If things aren’t hot enough in South Beach, they’re about the get even hotter — we’re only days away from the biggest amateur bodybuilding show on the planet.

The 2006 NPC National Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships will take center stage November 10-11 at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami, Florida. By the time it’s all said and done, nearly 300 competitors will have vied for pro cards in men’s bodybuilding, women’s bodybuilding and fitness.

On the men’s side, seven pro cards will be handed out, one to each class winner. Top contenders include Jerome Ferguson, Evan Centopani, Rudy Richards and Desmond Miller in the superheavies; Lionel Brown, Darrell Terrell, Ardorthus Cherry, Grigori Atoyan and Jason Huh in the heavies; and Stan McQuay, Lee Banks, Manny Torres, and Charles Dixon in the light-heavies.

The show kicks off on Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. for the men’s and women’s bodybuilding prejudging. Fitness prejudging starts Saturday morning at 9 a.m. The finals begin Saturday night at 7. For tickets to the show, check out www.ticketmaster.com, and stay tuned to flexonline.com for previews and continuing coverage of the 2006 Nationals.