's developed his own "gospel rap" genre, and is releasing his 2nd CD "Street Minister". Some of you may have already heard his 1st CD "God's Hit Man" which I've been playing at events this summer. It's really good.

Sodda Pop is on Team Livewire and Team Lanzar and attended 4 MECA events in July. He's been competing for years with his yellow 1984 Olds Delta 88. He was the 2006 Radical X2 World Champion in 2006 with 146.3 dB, and the 2007 X2 Champ with 149.3 dB and has the 6' trophies to prove it. At last year's Finals, he took 2nd Place in X2 with 149.5 dB, and 3rd Place in DB5 with 126.8 dB.

When I called him, he asked what kind of trouble he was in. He was surprised and genuinely joyous when I told him about this honor. We appreciate the dedication that he's displayed over the years, and the fact that he livens up the party, wherever we go. When you see him, ask him about his CD's and songs. Congrats to the Sodda Pop Kid for being chosen as our 2009 July Member of the Month.

Sodda Pop Kid had the following to say upon being chosen MECA MOTM:

WHAT UP Y'ALL, IT'S THE SODDA POP KID. FOR STARTERS, I GIVE ALL HONOR AND PRAISE TO MY LORD JESUS CHRIST. I'M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS UNIQUE CAR STEREO COMPETITION MECA CAR AUDIO. I LIKE TO THANK STEVE STERN FOR STARTING THIS COMPETITION WHICH IS NOT ONLY FUN, BUT FAIR. NOT TO MENTION MECA CAR AUDIO IS THE ONLY ORGANIZATION TO GIVE OUT MORE AWARDS THAN ANY OTHER CAR STEREO COMPETITION OUT THERE. THANKS TO TEAM LIVEWIRE FOR MAKING ME APART OF THEIR TEAM. THANKS TO ALL THE JUDGES, THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP, AND ADVICE GIVEN TO ME TO BETTER MY SCORE. I SEE ALL THE HARD WORK AND EFFORD PUT INTO THIS HOBBY. I PRAY THIS DIVISON GROWS MORE AND MORE WORLDWIDE. MECA CAR AUDIO IS DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE CAR STEREO COMPETITION.

Congratulations to Joe Zelano from Spartanburg, SC for his October 2009 Member of the Month honor. Joe is the owner of Elite Audio and has been a Retail Member since 2005. His Elite Summer Nationals, held in August each year, is one of the premier 3X events of our season. Team Elite is a formidable SQL focused team, with 2 2009 SQ World Championships and 2 Install World Championships, including Joe in Extreme Install with 95 points, the Install Best of Show at Finals. Joe also won the 2009 SQ2 title with 172.0 points. The Elite/Memphis van, operated by World Champion Jason Cantrell won the 2009 SPL M5 Championship with 158.3 dB, so Joe knows about high SPL, too.

Joe describes himself as an old-school Competitor, starting in the early 1990's. He's helping to shape MECA's future in his area as the SC Event Director and hosted 5 events last season, including ESN and the SC Soundfest. Elite Audio also supplies the Judges and support for the Daniel Morgan Technical Center event "Rock the Schoolhouse", already on the 2010 schedule for May 28th.

Joe is an R&E Member. Elite Audio was the 2008 Retail Member of the year, and is in the Retail Member Hall of Fame. Joe was the 2009 SC Master SQ and Extreme Install State Champion. He helped initiate SQ2, and competed at our first offering of the 2 seat SQ class at the 2008 Finals, and took 2nd place. I'm sure I've left out something, but that is one heck of a list of credentials!

We are recognizing Joe for his competition success, particaption in the club, service to our sport, and good sportsmanship. Congrats, Joe!

Congratulations to Adam Sparks of Danville, KY who is our June 2009 Member of the Month. Adam's store, Sparky's Speed & Sound, is a Retail Member and this is Adam's 3rd consecutive year in the club. He was a member in 2000-2001, too, before becoming more involved with our club and contests.

Currently, Adam is running 2nd in S5 points with 113, behind D R Kirkland of TN with 115. They are both battling it out for the S5 Points title. During June, Adam competed in 6 events, including 2 days where he was at 2 shows the same day.

He is currently the top contender for the S5 KY Championship. Adam was the 2007 SPL S5 World Champion with a score of 144.4 dB, as well as KY Champion. He took 3rd place at the 2008 Finals with 147.7 dB. His DB5 high score is 125.6 dB and he is close to qualifying for Finals. We appreciate Adam's participation and good sportsmanship at our events. We also appreciate his getting louder every year and upping his level of competition. Congrats to Adam Sparks for his selection as our June 2009 Member of the Month.

Adam had the following to say about being chosen the June 2009 MOTM:

Thanks to everyone who nominated me. It's a honor and privilege to be the Member of the Month. The best part of MECA is the people. From Steve Stern to the judges and then competitors. Over the years, I have met a lot of people and they have all been top-notch. I have competed in other organizations but nothing can compare to MECA. Also, MECA provides more retail opportunities for my store, from having shows to traveling to shows with Team Sparky members. Thanks to everyone again. We will see you in the Lanes.

Congratulations to Chris LaCombe from Henning, IL for his selection as our May 2009 Member of the Month. A member since 2003, with a couple seasons off, he's been very active the past 2 years, and especially last month. With 4 events, including 2 in one day, the Army show at Ft. Campbell, KY and Shriner's Fest in Evansville, IN on Saturday the 16th, Chris put some miles on his Toyota Yaris.

He is the points leader in Modex SQ, and has Install and RTA Freq Out points, too. He's also got enough points in Street SQ to go to Finals. You'll have to ask him which class he intends to run. With a rich SPL heritage Chris knows how to build strong systems, and his is one of few SQL vehicles that flex the windshield when he's playing loud music.

Very active in Team Innovative, he is in charge of Illinois team vehicles' maintenance. He's gotten his wife Jen and newest member Kalin, his cousin I believe, into the MECA lanes. Looks like we have a new "MECA Royal Family" in the making. We appreciate Chris for his good sportsmanship, participation, and dedication. Congrats, Chris, on your selection as our May 2009 Member of the Month!

Chris was excited about being chosen the May 2009 MOTM and had the following to say:
high five...myself...no friends!!! by far this has been my most fruitful and amazing year in MECA. the people i have met and the knowledge
i have gained both in SQ and SPL are keeping me pretty busy, but anyone who knows me is well aware that my brain doesnt stop working overtime. thank you everyone

Congratulations to Terry Zona from Elizabethton, TN for his selection as our April 2009 Member of the Month. Terry has been a member since 2004. He was the 2005 TN SPL S4 Champion with 149.7 dB. Now competing in SQL Stock SQ, Terry was at 3 events in April, 2 in TN and 1 in NC. Currently, he is the leading points earner in Stock SQ and has a top score of 72.5.

Switching from SPL to SQL, Terry has changed his competition focus to accurate full-range music. Stock systems, by definition, are very basic, but Terry has taken up the gauntlet and is striving to tune his system for maximum points in SQ. His scores are improving, a lot, and he is using his knowledge and experience with hopes of being a top contender in his class. Terry is a fine example for all of us, demonstrating support for the club and dedication to our sport. He has evolved over the past 7 years and his audio system is part of the evolution. We appreciate and congratulate Terry for his selection to our MOTM honor roll.

Terry had the following to say about being chosen the April 2009 MOTM:
Steve, Members, and Judges,
Thank you all for this wonderful honor. MECA is like an extended family, with distant members you haven't met yet. After a big move and a few years off, I came back, this time for SQ, and its a lot harder than I thought! But, it still a great time. Steve, thank you so much for a place to come out and play!

Congratulations to Craig Butler from Glenwood, GA who posted the highest score in MECA's SPL history with 181.2 dB at SBN23, and becomes our March 2009 Member of the Month.

Craig has been a member since 2004 and brought his fully customized Hummer out each year for the MECA SPL contest at SBN in Daytona Beach, FL. He was loud in the Hummer, but with this new van project, and lots of planning and testing, he has the loudest vehicle in the USA and, as far as we can tell, the loudest on Earth.

Craig is serious and focused when he's in the lanes, and when he's not posting huge scores, he's approachable and easy to talk with. He loves SPL, every minute of it. When he's talking about the 12 volt industry and the importance of sound-offs, he gets excited about showing his handiwork and sharing it with enthusiasts everywhere he goes.

We are looking forward to seeing and hearing Craig at more of our shows, especially in Georgia, where we're working to present more contests this season. Congrats to Craig for his selection as MECA 's March 2009 Member of the Month and the success he's had in the lanes.

Congratulations to Jeremy McCord from Carlisle, KY for his selection as our February 2009 Member of the Month. Jeremy is the leader of Team Carlisle Acoustics and travels with his hard-hitting team to MECA shows, especially the E-town events.

This is his 3rd year in our club and he has these credentials: 2007 KY Champion - AS2 144.2 dB 2008 KY Champion - DB2 129.1 dB 2008 Drive-by SPL Parade DB2 World Champion - 131.9 dB He really brought the wang to the 2008 Finals in DB2. Many many people were very very impressed with that score!

Jeremy represented at the Sound-off Nationals (Carl Casper's show) in Louisville with 149.7 dB in M3 and 125.3 dB, both for 2nd place finishes. He said he loves our events and contests, and the people he meets wherever he goes. He's loud in the lanes, respected and liked by many, as evidenced by the number of members who suggested him for this honor. Congrats to Jeremy for his place in the MECA history book as the February 2009 Member of the Month.

Jeremy had the following to say about being chosen February 2009 MOTM:
Wow!!! This is awesome. I never expected to be member of the month. I would like to thank Steve Stern for all of his hard work in keeping MECA going. I also want to thank all of the judges, event directors and competitors that make the MECA shows the best I have ever attended. I would also like to thank to my team mates (Carlisle Acoustics) for putting up with me.

Congratulations to Randy Dickerson from Beaver, OH for his selection as our January 2009 Member of the Month. This is Randy's 4th year in MECA, and he is a Competitor and Retail Member representing his store, Street Waves Mobile Audio. He is also a member of Team TNT Dynamite Sounds, of one of MECA most respected independent teams.

Randy competed at the 2008 Finals and earned 2nd places in both M1 with 153.1 dB and DB1 with 124.4 dB. He was the 2008 Ohio State Champion in both those classes. He was at the 2009 Sound-off Nationals (Carl Casper's show) in Louisville and scored 153.2 dB in MX2.

He's another fine example of a dedicated Competitor who enjoys our club and contests, and is loud, and getting louder. Please join me as we recognize Randy Dickerson for his participation, performance, and support in MECA.

Randy had the following to say about being chosen January 2009 MOTM:

Thank you Steve for your call about being Member of the Month & thanks to everyone on Team TNT for all of your help and support. MECA is a Great Club and I hope to add a couple of shows to the schedule this year. Thanks again everyone!