INTRODUCTION
/ ABOUT US
In 1982, the Los Magnificos Car Club of Houston, Texas,
held their first car show under the club leadership of Joel Carmona and his
wife, Helen. The Los Magnificos car show quickly garnered enough interest to
become an annual event in Houston. Over time, the car shows proved incredibly
successful, eventually attracting interest from Houston’s KBXX “97.9
The Box” radio station. In an innovative move, a strategic relationship
was formed in which Los Magnificos coordinated the car show in conjunction with
a concert sponsored by the radio station. This event became known as the Los
Magnificos Custom Car Show and Concert.
Sadly, Joel Carmona, the longtime driving force behind Los Magnificos
Car Club, passed away in a house fire in February of 1996. The
club thrived for a while under the direction of Helen Carmona,
his wife, and Mark Martinez, who was like a son to Joel. Later,
Mark left to create Houston Society and the club members dwindled,
but the car show events were continued in his memory by his
wife, Helen, who eventually turned the day-to-day operations
over to her daughter, Teresa, and son-in-law, Jon Chuck. Under
the guidance of Helen, Jon, and Teresa, the Los Magnificos tradition
lives on.
Today, Los Magnificos continues to manage the Los Magnificos Custom Car Show
and Concert produced with 97.9 The Box. Currently in its 23rd year, the car
show, which started in a parking lot at Northline Mall, is now a mega-event
that is considered one of the premier car shows outside of California. In 2004,
the show attracted over 450 cars (along with 150 lowrider bikes and model cars),
with many of the nation’s best lowriders on display. With the success
of the Houston show and the strong reputation in the lowrider community, the
show made its debut in Dallas, Texas, in March of 2005. This show was representative
of the high standards associated with Los Magnificos, as the facility was quickly
filled to capacity while exhibitors and spectators enjoyed a top quality car
show and concert event.
OUR
MISSION
Los Magnificos strives to produce world-class custom
car show events across the United States that are enjoyed by
both the custom car exhibitor and the event spectator while
at the same time allowing Los Magnificos to remain loyal to
their beliefs and values. This was Joel’s dream, and it
is also shared by Helen, Jon, and Teresa. While they realize
that the crowd produces the majority of the revenue, they vow
to never lose sight of the exhibitors and their desires.
IN CONCLUSION
Los Magnificos has established itself as one of the
premier car show promotions companies in the United States.
The capabilities offered by Los Magnificos combined with the
correctly aligned backing from a local radio station will continue
to produce successful car shows and concerts in any market.
In addition to the event,
Los Magnificos is involved throughout the lowriding community,
helping others with their events and being involved in any way
possible. With this commitment, the club has established a strong
reputation for their community involvement. The club attempts
to promote a positive image of lowriding by helping various
causes. One example is the Helen Carmona Scholarship given annually
to people involved in the lowriding community who are attempting
to continue their education after high school. Here is a brief
list of some other causes the club has been involved in:
Cenicor
The Battered Women's Shelter
Star of Hope - Women's shelter
T-shirts for Head Start Kids - Ft. Bend
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Christ The King Catholic Church
Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless
Toys for tots
Soccer Uniforms for Low-income kids
Several Fund raisers throughout the Houston area
